Chapter 7: In Our Darkest Hour
Mario looked around, and saw Knuckles and Tails beside him.
“C’mon Sonic!” Knuckles complained. “Lead-head is getting away!”
“What?” Mario asked, seeing many faces looking at the three of them, some he was unfamiliar with. He recognized Espio, Vector, Charmy, Amy, Shadow, Robotnik, and of course, Tails and Knuckles. He also saw a bat, a robot, a rabbit, and a cat.
“Come on, Sonic!” Tails urged him. “Metal Sonic is getting away!”
“Hurry up and use those emeralds!” Knuckles shouted.
“Right,” Mario said, as the three of them transformed into their super forms.
“The chance for victory is slim,” Robotnik said as he tossed a radio-like device to Mario. “Take this with you, it’ll allow me to analyze Metal Sonic’s data, and communicate with you. Once we have a reading, I’ll tell you what exactly you’re up against.”
“Right...” Mario said as he flew off in the direction Knuckles had pointed. What is going on here…?
Mario noticed
that Knuckles and Tails were following him closely, and also using the
power of the Chaos Emeralds.
Sonic looked around and noticed he was in a large factory, surrounded by Bowser, Princess Toadstool, Geno, and what appeared to be a cloud.
“Well, let’s get a move on already!” Bowser shouted into Sonic’s ear.
“You should wait a moment,” Geno said. “Mario is being wise and gathering his thoughts, as am I. You would be wise to calm yourself for the upcoming battle as well, O Koopa King.”
“I really hate the way you say that,” Bowser snarled.
Princess Toadstool and Mallow simply sighed.
“Come on, Bowser, stop being so rash! You already alerted the entire factory to our presence, so Mario’s probably trying to figure out a way to disarm any traps Smithy might have set,” Toadstool shouted as she slapped Bowser.
“Right,” Sonic said. Why is Bowser not attacking us?
“That’s it!” Bowser shouted. “I’m tearing this place apart with my bare claws if I have to! But I am NOT going to wait for you guys! Come on, Mallow! You’re coming with me!”
“Me?” Mallow asked nervously. “But I agree with Mario and the others.”
“We’re unanimously against you,” Geno said. “Let’s prepare for the battle ahead, and then we shall advance.”
“What’s this switch do?” Sonic asked while pointing to a large, green button on the floor.
“Why don’t you jump on it and find out?” Bowser asked as he shoved Sonic onto the switch.
A crane then came down and lifted Sonic, and everyone else quickly jumped onto it.
“This is it,”
Geno said. “Prepare yourselves, for if this is not our finest hour, it
will surely be our last.”
Mario was flying above stormy clouds, clouds that served as a dark omen. In the distance, he saw what looked like the shadow of a dragon. However, it was no dragon... it was a robot. It was Metal Sonic, now transformed into a giant beast: Metal Overlord.
“Welcome, Sonic, my loathsome copy!” Metal Sonic said. “You have delayed the inevitable long enough! All organics return to dust eventually, and now, it is your turn to follow!”
“Not this time,” Mario said as he charged towards Metal Sonic.
“Now this is my kind of plan!” Knuckles said as he followed Mario and headed towards Metal Sonic.
“Wait for me!” Tails shouted as he flew after them.
Mario tried to use a homing attack on Metal Sonic, but it had no effect. Even as Super Sonic, Mario wasn’t even able to scratch Metal Sonic.
“Let me show you how it’s done,” Knuckles said as he wound up a fist and then punched Metal Sonic.
Knuckles then pulled his hand back, and blew on it in pain. He then flew backwards a bit.
“Sonic, can you hear me?” Robotnik asked via radio. “According to these readings, Metal Sonic’s power exceeds your own right now. Conventional attacks will be useless against him!”
Now he tells me, Mario sighed. “Got any good news?”
“There may be some hope,” Shadow said over the radio. “If the three of you can focus the power of the emeralds on a single point on his body, you may be able to penetrate his armor.”
“May?” Mario sighed. “That certainly sounds promising.”
“It’s not much, but it’s our only choice,” Knuckles sighed. “We didn’t even scratch his paint with our last run!”
“Well then, let’s do it,” Mario said as the three of them formed up.
Mario, Tails, and Knuckles circled around one another in a drill-like manner, only to have a battleship stop them dead in their tracks.
“I’m glad we had the Emeralds,” Tails said. “There’s no way we could have survived that without them.”
“There’s no way we’d be fighting him in the first place,” Knuckles said.
“Point taken,” Tail agreed.
“There has to
be some way to distract him...” Mario said. “But how?”
The crane let go of Sonic and dropped him into the very center of the factory. Everyone else jumped off, and saw the dark master behind all of this.
“So, you are the Mario I’ve heard so much about,” boomed Smithy, who was sitting behind a workbench. “I must admit, I’m quite impressed. You’ve dismantled not only my lowly minions, but many of my strongest warriors. Mack, Bowyer, Punchinello, Yardiovoich, the Axem Rangers, Boomer, Exor, Count Down, and even Earthlink... all have fallen at the hands of you and your friends. I applaud your efforts.”
“So you’re the one behind this?” Mallow asked. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”
“Mallow, the young Nimbusian prince,” Smithy acknowledged, “I’m fulfilling my wish.”
“And just what is that?” Mallow asked.
“It matters not,” Geno interrupted, “for he does it at the cost of destroying the wishes of others.”
“The Star Guardian, Geno,” Smithy said. “It is an honor that one of such authority would take interest in my little schemes. It means that you know I pose a threat.”
“Yes,” Geno said, “a threat to us all. But it ends now.”
“We’re going to restore Star Road and help everyone’s wishes to come true,” the princess added.
“Peach Toadstool, princess of the Mushroom Kingdom,” Smithy laughed. “So is this your way of declaring war?”
“Declaring war?!” Toadstool interjected. “You’re the one that started all of this by attacking the Mushroom Kingdom!”
“And you must be Bowser, the self-proclaimed King of the Koopas,” Smithy said.
“Self-proclaimed?!” Bowser shouted. “Now let’s get one thing straight! This is MY castle, and you’re going to leave one way or the other, GOT IT?!”
“Pity, and I was beginning to like it here,” Smithy mocked.
“There is no escape, Smithy,” Geno said. “Hand over the Star Piece. You’ve lost.”
“I have a better idea,” Smithy laughed. “As you know, Star Road can only be truly destroyed while it is whole. So, how about you hand me your Star Pieces, and I’ll destroy them all. Then, I will replace wishes with what this world truly needs... WEAPONS!”
“Never,” Sonic said. “There’s no way we’re going to give into some tin can who doesn’t know how to do anything but destroy innocent lives for his own power!”
“So be it,” Smithy
laughed. “You have fought valiantly, but you must now learn just how inconsequential
your actions are!”
“You fools have no chance,” Metal Sonic boomed. “You face a power that is greater then all of you!”
Mario ignored Metal Sonic’s threats, and tried to formulate a strategy.
Of course! Mario thought. “Knuckles, Tails, grab ahold of me!”
“Oh no,” Knuckles sighed as he did as he was told. “What have you got planned this time?”
Tails grabbed onto Mario’s other arm, and Mario then attempted to channel the power of the Emeralds.
Mario took a deep
breath, then shouted, “CHAOS CON-“
But before he could finish, another battleship hit him, but this time, from behind.
“How did he do that?” Knuckles asked. “It’s as though-“
“I can use Chaos
Control?” Metal Sonic laughed. “Very observant. You have no hope of winning.
Your control over the power of the Emeralds is waning quickly. And when
it fails, I will be able to crush you with ease.”
Sonic wasted no time running up to Smithy and locking hammers with him.
“You dare to strike at me?” Smithy asked. “Begone!”
Smithy shoved Sonic back, tripping him on the workbench. Smithy then made a whistling noise, and ore started to flow from above. Sonic quickly rolled out of the way and stood back up, now on the opposite side of the workbench. Once the ore stopped flowing, Smithy began to shape the ore into a Shyster. He quickly melded it into the proper form. The Shyster was completed in a matter of seconds. It then stood up and guarded its creator.
“Mario, I’ll take care of the Smelter,” Geno said. “You focus on Smithy.”
“I’ll help Geno,” Toadstool said. “Mario, please, be careful.”
“I’ll take care of his minions,” Mallow said.
“No one barges into my castle and gets away with it!” Bowser shouted. “I’m going after Smithy himself!”
Bowser jumped on the workbench and used his drill claw to stab at Smithy, but his claws only met Smithy’s hammer. Sonic attempted to use the Firebrand to burn Smithy, but a giant sledgehammer dropped from the ceiling and blocked the fireballs.
“Is this all you
can do?” Smithy laughed. “If my creations were truly defeated this easily,
then undoubtedly, I need to improve my craftsmanship.”
“It is hopeless for you,” Metal Sonic reiterated. “Everything you try do, I can counter the moment you attempt it!”
“Then you’ll just have to try something he can’t counter,” Shadow said over the radio. “It’s risky, but you may have to use the Light Attack. Concentrate on focusing the strength of the emeralds. It’s your only hope!”
“Right,” Mario agreed. I sure hope this works.
“You cannot even begin to comprehend my power,” Metal Sonic boomed. “You fools have no chance of defeating me.”
“We’ll just see about that,” Mario said as he began to conjure up the strength to perform a Light Attack.
Metal Sonic made the first move, shooting a barrage of missiles at the three heroes. Mario then released all the energy he had stored, and tore through the missiles and towards Metal Sonic at the speed of light. However, it wasn’t enough. By the time he got there, Metal Sonic had used Chaos Control once again. He then shot spires of ice at the heroes, and froze Tails in midair.
“Knuckles!” Mario shouted.
“I’m on it!” Knuckles replied as he dove down to break the icy prison that now held Tails.
“You only delay
the inevitable,” Metal Sonic laughed.
“You hope to defeat me, and yet your power is nothing compared to mine,” Smithy mocked. “You are a fool. It would be wise to give in, it’ll be a quick and painless death.”
“That’s the thing about fools,” Sonic joked. “We’re not known for making wise decisions.”
“So be it,” Smithy said as he shunted Sonic away from him.
Sonic regained his fighting stance, and jumped atop Smithy, bouncing up and down on Smithy’s head. Smithy smacked him aside with his free arm as a spire of rock shot up underneath Smithy. It knocked Smithy down, but nonetheless, Smithy seemed to be unscratched from the attack.
“What just happened?” Sonic asked.
“I missed?” Bowser groaned. “How could I miss? My Crusher rose up right from under him!”
“You insolent fools!” Smithy shouted as more ore began to flow from the smelter.
Smithy formed the ore into something different this time, and threw it into the air before anyone could tell what it was. Smithy then threw his hammer at the mass of ore and shattered it. Swords then began to rain down upon everyone.
“You cannot hope to dodge my mighty Sword Rain!” Smithy said.
Just as he said that, a bright flash of light illuminated the room and destroyed the swords. When the flash cleared, the Smelter fell to the floor, crushed from a blunt weapon.
“Your daggers do not frighten us,” Geno said as he jumped down. “You don’t even know the meaning of might.”
Toadstool floated down gently as Mallow rejoined them.
“You’re all that’s left,” Mallow said. “You’re not getting away!”
“For my castle!” Bowser shouted.
“For my people!” Toadstool shouted.
“For my grampa!” Mallow shouted.
“For all those that have ever made a wish,” Geno said calmly.
“And for everyone that has suffered because of you,” Sonic finished. “You will fall!”
“If you are so confident, then stop talking and take some action!” Smithy shouted as he charged towards Mallow. Mallow grabbed a pipe high above him and pulled himself up to dodge the attack. Bowser rammed into Smithy and held him down. Princess Toadstool whacked him with her frying pan while Sonic smashed him with a hammer. Geno then shot out a disc of pure energy, slicing right through Smithy. Smithy then threw Bowser into Mallow and began to steam.
“You fools truly think you have a chance?” Smithy fumed. “I will show you true power, will teach you some respect!”
Smithy began to
transform as he shouted those words, into his truest of forms.
“I’ve got an idea,” Knuckles said. “Maybe instead of focusing our attacks we should try splitting up.”
“But then we won’t be able to pierce his armor,” Tails said. “It’d be a wasted effort.”
“You don’t understand,” Knuckles said. “We just need to split up long enough to get close to him. Then we’ll crush him from all directions.”
“It’s got to be better then this,” Mario said. “Let’s do it.”
“Right,” Knuckles said as the three of them flew off in different directions.
Metal Sonic shot a SALVO of missiles at the Tails, but Tails threw out some fake rings which exploded and caused the missiles to fall short. Metal Sonic then turned to Knuckles and tossed another battleship. Knuckles crushed the ship with his fists as he continued onwards. Metal Sonic then snapped at Mario and caught him in his mouth, which Mario struggled to keep from closing. He knew he wouldn’t be able to control the power of the emeralds much longer, and once he lost that power, his doom would be a sure thing.
“Hang in there, Sonic!” Knuckles shouted as he attempted to fly in there and help him.
Tails soon followed, and the three of them then realized that they were right were they needed to be.
“Ready?” Tails asked.
“CHAOS CONTROL!!!” Mario shouted as the three of them began to assail Metal Sonic from all directions.
Metal Sonic began to fall from the sky, unable to maintain his Overlord form anymore.
“Impossible!” Metal Sonic shouted as he fell. “I am the ultimate overlord! I am the true Sonic!”
“I sure hope that’s
the match,” Mario said as the skies of Mobiüs began to disappear.
Smithy’s right hand was now a gun while his left hand held his hammer. Smithy created a rain of arrows that stormed down upon the heroes.
“I have an idea,” Geno said.
“Let’s hear it,” Sonic listened.
“I’ll uses a Geno Flash while Mallow creates a thunderstorm to blind Smithy, meanwhile, Bowser and the Princess will rush towards Smithy and assail him with their weapons. Then, you’ll quickly ‘jump in’ and finish him off.”
“Right,” Sonic said as they prepared to assault the dark automaton.
The Geno Flash hit Smithy right on target while a bolt of lightning went right through him. Bowser then pounced on him while using the Drill Claw, causing him to lose his balance. Princess Toadstool then whacked him from behind with her frying pan. Sonic then rushed up to him, jumped up, and slammed his hammer down on Smithy’s forehead.
“No... It can’t be...” Smithy said as he fell.
Sonic let out a sigh of relief as the Mushroom Kingdom faded away.