Sonic The Hedgehog #77

Featured stories[]

Synopsis[]

Sonic and the Chaotix who are following Sonic in the Beat Monster arrive at the White Park Chateau in White Park Zone. Vector doubts Clutch would actually return to his stomping grounds after what happened to Restoration HQ, while Charmy wants to go to the amusement park, but is said no by his lead detective. As they park close the chateau, Sonic realizes the avalanche that attacked it the last time he was there was cleared away and place seems repaired, but the place also seems abandoned. Charmy then spots someone's silhouette on the window. So the boys immediately bust in to the place. Inside, the chateau is empty, only with may deactivated Egg Pawns lying around, Sonic uses his speed to look over the place and finds that many rooms are locked while others are empty, he only didn't check the kitchen, wanting to get some food. But then the boys hear a voice behind them and find Rough and Tumble wearing fancy clothing. As Rough rings a bell, the Egg Pawns suddenly activate and attack Sonic & the Chaotix, who fight back. Espio manages to take down some bots with his kunai, while Vector holds one still and then finds Charmy playing with a board game called "Half-Pipes and Pulleys", which he seems to be fond of. Seeing the Egg Pawns aren't enough to take down the heroes, the skunk brothers decide to "come out of retirement" and attack as well. Rough attacks Espio while Tumble attempts to attack Vector, the two Chaotix tear up the skunks' clothing, much to their exasperation.

Sonic puts an end to the fight and Vector asks the skunks why they are doing it if they quit Clutch. The brothers respond they are now legitimate businessmen, and that instead of working for Clutch, the latter is now working for them. While Charmy congratulates them, the others don't believe the duo. But then Clutch, completely well and unharmed, calls their attention. He shows to actually be serving the skunk brothers, as he calls them "misters" and asks for their permission to talk to the boys. Rough and Tumble allow him to and order him to clean up after. The Chaotix and Sonic believe it might be a trap but decide to go on anyway, while Vector orders Charmy to put the board game back, which the latter refuses. They follow Clutch to his penthouse suit as he sits down asks what they want after already ruining his life. Sonic asks him to answer for the destruction of Restoration HQ, which the elder replies that it was a pyrrhic victory and that the Restoration didn't lose anything valuable, while he himself lost everything. Sonic then asks what happened to him after Eggman took him away from their fight during the Clean Sweepstakes; Clutch responds that he escaped from Eggman as soon as he got distracted, but the heroes (except Charmy) still don't believe him.

Clutch then admits he overplayed his hands during the Clean Sweepstakes, so he did the "reasonable" and "smart" thing to do and ran away and hid. Vector calls out that hiding in the first place they would look for doesn't seem "smart", which Clutch replies the chateau was his haven and that the heroes didn't find him directly. The crocodile then asks why he still has Egg Pawns and Rough and Tumble with him. Annoyed, Clutch handles the heroes the deed to White Park Chateau, showing he signed the place over to the skunk brothers, as well as terms of his employment during their ownership, after the brothers went to him wanting a payback. He also claims the egg-tech are leftovers stock from when he ran operations in the place. Espio then demands to know why Clean Sweep Inc. is still operating. The opossum responds it's operating thanks to his automated robots, also claiming that most of his living being employees abandoned him after he was exposed. Sonic asks if there are maintenance bots, while Vector still has doubts, while calls the opossum rotten. Clutch claims the heroes have won as they beat him when he tried to get back into the game and that it is all over. Charmy feels remorse for Clutch, while Espio tells him not to. With this, Clutch gives Sonic a paper with the address of the nearest operational Clean Sweep facility for they to go look themselves, even claimed they can burn the place to the ground for all he cares. Charmy begs to take the board game with him, which Clutch angered agrees to. The heroes then leave the place, but Vector claims they will return if things still remain not right.

The heroes return to the main floor where they find Rough and Tumble sitting by the fireplace. Espio then asks what exactly the brothers do in the place, which them respond they do what they want and eat what they want, and that Clutch supplies them with everything they want. But when Espio remarks he meant what business they run, the two get embarrassed and confused, turns out they're not working at all, just living by Clutch's luxury. The heroes leave the chateau and return to the Beat Monster. Sonic is a little confused about everything and Vector is still not convinced by Clutch's story but decides they should indeed check the facility the former pointed out to them. The Chaotix take off in their car while Sonic goes on foot. Meanwhile, Clutch is watching by the window as the heroes leave. He then walks to a Picky animatron and twiddles its head, opening a secret passage. Just then Rough and Tumble enter the room to talk to Clutch but can't find him. But they don't care much and leave. Clutch is now in a room with many monitors, then Eggman appears in the screens. Turns out Clutch is working for Eggman now, he informs the latter about Sonic and the Chaotix's arrival, as well their upcoming arrival to the nearest Clean Sweep base, letting Eggman do whatever he wants with them there. Eggman is impressed but still demands more details. Sweating nervously, Clutch takes off his hat, revealing a tick bug-like egg tech device is attached to his head. Clutch tells Eggman he lied to the heroes, also revealing that Eggman is profiting off Clean Sweep Inc. to expand the Eggman Empire. Eggman is satisfied and dismisses Clutch before hanging up. Clutch puts on his hat again while nervously and still sweating holding his cane with his shaking hands.

Appearances[]

Characters:[]

• Badnik Horde
  • Egg Pawns
• Clutch the Opossum
• Diamond Cutters (figure)
  • Lanolin the Sheep (figure)
  • Tangle the Lemur (figure)
  • Whisper the Wolf (figure)
• Doctor Eggman
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Team Chaotix
  • Charmy Bee
  • Espio the Chameleon
  • Vector the Crocodile
• Rough the Skunk
• Tumble the Skunk

Races and species:[]

• Chao (picture)
• Human
• Picky (statue)

Locations:[]

• Sonic's universe
  • Sonic's world
    • Restoration HQ (mentioned)
    • White Park Zone
      • White Park Grand Chateau

Items:

• Apple
• Chaos Emerald (picture)
• Sonic's shoes

Vehicles:

• Beat Monster

Misc.:

• Chaotix Detective Agency
• Clean Sweep Inc. (mentioned)
• Clean Sweepstakes (mentioned)
• Spin Attack
• Shuriken
• Vector Breath