Sonic The Hedgehog #81

Featured stories[]

The Stage Is Set, Part 1[]

Synopsis[]

Sonic and Tails head to the Grand Carnival in the city of Sequin, believing that the thief who stole their Chaos Emerald will be there to retrieve another on display. They lie in wait among costumed crowds donning masks and formal wear, while utilizing colorful masks themselves. Soon, it appears Shadow and Rouge are also among the party guests, Rouge in formal wear, Shadow unapologetically not. Tails and Rouge trade stories about how their respective emeralds were stolen from them, and their shared plan to monitor the one on display. Sonic asks Shadow if he's here for the emerald too, while Shadow admits he is not, nor is he there for the party.

The quartet is then interrupted by the announcement of the Celestial Troupe, acrobatic artists that have an act to entertain the guests. A protective shield is placed around the emerald during the performance, though Rouge still comments it would make a great distraction. During the next part of the Troupe's traipsing act, smoke erupts, the performance goes awry, and someone emerges from the fray with the emerald. The costumed figure quickly introduces as Lunar, Master thief, and hightails away with the emerald, expertly maneuvering through the security.

Excited for some action, Rouge, Sonic and Tails race to pursue Lunar among the crowded venue. Though as Rouge makes her first move, it's clear she wants to be the one claiming the emerald, as she pushes a table into Sonic and Tails to slow them down. Shadow commands the crowd to "MOVE!" as he and Rouge speed after Lunar. Shaking this off, Sonic quickly grabs ahold of Tails and shoots off to join the chase. It doesn't take long for the two to catch up, and Tails flings Sonic at Lunar, sending the pair crashing into parade balloons. Sonic demands the emerald, though Lunar cheekily jokes about not having it, while Shadow crashes into their balloon causing Sonic and Lunar to scramble away. Sonic argues with Shadow that he and Tails have a plan for the emerald and that they should work together, but Shadow dismisses this, saying that he's seen the two track down emeralds before. Sonic speaks in Tails' defense of the plan, saying it's a good one, but Lunar interrupts the hedgehogs, prompting them to give pursuit.

As the four race for Lunar, Tails voices concern that if they weren't careful, all of them could cause damage in the chase, especially Shadow. Sonic is in the middle of thinking when Rouge throws a handful of bombs to slow the boys down. Temporarily blinded, Sonic slips from Tails' grip though he quickly maneuvers onto a nearby hot-air-balloon-like device. Sonic prompts Tails to take care of Rouge while he would handle Shadow. The hedgehog then proceeds to taunt Shadow with comments of speed and relying on Rouge, trying to bait him away. While Shadow does not fall for it, he takes up Sonic when he exclaims the only way he was getting the emerald was through him. The two speed away while Tails confronts Rouge. The bat flings another barrage of bombs at the fox, but this time, Tails catches them in wad of cloth and flings them back at Rouge. She falls into a stall of popcorn while Tails laughs and races off to find Sonic.

Meanwhile, Sonic finds Lunar at the bridge standing there playfully waiting. He tries a different tactic, trying to get the masked culprit to talk to him instead, asking what Lunar wanted. Lunar admits that will take the fun out of everything, but Shadow cuts it, stating he has no interest in Lunar's 'backstory'. He demands Lunar to give him the Chaos Emerald, despite Sonics protests that they needed answers. This prompts a fight between the two hedgehogs, while Shadow argues that Sonic can get answers after he has the emerald. After a short tussle, Sonic ends up on the ground and Shadow comments that he doesn't look mad about his position. Sonic exclaims with a smirk that he got exactly what he wanted, and Shadow notices the crowd backing away from the two with uneasy expressions, Lunar nowhere to be seen. Miffed about being played, Shadow storms off with Rouge in tow, asking what was wrong. Tails rendezvous with Sonic where the hedgehog explains Lunar has disappeared. Tails doesn't seem disappointed in the slightest, saying everything is according to plan---despite a rocky start. Apparently, while attacking Lunar on the balloon, Tails had instructed Sonic to plant a device that acts like a stronger Emerald radar.

Later, under the cover of night, Sonic and Tails arrive at a warehouse Sonic affectionately describes as 'cozy'. The two enter the darkened building quietly in search of the master thief. Clanging footsteps alert them to Lunar running off with the emerald. Sonic spin dashes through the upper level to confront the thief, but Lunar seems to have had a change of heart. Instead, the thief seems confused and anxious, quickly scrambling back and offering Sonic the emerald, stating Lunar would be in so much trouble for having it. Sonic and Tails are perplexed at the personality change and suspect a trap, but Lunar insists on not wanting any trouble and removes the Troupe's mask as a show of no ill intent. Tails and Sonic still wary, agree that the situation doesn't have makings of a trick. Sonic decides to take the emerald. All the while, Dr. Eggman is also in Sequin, and on a view of a map, it's clear he is searching for something, claiming that it would only take a few more hours to reach it. He is surrounded by hoards of Badniks on the canyon floor, and a multi-armed-mecha, while he announces that his Eggman Empire is there to party.

Appearances[]

Characters:

• Badniks
  • Bell
  • Bu-Bu
  • Egg Pawn
  • Geji-Geji
  • Kura-Kura
  • Pierrot
  • Slot (first appearance)
  • Star (first appearance)
  • Straw
• Barry the Quokka (cameo)
• Celestial Troupe (first appearance)
  • Lunar (first appearance)
• Conductor (cameo)
• Conductor's wife (cameo)
• Dr. Eggman
• Miles "Tails" Prower
• Rouge the Bat
• Shadow the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog

Races and species:

• Animals (figure)
  • Bat (figure)
  • Cheetah (figure)
  • Condor (figure)
  • Dragon (figure)
  • Rabbit (figure)
  • Sea Otter (figure)
  • Skeleton Dog (figure)
• Black Arms
• Human

Locations:

• Sonic's universe
  • Moon
  • Earth
    • Central City (flashback)
    • Sequin^[1] (first appearance)

Items:

• Air Shoes
• Apple
• Chaos Emerald
• Egg Goggles
• Heart bomb
• Limiter Rings
• Miles Electric
• Sonic's shoes

Vehicles:

• Car
• Egg Mobile
• Egg Juggler (first appearance)

Misc.:

• Chaos Control (mentioned)
• Bomb
• Eggman Empire
• Glide
• Propeller Flying
• Spin Attack
  • Spin Dash
• Super Peel Out

Continuity[]

• The moon is seen as broken, as established in Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings.