Sonic the Hedgehog and all characters and locations used in this story are trademarks and properties of Sega of America and Sega Enterprises. Used without permission. Don't look at me like that... HEAVY METAL CHAPTER 2: Chaos on the Floating Island The air is crisp and a brisk breeze sways the palm trees. A few rising cumulus clouds dot the otherwise completely blue sky. It's a typical midday on the Floating Island. Knuckles the Echidna is relaxing under one of the palm trees near the edge of the island, thinking deep and philosophical thoughts. KNUCKLES: I wonder how long it would take to hit the water if I spit over the edge... This, er...intellectual moment is interrupted when the echidna guardian spots a blimp flying toward the island. KNUCKLES: Oh, geez...not again. There's no such thing as a coffee break on the Floating Island! He climbs to the top of the tree to get a better look. There's something written on the side, but it's still too far to read. KNUCKLES: Charmy! Charmy, get over here! No response. Knuckles puts his finger(s?) in his mouth and emits a shrill whistle. A few moments later, Charmy Bee flies into view. CHARMY: What's up, Knux? KNUCKLES: Look over there...see that blimp? CHARMY: Uh-oh...is it trouble? KNUCKLES: That's what I'm trying to determine. There's something written on the side and I don't think it's "GoodYear". Can you fly over there and check it out? CHARMY: Can do. The tiny honey bee flies over to the blimp to complete his task. After about five minutes, Charmy flies back with a serious expression. KNUCKLES: It's not here to make friends, is it? CHARMY: I doubt it. It's one of Robotnik's blimps. KNUCKLES: Darn! That fat cholesterol-ball is probably after the Chaos Emeralds again... Round up the rest of the Chaotix. I think we've got a fight ahead of us... Deep in the Floating Island's interior, completely unbeknownst to Knuckles, his father closely monitors every activity on the island. LOCKE: What's going on over there? Archimedes! A rather muscular fire-ant appears with a puff of smoke on the computer control board in front of Knuckles' father. ARCHIMEDES: What's up, Locke? I was taking a nap and you interrupted a very pleasant dream... LOCKE: Something's up out there. There appears to be a blimp of some sort heading for the island. ARCHIMEDES: Is it serious? LOCKE: That's what I'd like to find out. Don't make any big moves, but go out there and play it cool to get information. ARCHIMEDES: "Play it cool"? You've been listening to your son again, haven't you? The aging echidna smirks on one side. LOCKE: Who says an old dog can't learn new tricks? Now go, hurry! ARCHIMEDES: Right. With that, the fire-ant disappears the same way he entered...in a puff of smoke. Knuckles sits atop the palm tree while waiting for Charmy to return with the Chaotix. At that moment Archimedes appears beside him. ARCHIMEDES: Hiya, Knux. I don't think you're up in this tree because you saw a mouse, eh? KNUCKLES: Don't tell me you can't see that blimp over there. It's one of Robotnik's. ARCHIMEDES: Robotnik? As in Dr. Ivo Robotnik? KNUCKLES: If you know any other Robotniks, then we're in a SERIOUS name shortage. ARCHIMEDES: Now, I'm going way out on a limb here (And no pun intended) *Reffering to the fact that they're in a tree* KNUCKLES: *Smiling* You better hope not. ARCHIMEDES: But I bet he's after the Chaos Emeralds. KNUCKLES: Well, as far as he knows there's only one on the island...but even one Emerald in his hands could be enough to destroy Mobius...and the Island would lead the way... At this point, Charmy flies back with Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon, and Mighty the Armadillo behind him. MIGHTY: Yo, Knux...what's up? KNUCKLES: Look over there. Knuckles points to the blimp, which is now close enough to read the writing on the side. MIGHTY: R-O-B-O-T-N-I-K...it's the Eggman! ESPIO: Geez, can you say "ego trip"? Slaps his name in gargantuan letters on the side of his blimp. KNUCKLES: Well, atleast it doesn't share his likeness, like all of his other inventions do... VECTOR: So what's the plan, my man? ARCHIMEDES: Are we gonna take 'em head on? KNUCKLES: No...we should hide somewhere before he gets close enough to spot us... Archimedes subtly smirks. MIGHTY: Hide? That doesn't sound like you, Knux... KNUCKLES: Shutup and get moving! ESPIO: That does. The Chaotix scatter and hide in various nooks around the area. After about ten minutes, the blimp stops above the island. A hatch opens on the bottom, and a smaller pod flies out...its the same kind that fly around Robotropolis, monitoring every square inch of the city. The pod lands and two Blastoids, three Monkey Dudes, four Dribblers, and five Swatbots file out. The door closes. ESPIO: *To himself* So where's Eggbelly? So chicken he's got to send his badniks out ahead of him... Knuckles, overhearing what Espio whispered, replies: KNUCKLES: Yeah, he's testing the waters. Well, let's not disappoint him. We'll trash these bots then fly the pod back into his own blimp and get him before he gets us! Did everyone get that? VECTOR: Sounds like a plan, my man! MIGHTY: Awaiting your signal, Captain! ARCHIMEDES: Gotcha. CHARMY: Alright! KNUCKLES: Great! On three...THREE! The Chaotix jump out and pounce on the 14 badniks. The battle becomes heated, but never shifts out of the Chaotix' favor. Back in Haven, Locke (The island's TRUE guardian) watches the fight going on through one of many security cameras placed around the island. He strokes his beard in thought... At that moment, something catches his eye on another screen. There is a much smaller hover pod flying in on the other side of the island. LOCKE: Hmm... Locke types some commands into a large keyboard, and the camera zooms in on the pod. It's headed straight for the Zute Chute...the enterance to the Chaos Chamber in the Hidden Palace Zone...home of the Chaos Emerald that keeps the island afloat. It's definitely a Robotropolis hovercraft. The machine lands and the circular door opens. A Ball Hog and a Slicer pile out and look around. After a few minutes, Snively steps out and looks around. SNIVELY: The vicinity seems to be clear, sir. A large, imposing shadow stands in the doorway...when it steps into the sunlight, one can clearly see that it's Robotnik. LOCKE: Oh, no... Robotnik walks out and looks around. He seems impatient. ROBOTNIK: Well where is it? I don't see anything. Snively walks over to a stump and runs a scanner over it. SNIVELY: The enterance is definitely through this stump, sir. ROBOTNIK: Good. Slicer, go down there and get me that Chaos Emerald...and don't waste time! The Slicer nods and hops down the chute...leading him right into the Chaos Chamber. Locke is still watching the scene on a monitor from deep within Haven. LOCKE: NO! Knuckles, will you quit messing around? Can't you see it's a decoy?! Darn! An elderly echidna...even older than Locke...enters the room. OLD ECHIDNA: Locke, who are you talking to? LOCKE: The evil genious known as "Robotnik" is stealing the island's Chaos Emerald, and my son is allowing himself to be fooled by a decoy! The elderly echidna scans the activity going on on the monitors. LOCKE: I can't just sit here! I must go and stop him! Locke heads for the door when the elderly echidna stops him. OLD ECHIDNA: This is Knuckles' responsibility...not yours. LOCKE: But if he gets that Chaos Emerald, the entire Floating Island will plummet into the Great Ocean! OLD ECHIDNA: Do you forget? Knuckles was wise enough to obtain an extra. Even if Robotnik manages to steal this one, the spare will keep the island afloat. Now sit back and let's see how Knuckles handles this on his own. Perhaps he's learned more than you think... Locke sighs and sits back down at the control panel. The two aging echidnas continue to watch from safe within the Haven control panel. While all of this is going on, Knuckles and the Chaotix finish toasting the badniks, then take control of the hover pod. From inside the small hoverpod, Knuckles stares at all the complicated controls. KNUCKLES: Alright...who can fly this fancy jalopy? MIGHTY: Don't look at me...I can't figure out the buttons on the Saturn control pad! ESPIO: I think I can handle 'er, Knux. KNUCKLES: Great. Hop aboard, everyone! We're gonna break into Buttnik's blimp and do some serious property damage! The Chaotix hop aboard...all except for Archimedes, who stops short as his antennae twitch. He was receiving a telepathic message from Locke. KNUCKLES: Yo, Archy...aren't you coming along? ARCHIMEDES: Uh, yeah...yeah, I'll meet you up there. I have something important to do first... KNUCKLES: What, at the moment, is more important than this? ARCHIMEDES: *Mumbling* If only you knew... At this point, the fire ant disappears in a puff of smoke. KNUCKLES: Archimedes! Archimedes! Get back here! No response. KNUCKLES: RRRRGH! Darn him! Well, we don't have time to fool around. Shut the door, Esp, and let's fly! VECTOR: Here's a fitting favorite from that eternal classic, Sky High! Vector turns his headphones to maximum volume, pumping out the tune to the "Sky High Zone". The Chaotix fly up into the giant blimp. Once inside, the door to the pod opens but noone walks out. Two Swatbots investigate, and are suddenly pounced by Mighty and Vector. Knuckles, Espio, and Charmy jump out. KNUCKLES: Get ready! The whole place must be crawling with badniks! CHARMY: Do you think it was a good idea to come in here? KNUCKLES: Too late to worry about that now! I just wish that bug Archimedes was here to help. Mighty and Vector took out the two Swatbots with little difficulty. The Chaotix stand ready for a few minutes, but all is quiet. ESPIO: Uh...do you think they heard us knock? KNUCKLES: I don't get it...we should've been flooded in bots by now. MIGHTY: I'm getting bored just sitting here... KNUCKLES: Me too. If they won't come for us, we'll go after them! Let's head for the control room and take control of this oversized balloon! Back over by the Zute Chute, the Slicer currently emerges with a Chaos Emerald in hand. ROBOTNIK: Let me have it! The Eggman snatches the Emerald out of Slicer's hand, basking in the green glow of the mystical stone. ROBOTNIK: Look, Snively. Isn't it beautiful? SNIVELY: Lovely sir, but we should really hurry. Theoretically, when the Chaos Emerald is removed from the Chaos Chamber, the island will fall into the ocean. ROBOTNIK: Nothing's happening, Snively... Snively scratches his head for a minute. SNIVELY: Well so much for theory... ROBOTNIK: Nonetheless, let's get out of here before the echidna and his friends realize what's going on. SNIVELY: Yes, sir. Robotnik, Snively, and the Slicer get back into the hoverpod. Back in the giant blimp, Knuckles and the Chaotix walk down a large corridor. Oddly enough, they haven't run into a single bot since they entered. VECTOR: Man, this is weirdo...we haven't beat no feet with a single bot since we got in here... CHARMY: It certainly does seem odd that Robotnik would only have 16 bots in a blimp of this size... KNUCKLES: Nevermind that now, guys...there's the control room. Knuckles points to a large door ahead. ESPIO: Great! Now maybe we'll get some action! The Chaotix break the door down, only to be disappointed...the room is as empty as the rest of the blimp. ESPIO: Wha-how-if...geez, who's doin' the driving?! Charmy flew over to investigate. CHARMY: It's on auto-pilot. MIGHTY: Well, it seems like Robotnik just gave us a free gift. Should we land this baby and keep it in case of an emergency? CHARMY: I don't know...maybe there's a huge explosive on here somewhere or something... KNUCKLES: If there was, why would he send it in a package this prominent? VECTOR: Something is seriously screwed, here... ESPIO: GGRR! I can't believe we're just sitting around here while Robutthead makes idiots out of all of us...not just Vector! VECTOR: Hey! At that moment, the door opens and the ring-pumped Scratch and Grounder enter. KNUCKLES: Look out, guys! It's the climax! The Chaotix attack the two super-bots, but to little avail. VECTOR: Man, we're getting toasted! MIGHTY: These guys are invincible! ESPIO: Geez...these guys used to be a couple of Robotniks' standard henchbots, but now they fight like majors...like Metal Sonic! At that moment, Archimedes reappears in a puff of smoke and torches the two former stooge-bots with every ounce of his breath. Then he falls back and inhales deeply...there is no way any badnik could've lasted a blast like that. KNUCKLES: About time you showed up. ARCHIMEDES: Knux-*pant*-there's something-*pant*-really imp-- Archimedes is interrupted by a yell from Charmy. As the smoke dissipates, Scratch and Grounder are revealed...unscathed. ARCHIMEDES: No way...NO WAY! --End of Part 2--