Sonic ran through the spectacular multi-colored Little Planet plains. It was almost like winter had gone away completely in this isolated place beyond the clouds. He breathed in the salty ocean air as he tread the green grass. It was a strange feeling, because it had been so long since he had the opportunity to experience such a lush and pure environment such as this. This place, it was almost exactly like the place he had been born. Before all the pollution killing the plant life… before the bombing. Sonic stopped in place, and watched the ocean waves splash up onto the nearby beach. He gazed into the distance, at the mountains and sparkly water.
This really was just like home.
"Sonic, you all good?" Tails asked. Sonic snapped out of his thought. "You just stopped out of nowhere."
"Oh yeah, I'm fine," Sonic replied. "Just taking in the view."
"Yeah," Tails marveled at the scenery. "I've never seen anything like it." Tails had been born in Station Square only a few years after Sonic had in Green Hill. But by that time, most forests and plains in the Robotnik Empire had already been destroyed Tails had never achieved the ranks necessary to go on overseas gigs like Sonic had every now and again. So this was understandable.
"Well, I hope you like it," Sonic said, throwing his arms out to the side and closing his eyes, at complete and total peace. "This is our new home!" Tails smiled.
"You're insane," Tails half-joked. "It's been all over the place with you, lately." They only really went to the Iron Dominion at all because it was the closest neighboring country. But that had brought them nothing but hardship. Usually, Tails would be more apprehensive about these sorts of things… but along with being practically numb to moving around after the first time, this was such a wondrous experience that he set aside all forms of hesitation or reason. He was simply amazed that a place like this could even exist. Who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to live on their very own secluded planetoid? "The only problem is that giant chain. If we don't get rid of it, Little Planet will never be able to leave Erius' atmosphere. Also, don't you think the Iron Dominion's soldiers will be coming for us eventually?"
"Not quite the soldiers---" a loud and pompous female voice said from their left. Sonic looked to the voice, and dodged out of the way on instinct. He was fine, but someone had nailed his cloak to a palm tree with some kind of spear in one heart-stopping motion. Sonic looked up at the person holding the spear, and saw no eyes. Only black shades staring back at him. Connected to an iron helmet of some kind. "Try the queen herself!" Great. The Iron Queen.
Tails immediately readied himself for action. He jumped at the Iron Queen to counterattack, but she merely kicked him away. "Sorry, commoners, this is a restricted area!" She exclaimed boisterously as Tails went spinning in the other direction without even looking. He collided with a rock and was left both dizzied and whiplashed. "That means… uh… nobody allowed. Right. Heheh…"
She shoved the spear deeper into the palm tree. "And as for you!" The Iron Queen effused, as she stared down upon Sonic. Sonic stared back up in bewildered intimidation. The Iron Queen twisted the spear around. "Say your last prayers. For I, the Iron Queen, will slay you where you stand!" The spear crackled with electricity.
Sonic quickly departed with his cloak, revved up a Spin Dash, and blasted away right when the Iron Queen slashed at the air. There was a second where nothing happened, but then, the top half of the palm tree slowly slid off the bottom half. And Sonic's cloak was slashed into a thousand little pieces.
Sonic circled around to stop the top half of the tree from falling on Tails. He jumped into the tree and diced it, all the segments falling around Tails. Tails snapped out of the dizzied state he was in, and looked all around. "Aah!" He screamed as the Iron Queen nearly impaled him. But Sonic swept by and grabbed him.
"She's insane…" Sonic whispered, making his escape. He then smiled. "I kinda like it!"
"Sonic, now's not the time for that!" Tails whined. "Why do you always get me into these situations?!" Sonic ran up a giant ramp that rocketed him up into the sky.
"Come baaaack!" The Iron Queen beckoned, running after them.
"What? No way! She's keeping up with you?!" Tails asked. He looked back at the Iron Queen, who was running just a few feet away from Sonic.
"Her legs do look rather strong…" Sonic stated, stopping suddenly to let the Iron Queen catch up.
"Agh! No, stop it! You're so weird!" Tails whined, shuddering as he switched to flight formation, and took off into the sky with the reluctant Sonic in tow. The Iron Queen merely looked towards them dumbfoundedly.
"The fox flies… of COURSE the fox flies," she sighed, looking to the ground. She growled, and prepared a mighty throw of her spear. She then tossed it into the air with a ferocious scream and a glint at the tip of the spear. It narrowly missed Tails. And then it fell right into Little Planet's ocean. "Wait, no! That's not waterproof!" The Iron Queen screamed, running and then swimming after her spear. As soon as she touched it, she was zapped a little. "Grraahh… I'll make you pay for this, you unlawful pigs… just you wait." She grumbled, rubbing her frivolous but momentarily painful burn.