Deviled Eggs
By Jonathan "KnightMysterio" Spires
All characters not my own creation copyrighted to their original owners (Sega, Archie, and Nintendo in this case) and are used without permission for non-profit amusement reasons. Comments, constructive criticism and especially compliments are not only appreciated, but encouraged. Flames will be ignored.
Chapter 1: Shelled Hellraisers
Mobius…
Downunda…
Freedom Fighter HQ…
"Very good, Marine," said Barby, the whitish-gray furred koala watching intently as the young raccoon dove and dodged through the obstacle course they had set up as training. Marine had opted to join the Freedom Fighters after she and her family were rescued from the prison camps set up by the Dark Egg Legion, being purposefully led incompetently by their friend and former leader, Bill Platypus. He had been forced into leadership by his power hungry people, and had been discreetly leading the Dark Egg Legion in the most incompetent manner possible.
Marine's was just the latest result of Bill's help. They had been reluctant to let her join, but her skill with boomerangs was formidable, and while she was no Tails, she had enough technical savvy to be helpful to the team. Guru was reluctant about sending her into battle, but even the pacifistic Emu could admit they needed some bolstering of their ranks. Bill couldn't always deliberately lead the Legion badly, especially now that the Iron Queen was deposed and imprisoned with the Iron King and Snively, Dr. Eggman taking back the reigns of his empire.
Marine finished the obstacle course, coming close to beating Barby's own score. "How was that?" she asked, grinning. "Bonza job, right?"
Barby nodded. "Good on'ya, luv. Just don't get too cocky. The blasters won't be set on stun in a real fight."
Marine giggled, and patted the boomerangs at her belt. "That's why I throw first, then attack."
Barby shook her head, chuckling, and ruffled the girl's hair. "C'mon, training's over for t'day. Let's go get some grub."
The two Freedom Fighters went to the main lounge, where the other members of the group, Walt Wallabee, Guru Emu, and Wombat Stu were already enjoying their meal.
"Hey, Barby!" Walt called out, grinning at the koala. "How's the new recruit doing?"
Barby chuckled, watching as Marine went over to grab some of the sandwiches set out. "She's still rough around the edges," Barby said, "But she's fast. And she's a better shot than you are with a boomerang."
Walt grinned. "Really now," he said as Barby went over and got some lunch herself, "Maybe we'll has us a Egg Pawn killing contest."
Barby chuckled.
At that point, the viewscreen in the base came on. This was not unusual. In his masquerade as the 'evil leader' of the Downunda branch of the Dark Egg Legion, Bill Platypus would sometimes broadcast over all channels his plan, bragging about it in a deliberately hammy manner meant solely to tip off his friends in the Freedom Fighters. The platypus army ate it up, believing their leader to be sowing discord.
They were somewhat surprised to see Bill, his Legion uniform in shreds, contacting them directly from what looked like a chamber that was on the verge of being busted into.
"Guys… Guys, I need help," Bill said. His face was bloodied, one eye nearly swollen shut. He clutched one arm, which hung limply at his side.
"Bill?!" Stu said, clutching his hat nervously.
"Bill, what's wrong?" Walt said, his expression all business, "Did the Legion find you out?"
Bill shook his head fearfully. "No… Something… I don't know what it is… He just appeared out of nowhere… He started fighting the entire Legion… Defeated EVERYONE… hand-to-hand!!"
The other Downunda Freedom Fighters traded nervous looks. The Legion weren't exactly the most formidable of opponents, but still, for one person to defeat them all with just hand-to-hand combat?
"Please… I need help… This guy, he…" Bill started to say. He was interrupted when a powerful, gold-scaled fist punched through the metal door. "No!!" Bill moaned, "HE'S HERE!!!"
Before the horrified eyes of the other Freedom Fighters, a massive, hulking figure tore through the door. His main body's scales were gold, save for the green around his head and on his thick, heavily spiked shell. Horns curved up from the side of his head, a tuft of fiery red hair adorning the top of his skull. His muscular arms were covered in three spiked armbands each, a similar collar around his neck.
"BOOGA BOOGA BOOGA!" the creature said, laughing as he tore his way inside. Bill tried to flee, but the creature breathed a massive gout of flames at him, Bill screaming in agony and collapsing.
The turtle-like creature grinned, his muzzle filled with teeth as he stalked into the room, picking up the charred body of the platypus, Bill groaning weakly.
"MOVE OUT!" Walt snarled, heading for the door. "Head to the Legion base at once!"
"Stay put, heroes," the creature said, stopping the Downunda Freedom Fighters in their tracks, "We'll both be with you in a moment."
Before the horrified eyes of the gathered heroes, the creature, still holding Bill, stepped onto the console. He pressed his taloned hand on the monitor, and whispered something in a language they didn't recognize. Their fear increased as the creature's hand began to emerge from the screen, followed soon after by the rest of the creature's body.
He landed with a thud in the main lounge of the Freedom Fighters, his spiked tail flicking back and forth in amusement. He roughly flung Bill away, Guru diving to catch him before he crashed against the stone wall of their base.
The creature chortled. "I gotta be honest here: You guys aren't my main target. I'm targeting you and three other groups so I can get the full attention of a speedy blue schmuck named Sonic the Hedgehog. You game?"
Walt snarled, pulling out his bombarangs. "Who in the bloody blue blazes are you?" he demanded.
The creature blinked, and smacked himself in the forehead. "Where are my manners?" he said, bowing, "I'm Bowser Koopa, King of the Dark Lands, Lord of the Koopa Peoples. And you can consider this the opening shot of a full-on invasion of your Zone. You are, respectively, Walt Wallabee, Barby Koala, Guru Emu, Marine Raccoon, and Wombat Stu. What's left of your little inside man there is Bill Platypus. Now. Y'alls wanna talk some more, or can we get it on?"
Walt and Barby nodded, trading looks. "Marine, guard Guru and Bill," Barby said.
"But…" Marine started.
"Don't argue with me, just do it!" Barby snapped. Marine gulped and nodded, pulling out her razor edged boomerangs in case she needed them.
Barby, Walt, and Stu took up combat positions around Bowser, the dragon turtle grinning at them. "This looks promising," he muttered, making a 'come on' gesture towards them all.
Walt threw his bombarangs, Bowser wincing and covering his eyes as powder exploded from them, cutting off his field of vision. Barby popped the spikes on her gloves, leaping up to Bowser's face and slashing at him, while Stu rolled in with a powerful kick at the back of Bowser's knee, a trick he learned while in the Acorn Secret Service.
Bowser, barely noticing the kick, roared in anger as Barby's claws started to cut into his thick scales, and breathed an intense gout of flame, forcing Barby to jump away. He lashed out at Stu with his tail, sending him scampering off. Walt threw more bombarangs, but Bowser just breathed fire to burst them before they hit.
These, however, had flashbangs instead of powder in them, the bursts of light temporarily blinding him. Walt leaped up with a flying kick to Bowser's face, as Barby and Stu launched kicks at Bowser's wide stomach, doubling him over so that his face was knocked into Walt's kick.
Bowser staggered back, clutching his gut. His facial scales showed a thin line of red from where Barby had cut them. He grinned savagely.
"Not bad. But let's see how you handle a little shell pinball," he said.
Walt threw bombarangs, but Bowser retreated inside his shell, avoiding them. Before anyone could react, the shell began spinning of its own accord, and sliding along the floor towards the three of them.
Walt cursed, he, Stu, and Barby jumping out of the way. He threw bombarangs containing TNT in them, but they exploded harmlessly on Bowser's thick shell. Bowser began ricocheting around the room, Guru and Marine carrying Bill's unconscious form to a higher ledge before the Koopa King bounced their way.
"Blast it," Barby muttered, jumping out of the way as Bowser spun by her, "How do you hurt this guy?"
"Bloody oaf's too well defended in this form," Walt said, jumping around easily to avoid, but growing worried, as Barby and Stu didn't have the natural jumping advantage he did. Barby climbed up a wall with her glove spikes, a trick she picked up from Knuckles.
Stu was the one who's luck didn't hold out. Just as Barby started climbing, Bowser ricocheted off of the wall she was just at, his shell spikes missing her by millimeters. He crashed headlong into Stu, who couldn't dodge in time.
"STU!" Walt and Barby called out, Guru and Marine looking on in fright. Marine panicked, and threw a blade-a-rang, but it just tinked harmlessly off of Bowser's shell.
Feeling himself impact Stu, he chortled viciously, and emerged from his shell. He skidded to a stop, and charged Barby as she ran to rescue her friend, knocking her aside with a shoulder tackle. Still in the same motion, not stopping for a second, and with surprising grace for something as huge as he was, Bowser spun, grabbed Stu's dazed form off of the ground and flung him at Barby with full force as she was flying away. The two ended up flying into a far wall so hard it cracked, both of them collapsing, unconscious.
"BLAST YOU!" Walt shouted, throwing bombarangs and charging for a massive lunging kick. Bowser just sneered, spinning around and letting the bombs explode harmlessly against his shell. He then continued the motion, ruthlessly backhanding Walt out of the air. He landed near Barby and Stu, groaning and unable to move.
Chortling viciously, Bowser turned to Marine and Guru, the last two standing. Marine, panicking, threw every bladed boomerang she had. Bowser, disdainful, just turned, blocking them all with his shell.
"S-Stay BACK!" she screamed.
"Pathetic," Bowser rumbled, "Should have stayed out of the draft, girly."
Before Guru could pull her out of the way, Bowser exhaled a gout of flame at her. She screamed, flailing about in agony, Bowser rushing forward and knocking her back into a tangle of water pipes, water gushing all over her from the ruptured pipes and extinguishing the flames. She groaned, collapsing.
"And then there was one," Bowser said, looming over Guru, who looked up at him sternly. "So what's your trick? Magic? 'Cause I'd love to have a sorcerer's duel."
Guru sighed, clasping his hands and taking a serene expression. "Nah, dude. I'm a pacifist. I don't do the fighting thing."
Bowser frowned. "…A pacifist in a war against a megalomaniac. Huh…"
Guru shrugged. "Someone's gotta set the example. I can't compromise what I believe in."
Bowser sneered. "What if I were to simply kill you and eat you? I've heard emu can be quite tasty." To emphasize this point, he loomed over Guru, holding his jaws open and letting his breath rush over Guru's head.
"Then that's your karma, dude," Guru said, shrugging.
Bowser shook his head. "Idiot. Let's see what happens when I turn my karma on you, 'dude,'" Bowser said. He grabbed Guru roughly by the neck, and muttered something in that same, strange language he used earlier. His eyes glowed, energy lancing out of them into Guru's.
And then Guru began to scream.
Bowser chuckled, unceremoniously dropping Guru, the emu writhing about in sheer agony. The cruel turtle dragon leaned down, smiling condescendingly at Guru. "Hurts, doesn't it?" he asked, "That little gem there, is a Pain spell. It triggers every pain synapse in your brain at once, and then intensifies by double every ten seconds, increasing your agony exponentially."
Guru groaned in agony, sobbing desperately and clawing at his throat, curling into a fetal position as he writhed about, fire burning in every cell of his body. "Naaagh!! AAGaaaaaghhaaaaAAAaaagjh!"
Bowser chortled, exhaling a breath of superhot air over the emu. "Oh, such lovely screams you have. I could listen to them all day…" he said, "But I'm on a bit of a clock here. I don't want Eggman to notice me yet until I've gauged how much of a threat Sonic and his little glee club are to my plans. I do have some good news, though!"
He stomped on Guru's head, knocking him out. Guru groaned once, then collapsed, blood coming from his eyes. "The spell ends once you are unconscious!" Bowser said jovially, "Isn't that lovely?"
Bowser chuckled, and gathered the Downunda Freedom Fighters in a single row. His taloned hands began to glow. "Now… smile for the birdy," he said, casting one last spell…
A week later…
Wolf Pack Nation…
"Any word?" the tough-looking wolfess in blue said.
"None, Lupe," the grayish brown wolf confirmed, "Nobody's heard anything from the Downunda Freedom Fighters ever since the Dark Egg Legion chapter in that region was torn apart, and none of the Legionaries are talking."
"Blast it all…" Lupe said, idly running a hand through her mohawk, "Lobo, is there any indication of what happened to them?"
Lobo shook his head. "None. All we know is that a distress signal was sent from the Downunda Freedom Fighter Base. When Sonic and Tails went there to check, they found the base torn apart. No sign of any of them."
Lupe frowned. "Could it be Robotnik?"
"Why would he target the Legion as well?" Lobo asked, confused.
"I don't know… Maybe one of them was a mole… The leader did was formerly a member of the Freedom Fighters of that region…" Lupe said, biting her lip in frustration.
Lobo sighed. "This is ridiculous. We all finally get all the Freedom Fighter groups connected and when we do, we can't help one another!"
Lupe sighed. "We'll contact Sonic again, see if any other groups have been attacked," she said, shivering slightly. "I need to check on the kids…"
Lobo nodded, understanding perfectly. "I'll keep watch here."
Lupe opened the wooden door of the communications room, planning on heading for the barracks where her cubs, Marco and Maria were resting.
Before Lupe could get out the door, an emergency signal came over the monitor.
"Where is it being broadcast?" Lupe asked, her demeanor hardening as she prepared for battle.
Lobo's gray fur paled visibly. "The… The barracks…"
Lupe felt her heart freeze. "Marcos… Maria…"
Dashing off, Lupe and Lobo ran at top speed towards the barracks, finding the rest of the main Wolf Pack freedom fighters there. Reynard, Diablo, and Canus stood in a half circle around the intruder, Bowser standing there with a wicked grin on his face. Lupe's children, along with the pink-furred younglings Leeta and Lyco and the two Overlander children Aerial and Athena as well, all lay tied up behind Bowser, staring up at him fearfully.
"I don't know who you are," Lupe said, her voice a barely controlled whisper, the male wolves around her growling savagely, "and at this point I do not really care. Release my children or I swear I'll rip your throat out with my teeth."
Bowser chuckled. "A couple of these are yours, then?" he asked, chuckling, "No worries. I know how you feel. I got eight kids m'self. Each one of them is a vicious, evil, totally rotten little bastard (literally. Each one has a different mother) and I'm proud of them all. Heck, the first seven tried to kill me a couple times!"
"I have no interest in your family, monster," Lupe said, her voice a snarl of fury, "Release our children and MAYBE we'll let you live!!"
Bowser grinned savagely. "Straight to business then? Okay then. I can appreciate that. First thing, though: The name's King Bowser Koopa, and we're gonna do this MY WAY. I came here to fight the five of you. The kids are just my way of ensuring the fight goes on my terms."
At that moment, several other members of the Wolf Pack burst in, ready to fight.
Bowser reached down and gripped Maria's head. "Tell them to back off!"
"NO!" Lupe shrieked, starting towards Bowser.
"Tell them to back off or I swear I'm gonna crush her skull!" Bowser snarled, squeezing and causing Maria to cry out.
Lupe growled ferally. The other wolves looked desperately to Lupe, who's eyes never left Bowser. "…Get out. It's us he wants," she said after a moment.
"But Lupe…" said one of the wolves who had entered.
Lupe turned and snarled at him. "GET OUT!!"
Reluctantly, the other wolves backed off, leaving the original Wolf Pack alone with Bowser. The Koopa King smirked, and gestured towards the doors that led to the main barracks. "And just so no one interrupts again…" He whispered something in a language the Wolf Pack didn't understand. His hand glowed, and the doors slammed shut, magical barriers forming around them to prevent them from being broken down.
Lupe turned Reynard, her second in command. "Where did he come from? How did he sneak in?"
Reynard shook his head. "I don't know. First time I saw him was as he was coming out of the children's rooms with them all tied up."
"It doesn't matter," Lobo snarled angrily, "We're still going to rip him apart and make his shell into decorative armor."
"Better than you have tried, Skippy. And I'm still here, still smilin,'" Bowser chortled.
"Not for long," Lupe muttered, "WOLF PACK ATTACK!"
The massive Canus took the initiative, charging Bowser and tackling him to the ground, hoping to immobilize him by knocking him on his shell. Reynard and Diablo both leaped up for a diving stomp, Bowser withdrawing his head into his shell to dodge it. He snarled, grabbing the two wolves and banging their heads together. He then exhaled a gout of flame in Canus's face, sending him staggering back. Lobo howled, lunging at Bowser's throat. At the same time, Reynard ripped a slender stone pillar out of the carvings on the wall and smashed it into Bowser's side, hoping to strike his kidneys.
Bowser bellowed in pain, the stone shattering against his body. He snarled, and rolled to his feet, throwing Lobo aside and head-butting Reynard, slamming him into the wall. Diablo lunged onto Bowser's back, barely avoiding his shell spikes, and began clawing at his eyes. At the same time, Lupe dove in low, driving her elbow hard into Bowser's stomach, Bowser wheezing as the air was driven out of his lungs.
Bowser staggered back and growled. He shook Diablo off and threw him through a pile of statues, the stone collapsing around him. Reynard tried staggering to his feet, but Bowser exhaled a gout of flame at him, the wolf screaming in agony and collapsing.
Before he could turn around, Lupe grabbed his jaws and wrapped her arms around them, clamping them shut. "CANUS! LOBO! Finish him!"
Canus howled, having finally recovered his vision, and began pummeling Bowser in the stomach, Lobo joining in as well. Blood spurted from Bowser's nose as the wolves pounded on him. Bowser lashed out, stabbing Lobo in the side with his claws.
Lobo howled in pain, clutching his bleeding side and staggering back. Canus, for just a moment, turned to check on him, while Lupe, in fear for her mate, turned to call out to him, loosening her grip for just a moment.
It was all Bowser needed to free himself.
He pulled Lupe off of his face and threw her at Lobo, the two flying back and colliding with a wall. He then turned to Canus and began trading punches with him. Blood flowed from the faces of both turtle dragon and wolf as they tried to knock each other out. Finally, though, Canus collapsed.
Bowser, panting, looked over the battered forms of the Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters. Reynard, Canus, and Diablo were out. Lobo was unconscious and bleeding badly, Lupe tearing off a portion of her leotard to act as a makeshift bandaged. Lupe was still standing, although just barely. Once she was certain Lobo was stabilized, she turned to Bowser, growling ferally.
Bowser wiped blood from his muzzle. "Give it up," he said, "I've won."
"Never," Lupe almost hissed, "Not while you're here. Not while my children are still in danger."
Bowser laughed. He looked over at the wall, seeing that it was starting to crumble, the wolves outside proving to be more intelligent than Bowser thought by going around the blocked-off doors.
"Okay then," he said, "I can respect that. And since you guys put up a better fight than the Downunda group, I'll stop playing around them. Ho'okalakupua!" he said, clasping his hands together. A powerful force engulfed the room, knocking Lupe back, the room becoming enveloped in white light…
…and when the other members of Lupe's tribe broke in, they found nothing. Bowser, Lupe, Reynard, Canus, Diablo, Lobo, and all six children were gone, leaving only the remnants of the battle.
A week later…
Station Square…
G.U.N. Headquarters…
"Still no sign of him?" Sally Acorn asked the tall, uniformed Overlander sitting at metal desk.
"None, Princess Acorn," G.U.N. Commander Abraham Tower said, frustratedly running a hand through his short gray hair, "Whatever this Bowser Koopa character is, he's very good at hiding himself. No sign of either the Wolf Pack or the Downunda team either."
Sally shook her head, sighing. "We'll just have to keep looking, I guess… I appreciate G.U.N.'s cooperation on this."
Commander Tower nodded. "Koopa defeated two prominent fighting forces, as well as a faction of Dr. Robotnik's Dark Egg Legion all single-handedly and apparently with just hand to hand. He also possesses powerful magic, apparently. He poses a threat not just to the various Freedom Fighter factions, but to both the Republic of Acorn and the United Alliance at once. If my theory is correct, then he may very well target G.U.N. or at the very least Team Dark in the near future. If we work together, and the President agrees with me, we might just manage to thwart whatever plan he's concocting."
Sally nodded, smiling. "I'll inform the Council. Keep me posted of any new findings. And thanks once again."
The hologram of Sally Acorn vanished, and Commander Tower sighed. "I just wish I at the very least had a place to start from," he said, picking up his notes, "Koopa's species isn't listed anywhere in the files of known Mobian breeds… The closest we can come up with is that he's some sort of turtle/dragon hybrid…"
A nervous knocking came on his door. Commander Tower sighed. "This had better be good."
A frightened looking soldier opened the door, saluting. Commander Tower returned the salute. "What is it?" he demanded.
The soldier gulped nervously. "It… It's Bowser Koopa, sir… He's challenging both you and Team Dark to a four on one battle. He says if you accept to meet him on the rooftop of the building at this address."
Commander Tower frowned, looking over the note as the soldier handed it to him. He closed his eyes for a minute, thinking, and then said, "Prep the Diablon and get Team Dark into my office now."
The soldier nodded, dashing off. Commander Tower stood up, staring out over the city through the armored window glass that made up the back wall of his office. A few minutes later, three figures walked in. One was the sultry, white-furred form of Rouge the Bat, clad in her usual black bodysuit with the pink heart on her chest. Shadow the Hedgehog walked close behind her, the black-quilled hedgehog looking as stoic as ever. Lastly came Omega, the hulking former Eggman robot lumbering in beside them.
Without turning around, Commander Tower said, "You are aware that two Freedom Fighter groups have been attacked and eliminated, by a monster calling himself Bowser Koopa."
Rouge nodded. "Nasty character, from the sound of it. The fact that you're bringing him up means that he's in the city," she said, folding her arms. Omega flexed its talons, seemingly eager for the chance to do battle, while Shadow's seemingly perpetual frown deepened.
Commander Tower nodded. "Indeed. And he's challenged the four of us to fight him."
Team Dark traded confused looks and murmurs amongst each other. "Clarification Request:" Omega asked, "The four of us? Including you?"
Commander Tower nodded. "Including me. He gave all four of our names specifically," he said, turning slightly. "What I'm asking you is if you're willing to accept his challenge."
Omega responded almost immediately. "Statement: I do not shy away from a fight. Boast: This fool will be good training for when I finally finish off Eggman."
Shadow frowned. "Something about this feels off…" he said, stroking his chin.
Rouge nodded in agreement, but sighed. "This stinks of a trap. But honestly, I don't know if it'd be a good idea to refuse. He took six children in the Wolf Pack's care with him when he took the Pack, including Lupe's two kids. If we don't show up he might start attacking families until we do."
Commander Tower looked at them. "So you're all in?"
"Affirmative," Omega said, clenching a fist tightly.
"I suppose so," Rouge said, shrugging.
"If we must," Shadow said.
Commander Tower nodded. "Then meet me at the launch bay. But be sure to stop by the armory first. We're going to meet this Koopa person prepared."
Shadow frowned. "You know how I feel about guns," he said.
"Get over it," Commander Tower said, "We're facing a powerful magical threat and aside from that you're partnered with a walking weapons platform that is the living embodiment of More Dakka…"
Omega snickered. "Taunt: Flattery will only get you so far with me," it said. Rouge rolled her eyes.
Shadow frowned, and sighed. "Very well."
Commander Tower nodded. "Get prepped and get ready. We're moving out."
A hour later…
The rooftop where Bowser waits…
Bowser patiently waited on the rooftop he wanted to fight. He had his eyes closed, anticipating what strategies he'd have to use. When he heard the sounds of rockets, like those on a jetpack, he looked up, smirking…
…a smirk which promptly fell when he saw the Diablon, the massive red mecha flying towards him, Shadow, Rouge, and Omega standing atop of it, Shadow wielding a chaingun while Rouge had a potent-looking sniper rifle.
"Mama mia," Bowser managed to squeak.
"FIRE!" Commander Tower shouted from the cockpit of the Diablon. Lasers, bullets, and rockets from Omega rained down, sending Bowser running for his life, leaping from building to building. The four of them chased Bowser across rooftops. When he looked to bolt, Rouge and Omega flew off, Shadow leaping down, herding Bowser deeper and deeper into the abandoned warehouse district.
Once they had gotten far enough in, Shadow sped around and flanked Bowser, getting in front of him. Bowser scrambled to a stop and tried to turn, but Rouge was hovering there, her sniper rifle aimed at his head.
She grinned. "Don't try ducking into your shell. I'm as good a pool shot as I am a gun shot, so I can bounce a shot from this beauty right into your skull."
Bowser roared at her, and turned the other direction, only to find Omega in his path.
The robot had no mouth, but it seemed to be smiling nevertheless. It switched its arm weapons, changing them to flamethrowers. "Challenge: Give me the excuse. PLEASE."
Bowser growled savagely, and turned to the Diablon, the mecha folding its arms, Commander Tower's chuckling coming from its loudspeakers.
"I assume that's you in there, Abraham?" he said.
"Indeed," Commander Tower said. "And in case you're thinking you can get away…"
Commander Tower had the Diablon snap its fingers. Dozens of armed G.U.N. soldiers popped up, all aiming high-powered rifles at Bowser.
The turtle dragon looked at all the laser sights now adorning his body… and chuckled. "Clever. Most heroes wouldn't be so… pragmatic."
"You kidnapped children. You don't deserve a fair fight," Rouge snapped.
"Funny hearing a thief calling me out on a crime," Bowser said, smirking.
"I don't deny that I have a weakness for gems," Rouge said, "But I don't put kids at risk. Ever."
Bowser chuckled. "Fair enough. But I came here for a fight, not a shootout. Ho'okalakupua!"
Before anyone could react, Bowser slammed his hand down. An energy wave erupted along the rooftop, creating a forcefield around the entire building that effectively locked them in. The G.U.N. troopers opened fire, but the bullets, many of them capable of punching through the toughest of Dr. Eggman's mecha, simply bounced off of the crystalline forcefield.
Meanwhile, Bowser did not stay stationary. He cast another spell, keeping his hands on the surface of the roof, energy lines tracing themselves along the metal, surrounding the Diablon, Shadow, Omega, and Rouge. As the four heroes stared in confusion, Bowser grinned… and lifted up his hands.
Energy walls shot up from the lines traced along the surface of the roof, slicing through the Diablon's sides and Omega's arms, and cutting the barrels off of Rouge and Shadow's guns. Omega screamed in apparent pain and rage, waving about the stumps of its arms. Rouge, rattled by the bladed walls, took to the air.
"DESTROY!!" Omega bellowed as the walls slowly lowered. A reserve set of claws grew from the stumps, the robot preparing to charge.
Commander Tower, cursing his carelessness, ordered him to halt. "The lines are drawing again. Rouge! Stay in the air! Shadow, Omega, get ready to dodge!" Lines were already starting to form along the ground again, this time in tighter patterns. Commander Tower abandoned the Diablon, which had been disabled in the initial attack, the blades coming within millimeters of the cockpit. Grabbing a sidearm, he took aim at Bowser, hoping to kill him or at least disable him before the walls manifested again.
Bowser just gestured, making a wall shoot up early, Commander Tower barely withdrawing his hands in time to avoid getting them cut off, the sidearm falling apart.
The rest of the walls shot up a moment later, shooting up high enough to catch Rouge, the batgirl avoiding the being sliced in half only by sheer luck.
She landed next to Shadow, who was glaring angrily at Bowser. "Can't go full speed. The walls come up too fast…"
"Observation: The free areas in each pattern of walls is getting smaller…" Omega noted with growing alarm.
"Get the sonic cannon ready!" Commander Tower barked to the gathered soldiers, barely dodging out of the way of a trio of bladed walls shooting up around him.
An older captain began barking orders to the younger soldiers, who began carting forward a massive looking weapon, all the other soldiers putting sound mufflers over their ears. Bowser frowned. So long as he stayed conscious, the spells would stay active. But if that sonic weapon fired… He debated making the field around the roof soundproof, but that would also block air from coming in as well, so that was out…
Bowser looked at his opponents. Commander Tower was proving surprisingly spry for his age, and was managing to keep ahead of the razor walls. Shadow and Rouge were doing fairly well, Shadow's speed and Rouge's flight, as well as their small size, allowing them to take advantage of smaller holes than the others. Omega was the worst off, and had taken several nicks from the bladed walls as they shot up over and over, the machine having been built for offensive power not agility.
He focused, and started making the patterns come faster, pushing them towards him. So intent on survival were they that the four of them didn't notice they were being pushed towards Bowser. "Come on…" Bowser muttered, hearing the whine of the sonic weapon powering up. Once they were in arms reach…
"GOTCHA!"
Bowser dropped the forcefield and grabbed them, putting Commander Tower in a headlock, picking up Shadow and Rouge before they could react, and tripping and stomping on Omega, pinning him down.
The older captain yelled for the soldiers to hurry up. Bowser laughed. Shadow tried to use his superfast legs to pummel Bowser's stomach, but he just shifted his grip so that Shadow had no leverage to kick with. He winced as Omega sank its talons into his foot, but he didn't let it up.
"Three down, two to go! And then this Zone is MINE!! HO'OKALAKUPUA!" Bowser crowed. A blinding flash enveloped the field, staggering all the assembled soldiers. When the flash faded, Bowser, Shadow, Rouge, Omega, and Commander Tower were all gone, leaving only a charred circle as the sign of their exit.
The old captain cursed, throwing his helmet down in frustration.
A younger sergeant came up to him. "Captain Walsh?" she asked, "What do we do now?"
Captain Walsh sighed. "What do we do, Sergeant Topaz? All we can do is update the President and the Republic of Acorn. We've failed."
A week later…
Angel Island…
The Master Emerald's temple…
"…What worries me is that he knew everyone's names, while nobody else has heard of this guy," Mighty said, the armadillo cracking his knuckles.
"What, THAT worries you?!" Ray said, the flying squirrel gliding next to the two bees, Charmy and Saffron, "Not the fact that he beat up and apparently captured not just the Downunda group and the Wolf Pack, but freaking Shadow? The only person on the planet who can challenge Sonic to a footrace and have a chance of winning? PLUS there's the fact that he clobbered an entire Dark Egg Legion unit and outwitted… well, pretty much all of G.U.N."
"All things about this opponent are worrysome," Espio said, the purple chameleon hanging back from the others, still uneasy about being with the rest of the Chaotix after his brief stint in service to the Iron Queen. The others seemed forgiving, and seemed understanding of his motives for joining, but he still felt uneasy at being back with them. He wouldn't have rejoined at all if the crisis were not as grand as it was.
Knuckles walked ahead of them all, the red echidna idly cracking his knuckles. "Guys, let's just get to the Master Emerald. This guy used the Wolf Pack's kids to lure them out, so he's bound to use the Master Emerald to try and force us out. We need to be ready."
"Actually…" said Bowser.
The Chaotix whirled, seeing Bowser crouched at the foot of the altar where the Master Emerald lay, glistening in the sunset.
"Actually…" Bowser said again, scowling, "I couldn't even get near the thing. Every time I try I get shocked."
Knuckles gestured, and the Chaotix all took flanking positions around Bowser. Julie-Su and Espio stood on either side of Knuckles, gun and shurikens at the ready. Vector stood beside Espio, Mighty beside Julie-Su. The flyers took positions above Knuckles. Bowser calmly looked them all over, smirking.
"Only one gun?" Bowser said, looking at Julie-Su directly. "I'm a little disappointed. Team Dark had enough sense to come at me with an army."
Julie-Su sneered. "One gun's all I need," she said.
"What is your intention, Bowser?" Espio demanded.
Bowser smirked. "Domination. To add this entire Zone to my Kingdom. I've picked out the Downunda Freedom Fighters, the Wolf Pack, Team Dark, you Chaotix, and Sonic's group as my biggest threat. If I can't get an alliance with Eggman, or if I manage to defeat all of you on my own, then I'll take him out as well."
Vector chuckled. "You think you can take on the entire Zone by yourself?"
Bowser sneered. "Of course not. I'm an egomaniac, but I'm not a fool. I've got an entire army waiting for me. All I have to do is call for them."
"You have to get by us, first!" Mighty snarled.
Bowser smirked, and stood up, making a 'come on' gesture. "Any time you're ready, kids."
Espio glanced at Julie-Su. She caught the glance and nodded. Espio threw out some shurikens. Bowser turned to swat them out of the air, but they exploded in a blinding flash of light when he made contact with them. Bowser flailed about, Julie-Su blasting him over and over, driving him further back.
Mighty, Vector, and Knuckles charged next. Mighty struck with a powerful blow that staggered Bowser forward, leaving him wheezing. Knuckles leaped off of Mighty's head, striking Bowser with a blow to the head that turned him completely around. And Vector finished the combo, grabbing the spikes on the stumbling turtle-dragon's shell and shoving him forward, slamming him into the Master Emerald.
The magical crystal lashed out in defense, pumping Bowser's body with electricity. Bowser screamed in agony, and lashed out, throwing Vector off of him. The flyers began buzzing around his head, throwing him off balance, Espio taking advantage of the confusion to leap up and strike a powerful blow to Bowser's throat. Julie-Su shot his kneecaps, bringing him staggering to the ground, and Knuckles hit him with a massive uppercut that send him flying back into the forest that filled the temple ruins.
"After him!" Knuckles said, the Chaotix starting to chase him.
Charmy and Saffron, both lighter and faster than Ray, flew ahead. They grabbed Bowser's shoulders and flapped hard, lifting him higher up. Bowser growled, and prepared to breath a gout of fire at them, but Ray flew in and did an uppercut that slammed Bowser's mouth shut.
Knuckles, pleased with how things were going, turned to Vector and Mighty. "Boost me up there, I'll finish him off. Espio, you follow me up."
Mighty and Vector skidded to a stop, holding their hands together in a platform for Knuckles. He leaped onto their hands, and the two powerhouses flung him upwards. Espio needed no boost to jump up, his martial arts ability allowing him to climb up the tree at speeds only Sonic's ground speed could outdo. He leaped up, kunai at the ready to pin Bowser's limbs to the ground once Knuckles knocked him down there. .
Knuckles glided over to Bowser, the toss his friends gave having sent him above the Koopa King. He dove in for a powerful punch… but Bowser parried, grabbing Knuckles and putting him in a headlock. He laughed viciously, powerdiving to the ground and into the trees.
"NO!" Espio cried, throwing his kunai. They embedded themselves in Bowser's shoulder, but he didn't break his grip. He plummeted down into the woods, disappearing.
"KNUCKLES!" Julie-Su screamed in fear for her lover.
"Hang on buddy, we're comin'!" Vector bellowed.
Epsio and the fliers dove down into the forest, Mighty, Vector, and Julie-Su running towards the spot where Knuckles had landed. When the three on the ground got there, they found the fliers hovering around Espio, the ninja chameleon glaring at Bowser.
When they saw what Bowser had done, their hearts froze.
Bowser's hands were clutching the sides of Knuckles's head, the echidna's eyes glowing as he hung limply in Bowser's grip. Bowser glared at the Chaotix.
"Let him go, Bowser," Vector snarled, clenching his fists tightly.
"Enough of this. I want a Warp Ring," Bowser snapped.
The Chaotix all traded worried looks. Vector scowled. "Running away?"
Bowser sneered. "Hardly. Gimmie a Warp Ring or I make Knuckles tear out his own throat."
Julie-Su bit her lip. She had a perfect shot…
"Forget it, bug eater," Bowser snapped, "Even if you kill me in a single shot, the way the spell I've put on Knuckles works he'll kill himself the instant I die."
Mighty swore angrily. Vector put a hand on Julie-Su and Espio, getting them to lower their weapons. "All right," Vector said, pulling a warp ring out of his pocket and tossing it to Bowser, "But no matter where you run, we'll find you and kick your butt."
Bowser gave him a confused look. "Who's running? I just realized I'm being stupid. After Team Dark threw an army at me I figured I needed one of my own. But if I use my own magics to travel between zones, my own enemies will notice it. If I use magic from this realm, however…" he said, grinning as he trailed off.
Realizing what they just helped him do, the Chaotix tried to charge, but Bowser growled, squeezing Knuckles's skull.
Mighty snarled angrily. "It doesn't matter HOW MANY you summon! We'll kick all their butts and send you packing!"
Bowser smirked. "You're right. The record that you lot and the other groups have had against Robotnik's army have shown that. But what if the army was unstoppable?" He turned to Knuckles, and said, "If you'd be so kind as to channel the Master Emerald's power into this gate."
"Yes master…" Knuckles said, gripping the Warp Ring. "The servers are the seven chaos… Chaos is power, power controlled by the heart…"
Green lightning lanced out from the Master Emerald, striking the Warp Ring and enlarging it to abnormal proportions. On the other end of the portal was a dark, volcanic land with a massive castle with Bowser's visage in the distance.
"Get ready," Vector said, he and the rest of the Chaotix taking a fighting stance.
Bowser grinned. "You can stop the living and those that never really lived in the first place. But what about the unliving? BOOS! DRY BONES! ATTACK!"
Skeletal turtles and spherical, grinning ghosts began pouring out of the warp ring, swarming the Chaotix. The Boos swarmed the fliers, biting and ramming them, forcing them to the ground. Espio, Mighty, Vector, and Julie-Su battled the Dry Bones, but every Dry Bones they shattered just kept rebuilding themselves.
Bowser grinned, and released Knuckles from the mind control. He looked on in horror as his friends were swarmed. But before he could lunge to help them, Bowser punched him hard in the back of the neck, sending him crashing to the ground, the Dry Bones swarming him as well.
"Only one left," Bowser said, grinning, "HO'OKALAKUPUA!"
The Chaotix, the undead army, and Bowser all vanished in a flash.
A week later…
New Mobotropolis…
The Republic Council Chamber…
"The answer is no, Sally," Elias Acorn said, "The Council has already voted on this, and the vote was unanimous."
Sally Acorn shook her head. "We can't just sit here," she snapped.
"The Chaotix are our friends! Plus the Downundas, the Wolf Pack… Heck, even Team Dark!" Sonic almost snarled, "We can't just leave them to this guy! What if he's working for Eggman!?"
Rotor shook his head, the purple walrus looking crestfallen. "I'm sorry guys, but because Bowser is taking Freedom Fighters, then New Mobotropolis can't risk you. If he is working for Eggman, we can't risk you or anyone else falling into his hands."
"With all due respect," Nicole said, the artificial intelligence manifesting her lynx form in the main council chamber, "I don't think that's the case."
Sonic yelped, startled by Nicole's sudden appearance. Sally frowned. "Nicole, you are certain?"
Nicole nodded. "He's been outside the city for an hour, with an army of ghosts and skeletons with him."
"WHAT?!" Dylan shrieked, the young porcupine starting to panic.
"Nicole," Chuck said, "Is he preparing to attack?"
Nicole shook her head. "He's actually been cooperative, answering my questions."
Sonic frowned. "What's this guy been telling you?"
Nicole looked to Sally and Elias, who both nodded. "His name is Bowser Koopa, and is king of a place he calls the Dark Lands. He claims to be from another Zone, and that he plans to invade this one. He says that he plans to seek out Eggman to either form an alliance with him or destroy him depending on how this encounter goes. He's also demanding to fight Sonic one on one."
Sonic grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Time to juice, then," he said.
"Belay that, Sonic," Rosemary Prower said, the fox shaking her head. "He bested four Freedom Fighter groups in battle. We are NOT risking you."
"Actually…" Nicole said, looking hesitant, "He has rather… compelling leverage…"
The Council traded worried looks. "What do you mean?" Penelope asked after a moment, the platypus stroking her beak.
Nicole sighed. "It's better if I showed you," she said, closing her eyes. "Bowser? I'm opening a link to the main council chamber."
A holographic image of the main gate of the city appeared. To everyone's alarm, in addition to Bowser's hulking frame and the aforementioned army of the undead, there was a massive crystal pillar next to Bowser. Trapped in the pillar, crystallized and frozen in positions of extreme agony, was everyone that Bowser had kidnapped.
Bowser smirked, Nicole showing him an image of the council chamber in return.
"Aurora help us…" Elias said, "Is that…?"
Bowser chortled. "Yep. It's my little way of keeping people I kidnapped in line. So how about it, fuzzies? Me versus Sonic the Hedeghog. Mano e mano. Otherwise I smash my new lawn ornament and everyone currently merged with the pillar DIES."
===== TO BE CONTINUED =====