As Tristina headed back to Knothole, Sonic and Tails found themselves in a dumpster in Robotroplis. "Patrol 9 status." a computerized voice demanded nearby. "C sector normal" another robotic voice replied. Sonic and Tails soon heard the hover unit fly off, and Sonic dared to peek out of the dumpster. "This place is crawling with Swat bots, Tails." Sonic explained in a hushed whisper. "So we gotta chill. serious." Sonic finished, peeking around a corner. the drab and empty brownish green street answered with little activity.

"ew. How come the big city smells so yucky?" Tails asked, looking up as his hero examined the empty street. "'cause Robotnik's factories hurl tons of crud into the sky every day." Sonic explained darkly, his eyes now scanning the sky for any hover units. "Ah...ah...ah..." Tails breathed, screwing up his face in anticipation of the coming sneeze. "ACHOO!" Tails sneezed, sending him flying backwards into a pile of garbage. Sonic winced from his position as the sound pierced the unsettling quiet...and as sirens began to follow it. "Gezhundheit." Sonic muttered as he grabbed Tails wrist and hurdled down the street. Ducking into a sewer pipe, Sonic emerged in a scrap yard, Tails once again in his backpack. "Past cool, Tails." Sonic said, trying to keep his growl to a minimum.

Later, Sonic began searching in the scrap yard. reaching into a random trash pile, Sonic grinned as he felt his fist close around several metal stems. "Cotter pins." said Sonic, placing them in his backpack. Upon hearing a metallic clanking nearby, Sonic looked over his shoulder to see a long line of worker bots marching towards a factory.

"Who're those guys?" Tails whispered as he and Sonic peered over a small pile of junk. "They used to be people." said Sonic in a hollow voice. "Then Robotnik fed them through his Robo-machine, now they're robots working in his crud factories." "Is Uncle Chuck there?" Tails asked, peering at the robots. "I don't see him." replied Sonic, scanning the crowd.

"Can I see Uncle Chuck's picture again?" Tails asked. Sonic took out a photograph from his backpacks side pocket and showed it to Tails. In it was a elderly hedgehog with light blue fur and a green furred dog. "You miss Uncle Chuck?" Tails asked sadly. "A ton. Muttski too." said Sonic, frowning.

As Sonic replaced the picture in his backpack, Tails spotted a robotic dog prowling along the the lower parts of the junk heaps. Sonic stared in shock as the dog continued walking, oblivious to thier presence. the spikes on his feet, tail warned of a dog not to be trifled with, and his red eyes and purple spots suggested the same. "That's one mean looking..." Tails began. "Thats...thats Muttski!" Sonic said, recognizing his faithful hound.

"He looks too mean." whispered Tails. "'cause he's a robot. He wont hurt me, I'm his best bud!" said Sonic. raising his voice, Sonic raised his hand as well and waved. "Muttski! over here, boy!" he called. Muttski raised head and snorted. "Hey, its me! Sonic!" Sonic called.

Snarling and growling, Muttski raced towards the hedgehog. Tails let out a yelp and ducked down inside Sonic's backpack. Sonic, realizing Muttski was about to attack him, zipped away...but not before Muttski took a chunk of blue fur off his old masters rear.

Sonic examined the bald patch near his hip, then shook his head. "Muttski, Muttski, Muttski. This is the thanks I get after putting you through four years of obedience school." said Sonic disdainfully. "Bad dog. you sit, you stay, you don't bite. understand?" Sonic said in a slight coo. Muttski's eyes flashed to a dull yellow. he let out a pleasant yip, sat, then let out a bark while thumping his robotic tail on the ground.

"You see, Tails?" said Sonic, pleased with his old dogs change in attitude. Tails peeked out of Sonic's backpack to see what was going on. "You gotta take control, let the dog know who's in charge." said Sonic, jogging happily down to where Muttski sat waiting.

As Sonic arrived, Muttski happily licked his old masters face. Sonic laughed and patted his head. "Uh, Muttski, have you seen Uncle Chuck hangin' out?" Sonic asked. Muttski frowned and hung his head. "Aww, some day we'll find him." said Sonic, scratching the dog behind his robotic ear. "Know what I'm gonna do, Muttski?" Sonic asked. Muttski shook his head. "Change you back to a real dog. you know, chasin' cars, chewin' shoes, drinkin' from the toilet, all that cool dog stuff."

"How're you gonna do that?" Tails asked, peeking out of Sonic's backpack. "By reversing him through Robotnik's Robo-machine." replied Sonic. at the word 'Robotnik', Muttski's eyes began to flash from a pale yellow to brilliant red once again. Tails yelped, and Sonic gave a start. "Whoa, Muttski!" Muttski let out a snarl and snapped at Sonic. Sonic leaped back onto his previous perch, angry. "Bad dog, Muttski! Mondo bad dog! your supposed to be hedgehog's best friend!"

Muttski, in response, bit off a chunk of metal. nodding, Muttski began spitting metal bullets at Sonic. "Okay, Okay, I can take a hint, Muttski." said Sonic. "but hang in there, because someday we'll be together again." with that, Sonic revved up and took off. running into a nearby building, Sonic skidded to a stop in front of several swat bots. the swat bots raised thier arms and approached Sonic. "Uh oh, more swat guys." whispered Tails. "come on, bot brains. move it." said Sonic, tapping his foot and looking at his watch.

Tails peeked out of Sonic's backpack as Sonic began to snore. after 3 pseudo-snores, Sonic slid one foot back and grinned. "Hold onto your lunch, Tails." Sonic warned, curling into a blur of blue and peach. the Swat bots flew into the air, one by one, as if they had been tossed. Once on the other side, Sonic skidded to a stop. "Tails, you okay?" Sonic asked. "Yep." Tails whimpered, looking slightly dizzy. suddenly, the door to the rooftop slammed open and more swat bots stormed through. Sonic, grinning, began to rev up once again as Tails moaned "Not again."

Racing ahead slightly, Sonic held his hands together and dived into a nearby air vent. listening as the swat bots raced by, Sonic let himself catch his breath. "Where are we?" Tails whispered. "a air vent. but hey, no prob. I got eyes like a hawk." Sonic whispered confidently...before the two began to plummet down a bend in the air vent.

after falling half way, Sonic slammed his feet and hands against the walls of the air duct, and slowly began to slide down. As he slid, he spotted a air vent at the bottom. through the air vent, a familiar moon shaped head and orange mustache came into view. "Tonight, I shall reveal my most brilliant plan to date, that will positively eliminate the nasty little hedgehog. As well as all the other so called 'freedom fighters' and bring me the power rings! My plan is simple in its genius" drawled Robotnik. Sonic gritted his teeth as he came to a stop above the air vent. Sonic then sighed in relief as he steadied himself, only to be hit by a vicious blast of air. "Sonic." whispered Tails, peeking once again out of Sonic's backpack. "I gotta go to the bathroom...real real bad!"

"Inside these tanks" said Robotnik, one dark gray gloved hand patting a tank containing a orange liquid. "Is a new chemical I created, that my buzz bombers - under Snivleys direction - Will spray over the Great Forest, and instantly kill all trees. This will reveal the freedom fighters secret hiding place, Knothole Village. Thus allowing my Swat bots to capture Princess Sally as well as that mutant female hedgehog, Tristina!" Sonic frowned at this. Sal was right! he thought. Tiff DID lie when she told us her name! upon hearing Tails quietly inhale, then inhale again, Sonic turned to him and pressed his finger against his lips. shaking his head, Sonic turned back to Robotnik, who had resumed speaking. "If that horrid hedgehog should show up, I have a little surprise...the hedgehog seeking missile!" Robotnik then pointed at Snivley. "Start the countdown!" he demanded.

Tails began to quietly inhale again, then finally sneezed. the force of Tails' sneeze rocketed him and Sonic's backpack back up the air vent. when the straps had reached their limit, Tails shot back down (still in the backpack) and slammed into Sonic. the force of the blow shoved both Sonic and tails through the air vent to the floor at Robotnik's feet. "Well, well, nice of you to drop in, hedgehog!" growled Robotnik. Sonic looked abashed as he said the first thing that came to his mind. "Did we miss dinner?"

Sonic glanced behind him as Tails ducked back into his backpack. Robotnik's chuckle still made his quills stand on end, even as the swat bot stooped down and picked him up by his arms. "So does this mean dinners off?" Sonic asked as he awkwardly stuck his legs out. Robotnik came closer, grinning and wringing his hands together...both robotic and flesh...with glee. "It means, hedgehog, that your days as a freedom fighter are over." said Robotnik.

Sonic felt Tails tremble in his backpack and immediately began forming a new plan. faking curious a look behind him, Sonic turned back to his enemy and said "You talking to me?" "Of course!" Robotnik growled through his teeth, clenching his fists. "I don't think so. there's still too much work to do. Listen, I'd like to stay and really get to know you, Robotnik...but its juice time!" Sonic bellowed, kicking his feet in rapid secession on the swat bots dome.

the robot shortly released its hyper footed assailant, and Robotnik gave a start as Sonic raced across the floor...up the wall...across the ceiling. Finally, the ovate tyrant found his voice. "Get him, get him! GET HIM! GET THE HEDGEHOG!"

"Oh, can it tubby!" another voice called. Robotnik over his shoulder just as a light blue and black blur bowled him over. the swat bots fired at the intruder, but the blur just turned and began to bowl them over as well. with a screech, the figure stopped as Robotnik looked up. "you!" Robotnik bellowed as the light blue hedgehog followed her darker kin out to the rooftops. "Tiff!" Sonic exclaimed as his wheelchair bound friend arrived with a sideways screech back to back with him. "Ready to juice and jam, Sonic?" Tristina asked, grinning. "You know it. I'm guessing you have a surprise for lard bucket?" Tristina grinned, if possible, even wider. "One he'll never see coming." Tristina replied, fingering the left arm of her wheelchair.

Tristina's light bluish silver eyes flicked left and right as swat bots began to march towards them. Sonic let out a bristling growl as he clenched his fists, ready to fight. suddenly, a hissing hum reached both their ears and a red and black craft popped up from the west.

Robotnik's electronic red eyes smouldered with hatred at the two hedgehogs. one, who had been a thorn in his side ever since the war began. the other, a job that had been half finished before the roboticizers malfunction. "Lets see you worm your way out of this one, hedgehogs!" Robotnik growled through his ships loudspeaker.

"Be careful what you wish for, WD40 breath." Tristina muttered, eying the control panel on the right arm. along with several other color squares, Tristina spotted a golden one that had a simple picture of a small glowing circle.

"Tails, time to bust the power ring." Tristina heard Sonic say behind her. grinning mischievously, Tristina heard a quiet 'bip' as the golden button was pressed. a golden energy began to surge from behind her, and Tristina heard the whine of a fighter engine starting up. Tristina began to rev, a surge of energy crashing through her as she gritted her teeth from effort.

"Hold on, Tails! we're gonna warp sonic!" Sonic cried, his voice vibrating from the energy of the power ring. Tristina said nothing, golden energy from Rotors own version of 'power ring' crackling behind...and now around...her. with two Sonic booms, the two exploded into motion. Sonic created a large blue hoop, trashing the swat bots that had surrounded them. Tristina created a light blue hoop inside Sonic's, trashing any swat bots that had escaped Sonic's wake. when the two finally took off for knothole, only Robotnik's hovercraft remained. "You were fortunate this time, hedgehogs. but the night is young." Robotnik growled.

meanwhile, two streaks stretched across the barren plains. "Ha ha! Is this way past cool or what?" Tristina heard Tails shout from Sonic's backpack. Tristina grinned as she and Sonic shared a glance, then replied in unison "Way past!"