Bunnie Rabbot raced past Tails hut as fast as her legs would carry her. Tails shot up in his bed, and noticed the half robotic rabbit rush past his window. Flinging the covers back, Tails slid into his shoes and ran outside his hut. "Aunt Bunnie?" Tails asked, causing the rabbit to stop momentarily. "Sorry sugah. I aint got time to chat. I need to see Sally-girl about something." Bunnie called, taking off once again.

Not one to be brushed off so easily, Tails twisted up his namesakes and took flight in the air, following after the Rabbot. Landing at a jog, Tails reached Bunnie as the half robotic lapine knocked then opened Sallys door. "Sally, wake up sugah!" Bunnie called. Sally gasped, then rolled over and sat up. "Bunnie. whats wrong?" she asked, noticing the concern on the lapines face.

"I need to show you somethin', darlin'." Said Bunnie, motioning her friend to follow her. Sally quickly dressed, then followed Bunnie and Tails out to Bunnie's carrot garden. row after row of the Rabbots carrots were wilted and dying. "They were fine and dandy yesterday!" Bunnie cried, picking up one of the diseased carrots. "What in the heck happened?" Bunnie asked, her worried green eyes examining one of the carrots.

"I dont know!" Sally said, concern laced in her voice. "This is terrible!" Sally continued, picking up one of the carrots. with her back to the lapine, Sally snarled and squeezed the carrot in anger. Although Bunnie did not see the Princess's expression of utmost disgust and rage, Tails however did. Already suspicious of the Princess, Tails put his finger to his bottom lip and frowned in concern.

As the morning sun crested the top of the Great Forest, a few small beams shot through the forest canopy and through the window of a sleeping fox kit. Tails groaned in his sleep and rolled over. Snuggling back down into his blankets, Tails sighed and was still. Suddenly, the kit sat upright, his eyes wide and his fur on end. "Sonic!" Tails gasped, swinging his legs over the side of his bed.

Leaping easily into his shoes, Tails wrenched open his door. Twisting up his tails, Tails took flight as his departing suction of wind slammed his door shut. "Sonnic! Wait for me!" Tails cried, as he spied his hero, Rotor, Aunt Bunnie, Aunt Tristina and...Sally. Sonic smiled, bent to one knee, and leaned forward as Tails landed. "Yo big guy, whats up?" Sonic asked. "Sonic, I gotta tell ya something." said Tails, glancing up at Sally. narrowing his eyes at her, Tails leaned closer to Sonic. "Its a secret." he whispered.

"Later Sal, Tiff. Man talk." said Sonic, winking to the two ladies. Sally smiled then turned and walked on while Tristina gave a nodd. reaching over to ruffle Tails headfur, Tristina gave a gentle smile to Tails and wheeled after Sally. Once the two were gone, Sonic turnedback to the kit. "Okay bud, make it quick. we got a swatbot factory to bake." Sonic said in a hushed voice.

"Thats not Sally!" Tails cried, pointing after the two. "What?" Sonic asked in disbelief. "She didnt give me the funny kiss," Tails explained, ticking off the items in his head. "Didnt know which story to read. Didnt even do the scary witch voice!" Tails finished, looking pleadingly into the eyes of his hero. Sonic reached forwards and placed his hands firmly on his little buddys shoulders.

"Tails." said Sonic firmly "Sal had a seriously hard time yesterday; She stressin." said Sonic gently. Tails leapt away, shaking his head. "Nuh-Uh. I saw lights shinin' from her eyes, then she went outside and talked to herself. Then her eyes turned all red and yucky." said Tails, fear and worry in his voice. "Hey little bud, you musta had one monster dream." chuckled Sonic, straighting up. Tails held his hands together, his lips drawn together in a pout and his eyes filled with fear and worry.

"We'll talk about it later, okay? I gotta juice." said Sonic, revving up and running off. Tails stared after his friend and hero, more hurt and confused now than ever before.

"What was all that about Sonic?" Tristina asked as Sonic caught up to her. "Wheres Sal?" Sonic asked, slowing to a jog so he could talk to Tristina. "I let her go on ahead, so shes likely joined up with Rotor and Bunnie by now." said Tristina, wheeling beside Sonic. "Cool. Lets juice." said Sonic as he grabbed Tristina's wheelchair wheels. "Wait Sonic, what about Tails." Sonic hesitated from revving. "Forgive me for asking, but what was the secret Tails wanted to tell you?" Tristina asked.

"Sorry Tiff. thats between me and T2" said Sonic. Tristina nodded, dissapointed, but still understanding the secrecy between Tails and Sonic. "Say, what about that Project Sal thing you found the other day?" Sonic asked, craning his neck over Tristina's shoulder to look at her. Tristina turned her head towards Sonic and leaned back slightly to see him properly. "I've tried everything I can think of, Sonic. Every hacking maneuver I know plus the ones Sally has taught me." said Tristina, shaking her head. "No go. Whatever it is, 'Buttnik is determined to keeping us from finding out."

"I know this is tough, Tiff." said Sonic, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But this 'Project Sal' might expose the location of Knothole. We have to get in!" Tristina slowly exhaled through her nose and stared at her lap. "Very well, Blue." said Tristina, nodding. "Lets juice!" Sonic called, revving up again as he pushed Tristina's wheelchair to catch up with Sally, Rotor, and Bunnie.

Sonic and Tristina soon met up with Sally, Bunnie, and Rotor in the junkyard. hiding amidst the piles of discarded pipes and metal slabs, The freedom fighters began to make thier way to the swatbot factory. As they crossed the street to the factory, however, a swatbot hovercraft took aim and began firing. Rushing into another 'nest' of scrap, Sonic glanced behind him and growled. "They're coming back." Sonic muttered as he reached into his backpack.

"Get ready." Sonic added, taking out four graphling hooks. Rushing back across the street, Sonic lobbed the grapling hooks towards the scrap heap. stopping in mid run and leaping into the air, Sonic grabbed one of the four hooks for himself, then followed the other three into the nest. with three 'chinks', the remaining graphling hooks landed infront of Rotor, Bunnie, and Tristina. the three picked up thier respective graphling hooks and began swinging them above thier heads.

"Incoming!" Rotor called as Sonic arrived with his own graphling hook. each lassoing the hooks above thier heads, Sonic, Rotor, Bunnie and Tristina let the hovercraft pass them. as the hovercraft soared back into the air, Sonic, Rotor, Bunnie and Tristina released the graphling hooks. the four graphling hooks then sank onto the lower part of the hovercraft and split it horizontally. the bottom half crashed into the the contrete ground while the upper half arched like a arrow into a nearby building.

"Way to go, guys." said Sonic, leaping into a high five with Rotor and Bunnie. Upon landing, Sonic then turned to Tristina, and raised his hand to his waist. "Good job, Tiff!" said Sonic, Tristina raised her hand and matched Sonic's enthusiasm as she slapped his palm. Sonic then turned to Princess Sally, his enthusiasm reaching its peak. "All right, Sal!" Sonic said, raising his hand once again.

Sally raised her own hand and, missing Sonic's hand, Slapped the hedgehogs face straight across the junkyard. Sonic landed with a grunt and Tristina wheeled over to him. "you okay, blue?" Tristina asked, helping the hedgehog sit up. Sonic shook his head to clear it, then looked up at Sally. "Yo, Sal, what you put in the ol' cereal this mornin'?" Sonic asked, rubbing the spot Sally had struck. Despite the situation, Tristina let out a quiet snigger while Sally looked curiously indifferent.

"Thats our third close one tonight!" said Rotor, having missed the exchange between Sonic, Tristina, and Sally. "Come on, we've gotta move it!" the walrus added, motioning with his hand for the others to follow. Tristina and Sonic looked to one another, then got up and followed Rotor, Sally, and Bunnie. "Coast is clear." said Tristina, peering outside the 'nest' of scrap. "is clear or just looks?" Sonic asked cockily.

Tristina frowned and glared daggers at the hedgehog. "Very funny, blue." Tristina growled, peering out again. Rotor joined the disabled hedgehog and peered out as well. "Its cool. lets go." said Rotor, jogging out into the open. Tristina wheeled after him, followed by Sonic and then Bunnie. Soon, the five freedom fighters found themselves in the shell of a apartment building.

"Woah!" Sonic and Rotor cried, ducking behind the wall as a swatbot hover unit flew past. Shortly after the green and black hovercraft had passed, Sonic and Rotor peered out the window again. "Sonic, this is too weird." said Rotor worriedly. "It's like the swatbots know our every move before we make it." "Yeah..." said Sonic thoughtfully, gazing over his shoulder at Sally and Tristina.

"The ol' buttbots seem sharper than normal." Sonic added, catching Tristina's eye over Sally's shoulder. Sonic pointed his index and middle finger to his eyes, then to the back of Sally's head. Tristina gave a short curt nodd, then checked out of the corner of her eye to see if Sally had noticed anything. "Okay guys, we're ready." said Sonic loudly, approaching Sally and Tristina. "We're ready. lets do it to it." said Sonic, holding out his fist.

"Er...r-right" stammered Sally, holding out her fist as well. Sonic tapped his fist on Sally's, then Sally tapped her fist on Sonic's. "C'mon, Sal, you forgot the last part." said Sonic, turning his fist upside down and extending his thumb. Tristina carefully watched as Sally slowly said "Oh yeah." and did the same. "So, Tails was right!" said Tristina, wheeling closer to Sally.

"Your not Sally!" Sonic snarled as Tristina wheeled next to him. "Who are you?" Sonic asked, glaring at Sally. the imposter 'Princess' stared at the two hedgehogs, then elbowed Sonic out of the way. "Hey!" Sonic cried as Tristina reached out to grab the imposter. Sally dodged Tristina and grabbed the feet of her wheelchair.

Sally then overturned the hedgehogs wheelchair and kept running. "Forget it!" Tristina cried as Sonic stopped to help her. "Get that Psudeo-Sally!" Sonic gave Tristina a curt nodd, then took off after 'The Princess'.