#i love them all!! and yes. i might be a tad obsessed with pink/purple | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

crusherthedoctor · 5 years ago

Text

Sonic & Tails: Beyond the Stars - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Lambs to the Laughter

"So uh, is there something we can do for you?" Sonic asked Vector, as he leaned to his side against the cavern wall. He was still surprised that the crocodile of all people came to Viridonia out of the blue, along with his crew. The others were naturally just as curious.

"Well, we didn't come all the way here just to look for you, if that's what you're thinking," Vector explained quickly. "We were actually taking a vacation here, since we figured we could do with one! Hardworking detectives need some R&R too, after all!"

"No one's been coming to us lately anyway," Espio dryly added, arms crossed.

"Shhhhhh," the annoyed crocodile whispered, with a finger at his mouth. He turned back to the group. "Anyway, we soon learned about this big monster going around terrorizing the people, and that Dr. Eggman was here too. Now, I'm an easygoing man, but I couldn't sit by while that moustached monkey is afoot. So we decided-"

"YOU decided," Charmy cheekily corrected.

"...WE decided to get to the bottom of it and figure out what's going on. Unfortunately though..." Vector scratched the back of his scaly head in embarrassment. "Despite our skills, we've been having difficulties so far. Been one step behind every step of the way, cause of... well..."

He nodded towards the hedgehog. Sonic took a moment to realise the implication, as shown by his confused glance with Tails. But the moment it clicked, his gradually smiled sheepishly. He shrugged along with it.

"Well, Sonic isn't my name for nothing," he chuckled mildly.

"Now you guys are always in the center of Eggman's schemes, right? So we reckon that if we stick around with you, our chances will be greater."

"Otherwise we'd be clueless!" Charmy beamed.

"Charmy, geeze!"

"Well, that's fine with us, Vector," Tails smiled earnestly, yet slightly awkwardly, having attempted to conceal his begrudging amusement at the detective's frustration. "Any help is good help. Right, Sonic?"

"Right on, little buddy," Sonic agreed, with a thumbs up directed at the fox. He turned his head. "How about you, Trudy? You okay with them tagging along?"

"Of course," Lutrudis answered casually and without hesitance, despite her initial perplexment at the newcomers' presence. She walked closer to the Chaotix, and smiled at them. "Long as their hearts are just, you won't see me dismissing these... characters. I'm Lutrudis, by the way." She bowed respectfully towards them.

"Pleased to meet ya, Latruedish!" Vector announced proudly, with his hands on his hips, and a toothy grin. Espio looked subtly horrified by his teammate's abysmal pronunciation. Tails likewise cringed internally. The smile on the horse's own face did not falter in the slightest.

"So doing detective talk for a sec," Sonic started semi-jokingly. "Got any leads on where we should head to first?"

"Yes actually," Vector boasted. "Before we came here, we had deduced the very probable likelihood that Eggman may be heading for... Merry Villa."

"Merry Villa?" Lutrudis questioned, as one of her ears lowered. "But that's not an huge monument or anything, that's just... the theme park. Why would Eggman head there? I mean, I know the doctor has a history with theme parks, but that can't be the only reason, can it?"

"You are severely underestimating his preferences," Espio mused, as he polished one of his shuriken.

"Yeah, he's got an obsession with them... a major obsession with them. I would know..." The tone in Sonic's voice indicated his memory had recalled a certain amusement park of the past that the doctor created... his tone also indicated he swiftly wanted to forget about it.

"So let's gooooo! I wanna see it too!" Charmy immediately flew out of the cavern in a frenzy of ecstasy, to which an exasperated Vector followed him, who was in turn followed by Espio. Sonic was about to follow suit, but he turned to Lutrudis with a smile.

"Maybe we'll have some fun there too," he suggested, before he walked out. As Tails waited patiently for Lutrudis, the latter glanced at the crystals all around her, each of them still brimming with different energies. Her body language initially conveyed a hint of hesitance, a doubt that it was her position to use them. But she recalled her friends' words of wisdom, and after putting her doubts aside for the sake of the now, she opened up her backpack...

---

"Are you sure they'll be alright in there?" Tails asked in reference to the bag full of excited Chao that was twice the size of Cream, which the young rabbit was nonetheless holding onto with surprisingly little effort.

"Yes, Tails," Cream replied happily. Lutrudis was personally unsure about bringing the Chao along with them to a place where Eggman might be, but it was either that or leaving them on their own in the castle, and Amy had already insisted with great enthusiasm that she and the rabbit come along to check out this Merry Villa. The horse trusted that her friends knew what they were doing, since they've been on more adventures than her.

They were running through the quiet streets of Lime Shores, albeit not at their highest running speed, as Sonic finally remembered that not all of his friends were as lightning fast on their feet as he was, and he didn't want to take a toll on Lutrudis' sensitive legs. The town itself was drastically different than how Sonic was used to it. Far from the turquoise he was accustomed to seeing in the daytime, the starry night gave the buildings a sheen of purple and pink. It clearly wasn't a simple paint job, as every last building was altered in the same way, and they looked even more translucent. Could this have a connection with the Ethereal Zone's lingering effects too...?

Whatever the story was, it looked incredible. The blue hero mentally cursed Eggman for disrupting their intended vacation time in such a beautiful region, and made yet another mental note to himself to check this all out for longer after the villain was dealt with.

"You think cute couples can get in free at this one?" Amy joked in Sonic's direction, though not without sounding a tad hopeful. Sonic simply smirked.

"As if we won't get in free regardless," he snarked playfully. "We've never NOT got into these things for free... Casino Night, Casinopolis, Casino Park... It's kind of amazing, now that I think about it."

"Well, you ARE the hero of the world. Maybe they understand that they'd all be suffering under Eggman's rule if it weren't for you?" Amy smirked in return.

"Or maybe they suck at their jobs," the male hedgehog laughed, and Amy laughed along with him.

Meanwhile, Lutrudis tried to strike up a conversation with the Chaotix, in an effort to get more acquainted with them. "So you guys don't like Eggman either?" she asked as she glanced up at Vector.

"Nope," Vector stated firmly, eyes straight ahead. "He's a scoundrel."

"He's corrupted," Espio added.

"He looks weird!" Charmy finished, and made a weird face of his own to go along with it. "With that pink nose and those whiskers on his face!"

"Well, I quite agree that he's a menace." Lutrudis was still pacing herself to decrease the chances of her body overexerting itself. "And you help Sonic out on occasion, to defend the world against his horrific tyranny? That's very noble, and commendable." She let out another friendly smile.

Vector paused. He soon realised that their actual reason of wanting Eggman to pay up for an incident years ago might not sound particularly dashing, and he didn't want to bust his first impression.

"...Yeah. Sure."

"Ooooh, is that it?" Cream pointed, still not affected in any way by the weight of her bag full of Chao. The rest of the group were so deep into their conversations that they hadn't realised they were already there. Lutrudis checked for each of their reactions, and outside of Espio's low-key intrigue, they were all dazzled.

"~Chao!~" Cheese cried happily.

"That's it, alright," Tails muttered in amazement. "That looks..."

"AWESOME!" Charmy completed the fox's sentence without asking.

"This is perfect for us!" Amy beamed, and hopped slightly in excitement. "Way better than Eggman's glorified death traps! What do you think, Sonic?"

"Uh..."

It really was something else. His adventures had sent him through countless amusement-related facilities in the past, made by Eggman or otherwise, but for one that wasn't devised by the scientist, it certainly had just as much unique grandeur. Behind an impressively-sized archway, with the title carved into it, were the expected rollercoasters, big wheel, challenges... all complimented by giant marble structures and walls, the latter of which were decked out in a selection of funky patterns with paint. The hero couldn't guess if there was any symbolic meaning to them, but partly because he was also distracted by the many spherical trees throughout the park, each of them boasting different coloured leaves from red all the way to purple. The cobblestone on the ground was practically polished, and the grass alongside it was a faint, bubblegum pink.

Of course, some of this was harder to notice among the crowds upon crowds of ecstatic citizens running around and having the time of their lives. But Sonic noticed all of it regardless, and if the glint in his eye hadn't given it away, he was undoubtably impressed with the showing.

"At least we're getting in free after all... like always... Hey, while we're here...!" His attention compromised, he ran up to a rotund mole, who was standing beside a Test Your Strength challenge.

"Really?" Espio scoffed. "Right now?"

"Yeah, aren't we kind of... looking for Eggman?" Tails wondered in confusion. "Not that I don't like the look of this place, but..."

Sonic wasn't paying attention to them however, as his eyes were focused intently on the prize at stake: a real necklace in the style and pattern of a flower crown. He knew Cream would love the look of this, and he was determined to win it for her.

"May I?" he asked the older mole, as he picked up the hammer required for the challenge.

"Go right ahead, sir," he replied in a posh accent.

The hedgehog chuckled to himself, as he tightened his grip on the hammer. Everyone else gathered round, some more reluctantly than others. He prepared himself, he aimed at the target on the ground, he threw himself back, and with lightning speed...

WHACK!

...He didn't get it.

"What!?" Sonic barked angrily. "How the heck was that not strong enough!? Is this rigged?"

"Anyone else want to try?" the posh mole asked, not answering Sonic's question. His moustache hid the amused smirk on his face.

"Me!" Amy called out as she raised her hand. "Got experience with hammers, you know," she winked playfully. The mole nodded wordlessly, and handed the hammer over to her. Sonic was still visibly annoyed at the implication that the guy who beat numerous ancient entitles was apparently not enough for this simple carnival challenge.

Amy readied herself, with a closed eye, and her tongue sticking out. Espio was rolling his eyes, and Vector put his hands in his pockets rather awkwardly. With a lot of energy, she gave it her all...

"Yah!"

WHACK!

...Still no victory.

"Aw, come on!" she complained. "I totally put everything into that one!"

"Anyone else...?" the mole asked again. He was not too subtly entertained by these proceedings. "Perhaps you, madam?"

He looked in Lutrudis' direction. She blinked, and turned to Sonic and Amy. They both shrugged. Turning back, she nervously walked up to the mole, despite her obvious lack of confidence. Might as well try it for Cream's sake, right?

"Don't be shy, you might have what it takes..." the mole chortled lightly. Lutrudis laughed unconvincingly at his reassurance, but slowly took the hammer from him anyway. She walked up to the target on the ground, positioning herself as carefully as she could. Her tail flicked slowly back and forth as she focused. She closed her eyes tightly, as she prepared to strike...

WHA-BOING!

She opened her eyes, taken off guard by a very different noise. She looked at the moustached mole, who looked as though he had seen a ghost. She turned to everyone else, who all shared the exact same expression. Wondering what they were all looking at, she glanced at the top of the machine... or rather, where it used to be. It was now on the ground, broken, along with the meter itself.

She stared at the ruined machine blankly, only blinking a few times. She then stared at her hands, which were still gripping onto the hammer. She looked at the machine again, with the same blank emotion. Incredibly slowly, she shyly gave the hammer back to the mole, whose gaze was still in the same place. She stood beside him, with her hands behind her back. Her eyes glanced to the side.

"So uh..."

Without a further word from her, he handed the necklace over to her. His head still didn't turn, nor did the bewildered look on his face.

"Thank you, sir..." Lutrudis mumbled nervously, before she turned to Cream to give the prize over. As soon as she saw it, and realised it was for her, the rabbit jumped for joy and hugged the horse's legs. Lutrudis in turn simply pat her on the head, smiling contently. The rest of the group, Sonic and Amy included, walked away from the scene one by one, still notably shocked by what just happened. As Cream skipped along to catch up with Amy, Lutrudis stopped for a moment, and walked back to the elderly mole. His face was still exactly the same, and it seemed nothing would snap him out of his shock at this rate.

"Keep the change," she awkwardly muttered as she placed a twenty note into his pocket. She walked off without another word, somewhat quickly at that.

---

Merry Villa Zone

Act 1: Parade Plaza

Lutrudis’ Badnik Logs: Splats - "These may be the hoppiest bunnies I've ever seen. They're also the most malicious, as they have full intention to flatten you with their springs. Cute as they begrudgingly are, they don't hold a candle to Cream."

Dribbler - "The basketball kind, not the... you know... kind. Anyway, those bumpers they're so fixated on aren't just for show, for they're capable of using their slam dunking expertise to do you in. I sincerely doubt they wish to welcome us to the jam."

Buyon - "More bunnies! But these ones are even less adorable than Cream, not to mention their peculiar talent of extending and defending themselves with a gelatinous substance, thereby rendering themselves impervious to your attacks until they shrink back down. You would think they'd stay like that forever with such a defense."

Glider Pawn - "Purple as the night, Glider Pawns serve their namesake by riding atop their bat-shaped contraptions. They hang around in the air like a pungent smell, and their pumpkin-themed grenades show no mercy. Apparently, they're not too fond of arachnids."

Mimento - "These lanky boys take their business to a new level, as their hand miming somehow deflects you if you try to swipe them, as if they were using a shield. Your best bet is to catch them from behind. The doctor ought to be ashamed for giving monochromatic people a bad name."

Unicrusher - "There's no one riding them, but these unicycles can roll along just fine, and their spiked wheels do little to slow them down. Perhaps we could get one of the spikes to pop them?"

Welcome to Merry Villa, the brightest park in the land, and an adrenaline junkie's dream for no extra charge. (Suppose Heavy Rider would be up for it then.) The sights and spots may catch your attention, but you better not gawk for long if Eggman is around, and that's assuming he's alone. But you are the fastest around, so maybe you could get away with it...

The fancy, multi-layered fountain in the center highlights the considerable deco of the park, with a few parkgoers tossing a ring into it to make a wish. What could they be wishing for? To become a billionaire? To cure all the world's diseases? ...To not get killed by robots tonight? You can go right in the fountain and take those rings for yourself if you really want to, though Lutrudis will advise against it for moral reasons. On the other hand, Vector will strongly suggest it for monetary reasons.

The tall lampposts along the pathways illuminate the area nicely, but so do the grenades of the meddling Glider Pawns. If you defeat them quickly enough, you can briefly ride atop their gliders yourself, before they eventually explode. Note that they only go straight ahead though, meaning they turn about as well as you did back in Soleanna. (Relax, the illusion that you don't remember that one died ages ago.) You can also interact with the workers in oversized mascot suits, which includes possums, jackrabbits, and bobcats. Their appearance seems to be somewhat derivative... and the kids seem to be weirded out by them too.

Bobcat Mascot: There's no need to be afraid, boys and girls! What could possibly go wrong?

Sonic: Your career, apparently...

You can also run up and along the mildly psychadelic patterned walls, which are occasionally separated by small streams of water. And then there's the rides themselves. Climb up the big wheel (or fly, if you're Tails) to get a good view, race along the rollercoasters for shortcuts, scale the swinging pirate ships to nab some hidden items, and watch out for dodgem-manning Egg Pawns. Note that if you take a route involving an especially speedy or momentum-based ride, Lutrudis will always take a detour, as those kind of rides wouldn't do her body any favors.

By the way, yes, she noticed the merry go round. Yes, she noticed it had horses. Yes, she knows Sonic noticed them too.

Lutrudis: Go on then. What witticism do you wish to share about them?

Sonic: Well, they're not as pretty, I guess!

Lutrudis: ...???...

If you climb the big wheel, you can actually see some of the other zones in Viridonia, hiding far away in the background. And not just the ones you've already explored, but a few examples of new territory as well... including a mountain even greater in scale than Zephyr Mountain, covered completely from top to bottom in snow. As beautiful as it looks, you can't help but sense something foreboding about it...

Aside from the aforementioned Glider Pawns, Buyons and Mimentos will prove to be the biggest annoyances of this Badnik selection. Luckily, you've dealt with Buyons in the past, and the strategy for them before works just as well here, so just wait for them to shrink. Mimentos don't cause any damage themselves, but they have a knack for standing near obstacles that will hurt you. All the more reason to use your head when dealing with these jokers.

The end of the stage is signified by the presence of a tunnel. A rather pretty tunnel actually, that's teeming with waterfalls and flowers. Wait, you don't think this could be...

---

"A Tunnel of Love!" Amy gushed merrily. "Not even Twinkle Park had one of these! Let's try that out!"

"All of us...?" Espio muttered awkwardly. He didn't think his expert ninja training would come to this, though it wasn't as if he had anything better to do at this moment in time.

"That's a wonderful idea!" Cream complimented cheerfully, and the numerous Chao on her person were voicing their approval as well, in their famously distinctive language.

"Seems kinda girly though..." Charmy thought, clearly not as impressed with it as he was with the rollercoasters. "Like Vector's singing."

"I heard that!" the crocodile complained.

"Can we, Sonic? Pretty please?" Amy made sure to master her best puppy dog eyes for maximum effect. Sonic rolled his eyes, though it was obviously in jest.

"Whatever, no harm I guess," Sonic shrugged as they all got on the nearby boat one by one. In another stunning display of the hedgehog's luck with parks, no one was there to demand a fee from him. The boat itself was - somewhat predictably for this occasion - shaped like a large gondola, and it had no trouble with housing eight anthros. And Chao. Tails was at the front, followed by the Chaotix, then Amy and Cream, then Sonic and Lutrudis.

As their little ride through the tunnel started, they immediately noticed that the roof of the tunnel displayed huge constellations, and other forms of dazzling astral projections. Neon purple lights shined throughout the "night sky", which reflected off the water and flora. Amy and Cream were immediately hooked, as was Tails.

"Man..." Vector let out quietly.

"Okay, this is pretty rad," said Charmy, having retracted his previous sentiment.

Everyone was deeply focused on the spectacle, and Sonic himself was no different. It almost reminded him of his experiences in the Chaos Emeralds' ever changing pocket dimension. He turned to Lutrudis to see her own reaction, and he saw the purple reflect off her brown eyes. He noticed this for perhaps longer than necessary.

"This is the first time I've been here," she commented, her eyes still looking up. Her arms were resting on her knees. "Never thought it would look like this."

"Really? Your first time? You've never been to the park in your own region?" Sonic raised an eyebrow, shocked by this claim. He looked around himself, taking the scenery in once more, before turning back to her. "Not a fan of places like this?"

"Oh no, it's not a taste thing," Lutrudis answered. "It's not that they're not made for me. Rather, it's... the opposite." She rubbed her arm with a little unease, clearly uncomfortable with having to remember the countless ways her life had to be made needlessly complicated through an undesirable situation. "I can't really get much mileage with most rides..."

Sonic continued looking at his friend. Though he understood her words immediately, he also sensed through her troubled body language that this wasn't just limited to parks.

"Don't take this the wrong way Trudy, but... you don't go out much, do you?" he asked out of concern. He really hoped she wouldn't be offended.

Lutrudis glanced at the others. She looked at Amy and Cream's unrestrained glee at the tunnel's beauty, and smiled, though it appeared bittersweet.

"No, not really. I know where everything is around here, but outside of my immediate area and the town, that's pretty much me." She chuckled. "I don't suppose the guardian of the Master Emerald would sympathise."

Sonic chuckled in turn, though that passed quickly. For someone who has lived the life that he has, and continues to live, it was obvious to him from his friend's tone that she desperately wanted to change this aspect of her own life, but felt unable to do so. All because of an illness beyond her control.

"You know... there's still a lot of places in the world," the hedgehog pointed out innocently. He didn't seem to realise he had scooted closer to her. "In all shapes and sizes. Surely there's many that would suit your needs, even if others don't."

Lutrudis paused to contemplate his suggestion. She appeared to be unsure about it, but after finding solace in his famous green eyes, which once again failed to show any sign that he didn't mean what he said, her ears slowly lowered.

"You really think there's more out there for me...?" she questioned.

Sonic simply nodded, with a warm look on his face. Lutrudis, very gradually, returned the hero's smile, not noticing that her hand was now slightly on top of his. If Sonic noticed it, he didn't show it, nor did he complain.

"Looks like this is the end of the path!" Tails called out, as he pointed towards the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Thank god, I was starting to get seasick," Vector muttered, his face having turned slightly blue.

"In a love tunnel...?" Espio queried.

"S-Shut up..."

---

Act 2: Toy Towers

Lutrudis’ Badnik Logs: Spiker - "Pointy, aren't they? But they're not. By violating common sense and bouncing on them, you will find that their spiked form is but a clever ruse. It's rather a shame that they tend to hide alongside real spikes..."

Ringleader - "Their blocky arms may look tough, but their danger actually comes from their underside, which can detach from the main body and slice you up like a particularly gruesome boomerang... Bonza...?"

Guards - "These... uh, guards, come in threes, and though they may be smaller than a mouse, they've got bombs hiding in those trumpets. Even though they can still play the trumpets just fine..."

Slitty - A slinky may be for every girl and boy, but if they're this sharp and hazardous, they're hardly a joy. Be cautious with stairs and ledges, as they like to hang around them... or drop down from them, to be more accurate."

Boxfiend - "It's a box, and there's a fiend inside... Brilliant. The striped jesters within are eager to pound you into dust with their oversized boxing gloves. Might want to watch your ear..."

Blocker - "Now the ABC's are trying to kill us. What will they think of next. Depending on which letter their face is, they can either open up to reveal a flamethrower, or they can... give you rings...? Was this an intentional design choice...?"

Returning Enemies: Dribbler

Sonic: Toys...?

Tails: Lots of them!

Cream: I like this place!

Espio: I don't.

Yes, it would seem that the Tunnel of Love brought us to a place where everything is made from toys. And I do mean everything, including the very ground you step on. The grass and the trees look as though they're made out of paper, and the towers made of different colored blocks are a size worthy for a giant's son... or Eggman, if you want to argue about what constitutes for a child.

Anyway, there's a whole bunch of gimmicks here, which naturally work in tandem with the motif going on here. Basketballs bounce along the ground, which you can jump on to gain height for trickier jumps, though you can also get crushed if you're underneath. You can jump even higher by bouncing on the giant trampolines, but you can also bust them if you strain them too much. Bonus points can be gained by scoring a bullseye on the dartboards... with the dart in question being you.

On another note, have you secretly entered a cartoon universe (that isn't your own)? It might feel that way, because you also have to deal with falling anvils, walls that don't actually exist, and stacks of dynamite lighting up on seemingly their own accord. Who could possibly be causing all this... magic?

Sonic: Did anyone else hear a weird... laugh?

It's this level where the Chaotix will really get to help you out. In areas where there's a lot of basketballs, Espio can fire his shuriken to pop some of them, which gives you a little more leeway. Vector, if you desire, can use his music to knock down some towers, which can reveal some hidden goodies. And Charmy can take care of some enemies in the air if you're busy dealing with them on land. Of course, the others in your group can still help out as well.

"~Mmm hmm hmm!~"

Tails: There it is again! That laugh!

Amy: Come on out and show yourself, coward!

Lutrudis: Wonder what they find so funny...

Around the halfway point, you'll arrive in what appears to be an elaborate mini-golf course. There's no ball though, so I guess you'll have to stand in for it. There's plenty of smooth slopes to get your speed going, but be careful as you roll under narrow windmills, and avoid the holes that count as pits. There should really be a safety inspector for this.

The further you go on, the more the oddities ramp up. Some of the walls will suddenly try to flatten you, enemies will start appearing out of thin air, and at one point, even Sonic himself gets a different coat of paint, his fur now being green with black on top.

Sonic: HEY! Change me back right now, whoever you are! Or else...!

Magician: Only if you win, my blue comrade. But I fear this resulting match, will become quite sad!

Sonic: Oh great, it's you...

BOSS: Heavy Magician

Magician is a talkative robot.

Magician: You shall not evade my tricks, for this time the doctor's victory will stick!

She also likes to rhyme.

Magician: Are you daring to have a go? Try as you might, this will be your last foe!

A lot.

Magician: Don't see fit to be so coarse, for there are many things I could do to your horse!

Lutrudis: Thanks for making me feel involved, I guess...

The witch-like fiend tends to fly all around, waving her erratic hands all the way. Though she's not afraid to fire a drop of magic directly at you now and then, she favors using the environment against you. In addition to making enemies appear and altering the walls to squash you, she also summons falling anvils, and she can knock the block towers herself at the expense of your own wellbeing. Unsurprisingly, she also hides a lot of the time, which includes making herself invisible.

The key to beating her is by out-tricking her. She may fly around, but she's usually close to where you are. So if, say, you activated one of the squashing walls, and waited till the last second to escape from it... you might just get her squashed in your place, which will deactivate her invisibility cloak for a brief period. Give 'er the ol' one-two spin, and the cycle repeats.

...For a while. But she sees your ways eventually, and thus she decides to change tactics. How? By doing what every annoying boss worth their salt does... by cloning herself. You now have four copies of Magician to deal with, and you gotta figure out which one's the real deal. How do you do that? By noticing something off about their design? By noticing a difference in speed?

Nope. You just need to wait until the real Magician blabbers in rhyme again, thereby giving herself away, as the clones don't say anything. As punishment for her vice, you can keep up the beatdown, and after eight hits in total, the rascally robot will fly away, but not before one last ominous message...

Magician: Your strength and speed may be worth a crave, but when you see what we have in store, you will share a pretty grave!

---

"At least my fur's back to normal," Sonic muttered, as it restored itself to its usual blue. "I'd like to see her try that again..."

"What did she mean about us sharing a grave?" Cream asked fearfully. One of the Chao in her bag tried valiantly to pat the side of her head.

"Don't listen to her," Amy put her hand on the young rabbit's shoulder. "She's just trying to scare us," she added confidently. Just after she said this, her ear suddenly twitched madly. She appeared to feel a strange and unexpected sense of euphoria, judging from the strong look on her face.

"Is it just me, or do I smell something really tasty?"

The rest of the group exchanged glances of varying confirmation, until Amy pointed to where she thought it came from. Another tunnel from the looks of it, although this one had no water. Just by getting closer to it, her ear twitched again, even faster this time.

"DEFINITELY through here," she stated, with a hint of hunger lust.

"Don't you think this might be a trap?" Tails asked hesitantly. He looked behind him to see if anyone was following them through the tunnel.

"Indeed, we haven't encountered the doctor in this facility yet," Espio mentioned.

"Who cares? I'm hungry!" Charmy reasoned.

Lutrudis raised an eye at the bee's apparent lack of self-preservation, though that's not to say she wasn't amused. She looked into her backpack, which - in addition to her usual arrows - was now filled with the mystical crystals from her cavern. Was it really a good idea to bring them along...?

"No trap would get past us. Besides, even if it is, we can take it on no prob-"

Sonic cut himself off upon witnessing the sight in front of him. Everyone else was similarly speechless, and Vector was practically salivating. Standing tall and proud was a land made almost completely out of tasty treats, and colorful delights. Checkered walls were made entirely of chocolate, hills were made of ice cream, rivers were made of strawberry milk, candy canes were planted here and there, bridges were made out of ice lollies... tempting was an apt word to describe this place. Why there weren't more people here remained a mystery.

"This is gonna be bad for my diet," Vector confessed.

"You don't have a diet," Espio countered.

"Fine, hypothetical diet."

"I can't resist..." Amy weakly muttered, before pouting sadly. "But I know I have to..."

"I feel you," Sonic replied, similarly fighting the temptation for the sake of finding Eggman. Lutrudis simply clenched her chest with her arms to fight against her own hunger. Tails had to be pat on the back by both Cream and Charmy as he puffed out in exhaustion at the prospect of there being mint candy.

---

Act 3: Confectionery Factory

Lutrudis’ Badnik Logs: Gingerdread - "Horror movie material right here. With their candy-colored ice picks, these grinning treats could skewer you if you're not careful. Pray tell, why must the doctor corrupt something so sweet?"

Caramelt - "These sentient blocks of chocolate look harmless enough, but getting close to them will cause them to separate and extend themselves through molten caramel. Way I see it, if you can't eat it without it burning your mouth off, it has simply failed as an edible."

Gobshocker - "They're blue and round just like you, Sonic. But they're twice your size, and they can charge themselves with electricity. Won't be eating that one, then..."

Jellybomber - "They've got a lot of jellybeans in their glass cases, but don't get your hopes up, they're just explosives. Doesn't matter which colour they fire, they're all made with the intent to blow you to kingdom come... Maybe the red ones aren't too bad though...?"

So I guess Viridonia is pretty lax about getting sued...

But who could blame the heroes for their temptation? This is every diabetic's greatest dream. And there's so much to choose from, so there's bound to be something for you! Candy, chocolate, ice cream, killer robots, the list is endless!

Naturally, there's a lot of gimmicks here as well. Giant muffins take the place of trampolines, you can spin up candy canes, and cake frosting works exactly the same as ice, though fortunately the latter sections are rarely next to anything especially dangerous. Licorice can be grinded on, and the strawberry milk is free to swim around in... and your character will remain pink for a few seconds after they come out, much to their chagrin. And if you search hard enough, you can find candy based on Sonic's own face! Complete with gumballs for eyes...

Sonic: ...I look nothing like that.

If you're able to run on top of one of the giant lollipops, with a little help from Lutrudis' whip, you can get it to fall on its side and whack another lollipop on the way down, which will cause that one to fall and whack another one, and the conker effect resumes until the last one crashes down onto a gate concealing a bunch of extra lives. Other tricks include pushing protruded chocolate blocks on the walls into their slots for more points (which Amy will occasionally sort out herself courtesy of her hammer), and just like in the jungles of Tricky Tropics, you can use the confectionery against your enemies should you possess the high intellect to do so. What's the best way to get rid of a Caramelt? By dunking them with ten times more caramel!

Strangely enough, the trickiest obstacle aside from the robots are the bridges made from ice lollies. You see, they work just like ice as well, but the speed changes depending on which colour you're currently sliding on... and the bridges consist of all the colours, meaning one moment you could be sliding normally, and the next moment you're suddenly sliding at faster speeds. Here's a handy checklist for which colours are which:

Purple and Pink > Slow

Cyan and Blue > Moderate

Yellow and Green > Fast

Red and Orange > Might as well be Mach Speed

So be careful. Otherwise your golden ticket will be for nothing. Did I mention that Gingerdreads sometimes occupy the bridges as well? At least they're affected by the different speeds too.

Towards the end, which is signified by a whole pack of Gobshockers, Heavy Magician suddenly appears again to knock all of you into a nearby chute. The good news is that it's just more strawberry milk. The bad news is that it's a current.

Vector: Yaargh!

Tails: Hang on guys!

Sonic: It's like the dam all over again!

Magician: ~Mmm hmm hmm!~

This one is a little harder, because not only is the path notably more diagonal and confusing, there are also floating Jellybombers, whose ability to pelt you with candy-colored bombs has not been impeded by the current. There's also a few more obstacles to avoid alongside them, like cherries and chocolate blocks. But if you persevere in one piece, you'll make it out alive. Literally. You're outside now, though still within the park. As you clean yourself up after that strawberry bath, you can spot some fancy lights in the distance, and a giant tent among them...

---

"Everyone okay?" Sonic asked, as he got the rest of the milk out of his right ear.

"Yeah... I think," Amy replied, slightly knocked out by the prior affair. Cream checked frantically that every Chao they had was still safe and sound in her bag, and to her relief, they were. Espio was trying to wipe the pink off of his horn, to debatable success, and Charmy was cleaning Vector's back. Tails used his twin tails to fan the rest of the substance off of Lutrudis.

"Well at least we're out of there now," Tails thought, though a hint of his hunger remained. "Any longer in there, and I would have acted on my impulses," he joked.

"Maybe you SHOULD have acted on them!" an unexpected voice called out to them from a very loud radio.

"Eggman!" Amy got into her usual defensive position with her hammer, even though the doctor wasn't technically present. "So you ARE here after all!"

"Of course," the arch villain confirmed. "Gotta check out rival theme parks after all! This one isn't bad, but I could make it so much better! And did they rip me off with that little candy factory of theirs...? How predictable for them to steal from my genius."

"Alright doc, where's the money?" Vector put up his dukes, and Espio and Charmy rallied beside him. "You KNOW I'll never let that go until we get it!"

"Money...?" Lutrudis questioned.

"Oh, get over that already, you mediocre detective. I said I'd give you it once the world is mine, yes? Ever consider that getting in my way delays that? Hmmmm?"

"Where are you, Eggman?" Sonic demanded firmly. He knew the scientist was up to something from his far too casual tone, and he didn't like it.

"You really want to know? Right here! In the Big Top! I've got a show of my own prepared, and I'd be grief-stricken if you missed it. Come inside... if you dare! Ho ho!"

The giant tent they could see even from a distance was a spectacle. It stood tall and wide, with red and white stripes, along with dozens upon dozens of bulbs around the outside perimeter that lit the place up nicely. Not that it needed them, since the surrounding area was also filled with lights, as well as smaller tents colored blue, with purple patterns. The spotlights shot up to the night sky, like a laser through butter.

The group looked at the main tent with a look of doubt, which they then exchanged with one another. Espio was already polishing his shuriken again, just in case.

"This is probably a bad idea," Lutrudis said what everyone else was thinking, the innocent Cream included. The horse's right foot was kicking the ground a little, possibly out of anxiousness.

Sonic nodded, though his look of determination remained. "But the only way our goose chase can end is when we get more words out of him. He's got arrogance the size of a moon, he'll blurt out something sooner or later."

"And he'll give us our money sooner or later..." Vector added through gritted teeth, and clenched fists. Charmy offered a look of sympathy.

---

Act 4: Cirque de Spectre

Lutrudis’ Badnik Logs: Boo - "Eggman isn't a witch doctor, is he? Because these don't look like robots to me. And yet, given that they'll attempt to grab you and halt your movement, these paranormal hoodlums appear to be in league with him anyway. Why, though...?"

Pierrot - "As if clowns didn't have a bad reputation already. These fellows are quite versatile, as they can juggle with skittles, carry around a hammer twice their size, or balance themselves on a big shiny ball. All three tactics deliver the pain regardless, so beware."

Juggle Saw - "This crabby duo shares a buzzsaw with each other, which they'll hand over to one another after a short period. I think that might count as cheating in regards to juggling, but I'm hardly a circus connoisseur."

Jackalope - "These names certainly come from a right jackanape. Carved from metal rather than fruit, these pumpkins alternate between emotions. They take it easy with their bouncing if they're sad, but if they look happy, they go extremely fast... you're still the king of speed though, Sonic, don't worry."

Leo - "It's okay, it's only a robot lion... actually, that might be worse. Either way, they're quick to pounce on you, and they tend to do it in small packs. Good thing there's just as many of us, wouldn't you say?"

Gumbo - "Goodness, those are sizable elephants! Not only can they use their long ears to blow you away, they can also shoot a gooey substance out of their trunks that will briefly immobolise you... and it kind of stinks a bit, but at least it isn't fatal."

Returning Enemies: Buyon Unicrusher Boxfiend

At least Eggman had the decency to indulge in his circus fantasies while the planet isn't being invaded by aliens this time. Pumpkins litter every corner, white gates are closed off, and lights flash on and off in different patterns. This place may have not been built by the villain, but he's set up shop here nonetheless, as evidenced by his takeover of the big top and the usual robots running around causing mischief.

As Lutrudis already noted however, it's not just the doctor's goons you're fighting this time. The Boos have appeared to menace our heroic anthros once more, and while they've had a history of lounging around Eggman-occupied establishments, here they seem to be actively working for him as opposed to remaining a neutral third party. You can tell this, because they have no compunctions about teaming up with the robots to knock you down. What did Eggman do to them...?

Sonic: Not the first time he's enslaved ghosts.

Lutrudis: So not even the dead are safe from his tampering. That filthy beast...

They act exactly as they did all the way back in the A.R.K. incident. Luckily, they haven't improved either, so a quick spin or tail whack will be enough for them to disappear. Most of the robots are actually the bigger problem, particularly the Gumbos and Leos. And yes, those two do come together often, meaning it's very easy to get Gumbo's gunk on you, and immediately follow it up by Leos pouncing away at a now helpless you. The Badniks are getting smarter still with their strategies, but keep a collected head, and you'll do fine.

As for the environment itself, you can grind on certain corners of the tents, and should they see you, the spotlights will summon more robots for you to deal with. If you can't be bothered with that, you and Vector can team up to break them. There are also loads of floating red and white barrels, which you can use to gain more momentum, although Sonic seems to be rather iffy about them, for... whatever reason...

More daring obstacles include fiery hoops, the latter of which slowly turn around in the air, and rarely stay still. Venturing within the blue tents will treat you to trapezes that you can use, but watch out for Juggle Saws on the roof, as they might cut the wire with their sawblade. If it comes to that, there is mercifully no bottomless pit below... just a whole bunch of enemies, mostly Unicrushers. But you've got your friends (and the Chaotix) on your side, so we're even. And do watch out for the knives that go flying towards boxes, lest you want a death that isn't a trick.

As you get closer to the red tent, you can slowly start to hear a bunch of gibberish... familiar, high-pitched gibberish... It's definitely not coming from the doctor...

---

"Alright doc, we're ready for your little... game?"

No sooner than he went inside the tent was Sonic already caught by surprise. That same surprise reached everyone else's faces, though Espio looked only mildly confused. The tent looked as you expected, as brightly lit as the outside, and sure enough, Eggman was right there, on a throne high above the arena, with Orbot and Cubot at his sides. For reasons only known to himself, he was inexplicably wearing a black suit and top hat, complete with red cuffs and a stripe above the brim.

That wasn't what they were shocked about though. The screaming and pleading made that obvious. The audience, if you could call them that, were all watching behind bars, trapped in the tent for the purpose of watching Eggman's little show against their will. Notably, Eggman showed no emotional reaction to their relentless cries for help.

"Oh thank god, it's Sonic the Hedgehog!" a male giraffe noted, his neck poking through his bars. "Save us from this crazy man!"

"He's been playing his theme song for hours!" exclaimed a hippo, depressed from knowing the words of I Am The Eggman by memory despite wanting to forget them.

"And one of his robots shocked my mate Jerry!" a grieving ape explained. "I saw it with my own eyes! You've gotta stop that fool, Jerry was a good man!"

"Hmph," Eggman thought, as he crossed his arms. "Fool this, crazy that... Seems I can never get my deserved respect from you lot."

"What's respectful about enslaving innocents?" Amy questioned out of anger. Her hammer was ready to make contact with the doctor's cranium the moment the opportunity presented itself.

"Why do you do these things, Dr. Eggman?" Cream asked in addition, clearly upset that he continued to spread malicious intent rather than repent.

"Chao?" Cheese mused.

"Release them right now, Eggman!" Sonic insisted, as his spikes bristled.

"Uh, no?" Eggman blew a raspberry at his nemesis, complete with his hand on his nose. Cubot laughed at this. "Yeah, like I'm going to just do as you say. Keep on dreaming, hedgehog."

"Isn't that what you expect from everyone else?" Charmy pointed out. Both Vector and Espio looked at the bee in surprise, as they weren't used to this kind of reasonable logic coming from him.

"Wait a minute," Eggman suddenly paused, after noticing the bag on Cream's person. Whether he deliberately chose to dodge Charmy's query was up for debate. He could spot a familiar water dropped shape tucked in at the top of the bag.

"Chao," he muttered. His tone shifted. "You brought them here? Where you knew I would be?"

Cream froze in fear. She felt as though she was put on the spot. She didn't know how to answer the doctor, and she couldn't deal with feeling stupid. Said feeling increased by the second, and it was getting to her. Before she could mentally hyperventilate any longer however, Lutrudis stepped in front of her defensively, with her bow out.

"You're still not getting them," she bluntly stated. "They're not your tools."

"Oh yeah?" Eggman scoffed. "Says who?"

"Me," Sonic answered. He stood beside Lutrudis.

"And me," added Tails. He did the same.

"And me!" Amy said, as she went to the other side of the horse and rabbit.

"And us," Vector pointed at himself, with his two associates alongside him.

"You know, they kind of had you there when you asked that," Orbot pointed out, not even trying to hide his own amusement.

"Grrr, fine, so be it then!" He immediately went right back to grinning, as he took out a little bell. "Boo me all you want, ladies and gentlemen! You'll be speechless after I do... this!"

He rung the bell, which echoed throughout the tent. Not a second after, a flurry of wind started up from the inside, to which the heroes quickly held on to each other to keep themselves from flying out of the tent. The unfortunate prisoners were banging against their bars due to the wind, which they very loudly complained about. It soon became apparent however that the wind... wasn't wind. Rather, it was the entrance for a particularly spooky adversary.

"What the-!" Sonic let out in confusion. In front of them, out of the blue, was a gigantic ghost, with several of his followers by his side. His claws were bendy, his eyes were beady, and most jarringly of all, his tongue had all the colours of the rainbow. A certain echidna would have been all too familiar with this presence.

"BLARGH BLARGH BLAAAARRRRGHH!"

---

BOSS: King Boom Boo

Knuckles had an advantage back in the day, because it was still daylight when he fought Boom Boo. You do not have that advantage, and even if you did, there are no windows that could show him the light anyway. What's the strategy for him this time then? Your audience wouldn't know.

"What is that thing!?"

"But there's no such thing as ghosts!"

"DON'T LET IT KISS ME!"

First off, your friends will take care of the regular Boos (Espio is the best at eliminating them due to his speed and weapons), but if you help them out, you can get rid of them quicker. This actually works to your benefit, for although you'll have to avoid Boom Boo's blue fire and stupid laughter in the meantime, getting rid of the Boos means you can ALL focus on him. Of course, you still can't actually attack him, since there's nothing around to weaken him...

Unless... the crystals...

Lutrudis: Please don't backfire on me...!

In a moment of ingenuity, Lutrudis will get the idea to use her yellow crystals, which have electric capabilities. It might not be light, but it'll do. She might miss once or twice, but not as much as she would with the Paindozer. Her accuracy is getting better with moving targets, slowly but surely. With a direct hit from a crystal-imbued arrow, the king will be briefly paralyzed in shock, before he goes on a rampage around the arena. This is your chance for everyone and their dog to get a hit in, but beware, he's still electrified don't forget, so you need to time your hits to when he's NOT covered in static. Eggman is quick to notice the power of the horse's arrow, with an alarming intrigue.

Eggman: How... How did you do that...?

This process repeats two more times, but as you'll expect at this point, he changes things up halfway through. Not forgetting his other main ability, Boom Boo will dig into the ground and become a shadow, and will continue to hide in the ground and on the tent's walls unless you do something about it. All the while, the regular Boos will start using their master's fire to thwart you. It's at this point that Amy pipes up.

Amy: Maybe THIS will work...!

She will start hammering the ground with considerable force, which causes shockwaves. These shockwaves do not hurt you thankfully, although they can knock you on your derriere if you're clumsy, as evidenced with it happening to everyone else, particularly Vector. These shockwaves, if they reach Boom Boo's shadow, will not bring him out, but they WILL make his shadow bulge ever so slightly, for a brief moment. That's your cue to slam down on him, which will send him flying out of the ground in a panic. Lutrudis will then bring out the arrows again, and the routine goes from there, although the amount of Boos increase with each hit.

On his sixth and final hit, Boom Boo will absorb all the Boos in the vicinity to double his size, and he takes up the center of the arena. He'll send forth a very large pillar of blue flame from his mouth, and will go left and right with it, in different speeds. He won't let up for a good while, and it can be easy for him to catch you out, but eventually he'll tire himself out, with his tongue dangling from it. Lutrudis, somewhat begrudgingly because she doesn't want to feel like a sadist, will fire an electrified arrow at the tongue. As he goes absolutely ballistic, time yourself right and attack him right in the mouth. It's a critical hit, and he'll cry out in pain, explode wildly, and disappear as mysteriously as he entered. Well, what does Eggman have to say about this turn of events?

---

"Awesome job, Sonic!" a female sheep called out from her cage.

"Can I get your autograph... after I'm out of here?" asked a nervous otter.

"Not bad," Eggman dryly commented, clapping sarcastically all the while. He still had a smile on his face, which was seriously beginning to unnerve Sonic. He had seen it many times before, of course he had, but he could be counted on to lose it instantly and fly into a petulant rage the moment things went south. Why wasn't that happening this time? What was he so consistently giddy about?

"You know doc, I remember the days when you used to fight me all the time," the hedgehog said, trying his best to rile him up. His fists were still clenched. "Fought me in Green Hill, fought me in Emerald Hill, fought me in Splash Hill... What happened? Got cowardly on me?"

There was a glint in Eggman's glasses. Yet his grin stayed put. "Not at all, my blue foe. I've simply become a busy man, and while we're on that topic... you."

He immediately focused on Lutrudis, who slightly jumped at the sudden attention. Deep down however, she already figured out why he turned to her.

"Your arrows," he started. "Arrows don't do that. Not on their own. You've altered them, haven't you? And I think I know with what..."

There was a brief silence. Lutrudis and Eggman's shared glare remained for what felt like forever. Tails darted his eyes back and forth, waiting to see which of them broke the silence.

"Your suspicions are true," Lutrudis nervously, yet sternly replied. She saw no reason to hide or deny the obvious, since for all of the man's flaws, he was far from dumb. "And you're not getting those either. Not without a fight."

"Hmph," he scoffed again, looking at Orbot while he pointed at the lady like she was crazy. "And what, you think you're on the same category as the rest here? With that jello you call a body?"

Lutrudis' eyes froze.

He did not just say that.

The doctor's grin grew wider, knowing full well that he struck her hard. "Yes, that's right. I learned about your... situation, little pony. It's why you use those crystals, isn't it? Cause you know you're nothing without them."

She paused. And stuttered slightly. "That's not why..."

"Okay, you shut up right now," Sonic sneered at Eggman venomously, his spikes bristling up yet again. Amy was similarly fuming, and was gripping her hammer harder than ever. The Chaotix had no idea what they were talking about, but they disapproved of the doctor's comments regardless.

"Oh, but it's true though, isn't it?" He snickered briefly, as did Cubot, despite the latter not understanding the discussion in the slightest. Eggman continued. "You wake up every day, knowing that the world around you looks down on you, for offering nothing. Why settle for you, when they could settle for the gifted?"

"I swear Eggman," Sonic huffed, while being held back by a cautious yet sympathetic Tails. "If you don't shut your trap..."

Eggman leaned forward, as the light flashed on his grinning mug. He knew exactly what he was doing. "No one likes damaged goods, Lutrudis. Not even your supposed friends."

"Don't listen to him!" Cream cried out, who was clearly just as hurt by his remarks. "It's not true! You're not damaged like that!" Cheese appeared to be just as pained.

"What are you guys even talking about?" a confused rhino shouted. "We're waiting to be freed here!"

Lutrudis struggled to retort. She knew he was lying. She knew Sonic wasn't like that. She knew Tails wasn't like that. She knew none of them were like that. She knew better than to doubt them. She had no reason to doubt them.

But that's the thing. It wasn't them she doubted... it was herself. It wasn't a case of whether they were sincere, but rather whether she earned that sincerity to begin with. Did she really deserve their company...? Did she really deserve their companionship...?

"...Tell us why you want the Chao," she finally said, in an effort to change the subject, as well as to help her friends calm down. "And the crystals. The Wraith. The Ethereal Zone. All of it. What are you doing all this for?" Her voice was lower than usual, which matched the conflicted and distracted look of guilt on her face.

In a small burst of relief, the doctor did in fact change to that topic. "Still haven't figured it out, eh?" His smile increased in its smugness, and he crossed his legs stylishly. Evidently, he enjoyed being the smartest man in the room. He decided to humor his opponents' wish, for if only they knew how far this rabbit hole truly went...

"What if I told you that it's all... connected...?"

---

Back to Chapter 4-5 Interlude...

To Chapter 6...

#Sonic & Tails: Beyond the Stars #Crusher's Fanfiction #Sonic the Hedgehog #Fanfiction

51 notes · View notes