Episode 33
Previously on Sonic The Hedgehog - Chaos on Mobius...
After helping Tikal and Shade defeat Pachacamac -who had transformed into the very first Enerjak- TodStar used the forbidden Super Warp Ring that Locke gave him to return home... but he landed on top of Sir Galahad, who along with little- "Don't call me little!" -sorry. Along with Macho, Galahad prepared to fight TodStar, who relunctantly assumed his fighter stance.
How is TodStar gonna get out of this one? Will he convince Galahad and Macho to back down, or will he have to fight them? Find out next on Sonic The Hedgehog - Chaos on Mobius!
Chapter Twelve: Back to the Present (Part One)
Within Chun-nan, the land filled with dragon-like ruins and temples, the 1st Heat of Round 2 of the EX World Grand Prix was about to begin! Everyone who was polishing their Extreme Gear in the pit had now raced at least once.
"I'm a little nervous about today's race, Nicole..." Said Amy, as she looked around to see Metal Sonic (who looked a little different, somehow...), one of Eggman's E-10000 robots, Storm, Shade and Lamorak.
"Oh? And why's that?" The Lynx/Gizoid asked as she polished her Light Gear board.
"I've heard that there's a robot monkey, protecting this place!"
"And yet you're comfortable around me..."
"Oh, you're different, Nicole. I feel safe around you."
"Y'know, Ray & I have heard rumors that this heat's gonna be another beat 'em up." Mighty said as he walked up to Amy and Nicole.
"Good. I've got another shot at squashing Mina flat!" Amy said with a determined look on her face.
"What've you got against Mina, anyway?" Asked Mighty.
"I just don't like her..." Amy replied. "Does there have to be a reason?" Hearing that, Mighty looked down at the ground, and didn't noticed Shadow approaching.
"If the rumors about this heat are true, perhaps we should form an alliance." Said the Ultimate Lifeform as he handed the three communicators. "We can look out for each other during this heat."
"Sounds good to me." Nicole replied as the four of them attached the communicators to their ears.
"I'm in." Amy added.
"Me too." Said Mighty, before his friend Ray approached.
"M-m-mighty? I'm heading f-f-for the st-stands now." He stuttered.
"Okay, buddy." Said Mighty. "Wait, where's Espio?"
"He s-said he was g-g-going to visit his homeland b-before the race..." Ray replied.
Espio had arrived within a temple, that was filled with ancient scrolls and priceless relics. As Espio continued walking towards a chamber of some sort, he was confronted by two chameleon guards that appeared out of nowhere.
"State your name, fellow chameleon." One of them said.
"I am Espio, son of the Bride of Constant Vigil." He said while holding his right fist up against his left palm as he bowed. "I request an audience with her."
"Very well. You may enter." Said the other guard as they both stepped aside, granting Espio passage. When he entered the chamber, he saw his mother meditaiting: An older, purple female chameleon with four small horns on her head, unlike Espio's one large horn. She also wore jewelry, a red sash, and traditional kunoichi robes, like previous Brides of the Shinobi Clan before her.
"Espio..." She said without opening her eyes. "What brings you back home to the Shinobi Temple, my son?"
"Uhh... I just wanted to see you again. *nervous chuckle*" Espio replied as he knelt before his mother.
"I sense something is troubling you..." Said Constant Vigil. "Rise, and reveal your secrets to me, my son." After he stood back up, Espio was hesitant to say anything, but he eventually spoke up.
"I'm... I'm a little worried about the current Guardian of Angel Island..." He told her. "His link to the Master Emerald is like none that has been recorded. And now that his twin brother has been lost to time, I fear for the safety of Mobius."
"*sigh* Do not worry, my son..." Constant Vigil replied as she placed her hand onto Espio's face. "Chaos will not allow the Guardian to stray from the path that has been laid out for him." Espio merely nodded, before she hugged him. "It is good to see you again, Espio."
"As it is with you, Mother." Espio replied while hugging her back.
Meanwhile, near a Chao Garden ouside Mercia, Sir Galahad and his apprentice Macho had just engaged TodStar, who had just returned home from the past.
"Hang on, mate!" TodStar yelled. "I just got back here, after being trapped in the past for a couple of weeks!"
"Silence, echidna." Said Galahad, slightly offended by TodStar talking to him.
"Look mate, the last thing I wanna do is fight you. But carn, I just got here. Don't you have to wait a while?"
"You are thinking of swimming. Now prepare yourself!"
"Ugh, do the words 'Ring lag' mean anything to you? RING. LAG?"
"You DARE to patronize a Knight of Mercia?" Galahad yelled, as he was offended by TodStar.
"Uhh, Sir Galahad? Maybe we should let him go." Asked Macho.
"Absolutely not!" Galahad shouted. "This echidna attacked me!"
"I accidentely trod on you, and you reckon that's an act of violence?" Protested TodStar. Soon, a group of Chao came out from the bushes. All of them had question marks over their heads. "Hey, some Chao... G'day, little guys..."
"Hey, can I have a look at them?" Macho asked as he approached TodStar and the Chao, leaving Galahad to question his actions as he put his sword away.
Little did any of them know that a lone Egg Flapper has spotted them, and had sent data of the three Mobians and the Chao back to Robotropolis. Which then sent the data to the Egg Carrier (that had big 2s on the sides of it!) where Eggman had received the data.
"Ahh... more Knights of Mercia..." He announced. "I wonder if they're aware of their friend competing in the EX World Grand Prix..."
"Uhh... boss?" Orbot nervously asked for the Doctor's attention.
"What?" Orbot pointed at footage of a certain green echidna.
"Well, ah'll be..." Said Cubot, amazed by the return of TodStar. "Didn't Enerjak get rid of him?"
"Well, he obviously did a terrible job of it!" Eggman replied before pressing a button, revealing a Roboticized echidna girl. "No matter. I'll just send one of my robots to finish him off!" Both Orbot and Cubot were surprised to see another Roboticized Mobian (or Robian)! "Ah, yes. This is one of the echidnas I found along with the Gizoid all those years ago. All right, ERM-01, are you ready for your next mission?"
"Yes, Doctor." The Roboticized echidna replied with her robotic voice.
"Excellent. This is an easy one." Eggman stated, before pointing at TodStar. "Destroy that green echidna, no matter what!"
"Yes, Doctor." Replied ERM-01. "I will comply." Soon, an opening appeared above her, then she activated the rockets on her feet and blasted out of the Egg Carrier.
"*chuckle* Take a good look at TodStar, boys." Eggman told Orbot and Cubot. "Because this shall be the last time you see him alive. Gah hahahahaha!"
At that moment, on Angel Island, Knuckles was watching the highlights of the EX World Grand Prix: Round One with the rest of the Chaotix, when he sensed something that shocked him.
"Knuckles?" Asked Charmy. "What's wrong?"
"It's my brother..." Knuckles replied. "He's back..." This information shocked the Chaotix to the core!
"TodStar's back?" Asked Vector in disbelief.
"Yeah, but he's in danger..." Knuckles replied. "We've gotta help him!"
"Knuckles, you can't!" Said Julie-Su as she grabbed Knuckles' arm.
"I have to, 'Su. If TodStar gets killed, so do I!"
"...all right. But I'm coming with you." Knuckles then nodded.
"You guys can hold the fort, right?" He asked the rest of the team, and they all nodded. "We'll be back before the next round, don't you worry!" So, with Julie-Su on his back, Knuckles glided towards the location where he sensed his brother...
Back near the Chao Garden, Galahad had approched TodStar, who was playing with the Chao along with Macho.
"Pardon me, Sir...?" He said, getting TodStar's attention.
"Whoa. Mate, just call me TodStar." The green echidna replied.
"Very well... TodStar, I just wanted to apologize for my behaviour earlier." Said Galahad.
"Hey, no worries." TodStar replied after shrugging. "It was all just a misunderstanding. So, what's your name, little guy?" Before Galahad could say anything, Macho jumped onto TodStar's stomach, threatening to punch him!
"Do... not... call... me... little!" The shih-tsu knight-in-training told him before getting off the echidna. "But my name is Macho. I'm a Knight-"
"...in training." Galahad inturrupted. "And I am Sir Galahad. A Knight of Mercia."
"Ah, so you're a Knight of Mercia, eh?" TodStar asked Galahad, and the armored hedgehog nodded. TodStar then turned his attention back to Macho. "Sorry, what was your name again?"
"Macho." The boy replied. "Macho the Shih-tsu."
"Wait, you're not house-trained?" TodStar asked him, which made Galahad turn around to avoid being seen laughing. While they were with the Chao, they were completely unaware of a Roboticized echidna hovering above them... as ERM-01 fired a laser from one of her fingers, TodStar sensed danger.
"MOVE!" He shouted as he pushed Macho out of the line of fire, and used Chaos Control to escape the attack.
"What is the meaning of- What in the Realm of Iblis?" Galahad asked before TodStar pointed up at the Roboticized echidna.
"Target, TodStar the Echidna: Identified." It said with a female robotic voice, before it's dreadlocks all aimed at TodStar. "Commencing elimination process."
"WHOA!" TodStar yelled as ERM-01 fired lasers at him, but he escaped using Chaos Control. When TodStar reappeared, ERM-01 targeted him again and attacked, but her attack didn't hit it's mark, as TodStar used Chaos Control to escape again. This actually continued on for a little bit, while Galahad and Macho just stared at TodStar's skills. "Don't just sit there gawking at me!" He told them before warping to a different area. "Get the Chao back to the Chao Garden!"
"Right. Come on, Macho!" Said Galahad as he grabbed Macho and went after the Chao. "We must make haste!"
Meanwhile, back in Chun-nun, a Mobian monkey was standing atop of a mountain, holding a staff of some sort, angrily staring at ten Mobians (supposedly) lining up at the Gaia Spiral Dragon.
The Gaia Spiral Dragon looked exactly as it sounded: A red dragon statue with yellow and blue markings, it's mouth open, and it's body spiralling down to an underground cave, which lead back up to the mouth. Unknown to the monkey, someone was watching him...
"Hmm... I still don't feel right about this..." He said as he continued staring at the dragon statue. "If I didn't have to protect the Free People, I would do something..."
"Not that you could do much on your own, anyway. No offence, old friend." Said a voice that made the monkey happy.
"Espio!" He exclaimed after the purple chameleon revealed himself.
"Ken Khan. It has been too long." Said Espio as they bowed to each other.
"Indeed. What are you doing back in the Dragon Kingdom?" Asked Ken.
"I am here to cheer on some friends of mine in the race down there." Espio replied, which made the monkey a little angry as he looked back at the Gaia Spiral Dragon.
"Why is Chaos letting them compete on such ancient relics?" He asked.
"If there was any danger, the Gossamer and Shinobi Clans wouldn't allow this to happen."
"Heh. Your clan still doesn't trust the Yagyu or Raiju Clans, huh?"
"I don't see how they could be trusted at all... the Yagyu are nothing but theiving swordsman, and the Raiju use violence to solve everything... both clans are without honor."
"Yeah. And I'm the only one available to keep them away from Stormtop Village."
"I'd help you if I could, Ken. You know that."
"5..." Both Espio and Ken overheard a voice announcng that Round 2 of the EX World Grand Prix was about to begin... "GO!"
Back outside the Chao Garden, TodStar wanted to attack ERM-01, he just couldn't get close enough to land a hit. He couldn't even stay in one spot long enough to throw a Chaos Spear!
"According to Dr. Eggman's research, you cannot last much longer without nourishment." ERM-01 warned as she continued to attack TodStar. "Surrender, and I promise to end your life as quickly as possible."
"Yeah, well... bugger that!" TodStar shouted as he released a Chaos Wave at ERM-01. While her lasers shot through the Chaos Wave, it did blow ERM-01 off her feet! TodStar couldn't escape the lasers, and he was knocked out. ERM-01 wasn't fazed however, as she used her rocket feet to level herself while in the air.
"Target's status: Unconscious." She said as she landed back on the ground. "Objective: Destroy at all costs." ERM-01 then aimed all of the laser cannons on her fingers and dreadlocks at TodStar, but before she could finish him off however, Knuckles smacked her in the back of the head!
"No walking tin can is gonna hurt my brother!" He said as he and Julie-Su landed. But when Knux's girlfriend got a look at ERM-01, she gasped.
"Meg-Le?" She shouted in disbelief.
"Julie-Su. I advise you to stay out of this if you don't want to get hurt." ERM-01 warned.
"Wait, how do you know this bucket of bolts?" Knuckles asked the pink echidna.
"Because, Knuckles... she's my sister."
"WHAT?"
END OF CHAPTER
