Back to Chapter 43

Robotnik’s eyes focused and the bright light in his vision dissipated. Colours flooded his view. He was in the Green Hill Zone. His last-ditch teleport had worked. Sonic may have been fast, but he’d never make it back here in time to prevent Robotnik from launching his next offensive.

Robotnik looked around. Flowing blue water rushed below the hill he stood atop. And there was his bulldozer, unfortunately destroyed. No sign of any of those pesky animals that he’d stirred up so masterfully earlier in the day. Part of Robotnik wanted to be frustrated at him incurring another defeat, but that simply wasn’t the way he operated. Robotnik was a scientist. Each loss was merely a drawback- a chance to learn and go back to the drawing board to attempt something new. Eventually, as in all things scientific, the correct method would be found- the method, that is, for conquering Mobius and destroying Sonic.

Robotnik pressed a hidden button on his waist and a tiny beep indicated his signal had been sent out. Within seconds, an Egg-O-Matic burst from the wreckage of the bulldozer. It was hardly unscathed but it would do for a getaway vehicle. Robotnik always had a contingency plan.

The rotund scientist clambered into the Egg-O-Matic and activated it. The exhaust spluttered and hacked and the craft slowly rose off the ground.

He was going to get away. He was going to be free. He already had a plan in mind to erase that stupid hedgehog forever.

WHAM!

Something hit Robotnik in the back of the head like a sack of cinderblocks had been dropped on him from a great height. Immediately, lurching forward, Robotnik smashed into the control panel of his Egg-O-Matic. As the controls sparked, fizzed and popped, Robotnik began to suspect this Egg-O-Matic was even less unscathed than he had guessed.

Red faced and flustered, sweat pouring from his brow as he careened towards the waters below, Robotnik had time enough to turn and see what had hit him- as Sonic calmly smiled and waved at him, wiggling his fingers coolly.

“Not that I want to tell you how to do your evil-madman-ing,” Sonic said, “but maybe next time you’ll want the teleport to deactivate after you’ve used it to stop me from following you?”

Robotnik screamed as he hurtled towards the water, “I hate that hedgehog!”

With a splash, the Egg-O-Matic hit the water. Buoyed by its shape, it bobbed about, its engines dead. And Robotnik was carried out to sea, angrily ranting all the way.

Chapter 45 coming soon