The Chaos Strain Chapter 3 Written by Lee Jin Long Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prowers and all other characters featured in this story are copyright by SEGA Inc., Archie Comics and/or DiC Productions. Please do not use this story to gain money. If you have any questions, email me at ljlong@mbox2.singnet.com.sg! Also, I have decided to do away with the synopsis. If you had liked it, email me to bring it back! Bookshire stepped into his hut and looked around. Everything was in its original position. Good, he thought. Sally didn't come in to tidy up. Bookshire put down his bag, and walked over to the computer console. His 1 week vacation in his secret hideout in the Great Forest had went off without a hitch and he was throughly refreshed when he came back. "Computer, display new messages," he ordered. The computer emmitted a few beeps and blurps before showing two new messages. {Message No. 1} {From sonic@knothole.com} {To bookshire@knothole.com} {Subject: Hey! It works!} {Hey, Bookshire! This is Sonic! Just trying out this new e-thingamajig!} {Message No. 2} {From bunny@knothole.com} {To bookshire@knothole.com} {Subject: Robotropolis Attack} {Bookshire, this is Bunny Rabbot. We've gone to Robo} Bookshire frowned at the unfinished message. He got this way strange feeling that something was not right. The village had been left undefended. Usually, Tails would be here in the Command Room. However, it was totally quiet. Just then, there was a shout from outside. Bookshire rushed outside, only to see the limp form of Sonic the Hedgehog in Rotor's arms! Upon seeing Bookshire, the freedom-figthers ran towards him and into his flat. Rotor quickly babbled something about Sonic's blood and Bookshire, without listening fully, grabbed the syringe from the table and jabbed it into Sonic. In a flash, he drew out the red stuff and quickly put a drop of it on a slide and pushed it under his microscope. The other freedom-fighters stood in silence as Bookshire turned the knobs and examined Sonic's blood. Then, he stood up, ready to give the verdict. The crowd held their breaths as he started to speak. "Well, I don't know what this is all about. But, I do know that there is something in Sonic's blood. Something strange," said the elderly raccoon. "It is slightly green in colour." Rotor and the rest gasped. The other freedom-fighters left one by one, their heads drooping and eyes wet. After that, the main freedom-fighters left, leaving Bookshire alone. Finally, Bookshire managed to ask one question, "What's goin' on?" =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Timeline : 1 day later... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Bookshire bent over his microscope, examining Sonic's blood intently. Fortunately for him, Nicole had been busy uploading the program on the strain while Robotnik was battling the freedom-fighters... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Timeline : Recounting the events immediately after Chapter 2 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Sonic crashed to the floor as the laser hit him in his stomach. Bunny stretched her arm and took the two laser guns from Tails and Sally and crushed them. The two then stood still, as they had been ordered to fight WITH guns. Now that they had no guns, they had no orders. Thus, they would deactive until further orders from Robotnik. Just as Bunnie was about to grab the both of them, Robotnik caught her arm. The two battled it out fircely as their two arms locked and whirred, trying to overcome each other. Finally, Bunnie broke off and jumped out through the celing, with Sonic in tow. Robotnik growled in frustration as the freedom-fighters retreated. He could send some SWATbots after them, but he knew they would be useless. Instead, he turned to his two warriors, Tails and Sally. Once they heard his voice, they immediately reactivated, ready to listen and obey. Then, Robotnik spoke and spoke and spoke... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Timeline : Back to the present... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Bookshire frowned again as he thought of the data displayed on his computer screen: {Accessing...} {Displaying...} {THE CHAOS STRAIN} {Created by Dr. Ivo Robotnik} {Ingredients:(All obtainable from the Great Unknown)} {Smelt grass : 100% known} {Weed holt : 100% known} {Death bolt : 99.99% known} {Weedling : 100% known} {WARNING! INTRUDING COMPUTER!} {ERASING INFOR********} That 0.01% undiscovered bit about the death bolt bothered Bookshire so much that he went over to his shelves of books. Taking them one by one, he spent the whole day trying to find something on Death Bolt. Finally, he found one small article in a corner: DEATH BOLT Origins : Unknown Discovered : Great Unknown Date discovered : Unknown Ediblity : Edible Color : Green Known Effects when eaten : Hallucinations Some unknown effects Bookshire ran out and showed what he found to the rest of the freedom-fighters. Knuckles had just arrived from the Floating Islands and brought a whole bag of ancient echidna medicine. As Bookshire read out the article, Knuckles was deep in thought. The name was very familiar, he just could not remember where he had seen it before... Meanwhile, Robotnik was raging in Robotropolis. Not only did they manage to get away with Sonic, but now they had found out about the Chaos Strain. There were some sounds from the room where Tails and Sally were kept. Robotnik frowned. They were supposed to be deactivated. When he stepped into the room, a few million pieces of scrap metal bombarded him and he beat a hasty retreat, slamming the door behind him. He did not believe what he saw--his warriors were going crazy! Bookshire looked into his microscope one more time and then checked his book. He was so shocked at what he discovered that he left the book aside and rushed out, wating to talk to Knuckles as soon as possible. Inside, the pages flew with the breeze from the open windows: Uraniam Death Bolt Substance Effects : Hallucinations Total craziness Known cure : None To be continued...