Pinsponge's Triple Strike

**Pinsponge's Triple Strike** is the sixth episode of the spin-off series Shard's Journey.

## Characters:

* Miles "Tails" Prower
* Cream the Rabbit
* Shard the Hedgehog
* NICOLE
* Geoffrey St. John (First mentioned, not named)
* Payback Fox
* Rosemary Prower
* Amadeus Prower
* Merlin Prower (Does not speak)
* Brandon Mutt
* Socrates Ramada (First appearance)
* Daily Square staff: (First appearance)
	+ Boss
	+ Trisha
	+ Daryl
	+ Mitch
* Doctor Eggman (Voice only)
* E-17 Pinsponge (First appearance)

## Plot

The episode begins with Shard entering the building for Station Square's main newspaper, the Daily Square. He sees a "help wanted" ad and wants to apply for a job there.

Meanwhile, at the Prowers' cottage, NICOLE is keeping the house tidy while the Prowers are looking for their son-slash-nephew and she hears her internal communicator going off, realizing it's Shard. She asks how the interview went and he reveals it went nicely. Shard needs to wait and see if he got a job offer there or not and he comments that it was nice of Rosemary to make the internal communicators for him and NICOLE, saying it's easier than waiting to see each other face to face. Shard tells NICOLE he'll be at the cottage soon and NICOLE disconnects, realizing she needs to recharge by eating donuts Rosemary left for her on the table. Shard enters moments later and tells NICOLE that he did turn in his application and he took a picture of it before turning it in. NICOLE uses her ponytail nanites to see into Shard's recent memories and she sees the application barely has anything on it. This was due to Shard's lack of memories, and NICOLE advises Shard to just wait as he had previously said he would do.

The next day, Shard gets a call that he did indeed get the job and starts tomorrow at 6:00 AM sharp. NICOLE is very happy for Shard and the next day, he heads to work as planned. The boss tells Shard he'll be starting as a janitor and at noon, poor Shard is already tired. He hears the reporters, Trisha and Mitch talking to the editor, Daryl, about the headline for tomorrow's paper. They think that doing one on the Freedom Fighters cleaning Station Square would work - to which Shard is excited to hear them being put in the paper - but, Daryl thinks that they've been doing so much on them lately and they need something else. Mitch suggests they do a report on an invention by Socrates Ramada, which is an Infinicase which can store just about anything and still be light enough to carry. He demonstrates by pulling out a folding chair bigger than the case itself. Daryl then realizes they can't put on the front page due to moving companies feeling their livelihood being threatened, which could turn ugly, getting the group to go back to the Freedom Fighter story. Daryl comments that since the Freedom Fighters arrived on Earth, there has been no end to interesting stories, save for the six-month dry spell.

Suddenly, Shard's communicator goes off and he rushes into a nearby closet to hear the call is coming from NICOLE. He explains he's already tired of being a janitor and had to clean the building from top to bottom six times in the last hour. NICOLE asks Shard what she can do to help and he admits the call they're having is helping to calm his nerves. Shard then tells NICOLE he was told by Rosemary that working in Station Square will help him keep a pulse on it, but, asks why he's starting as a janitor. NICOLE admits that he didn't have much on the application, which could be the reason, and she explains about a robot seen on the outskirts of Station Square. Shard asks how he can deal with the problem without skipping work and NICOLE explains that he can slip out in a one hour lunch break that she found out while hacking into the computers there. NICOLE also suggests testing out the pneumatic transport the Prowers installed, but Shard insists he can walk.

At lunch break, Shard races to the Prowers' cottage and NICOLE explains the robot is E-17 Pinsponge in Silver Valley. After NICOLE transmits the coordinates, Shard races to Silver Valley. Down there, Pinsponge is melting away trees by using acid at it and Shard silently sneaks up on him. Unfortunately, he hears Eggman's voice echoing in his head, but, some crackling of fireballs Pinsponge throws at him breaks the transmission. He transforms to his Robian form and punches Pinsponge in the face, but, much to his surprise, he absorbs the blow. Pinsponge reveals he's been made of metal, sponges, and cacti to resist heavy blows like that. He then grows a cactus out of his hand and tries to stab Shard, but, thankfully, NICOLE teleports on the scene just in time to make a force field. NICOLE has a plan in mind be needs Shard to trust her to use it. She copies his Cyber End technique so the two can use it on Pinsponge at the same time. NICOLE lowers her shield and they do just that, seemingly defeating Pinsponge for good. NICOLE notes how she recharged before arrived on the scene and she realizes lunch break ends in five minutes. Shard dashes back to the Daily Square and NICOLE teleports home.

NICOLE teleports home to see the Prowers with Tails and Cream in tow, Rosemary thanking NICOLE for keeping the place tidy. NICOLE then expresses concern for Shard's new job, but, Rosemary and Amadeus say it would be best to give Shard support during the tough time. Tails asks why Shard doesn't come back to the Thorndyke Mansion, to which his dad replies that he feels it's too soon and his mom adds he'll come back in due time. Shard returns to the Daily Square while that's going on and the boss tells him to clean up everyone's mess after lunch.

In the evening, Shard is very tired and Cream gives him a flower crown. Shard's a bit confused, but, thanks her for it and Tails comments Shard's a hero. Shard doesn't think so as he walks away and Tails wonders how they can help him see that he *is* a hero.

The next day at noon, a shocked NICOLE realizes Pinsponge is back in the desert in one piece and explains to Tails about how she thought she and Shard took him out yesterday. Shard meanwhile is about to clean Daryl's office and the latter isn't very respectful toward him at all. Trisha comes in and explains about a Mobian skunk terrorizing the town as today's "hot tip" to write down. Daryl then hears Shard's communicator beeping, to which he makes up the excuse that "his tea is in the microwave" before rushing to the men's bathroom to answer his call. Shard realizes it's from Rosemary and he asks if it's about the Mobian skunk, but, she explains the Chaotix are already on the case for that. She then tells him NICOLE's news regarding Pinsponge down near Area 99. He said he'll dash back to the cottage to get some Shield Capsules, but, Rosemary insists he use the secret pneumatic transport tube as there's no time.

A reluctant Shard hopes into the tube, making sure he wasn't being watched, and screamed as he is propelled forward. He is fired from the other end of the tube and lands right into a wall on the other side of the room, upside down with his back to the wall. Rosemary hands Shard a Fire Shield to use against Pinsponge and he heads out toward Area 99.

Down at Area 99, Pinsponge sprays his acid at the fence while Shard kicks his head off in his Robian form. Pinsponge's body tries to find its head and the head calls out to its body, only to realize that the head's the one with audio sensors. Pinsponge explains he can disable and reassemble his body parts whenever he wants to as well as teleport. His head can also be a weapon, which is shown once Pinsponge's body finally finds his head and the head is kicked at Shard, only for his head to bounce away. Shard feels that while he can't remember all his battles, this is the weirdest one so far. He blasts the body pieces of Pinsponge and he responds it isn't over, to which Shard feels he's right. Shard dashes back to the Daily Square for work.

In the evening, Shard is exhausted once more and NICOLE advises he gets some rest, so, he retreats to his guest room. NICOLE, Cream, and the Prowers all have a meeting about what to do about Pinsponge to dispose of him for good and Tails has an idea: if NICOLE copies some of his uncle Merlin's fire powers to use on Pinsponge to dry his moisture, Shard can then finish him off.

The next day, NICOLE explains the plan to Shard and he admits it may work. Speaking of work, Shard had to get to it and dashes off. At noon, Payback is doing some chores outside near her hut she built herself, tending to some peach trees specifically, when she hears Pinsponge appear out of nowhere and growing cacti from his arms. NICOLE and Shard arrive to make a fire around Pinsponge, being careful not to burn down any trees and Shard uses his Cyber End technique to finish him off. NICOLE finds a microchip with a Power Gem in it, realizing that is how Pinsponge was able to disassemble, reassemble, and teleport himself. After removing the Power Gem, Shard destroys the rest of the microchip. NICOLE and Shard introduce themselves to Payback and vice versa, as well as apologize for any potential damage they could have done to her house. Payback explains she made the house out of things in nature and while it isn't much, it does shelter her. NICOLE and Shard then had to go, with Shard reverting to his organic form, much to Payback's surprise. She notes things won't be quiet around here anymore.

NICOLE returns home and explains the plan worked, leaving Tails' parents impressed and Tails himself being hugged by Cream. NICOLE also reveals the Power Gem, saying it gave her energy a slight charge and she decides to keep it with her as it's got limitless power like a Chaos Emerald even though it's not as powerful. NICOLE then makes a brooch out of nanites to put her Power Gem into and pins it to her dress.

That evening, poor Shard is exhausted once more and takes notes of the new brooch NICOLE is sporting. He's glad that someone is using it with more mercy, and NICOLE asks if she looks good with the brooch on. Shard says she does and NICOLE smiles as the episode ends.

## Trivia

* The tube that Shard travels down somewhat resembles that of what Perry the Platypus travels down in *Phineas and Ferb*. However, they were intended to be a reference to *The Cartoon Adventures of LarryBoy.*
* Brandon Mutt explains things like how the humans are background humans in Sonic X or why NICOLE is using her ponytail to touch Shard's forehead.