Back to Chapter 64

It was a year to the day since the Acorn family’s last royal visit to South Island. The royal family of West Side Island had once again decided to pay a visit to the Green Hill Zone. As much as Sally missed her home, she was perfectly happy in the Green Hill Zone with her friends. At the gala event the Zone was hosting in honour of the visitors, Sonic was happy to see some of the familiar faces he’d met during the last royal visit. Walter Naugus was conspicuous by his absence but Sonic didn’t mind that so much as Naugus gave him the creeps. Antoine was initially on edge around his father, but Sonic recognised the young coyote had grown as a person and wasn’t quite as nervous as he’d been the year prior. He was clearly going to make his father proud.

The peace of the visit was not to last. Tails was the one to shatter the calm, running, out of breath, to Sonic, gasping, “Sonic! You’ve got to come quick!”

Tails wasn’t necessarily the first to read a given situation but he was certainly clever enough to know not to worry the visitors with the bad news he had. Especially considering who it concerned.

“Tails, let me make sure I’m not hearing you wrong,” Sonic said as quietly as he could after Tails related the news, “You mean to tell me that Badniks kidnapped Sally’s kid brother, Prince Tufftee?”

“Yeah. They said they were taking him to the Marble Zone to turn him into a Badnik. I don’t know, Sonic, I don’t get why they’d do that in the Marble Zone. Do you think it’s a trap?”

“It’s almost certainly a trap designed to lure in Sally. Or me. Or both. But I’ve still got to go and rescue Tufftee”

“I want to go too, Sonic,” Tails was determined, “Helping you is the least I can do to make up for getting kidnapped”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Tails, you didn’t do that on purpose, there’s nothing to make up for. But I won’t lie, an extra pair of hands might be good. Especially as we can’t tell Sally or the others”

“Tell me what?” a third voice asked.

Sonic sighed and turned. Sure enough, Sally was right behind him.

Sally put her hands on her hips, “Don’t even think of lying to me, Sonic”

“Fine,” Sonic nodded, “We think Robotnik’s Badniks have kidnapped Tufftee. They must have snuck up and grabbed him while everyone was distracted with this party”

Sally tried and failed to hide a gasp. The thought anyone would try to harm her family upset her. Of course, at the back of her mind, she knew it was always something Robotnik might stoop to, given her position as heir to the throne of West Side Island. She did her best to hide her emotions with the decorum expected of a princess.

“Sally, it’s okay to be upset,” Tails said.

“I know. And I am upset,” Sally agreed, “But I don’t think it’s a good idea to worry everyone else here”

Sonic was calm, “The two of us are going to go and find him and bring him back unharmed. I promise you”

Sally nodded, “If anyone asks, I’ll tell them the two of you went for a run. I don’t think anyone will question you slipping away from a gala of stuffy royal types, Sonic. No offence”

“None taken. Maybe you ought to tell them we brought Tufftee for a look around, sooner or later they’ll realise he’s missing”

“Good idea,” Sally straightened herself and her tiara, “I hate wearing this thing”

“How is it any different from wearing a bow in your hair like normal?”

“Because the bow stays in place when I tie it. Anyway, enough talk of fashion,” she composed herself, “Go get my brother back”

Sally didn’t have to repeat herself. Sonic and Tails rocketed off at speed on their mission.

***

The Marble Zone was quiet and there weren’t any signs of Badniks to be found.

“Tails, are you sure they said the Marble Zone?” Sonic asked.

“I could have sworn it,” Tails rubbed his forehead, “Like I said, though, maybe they just wanted to lure us here”

“I just don’t get it. There’s nothing here…”

Suddenly, thick red mechanical cables shot out of the ground, which crumbled and revealed a crevasse. Before Sonic and Tails could react, they both found themselves grabbed by the cables, ensnaring them like snakes and pulling into the ground.

Down, down, down the two friends were pulled. They strained with all their might but couldn’t break free of the hold of the cables.

Soon enough, Sonic recognised some familiar architecture, “Oh no- the Labyrinth Zone. How far does this place stretch anyway?!”

The duo were carried over a rushing expanse over water. Sonic was fearful they might end up dropped in it or held under it but his luck held out.

Eventually, the pair arrived in a chamber and found what the cables were attached to- a red Badnik with a rather mean looking face. It had a large round red body and from it were eight cables- which it was using as legs.

Sonic audibly winced, “A spider!”

Now, Sonic wasn’t a specist. If he met a Mobian spider, he’d probably shake any one of their six hands. But it was he Mobini spiders he wasn’t keen on. He couldn’t help it, he suffered from arachnophobia. He knew logically there was very little a spider could do to harm him- but phobias were irrational. Besides, this spider could definitely harm him.

“Come into my parlour, said the Arachbot to the hedgehog and fox,” the Badnik announced.

“Not very snappy,” Tails noted.

“I’m not interested in your critique, fox,” the Arachbot responded, “I’m only interested in turning you into a mindless slave for the glorious service of Doctor Robotnik!”

“Dream on, rust-bucket,” Sonic scoffed, as if we’d ever serve him.

“Oh, but you will, hedgehog,” the robot would have smirked if its grill mouth was capable of movement, “You will when you become the organic batteries for the latest Badniks! Boys- show ‘em!”

A gaggle of familiar Badnik models brought out a pair what amounted to empty robotic suits. One seemed to be less complete in design than a standard Badnik, more of an exoskeleton- with a hole in the back large enough for two tails. The other, wearing a nasty grin, was blue and spiky. No prizes for guessing who was supposed to go in that one.

“After his latest setback at your hands, Doctor Robotnik has decided to turn the pair of you into Badniks! Be honoured! You’ll be the jewels in his army, above even me!”

“You won’t have chance,” Sonic grunted against his restraint, “I’ll get free and turn you into bot bits!”

“Oh, I don’t think so…” Arachbot taunted.

Another pair of Badniks dragged Tufftee into sight. The young squirrel looked dejected, “Sorry, Sonic”

“One false move and the young prince here gets sliced and diced! Got it?”

Sonic didn’t respond. He didn’t know what to do. There wasn’t much he could do!

Suddenly, the cables holding Tails flung him screaming into the exoskeleton. Sonic could only watch in horror, but he didn’t have long to do so as he too was hurled into the robotic parody of himself. Arachbot let out a deranged laugh as Tufftee looked on, terrified.

“Now, Robofox and Robohog!” Arachbot cackled, “How about you put your abilities to the test? You’re both outfitted with all manner of weaponry- some nice spike projectiles for the former Sonic and a lovely flamethrower on the exoskeleton! What a marvellous upgrade for you furry friends!”

Friends.

The word echoed around in Tails’ head.

“F…. friends…?” he repeated.

Friends. He and Sonic, they were friends.

“Friends!” he exclaimed, “I won’t let you hurt my friend!”

“What?!” the Arachbot exclaimed.

Tails rounded on the mechanical spider and punched it clean in the face. With all his might, he forced the exoskeleton off himself.

The Arachbot gasped, “How could you--?! No matter- Robohog, destroy him!”

The robotic Sonic stared at Tails. Tails shook with fright.

“Get real, ugly,” Sonic’s voice came from the machine.

A whirring noise came from inside the robot before, mere seconds later, Sonic exploded from within, having cleaved the metallic prison in two with a Triple Spin.

Tails was delighted, “Sonic! You’re alright!”

“Looks like Robotnik’s computer programs aren’t up to the task of controlling our minds, little buddy,” Sonic grinned, “No surprise when you’re a supercool superhero, of course”

Tails marvelled at his friend, “Sonic, you’re terrific!”

“Naturally. Think you can take the three Badniks on the left? I’ll get the three on the right”

“You’ve got it!”

In a flash, the two friends smashed the six Badniks accompanying Arachbot and freeing not just Tufftee but their Mobini prisoners, who hopped into the safety of the waters. Arachbot raged, “Fools! You’ll have no such luck against me!”

“Easy for you to say,” Sonic retorted, “I’m sure you feel plenty strong with some poor Mobian powering you”

“Imbecile!” Arachbot roared, “I am a Prime Badnik! Our power cells require no organic battery!”

Sonic grinned, “Buddy, that’s all I needed to hear”

Eyeing the floor, Sonic spotted a pool of oil had leaked from the Robohog Badnik, a fuel line clearly having been cut by Sonic’s Triple Spin. The oil was slowly spreading towards Arachbot, unseen by the spidery Badnik. Sonic noticed the Robofox exoskeleton gauntlet on the floor. Quick as a flash, he made a leap for the gauntlet.

“Tails! Tufftee! Get under the water! Now!” The two leapt beneath the surface of the water as Sonic aimed the gauntlet at Arachbot.

“You pitiful hedgehog, a little flame won’t harm me!” Arachbot sneered.

“Maybe. But perhaps a lot of flame will”

Sonic fired the gauntlet’s flamethrower at the floor, igniting the oil which lit with blinding flash. Sonic dove backwards into the water, preferring to take his chance in there than in the blaze. Arachbot screeched as the flames rose, engulfing it and burning out its motors. Tails and Tufftee gave Sonic an underwater thumbs up. Sonic tried his best to smile but the water wasn’t helping him. Sensing he wasn’t having the best of times, Tails and Tufftee helped push Sonic through the water to somewhere safer, before the three clambered out and began the trek home.

***

Back at the gala, Sally rubbed her forearm nervously.

“Doin’ alright, Sally-girl?” Bunnie asked her friend, bringing her out of her daydream.

“I’m fine, Bunnie,” Sally lied, “I just wish Sonic was here”

“Oh, really?” Bunnie raised an eyebrow.

“Sonic and Tails,” Sally corrected herself.

“They’ll be along right soon, I reckon,” Bunnie chuckled, “You know what Sonic’s like, he’s hardly one for spending time with the nobility. He ain’t got the breedin’ o’ such as you or I- even if he is a ‘sir’ now” She laughed at the very thought.

“Sally!” a voice called out.

Sally turned to see her youngest brother leap at her with a big hug, “Tufftee! Thank goodness!”

Tufftee’s return couldn’t have been better timed as Sally’s father, King Nigel Acorn, joined the two of them, “Ah, my youngest son, how are you enjoying yourself?”

“Daddy, Sonic and Tails saved me from a big scary robot! It was crazy! We went to the Labyrinth Zone and hiked all the way back!”

Sonic and Tails walked up to the group. Sonic raised a hand, “I think his highness means to say he had fun pretending to fight Badniks with us- right, Tufftee?”

Tufftee, following Sonic’s meaning, nodded, “Oh, right, Sonic, yeah, it was great! You’re the best!”

King Nigel wasn’t entirely convinced but kept up the pretence, “Well, as long as you’re safe now, my lad! Come on, children, the royal photographer wishes for a group shot of us”

King Nigel led Tufftee away. Sally looked at Sonic and mouthed, “Thank you”. Sonic smiled and nodded. He didn’t imagine Tufftee’s secret would stay secret for very long but he was more than happy to help Sally.

“Well, Tails,” Sonic said, “how d’you like being a superhero sidekick?”

“A sidekick? Me?” Tails was taken aback.

Sonic laughed, “Just a joke, kid. You did well”

“I don’t mind, Sonic. I’m happy to be your sidekick if it means helping people!”

“Well, we’ll just see about that, buddy. Hopefully there won’t be too many days like today!”

Of course, Sonic knew, there would be more days like today than he could ever want.

On to Chapter 66