Work Text:
A blue hedgehog runs across the wilderness at blistering speeds. A hedgehog with lighter blue fur and a gray mustache awaits in a pink shack with a gray roof, with a sign nailed to the side with “Chuck’s Chili Dogs” written in bold red text. The hedgehog is making a chili dog inside of the shack. A dog with beige and brown fur waits outside, panting in excitement.
Older Hedgehog: Here he comes, Muttski! And I think he brought another record with him!
The blue hedgehog skids to a stop in front of the shack, grinning with pride.
Hedgehog: I’m back, Uncle Chuck!
Chuck: I noticed. So, how are those sneakers I made for you holding up, Sonic?
Sonic: Great! All that running, and they still look brand new!
Chuck: Good, we were spending all our profits buying new shoes.
He chuckles, before handing Sonic the chili dog he was working on. Sonic begins to eat it.
Sonic: How lucky am I, Mutt? Not only is my Unc a total genius, he also makes the best chili dogs in the world! I don’t know what I’d do without him.
Inside, the phone begins to ring, with Chuck answering it.
Chuck: Chuck’s Chili Dogs… What? Really? Of course we can make that many! Alright, you’ll have it soon! Thanks for ordering, have a nice day!
Chuck lets out a whoop of excitement.
Chuck: An order for two hundred dogs! We’re rich!
The hedgehog family celebrates. Afterwards, the dogs are prepared and loaded into a wagon, with Sonic ready to deliver them to their destination.
Chuck: Alright, you ready, Sonic?
Sonic: Course, Uncle Chuck! Back in a Sonic second!
Sonic runs off. Chuck watches him go, an earnest smile on his face. He hears Muttski begin to growl, and turns to see a new customer.
Chuck: Oh, sorry about that. Welcome to Chuck’s Chili Dogs, how can… Ivo?!
A large, round man is at Chuck’s desk, with a wide grin on his face. He wears a red shirt, blue glasses, white gloves, black pants, and a yellow cape. On his shoulder is what appears to be a robotic chicken.
Ivo: Charles, it’s been too long! How have you been?
Chuck: Um, I’ve been… well. Uh, how are you? And what are you doing here anyway?
Ivo: Oh, I just wanted to tell you the good news! You see, I’ve recently given myself the ultimate promotion! You’re looking at the new emperor of Mobius!
Chuck: What?! What are you talking about?! Emperor of Mobius?! What does the king have to say about this?!
Ivo: Oh, I’m afraid dear old Max is… no longer with us. But don’t worry, I’ll take good care of what's left of his kingdom for him. But I didn’t just come here to gloat. You see, to celebrate my conquest, I’ve decided to hold a feast for me and all my allies. Not that many of them need to eat, but it's the thought that counts. I wondered what I would do for food, until I remembered that you opened this little dump after your… retirement. I figured that with how many people are going to be there, I’d need a lot of food, something about, oh I don’t know, two hundred chili dogs? So I had my nephew ring up your place and, well, here we are.
With those words, Chuck comes to a realization.
Chuck: You wanted to lure Sonic away. Why?
Robotnik: To make sure he couldn’t stop this.
Suddenly, two large, armored robots appear and grab Chuck by his back. Another grabs Muttski by his collar. They try to fight, but they can’t break free. Robotnik grins.
Robotnik: Take them to the roboticizer!
Sonic arrives at a factory with the chili dogs, and looks around.
Sonic: This is the place! Not sure what a factory would need with all these dogs, but I’m not gonna judge.
He approaches the large factory, moving towards a large steel door. He plugs his nose.
Sonic: Oh man, what's that smell? It's like a pile of garbage taking a ride down a sewer.
The door opens, revealing a human only slightly bigger than Sonic. He has a long nose. He wears a green shirt and black pants, with a small yellow cape on his back. He looks bored.
Human: I take it you’re the delivery boy?
Sonic: Yeah, and that’ll be three hundred bucks.
Human: Of course. One moment.
The human pulls a wallet out of his pocket, thumbing through it before handing Sonic three bills. Sonic checks the money, making sure it was the correct amount, before putting it away.
Human: Pleasure doing business with you. Now, why don’t you go running back to… wherever you came from.
Sonic: Sure. Thanks for the dough, Joe.
He gives a salute, before running off back to the diner. When he’s gone, two robots take the dogs elsewhere. As they are, the human pulls out a walkie-talkie from his other pocket and speaks into it.
Human: I’ve received the package sir. The Swatbots are taking it to the palace as we speak.
Ivo: Excellent work, Snively. I’ve already captured Charles and his mutt, and Stone is taking down the building as we speak. You stay there and prepare the stage. I’ll deal with the nephew.
Snively: Of course, Uncle Robotnik.
Sonic runs back with the wagon, but is met with a shocking sight on his return.
Sonic: Yo, Uncle Chuck, I’m… back?!
There are what seemed to be two robots tearing his Uncle’s diner apart, overseen by another human. He's wearing a purple shirt, black pants, and a yellow cape. Sonic’s shock gives way to rage as he leaps at the man, who turns around just in time for Sonic to grab onto the front of his shirt.
Sonic: You jerk! Where’s Uncle Chuck and Muttski?! What did you do to them?!
At this, the human began to panic, before shouting at the robots.
Human: Swatbots, I’m under attack! Come help me out!
Swatbots: Coming, Agent Stone.
Sonic leaps of the commander with a swift kick to the jaw, before landing to face the two Swatbots.
Sonic: Alright chrome-domes, you want to play? Alright, I’ll give it a SPIN!
With that, Sonic begins to run around the bots at top speed, who desperately try to keep track of him, but only succeed in frying their sensors, and afterwards, shutting down. Afterwards, Sonic turn’s back to look for the Agent, but finds nothing.
Sonic: Rats! He must have ran off while I was dealing with the bots!
Sonic begins to think about what happened.
Sonic: Who was that guy? Why was he trashing my Unc’s diner? And where did he get these bots?
Suddenly: He remembers the Agent’s armor.
Sonic: Wait… he had a yellow cape… just like the green guy back at the factory! Maybe I should head back and ask him some questions.
He runs back to the factory. When he’s gone, Stone peers over the side of the counter of what was left of the diner, before pulling out a walkie-talkie.
Stone: Doctor, the hedgehog is coming your way.
Robotnik: Excellent! I just finished turning his Uncle and pet into robots. Now I’ll have the complete set!
Stone: Maybe you should be careful, Doctor. He took out both of the SWATbots I was with.
Robotnik: It doesn’t matter how many Swatbots he can take out, he can’t stop me. Now get to the factory, we’re about to start the initiation.
Stone crawls out from his hiding place. Pressing a button on his back, a jet pack emerges, and Stone takes off.
Sonic is hiding in a bush to the side of the factory.
Sonic: Whoever is behind this is gonna be sorry. No one messes with my family and gets away with it!
As he was about to run off however, he was grabbed by someone and yanked off his feet.
Sonic: Hey! What’s the big idea - Sal?!
Standing over him was his old friend since childhood, Sally Acorn.
Sonic: Not that I’m not happy to see you, but why’d you stop me? My uncle’s in there, and he's in trouble!
Sally: I stopped you because of them.
She points upwards. Sonic follows her finger, before seeing what looks like a swarm of blue robotic wasps flying through the air.
Sally: Buzz bombers. They're patrolling the grounds. If they had spotted you, they'd've fried you.
Sonic: Wow, thanks for saving my skin, Sally.
Sally: Of course. Listen, I know where they have your Uncle. We can take a shortcut to get there.
She begins to run down the path, turns around, and shoots Sonic a smirk.
Sally: I hope you can keep up!
Sonic: You know me, Sal. Speed’s my middle name!
Sally: Really? I thought it was Maurice.
Sonic: Hey, I told you that in confidence!
Later, Sonic and Sally are hiding behind some barrels. There is now a stage in the center of the factory grounds, with a podium at the front. Robotnik is at the podium, with Stone and Snively at his right and left respectively. Cluck rests on Robotnik’s shoulder. In the audience are a swarm of mobians and animals that look like they are made of steel, two of whom look shockingly similar to…
Sonic: Uncle Chuck! Muttski! What happened to them?!
Sally has a solemn look on her face as she explains.
Sally: He captured them. All of them. And he turned them all into robots. To work for him.
Sonic: Who’s he?
Robotnik taps on the microphone, before speaking into it.
Robotnik: Greetings, new employees! I am your new Emperor, of both you, and the rest of the planet, Doctor Ivo Robotnik! These two are my subordinates. The green one is my nephew Snively. The one in purple is Agent Stone. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I’ve given all of you a wonderful gift. From now on, you’ll be free from all mortal flaws. You’ll never feel pain, or grow tired. You’ll never be sick, never get hungry or thirsty, and never grow old and die. And best of all, you’ll never have to worry about thinking for yourself ever again. That’s my job. All you need to worry about is doing whatever I tell you to. This empire that you’re now a part of controls every part of Mobius. And all of you will help ensure that it will last until the end of time itself!
With this final declaration, the robots in the crowd begin to chant in unison.
Robians: ALL-HAIL-ROBOTNIK. ALL-HAIL-ROBOTNIK.
Robotnik preens at the attention. Sonic stares in shock, before he races over to Uncle Chuck.
Sonic: Uncle Chuck? Speak to me!
Despite his pleas, Chuck completely ignores his nephew, continuing to chant with the rest of the robots. Sally comes over, placing a hand on Sonic’s shoulder.
Sally: It’s no use Sonic. Whatever Robotnik did to them erased their free will. We can’t help him like this.
As Sonic processes this information, a familiar voice rings out.
Robotnik: Well, isn’t this my lucky day! I knew you’d come by eventually, rodent, but I didn’t think you’d bring the princess along with you! Now I can kill two rats with one roboticizer!
Sonic turns to look at Robotnik, the man who has taken his uncle and his dog from him. He has a smug smile on his face. Filled with rage, Sonic rushes at the man and tackles him to the ground.
Sonic: You did this! This is all your fault, you bald… fat… CREEP!
Robotnik just laughs in response.
Robotnik: Oh come on, hedgehog. With how old your dear uncle is getting, I’ve done him a favor. And if you really want to be with him, you’d let me roboticize you! Swatbots! Get them!
A horde of Swatbots appear. Sonic leaps off Robotnik, as the bots corner the two.
Sally: Any ideas, Sonic?
Sonic: Yeah, but you’ll need to hold on.
Sonic begins to run in circles as fast as he can, creating a twister that pulls in both the bots and the buildings. As this was happening, Sonic grabs Sally and runs from the wreck towards Knothole village.
At Knothole, Alongside Sonic and Sally, there is also Rotor, a walrus, Antoine, a coyote, Mighty, an Armadillo with a red shell and surprising strength, Ray, a yellow flying squirrel, and Miles “Tails” Prower, a fox who was Sonic’s little brother, There is also Rosie, Sally’s caretaker in lieu of the King's absence, Along with Longclaw, an owl. Along with a couple other random survivors, they were all that remained.
Sonic: We can’t just let Ro-butt-nik and his cronies get away with this! We’ve got to do something!
Longclaw :I understand what you’re feeling, But there isn’t much you can do. You’re just children.
Sonic: Yeah, but we’ve all got something that makes us more than that. I’m fast, Mighty’s tough, Ray can glide, Tails can fly, Rotor’s smart, Sally’s a princess, and Antoine’s learning how to use a sword. If we can train our abilities, we might be able to put a dent in Robotnik’s plan.
Antoine: You cannot be serious. He is having all of ze robots, and ze great brain. How are we to be defeating him? What are we having?
Sonic: Faith, Ant. Hope. And a desire for a better tomorrow. Come on, who’s with me?
Sonic looks around. Except for Mighty, who looks skeptical, and Ray, who looks conflicted, they all seem to be considering his proposal.
Sally: He’s right. We can’t just abandon our home and our families. We have to do something.
Rotor: Robotnik’s tech might be tough, but it’s not invincible. If we can find a way to take it down, Robotnik won’t have any way to defend himself. And I can help out with that.
Tails: And if we do this, we can get Uncle Chuck back, right Sonic?
Sonic: You know it, big man.
Antoine looks at them, then sighs.
Antoine: Fine zen, I will also be joining zis cause, for you are leaving me no choice.
Rosie turned to Longclaw, who merely nod’s her head. Rosie sighs.
Rosie: Very well then, If all of you truly wish to do this, you will need training, which I will give to you. However, in Sonic and Tails’ cases, you may need to be trained under Longclaw's wings.
The group high fives, glad to be given the chance to fight for their planet. Sonic and Tails are taken to a special place by Longclaw in order to be trained efficiently, along with Mighty and Ray. Meanwhile, Sally is taken aside by Rosie to be given a special gift.
Rosie: Your father wanted you to have her when you were older. But considering the circumstances, you’ll be needing her sooner than that.
Rosie pulls out a wooden box, opens it, and gives a small computer to Sally. Suddenly, the computer begins to speak with a female voice.
Nicole: Hello Sally. My name is Nicole.
Sally: Woah, What are you, exactly?
Nicole: I would be your friend, but that is a choice only you can make.
Sally smiles down at Nicole.
Sally: A friend… That sounds really good right now.
She turns to Rosie, and hugs her.
Sally: Thank you.
Rosie: Of course, princess.
Back at what’s left of the factory, Stone and Snively are digging a very disgruntled Robotnik out of the wreckage.
Stone: I told you to be careful, Doctor.
Robotnik: Alright, so I underestimated him.I won’t make that mistake next time.
Robotnik turns towards the Great Forest.
Robotnik: I’ll get you, ‘Sonic’. No matter how long it takes.