tor?...Tails?...Are y'all in here?" "SURPRISE!!!" Bunnie was shocked. Sonic came up to her and put his hand on her robotic shoulder. "Happy Birthday Bunnie!" "My stars! I thought everyone forgot about it!" Bunnie exclaimed. "How could we forget your Sweet Sixteen?" Sally smiled. "I have made you a cake, Bun-nie. It ees zee famous "Cake de Antoine"! Antoine grinned. Bunnie began to cry. "I can't believe y'all went to this trouble!" "Don't cry!" Dulcy exclaimed, "We haven't even opened the presents!" "Sorry." Bunnie sniffled. Tails came up to Bunnie and handed her a good sized box. "Open mine first!" Tails barked happily. "Sure thing, sugar!" Bunnie said as she started to open it. Inside the box she found a device. "It's a journal, Aunt Bunnie," Tails explained, "Now you don't have to write with a pen. All you have to do is talk to it and it prints out what you say!" "Why, Tails, hon! How'd you make this?" Bunnie wondered. "Aunt Sally's been teaching me some things." he smiled. "Hey, Bunnie! Open my present next!" Sonic interrupted. "Okay, sugarhog." Bunnie grinned as she teared the paper off of the flat object. Inside was a beautiful painting of all the Knothole Freedom Fighters, clustered by the sliding tree. "Why, Sonic! This is beautiful!" "I do have other occupations other than being a Freedom Fighter." the blue hedgehog grinned. She opened Dulcy's next. It was a display of her first expedition when she was twelve. "Thank you Dulcy!" exclaimed Bunnie. "No problem." the dragon said, flapping her wings. Sally stood up. "This next present is from Rotor and me." she said as she handed a small box to the cybunny. Inside the box was a replica of Nicole. "Her name is Sarah. She has many of the programs Nicole has, plus a few more. She talks in English' too...Try her out!" Rotor smiled. "Gosh...what should I ask?" Bunnie whispered. "Ask her to display a picture of Robotropolis." Dulcy replied. "Sarah, I'd like to see a display of Robotropolis." In a voice not as low as Nicole's, she spoke. "One moment, Bunnie." Suddenly a display of Robotnik's paradise was shown. "Oooh...I could get to like this!" Bunnie giggled. "It also has a telecommunicator. This way, if we need to go on a mission together, we can still keep in contact." Sally smiled. Last was Antoine. "Ta-dah! Zees is a copy of zee recipe book handed down in my familee. I want vou to have eet!" "Antoine...I don't know what to say..." the rabbit smiled and went up to Antoine and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed. "Oooh! Well! Would you like a copy as well, my preencess?" Antoine grinned hopefully towards Sally. "Maybe another time Antoine." she rolled her eyes. After everyone was finished they ate Antoine's cake. They danced and sang songs sung by the citizens of Mobotropolis many years before. Pretty soon, everyone was in his or her own hut and fast asleep. Night had seemed to have come much faster when they were having fun. Bunnie was awoken by the cooing of the messenger bird, summoned by Uncle Chuck. She called for the bird and it landed on her windowsill. She opened the container on it's leg and read the note. "Oh my stars!" she gasped. Bunnie ran over to Sally's bed. "Wake up, Sally-girl!" the rabbit exclaimed as she lightly tapped the sleeping princess' shoulder. Sally was up in a second. "Bunnie, what's wrong?" Bunnie handed her the note. Sally's eyes fled over the paper. "Oh my gosh!" Sally gasped. She and Bunnie then got dressed and ran to Sonic's hut. Bunnie decided to take Sarah with her. A groggy hedgehog opened the hut's door. "Sonic!" Bunnie cried, "Robotnik wants to make me his queen!" Sonic lit up. "WHAT?!" "Uncle Chuck just sent us this letter, it explains everything." Sally told him. "Why Bunnie?" "I don't know..." Suddenly Bunnie's legs and arm emitted a soft yellow glow. "Wh-what's happening to me?" Bunnie cried. It was then when she ran out of the hut towards the meadow. Sonic and Sally ran after her. "Bunnie!" Sonic yelled. "Help me Sally! I can't control my legs!" she wailed. Sonic had caught up next to Bunnie and would've grabbed her, but he remembered that her robotic parts gave her the strength she had, and Sonic didn't want to mess with that power. "What could be causing this, Sal?" Sonic asked. "Maybe, when the roboticization process took place, a homing device was planted in Bunnie. It didn't function until now, when Robotnik wanted her." Sally explained. "So, you're sayin' that ol' Bullethead planted something in Bunnie?" Sonic translated. "Exactly." "Then how do we get rid of it?" Sonic questioned. "I don't know. One thing I do know, is that we should see Uncle Chuck as soon as we can. He'd know more about this than we do." Sally replied. "But what about Bunnie?" "We'll let her go into Robotnik's domain, and I'm sure that's where she's headed, and we'll have her play robot with Robotnik himself and then we'll take her off." "Just hope he doesn't do a brainscan, Sal." "That's what I hope." Sally then yelled towards Bunnie, "Bunnie! We're letting you go to Robotnik. You'll be safe, don't worry. Anyway he want's you there. What I want you to do though is to keep contact with us through Sarah, but you have to act as if you're under mind control with Robotnik You've got it?" "I'll try Sally-girl. Just promise y'all will bring me back soon." Bunnie told the two as she ran towards Robotropolis. "Freedom Fighter's Honor, Bunnie!" Sonic grinned. "We'll be back Bunnie! I Promise." Sally reassured her, and with that, Sonic and Sally headed off to Uncle Chuck. * * * "So, do you know anything on this, Sir Charles?" Sally asked, politely. "Why, yes. I remember, before Sonic brought me to reality, an urge to take me back to Robotropolis whenever I had strayed. Especially that time I tried to kidnap Antoine and little Tails, it was really strong then. Let me run a certain program I created on installations and programmings of the roboticization process. I wrote everything that could possibly happen when an individual is being roboticized." Uncle Chuck then proceeded to tap around the keyboard for a second before finding what he needed. A big display was shown on the monitor. "Whoa! Mondo complicated, Unc!" Sonic exclaimed. "Entirely, but this is what we need to know." Uncle Chuck explained. Sally ripped out Nicole and had her copy the entire file. "File copy completed, Sally." she said. "I'll try to find out more about Robotnik's plans, but now I have to get back to my station. They'll suspect of something if I'm not there." Uncle Chuck turned to his nephew, "I love you,Sonic." "I love you too, Unc...C'mon, Sal'! It's time to get loose and juice." "Bye, Uncle Chuck. Thank you." Sally smiled as she hopped in Sonic's arms. In a half-second they were out of there. * * * "Ah..." sighed Robotnik, "It worked." Bunnie droned her voice and stared into nothingness. "Awaiting orders, sir." "I will not be giving you any orders, my dear girl. You...will be my queen." Bunnie cringed on the inside upon the thought of having to live with Robotnik the rest of her life. Snively spoke up. "Sir, shall I do a brainscan on her?" "No need Snively, the device has done it's job. Take her to the holding cell. There we will have her spruced up." Robotnik explained. "Contacting Escort, sir." replied Snively. "Good," thought Bunnie, "They think I'm brainwashed. Sally will be glad to hear that." Two Swat-bots then picked up Bunnie by the arms and took her to her cell. * * * Sonic reached the main entrance to the Death Egg in about three seconds. Sally let go of Sonic's shoulders and messed with the control panel located to the side of the door. In a minute the doors opened. Sonic grabbed Sally and rushed into an open air vent. Soon they found themselves over the holding cells. Sally removed the vent cover and jumped inside an empty cell. With the door open, they began their search for their friend. * * * Back at Knothole, Rotor was becoming restless. "Dulcy, where could they be?" he asked the dragon. "Beats me, Rotor, but as long as Sonic's with them I wouldn't count on any trouble." "I zeenk they abandoned us!" Antoine exclaimed. "Get real, Tony!" Dulcy scolded. "I wish Sonic had told me about it, I would've gone." Tails muttered. "C'mon Tails, I'll play air tag with ya!" Dulcy tried to cheer up the little cub. "Okay." he said, and he and Dulcy flew off. * * * Inside her holding cell, Bunnie was being dressed by Swat-bots into a very ugly red, yellow, and black dress. The bots were finally finished with her preparations and left the cell. Bunnie waited a good minute or two to pick up Sarah. "Sarah, locate Sally and link up the communication mode." Bunnie whispered. "Locating...individual found. Setting up communication." droned Sarah. Sonic and Sally were passing the western cell blocks when Sally received the message. "Bunnie! Are you alright?" exclaimed Sally. "Couldn't be better Sally-girl. It's just this dress looks disgusting!" Bunnie replied. "I must admit, Robotnik does have bad taste!" Sonic intervened. Bunnie heard the hedgehog. "Hiya sugarhog!" "Hang in there Bunnie, we're almost there." "Okay--Oh my stars! Someone's coming." Bunnie gasped. The transmission was lost. "Sonic, we've got to do something." Sally persisted. "Wait a Sonic Second..." Sonic thought for a moment, "...Yeah! C'mon Sal, we're outta here." "Where are we going?" Sally questioned. "Trust me." was all that Sonic said. "I hate it when you say that..." * * * "Ah, my queen." Robotnik said as he watched Bunnie standing there holding Sarah, "You've duped us all." "I wonder why it was so easy, you cottonball!" Bunnie snapped. "Oh but it wasn't...for you see, " he paused dramatically, "I heard your whole conversation with the Princess." "How?" "You didn't think I wasn't cautious, did you? You see, all the cells are built with tiny microphones installed in the walls. That way, no prisoner can plan their escapes out loud." "What if they don't talk?" "That's what these are for." Robotnik said, pointing to a surveillance orb floating above him. "You're gonna pay for this Robotnik!" Bunnie threatened. "I don't see how. I can only wonder why your little friends' haven't arrived yet. Have they abandoned you?" "In your dreams, butterball." Robotnik turned to his two Swat-bots. "Take her away." * * * Sonic arrived at Knothole in three seconds. He then proceeded to tell the Freedom Fighters what had happened to Bunnie. "That's horrible! Not even a day after her birthday and she's being tortured." cried Rotor. "I'll come with you Sonic, you might need my help." Dulcy said. "I'm coming too!" barked Tails. Sally began to hesitate but quickly realized that Tails was now one of the Freedom Fighters. Officially. "Dulcy, you take Sally and Tails. Rotor, I'm gonna need your help." "Whatever you say Sonic." Rotor smiled. * * * Back in the Death Egg, Robotnik's Swat-bots were leading Bunnie to the Roboticizer. "Let me go, you wire-brains!" Bunnie struggled. Suddenly Sonic burst into the room with Rotor on his shoulder. "HEDGEHOG PRIORITY ONE! HEDGEHOG PRIORITY ONE!" droned the Swat-bots and dropped Bunnie on the floor. Rotor ran and picked her up. "Nice dress, Bunnie." Rotor smirked. "Can it!" Ten more bots filled the room and began to chase after Sonic. Sonic's plan was to lead the bot patrol to outside towards Dulcy where she would blast them away with a breath of fire. Rotor's job was to take a dummy of Bunnie, place it in the Roboticizer, and activate it. Bunnie quickly got out of her dress and put it on the dummy. "Robotnik's really gonna be steamed when he finds this in my place!" Bunnie smiled. "Ol' chrome dome won't know the difference until he comes in to check on you." Rotor explained. Bunnie paused as Rotor pushed some buttons on the Roboticizer, "Say, sugar, who's plan was this anyway?" "Tails'." replied Rotor. Bunnie smiled. "He's all grown up, isn't he?" * * * Outside Dulcy was finishing off the remainder of the bot patrol. Tails and Sally were working on destroying the power generator. "We need to shut it down, then Dulcy can destroy it." Sally told Tails as he stood next to the grid-interlock. Tails then set to finding the password to shut down the system. "Got it, Aunt Sally!" barked Tails, proudly. "Good job honey! This should shut down Robotnik for a few days!" Sally smiled. * * * The Roboticizer remained on-line, due to a back-up generator. Inside, the dummie was ready and roboticized. Bunnie and Rotor had already left when Robotnik showed up. "Ah, I see we're--" Robotnik gasped, "Where in the-? SECURITY! Search the area! I want that girl!" Robotnik stood there, steaming, "When I do find her, she'll pay greatly before I roboticize her..." * * * As Rotor and Bunnie were escaping, Rotor decided ask Bunnie some things. "Do you have any idea why he wanted you as a queen?" he asked. "I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with my strength. Either that, or he would have tried to emotionally scar Sally." "Good point. Man, Robotnik sure pick the wrong rabbit to mess with!" smiled Rotor. "Sugar, I bet you say that to all the girls!" Bunnie blushed. Soon they were outside and Sally ran up to her best friend. "Bunnie! I'm so glad you're okay!" Sally smiled and gave Bunnie a hug. Suddenly swarms of bots surrounded everyone. "Oh no!" gasped Tails. Sonic turned to his little fox friend. "Wanna help me kick some bot-butt?" "Yeah!" he smiled and flew into the air. Sonic thrashed through the ground patrol, while Tails eluded the sky patrol into running into each other, smashing them to the ground. Rotor, Sally, Bunnie and Dulcy took this time to escape. When most of the bots had vanished, Sonic motioned for Tails to come down and land. Doing so, Tails grabbed onto Sonic's shoulders and then they were out of there. * * * "Oh my stars, that was the most peculiar thing that cue-ball has ever done!" gasped Bunnie as she sat with her friends by the ring pool. "You're right, Bunnie. I've never seen anything so stupid in my life. He's got Snively, what else does he need?" Sonic grinned. "Taste, sugar, definately taste." They all laughed. "Rotor, there's one thing I wanna ask you." smiled Bunnie,"Do you really think that he messed with the wrong rabbit." "Of course." said Rotor. "Thank you, sugar. To this cybunny, that compliment meant a lot." "In what way?" asked Sally. "Well, I just feel helpless and all, with me bein' partially Roboticized. I need a good compliment every once and a while. It's weird being different. As a matter of fact, I don't know why he didn't choose a normal girl." replied Bunnie. "Bunnie, you are normal. It's not your appearance that matters." Dulcy piped in. Bunnie paused for a moment and then looked up at Dulcy. "You're right sugar-dragon." "We all love ya." Bunnie was startled to hear this. It hadn't come from Sonic, Sally, Rotor, Dulcy, or Tails. It had come from Sarah. "What the hoo-haw is goin on here?" Sally giggled. "I told Nicole to make her say that!" "Sally-girl! You scared the hair off me! For a second there, I thought that Sarah here was alive!" laughed Bunnie. All was well in Knothole. THE END!