Angel Island Beach

[Gail Strafer]

The SWATbot pilot continued to jerk his stick back and forth, trying his darnedest to get the rudder unjammed. It watched the water below approaching closer, closer, and closer, but still couldn't get it to work properly. At long last, just as the underbelly of the pod splashed across the water, the rudder finally came unstuck.

Now that it had control again, the SWATbot turned the ship back towards the beach to catch up with the intruders. However, the rudder malfunction caused it to get rather far out in the water, meaning it would need a few moments to catch up and attack the intruders again. By that time all of them would be on land.

---

Even after Gerald's explanation, Gail felt deeply afraid of letting this water thing handle him like this. In fact, seeing it project itself all the way to Chadin made him even more terrified of it. Imagine if this thing wasn't on their side or it started to run rampant. There'd be no way to defend yourself against it or cross a body of water without being at its mercy.

"I really, really don't trust this thing Gerald," Gail growled, still trying to look tough in spite of being afraid. "I remember the Chaos incident. Robotnik thought Chaos was on his side too, and then look what happened! Chaos turned on Robotnik, destroyed his Egg Carrier II, and then destroyed Station Square. Aren't you a little afraid history could repeat itself?"

But by this time the pair of them had reached the beach. As soon as the wolf could feel his feet dragging in the sand, he shook hard to get the artificial water being to let go, and sprinted through the surf as fast as he could to reach dry land. Breathing hard, he let himself rest a moment, before turning back to see where the SWATpod was.

[Chadin]

I gulped down some sea water when the water creature grabbed my hand and started pulling me through the water whilst my mouth hung open in shock. But one we hit the shore, I crawled up on shore and started coughing up all the water while trying to catch my breath.

"What the heck was that thing!!!" I managed to sputter out between hacking up water and gasps for air.

[Gerald Robotnik]

“You mean to tell me that….that….IDIOT tried to use a being of rage and expected to HELP him!?” Gerald exclaimed out in anger and shock. He slapped his forehead in anger, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing; low mutters and grumbles came out before he calmed down. ”-This isn’t the same thing; but the creature you talked about is what it’s based after. I had a problem with these things at first, but I worked out the kinks…”

He..did? Gerald shook it out of his head. There was no time to think about it, he just had to accept what came out of his mouth. He walked out of the surface and onto the beach; his artificial Chaos following right behind him. Coming out of the water people would be able to see it’s real form. It looked like Chaos 0, but with no definite arms or legs. It looked more like a small column of water with a Chaos head attached to it. Instead of a pink brain, most of the top of its head was metal.

The people carried by the Artificial Chaos would notice that were-ever the thing grabbed them was completely dry; unless they did something to get the area wet again.

Gerald looked at his hand astonished, as unlike the rest of his body it was completely dry. He looked over at his other hand which was wet along with his arm and then looked up at the artificial Chaos. He went over to it, looking at it somewhat strange as it continued to only look forward. Curious, he put his wet arm through the liquid body (after putting the strange metal box under his other arm) and then pulled it out. Surprisingly instead of being wet it was completely dry. Not just his skin but his clothes too!

“Well, I can see a lot more uses for you other than a sentry!” Gerald joyful said, placing his hands on his hips.

Seeing Chadin rising up from the surf and onto the beach, Gerald couldn’t help but feel a little bad.

“It’s an Artificial Chaos. It’s like a robot, but its body is made out of liquefied Chaos Energy. Which, of course uses water to make…”

[Vanessa Blue]

Vanessa landed on the beach with much more impact then any one of the others. Kicking up a wall of sand as she briefly skidded to a halt. Not surprising that the cat found a way to avoid water, even though she didn't dis like the water. She even had on a two piece under her clothes.

"Oi, Glow-face, Thinker What are we gonna do?" she called to her two friends.

[Jijeka-Te]

Ji stepped back slightly as Vanessa touched down.

(Ji) "Glow-face? Thinker?"
(Anu) "Just forget it, Your Highness."

[Gail Strafer]

Man, that thing looks creepy...

Gail watched as the Artificial Chaos slowly slinked out of the water and stood still on the beach, not moving at all. Then Gerald reached into it, and the wolf feared what that would cause, but it didn't appear to do anything. In fact, his arm wasn't even wet, if he interpreted that smile on the doctor's face correctly.

Gail of course observed his own arm, but he'd been splashing and thrashing around so much in the water he couldn't tell a difference. Not to mention he didn't feel like testing what Gerald did himself.

So he resumed watching for the SWATpod. In the distance, he could see a dark dot approaching. That would probably it. He hoped the captain had made it out okay, or they'd need to find their own way off the island.

Vanessa called off in the distance about Glow-Face and Thinker, and he guessed she was referring to Chadin and Gerald. Instead of waiting for them to answer, since time was of the essence, he answered for them.

"We should get into the trees! That flying thing is coming back again! Maybe we can hide from it instead of having to fight it!"

And with that, he took off up the beach and into the underbrush. Normally he'd berate himself for such a cowardly course of action, but even to him, taking on that thing seemed foolish since he couldn't shoot up in the air like Vanessa.

[Chadin]

*cough* "Doc, I'd love to talk more about your new friend here, but I think Gail is right. We need to take this fight into the trees or we'll be sitting ducks out here on this beach; c'mon!!" I scrambled to my hooves as best I could and ran for the trees. Sadly, these dainty little hooves of mine are great for traversing deep snow or thick woodland, but on sand, well... deer just weren't made for life on a beach. If I could just reach the woods, I'd be in my true element. Then I'll give that Swat-pod a run for it's money.

[Gerald Robotnik]

“Uhh, right…” Gerald replied, somewhat awkwardly as he began to run to the trees before stopping and turning around.

The artificial chaos was following him, but at a snails pace. Now that it was on land it couldn’t move nearly as fast as it could in the water. He turned back around, and went over to him; sporting a frown. He looked left and right as though he was in a hurry, trying to think of a way for the thing to travel faster.


“Hmm, can you get on me?” He mused, as he was looking at the thing.

Though he was musing, the artificial Chaos took it as an order. He practically gloped Gerald; it’s whole body covering upper torso. Gerald gave a strange face, not knowing how to react.


“Aauuuurrgh! This feels just plain weird!!”


But he didn’t have time to react, trying to ignore the feeling of the artificial chaos enveloping his body, he started to run towards the trees once again.

"And why does everyone keep calling me a Doctor or a Profressor if I'm not one?!"

[Vanessa Blue]

Unlike the rest, Vanessa was still facing away from the trees. Taking cover hadn't even entered the felines mind. Leaning to the left and then to the right. The blue blaze decided her next course of action was to stretch. Something she did often after a power attack, the shock on her bones left her with a dull ache. Though like always she'd ignore it.

"Why are they bumbling towards the trees? He's clearly over there!" Vanessa noted the pod over the ocean. "Ready..." the cat was talking to herself as she leaned into a runner's start.

[Jijeka-Te]

Ji and her adviser had flown into the trees ahead of the others. They looked Vanessa over from a distance once they were in hiding.

(Anu) "Perhaps we should go and get her..."
(Ji) "No. I think she needs to realize the folly of her actions for herself. Besides, this'll be fun to watch."
(Anu) "Well, if you're sure, Your Highness."