Chapter 11: The Defeat of Sonic the Hedgehog

While Toad reviewed his lunch in the bushes of the royal garden, Sonic was escorted inside the magnificent castle belonging to the maiden ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. Sonic was unaware of the castle's history, and wouldn't recognise how well the place had been cleaned up and refurnished since Bowser's army captured the building and syphoned off all its Power Stars a while back. The lavish effect was singlehandedly spoiled by the sight Toadsworth had summoned the faux Mario to see.

"REMATCH SONIC THE HEDGEHOG"

That simple sentence was everywhere. It was ripped into the tapestries, torn into the carpets, carved into the wallpaper, and engraved in the very rock wall itself. Metal Sonic wasn't being subtle this time, Sonic noted.

"The perpetrator of this vandalism is the same fiend responsible for kidnapping our dear princess," said Toadsworth, fussing around. "The nerve! He didn't make even the slightest expression of remorse when the guards caught him right in the act of defacing this beautiful throne room. I dare say the wretch was perversely seeking attention to his crimes! Why else would he carve his name all over the room and not even care that he was seen?"

Sonic had been nodding along, amiably humouring the old mushroom man, but now he'd caught a note out of key. "Say what now?" he said.

"One of your old enemies out for revenge, eh Mario? I can't say I've ever heard of this 'Sonic the Hedgehog', but let me assure you that you have the full support of the Mushroom Kingdom in your mission to defeat this shameless villain and rescue our beloved princess."

"Heh heh heh," Sonic chuckled. "No, you've got it all wrong. Sonic the Hedgehog isn't a bad guy. He's just a guy who likes live like the wind and go where his heart takes him, and when there's injustice around he charges into danger and saves the day. Why, even I, Mario, can't compare to a hero like Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Very amusing, Sir Mario, but the only person I've ever heard of who comes even remotely close to that description of yours, is you, and as the royal scholar my knowledge is second to none. Now come along to the pipe vault down the road and I can show you how to catch up with this nefarious Sonic person."

It wasn't much use trying to complain.

Metal Sonic had been just as determined to leave a trace of his presence behind at the point of escape. The warp pipe Metal had used stood out for two reasons: The first; it was blue. The second was the petite royal crown belonging to Princess Peach, lying obtrusively in the middle of the opening. Sonic went through.

The laws of physics didn't rule with the same iron fist in Mario's world as they did in Sonic's. Here a trip through a slice of subterranean plumbing could take you halfway across the world in just a few seconds, and with a funky sound effect. Sonic, who just one minute ago had been feeling the hot sun on his quills, now emerged in a dank tropical swamp filled with a mist of rain. At least the warp pipe was fixed on solid rock, but there was no sign of Metal Sonic anywhere around.

Sonic glared at a tree frog out of the corner of his eye until it shut up and slithered off somewhere else. Predictably, he began tapping his foot impatiently-

Began was exactly the right word. Before the tip of the shoe even had time to tap the rock surface underneath, a thunderstorm of yellow electricity crashed out of the sky and hit Sonic dead on. The hedgehog landed face-down in the mud. Looking up, he got to see a terrifying sight painted against the silvery canvas of the rain. Metal Sonic had had regained his old Neo Metal upgraded armour from the Egg Fleet Incident, except he'd done away with the tacky cape and put extra effort into the spikes, the shine, and the armour plating. That wasn't the scary part. It was the three Chaos Emeralds, one embedded into each arm, and one locked into the round hole of Metal's chest, that gave Sonic an immediate premonition of pain. Metal had the green, the white and the yellow Emerald. Crap.

Metal grabbed Sonic by the scruff of his neck and started flying forward. Sonic might as well have entered a rope pulling contest with a Goliath's stronger older brother - Gigaliath. Metal Sonic indulged his nemesis by smashing the blue blur against every single tree they passed. The close proximity to the three Chaos Emeralds was a minor blessing. They gave Sonic back enough of his strength to take the beating, but still not enough to break free - and it still hurt like hell.

Finally Metal Sonic stopped. He held out Sonic at arms length as if to inspect him.

"Is that all?" sounded the cold metallic impersonation of Sonic's own voice. "You're nothing in this world. A pathetic waste of my time. I was programmed to defeat the mighty Sonic the Hedgehog, but this is just a weak and worthless shadow."

"Heh," Sonic chuckled, trying to grin. "Guess you'll have to let me go and reschedual for a fair fight, old buddy?"

"Hmmm...no. No, I'm going to kill you right now and finally be free of the torment of failing to complete my programming."

In one fluid motion Metal's free hand transformed into a massive gun, which he aimed at Sonic's face.

"This ends now," said Metal Sonic.


Next: Jolly fun times in Station Square