Eggman surfed on Vectors back across rivers and oceans, had Knuckles move and smash boulders with HM04, had Tails fly him around with HM02, made Espio slice trees away with HM01 and got Amy to use HM05(Defog~It changes a lot) after forcing the others to find him somewhere misty. After finding out that they worked, he went a bit HM crazy. Knuckles became overwhelmed as Eggman piled on Rock Smash and Rock Climb as well, but he bled so much that he could barely carry out the orders.
"I can't do this, Eggman." He gasped as he slid to his knees "Please stop, just let us go home, we'll leave you alone, we swear!"
"You say that, but the Master Emerald isn't going to be left for me to be used, is it?" The doctor rolled a pokeball in his fingers. "Come on now, Tail's is starting to feel the pressure, too."
"You wouldn't kill him." Knuckles snarled "You need him to fly your fat body around the world and back." He spat, making Eggman pause to glance at him.
"You're right, and I'll need the rest of you clear the trees and the boulders and take me across the waters." His eyes narrowed cruelly as he pocketed Tails "And I need Sonic to be my trump card in battles, but do you know what I don't really need? A certain pink thing?" Knuckles tensed and swallowed "She'd only get in the way. I should just kill her now..."
"N-No!" He stumbled to his feet "I'll smash it, I'll do as you say." Knuckles lowered his eyes, hiding his anger and self-loathing. He hated having to serve anything but the master chaos emerald. Worse still, it was serving Eggman.
"Get on with it then. After this, we'll find Giovanni." The genius declared, half to himself, but before the echidna could even reach the obstructing rock, three figures jumped out of no where.
"Oh no you don't, you over-sized egg!" Jessie trilled, pointing at him dramatically "Prepare for trouble!"
"And make it double!" James ripped out his rose and blinked into the sky, but Eggman didn't hang around. Knuckles grunted as he was swallowed back up into the ball and Tails flew out, glaring at Eggman stubbornly.
"Let's go." The doctor gripped the fox's leg, but Tail's didn't fly.
"Are you trying to run out on us?" The trio of Rockets stared Eggman down viciously and he let the yellow fox go.
"Nope. Not at all. Never... why would I do that?" He gave a wary smile and they held their hands out.
"Give us the pokeballs." James demanded.
"Unless you want to get swiped!" Meowth added sharply, but Eggman slowly looked between them instead, thinking.
"Eggman!" Tails called and rammed himself into the man, sending him sprawling. The fox quickly snatched up the pokeballs and flew up onto a hill, releasing them. Knuckles collapsed as soon as he was free and Tails ran to him "Knuckles!" He cried, horrified.
"He'll be ok." Sonic stood up and they noticed that a new air had come about him. He was serious, he was furious, but he was keeping his cool. "It's Knuckles, you know he'll pull through." The blue hedgehog glanced around at the rest of them "Is everybody ok?"
"SONIC!" Came the response as Amy jumped onto him and crushed the air from him, but he just gave a small smile in return.
"Calm down, Amy, I'm ok." Sonic gently pushed her aside and jumped down to where Team Rocket and Eggman still sat. "You both have a lot of explaining to do." He growled and they all swallowed, but Meowth stepped forward.
"I'm sorry, Sonic." He said sincerely "It's hard, being the bad guys, getting beaten all the time. We actually had a chance to win for once and we did, but being us, we messed up winning." Meowth rolled his eyes. "I got replaced as top-cat by another Sonic and those idiots blew up the hotel they were staying at."
"Voltorbs." Jessie muttered under her breath and James grinned.
"But we'll help you get home." Meowth added "Somehow." Sonic softened slightly and gave them a smile.
"I brought home here. My friends got dragged here by... oh." He glanced at where Eggman had been and grinned "I'll catch up to him later. But anyway, as long as I have my friends, I don't mind so much."
"Sonic! What about Knuckles and the Master Emerald?" Tails called down and he gave a nod of acknowledgement.
"If we can find a way and we need your help, I'll call on you. Thank you for helping us." He gave them a thumbs up "Also, those 'Sonic', where are they now?" Meowth hesitated while Jessie and James stayed quiet.
"Why? What are you planning?" The cat Pokemon asked curiously.
"I don't want Giovanni any stronger than he already is. I wont hurt him, I'll let him be. I just want to leave this place the way I found it." Sonic promised.
"I don't know Sonic, we're the bad guys..." James fumbled with his fingers, not meeting the hedgehog's eye.
"We shouldn't tell you anything about the boss..." Jessie added reluctantly, but Meowth harrumphed.
"You can get rid of them, they took my place as top cat! It'll take years before I can persuade the boss to take me back now!" He complained "I'll show you where they are and I'll tell you everything you need to know! Like, for example, you'll lose if you fight them."
"Wh-what?" Sonic's face of gratitude dropped suddenly "Just how powerful are they?" The trio looked at each other, worry creasing their brows.
"I've never seen creatures like them; and I've seen legendaries. I'm not saying that they could win against one, but it would sure as hell be an interesting battle. A lot of destruction." Meowth murmured.
"Legendaries?" Sonic repeated and Tails jumped down to him, a sparkle in his eye.
"They're god-like, Sonic! Almost impossible to kill, capture or stop." He glanced at Team Rocket "Don't you worry about it, guys! We'll help out and have this over in no time at all!" The fox beamed brightly. "Just show us the way and we'll save the day!"
"I'll show you alright, but don't go charging in like you did before." Meowth glanced at Sonic in warning and he gave a nod.
"Come on team! Let's go kick some butt!" Sonic called to them and they gave the thumbs up.
