Soft, sad music echoed through the Metropolis zone.
The streets deserted, a sharp breeze carried the music swiftly from the empty city, up to the old Imperial Palace, now known as Robotnik's castle.
The breeze fluttered through an open window and the music suddenly filled the courtyard, the lonely corridors, and finally found it's way to the Throne Room.
"Close that door, Sleet."
A short, fat man sat in the throne, his rolls of fat seemed almost to pour over the arm rests as he screeched orders to his two henchmen sitting on either side of him. The wolf-like one got up and began to close the great oak doors; the one with orange fur just sat and grinned.
A stout blue figure knelt before the fat man in the chair. It looked at its captor in fearful disgust.
"Did you hear that music, you preposterous excuse for a hedgepig?" Screeched the fat man. The figure kept its gaze steady, but said nothing.
"That is the sound of your defeat. It has been 4 years since I captured you? To the day in fact. But when I apprehended you, I also found a reliable information source. Indeed, the information you gave me was most useful in capturing the rest of your outlaw group."
The fat man got up and walked around the kneeling figure slowly.
"Although I must confess that I'm quite surprised that you held out from me for so long.
6 months, wasn't it? Yes, 6 months after your capture, you told me what I wanted to know. Sleet and Dingo saw to that, didn't you boys?"
The fat man began a shrill laugh that echoed around the room, the two others just sniggered as he pushed the blue figures face to the floor with a shiny black boot.
"If I didn't enjoy watching you suffer so much, I'd crush you now."
He kicked the figure and walked towards the ancient doors, opening them, letting the depressing music fill the air, making it hot and stifled.
"But this!" He began again, spreading his arms out around him "This is my piece de resistance!" His voice became shrill and excited, his ginger moustache wiggled with glee.
"The music you hear is your funeral! Using enhanced computer graphics, my assistant Grimer created a computer sequence where you were shot by badniks, and it was broadcast all over the planet!
This way, I knew that none of your dratted furry friends would attempt to rescue you, and at the same time, would lose all hope of ever defeating me! Hahahahahahaha!
Yes, and it is all from the glorious brain of I: DR. ROBOTNIK!
The fat man squeezed himself back into the throne, where he leaned far forward and growled:
"You are nothing, Sonic the Hedgehog! A mere shadow of what you once were. The people of Mobius believe you are dead! The only friends you have now are the rats in your cell!
Slowly pulling himself up, Sonic muttered with gritted teeth, a few words:
"And who's your friend, Robotnik?"
Robotnik's face turned purple, and with a great roar he grabbed a sword from the suit of armour beside the throne. Sonic closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Emperor!"
Sleet burst out just in time and pulled back Robotnik's gloved hand.
Robotnik sat silently in his throne, staring blankly at Sonic, who stared back in grim expectancy.
Finally, Robotnik called for one of the badniks outside to take Sonic back to his cell.
The Throne Room remained silent long after Sonic was gone, Sleet and Dingo sat nervously, Robotnik began to laugh maniacally.
As he wiped a hysterical tear from his eye, Dingo asked him what was so funny.
"Did you see that pathetic little pipsqueak?!" Robotnik laughed. Sleet and Dingo just looked at him in confusion.
"He wanted me to end it! Sonic the Hedgehog wanted me to...ha!" Robotnik regained his composure and turned to his henchmen. "Well, perhaps it IS time to get rid of that vermin once and for all. But not this week, oh nonono: I have some eggstremely important plans to refine this week. Which reminds me: how are the final plans to eggsterminate the freedom fighters developing?"
The voices in the throne room lowered to hushed whispers, and three of the most evil beings on Mobius sat and talked about destroying the world's one final hope against darkness.
