Winds of Freedom

Chapter 20: Investigation Inside the Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel!

{Pre A/N}

Welcome to the stupidest concept I have ever concieved.

--------

Chapter 20: Investigation Inside the Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel!

--------

City of Shang Mu - Shang Mu Plaza, Night Hours

The Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel loomed before the group. The towering twenty-story structure was...extravagant to say the least, painted in the garish red and yellow colors of Shang Mu. The unmistakable influence of both Eggman and Mayor Zao was plastered everywhere-literally. Massive statues of Eggman's mustachioed face and Zao's grinning likeness served as decorative columns, holding up the entrance. Traditional Avalician elements clashed with mechanical, robotic motifs, giving the hotel an unsettling blend of old-world charm and Eggman's outlandish style.

"Well, there it is," Torque remarked, his voice tinged with skepticism as he cast a wary glance at the building. "It sure is... impressive." He wasn't entirely sold on the idea of staying here.

Tails scanned the surrounding area and spotted several badniks and workers assembling a large platform in the center of the nearby plaza. "And there's the plaza where the main event will happen..." he said, pointing toward the activity.

Sonic flashed a smirk at Tails. "Don't you mean the main Main event?"

Carol crossed her arms and eyed the hotel with suspicion. "Are we really sure we want to go in there? I mean, this could totally be a trap," she said, frowning.

Sonic shrugged. "Could be. But seeing how Eggman was playing nice with Zao earlier, I doubt he'd try something right away. He probably wants us here for whatever he's got planned for tomorrow." His face darkened slightly as he added, "Still sucks we can't do anything about it right now."

"Yeah," Lilac agreed, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at the badniks patrolling the streets. "It's frustrating. Eggman's built quite the reputation in Shang Mu. And with Zao backing him, it's going to be hard to convince the mayor, or anyone for that matter, that Robotnik's a huge problem." She watched as Egg Pawns helped locals cross the street and handed out flyers, their menacing presence completely unnoticed by the citizens.

The streets bustled with life, but none of the locals seemed to care that robots filled their city. A group of children even played a game of jump rope with a cheerful Egg Pawn.

Tails furrowed his brow. "You know, now that I think about it, the only time we saw badniks was back when Lilac found me, just that one Motobug in Iron Valley, and then again during the train incident." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Other than that, most of the robots we've faced were from Shuigang. You can tell the difference between them."

"I also had to fight a bunch of them too when I first crash-landed," Torque added, recalling his rough landing.

"No wonder no one's bothered by them," Sonic mused, watching as a passerby casually accepted a flyer from a smiling Egg-Pawn. "It's like they've always been here. They're part of the scenery now."

"So, do we actually go inside now?" Carol asked as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Yes," Lilac decided, her voice firm as she led the group toward the hotel's entrance. She glanced back briefly at the plaza, her mind racing with possibilities.

As the group made their way toward the towering building, Milla, trailing behind, noticed Tails shooting a cautious glance at Torque. The fox seemed unusually wary, and Milla wondered what Tails might be thinking. But before she could ask, the large automatic doors of the Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel slid open with a whoosh, revealing the hotel's grand lobby.