CHAPTER 4: Amber Alert As for Shantae, she was now readying for her trip back home after the job well done. “Don’t imagine Sky’s awake,” she thought, “better try flying somewhere near the coast to swim back.” And it was then she noticed the lilies in the oasis sunk under the water. “Huh?” She thought, “Weren’t there reeds or something in that pond?” And just then in that split-second, a pair of Tinkerbats with net cannons jumped out, fired at and trapped Shantae, followed shortly after by the emergence of their Queen, Risky Boots. Risky chuckled proudly. “Gotcha, fool! And now you’re going to return my rightfully claimed treasure!” Shantae growled as she struggled beneath the nets shot upon her. “Don’t waste your time on me! The guy you’re looking for is gone!” She yelled. Risky nodded disagreeably. “Not when we have you is he. Crew! Haul this prisoner to the hideout! We’ve us a lead to the whereabouts of my powerful gem, and it starts with this one.” She ordered. Risky Boots was now pointing the tip of her scimitar sideways against Shantae’s cheek. One pair of Tinkerbats stole the now out of reach compass and lamp, and another pair came out from the woods to pick up and carry the half-genie to their hidden outpost deep in the jungle. “You can do this without me,” Shantae bargained, “if you really were watching us that whole time, you could just do what he did and chase him like that!” “Oh, yadda yadda,” Risky mocked, “and waste pounds of my own gold for the round trip? I’m a crime lord, not a jackass!” and through the dense tropics the Queen and her subjects hacked and slashed obstructing branches and leaves using their blades until the light of the oil lamp carried by the Queen up front revealed their destination. Sonic and the Half-Genie Hero Page 32 “A’ight mateys,” Risky called, “to the slums with the accomplice of the blue fiend, the lamp and metal box come with me. Have the guards be aware I’ll be using her after I’m done with this fancy crate they were luggin’ around.” And so the following hunting party members carrying the half-genie prisoner brought her to a hall of dungeon cells which reeked of odor of which one could only describe as death in fumes. After opening the creaky metal gate at the end of the hall, they swung the net back and forth until enough momentum was built up for her hit against the cold stone wall of the dark, cramped room, and the large guard beside locked it immediately following. Shantae now didn’t even bother struggling to escape the net. But rather she just remained still, and hoped that whenever Risky did whatever to her, that it wouldn’t result in dragging Sonic back into the mix. All she wanted was to get justice for those who’ve been wronged, like the hero in her had always done. And in that same moment Risky was already headed up the stairs of the base with lamp and compass in tow, anticipating the teardown of the box to understand what use it is to her. “Hey TB,” She called up the stairs, “I’ve got it! Come and help haul this thing!” Shortly after, footsteps could be heard coming down the staircase, whose of which were soon to be revealed to be that of Techno Baron, whom of which was offered a large pay of illicit goods in exchange for the operation. “Wow! Now this looks like some piece of work!” he said, now carrying the compass up the stairs with Risky. Many steps up the stairs later, and the compass had now reached the room’s central desk for inspection. “All right,” TB said with a clap of his hands, “time to figure out what the deal is with this thing.” He then pulled a toolbox up and onto the desk beside the compass and searched for the appropriate item for taking the thing apart. “First things first…” He said just before sniffing curiously, “Why does it smell like fried egg?” He looked to Risky with a raised eyebrow. Risky shrugged her shoulders. “I just found the thing half an hour ago. I don’t know where it’s been before then.” The Baron while searching soon found the screws were of a hexagonal shape, and looked to his toolbox to find an appropriate driver head. When he did, he took to unscrewing the top side of the device to get a top-down view of what tech the cubicle compass held inside. Page 33 Sonic and the Half-Genie Hero “Now to see what this is made of…” he said, now pulling off the top. And what was seen in the middle was what looked to be a gyro with a cone-like cavity that had a plate for holding in place an inserted item attached to the inside of the top of the compass, and within the cavity was an electromagnetic coating that would react to a charge of electricity in accordance to the area of the cone by illuminating the outside in varying brightness depending on the electrical intensity of the charge being sent. This information was relayed by the Baron to the Queen after his thorough study of the clever tool. “So,” Risky asked, “this thing was what they used to find another post?” The Baron nodded. “And if what you say about your legendary jewel is true, when inserted into the central cavity of this machine it would be powered indefinitely, meaning you could follow it for as long as possible without needing a recharge!” Risky closed her eyes and nodded with a smile. “The seven Chaos,” she said thoughtfully, “This thing will lead me to where the other “Chaos” is!” The Baron stood in surprise at her exclamation. “What do you mean “other” Chaos..?” he asked. Risky looked to the Baron. “Pay no mind to my banter. You may now go, and alarm the guards that you’ll be taking your pay. Next time I’m in need of your assistance I will relay you the notice by messenger boat.” Techno Baron was now leaving with a slow nod and tight-eye squint on the Queen, now somewhat suspicious of her. And so he headed downstairs to collect his loot, followed by a pair of cargo Tinkerbats to help load it onto his ship. Risky sat at her desk in the dark tower, looking out the window watching as the Baron sailed away. “All right,” the Queen said with a devious grin, looking at Shantae’s lamp she was holding, “and now… The main attraction…” Risky then marched down the stairs and towards the door to the prisoner’s hall, at which a pair of guards stood. “Guards,” Risky ordered, “bring me that purple-haired collateral we reeled in with the rest of the catch!” The guards nodded, and went to the pantry and brought the Queen what looked to be a lime green catfish with violet whiskers. “No, not that thing,” she exclaimed, “the half-genie ya’ll locked up earlier tonight!” The guards then proceeded to head down to the end of the hall of cells to Sonic and the Half-Genie Hero Page 34 retrieve Shantae from her chamber. They picked up their light, limp cargo by the nets of which she was still caught in, and carried her up the outpost tower at the request of Her Majesty. Risky shut and locked the door when the two arrived with her and directed them to stand in the middle of the room. She then ordered them to pour Shantae out of the nets onto the floor so she could see her eye-to-eye during the interrogation. Shantae was now sitting up after being awakened from the drop on the hardwood floor, with damp face and grumpy expression. “Oh well,” Risky said sassily, “some place you’ve ended up, huh?” Shantae lowered her head. “Nothing new to me…” she sighed unhappily. “Surely you remember why you’re here, don’t you?” the Queen asked. Shantae nodded. “But it’s not like you’ll get any closer to what you’re looking for by taking me here.” She argued. “Oh! On the contrary..,” Risky said confidently, now pulling the lamp out from her desk drawer, “…I think I’ve got a chance.” Shantae’s expression started to grow worrisome and her heart started racing. “I’m not dragging him into this!” Shantae yelled, “You can’t make me!” Risky snickered. “Now, now, don’t get so uptight,” she said as she knelt down to the half- genie with lamp behind her back, “maybe thinking about your blue pal will settle you down!” The Queen was now raising one of Shantae’s hands by the wrist just above her head. “No!” Shantae shouted, throwing her hand aside. Risky grew flustered. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you…” the Queen said, just before snapping her finger to signal her guards to near in for security. Shantae froze with fear, and Risky raised the half-genie’s hand up over the lamp. “So,” Risky said, “about the, uh, hedgehog is he supposed to be?” Shantae nodded quick and fearfully. “You remember him well don’t you?” the Queen asked, resting her hand on Shantae’s, which was now on the lamp, “With his blue quills, fast speed.., and my emerald he stole..?” And just then back in Sonic’s world, the ring Sonic wore that now sat at the bottom of his sleeping bag had started glowing. The ring soon reached an apex in its brightness and woke Sonic from his sleep. “W-what the..?” Sonic drowsily said, Page 35 Sonic and the Half-Genie Hero looking into his sleeping bag. The ring then absorbed everything inside of the sleeping bag; the wallet, the emerald, even Sonic himself! And then from the spout of the lamp it magically materialized out the ring, which then widened and dropped out the wallet, the emerald, and then finally Sonic, whom of which had gotten caught by the ring as it shut itself back to normal size onto his wrist. Sonic stumbled his way back up after falling out and was in a half-aware state of the situation. “Where’s this..?” Sonic asked drowsily, looking about with his blurry, half-shut eyes. “Oh. I’m here again.” Sonic said, noticing Shantae’s trademark purple hair. Risky walked over to the emerald and picked it off the floor. “Hohoho! I knew that little twerp would come in handy!” she whispered, taking the gem to her desk drawer. But just then Sonic took notice. “Hey!” he exclaimed, “What do you think you’re doing with my emerald?!” Risky’s eyes darted to the hedgehog. “Returning it to its rightful owner is what I’m doing.” She replied. “Are not,” Sonic interjected, “I’m the one who collected the rings to get the thing, you just got in the way and stole it!” Risky slowly shook her head. “All right hedgehog, I’ll cut you a deal;” the Queen bargained, “you take no more than your accomplice and scat, or I take her life and you keep the jewel.” Sonic grew anxious. Shantae choked up, now fearing for her own life. “You would never… Would you..?” She asked. Sonic had to figure out how to handle this situation. Having Shantae with him, but no emerald to guide them, their search would be fruitless without hunting down Risky. But with only the emerald in tow and the blood of Scuttle Town’s half-genie on his hands, he would lose any chance of anyone trusting him ever again, let alone Shantae’s uncle. Either choice was a difficult one. But just then Sonic noticed the lamp Risky left behind and turned his large shoe in front of it just before she noticed she hadn’t taken back with her. Sonic’s uneasy look then slowly turned to a confident one, as he concocted a plan using this newfound info. “OK, fine. I’ll take the half-genie. But can you just show me my emerald one last time just before ya kick us out?” He requested. Risky chuckled. Sonic and the Half-Genie Hero Page 36 “Oh, you’re sentimental little rodent, aren’t ya?” The Queen sighed. She then unlocked her drawer and showed him the stone for one last time…or so she thought. In the split-second she held the jewel, Sonic made with a Blue Tornado and the room was in a flurry. Amid the spinning havoc that was created, Risky fell to the floor, but climbed back up to hold onto the compass to not get sucked into the twisting wind, yet lost her grip on the gem by doing so. “Let’s get outta here!” Sonic shouted to Shantae, whom was holding onto the door. She nodded, and Sonic slung the lamp over his shoulder for her to ride in while in mouse form, and he spindashed through the door strong enough to roll down the stairs in their getaway. This act of his was one that of which displeased the Queen greatly, and following the settling of the wind-torn room was a roar from Risky to her guards to search and destroy the two of them. Sonic hopped on out of his roll when he hit the bottom of the stairs and Shantae hit the ground running, too. “What was that, Sonic?!” Shantae questioned, running beside the hedgehog. “Trust me; I know what I’m doing!” Sonic ensured her, ricocheting a guard against the wall to turn a corner. “You don’t know this person!” Shantae informed him, just before using her hair to whip the door guard into submission. “Oh, and you do?” Sonic questioned while searching the guard for a keychain. At this point Risky was now a corridor or two from the duo, treading the halls with a heavy stomp. Shantae and Sonic on the other hand were busy with cracking the lock on the door. The guard was found to not be holding a set of keys that contained one that worked with the lock, so they had to resort to breaking the long brass handle of the heavy stone door to have any chance of getting through. “I know what Risky is capable of,” Shantae said, “she’s practically a death sentence to someone who gets on her bad side!” Shantae was now kicking the door hinges to loosen them, but of little effect did they have on the massive behemoth of rock before them. “And this would be so much easier,” Shantae growled, “If I still had my cuffs on to smash this thing with!” Sonic handed the lamp to Shantae and attempted to Rocket Accel through the door with her behind him, but that move showed to be of insufficient strength, too. “What’s the worst..,” Sonic said, catching his breath, “…she could do..?” And just Page 37 Sonic and the Half-Genie Hero then Risky stood at the other end of the building, with pistol in hand. The sound of it cocking seemed to echo down the hall they were in. Sonic and Shantae at the door had been startled for a second at the sound and sight of her reaching them. “You’re not leaving here like that, Sonic!” the Queen said, now knowing his name from his wallet he neglected to pick up back in the tower room. Shantae had her back against the wall farthest from the door handle, of which Sonic was standing in front of. “Well I’m not leaving in a body bag, either!” Sonic said, now in a defensive stance. Risky slowly nodded with a deadly stare. “I knew you’d never last.” She eventually said. “Yeah, I bet you have.” Sonic snapped back. Then suddenly Risky took her shot for his gut, but in bullet time Sonic dodged it like it was no faster than a buzzing fly, and so the bullet busted the lock and knob off of the door, thus rendering their escape all the more possible. “Yeah! Boom, baby! It’s just like in the movies!” Sonic celebrated. Shantae was now pushing the loose stone door. “Push it, Sonic!” Shantae shouted. “W-What the?! Why you..!” Risky said, stomping her foot in anger. She then cocked her gun a second time and shot Sonic in the left shoulder. “Aah!!!” Sonic cried, as the entry wound started spilling rings until the bullet slipped out. “Sonic!!!” Shantae yelled as she rushed to Sonic who had hit the floor. “Rings…” Sonic moaned, lying on his face and struggling to raise an arm as his rings scattered across the floor. Risky tried firing one last round to hit Shantae, but her previous shot was the last she had in her gun then, and she had to reload. This gave Shantae an open chance to act fast, and so she did, grabbing and giving Sonic his rings, magically absorbing him into his ring, and transforming into her elephant form to smash down the door and make a break for it. Soon as the door was down, she went back to her normal form and ran out of the building with lamp, and hedgehog in tow, but no emerald or compass. Stubborn as she, the Queen followed her magical foe outside into the now early morning hours, still in hot pursuit of her escaped prisoner. But to chase any further would be fruitless, for now Shantae had changed into her monkey form to climb the trees from which she would take to the air in bird form. Sonic and the Half-Genie Hero Page 38 “Aargh!” growled Risky, “I hate that loathsome little purple-haired imbecile!” She threw her hat to the ground, and picked it back up as she marched back up the tower. And yet what the Queen thought she had lost for a second time, she in fact now had to herself again; and with bonus, too! “Aye..?” Risky said, picking the gem off of the floor in the high room. She nodded her head and was somewhat humored. “My, that fool really is too fast for his own good, isn’t he?” She said, referring to Sonic. As for Shantae, she had now reached a high hill in the dry forest where she could safely rest. She had glided down beneath a shady tree and had let Sonic out of the ring as soon as she was back in her normal form after landing. “Phew! That was a close one, hey bud?” Shantae asked him. Sonic looked around hazily, feeling his shoulder. “Why’d you do all of that?” He asked. Shantae nodded her head. “That’s what I should be asking you, dude.” She told him, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Sonic! She’s dangerous!” Sonic exhaled in defeat. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Next time, you can lead in figuring out how to handle that crook. I don’t know her.” Sonic admitted. He now stood up from the tree he was lying against. “So how’s the arm?” Shantae asked, “Not the best or what?” Sonic shrugged his shoulder. “It’s nothing too bad, really,” he said, “just lost a few rings. At worst, might have a scab back there.” Shantae looked at his wound, and it appeared to not be so bad; just a round cut on his upper arm it looked to be. No feeling of any shrapnel beneath his skin from what he said. “How’s that possible?” Shantae asked, “Did you use my magic?” Sonic nodded no. “Didn’t you see me? My rings are what did the trick.” Shantae was fascinated, but also sorry. “I’m sorry you lost your emerald again.” Shantae said. “No apology needed,” Sonic said, holding his ring, “I was the one who was silly enough to sleep with this thing around. It’s enough my fault as it is yours.” “But how are you getting back home now?” Shantae asked, “Now she’s got both the compass and the emerald!” Sonic shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe she’s looking for the emeralds too. Let’s just keep an eye out for her. If she opens another gate, I can just jump into it and get me a new one!” Sonic said, letting a slight smirk. Page 39 Sonic and the Half-Genie Hero Shantae nodded with an uneasy expression. “I don’t know... Think of what she could do if she figured out how to exploit the power of it..! That gem of yours is something I’ve sure never encountered.” She said as she stood at the opposite side of the tree, feeling anxious. This thought hadn’t crossed Sonic’s mind until she brought it to his attention, and now he had to rethink his plan. “Shoot, you’re right,” Sonic realized, rubbing his chin with his fingers. He now paced back and forth, thinking for a minute. “You know what: I guess I owe you a few for all you’ve done for me since yesterday.” He eventually concluded, “I’ll stick around here and help you stop this nautical gangster.” “You really mean it..?” Shantae asked sincerely, now turning to him. Sonic nodded. Shantae smiled gave him a hug. “Oh, I knew I could count on you!” She said. Sonic pat her shoulder and stepped back. “All part of lending a hand to a fellow hero in need…” He said with a smile. The two now looked to the east, watching the sunrise. “So…” Shantae asked, “Where to next..?” Sonic then sniffed and just as soon pinched his nose to save himself from the odor of what smelled like road kill prairie dog and moldy mango salsa. “Phew!” Sonic said, waving his hand in front of his face, “Somewhere to bathe is where to next! We need us some soap!” “Ah, sweet,” Shantae said, holding her hand over her nose, “An excuse to go shopping for hygiene products!” Sonic and the Half-Genie Hero Page 40
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