The Great Battle
By N. Harmonik
Adapted from "Night of 1000 Sonics!" Sonic the Hedgehog #19
Authoress' Note: After looking at the summary, I can hear some of you asking: what about the other three Sonics? Well, you see, "Sonic Underground," "Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie" and "Sonic X" weren't around when Sonic the Hedgehog #19 came out. In Sonic Super Special #10, SU Sonic revealed that he'd never heard of the events that happened in STH#19. Zonic the Zone Cop, one of the "guardians" of the Sonicverses, then had to register his universe so that its existence would be acknowledged. So I believe that their universes either technically didn't "exist" yet or weren't discovered until later, as was the case with SU Sonic's world.
Chapter 1: Cyber Sonic's POV
I didn't bother to look at the scenery around me. Sure, the star-like objects in the distance were beautiful in a way but I was too busy putting one foot in front of the other as fast as I could to give them more than a passing glance.
"Gotta...get...help..." I muttered as I ran down one of the many hovering roads of the Cosmic Interstate, the dimension that connects all universes together.
I looked around desperately for an exit to any universe that I could get help from. Wait, there was one now! I made a beeline for it.
Going down a path that split off from the main road, I saw the swirling golden portal that would lead to another world. I ran straight into it.
The ground beneath my feet disappeared and I tumbled head over heels continuously through a sea of orange and yellow. The movement and colours somehow made me extremely queasy and just when it felt like I was about to throw up (even though I wouldn't have been able to), I came shooting out of the other end of the whirlpool of energy, landing a few feet away with a plop on my face on something green and ticklish grass. A definite sign that I was not in this universe's Robotropolis.
As I managed to get myself into a sitting position, I heard a familiar voice say, "S-S-Sonic?"
I didn't need to open my eyes to know that it was Princess Sally or, rather, this universe's Princess Sally who was speaking. I scratched my head, trying to get my dizziness to go away. "*click* *whirr* ...Processing."
I heard Sally continue speaking. "He's...you! Only he's a cyborg!"
Huh? Oh, she was speaking to this universe's Sonic, not me.
If I could have sighed, I would. I really was a cyborg no thanks to Robotnik. My leather jacket did nothing to disguise the fact that, while the left side of my body was normal, the right side was another story altogether: it was completely metallic, with the hand and foot looking like their skin had been peeled away so they looked skeletal.
It was then that I felt someone touch my organic ear.
"*click* *whirr* Attack Mode!"
My eyes immediately opened and I saw that it was Sal who had gotten a little too curious. Meanwhile, upon registering the touch, my electronic brain automatically sent a series of messages to certain parts of my body, which jumped up and tried to punch her. Luckily, I managed to redirect the attack towards this world's Sonic who was standing nearby instead and he easily dodged my assault.
"Whoa! Chill out, heavy metal dude! We're on your side! ...I hope!"
My body relaxed and I inwardly cursed myself. Stupid robotic parts and stupid automatic attack mode. I could have really hurt Sally!
Looking around, I also recognized Antoine, Bunnie, Rotor and Tails who were all looking at me apprehensively. The surrounding area didn't look familiar, however. A dirt path, some bushes, a few palm trees nope, not familiar at all.
Sally got into a fighting stance and became the first to break the silence. "Just what are you? Have you been sent by Robotnik to fight us?"
I couldn't blame her for being suspicious. I'd be too if a cyborg popped out a portal that appeared out of nowhere and tried to attack me.
"No, I'm not even of this world. I need your help."
Sally looked puzzled. "Not of this world? What do you mean?"
"Are you an alien?" asked Tails in awe.
I smiled. Just like my Tails; wildly imaginative. "No, Tails. I'm not from another planet. I'm from another universe."
"Huh?" Everyone looked confused everyone, that is, except the other Sonic. "I get it! You're another me!"
Then again, maybe I wouldn't be suspicious after all.
Sally looked at the other Sonic. "I don't understand! How can there be a Sonic and a Sonic-Cyborg?"
"Something like this happened to me once before! That 'doorway' must have been an exit from the Cosmic Interstate! You can get anywhere from there.
"Last time, I took a wrong turn and ran into an evil version of myself! Trust me; it was not a pretty sight!*
"In theory, there are hundreds thousands maybe even gazillions of other, similar universes...and just as many different versions of me!"
I would have loved to ask him about that experience but I knew time was of the essence. "That's the fact, Jack!" I exclaimed. "*click* *whirr* Explanation Mode...
"My universe is a dark and terrible place where our Doctor Robotnik turned the Freedom Fighters into cyborgs...but that proved to be a fatal mistake! With our new half-animal, half-mechanical bodies, we were powerful enough to march on Robotropolis and confront Robotnik for what we hoped would be our final battle.
"We were wrong.
"To win the war, Robotnik subjected himself to his own Roboticization process with crushing results! The resistance was terminated and I fled onto the Cosmic Interstate in search of allies to fight this new menace! Robotnik was pure evil but what he has since become is infinitely worse!
"Now he threatens all universes...including your own."
The other Sonic slammed his fist into his palm. "Don't sweat it, Chrome Dome! Me, myself and I will put a stop to that!"
I slightly cringed. "Call me Cyber Sonic." Chrome Dome... To think I used to like calling other robots that.
Several hundred side-trips across the Cosmic Interstate later, I and hundreds of other Sonics of all shapes and sizes, most of them in weird outfits and uniforms from all walks of life, were seated in a large outdoor stadium well, half of one listening to the Sonic of this world give a speech.
It hadn't been easy... Sometimes, other Sonics had attacked me and Sonic, who had decided to come along, out of suspicion. All in all, though, it turned out pretty good. I found it strange though that the Cosmic Interstate portals that were open never once lead to a world where the Sonic of that universe was too busy to accompany us or where the heroes and villains' roles were switched...
"I suppose you're all wondering why I called you here today. To put it bluntly, fellow hedgehogs, a crisis is upon us! If Cyber Sonic will step up to the podium and explain..."
I complied while Sonic went and sat down with the other Freedom Fighters.
I told them all about what had happened in my world. Needless to say, they got pretty riled up. When I finished, Sonic took his place at the podium once again.
"As you've just heard, one of Robotnik's countless counterparts has conquered his universe! The question is: What are we going to do about it?" he asked rhetorically.
"You'll do nothing, hated hedgehog!"
"Huh?"
Uh-oh... I'd know that voice anywhere. Everyone, including me, spun around.
A familiar orange portal had appeared in midair; beside it, a large hologram of a metallic head: Robotnik. I willingly entered Attack Mode as a stream of Shadow Swatbots, identical to ordinary Swatbots except for their black colour, began pouring out of the portal.
"Heh heh... Fall before the forces of...Robo-Robotnik! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
*"The Good, The Bad and the Hedgehog" Sonic the Hedgehog #11