Tails the Fox
Chapter 04 - Copter
Boss 02 - Guard

2BIT: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and 
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?

So, now they were in a real mess. The stairway leading down was littered with GUN beatles and other annoyances. But Experiment 2 wasn't worried. He turned to Metal Sonic, chuckled, and said, "Watch me, metal moron! You might learn something!" He ran for the stairs, leaping at the first GUN beetle. He spun himself in the air, struck it down with his tails, caught it's weapon as it fell, and landed on the railing of the spiral staircase! The experiment grinded down the rail, blasting robots with extreme accuracy so that by the time he ran out of ammo, he had reached the bottom. Pleased with himself, he turned around to see how far away Metal Sonic was.

"Impressive, Experiment 2!" came a voice from behind him. Experiment 2 spun around to find Metal Sonic, already there. "It would have been faster to take the elevator, though!" The black fox grinned. "What fun would that be?" 

Metal Sonic replied, "You said you had no time for games, Experiment 2." They ran outside to the second balcony. Metal Sonic led the way, as it was his sensors that were leading them to the Emerald. But up above them, on the upper balcony, something was watching them. Watching and waiting....

Exiting the balcony, Metal Sonic and Experiment 2 came to another spiral staircase. Oddly enough, there appeared to be no robots there. "Chaos Emerald detected at the bottom of staircase." Metal Sonic said. 

Now, as far as Experiment 2 was concerned, this smelled like a trap. It was too easy. Why would nothing be guarding the Chaos Emerald? However, robots aren't that bright, so Metal Sonic ran for the stairway. Before he knew what was happening, an explosion blasted a hole in the roof, and something dropped down and kicked Metal Sonic down the stairs! 

When the smoke cleared, Experiment 2 could see a furry green creature, slightly taller than him. It had a long, slim, pointy tail, broad, furry wings, and two horns on its head, making it look rather devilish. It had patches of blue fur going up its sides. It wore red shoes and red gloves, and held a scythe in its hands. Experiment 2 knew who it was. It was the Guard, a creature that GUN had placed to prevent Experiment 2's escape. Guard the Gargoyle!

"Grrrrr! Thought you'd escape, eh? Grrrrr! I'll stop you!" Guard said in his snarling, dog-like voice. He charged at Experiment 2, who spun his twin tails and flew over him, causing him to miss and hit the wall. Guard scrambled to his feet. "Grrrrr.... What are you, a copter!?" 

Experiment 2 chuckled. "Maybe I am. You'll never know. So long, sucker!" Experiment 2 jumped over the railing and flew to the rail on the opposite side of the staircase. Guard ran to the edge to find the experiment taunting him from the rail. In his fury, Guard leapt into the air and swooped at him. Experiment 2 jumped again, causing Guard to hit the wall again. "You need a new strategy, dog breath!" Experiment 2 slid down the rail. "Catch me if you can!" So, Guard jumped down and swung his scythe at him. Experiment 2 jumped over it and kept going. Now, Guard was getting mad.

Meanwhile, Metal Sonic was busy re-booting his systems. "Does not compute. What hit me..." Suddenly, he spotted the Chaos Emerald, which Guard had left as bait for them. Now that they had sprung his trap, nothing was protecting it...

Metal Sonic ran over hastily and picked it up. Then, got hit on the head again. This time it was just a beetle, so Metal Sonic simply blasted it, then looked up. A swarm of GUN beetles were hovering overhead, guns aimed both at Metal Sonic and upward. "This can't be good..."

Experiment 2 and Guard exchanged blows all the way down the stairs, but neither landed a decisive attack. Guard would swing his scythe, Experiment 2 would swing his tails, but neither could finish it. "Stop being stubborn and give up already!" Experiment 2 said. "Grrrrrrr! You give up!" Guard replied. Experiment 2 then decided to go for the scythe. He flew over to Guard and grabbed the scythe, but Guard wouldn't let go. Soon, they forgot they were in the air, and stopped flying...

Metal Sonic was hard at work fighting the multitude of GUN beetles. His gun was out of ammo, and the beetles kept coming. He needed a miracle. 

Then, he got one. 

Experiment 2 and Guard fought over the scythe, falling at the same time. They fell right into the GUN beetles! Experiment 2 climbed to his feet and grabbed the Chaos Emerald from Metal Sonic. Guard climbed out of the GUN beetle scrap, and growled at Experiment 2. "Grrrrr! You won't get away!" 

Experiment 2 grinned. "Sorry, Guard. I can't stay to play with you!" He flew over Guard's head and grabbed the scythe. "Now, surrender!" 

Guard, not easily discouraged, raised his hand, and focused. "Return to me, scythe...." He mumbled. 

Suddenly....

Nothing happened. "Grrrrr.... Right, I don't have psychic powers.... Yet...." But Experiment 2 had been distracted by Guard's strange behavior, and Guard saw his chance. He very suddenly took off and tackled Experiment 2, knocking him down and reclaiming his scythe. "That was a dirty trick!" Experiment 2 growled. "Never make a copter mad!" Experiment 2 leapt to his feet, then took to the air. Guard pursued him back up the stairs to an area with a window overlooking the ocean outside. When he caught up, Experiment 2 smiled at him. "Thanks, Guard...."

Now, Guard was confused. "Thanks? Grrrrrr.... What for, copter fox?"

"Thanks for.... THIS!" Experiment 2 jumped on a rail, then jumped at Guard and tail-whipped him with all his might. 

"Grrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!" Guard screamed as he soared through the window and plummeted into the ocean below, far from the shore. Experiment 2 laughed victoriously. "You gave me my new name, friend! An experiment number just isn't good enough. From now on, I am Copter the fox!"

Experiment 2, now named "Copter," grinded his way back to the bottom, and held up the shiny yellow emerald. "There, that was easy!"

Metal Sonic led Copter outside. Death Row was built on an island several miles off the coast of the Mystic Ruins. "Now what, metal moron? Do we have to SWIM back?!"

"Negative." Metal Sonic said. Suddenly, the water splashed violently as a ship rose to the surface. It was a small, red and black submarine, with Eggman's "logo" printed all over it. The hatch opened, and a red and black Chao flew out. "Tee hee! Hi, Metal Sonic! Did you find him?" the Chao said gleefully. Metal Sonic pointed to Copter. The Chao flew over to his face. "Hi, I'm called Char! What's your name?" Copter gently pushed the Chao out of his face. "Uh, hi. My name is Copter. My number is Experiment 2." Char flew back to the sub. "Tee hee! Alrighty, Copter! All aboard! Flight 101 to Eggman's Base, EggSub, ready for takeoff!" he said in his always-gleeful voice. As Copter climbed into the sub after Metal Sonic, he wondered about Char's comment. "Flight? On a sub?" Suddenly, wings popped out of the sides of the sub, and the rocket engines on the back fired up. Char laughed playfully. "This is your captain speaking! We may experience mild turbulence. Try not to lose your lunch!"

Copter wanted to scream, but held it in. "I'm dead, aren't I? We're gonna crash, aren't we?" Copter had a terrible fear of flying in planes. He just didn't like entrusting his life to a machine, especially one piloted by a playful Chao. The EggSub took off at an incredible speed, and Copter just had to let it out. "I WANT MY MOMMY!!!!!!" he screamed, as Char chuckled at him. Metal Sonic even had a playful tone in his voice. "Who's the moron now, huh?" And so, Copter's journey began.


Gunner was furious at Experiment 2's escape. He growled at his Spy. "How did you let him get away!?"

"I wasn't here..." Spy said, sheepishly. 

"I don't care, Spy!" Gunner replied. "Let me see the security tape once more!" Spy smiled nervously."Yes sir! I'll play it for you..." 

The screen showed Metal Sonic breaking Copter out, but from that distance, he looked more like a certain heroic hedgehog. After seeing this security tape again, he was convinced it was Sonic. "Sonic, that traitor! I'll see him burn for this!" Gunner said furiously. "Curse those furry freaks! I always knew that they would do this!" Spy guessed at Gunner's wishes. "Yes sir! We'll capture Sonic!" Gunner turned around and growled at Spy. "That won't be necessary, yet. The Commander will never believe that Sonic did this. However, command the troops! Recapture Experiment 2, dead or alive!"

"Aye aye, sir!" Spy said, saluting before leaving to relay the command. "Blast that rat!" Gunner thought. "He won't get away with this! I'll kill all the furry freaks if I have to! I will secure our nation's security, and we'll never be bothered by those beasts again!"

To be continued...