-Chapter 223-

Musical Tastes

Robotropolis

A few weeks after the battle with Akhlut and Kage, it was a typical day in Robotropolis. Grimer and Eggatha were casually working on different projects in their respective laboratories. Akhlut was meditating in the newly improved training room. And the 6-S were off...being themselves. All in all, everything was peaceful in the dark heart of Mobius.

"CUBOOOOOOOOOT!" Robotnik's voice shrieked out, followed by a terrified scream from the aforementioned robot.

Until it wasn't.

Eggatha and Akhlut ran for Robotnik's lab, where they found the doctor furiously chasing Cubot around the lab, trying to swat him with a broom.

"D-Dr. Robotnik!" Cubot pleaded. "Please, calm down!"

"Don't you tell me to calm down!" Robotnik ranted. "This is all your fault! You lousy, worthless, no-good, Aurora-damned, yellow…THING!"

In the midst of the chase, the doctor failed to notice a piece of machinery lying on the floor, and stepped on it, causing him to lose his balance and sending him careening into his workbench, knocking it, and himself, over. Eggatha ran in at that, Akhlut at the door.

"Uncle Ivo!" Eggatha cried. "Are you okay?! What's going on?!"

"Yes, please enlighten us as to why you're chasing your glorified paperweight while screaming loud enough to raise the dead," Akhlut deadpanned.

"Hey!" Cubot objected.

"Well, if you must know," Robotnik began as he brushed himself off. "I was just getting ready to work on some old blueprints and inventions I'd been putting off, and thought I'd put on some music to help pass the time." His mood immediately soured. "But when I go to open my playlist, I discover that my entire song library has been deleted because a certain yellow blockhead thought it'd be a good idea to play with my Egg Magnet!"

"A Power Gem rolled under the terminal!" Cubot defended. "I was trying to get it!"

Robotnik grabbed Cubot, shaking him violently. "Gems. Are not. Magnetic! You DOOFUS!"

A moment of silence followed before Cubot perked.

"Really? Huh. Well, I done goofed." That got him thrown into the wall with a loud crash. "Ow!"

"Anyway…while I redownloaded my music, I decided to turn on the radio," he scowled, "But when I did…"

He turned on the radio at that.

"Livin' in the city!/You know you have surviiiiiiive./You gotta keep that dream alive..."

"That abomination started playing."

"Oh hey, it's Mina and the Forget-Me-Knots!" Eggatha exclaimed. "They were great during half-time at the EX World Grand Prix."

"Isn't that the mongoose girl you threw in your old Egg Dungeon and whose mother you Roboticized?" Akhlut asked.

"Yes, and now she's become Mobius' newest teeny-bopper, pop music sensation!" Robotnik threw up his hands in exasperation. "I HATE pop music!"

"Hey! It's not that bad!" Cubot objected, only to get a piece of junk thrown at his face.

"Quiet, blockhead!" Robotnik hissed. "The only good thing to ever come from that accursed genre was Michael Jack Terrier…and he's dead!" He looked solemn. "May he rest in peace."

Akhlut snorted. "You like Michael Jack Terrier?"

Eggatha looked confused. "I thought you liked industrial metal."

"A friend of mine was a diehard fan and introduced me to his music when I was younger," Robotnik explained. "Got me hooked, something fierce."

Akhlut laughed at that. "Oh gods, I can't believe you actually like that stuff! I wouldn't be caught dead listening to that…"

Suddenly, one of Michael Jack Terrier's songs began playing out of nowhere.

"I took my baby for a Saturday bang!/Is that girl with you?/Yes we're one and the…"

Akhlut turned beet red and started sweating bullets as one of Michael Jack Terrier's songs began playing out of nowhere, earning him incredulous looks from everyone present. The orca took out his cell phone and answered it, turning off the song.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Kettle speaking," came Robotnik's voice. "Is Pot home? I need to tell him that he's Black or White!"

Akhlut looked up at that, seeing Robotnik talking on his own phone and glaring at him.

"You hacked my phone?" the orca demanded.

"I'm evil," Robotnik said simply. "I hack everyone's phone. This should not surprise you."

Akhlut growled before hanging up.

"Y'know Uncle, if you don't like what's on the radio, you could always… I dunno, change the station." Eggatha suggested.

"I did."

Robotnik began flipping through the different stations, each one playing a different Forget-Me-Knots song.

"S-O-N-I-C, Go! S-O..."

"It doesn't matter/How it happens/I will…"

"We can make it if we all stick together/We won't…"

"Seven rings in hand…"

"She's EVERYWHERE!" Robotnik screamed. "Northamer! Soumerca! Eurish! Everywhere I go! Mina, Mina, MINA!"

"Seriously?" Akhlut asked.

"Yeah!" Cubot chimed in. "Her band's giving a big concert down at Twinkle Park tonight as part of a big anniversary for the Freedom Fighters beating us up or something. So, everyone's helping promote it."

"Oh! Of course! Because nothing sells tickets more than a chance to rub my failures in my face!" Robotnik grabbed the remains of an old Tails Doll prototype and started strangling it.

"Oooh…that miserable, little, snake-eating brat! Why, I've got half a mind to go down to Station Square myself, wring my hands around her scrawny, yellow neck, and snap! It! Like! A! Twig!"

Robotnik stopped and panted for a moment as the others watched.

"Soooo…does that mean we can't go?" Cubot asked, getting another piece of thrown junk to the face.

"Cubot, out!" Robotnik ordered. "Go mess around on Scrambler or whatever it is you do in your spare time!"

"Yessir!" Cubot took off as Robotnik sat down, trying to compose himself.

"Calm down Ivo…" he sighed. "Calm down…"

"Y'know, you could do just that, doctor. She is a Freedom Fighter," Akhlut pointed out. "Hell, you could just bomb the whole park!"

"No Akhlut, I can't," Robotnik replied. "That kind of Saturday morning cartoon buffoonery is beneath us, and if anyone in my Empire tried that. I'd have them cracked faster than you can say…"

A loud ping sounded. Robotnik, Eggatha, and Akhlut pulled out their phones.

"Huh, looks like Cubot made a new Scrambler post," Eggatha perked. "Whoa! It already hit two thousand likes!"

"Good!" Akhlut declared. "Maybe now they'll finally stop talking about my butt."

"Please," Robotnik scoffed. "As if anything could ever top- WHAT IS THIS?!"

Cubot's post was a video of Eggman ranting about Mina and how much he wanted to kill her, which had quickly jumped from twenty thousand to fifty thousand views. Robotnik began pulsing with rage, his entire head turning the same color of his jacket.

"Agatha, let's give your uncle some space," Akhlut quickly said.

"Good idea!" Eggatha quickly agreed.

They took off running as Robotnik's eyelid twitched…

Springtrap Village

Numerous people perked, looking toward Robotropolis as an enraged scream rang out across the skyline, scaring Flickies from their roosts.

"CUBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!"

Twinkle Park

As all of this was going on, several of the Freedom Fighters had gone to Twinkle Park to relax and have fun before Mina's concert, everyone agreeing they needed to wind down after the disastrous battle with Akhlut and Kage. Team Thorndyke and friends were at the games, Keith trying to win a prize at a throwing game to no avail while Chris was dominating, much to his annoyance.

"Yes! Victory!" Chris shouted as he pumped his fist.

"Oh come on, man! How are you so good at this?" Keith demanded. "I've practiced with the Nitro Gloves just as much as you!"

"Natural talent, cuz," Chris quipped.

Off to the side, Kat and Sam watched as Hope and Helen were playing Game Cogs, in the midst of some kind of battle. Kat turned to Sam.

"So… what exactly are they doing again?" She asked.

"Bookeymon (1)," Sam replied. "One of those 'mon' games where you capture and train collectible monsters to fight each other. In this case, using magic books. I used to be a big fan and collector myself, but I lost interest around the third generation." He rubbed the back of his head. "Kinda hard to 'catch 'em all' when they just keep adding over a hundred more every new game."

"Honestly, I could never get into the whole fad," Kat admitted. "I mean, everything was so convoluted and it was hard to keep track of all the different Bookeymon." She paused, thinking for a moment. "Well, I did like that really weird clone Bookeymon from that one movie, and that little ghostly one that pretends to be a Rikachu."

"Bookachu, yeah."

"I mean, he's so terrifying that anyone who looks at him dies of fright, but all he wants is to be loved." Kat smiled slightly. "If they were real, I'd become a Bookeymon trainer just to gather a horde of them."

At that moment, they heard a victorious shout, turning to see Keith throwing his arms up with a big grin on his face.

"YES! I finally did it!" he cheered. "I beat you! In your face, Chris!"

Chris just rolled his eyes as the proprietor handed Keith a sizable plushy of a creature covered in an old rag with beady eyes, a poorly drawn mouse face with red cheeks on it.

"You sure you don't want the Rikachu plushy instead?" the man asked.

"Nah, this is for my girlfriend," Keith replied. "She kinda… has a thing for dark, misunderstood creatures."

With that done, they headed back to the others, Keith holding out the plushy.

"Well… it cost a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, and about twenty Mobiums," Keith remarked, "but here, Kat. One Bookachu plushy."

Her eyes went wide at the sight and a massive grin sprouted across her face as she took the plushy and hugged it, squeeing slightly.

"I love it!" She grabbed Keith, pulling him into a hug as well. "Thank you, Keith! You're the best!"

"Aurora, we all needed this," Chris sighed. "Especially after that."

"I don't doubt it," Sam remarked. "I heard the cliffnotes from Hope and my dad. That day was brutal."

Kat's smile faltered, her grip on the plush tightening. "Brutal doesn't even begin to describe it."

"But enough about that!" Helen quickly cut in. "We're here to have fun and kick back, not worry about a really bad day. So let's see what else there is around here."

Hope snorted. "Better question is what isn't."

As they went to look around the park some more, Helen leaned over to Chris.

"So…" she whispered. "How'd he do it? Did he get lucky, or did you just give him a mercy win?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," Chris replied. "The important thing is he thinks he won."

Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched by two figures on the side...

-X-

Meanwhile, some of the Freedom Fighters were at the Pleasure Castle arcade's new laser tag game. The current game was a 3v3 search and destroy battle between the Red Team (Rotor, Antoine, and Bunnie) and the Blue Team (Porker, Johnny, and Tekno). Rotor was really getting into it, mimicking com static as he had a conversation with himself.

"Seabase. Come in, Seabase. This is Special Agent Joe Sushi, reporting. Over," he said in a gruff voice before switching back to a normal one.

"This is Seabase, we hear you loud and clear, Agent Sushi. What's your status? Have you located and eliminated the enemy? Over."

"Negative, Seabase. They've proven to be craftier than anticipated. The bastards ambushed us almost as soon as we arrived. We lost Agent Fox, and Agent Hopper has gone missing. I…"

There was a sudden zap, killing his final life point. He blinked, then looked down in shock.

"I got him!" Porker cheered. "Tekno, I got him!"

"And according to the scanner, he. Is. Out!" Tekno cheered. "Score two for Team Fleetway!"

"High five!"

They quickly exchanged one.

"What?!" Rotor cried. "Oh come on, how the heck did you guys find me!?"

"Rotor, you were talking to yourself the whole time," Tekno pointed out. "How could we not?"

Rotor looked embarrassed as he walked out. Once he was out, he sat next to Antoine, who looked annoyed.

"Can't believe they got me that easily…" Rotor grumbled.

"At least you lasted longer!" Antoine groused. "They took me out in the first minute!"

"Seriously, those three are scary good when they work together. I'm honestly surprised they don't have more fans."

Antoine just shrugged.

"Well, looks like it's all up to Bunnie."

"Oui, oui, mon ami." Antoine replied as he gave a knowing grin, "Oui, oui."

-X-

Once Rotor left, Tekno and Porker regrouped with Johnny so they could track down and take out Bunnie.

"Okay, you're the smart ones," said Johnny. "So what's the plan?"

"Well, we have numbers on our side," Porker realized. "If we stick together, we can overwhelm her and-"

Suddenly, an eerie voice began to fill the play area, singing a slow, eerie version of a childish song.

"D-do you guys hear some-?" Johnny managed before a single shot rang out, nailing him in the chest.

"What the he-!"

"Lil' bunny foo-foo/Hoppin' through the forest/Scoopin' up the field mice/An' kissin' 'em on the head."

They immediately began to sweat.

"She's got a bead on us!" Porker screamed.

"Run, you fools!" Johnny shouted.

They both took off as Johnny got up, dusting himself off.

"You better win…" he muttered to himself.

As Tekno and Porker fled, the voice continued singing.

"Dooooooooown came the good fairy! And she said…"

"Damn!" Porker cursed. "How'd she find us so fast!"

"I don't know!" Tekno cried. "I was looking at Johnny!"

A second shot rang out, and Porker got hit in the back. He yelped and fell to his knees, Tekno skidding to a stop.

"Porker!" she screamed.

"Go!" Porker urged. "Save yourself! It's too late for me."

Tekno hesitated, then turned and bolted deeper into the maze. She stopped, panting and trying not to freak out as she put a hand on her chest.

"Man, I gotta start going to the gym…" she gasped.

There was the sound of metal on metal, an ominous noise that drew a frightened squawk from the canary. She looked around, her hands shaking as she tried to see her attacker.

"I-I know you're there!" she yelled. "Show yourself!"

"Lil' bunny foo-foo/Hoppin' through the forest/Scoopin' up the field mice/An' kissin' 'em on the head."

Tekno was on the verge of tears by this point. "C-can't we just sit down and settle this over a nice cold pint of root beer?"

"Oh, no," came the voice. "I gave you threeee chances! And since you didn't behave... POOF!"

Tekno raised her gun, but was hit before she could fire. As she stood in speechless shock, Bunnie emerged from the shadows, smirking.

"Yer a goon."

There was a loud buzz and the lights flickered on. Bunnie dropped the scary act, holding out her hand.

"Ya good?" she asked. "Ya look like ya might need a new pair of shorts."

Tekno nodded, taking her hand. "Yeah... I just need to sit down for a bit."

Everyone made their way out of the arena, Bunnie quickly rushing over to her team with a grin.

"Never doubted you for a moment, mon cher," Antoine greeted.

The two kissed before Antoine picked Bunnie up and gave her a small spin.

"Yeah, I'll stick with a high five," Rotor decided.

Bunnie gave him one at that. As they walked out, Porker turned to her.

"So... that little horror show," he began. "How can you take a cute little nursery rhyme like Little Bunny Foo-Foo and make it pants-wetting scary?"

"It's a trick my Uncle Beauregard taught me," Bunnie explained. "He used to do the same thing during the Great War as a scare tactic, and hoo boy did it work."

"Beauregard Rabbot?" asked Johnny. "Sonic's Uncle Chuck mentioned him once or twice. He was one of his squadmates back during the Great War, right?"

"Yep. The sniper and sharpshooter. I've never seen him miss."

Antoine was silent for a moment. "I think this is the first time you've mentioned your family, cher."

Bunnie just fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry, Bunnie," Antoine went on. "It's just…you hardly ever talk about them and I've never seen you calling or even writing any letters, so I was worried that…well, with everything that's going on…"

"Ant, dude!" Johnny snapped. "This is hardly the time or place to bring that up!"

"It's fine, Johnny," Bunnie assured. "He was just asking."

"Hey, if you're not ready to talk about it-" Tekno began.

"Thank you, but honestly... it might do me some good," Bunnie took a breath. "The truth is…I haven't seen or even talked to my aunt an' uncle ever since…" she raised her robot arm in the air slightly, "…you know."

A dead silence followed at that.

"Hold on," Rotor began. "You haven't spoken to your family ever since you joined us?"

"But that was like…two years ago!" Porker remarked.

"Bunnie, what the hell?!" Johnny demanded. "Your folks are probably worried sick!"

"What am I supposed to do?" Bunnie asked, irritated. "Walk up to the front door and say 'Howdy y'all, I'm home! Sorry it took long, things got a lil' crazy! Wanna see my new souvenirs?'"

"Cher, if I was in their shoes, I'd just be happy to know you're alive," Antoine assured. "And we've already talked about this." He took her robotic hand. "These do not define you, nor change who you are."

"We get it," Tekno added. "What happened to you was horrible. It's only natural you'd be nervous talking about it. But still, you're gonna have to tell them sooner or later."

"I know…" Bunnie sighed. "I just…"

"Bunnie, you can't keep dodging it forever," Rotor insisted. "You need to face this." He looked down sadly. "You might not get another chance."

There was a moment of silence, the unspoken words heavy on their hearts.

"Maybe... I could send them a letter or something," Bunnie mused. "Maybe give them a call."

"Or you could actually go talk to them in the flesh," Tekno offered. "In person."

Bunnie went pale at that.

"Listen," Antoine began, "if it helps, I will personally go to the Baronies with you and help you face them. And if they so much as look at you the wrong way, I…" He tried to think of something to say that won't sound too crazy or stupid. "I-I will personally tell them to…"

Bunnie placed her flesh and blood hand over Antoine's mouth, stopping him. Once he stopped trying to talk, she removed it.

"Thanks, sugar," she said before kissing him. Once they parted, Antoine smiled at her.

"Ce n'est pas du tout un problème, ma bien-aimée. (2)"

Bunnie blinked. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Um…" Thankfully, he was saved from answering by his phone going off. He pulled it out, checking the time. "Oh, it's almost time for Mina's concert!"

With no time to waste, the six raced off, as more figures watched them…

-X-

At the bumper car arena, the rest of the Freedom Fighters were in the midst of a complete mayhem of a session. Amy revved her car, colliding hard with another.

"Oh no!" she cried. "I hit someone's cat!"

In the other car, Honey gave the pink hedgehog a deadpan glare.

"That wasn't funny the first three times, and it still isn't," she informed her.

"Alright, I'm done," Amy assured.

At that moment, she was hit from behind.

"Pink hedgehog, twenty points!" Shorty declared before revving off to find his next target.

"Hey!" Amy shouted, revving after him. "Get back here!"

"Catch me if you can!" Shorty taunted.

His eyes then fell on Sally and he immediately floored it. Sally had just enough time to turn and see before Shorty plowed into her.

"Squirrel princess for fifty points!" he declared.

"Shorty, this isn't a competition!" Sally insisted.

"It is now!" Shorty whooped as he took off.

Sally sighed, before looking to see Sonic just drifting around aimlessly. Concerned, she drove over, gently bumping his car instead of ramming it.

"Hey, you alright?" she asked. "You look a bit listless."

Sonic blinked, shaking his head before turning to Sally with a disarming smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Oh, sorry. I just nodded off for a minute."

Sally raised an eyebrow. "The same way you did on the tilt-a-whirl? And the roller coaster? And the swinging ship?"

"Yeah, it's kinda hard to really get into these rides when you're faster than all of them combined."

"Fair enough, but I also know you. You may have an excuse for the rides, but you were also out of it while we were playing the games and going through the House of Mirrors. What's going on with you, Sonic?"

Sonic sighed, shaking his head. "Let's just say my rib's been aching since the fight…"

"I knew it," Sally said, not unkindly. "Wanna talk about it?"

They drove around a bit, and eventually, Sonic gave in. He ran a hand through his quills.

"Ever since that day, the fight with Akhlut just keeps running inside my head. I mean, I've lost fights before, but that couldn't actually be called a fight. It was a slaughter, Sal. A full-fledged, one-sided, no-holds-barred beatdown." He let out a bitter laugh. "How ironic that I was complaining about fights being too easy." His head flopped into the steering wheel. "Be careful what you wish for... should've learned that on Shanazar."

"Hey, none of that," Sally insisted. "Today is supposed to be us enjoying ourselves, having fun, and trying to let go of what happened. Yes, it sucked, but we will find a way to beat Akhlut. I promise."

Sonic didn't seem convinced.

"Sonic, look at me," Sally ordered. He did so. "You remember my mentor Julayla?"

"Rosie's cousin? The one who taught you how to fight and all that?"

"Yeah," Sally nodded. "If it wasn't for her and everything she taught me, there wouldn't be a Freedom Fighters Initiative. Let me tell you something she drilled into me whenever I thought things would be hopeless." She cleared her throat. "'You can overcome any adversary, no matter how bizarre their powers may seem or how strong they are; there is always a way. Only one thing can defeat you: Your own fear.'"

"Wise words," Sonic mused. "She and Longclaw would have gotten along really well." He smiled slightly. "Hell, that's actually something Longclaw would say."

"Then take it to heart, alright?" Sally asked. "We will make this right. No matter how strong Eggman's forces get, we'll keep trying, and find a way to win, just like we always have."

Sonic let out a breath, nodding in agreement. "Thanks, Sal. I really needed-"

He was jolted to a stop when Shorty crashed hard into him.

"Blue hedgehog!" he cheered. "A thousand points!"

They both turned to him, Sally scowling.

"You really know how to wreck a heartfelt moment, don't you?" she spat.

"Then maybe you should save the heartfelt moments for outside of the bumper car ring!" Shorty retorted before taking off.

Sally went to retort, only for Sonic to streak past her.

"You get back here, Shorty!" he yelled. "I'm putting you through that wall!"

Shorty didn't get far before Sonic plowed him into the wall, Sonic cheering.

"Oh yeah! Screwball squirrel in the side pocket! Five thousand points!"

He then rode off in reckless abandon, determined to plow everyone into submission. Sally watched it all with a warm smile, happy to see the true Sonic shining through. After a few more minutes, Amy checked her watch, perking.

"Guys, it's almost time!" she cried.

Hearing that, everyone stopped their cars, hopping out.

"Oh we better not miss this," Honey declared.

"Agreed. Let's meet with the others."

As they headed off, a pair of disguised Mobians, a casual, slacker-looking wolf and a stout, nerdy-looking bear were listening in and watching them. The wolf wore blue jeans, sneakers, black gloves and T-shirt, and a green windbreaker hoodie. While the bear wore a red and blue flannel shirt, black slacks, brown loafers, and large, round glasses.

"Okay…" the wolf began, "so the squirrel, Pinky, Princess Sally, and Sonic himself, that's four. Total that up with the reports from the other teams and we got… about fourteen guys."

"Uh, Tes," the bear replied, "I'm pretty sure only half of them are guys."

The wolf sighed, rubbing his face. "Eddi, you did not just make that joke."

"What joke? They really aren't guys!"

"I didn't mean guys as if they were all men! I meant guys as in…you know, people!""

"Then why didn't you just say 'people'?"

"Because…I dunno, it's just easier!"

"It's veeeery offensiiiive."

"Oh my gosh, since when were you obsessed with being politically correct?!"

"Since the idiot I hung out with went and got us both drafted by the most hair-trigger lunatic in…"

"Tesla!" a voice cut in over their coms. "Eddison!" Both of them let out rather undignified, girlish screams as they covered their ears. "What the hell are you idiots blabbering about?!"

"Nothing!" Tesla exclaimed. "Nothing! We weren't blabbering about nothing! Weren't we, Eddi?"

"Yeah!" Edison agreed. "I mean, no! I mean…ummmmm…uhhhh…"

"SILENCE!"

The duo were suddenly electrocuted by something around their necks, crying out in pain.

"I don't care what it is you two were doing! You two are supposed to be performing reconnaissance on those rabble-rousers! Understand?!"

"Yes Boss-lady!" Tesla cried.

"Sorry, boss!" Edison added.

"Goooooood. Now, quit dicking around and get to the arena. It looks like they're heading off to watch the concert."

"Yes, sir!" Eddison declared. "We understand, sir!"

The com disconnected at that.

"Well," Tesla began, "it was fun while it lasted."

"Yeeeeeah…"

-X-

Around this time, the Freedom Fighters had converged around the auditorium where Mina's band was going to perform. Standing there was Ash, who greeted them with a wave.

"Ash, right?" Sonic shook his hand. "Haven't seen you since the Christmas party. How you doing?"

"Oh, just putting in the work making the Forget-Me-Knots the next big sensation," Ash replied. "Nothing special."

"Nothing special? Don't sell yourself short. Mina won't stop gushing about all the hard work you do." Sonic elbowed him. "You two are lucky to have each other."

"Thanks. I'm lucky to have her." He nodded at them. "Sorry to cut this short, but I gotta put the finishing touches on the equipment. If you'll excuse me…"

He headed off at that, the group taking their seats. The auditorium was soon filled, Tesla and Eddison taking their seats in the back. The spotlights turned on, and everyone exploded into applause as Mina stepped out onto the stage.

"Hello, Twinkle Park!" she exclaimed. "Thank you all for coming, and helping us celebrate the second anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog's first showdown and defeat of that rotten Dr. Eggman! Two years, and he's still going fast!"

Everyone cheered again, Sonic clapping politely.

"Don't throw flowers, just send Mobiums." he quipped.

"Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but even with threats like Eggman on the horizon, I can sleep soundly knowing Sonic is there. And so, I dedicate this next song to him, and to the Freedom Fighters!"

More applause sounded as the curtains parted, revealing her band.

"Now, I'm gonna take things down a little bit, with one of my personal favorites."

As they began playing, Mina cleared her throat, singing a cover of Follow Me.

"Anywhere you wanna go.../Anything you need to know!/All the best in life.../I wanna get it for you!/Lately I just feel so fine!/I imagine that you're mine!/In my world you're gold.../I only wanna protect you!/And whatever I want, I get.../I want a shooting star!/Whatever I need, I have.../When I'm with you!"

Max played a quick guitar riff.

"Follow me inside!/Outside!/Through the stratosphere!/The moon is shining for you.../It knows that I adore you!/Suddenly all that sadness will just slip away.../And you will see what I mean.../If you just follow me in my dreams!"

Everyone was rocking and jamming, but just as the first verse finished, all hell broke loose as a bomb exploded. The Freedom Fighters were immediately jumping into action, trying to get the civilians out. However, amidst their attempts, several members of the audience began to pull out egg-shaped devices covered in yellow and orange markings. They pressed a button, surrounding them with electricity and changing them into Egg Army uniforms.

"The Egg Army!" Shorty cried. "They've been here this whole time?!"

"Were you expecting mustache-twirling goofs who stick out like sore thumbs?" one of them quipped.

Each soldier blocked off the exit, guns at the ready to keep the audience trapped.

"This isn't good…" Sonic let out.

"No, it isn't," Knuckles remarked.

"Where's Eggman?" Tails demanded. "This would be when he descends and begins cackling."

"Unless it's another general…" Sally realized.

As if on cue, the wall suddenly exploded in rubble, allowing a red mech around five or six feet tall resembling an E-100 series Badnik to stomp in.

"What in the world is that thing?!" Mina demanded.

"Pretty sure that's an Eggman robot, Mina." Sharps said matter-of-factly.

"Oh gee, what gave it away?" Max said sarcastically. "The giant Eggman logo on it?!"

"Would you two shut…?!" Sonia managed to get out before they were suddenly snagged in electrical nets and zapped, dropping them to the ground.

"Mina!" Ash cried.

He tried to run for her, only to be tazed by the mech.

"Silence, infidel!" the mech ordered in a deep, electronically-distorted voice. "Your betters are speaking. Now, where were we…"

The robot walked toward the stage menacingly. Mina could only watch in horror as the mechanical monster drew closer.

"Mina Mongoose! For the crimes of disturbing the peace, slander, and treason against the Robotnik Empire, you have been sentenced to DIE!"

The mech aimed right at Mina, preparing to fire…

Author's Note:

(1): Mobian Pokémon; credit for the idea goes to WindstarOsprey.

(2): "This is not a problem at all, my beloved."

Another arc begins; a big thank you to WindstarOsprey for helping me with this.

Who is this Egg Boss, and why are they going to all this trouble? We'll find out soon.

I will say this much; Robotnik's rant is taken from that one arc in Archie, from issues 153-154, where Eggman put a hit out on Mina and personally hired Nack to assassinate her purely because he found her music annoying.

Please R&R. Until next time!