Disclaimer- All characters are copyright of DIC Entertainment, ’93, ’94, ’95, and are being used without permission. So sue me! (Pauses) Wait… scratch that last remark!

Dr. Robotnik was sitting in his green throne, napping, when the sound of an irritatingly-familiar voice caused him to jerk awake. The evil doctor wasn’t particularly pleased with being disturbed, especially not at the moment. He had been having a wonderful dream about Roboticizing a certain blue hedgehog…

“My lord, Robotnik! My lord, Robotnik!” came the anxious, excited voice of his minion/nephew, Snively. “Sir, I…” He finished that sentence with a startled shriek, as his displeased uncle grabbed him up by the shirt collar. “You had better have a very good reason for so rudely interrupting me, Snively!” he growled impatiently. “I specifically told you that I did not want to be disturbed unless it was a matter of utmost importance!”

“My apologies, sir!” Snively said, holding up his hands in defense. “B- but I have some news that I thought you might find to be most fascinating!”

Robotnik dropped Snively, much to the little man’s annoyance. “Is that so, Snively?” he said, interested. “Tell me you’ve managed to capture the Hedgehog…?”

“Uh, n-no, s-sir, not exactly,” Snively stammered, “b-but it’s still quite interesting news, all the same! You see, sir, I have made a most amazing discovery!” He paused, trying out his most winning smile. “One that you just might find rewarding, sir!”

Robotnik’s eyes glowed with interest. “You’ve found the location of Knothole?!”

Snively laughed nervously. “Eh, heh-heh… n-no, sir, I’m afraid not…” he said, as he nervously tugged on the collar of his shirt, while a few beads of sweat dripped down from his face.

Robotnik growled in frustration. “I should have known better than to ask such ridiculous questions!” he snapped. He glared at Snively. “Than quit wasting my time if you have nothing worth while to report to me!” he shouted, as he spun his chair around so that it was facing the opposite direction.

“B-but, sir!” protested Snively. “Please, at least give me a chance to tell you! I promise that it’ll be worth your time!”

“You have five seconds to get to the point, Snively,” Robotnik said. “And for your sake, this had better be worth your disturbing me!”

“Sir, I believe that I’ve located a source of treasure!” Snively quickly cried out.

There was a pause. “Did you say “treasure”?” Robotnik asked. He sounded interested. VERY interested.

“Oh, yes, sir!” Snively exclaimed, glad that his uncle was pleased. “Ancient treasure that’s been hidden for over a thousand years! You see, according to the information I found on the computer, there is an old legend which claims that thousands of years ago, a group of notorious thieves, who had been passing through the land with an abundance of riches that they had stolen, came across this huge cave. According to legend, the thieves hid their treasure inside of the cave for safekeeping until they would return. However, for some reason that has never been determined, they never did return for the treasure again. Their disappearance still remains a mystery to this very day.”

“Get to the point, Snively!” Robotnik yelled impatiently. “Where is this cave located?!”

‘My, my, aren’t we impatient?’ Snively thought to himself bitterly. He said, “Well, sir, according to legend, the cave is supposed to be located somewhere up in the area of the Mobius Mountains.”

Robotnik stood up. “That’s all I need to know, Snively,” he said. “Now, what are you just standing around for? Prepare my Hovercraft immediately!”

“Why, sir? Where are we going?” Snively asked.

“Why, that should be obvious, dear nephew,” Robotnik said. “We’re going on a little treasure hunt, of course. Did you print out the coordinates to the cave’s location than?”

Snively held them up. “Yes, sir. Here they are.”

“Perfect,” Robotnik smiled evilly. “Come, Snively! We haven’t a moment to spare! For all we know, the Hedgehog and those Freedom Fighters might somehow know about it too!”

Several hours later, after a great period of travelling by Hovercraft, they finally reached their destination- the Mobius Mountains.

“It shouldn’t be too difficult to find the cave if these coordinates are accurate,” Snively was saying, as they walked. “We shouldn’t be too terribly far off from it, sir.”

“Let’s hope that for once you’re right,” Robotnik said. “I certainly do not want this to be another wild goose chase, like that time you thought you had found Knothole and we were going around in circles through the Great Swamp, all because of your blasted incompetence!”

Snively shuddered in remembrance. The remainder of that day was something that he had wanted to forget.

An hour later, Robotnik and Snively were still walking. “We should be very close now, sir!” Snively said. “According to these coordinates, the cave should just be around the corner! Any second now, sir!” They turned the corner, and saw, much to Robotnik’s joy and Snively’s relief… the cave that would hold the legendary treasure.

“YES!” Robotnik cried happily. “AT LAST! NOW THAT TREASURE IS MINE! ALL MINE!”

Snively nervously cleared his throat. “Um, s-s-sir?” he spoke up timidly. “S-since I was the one who discovered the treasure in the first place, would it be all right if I could be entitled to my fair share? I was thinking we could split it between us, you know, fifty-fifty…”

“Why, of course, dear nephew,” Robotnik said, much to Snively’s great surprise. “I wouldn’t think of depriving you of your rightful portion of the treasure that you so very much deserve.”

Snively was shocked. “Do you mean it, sir?” he asked.

“Indeed I do,” Robotnik replied with a knowing grin. “I’ll be sure to leave you any spare pennies that I find.” He chuckled maniacally.

Snively sighed. ‘I should have seen that one coming’ he thought to himself. “You selfish, miserable old miser,” he mumbled to himself.

“Excuse me?” Robotnik snapped.

Snively gulped. “Er, I said that next time I’ll be a little wiser, sir!” he said quickly, followed by a nervous laugh.

They approached the cave. “Hmm, that’s strange,” Robotnik mused. “There’s nothing blocking the entrance…” He hurried into the cave, awaiting his great fortune… only to see… much to his absolute shock and horror… absolutely nothing!

“WHAT?!” roared Robotnik in outrage. “NO! How could this be? Where’s my treasure?!” He angrily whipped around to glare at Snively, who was cowering on the floor of the cave, shaking, sweating, and whimpering in fear. “YOU LITTLE WRETCH! YOU’VE LED ME TO NOTHING!” Robotnik screamed furiously, grabbing him up by the throat.

“S-sir,” gasped Snively, turning a little blue from loss of air. “Please, it’s not my fault! The treasure was here just recently! You see, I- I found this note…” He held up a note in his trembling hand.

Robotnik dropped his nephew and read the note aloud. “Better luck next time, ‘Buttnik! Snooze, you lose! Gotta cruise!” he read. Slowly, he lowered the note down from his face, looking like he was going to explode from anger. “The… Hedgehog… was… just… HERE?!” he screamed. “BLAST THAT HEDHEHOG!” he screamed, kicking Snively hard in the stomach like a soccer ball, sending him flying smack into the hard wall. He crumpled to the floor and curled up into a little ball, attempting to shield himself from any other possible attacks. “Oh, please, sir,” he half-whimpered, half-squeaked out. “I’m sorry for your loss, but it really wasn’t my fault…” Pain rippled all throughout his body.

“Oh, but it is!” Robotnik yelled. “If you hadn’t took so long finding this place to begin with, this never would have happened! What a complete waste of time this was!”

“Sir,” Snively said, slowly rising to his feet, “there is one item left… this gold lamp that I just found… it may not be much, but at least it’s something…”

“Bah!” Robotnik snapped. “It’s merely an old oil lamp! Hardly worth taking! Why do you think that those Freedom Fighters left it behind, you idiot?” He sighed. “Let’s head back to Robotropolis now. All this disappointment has given me a headache.”

‘YOU’VE got a headache, you ungrateful slime?!’ Snively wanted to yell.

Robotnik glanced down at him. “Well, Snively, are you going to just lie there all day like an idiot, or are you coming?”

“I’m coming, sir,” Snively said, rubbing his sore ribs. “Just give me a minute, please…” He winced in pain.

Robotnik sighed. “I’m not waiting around here all day for you, Snively! I’m leaving now! With or without you!” And with that, Robotnik turned and left the cave.

“I’ll catch up shortly, sir, I promise,” Snively called after him weakly. When he was sure that Robotnik was out of earshot, he let out a yell of frustrated rage. “That- that ungrateful, miserable, avaricious, wretched INGRATE!” he screamed. “I HATE HIM! How dare he treat me this way? HOW DARE HE?!” He kicked the lamp in his great frustration, sending it flying against the wall. Than after about a minute or so of trying to silently calm himself down before he went back to the Hovercraft, his eyes suddenly fell onto the lamp. Curious, he slowly walked over to it and picked it up to get a better look. “Hmm…” he said. “This looks a great deal like that magic lamp of Aladdin’s from that ancient Arabian tale down on the Planet Earth. When I was young, my mother would tell me that old story every night before tucking me in.” He smiled in fond remembrance. “Perhaps I’ll just keep this old lamp for myself,” he decided. “I’ll consider this my reward for all my troubles.” He snickered bitterly and snorted. Than he wiped away the dust on the lamp, using the sleeve of his green shirt. And right after he did so…

POOF! A spirit-type of figure, dressed Arabian-style, complete with turban suddenly appeared out of nowhere in a puff of smoke, much to Snively’s shock. “I AM THE GENIE OF THE LAMP,” the spirit said in a deep, booming voice, his arms folded, while this Arabian music played in the background. “I HAVE BEEN INPRISONED INSIDE THIS LAMP FOR COUNTLESS EONS. YOU HAVE RELEASED ME, AND FOR THAT I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. AS IS CUSTOM, YOU ARE NOW MY NEW MASTER, AND I WILL GRANT YOU A TOTAL OF THREE WISHES. I AM HUMBLY AT YOUR SERVICE, MASTER. WHAT IS YOUR FIRST WISH?”

An evil grin slowly crept onto Snively’s face, as it dawned in on him that he wasn’t dreaming or hallucinating. He stared in the direction that Robotnik had gone off in. “Well…” Snively grinned, evilly rubbing his hands together. He started to chuckle wickedly and it soon grew into mad, hysterical maniacal laughter that echoed all throughout the Mobius Mountains, as he thought of exactly what he would wish for…

THE END

Heh, heh! You can probably all guess what vengeful thoughts Snively was thinking! His next wish would probably be to become the ruler of all of Mobius, and his third wish would probably be for Sonic and the other Freedom Fighters to be eliminated. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that! I’m outta here for now! Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to review!

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