Sonic the Hedgehog in Rage in the Wilderness Part II by Blue9Tiger

Isna never before spent as much energy as he did before. The exertion he put into his mad dash was nearly unbearable. He strained every muscle to achieve the greatest distance in the shortest amount of time. One minute. Two minutes. Three. Each second was imperative. His companion's freedom depended on his ability to cover the distance between Robotropolis and Knothole Village. He thought, That is the only thing that will save Bengri. I have to go faster. Oh, I'm so exhausted, I'm running more than my body permits me to. But his freedom depends on me and-----A dreaded thought passed into his mind. ....................the cooperation of my former enemies.

Sally sat under a tree, thinking. It was a beautiful day. The sun glowed a warm golden, the thin clouds boded no rain. For once, she wanted to enjoy the day, and not to attack Robotropolis. For that was getting to be a dangerous routine that she wanted to be rid of for a while.

All of a sudden, the princess felt a harsh wind, accompanied by the terrific sound of an explosion. Sonic the Hedgehog ran toward her, with a worried look. Sally's smile melted into a frown.

"What's the matter, Sonic?"

His frown of worry grew into a snarl of anger.

"That dude Isna broke out! Thinks he can trick us by sayin' his pal was busted! And his other one's gonna be!" He added smartly, "Told ya!"

Sally stood up.

"Is he sure?"

"HE'S sure, but I sure ain't. Just bein' near 'em makes me itchy."

The squirrel set off into the forest, her companion following her.

"Where is Isna?"

Sonic pointed to the north and answered,

"Just outta the Great Forest."

Both quickened their paces, and met the tiger at the place mentioned. Concern and terror filled his green eyes. He pleaded with Sally,

"Help me, for Bengri's sake. He might be already enslaved this instant! I can't lose another one. Please."

Every part of the orange fur was raising in anxiety.

Sally hesitated no longer. She pointed in the direction of Robotnik's ominous city and she started running, Isna following. After some thought, Sonic finally took off after them, feeling some pity for the lethal animal, and concern of Sally's safety.

The three arrived at Robotropolis. They all headed to where it was most probable Bengri would be: the Detention Building.

The Mobians entered the dark structure, searching the cells. Isna began to grow even more restless, and softly growled. Sally put a finger to her lips, and the former ceased growling. Finally, they reached the last cell: nothing. With that, Isna lowered his head and ears drooped. His tail dragged on the cold metallic floor. Sally and he walked on, all feeling the pang of guilt tear into their souls.

Sonic argued,

"Guys, what're we givin' up for? The Roboticizer maybe crashed."

Now it was the princess's turn to argue.

"Sonic, we've been in the city for more than half an hour, and---"

She froze in terror. Two fierce red eyes peered out at the Mobians from the gloom. They blinked, and the creature advanced.

Sonic remarked,

"Man, that's a real ugly-lookin' bot. Wait a sec, all bots are!"

Sally corrected,

"That might not be a robot."

The figure snarled ferociously, and bounded out. Isna's eyes grew bright and bold.

"Bengri? It hasn't been too late?"

However, Sally questioned the survival of Isna's companion. There was something odd about Bengri, something wilder, something less advanced. Her fears were confirmed when the animal leaped onto Isna with a snarl. He raised his claws to attack, but Sonic quickly spun into his chest.

"Whoa, too much sugar, triple-ugly!"

At this the tiger roared horribly, and widened his jaws with Sonic as a target. Sally launched a kick at him, though, and stalled his movements for a second, enabling all three of them to escape with their lives, though not for long.

Before they had gone twenty steps, a mechanical tiger leaped into their path. It was large enough to nearly surround them on all sides. On top of that large predicament, death was approaching their flanks. Sonic looked behind them and commented,

"Two ain't better than one!"

"You have that right! How could there have been another tiger in accursed city? Especiallly that this one looks more or less like------"

Isna's eyes filled with tears of grief and failure.

"Corpro! No, that's impossible!"

All three gazed at the horror in front of them, inching backwards. Then, they stepped foward agiain, noticing Bengri approaching. There was no way out. Except down. Without hesitaion, Sonic burrowed into the hard soil, releasing a few tiny particles. After a few seconds though, the hedgehog explained,

"No use, dudes! Dirt's too hard. Now how'll we get outta here?"

Sally answered,

"I don't know. All I know is that we're going to be----"

"You don't have to tell me the obvious," Isna growled.

Sonic looked behind him and asked,

"So what're we gonna talk about, the ugly unknown?"

Out from some wispy clouds, Tails flew like the wind towards the robotic Mobian, and used his tails as windmill blades. He enjoyed showing his prowess for once.

"Take that, you bot! You're no match for us!"

Though causing little damage, the little furred fox distracted the mechanoid long enough for the three others to slip by. After that, though, Tails was ordered to return to Knothole, after much complaining and coaxing. Now having eluded that robot, Bengri, like a virus, was once again on their trail. The Freedom Fighters and their accquaintance found brief shelter behind a large pile of garbage cans.

"What'dya think happened to 'im?" Sonic wondered. "He seemed real mad at us, and we didn't do anything. I wonder if 'Buttnik roboticizin' that other dude made him mad? Isny, they were THAT friendly with each other?"

Isna halted. He needed complete silence for his memory to work to its fullest extent. His brain reached past recent years, and even ancient years. It seemed to strain, to stretch, and possibly burst. Then it returned to its normal use, for Sonic asked,

"So who IS he?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm thinking."

"Well, hurry it up, slow-mo!"

"Don't be so impatient, hedgehog. I'm thinking about more than 50 years gone."

"Okay, old-timer, just step on it!"

The tiger grumbled and concentrated extremely hard. Finally, his eyes brightened.

"Yes, Corpro and Bengri were the best of friends, until he started taking refuge in the sewers."

Sally concluded,

"So, Bengri felt so angry at this and he turned his rage loose on the world. Now he's no less wild than fire."

"How will we be able to stop him?"

Sonic stood up. He declared,

"Robuttnik roboticized doubled-ugly, so triple-ugly should be tearin' up HIM, not us. If we can show him that the fat man did this, we'll be rid of Robuttnik! Then ugly here'll be happy!"

Sally stared at him in wonder. She replied sarcastically,

"Sure, Sonic. We just get a bloodthirsty, primitive cat to reason that Robotnik is the cause of his friend's enslavement. First we'll have to capture Bengri and bring him to Robotnik without getting him or us roboticized. Then we'll have to say that Robotnik destroyed Corpro and convince him to stop venting out his anger like that. Personally, I don't think it's just his sorrow for him There has to be some other thing helping his rage along. Also, will you kindly refer to "ugly", "doubled-ugly:, and "triple-ugly" by their proper names, please?"

" Okay, Sal." He paused, then resumed, " We'll find out if that's so later. Right now it's Open Season on that killer tiger!"

Bengri silently stalked through the filthy alleyways, ears twitching to catch vibrations, nose doing likewise to find a scent. His soundless paws barely touched the ground. It was as if he had no will but the one to destroy. Even this was not for eating anymore. Now his only intention was to kill, with hardly any logic or reason. It was as if he was now more than primitive, below the very base of existence. Now the tiger was below Mobian, below creature.

He was roboticized in soul, only will being to destroy his kind--Mobian. However, Bengri was even below roboticization. He didn't destroy to serve Robotnik, it was an out-of-control destruction, that not even Sonic and the Freedom Fighters could stop easily.

Bengri continued his aimless journey, and then he heard a sharp clanging. He instinctively leaped toward the source, every organ as intent as he. Then Sonic jumped in front of him and flung a garbage can at Bengri's face. The tiger didn't recognize the object and, instead of trying to face it as he would do normally, he darted away, and disappeared among countless garbage cans.

"Now THAT was way past weird! He's not himself, Isny. I wonder if 'Buttnik DID get to him, and he's just disguised someway. Then we REALLY got our work out for us!"

Sally shook her head.

"We would have noticed it before, Sonic. Not a single hint."

The other rested his chin on hands.

"Oh yeah? Then how about those eyes? I coulda' sworn that was his eyes glowin'."

After a few seconds, he added,

"RED. He's a bot, or then he's gotta bad case of insomnia!"

Isna groaned,

"Why him, and not me?"

"I dunno, Isny. But this guy's a bot, and if he's not, then I got no idea what he is.. So how do we handle 'im?"

For once, Sally had run out of ideas. Sonic placed his hands on his hips and answered himself,

"We treat 'im like any other bot. Hang on, and I'll get a Power Ring."

"Hurry, Sonic. It's due in three minutes."

The blue hedgehog smiled.

"It's cool! I can get there 100 times faster."

Determined to keep his word, Sonic blasted out of Robotropolis. It wasn't long after three minutes when Sonic streaked back into the city. Sally shoved it into her backpack.

"Good. Now let's go find him."

Isna shook and remarked,

"Good luck to us. He could be anywhere in this city."

Just then, Uncle Chuck walked stiffly by, behind a group of Swatbots. Sonic shrilly whistled. The Swatbots ran toward him, and Sonic led them on a short chase. In a few seconds he was back, without any of them pursuing.

The metallic hedgehog walked quickly toward the group. Sonic asked,

"What was that about? You never hang out with Swatbutts."

His uncle explained,

"The Swatbots were on their way to the DE//200s, a new line of computers. I'm not sure what their intentions were, but it must be very important if it takes that many units to activate and operate several computers.."

Sally thought aloud,

"I wonder if it has anything to do with Bengri?"

Uncle Chuck scratched his head.

"Who is he?"

The princess answered,

"A wild tiger has been prowling about the city. Have you seen-----"

Instantly his red eyes glowed, and he answered the incomplete statement,

"I saw him alright. It's Robotnik's new experiment. It might have to do with the DE//200s."

Sonic grew impatient, and tapped his foot.

"Spill it, Unc."

"I can't. I'll keep you informed if anything new comes up. Steer clear of that creature. He's haunting the eastern part."

With that, he assumed the stiff position of a simple machine again, and continued on his way.

The group nervously walked to the east. When they had reached their destination, Sonic ran ahead, searching for any shape or sound. As he accelerated, the hedgehog called,

"Benny, where are ya?! We gotta talk!"

As if on cue, Bengri leaped out of the shadows, staring evily at Sonic. His jaws opened to reveal knife-like teeth, that could easily be the cause of Sonic's demise. He stood coolly, and whipped out a Power Ring. The calm hedgehog waved it around in front of Bengri's face. The golden glow attracted him, and the tiger advanced with savage growls. As he did so, Sonic slowly walked backwards, enticing him.

"Come and get it, kitty!"

All the while, Bengri would inch foward, silent as death, and his jaws would clamp together when he was wtihin grasp of the Power Ring. Always, the golden hoop would escape him.

Sonic continued to walk backwards until he heard a shrill cry. Sonic stopped and held out the Ring, with a bored expression. He smiled with satisfaction when a steel net split the air and made contact with the roaring tiger. Sonic yelled,

"Okay, jump on 'im!"

Sally and Isna leaped down from a thin shelf, and landed on the net, causing Bengri to grunt in slight pain. Sonic tied up the steel ropes. Their mission accomplished, the Freedom Fighters slapped hands.

Sally and Sonic pulled the net and Isna shoved it with his gigantic snout. For, although the creature trapped by the net was slender, you wouldn't want him to sit on you. After an hour of dragging and pushing, they reached the door of Robotnik's main building, that stood as a blue oval against a thick black sky. They entered it, hoping who they sought for would be there.

Chapter III "DEACTIVATING SOULPROBE PROGRAM"

They hadn't gone three steps when a cold voice rang out,

"You Freedom Fighters do not daunt me."

Sonic released the net and angrily faced Robotnik's voice.

"You don't either, Toasted-Tubby! What'dya do to triple-ugly over here?"

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! I didn't do anything rodent. What makes you think I had any hand in destroying the poor Mobian's personality?"

Sally broke in,

"You know perfectly well that that's a lie, Robotnik. Now, tell us what you did to Bengri."

Dr. Robotnik grinned evily, and snorted,

"What if I don't, Princess?"

She answered simply,

"I'll open this net and let Bengri loose on you."

She stared at the snarling cat, eyes intensifying their vicious red.

"You foolish Freedom Fighter! That tiger is as much as enslaved to me as the next robot."

Horror gleamed in the squirrel's eyes.

"No," she began.

"Hate it when I'm right," Sonic muttered.

The broad villain chuckled sinisterly.

"Heh, heh, heh. I am afraid it is so, my little Freedom Fighters. I had succeeded in roboticizing that vermin's friend a short while ago. I had intended to do the same to your prisoner there. When he saw what happened, I noticed a horrifying transformation. His shoulders lowered, with fur raising on all places. His claws protruded out of his paws. His heart pulsed faster with anger and regret. I knew I wouldn't be able to roboticize him; the creature was too ferocious for that. He would destroy everything. So, I created a program on the DE//200. It displayed messages while sending signals into his brain that would allow me to probe into the deepest roots of his soul, allowing me to find those roots that plant him into the little kindness he has. With this done, by the use of the computer screen, I infused messages in him that declares that he must destroy everything that breathes, except myself and Robotropolis."

"Bots don't breathe, 'Buttnik."

The doctor calmly continued,

" With already the anger of his brother's demise, how could he resist the urge of becoming below primitive. It took some time, but the process was not long."

Isna stared at him, confusion, anger, and sadness crowding into his eyes. He weakly demanded,

"Do you mean that my friend is somehow connected to a computer?"

Robotnik nodded.

"This is only my first experiment. The next one will be inevitable. The experiment's feline comrade."

This was too much for both Sonic and Isna to keep calm. Both lunged at Dr. Robotnik and knocked him off balance, whereupon he landed with a thud. Sonic literally yelled in his face.

"Okay, 'Buttnik! Where do ya have triple-ugly plugged?"

"Release Bengri now, Robotnik! Otherwise there will be a carcass in this room!"

Rivalling the anxious feelings of Sonic and Isna, Robotnik was perfectly calm.

"No need for violent speech----"

From the tiger emitted a blood-clotting roar. Robotnik was slightly stunned, but recovered and answered,

"Two can play at that game."

He waddled onto his feet and started for a DE//200 in the corner.

"Oh, no ya don't!" Sonic yelled. He blasted after him and once again succeeded in knocking him to the floor.

Sally called,

"Sonic, you and Isna keep him busy. I'll try and manipulate this DE//200. It's Bengri's only chance if we can delete it."

She jogged over to the oversized computer, bringing up screens and different commands. Though it was very confusing, she kept calm. Out of the corner of her eye, the princess spied the three combatants rolling along the floor and yelling, distracting her. Sally focused, typed furiously on the keyboard, and opened a file named "Soulprobe". It revealed a picture of Bengri's cerebrum, along with a long message, and realized the true direness of the situation. If I delete this, it might forever impair Bengri's emotions! The Soulprobe nearly controls his entire mental existence. If I press delete, what will happen? Will he become a vegetable? Will it backfire and he'll become even more dangerous? All these thoughts and countless others piled into her head. Sally's finger rested on the delete key. After much vibrating, the finger finally sank. Instantly large red letters appeared on the screen, reading: "DEACTIVATING SOULPROBE PROGRAM. NO PROPER COMMANDS FOR DELETING ENTERED. DEACTIVATION TEMPORARY. DEACTIVATION TIME: FORTY-EIGHT HOURS.."

Sally groaned in exasperation. All that work was in vain. Since there was nothing left to do, she eyed the floor where the action was taking place.

All at once, the skirmish between Sonic, Isna, and Robotnik ceased. All eyes turned to look at the crouched tiger. Bengri's eyes closed, and his breathing stopped, then rose slightly, then stopped. Isna wasted not a second. He rushed to his comrade, flung him onto his shoulder, and headed for Knothole as fast as he was able. Sally jumped onto Sonic's back, and they followed, quite helpless and confused.

The three Mobians burst into the village, streaking into Rotor's lab. He turned around and, at the first sight of both Bengri and Isna in the room, he jumped into the air.

"Why are THEY here?'

Sonic quickly asked,

" This dude's in trouble. Not that I have feelins' for 'im or anythin'."

Rotor looked confused.

"How?"

The other impatiently replied,

"Somethin' happened when Sal shut off a computer. He can't breathe."

The broad walrus rushed into a closet and grabbed a small box. He expclaimed,

"I knew that this suction and purifier would be useful somtime!"

Sally began to grow impatient also. Who would know what could happen if Isna watched his friend die.

Rotor activated the contraption. Sonic was fascinated by it. He asked,

"Looks cool. How's it work, Rote?"

The walrus grinned and proudly explained,

"It vacuums the air, cleans it, and puts it wherever it's supposed to go."

He pointed to Bengri and continued,

"In this case, that creature's lungs."

While all of this was going on, Isna quietly paced. Finally, he couldn't wait any longer. The tiger bounded towards the three and fiercely demanded,

"Well? How is he?"

Sally stepped aside and calmly answered,

"See for yourself."

Bengri's chest was rising slowly. Each minute, it rose slower and lower. Then it stopped altogether. Isna growled,

"Do not tell me it failed, walrus."

Rotor began to sweat considerably.

"Don't w-worry, I'm switching it to full blast!"

The engine whirred, and Bengri started to breathe erratically. Three minutes passed by. No change. Sonic tapped his foot. Then he whistled. Sally's eyes focused on him and she asked,

"Sonic, can you keep still for one fourth of a second?"

He continued whistling and now was pacing.

"No way, Sal. I just can't take the suspense!"

He quickened the pace, and ended up crashing into the small gray box. Everyone ordered at once,

" BE CAREFUL!"

Before the embarrased hedgehog could even open his mouth, Bengri's breahing assumed a regular pattern. Tears of joy welled up in Isna's eyes. He instantly grabbed his friend off the metallic table and the latter's eyes snapped open.

"What happened, Isna? I don't remember anything."

Sally softly explained,

"I'm not sure what happened, Bengri. I think I was the one that caused all this."

The slender cat's ears pricked and his red eyes widened.

"Not YOU. Not even you, the Knothole Freedom Fighters, could sentence us to that kind of a punishment."

Sonic was about to interrupt, when the princess continued,

" When I deactivated the Soulprobe program, my worst fears were confirmed. It had taken over your physical functions as well as your emotional ones."

Sonic automatically winced, hoping that Isna wouldn't wreak his havoc. Fortunaately, the older feline smiled, gladdened that Bengri was once more spared from irreversible disaster. Or so he thought. What seemed like a minor temporary incident, was really something more, as everyone in the peaceful village would find out.

At first, no one noticed Bengri's behavior, as a result of Isna and he being pent up in a crude little jail. Hour after hour he would remain silent, staring at the ground. Isna noticed this, but ignored the stunning change at first. Finally, forty-six hours after the deactivation of Soulprobe, Isna decided to tell an inhabitant of Knothole about this. He waited patiently for Bunnie to hand him their meat. To Bunnie's surprise, Isna didn't touch it. Instead, he strode up to the locked door and stared at Bunnie through a window.

"There is something wrong with------"

He was abruptly cut off when Bengri leaped onto Isna, pulling him away from the door. Bunnie saw this and exclaimed,

"Oh mah stars! Ah'm gonna get Sally-girl. She'll get ya outta there."

The rabbit broke into a brisk jog.

The old tiger desperately stormed through the small building, dodging Bengri's merciless claws, and returning the blows when he was able. Soon, he noticed the fearful red glow in his former friend's eyes. Anger surged through Isna for he immediately recognized the problem. Throughout Knothole a thunderous roar was heard, and those who weren't temporarily deafened by it did not cease swearing at the noise for a while.

Every Freedom Fighter in the entire village swarmed about the structure, intent on finding out the cause of the commotion. Sonic and Sally, followed by Bunnie, Rotor, and Antoine stormed through the wave of Mobians and the princess jammed the key into the hole. She swung open the door and found the two masses of fury clawing and biting, one in defense and the other in pure rage for destruction.

"Way past uncool! Ya wouldn't think of these dudes fightin' against each other!" Sonic exclaimed while delivering a hard punch to Bengri's head, who growled in anger and annoyance. Sally was busy kicking the latter's chest, and answered,

"Well, whoever started it will be in deep trouble. We can't have fights like this anymore. Knothole will be destroyed."

Antoine and Tails leaped onto Isna's back and assaulted it with sticks, then the former cried,

"Zey don't dezerve to leeve! Zey shood be being locked up!"

The broad walrus corrected,

"They already were, Antoine."

The fox with a ridiculously short tail responded,

"Oh. I wazn't notizing zat. But, like I waz been zaying, zey don't dezerve to leeve."

Tails defiantly contradicted,

"I thought we could trust them, but I still do even though we can't."

Isna was tiring now, but not Bengri. A few other villagers joined Bunnie and Rotor in attacking him. While they did, Bunnie thoughtfully declared,

"It ain't Isna's fault. He was bein' attacked bah this lil' ol' tiguh."

While the others were listening to her statement, Rotor leaped off and complained,

"Whoa, that's a harsh glow. How was he born with those eyes? They're abnormally red."

Isna refused to answer, for he was occupied with recovering. He groaned softly, and licked his gaping wounds. With the combined effort of Sonic, Bunnie, and Rotor, they slowly carried him to the latter's lab.

Bengri was finally tiring. The launches of attacks from Sally, Antoine, Tails, and the rest of the Freedom Fighters exhausted his energy. All he needed now was a strong, heavy attack and he would be knocked out. As if on cue, Dulcy flew erraticly through the air.

"I can't steer! I can't fly! Look out, everyone!"

The villagers obeyed, and the heavy dragon landed on Bengri, who was now down for the count. Sonic rushed outside in time to see the accident. He pointed to Dulcy and cried,

"Past cool, Dulce! We'll bring ya along the next time we go to Robotropolis!"

"Thanks, Sonic, but, what did I do?"

Princess Sally heaved Bengi onto the dragon's back. She complimented,

"Good work, Dulcy. Now we can see what the problem is with this tiger."

Because their work was done, the rest of the villagers returned to their routines. Some lingered to watch the proceedings from outside. Others fell asleep in their huts. Still others gathered firewood. Still others went to Robotropolis after being assigned to do so.

Dulcy dumped her passenger onto Rotor's table, and the latter activated an old x-ray, then turned on a screen. Sonic scratched his head and inquired,

"What's this do, Rote? Looks real prehistoric."

Since the walrus was busy, Sally answered,

"I think that's an x-ray of Bengri's brain."

"Oh," the hedgehog simply answered.

Tails creeped up to the screen and pointed to tiny sparks zapping through one section.

"What are those?"

Rotor failed to hear him and declared,

"Just as I suspected! It looks like the messages from Soulprobe. Robotnik's machine hasn't stopped working."

"So how do we reverse it, Rotor?" Tails asked. Everyone was silent. Bengri began to stir. Rotor hated to do it, but he knocked him over the head.

Sonic drummed his fingers, and declared,

"A Power Ring! They always work! Be back in a sonic sec'!"

He burst off in a blue streak, tearing into the light wind. He wound through the narrow pathways of the Great Forest, and reached the Lake of Rings, just a few seconds after the golden hoop disappeared into the whirling water. Sonic's eyes nearly escaped from their sockets. He flung his arms about in anger at himself.

"Oh, man. Now THAT'S irony."

He returned to Knothole, and apologized with an embarrased air.

"Sorry, dudes. Missed it. And I was THIS close!"

He spread his thumb and forefinger out by a hair. Antoine laughed and commented,

"Eet lookz like you aren't zat fazt!"

Tails glared at him, and it silenced him.

Rotor explained hopelessly,

"We won't be able to keep him unconscious for much longer without damaging his head."

Suddenly Isna stalked in the doorway, bruised, but not beaten. No one noticed him walk in, so he sat quietly on his haunches staring at the large screen.

Sally brightened, and assured,

"We won't have to. I forgot about the Power Ring in my backpack. I'm sorry. Here, Sonic."

She tossed the glowing object to Sonic, who held it near Bengri's head. Unfortunately, instead of produicing the desired effect, the Power Ring revived Bengri, and the wild feline leaped off the table, and started assailing the Freedom Fighters. Sonic blushed with embarrasement, and led his companions out of the lab and said,

"That sure worked."

Rotor argued,

"No, it's my fault. I should have realized that Bengri's thought process wouldn't be reversed with a mere Power Ring."

They bolted the heavy door, and Bunnie pointed out,

"No tahm to think about who's fault it is. We gotta ruhverse the thinkin' of that lil' muffin, and fast!"

Sally agreed,

"She's right, guys. Rotor, any ideas?"

He thought for a while, and confirmed,

" Now the only way to save him is to hook him up to that DE//200 and reverse the process."

"Easier said than done, Rote. We can't even get 'im there!"

Sonic's brown eyes brightened, and he contradicted himself aloud,

" But we maybe could get Dulce over here, we could tie 'im to her, and get him to Robo-city that way."

Sally agreed,

"Good idea, Sonic. Now go call Dulcy. And----" Her blue eyes grew wild with horror. " Oh my gosh! We only have one hour left to get there! You can be assured that Robotnik will continue to use it when it's back on line!"

Sonic exclaimed,

"Mondo uncool! Let's juice then! Yo, Isny! You---I guess----you can come with us!" The latter sternly nodded, and loped toward the group. The hedgehog whistled, and the green dragon walked up to them. Tails walked off, knowing that he wouldn't be allowed to go. Antoine followed him, extremely afraid. Everyone heard the crashing din emmiting from inside Rotor's lab, and the walrus grew angry at the thought of all his experiments totalled. Nevertheless, he removed the door's bolt and let Bengri leap out, who was immediately apprehended by the Freedom Fighters and bound with ropes onto Dulcy's back, after twenty minutes. Time was running short. Forty minutes more and someone else would become a victim.

The tiger struggled and growled, but he was tightly secured. Only a robot could tear through the thick ropes. After a few "good lucks", the large dragon lifted her weight up into the air. Sonic yelled,

"Don't forget to land on 'Buttnik's head! See ya there!"

When the green shape disappeared into the sky, Sonic enthusiastically said, "Let's juice!"

Then the five began the ground journey to Robotnik's city, with only the fading light to guide them.

"That was a long job, Sally-girl," the cyborg rabbit declared. The princess shook her head and pointed to Robotropolis, which loomed high and terrific in the distance. "We don't even know how to work the DE//200s."

No one replied, so she added, "You're right, Bunnie, but not as long as the one we're about to tackle."

They entered the city, which had the regular amount of robotic activity. Swatbots dotted the sstreets, while teams of hover-units patrolled the patches of air just above ground. Once in a while, a roboticized Mobian would pass by. Since Sonic was travelling with a group, he took care to check around every corner before they walked around it. As a result, they had absolutely no contact with a machine whatsoever, except Uncle Chuck, who had returned with valuable information.

The Freedom Fighters were currently stationed at the seemingly ordinary junkpile, which was really the home and base of operations for Sonic's uncle. When they reached it, they swiftly entered the door.

Uncle Chuck wasted no time.

"I examined one of the DE//200s, and saw it was deactivated. I see you weren't able to delete it."

Sonic explained,

"Spill that, then tell us how we reverse Benny's mind."

"The deletion code is-----I'll write it down. It's very complex."

Rotor smiled and commented,

"Just like Robotnik himself."

He chuckled heartily at his joke.

The workerbot grabbed a piece of paper and wrote: "eteledlouseborpmargorp?///adfjkl;s200 "up arrow", "down arrow", "left arrow", "shift button", "enter key", "abort button", "self-destruct button", "abort button"."

"Now having entered the deletion code, you simply overload it by pulling the large red lever. It's good for you that this computer is separated from Robotnik's main one, or else you would have to break that access code as well. Do you understand?"

Everyone shook their heads, and seemed distressed. Sally quickly explained,

"We only have thirty minutes, Uncle Chuck. How do we reverse the process?"

Uncle Chuck hurriedly answered,

"First, you find that tiger and hook him up to the central DE//200. That's in the lowest level of Robotnik's command center. Then you must activate it and bring up his "Soulprobe" program. Now there will be a picture of part of a brain called the cerebrum, and a long message that Robotnik used to change his emotions. Then you delete those and type in some that will convince the tiger to regain his-----uhm--lovable personality. You might want to read the message aloud to him, also, so they'll stick in more. Then you have to turn on the signals that will go through his brain. Those will overtake the signals Robotnik used, and it's inevitable that your friend wil return to normal."

Uncle Chuck frowned. He seemed to be forgetting something. "Oh, I forgot! You must send the signals into his brain first, then type the messages next. Otherwise, it will not work." He quietly added in disgust, "If you ask me, it's as destructive as the Roboticizer, but no more than cheap hypnotism, and Robotnik is scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas. Heh, heh, heh. Good for us."

Bunnie remarked,

"Yore makin' it sound lahk we hafta fight a woh, sugar."

Uncle Chuck smiled and handed the piece of paper to Sally, then answered,

"Well, the one against Robotnik isn't any picnic."

Isna, who was silent before this, declared,

"Thank you. If Bengri survives this, I will owe the Freedom Fighters and you my life."

He bounded out the door to patiently wait for his current comrades, and then they all started for the main oval-shaped center, where Dulcy was waiting, sprawled about on the ground due to a disrupted landing.

"Thank you, Dulcy," Sally complimented to the dragon as she removed her struggling passenger. She added, "Are you allright?"

The massive figure dopily looked at her princess and exclaimed,

"Hiya, Ma! Do I need to go to school, today?"

Sonic tapped his foot while Sally motioned with her hand for the others to leave without her, and that she would catch up. The hedgeog placed his hands on his hips and mouthed, "Are you sure?" Sally's last wave told him "yes", so he blasted off after the others. Sally returned to tending Dulcy.

"Snap out of it, Dulcy! This is Robotropolis. If you're feeling all right, then go back home."

The other shook her head to focus correctly, and slowly responded,

"Okay, Ma!" Then she heaved her huge body into the sky and melted into the horizon. Now that that little problem was solved, the princess hurried through the steel doors, down to the basement.

When she arrived, Bengri was already plugged into the central DE//200. Rotor furiously typed flowery words of love, yet at the same time in a persuasive way, that said the same thing over and over again, while Sonic whirled his fingers on other keys to enter the first part of the deletion code. With difficulty, Isna read the code aloud to the hedgehog. Sally was confused at this. She strode over to Bunnie and asked,

"Why are Sonic and Rotor typing at the same time? You don't need two people typing a note."

The cyborg rabbit explained,

"We don't wanta take no chances aftuh that lil' ol' tiguh is back to his muffin self. The lil' sugar-hog is doin' as much of the code as he can, so when it's done, that machine'll be gone!"

Sally nodded, and looked at the conscious feline, and ventured near him. Bengri was strapped to a table, with tubes protruding out of his sharp ears. Isna stared at his friend, his cold eyes pleading for him to recover his original personality.

The large computer displayed nearly a page of persuasive words, which Rotor offered to read. Before he did, he asked Sally,

"Do you think it will work?"

The princess was about to respond when a loud alarm split the air. Sonic wondered aloud,

"How come it rung now? Couldn't it've rung after we left? 'Buttnik's got good timin'." He paused, then finally reached the point. "What're we gonna do?"

Sally ordered,

"Isna, block the door. Bunnie, go help him. Don't block it with yourselves, use what is lying around. Rotor, break that annoying alarm so we can hear ourselves think and so that the rest of Robotnik's guards won't bother to pursue. Sonic, you continue with that process with Bengri. I'll block the back door."

Everyone went about their duties, and Bunnie remarked,

"Good thing that he don't have no metal slidin' dohs in the basement. Ah mean this part of it."

The squirrel humorously answered her, as she hurriedly removed boxes and crates and stacked them in front of the door,

"It looks like Robotnik didn't plan on coming here when he built it. At least when he built the doors, anyway."

Sonic snickered, and started reading.

"Bengri, you are not Robotnik's servant. You have a mind of your own. You don't have to obey the command he gave to you. You don't even have to obey your own impulses. You can be as free as a bird, and you are when you believe this..

Above all, you must improve your present personality. Robotnik is the enemy or yourself. Don't listen to him, listen to yourself if you're right.

And you will find when you see this that these words are right. So stop destroying everything else and concentrate your hatred onto the real enemy. Now I present to you words that should stick in your mind; words that describe Robotnik. Evil, filth, rotten, destructive, horrible, unkind, greedy, power-hungry, desolate, cold, hard, rude, cheating, lying, and a million other words that are undesirable traits. So hear me out--------"

Sonic stopped reading when the alarm ceased ringing.

"What happened?" Asked Rotor, eyes darting about.

Just then, the front door rattled with the Swatbot's force. They made no exclamation, but the Freedom Fighters could easily identify their unseen foes. Sonic continued, only much quicker.

"SohearmeoutandstopobeyingRobotnik'sruthlesscommandandstartobeyingyourselfBreakthroughhiscontrolandlivebythetrueordersofMobiusyournature."

The hedgehog quickly glanced at Bengri, and finished typing the message with:

"Get it through your head, Benny! ROBUTTNIK'S UNCOOL!" He added verbally, "I hope ya can read."

The banging and rattling increased considerably, and the Freedom Fighters leaned on the obstructions for a blockade. Unfortunately, it was inevitable that the Swatbots would eventually break down the wooden door, and their opponents knew this. Therefore, extra crates were stacked in front.

Bengri stared up at the screen. Whatever was traveling through his head was finally sinking in. He opened his red eyes for a moment, and Sally noticed that they lost their fierce glow. As her spiny companion rushed to join her at the back door, she

pointed this out to him.

"Sonic, the glow is gone."

He affirmed,

"Yeah! And it looks like he's gettin' moving."

Rotor muttered under his breath,

"Let's hope it works."

Bengri was struggling to leap off, but he was strapped tightly to the metal table. No one noticed him, due to the fact that his current companions had their minds occupied with the current threat of Swatbots. So, the lean tiger snapped the straps with his knife-like fangs, and leaped off the table, feeling rather subdued. However, Isna wasn't. He playfully loped toward his friend, but when the latter didn't approach in turn, Isna advanced more cautiously. He sniffed the air, and stared deep into Bengri's red eyes. No evil glow like there was before. All the Freedom Fighters silently and hopefully watched, and when Bengri smiled at his elder and ventured to feign a growl, all were satisfied and relieved.

"Thank you, Freedom Fighters. My torn family has been sowed into one quilt with two patches once more."

Sonic grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.

"No prob, Isny. You guys ain't so bad. Sorry I was such a chili-dog brain. Guess I had too much of 'em!"

Sally interrupted,

"I hate to break up a warm reunion, but we're forgetting two things----"

Sonic exclaimed,

"Oh, yeah! Sorry."

He sheepishly grinned and pulled down the red lever, wherupon the computer rang out: "DELETION CODE SUCSESSFULLY ENTERED. DELETING "SOULPROBE". THIS IS AN IRREVERSIBLE TASK. DELETING. DELETING ANY AND ALL PROGRAMS ALREADY IN DRIVE "L".---------"

It continued. The code they had entered was really a master code, and it shut down all computers in the DE//200 line.

"We've done more damage than we expected," Sally cheerfully exclaimed. "We won't need to worry about these unusual but simple programs for a while."

The door rattled, and Bunnie asked,

"Ain't y'all fuhgettin' somethin', Sally-girl? How we gonna get those bots ta stay outta here?"

Just as she finished the sentence, the Swatbots tore in the front door. Immediately they were attacked. As if things couldn't get worse, the hulking machines entered the back door, and Sally and Sonic were knocked down.

"We gotta juice, dudes!" Sonic ordered as he leaped to his feet and performed a Super Spin, knocking down one of Robotnik's soldiers.

Isna growled and reiterated,

"You don't need to tell us the obvious."

Bengri kept thinking to himelf, Robotinik is the enemy. Robotnik is the enemy. Robotnik is the enemy. Robotnik is the enemy. Robotnik is the enemy. Robotnik is the enemy......... Suddenly, what seemed like a lightning bolt struck into his brain. He growled ferociously and lunged at the Swatbots, tearing into their solid metal bodies. Sally ordered her companions,

"Get out of his way, Freedom Fighters! He'll stop at nothing, now."

They continued the fight, but obeyed Sally's orders. Or at least tried to. Bengri was everywhere, smashing into the mechanoids, whirling about, with his teeth and claws never unprepared. It was plain to see that the younger tiger was normal once more. As Sonic buried his spines into his opponents, which Bunnie would finish off with her arm, he exclaimed,

"Man, I didn't think we made 'im hate 'Buttnik THAT bad."

Sally answered from across the room,

"Apparently so, Sonic. Oh my gosh. Duck!"

An airborne Swatbot sailed over their heads, flying straight through the open back door. Rotor walked over to it and slammed it shut, so that no further intruders would dare to force their way into the small room.

The number of Swatbots decreased. The Freedom Fighters and their two acquaintances were more than a match for the dark metallic monsters. Within ten minutes, only a heap of metal smoked and sizzled in every corner of the room. Bunnie sighed and exclaimed,

"Shore glad that's ovah." She focused her attention on something else. "Ah think that these two've done enough ta earn thaih pahdon. What do ya think, Sally-girl?"

The tired squirrel stared at the two cats. For the first time, she examined them closely with her eyes. Instead of the brawn and abcense of soul she and everyone else saw, Sally realized there was something more. There was room for change for both of them, not just Isna. No creature was too old or too ambitious to have a change of heart, or even a change of mind. The words she would say were inevitable.

"You are pardoned, with hopes that you'll live in peace with other villages and cities, and I am sure you will. Go, as soon as we reach the borders."

Bengri and Isna pricked up their ears, and both of them bowed as well as they could. Unfortunately, awkwardness at thanking a monarch was clearly shown. Then, with gratitude and gladness at this gradual gain of trust, they unleashed roars, filled with notes of the highest pitch of peace, joy, and merriment. The Freedom Fighters called their individual farewells, which Bengri and Isna heard with joy as they stood at the city borders.

"Later, dudes!"

Sonic slapped Bengri's front paw, and winked at him. The latter smiled confidently and watied while Rotor pat him on the head and cheerfully said,

"Good luck!"

Bunnie merrily but truthfully warned,

"Stay outta Robotropolis, muffins!"

At this, both tigers nodded sternly, and were about to break into a run in the direction of west, but Sally held her hand up and addressed them one final time.

"We'll never forget what you've done both against and for us, but if we ever meet you again, you'll be recieved with hospitality, unless, of course, you do the opposite to us."

Isna heavily walked up to her and simply responded,

"You can be rest assured that if history repeats itself, I will not be the one who repeats it, Princess. We have learned a lesson from this rage. Peace will be our only goal, and we owe you for it."

The group of Mobians nodded their heads, and with one final wave, they bade one collective farewell to the two tigers., who sped towards the horizon.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That was REALLY bad. I should stop inserting original characters for a while. This is worse than a lot of my fanfics. Oh, heck, every one of my fanfics are worse than the other. You know why I dislike my own fanfics? Because they ARE bad! HA HA HA! Hmm----I hoped the conclusion wasn't worse than the first part. Hmm, then again, maybe it was. Of course, this is only my opinion, but--------------------------------my fanfics really do stink. Ha, ha, ha.

e-mail: Blue9Tiger@aol.com