Back to Chapter 45

“Drat that accursed hedgehog,” Robotnik grumbled.

Snively was right on cue with his toadying, “Oh, yes, sir, I quite agree!”

It had been one week since Sonic had thwarted Robotnik’s second attempt at conquering South Island. The demented doctor was currently working in one of his many laboratories in the now largely inoperative Scrap Brain Zone on another plan designed to tackle Sonic more directly.

“That lousy good-for-nothing do-gooder brat had the audacity to send me out to sea! Me! The great Doctor Ivo Robotnik!”

“It’s been a week and I’m still shaking water out of my ears, sir,” Snively nodded.

“You were wet enough to begin with! But I’m not deterred- this next ingenious invention of mine will take the fight right to Sonic. If he’s going to be the one who stops me at every turn, I may as well beat him to the punch. Take out the greatest obstacle to my plans, leave those plans unimpeded. Simple”

“Brilliant, sir, quite brilliant,” Snively gave a creepy grin, “And, if you don’t mind my saying so, I think you’ve outdone yourself this time”

“Quite so, Snively, thank you,” Robotnik stood back and took in his latest robotic contraption. Yes, this would do nicely.

***

It was another gloriously bright day in the Green Hill Zone. Sonic and his friends were enjoying their usual sporting contests- with Sonic predictably coming out on top in most of the speed-based games. Currently, the friends were enjoying a game of rounders. Sally was pitching the ball and Joe, uncharacteristically joining in with the physical exertion of playing sports, was at the bat. Sonic was one of the fielders, primed to catch the ball.

Sally wound up and threw with all her might. Joe, not taking his eye off the ball, swung with an astonishing force and with a mighty crack sent the ball flying over the brow of a nearby hill.

“I’ve got it!” Sonic yelled and rushed over the hill.

Seeing Sonic was on the case, Joe moved like he’d never moved before, getting his rear end in gear to get to the first base.

The familiar blue shape of Sonic slowly sauntered over the hill.

“Sonic, the ball! Throw me the ball!” Sally cried.

Sonic stood stock still and said nothing.

“Sonic!” Johnny shouted, “Where’s the ball?!”

Sonic’s mouth upturned and he raced down the hill directly towards Sally, ready to plough straight into her. Sally could barely get a gasp out before she witnessed something even more incredible- Sonic was holding back Sonic!

“Hey, buddy, you should watch your manners,” the real Sonic chastised the imposter, “Just because you’re devilishly handsome doesn’t mean you have a right to attack my friends!”

The second Sonic turned to look at the real deal. It was taking all of the real Sonic’s might to hold the duplicate back.

“Two Sonics?” Sally asked, jaw agape.

“I believe you recorded something not unlike this scenario in your dream diary, Sally,” N.I.C.O.L.E. spoke up.

“Yes, thank you, N.I.C.O.L.E.,” Sally dismissed her.

Tux raised an eyebrow, “One might say one Sonic was plenty, two is downright uncouth”

“Thanks a lot, Tux,” Sonic returned sarcastically.

The phony hedgehog thrust Sonic to the ground and stood over him.

“Just who are you anyway?” Sonic asked, getting to his feet in time to dodge a hammer blow from the pretender.

The faux Hedgehog responded in a robotic monotone, “Designation: Sonic Eraser. Purpose: Sonic eraser”

“Great, another of Robotnik’s Badniks,” Sonic furrowed his brow.

“B-be careful, Sonic,” Porker advised nervously, “He looks t-tough”

“Well of course he looks tough, Porker, old pal,” Sonic smirked, “He looks like me”

Sonic narrowly ducked a big right hand thrown by the robot and reminded himself to win the fight first and show off later.

“Sonic, he’s pretty quick,” Flicky noted.

Sonic pretended to be offended, “Shut your beak, young Flicky. The very suggestion that this clunking heap of metal could be as fast as m—”

A big uppercut caught Sonic off guard and staggered him. Sonic’s vision blurred for a minute as a cascade of colours spun past his eyes like precious gemstones.

Sonic shook his head and his vision returned to normal, “Now I’m mad”

Sonic dashed at the robot and threw a walloping punch at its jaw, staggering it. Sonic considered letting on how much punching the robot had hurt his fist but he decided against it in the hopes he could keep some style points among his friends.

The Sonic Eraser span its legs into a blur then charged at Sonic with a full-body attack which took the hedgehog down once more.

“Soneek,” Antoine called out, “allow me to assist you with my saber!”

“No!” Sonic raised a cautious hand, “It’s too dangerous, Ant”

“So who decided you have to put yourself in the firing line every time?” Sally asked.

Sonic knew Sally was right, of course. He couldn’t do this forever.

Except he had to.

“I did, Sally. ‘Cause I’m the only one who can do this”

Sonic showed his doppelganger a thing or two about whirling up to speed as he revved up his feet so fast the air whistled through his legs. At once applying a single ounce of friction on the ground and immediately leaping off it, Sonic shot at the Sonic Eraser as if he’d been fired with the force of an explosion from a cannon.

As Sonic hit the robot square in the chest, a loud clanging, smashing noise signified the end of the threat and the Sonic Eraser’s arms, legs and head all detached and the robot fell to the ground in a crumpled, smashed heap of machine parts.

Sonic stood up and brushed himself off.

“Wow,” was all Rotor could muster.

“I’ll say,” Chirps concurred.

“Y’all knocked him for six, Sonic,” Bunnie noted.

Sonic shrugged, pleased with himself, “Which, to say I wasn’t batting, isn’t too bad”

“I’ll gather up the parts,” Ben said, “Once we’re done here, maybe Uncle Chuck can do something with them”

“Good idea, pal,” Sonic smiled, “We might as well make something out of this”

Sally walked up to Sonic, “Are you okay?”

“Never mind me, are you okay? That thing nearly clobbered you”

“But it didn’t. Thanks to you”

“Any time”

“Sonic…” Sally crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

Sonic exhaled, “I’m fine. I mean, physically, I’m okay. But…”

“…but?” Sally gave Sonic a sympathetic look.

“It’s only been a week. Robotnik’s back on the attack already. We need to try something else”

“I agree. But let’s finish up the game first. You and I can talk strategy later if you like”

“Yeah,” Sonic smiled, “I’d like that”

“Alright, everyone, game on!” Sally shouted, “Joe, you were- wait, where’s Joe gone?”

Joe was sat comfortably on a nearby stump, “Finished my trek around all the bases while you were fighting that thing. I figured I might as well take the chance to score some points while you were all occupied”

Sally tutted, “Unbelievable. Alright, Porker, you’re up to bat!”

Unbeknownst to Sonic and his friends, a small egg-shaped object whizzed by in the air, a camera lens poking out of it.

***

Back at the remains of the Scrap Brain Zone, Robotnik and Snively watched on as the Egg Camera transmitted the result of the fight.

“Commiserations, sir,” Snively offered.

“Not at all, Snively,” Robotnik responded, “This experiment has proven there’s merit to a robot in the image of Sonic. As a matter of fact, I’ve got something of an idea… a new model, a new design… a new colour scheme, perhaps…”

Robotnik turned to a desk and slid over a fresh sheet of blueprint paper. He got to work.

Chapter 47 coming soon