The Scorch Stories: Book 4

Note:
This fanfic IS NOT YET COMPLETED. Please do not edit anything put on here unless I give explicit permission. Thank you.
Overview
After the loss of Blue Sea Island, the gang are plotting revenge on Dr. Robotnik...
==Included Characters==
Main Characters:
*Scorch the Hedgehog
*Katherine "Katy" Feline
*Joe Cheetah
*Greg T. Bear
*Tinker the Fox
*Harold "Tank" Kanine
More to be revealed...
==The Scorch Stories: Book 4 Tyranny's End==
===Prologue===
Robotropolitan Docks, Robotropolis. Day 15 of the year 3236 – 12 years into Robotnik’s reign.
Thirty-seven days remaining...
This-this is just too much to process right now. I can’t believe I actually gave the order. Why did I do it? Blue Sea is lost. No one can ever see its beauty. The shining blue waves and the calm breeze were the two things that made the Island great and I chose to throw it away. And, then Katy comes up to me and tells me the best news that I’ve ever heard. I-I’m going to be a-a dad. It’s just too much to handle in one hour. Hm. We need somewhere to stay. I don’t know where to take us. I guess we just travel until we find a place. But what will we do when we get there. We’ll have nothing to protect. Nothing to save. I guess we just make a plan to get revenge on Robotnik. What he did is unforgiveable.  I need time to think about this…
“Um, guys what are you doing, we need to find a place to live,” Tink said walking over to Scorch and Katy.
“Uh-um… ah,” Scorch mumbled, trying not to reveal the news.
“We were just hugging,” Katy said tearing up.
“Aw, don’t worry Kat, we’ll find a new place,” Tink replied completely oblivious to the fact that Katy wasn’t upset.
Tink walked away and Katy turned to Scorch. She placed her hand on his chest.
“Keep a secret for a while,” she whispered.
“That’s what I was trying to do. Besides, Tink’s a bit…” Scorch replied.
“Unobservant?”
“Yeah.”
“Come on guys!” Tink yelled from across the dock.
Scorch sighed and walked after Tink, with Katy following closely behind. After they’d caught up with her, they saw the boys, especially Joe, quite upset by the fact that their home was lost. Joe was more than upset though, he was depressed. He was showing all of the signs. He was lagging behind everyone else and wasn’t talking to anyone. He was also on the verge of crying. This was very strange for him as he hadn’t cried since he was a child. Greg went to go and talk to him.
“Joe? You okay?” he asked, concerned for Joe’s wellbeing.
Joe didn’t respond.
“Joe?” Greg asked again. There was still no response.
Greg was concerned and went to go and tell Scorch.
“Scorch, something’s up with Joe,” he said.
“Why what’s wrong?” Scorch asked.
“I don’t know. When I asked he just hung his head low.”
“Hm. We need to keep an eye on him then,” Scorch suggested.
“Agreed,” Greg replied.
Tink and Tank were talking about what happened. They were both upset over it, but Tink was being herself; hyper, and hiding it.
“Tink, how are you still this hyper?” Tank asked.
“Pfft! This is normal. You should know that. ‘Hyper’ is completely different,” she responded.
“You’re just hiding the fact you’re upset,” Tank sighed.
“What? Upset? I’ll never be upset!” Tink said, still hiding her upset.
The team walked off into the distance leaving nothing in their trail.
Chapter 1: Remembrance
Blue Sea Memorial Ground, Robotropolitan Docks. Day 46 of the year 3236 – 12 years into Robotnik’s reign.
Six days remaining...
A month has passed since the Fall of Blue Sea and things have changed. The team have found a new place to stay and Katy’s pregnancy has become more obvious, though Tink is still oblivious and thinks she’s getting fat. Tank has been exercising a lot more, around the same amount as before Robotnik’s tyranny. Greg’s been making a lot of new weapons and defences for their new hideout. Tink is pretty much exactly the same and Scorch has come to terms with the loss of his home. This is completely unlike Joe. His depression has taken a turn for the worse. He has been more tired and he hasn’t been thinking straight. He’s done nothing to improve the new hideout and hasn’t talked to anyone in over two weeks. The team have come to the docks to remember the fallen, but Joe wasn’t with them. He didn’t want to go.
“In this ocean, lies the Island of Blue Sea,” Scorch said, starting a short speech, “It’s people, we’re captured by Robotnik and turned into his minions. One day, they will be saved and that day will come soon. We will defeat Robotnik and free the people of Mobius from his rule. But for now, we’ll remember the good times we’ve had on the island we called home.”
Scorch placed a flower in front of a small boulder which had the words ‘In memory of Blue Sea Island’ engraved on it. The rest of the team did the same. None of them were sad; in fact they were all quite happy, reliving the memories in their heads. Scorch was staring at the monument. Katy walked up him.
“You okay?” She asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Scorch replied.
“You don’t look so fine.”
“Damn, you got it out of me,” Scorch sighed, “I’m just concerned about Joe is all.”
“Scorch we all are. He is probably just going through a phase.”
“What phase? All I can see is depression.”
“Hey. Don’t say that about him. He’s probably still grieving over what happened.”
“People don’t grieve for a month, Katy.”
“I think your overreacting.”
“I’m not Katy. I have the responsibility of making sure everyone is alright and well. Joe is not well at all,” Scorch said.
“Yes he is, Scorch,” Katy said sternly.
“No he isn’t. Depression is an illness. Has he spoken to you recently?”
“Well, no.”
“Exactly, he has spoken to anyone in weeks.”
“Hm. Thinking about it now, you might be right,” Katy agreed.
“I am right, I know what depression feels like,” Scorch replied.
“Scorch, don’t think about your past,” Katy said stopping Scorch from thinking about Thorne.
“I won’t get angry. Don’t worry.”
There was a brief pause between the two of them before Katy asked a question which Scorch hadn’t even thought about.
“So, what do you want to call it?” she asked.
“Call what?” Scorch replied.
“The baby.”
“Oh, wow. I haven’t really thought that far ahead yet.”
“Alright, I’ll give it some more time,” Katy sighed.
“What?” Scorch asked, not knowing what Katy’s problem was.
“Do you think this’ll be over before the baby’s born?” she asked.
“I’ll make sure of it, don’t worry,” Scorch replied, kissing Katy on the head.
Chapter 2: Plan of Attack
The Hideout, Robotropolitan Outskirts. Day 51 of the year 3236 – 12 years into Robotnik’s reign.
Forty-three hours remaining...
Five days had passed since the memorial and Joe still was not talking to anyone. The team had gathered at a table located in the centre of an old and destroyed building. The new hideout as neatly hidden by a cloaking device that Greg had made. At the table the team, minus Joe who just sat there noiseless, we’re discussing a new plan to take out one of Robotnik’s bases, which conveniently, was not too far from the hideout.
“Alright guys, this is what we’re going to do,” Katy started, “There’s going to be three teams. Tink and Joe, you guys will go in through the lower entrance and create some distractions so that I and Scorch can plan the bomb. Joe and Tank, you guys will take care of the defence systems. Those will be in plain view of SWATBots, that’s why I’m sending him with you, Greg.”
“Ha. I don’t care who I go with. As long I get to smash some SWATBots, I’m fine,” Tank said excitedly.
“Alright, Tank. Calm down,” Scorch said.
“And guys, this’ll probably be my last mission with you guys, because, well you know,” Katy said smiling.
“What? ‘You’re too fat.’ Come on, Kat, you gotta have a better excuse than that,” Tink said.
“Wow, she’s so dumb,” Greg whispered to himself.
“We’ve told you so many times Tink…” Scorch sighed.
“Huh?” Tink said confused.
“I’m pregnant,” Katy said annoyed at Tink.
“Oh! Right yeah. I keep forgetting that,” she replied.
Everyone in the room but Joe sighed at her. Katy looked at him and said, “Do you understand the plan, Joe?”
He nodded and continued to sit, not making a single sound. Katy hummed in concern over him. His depression was quickly getting worse and there was nothing the team could do about it. Unexpectedly, Joe then got up and walked into his room. It was very dull with grey, stone walls, a single bed and a desk with all of his weapons displayed neatly. He sat on the bed and it the metal springs creaked. He was thinking about his loss of his home. He’d lived there all his life. He grew up there and saw his mother and father get taken for roboticisation there. He had happy memories of it and upsetting memories, but either way, it was still his home. After a few minutes he’d got up. He walked over to the desk where his weapons were. On the left, there was a collection of throwing knives, in the middle a lone laser pistol, and on the right was a taser, modified to completely fry a SWATBot’s power supply. He picked up one of the six knives and held the grip tightly. He thought to him ‘should I do it’. He was considering suicide. He couldn’t cope anymore. He started to lift the blade to his neck until he heard Scorch’s voice.
“Joe, c’mon we’re going,” he yelled.
Joe put the blade back down on the desk and took a deep breath. He looked over at his belt and walked to it. He put it on; making sure it was on tight. He slid the knives into the slots on the belt and put his laser pistol in its holster. He then lifted up the taser. He didn’t do anything with it other than look at it. He then heard Scorch yell for him again so he put the taser into the holder next to his knives and walked out, following closely behind Scorch.
===Chapter 3: Assault===
Sector 7, Robotropolitan Outskirts. Day 51 of the year 3236 – 12 years into Robotnik’s reign.
Forty-two hours remaining...
Robotropolis, Dr. Robotnik’s version of hell. Everything that Mobotropolis was, had been changed, roboticised or destroyed. It was so different from what Scorch and Katy remembered. The towns and markets were all destroyed or replaced by machines. They couldn’t recognise it. It was just too different for them. None of the others had ever lived in Mobotropolis. They were all born and raised on Blue Sea. Robotnik’s base was not too far from the team’s location. They were about another minute’s walk away.
“Scorch, remember that we only have five minutes once we plant that bomb,” Katy said.
“I know. You’ve mentioned this a lot of times now,” Scorch replied.
“Scorch?”
“Yeah?”
“I have a gut feeling one of us isn’t going to make it. I feel like that one of us will be taken prisoner or something,” Katy worried.
“Hey, don’t worry Katy. We’ll get through this unscathed,” Scorch assured.
“You always say that.”
“It’s because it’s true, Katy.”
“It better be because this is our most ambitious mission.”
Behind Katy and Scorch, the others followed closely behind grouped up and talking about things. Joe wasn’t speaking, of course but he still listened.
“There’s gonna be tons of action! Laser, explosions, SWATBots being beaten down and destroyed bases. In short, this is gonna be awesome!” Tink yelled excited to get into the action.
“But remember, Tink, we have an objective. You can still enjoy it but the mission has to be done or else Robotnik will do bad, bad things,” Greg said sort of childishly to Tink.
“I’m ready to kick some robot butt. After what they did to Blue Sea, they deserve a good pummelling,” Tank said punching his fists together.
Katy was very, very concerned about the mission, worrying if everyone would make it or not. But the person she was most worried about was Joe. His condition was not improving and she wondered if putting him with Tink was a good idea.
“Scorch?” Katy said.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Scorch asked walking alongside her.
“Do you think I should’ve put Tink and Joe together?”
“Does it matter?”
“I’m still concerned about Joe and you know Tink she’s a bit… odd,” Katy said trying to be nice.
“Look, Joe might not be talking to people, but he won’t let anything get to him during a battle,” Scorch assured.
“Hm. Just, make sure he’s okay for me.”
Scorch nodded and walked up to Joe. He was walking with his head straight and arms folded.
“Joe, you okay?” Scorch asked.
Joe gave no response. Scorch rested his hand on Joe’s shoulder.
“Joe, if you need anything, just say, alright?”
There was still no response. Not even a gesture. Scorch and the team continued on towards the base and stopped at a wall which surrounded it. Luckily, Greg had made some explosive charges and set them to blow up the wall. The charges were set along the wall and everyone moved away from them. Greg pushed a button on a remote detonator he had and all of the explosives blew up, leaving holes in the wall. Everyone hopped through the holes. The explosions were quite loud and the team were detected.
“Damn it! Okay, split up!” Scorch yelled.
And then everyone headed to their entrances, each of the narrowly missing lasers and rockets flying past them. They all made it inside the base and now it was time for the plan to kick in.
===Chapter 4: Narrowed Down===
Forty-one hours and thirty minutes remaining…
Robotnik’s Base, Robotropolitan Outskirts. Day 51 of the year 3236 – 12 years into Robotnik’s reign.
So far the plan is going quite well. I mean we’ve just alerted every SWATBot known to everything to our position. Nothing too bad. Anyway, Katy and I are on our way to the power supply and the bomb is all set and ready to blow.
“How much further?” Katy asked.
Scorch turned his run into a walk and said, “Usually, I’d be asking you.”
“Yeah, the whole pregnancy thing, I kinda have another person growing inside of me so I’m a little slower.”
“Katy, you shouldn’t have come with us,” Scorch said in concern.
“Yes I should’ve. Look, soon I’m not going to be able to help out as much, so, if I help out now then I won’t have to worry about it later.”
“Still, you should’ve stayed for both yours and the baby’s sake.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Katy sighed, “Too late now, anyway.”
“Let’s go.”
In the Security Room, Greg and Tank were under heavy fire from the SWATBots.
“Greg, how long left? I can’t defend you forever!” Tank yelled.
“Just give me a few more minutes,” Greg replied.
“We don’t have a few more minutes. These guys are attacking in force!”
“Listen, Tank, I’m trying! The shooting, the pressure and you screaming in my ear doesn’t help,” Greg said annoyed at the disruptions.
Then suddenly, a SWATBot had flanked Greg and he didn’t notice. Luckily, Tank picked him up and took him to a safer spot in the room. The SWATBot then fired a laser, not knowing that Greg had been moved. Tank ran to the SWATBot and beat it to pieces whilst yelling at it. Greg walked over to the console.
“Oh no…” Greg said in failure.
“What?” Tank asked.
“That SWATBot shot the control panel. I can’t access any of the base’s security systems.”
“So?”
“So, Tank, now I can’t disable them. Which now means that Scorch and Katy have to get that bomb planted within the next minute before we get horded by SWATBots.”
Two minutes later…
“Yoo-hoo, over here SWAT-y Bot-y!” Tink yelled, charging her arm canon.
Then a laser flashed passed Joe’s face, who was currently stabing a SWATBot’s power core. After the fire fight, came a very brief break.
“So, um, Joe. Y’gonna say anything?” Tink asked.
Joe showed no reaction to Tink’s question, but instead looked down at his knife. He held it tightly in his hand, with the blade pointing at him. He was thinking about it again. He didn’t want to, but something forced him to. Just like his speech. He wanted to tell Tink what was wrong with him, but the words were being shoved down his throat by an imaginary hand.
“Joe?” Tink asked once more, trying to get a word out of him, “Hm. Ah well, let’s get ready to fight some more bots.”
Just as Tink said this, a cold metal hand grabbed her. A SWATBot had captured her. Greg didn’t know as he was still staring at his knife.
“Joe! Help!” Tink yelled with fear.
Then Joe snapped out of his daydream and ran towards Tink. As he was running, though, a SWATBot grabbed him by the arm. He grunted with anger and attempted to release himself. This only made the SWATBot’s grip tighter. They carried Tink and Joe into the cold, metal corridors of Robotnik’s base.
===Chapter 5: Powered Down===
Thirty-six hours remaining...
Robotnik’s Base, Robotropolitan Outskirts. Day 51 of the year 3236 – 12 years into Robotnik’s reign.
I can’t believe I could let Tink get captured. When I looked at my knife, I couldn’t hear the outside. It was just me. I just want to speak to someone, but I can’t. The words are being swallowed by my possessed throat. At least it feels that way. I need to find a way to get me and Tink out of here. I wish I could make a plan up with her, but with my speechlessness and Tink’s… special personality, I can’t really make one. But, plan or not, I will get Tink out of here. She is my friend after all. Once, I hoped she could be more than my friend, but with the way things are going, that can’t happen anymore.
Joe was thinking to himself whilst in a containment cell. He sat on the metal floor with his knees up to his face. He sat for a few more minutes when a giant white light flashed in front of him. No one else was around, so only he saw it. The lighted had finally faded, but Joe was blinded by the light. Out of the blurred image came words of a known enemy.
“Ah, nice to see you, Joe is it?” the voice asked.
Joe grunted recognising the voice.
“You remember don’t you?” the voice asked again, grabbing Joe by the chin, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to kill you yet. I have come to deliver you a message, from me of course.”
As Joe’s vision un-blurred itself, the persona in front of him became clearer and clearer until he saw who it was; Dark Scorch.
“Your fate will soon be found Joe. Very soon in fact. Today, something will happen, and only you have the ability to stop it. I cannot describe this event, for I cannot see it. But know this; soon, I will return and in full force. I will destroy everything in my path and finally fulfil the goal I am meant for. I will find my partner and we will destroy the universe. We cannot and will not be stopped.”
Joe grunted and clenched his fist. He wanted to believe that none of it was true. Dark Scorch stepped back by the door.
“It’s too bad that you’ve been trapped like an animal. We could’ve been goo adversaries,” he said before holding up the last Chaos Emerald that everyone was looking for.
Joe saw it and ran at Dark Scorch, but before he could reach him, Dark Scorch yelled, “Chaos Control!” and had disappeared in a flash. Joe kneeled down, regretting not getting the emerald. He punched the floor with fury, and then returned to his original spot and his original sitting stance. Only this time, he was infuriated with himself.
Meanwhile, the fire fights that Greg and Tank were having had now stopped.
“Whoo! That was one heck of a fight. I loved it!” Tank yelled.
“Stop yelling,” Greg said.
“Sorry,” Tank turned to look at Greg, “So, uh, what do we do now?”
“Well, I could have a look at the control panel again,” Greg suggested.
“But I thought you said it was broken?”
“I did, and I was wrong. I thought about it during that fire fight. If I shut down the base’s power, then all of the security systems would shut off.”
“So, what you’re saying is, you’re going to shut off all of the base’s power and turn off the lights?” Tank asked in concern.
“Yes. Why do ask? You afraid of the dark?” Greg teasingly asked him.
“Pfft, no. A big dog like me isn’t afraid of anything,” Tank said, trying to defend his masculinity.
The two walked over to the sparking console and Greg kneeled down and started to rewire some cables inside the laser hole.
“If I can get the right cables and overpower them with an energy cell, I can overload all of the base’s power,” Greg said.
“Should I tell the others?” Tank asked.
“No, you wouldn’t get all of the facts right. Let me tell them,” Greg said pressing a button on his earpiece with his shoulder.
“Hey, Scorch? You read me?”  Greg asked the earpiece.
Back in a hallway where Scorch and Katy were, there were a collection of laser tripwires. Fortunately, no SWATBots had attacked them. Unfortunately, because of the laser tripwires, they’d made no progress. The two of them were sat on the floor when Scorch pressed his earpiece and answered.
“Finally. I’ve been trying to contact you for the past twenty minutes. Where the hell have you been?” Scorch asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m pretty sure trying to kill a billion SWATBots whilst trying to disable high tech security systems is easy for then, hm?” Greg asked back.
“Really? We’ve had no contact with any SWATBots.”
“Yes, really Scorch. And they shot the security panel to pieces,” Greg stated.
“Great. So what do we do now?” Scorch asked.
“Well now, the only way of getting through the base without being detected is without power.”
“What do you mean?” Scorch asked.
“What I mean is that I’m overloading the base’s power systems. You’d better get a flashlight ready, Greg out.”
Scorch the pressed his earpiece again and looked at Katy.
“So? What going on?” Katy asked.
“Greg’s shutting off the power,” Scorch replied, getting a flashlight from out of his bag.
Then, as soon as he said that, the laser tripwires were disabled and the lights flickered off. Scorch turned on his flashlight and helped Katy get up. Then, they both cautiously walked down the pitch black tunnel.
Joe also noticed that the power had turned off. He knew this because the lock on his door had been released. He got up and carefully walked towards the door. He opened it gently and saw light from the sun shining through the barred roof. Outside his cell was a SWATBot. Outside of every cell was a SWATBot. They’d all noticed him open the door in an escape attempt. Joe quickly scanned the jail cells for Tink but saw no sign of her before running from the incoming laser fire.
===Chapter 6: That's Not Right...===
Thirty-five hours remaining…
Robotnik’s Base, Robotropolitan Outskirts. Day 51 of the year 3236 – 12 years into Robotnik’s reign.
I’m scared. Joe isn’t with me. I mean, the power went out after we were locked up so I escaped. I should’ve at least tried to find him. Wait a sec, it’s Joe. He’s pretty much a ninja, sort of. He can handle himself.  I haven’t found any SWATBots which is good, but also bad. I think that the other guys are being shot at. Wait, Tink, stop. Positive, be positive. I’m sure their fine and I’ll be fine too. I just gotta meet up with the other guys and I’ll be fine.
Tink, still scared walked along the dark corridors, alone. The only protection she had was the laser canon that had she attached to herself. She kept on hearing noises through her communicator but it was only static. As she continued to walk through the corridors, she started to hear footsteps. But it wasn’t the normal metallic clunking of a SWATBot’s foot. It sounded like shoes hitting the ground. Tink quickly took cover, not knowing who it was. She peeked over her cover and saw two dark silhouettes running at her. As the silhouettes became clearer and clearer, she started to quickly recognise them.
“Scorch! Katy!” Tink yelled running at Katy, ready to give her a hug.
“Tink, why isn’t Joe with you?” Scorch asked.
“Well first, we were battling some SWATBots and me and Joe were like bosses and we blew ‘em all up. Then, some more came, but we didn’t know. One grabbed me and Joe came to help, but he got grabbed too.”
“So, you’re saying that you and Joe got captured?” Katy asked.
“Yep.”
“So, where’s Joe now?” Scorch asked.
“Umm, I don’t know,” Tink said regretfully.
“We need to find him now then,” Scorch said.
“Alright, let’s go,” Katy said.
One hour later…
Tank and Greg were in a firefight. They were trapped between the control room and the corridors that Scorch, Katy and Tink were in.
“Really, more?” Greg said looking at the sheer amounts of SWATBots.
“Ha, ha. More to destroy,” Tank said happily.
As Tank and Greg were destroying SWATBots, Greg received a word from Scorch.
“Scorch, I’m a bit busy,” he said with laser beams flying past his head, “Please leave a message after the beep. Beep.”
“Greg, this isn’t the time to be playing games. Joe’s gone missing,” Scorch replied.
“Wait, what?”
“Joe’s gone missing and we can’t find him.”
“Well, I would like to help, but we have a little bit of a pest problem.”
“So I see,” Scorch replied.
As Scorch said this over the comms, a massive laser beam flew past Tank and Greg, destroying all of the nearby SWATBots. After that, the others walked into the room with them.
“You’re welcome,” Tink said.
“C’mon, we have to find Joe,” Katy said in worry.
Then the four of them ran down the corridor with only two flashlights to guide them down it.
Chapter 7:
===Chapter 8===
===Chapter 9===
===Epilogue===
==Other Books==
The Scorch Stories: Book 1
The Scorch Stories: Book 2
The Scorch Stories: Book 3
The Scorch Stories: Book 4
Category:Fanfiction