The Scorch Stories: Book 2

Overview A dark copy of Scorch has awoken because of various previous events. What will this dark copy do? Will he fulfill his goal of killing Scorch and becoming raw power or will Scorch fight back? Who knows? Anything could happen...

Here's some sidenotes:
 * Like I said in the Overview of B1, PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION.
 * Just a quick warning as well. Chapter 5 is quite dark in terms of how it's written and could be seen as quite morbid too sooo.... yeah.

Included Characters
Main Characters: Supporting Characters: Minor Characters Mentioned Characters
 * Scorch the Hedgehog
 * Katherine "Katy" Feline
 * Dark Scorch
 * Greg T. Bear
 * Joe Cheetah
 * 'The Anchor-Woman'
 * The nurse
 * Jules Hedgehog
 * Bernadette Hedgehog
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Sir Charles "Chuck" Hedeghog
 * Doctor Cristina Thorne
 * Doctor Ivo Robotnik

Prologue
Aboard The Captain’s Bride, Mobotropolis Outskirts. Day 241 of the year 3220 – 12 minutes after leaving Mobotropolis.

Well, I did it. I proposed to Katy. The best thing is that she said yes. I’m so happy. I still can’t believe I asked this early though. I’m only seventeen! Oh well, too late now. I wonder what Blue Sea Isle will have to offer. I’m hoping it will be the paradise I and Katy had seen in the photos. It probably will be, I’m just being paranoid. That confrontation with Thorne was intense. I was filled with so much rage, I couldn’t control myself. I’m glad she dead though. She was willing to kill everyone in Mobotropolis for a science experiment. The pain from the atom bomb was excruciating although still not as painful as the laser. Oh man, I need to stop thinking about the past and concentrate on the present. You know, about what we’re going to do for the wedding and stuff.

“Oh, Scorch, you don’t realise just how happy I am,” Katy said still wiping away tears of joy.

“Trust me, Katy, I do. You’re the first person I can really love,” Scorch replied.

Scorch and Katy were sat on a boat known as The Captain’s Bride, quite fitting seeing as what just happened. He was thinking about his parents, but he just couldn’t remember. He wanted to but he couldn’t. Katy saw that whatever he was thinking about was troubling him.

“What you thinking about?” she asked.

“W-what?” Scorch said coming back to reality.

“You were thinking about something.”

“Oh, I was just thinking about you.”

“As lovely as that sounds, I know you weren’t. C’mon, what’s up?”

Scorch sat there for a moment, thinking what he’d say.

“My parents. I want them to come to the wedding,” he replied chocked at the fact that he knew they can’t come.

“Hey, it’s alright. We can put off the wedding until we find them,” Katy replied.

“What? Are you sure?”

“My mother once told me that you don’t need a wedding to be in love.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch smiled and Katy smiled back, as per the usual.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay, if you fine with it, I am too. Thanks, Katy.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Katy gave a quick kiss on the cheek then went off to explore the vast boat that they were on. This left Scorch to wonder where his parents might be and how will he know when he’s found them. He has no idea what they look like.

Chapter 1: Settling In
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The House, Blue Sea Island. Day 242 of the year 3220 – 1 day after leaving Mobotropolis.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The house that they moved into was everything the brochures and picture said it would be. A beautiful island paradise for a couple to live in peace. The house overlooked the ocean and it’s nice to see the blue sea glisten in the midday sun. Despite all this, Scorch and Katy were unpacking. They arrived at the island late so they had no time to unpack before going to bed. They had almost finished unpacking something when Katy had realised something had gone missing.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Uh, Scorch? You haven’t happened to see a large purple gem anywhere have you?” she asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“No, why?” Scorch asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I might need it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“What would you need a gem for?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Um… stuff,” Katy said not revealing its true purpose.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The gem Katy used to own was actually a Chaos Emerald. She didn’t reveal why she needed it because of the extreme power each one holds. They were a secret that only two families and person knew about. Her family, the Royal Family and an echidna that goes by the name of Locke are the only ones that know of the Emeralds. Her family isn’t really allowed to know, but do any way due to her father’s previous occupation of being a treasure hunter.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh yeah, stuff, I get it,” said Scorch sarcastically.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Darn it, Scorch. All right if I tell you what it’s for you have to promise not to mention this to anyone,” she replied, giving in to the sarcasm.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“All right, tell me.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“The gem is called a Chaos Emerald and whoever wields, whether they’re good or evil can use this power. When the person has all seven, a miracle or devastation is supposed to happen.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Wait, you said it was purple. I thought all emeralds were green,” Scorch said making fun of what Katy said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“This is not something to joke about. These Chaos Emeralds have the power to do anything.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Look, Katy, we need time to get settled in. We just need to relax, we’ll have all the time in the world to look for it,” Scorch said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yeah, your right. I’m sorry, in need to just sit down and relax,” she said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“That what I like to hear. Come on lets go to the balcony,” Scorch suggested.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">They both grabbed a deck chair from one of the boxes the Katy had brought and took them upstairs to the balcony. The laid the deck chairs out then laid down on them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“This is nice,” Katy mentioned.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yeah, yeah it is,” Scorch replied.

Chapter 2: Emerging from the Darkness
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> Thorne's Lab, Unknown Location. Day 250 of the year 3220 – The Day of Emergence

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> The Day of Emergence has finally come to be. Now I will be released and be able to accomplish my goal; kill the hedgehog and become the true ultimate life form. He was just altered, I was created. He is still learning and I am the master. Once I find you, you will die, Scorch the Hedgehog and only then will my power be infinite.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> The silhouette blocked the light from the room in which it was stored in. It walked down the dark, abandoned corridors of the labs. He passed her research lab and the place where Scorch received his power. It walked to the door. His only objective now was to find Scorch and kill him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> “At last I’ve reached the world,” said Dark Scorch opening the door of the lab.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"> “Now, to find the faker.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">As he said this, he lit up in layers of jet black and grey flames then flew off to go and find Scorch. He knew it would take him a few days, but he will find him. Soon.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The House, Blue Sea Island. Day 251 of the year 3220 – 1 day after The Day of Emergence

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch and Katy had finally settled into their new home when distressing footage was on the news was shown.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“A dark orange hedgehog has been terrorising West Mobotropolis for days. When we asked one of the citizens on the event he said that ‘this hedgehog has a very similar face to a nice young boy.’ The boy has been identified as Scorch, a 17 year old hedgehog who-” said the anchor-woman.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch turned off the television not bearing to stand what she had to say anymore. He was furious. Why was he the one to be framed for the destruction of West Mobotropolis? Just because the hedgehog happened to look like him, didn’t mean that was him. The public thought otherwise. They now thought that Scorch was a terrorist and a threat to Mobius.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I’m going after him,” Scorch said trying to hold in the rage. He didn’t want to hurt his new fiancé.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“No, you’re not,” Katy replied sternly.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Excuse me? Do you see what he’s doing to Mobotropolis?” he asked angrily.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yes, Scorch I do, but do you see how powerful he is? If he can devastate an entire city on his own, what do you think he’ll do to you?” Katy asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hm, I don’t like it but I guess you’re right.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Look, if you’re going to try and take him down, you’ll need a team,” Katy suggested.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Who will I recruit though?” Scorch asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well, you’ve already got your intel manager here.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“You can manage intel? How come I didn’t notice?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well, because my father was a treasure hunter, he needed to keep track of all the treasure by using computers. He taught me how to do it as well,” Katy replied.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay then, that’s one person in. Who else?” Scorch asked eager to get moving.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well, I did meet a nice cheetah when I went grocery shopping earlier. I think he said his name was Joe and that he was trained in martial arts.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay, I’ll recruit him first,” Scorch said eagerly.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Wait. Can’t you do it tomorrow?” Katy asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well no, not re-.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Please? For me. We haven’t spent much time together these past few days,” Katy asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Alright then, for you,” Scorch said trying to smile through his anger.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Then they both sat on to sofa and watched TV. They sat close together. After a few hours, at around eleven o’ clock, Katy had fallen asleep on Scorch. Not realising that she had, he tried to get up. He then realise that she was sleeping and then sat back down, still with her head on his chest. Scorch smiled and hugged her and then decided to sleep himself.

Chapter 3: Creating a Team
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The House, Blue Sea Isle. Day 252 of the year 3220 – 2 days after The Day of Emergence.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">It was late in the morning, about nine-thirty, when Scorch woke up. As he woke up as did Katy. They smiled and she got up off of Scorch. Katy mentioned she was going to make herself some breakfast and Scorch just nodded, still not fully awake. He then turned on the television to see that the news was no longer talking about him, but about fuel prices instead. He changed the channel to a more comedic show. As he was laughing at the stupidest of things, Katy had found her precious gem.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I’ve found it!” she yelled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Huh, what’d you find?” Scorch asked not really paying attention.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“A hamburger,” she said sarcastically, “What do you think?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh, yeah, right, the purple emerald thingy,” Scorch replied still not fully awake.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“It’s not just a “purple emerald thingy”, it’s the Chaos Emerald I thought I’d lost,” she said mimicking Scorch’s tired personality.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch just stood there, eye’s half closed and not paying any attention at all to what Katy was saying.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Alright, that’s it, you need coffee,” Katy said annoyed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yeah, okay, cool. I’m going to watch TV now,” Scorch said lugging himself through to the kitchen door.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Uh, no you’re not. You’re going to sit your hedgehog butt on that chair while you have coffee.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Fine,” Scorch complied yawning his head off.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Katy got a two mugs and a teaspoon and put one teaspoon of coffee granules in each mug and two sugars in each mug and added boiling water. Then she added a little bit of milk. She gave Scorch his coffee and he chugged it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Tasty,” he said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Um, what the heck was that?” Katy asked surprised at how he chugged hot coffee.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“What do you mean?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“How did just drink a mug of boiling hot coffee in just a few seconds?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh yeah, I can withstand high temperatures. I thought you knew that already.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“No, I didn’t. But it was quite fascinating.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well, now you know.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch walked out of the kitchen and upstairs to the bathroom where he decided to take a nice hot shower to help wake him up a bit more. While he was in there, Katy made sure to keep her emerald safe, so she decided to keep it in a wooden box in their bedroom. A few minutes afterwards, Scorch came out of the bathroom wrapped in a white towel and walked into the bedroom to get dressed. Scorch politely asked if Katy wouldn’t look to which she found weird seeing as they were engaged, but agreed anyway. When he was dressed, he told Katy he was going to do some recruiting.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Right then, I’m off to go get that Joe guy you talked about last night,” Scorch said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Alright then, see you later,” Katy replied staring at the emerald.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch went downstairs, opened the front door and walked to Joe’s house. On the way he saw a nice looking workshop where a bear was repairing cars. Scorch decided to go and see if he wanted to join.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hey, nice workshop you’ve got here,” Scorch complimented.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh, thanks. What can I do for you, sir?” the bear asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“It’s just Scorch,” he insisted.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Wait a minute, you’re that dude off the news!” the bear exclaimed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hey, don’t worry, I’m not him. He’s a faker, a copy of me,” Scorch insisted.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay, I’ll trust you for now, but no funny stuff. You got it?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I understand.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“So, what did you come for?” the bear asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well, I was going to ask if you could join my team to take down, well, me,” Scorch said, “We could sure use a good mechanic such as yourself.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hm, well, I’ll join, just ‘cause you asked nicely. The name’s Gregory, but you can call me Greg.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well, it’s nice to have you on the team Greg. I’m off to do some more recruiting.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch walked out of Greg’s workshop and off towards Joe’s house. People started to stare at him. He didn’t know why. He hadn’t done anything. But then he remembered the news. The faker, they thought it was him. Scorch just kept his head down and continued on to the house. He’d finally reached it and knocked on the door.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hello, are you Joe?” Scorch asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yeah. Oh wait; you’re Katy’s future husband aren’t you? Scorch right?” Joe asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yeah, that’s me. I’m recruiting a team to take down a person I like to call ‘The Faker’. Katy told me you knew how to fight, so I came knocking,” Scorch said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“The Faker? Oh right, you mean the guy who looks exactly like you and is destroying Mobotropolis?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yeah and don’t remind me please.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Sorry. I’ll join. My life’s been boring lately anyway.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Good, I’ll go tell Katy.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch then rushed back home to tell Katy about how the recruiting was going. He opened the door and saw Katy in the lounge staring at the emerald again.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hey, so I managed to get two people to help,” Scorch said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh, good, you’re home. The Chaos Emerald has been glowing ever since you left,” Katy stated.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay. I have no idea what that means.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“It means that there’s another emerald nearby. We need to find it,” she insisted.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay, we will. But, we need to prepare for anything that might happen.”

Chapter 4: Bait
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The Meadow, Blue Sea Island. Day 252 of the year 3220 – 2 days after The Day of Emergence.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">So, we have a little bit of an army going on here, even though it’s only four people. We could make it work, I guess. I mean we can have Greg, Joe and I on the field whilst Katy gives us the intel from home. I wouldn’t want her to get hurt, that’s why I’m keeping her at home. Wait, is that too overprotective? No, it’s fine. As long as she’s safe, everything will be fine. This is probably the only mission I’m going to allow her on because it’s probably the safest out there. ‘Find a stone’. Couldn’t be any safer.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch and Katy walked in the meadow searching for the second emerald. They’d been walking for hours searching for it, but the emerald glowed brighter and brighter by the minute which meant they were getting close.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Ugh, how much further, Katy?” Scorch asked aching from all of the walking.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Not much further, just like I said ten seconds ago,” said Katy starting to get annoyed with Scorch’s constant whining.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch then saw a very bright, shining yellow light.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hey, what’s that?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“The emerald!” Katy exclaimed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">She ran straight for the emerald in excitement. After they had this emerald, it up their chances of destroying The Faker by tenfold. Scorch was watching her run for it, but as she did, a dark cloud formed behind her. Inside the cloud a bright white light flashed in Scorch’s eyes. When the flash happened, the Chaos Emerald Katy sought after, crumbled to pieces in front of her. Then a hand grabbed her by the throat and turned her to face Scorch. He stood there blinded by the light, but as his vision was repairing itself he could see a dark red figure walk up to him, holding his fiancé by the neck. It was him, Dark Scorch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Scorch,” he said, “It is such a pity it had to come to this. If you hadn’t have killed Thorne, I wouldn’t have awoken.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“You. You’re the one that been using my image to cause destruction,” said Scorch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yes, I use your face and I am shamed because of it. But, do not forget that you were given your power, I was born with it,” Dark Scorch replied.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Put, me, down!” Katy yelled choking in Dark Scorch’s grip.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Katy? Katy! Put her down you monster!” Scorch yelled running towards Katy in an attempt to save her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Dark Scorch, however, laughed at Scorch’s feeble attempt of attack and grabbed his face with his other hand and started burning the skin off of his face. Scorch screamed in agony as Katy was forced to watch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh, you mortals are so pitiful. It’s only a matter of time before you’re dead, hedgehog,” Dark Scorch proclaimed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Then just as Katy became unconscious from being choked, Greg and Joe came to help. They’d heard the screaming and had seen the light before. Greg used a laser weapon of some kind and had shot Dark Scorch, making him drop Katy and take his hand off of Scorch. Joe was going to assault the faker when he pulled out a real emerald.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Chaos Control,” Dark Scorch said before the white flash reappeared.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Dark Scorch had fled. Using Chaos Control, he was able to teleport to a different location. Greg and Joe rushed to go and help Katy and Scorch. Scorch’s face was burned, but his ability to resist heat had meant that it wasn’t going to scold. Katy on the other hand was unconscious from being strangled. Scorch quickly realised this and rushed over to her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh, damn it, Katy!” he exclaimed quickly getting over the pain of being burned.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“But, what about your-,” said Greg before being cut off.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I’ll be fine. We need to get Katy back home, now!” Scorch ordered.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The boys then quickly rushed back home with Scorch, holding Katy in his arms.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“You’ll been fine Katy, don’t you worry.”

Chapter 5: A Dream or a Nightmare
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The Dreamspace, Katy’s Mind. Day 252 of the year 3220 – 2 days after The Day of Emergence.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Huh? Where am I? Everything is white. I can’t see anything or anyone. What happened? The last thing I remember was Scorch being burned alive. That thing made me watch. After that, I don’t know what’d happened. That emerald was bait and I was an idiot for following it. I was just so obsessed with finding another one that I wasn’t paying attention to what was going on. Where am I? Am I dead? Is Scorch… dead?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Katy was dreaming. She hadn’t a clue she was though. Everything was blinding white and she couldn’t see into the distance. Suddenly, a dark figure came out of the distance and grabbed her by the throat. Then the environment changed to where she fell unconscious. She was forced to go through the same event. She was forced to watch Scorch be burned alive. This time though, she never fell asleep and Greg and Joe didn’t come to help, but she still felt the same painful, choking feeling. Scorch’s face started turning to a charcoal black colour. The char kept on moving down through his body, burning him alive on the inside. The dark figure had finished, but to top it off, he crushed Scorch’s head with his hand and turned him into ash. Katy wanted to scream but she couldn’t. She wanted to cry for help, but she couldn’t. It felt like someone had cut out her voice box. Then the figure’s face became visible. It was Dark Scorch. He stood there, smiling at Katy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Do you see what you have caused, Katherine? You lured him here. I planted the Chaos Emerald and you let me kill him. Now, to finish the job, with you,” he said in a dark, evil tone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Then Dark Scorch threw Katy on the floor with immense force and continually punched her, over and over. To her the pain was unbearable, but Dark Scorch found that killing people was fun. Then, she took one last blow to the face before everything went white.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">She woke up in agony and looked outside the window to see the whole of Blue Sea ablaze. She saw charred bodies and ashes everywhere. Then ghosts started appearing in her room blaming her for the destruction of the island. Jules, Bernie, her mother, father and Joe all blamed her for it. But then, the most disturbing and heart-breaking came to her. It was Scorch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“You did this! Why did you let me die? The pain was so unbearable! Worse than the laser! Worse than Thorne! You got me killed! You murdered me!” he yelled before disappearing.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Katy cried in fear and regret. She thought she’d killed everyone in the world. Why did she have to go after the emerald? She should have known it was a fake? She felt she let everyone down. Then she cried herself back to sleep as the dark flames consumed her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The House, Blue Sea Island. Day 253 of the year 3220 – 3 days after The Day of Emergence.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Hm. Now I know what Katy must have felt like when I was in that two week coma. She has been acting a little bit weird in her sleep though. She’s been crying. I don’t know why, but I’ll ask her when she wakes up.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">It had been about a day since Katy was knocked out when she finally started to wake up. This was joyous for Scorch. When she did wake though, she jolted her head forward and was breathing as if she had just run a mile. Scorch had no idea what was going on. She looked at him, still huffing, and started crying. He went over to comfort her, still not having a clue what happened.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hey, what’s up?” he said hugging her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I thought you were dead,” she said crying her eyes out.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well, I’m not. I’m still very much alive.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“B-but he burned your face and you just turned to ashes.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“No I didn’t. Did you have a nightmare?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I must have done,” she said still sobbing, “but it felt so real and I can remember it so vividly.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hm. Come on, let’s go downstairs and talk about it over dinner,” he suggested.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">They both went downstairs and Katy sat at the table. Scorch brought in the food. It was a nicely prepared pasta bake with three different cheeses melted into it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“So, what was it about?” Scorch asked taking a bite of his meal.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well, he held me by the throat and made me watch you die,” said Katy trying not to cry.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh, um, who did?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Dark Scorch.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh. Probably shouldn’t have talked about this over dinner then,” Scorch said realising why the dream had upset her.

Chapter 6: Time for the Rematch
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The House, Blue Sea Island. Day 260 of the year 3220 – 10 days after The Day of Emergence.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">It was midday and Scorch and his team were preparing for an assault on Dark Scorch. They chose to do it now after hearing on the news that he was terrorising Blue Sea.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“The hedgehog who was once falsely recognised as Scorch, has now been identified as Dark Scorch after the two were seen fighting in The Meadow on Blue Sea Island. He has been seen terrorising Woodsville, a small shopping town on the east side of Blue Sea. To whether Scorch will come to fight him again, is yet to be known. Stay tuned as the story develops,” the anchor-woman said on the news.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch, Katy, Joe and Greg were all standing around a computer that showed a map of Woodsville. They were discussing the plan of attack.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay, Greg, you see the charity shop on the corner here?” Katy asked pointing to a building on the map.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yeah I see,” he replied.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“You’ll go there with me while Scorch and Joe go for a frontal assault.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Um, may I ask why we have to do the frontal assault?” Joe asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well maybe because you and Scorch are the only two that know how to fight out of the four of us.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh all right then,” Joe replied, displeased with the answer he’d received.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch was standing in the corner whilst the others were planning. Something was on his mind and Katy quickly took notice.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay, you guys ready?” she asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Sure am,” Joe said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Just give me a few more minutes to charge my laser rifle then we’ll be good to go,” Greg replied.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">She nodded at the guys and then walked over to Scorch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I don’t want you to go,” Scorch stated non-hesitantly.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Excuse me?” Katy asked quite angrily.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Do you remember what happened last week? Dark Scorch knocked you out!” he yelled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“That’s because I was an idiot and chased down a fake Chaos Emerald. This time I’m ready.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I don’t like it. I don’t want you to get hurt,” he said calmly.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“It’s nice that you care that much, but I need to get revenge and so do you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay, I don’t like it, but okay,” said Scorch with a worried look on his face.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” Katy reassured.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch nodded and walked off, still not liking it. Greg’s laser rifle had finished charging, so the other guys walked outside with Katy following close behind. Outside, a storm raged around Blue Sea, particularly so over Woodsville. They ran towards the town. When they’d reached the outskirts, they’d taken cover by a destroyed car.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay guys, wear this,” she said giving everyone an earpiece to wear.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“We all ready?” Scorch asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Everyone nodded. Scorch and Joe ran out of the cover towards the enemy but were stopped by Katy so she could say one final goodbye before the fight.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Good luck, Scorch,” she muttered, “I love you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I love you too,” Scorch replied, “Now go, we have a faker to kill.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Then they both parted ways with Katy and Greg going behind the town, into the alleys and Scorch and Joe going straight down the main road towards Dark Scorch. He was launching fireballs everywhere to destroy the town. Joe and Scorch were amazed with this as he did at least once every three seconds.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Hey, Greg, do you know how he’s getting this many fireballs so quickly?” Scorch asked over the radio.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“It looks like he’s using the lightning to send an electrical charge through his body to give him even more power,” Greg replied.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“It’s a good thing I brought the emerald then,” Katy said to herself.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Dark Scorch then turned to prepare another fireball when he saw Scorch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh, Scorch, you lived through our previous encounter. Oh, well at least I can have some more fun trying to kill you this time,” he said launching the fireball at him and Joe.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Joe, run!” Scorch yelled grabbing Joe and running closer to Dark Scorch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Okay, now you’ve annoyed me!” Joe yelled to Dark Scorch, cracking his fingers.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“You think your strong, cheetah? Think again!” Dark Scorch yelled back throwing another fireball.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Joe and Scorch weaved in and out of cover, dodging the fireballs as they flew past.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Can you hurry up and die hedgehog?” Dark Scorch asked annoyed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Let me think about it. Um, no,” he replied being cocky.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch then launched a fireball of his own at the enemy to distract him while they moved even further up.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Katy? He’s just too powerful! You got a back-up plan?” Scorch asked over the radio.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yep, look to your right, then catch,” she ordered.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">He looked to his right to see the Chaos Emerald flying at him. He caught and smiled. He let go of it and felt the power of it flow through him. It floated. Joe was amazed by this and just watched.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Oh, mighty Chaos Emerald. Assist me in destroying this great threat by lending me your holy powers,” he ordered to the emerald.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">It glowed a bright yellow, acknowledging the hedgehog’s request.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Huh. Cool,” Scorch said grabbing the emerald, “Chaos Enhance!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">As he yelled this a massive fireball grew, bigger than any of the others that were thrown about. A large amount of lightning bolts hit the fireball, electrically charging it. That plus the power of the Chaos Emerald’s power, made this fireball extremely deadly and enough to kill anything. Scorch took a long deep breath then launched the fireball at Dark Scorch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Chaos Control!” Scorch then yelled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Because of this, time was slowed for as long as he wanted. He grabbed Joe and pulled him back, then went to go and get Greg and Katy. He grabbed them both and pulled them to where Joe was. He then ran back to the emerald to guide this massive fireball. Time had then returned to normal and the guys had no idea what’d had just happened, but Katy did and she was scared. The fireball collided with Dark Scorch and the explosion was massive. The blast engulfed Dark Scorch and blew Scorch off of his feet, all the way back to Katy. Scorch groaned. He was awake and living, but he was in great pain.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Uh, see Katy,” he said coughing, “I’m alright.”

Chapter 7: Aftermath
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Woodsville, Blue Sea Island. Day 260 of the year 3220 – 10 days after The Day of Emergence.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The pain still isn’t as bad as the laser. It may have looked like it was, but compared to the laser, that was nothing. I need to go and check if he’s dead. Ah, what’s wrong? I can’t move my leg and why does my face hurt so badly. It feels warm and wet. Why are Greg and Joe looking at me weirdly? And why is Katy crying again? The storm’s stopped, I guess that’s good. Uh oh. Yeah, the government’s not going to be happy about what I did to the town. Ah, well.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Scorch? Scorch are you okay?” Katy asked lifting up his head.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I feel fine, why?” he asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Well your leg looks broken and you have a piece of shrapnel stuck in your face,” Joe informed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch reached for the fairly large piece of metal in his face and casually pulled it out. He grunted quite loudly. Then suddenly, sirens blared and blue lights reflected off of the broken glass on the ground.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Take me over there,” Scorch ordered, pointing towards a crater in the centre of town.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Katy lifted up and carefully guided Scorch, who was hopping on one leg and grunting, to the crater. When they got there, they saw no body, but instead, the yellow Chaos Emerald that Dark Scorch had previously owned.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“What? Where is he?” Greg wondered.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“The coward used Chaos Control to escape before he was killed by the blast,” Scorch said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Come on, you need to get your face fixed,” Katy said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Are you calling me ugly?” Scorch asked smiling.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Even when your face is torn to shreds you can still be cocky,” Katy said, “And that’s why I love you,” she smiled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">She lifted him into the ambulance and got in herself. Then set off for the hospital.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Woodsville Town Hospital, Blue Sea Island. Day 261 of the year 3220 – 12 days after The Day of Emergence.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Here you go, sir,” the nurse said, “I just need you to sign this then you can go.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Yeah, sure,” Scorch said signing his release waiver, “Thanks.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“No. Thank you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Scorch’s face had been stitched back up and his leg was in a cast. He hopped towards his fiancé using his crutches and gave her a kiss.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Thanks for the help,” he said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“You’re welcome. That’s why I should be on the field with you,” she said to him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“I guess this is what I get for being over-protective,” Scorch said referring to his injuries.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“You weren’t being over-protective; you were just being a good fiancé.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">“Come on, let’s go home,” Scorch said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">They were walking down the hallway when Katy asked, “What should we call our little group?”

<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“That’s easy… The Freedom Fighters.”

===<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Epilogue: Five Years Later ===

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">The Meadow, Blue Sea Island. Day 302 of the year 3225 – 5 years after The Day of Emergence.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">It’s been five years since the fight with evil me and over that time, well, things have gone to hell. A man formally known as Julian, now Dr. Robotnik has begun his plan of ‘global roboticisation’. I remember the roboticiser. It was a project that Chuck was working on. It was originally planned to make people immortal, essentially. But instead, Robotnik stole it and last I heard, Chuck now works for him, along with Jules and Bernie. They wouldn’t just do that willingly though. I think they were brainwashed. I wonder how poor little Sonic is doing. He’s an orphan now. Just like me. I feel sorry for him. Wow, I’ve just realised! He’s five now. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him. Anyway, the Blue Sea Freedom Fighters, that’s what we’re calling ourselves, are on the front line at the moment. We got a distress call from some people and we’re going to rescue them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“Woah! Greg, SWATBot on the left!” Scorch yelled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“I’ve got it!” he yelled shooting it to pieces, “One down, fifty-million to go.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“Hey, Scorch?” Katy asked on the radio.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“Yeah, what’s up?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“The refugees have been secured. Give us some cover fire will you?” she asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“No problem,” he said turning to Greg, “Get ready for some suppressive fire.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“Yes sir!” Greg said loading his gun.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Then fireballs and lasers flew everywhere whilst Joe, Katy and the refugees ran back to the hideout. The hideout was an underground base covered by a fake pile of rubble. Katy and Joe had made it back safely and not only had the guys at the frontline suppressed the SWATBots, they’d also destroyed all of them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“A little bit over the top, but still,” Scorch said happily.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“It’s best we get back to HQ,” said Greg.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Back at the hideout, the tall, beefy looking dog and the small, techy looking fox we’re chatting with Katy and Joe.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“Hey guys, I’d like you to meet Tinker and Harold. They want to join,” Katy said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“Okay, we could use the help,” Scorch mentioned.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“You know what,” Joe said, “I’m gonna call you Tank.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“Hey, yeah I like that,” Tank replied.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">“Well, this going to be the start of a long friendship,” Katy mentioned.

<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">It was only the start of it, but the Blue Sea Freedom fighters were winning the Battle of Blue Sea. The only thing that they didn’t know was that this was only the start of Robotnik’s tyranny.