DIMENSION DOMINATE A Sailor Moon/Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Story A Date With Destiny, Part III
by cookirini
Four minutes had passed, and everyone was in the room with Professor Caninestein, staring down at the cracked mirror. Once everyone had heard what had happened, they had gathered together, waiting for something to happen. Their expectations were met, somewhat, when the mirror began to glow again, the glass melding together once more before a soft white glow began to emanate brightly into the room.
"Yeah, but I don't think anyth..." At this, Robotnik Jr.'s head suddenly bolted up. "H-hey! What's that noise?"
"Outside." Quickly, Tails ran into one of the rooms. "There's something going on outside!"
The sailors and Mobians quickly followed, finding themselves staring down onto the city below. Thousands upon thousands of people were jamming the streets, their collective shouts and screams swelling into a wave of unadulterated sound.
"The moon, the moon…!!"
"The black…!"
"LOOK!!..."
The group looked up, their eyes widened in horror. The moon was completely gone from the sky, save for an eerie halo which came from the light of the sun as it tried, and failed, to hit it. The senshis' hearts sank, as did most of the Mobians; to see the moon gone like that was a seeming realization that the end was near.
"No...it's gone..."
"He..." Uranus' fists clenched. "We have to--"
"Vait!" Caninestein pointed. "Look, zere's something happening!"
Uranus looked up again, and started at the sight. Cracks were beginning to appear in the blackness, revealing the silver surface underneath. Some of them were, at first, too minuscule to see. As moments passed, however, the cracks became larger and brighter as the blackness weakened and pulsed against the power that was going against it. Soon the white cracks were everywhere, like a tortoise shell on fire.
"Can it be..."
"Impossible...!"
"Sonic..." Tails' eyes widened. "It's Sonic!!"
The seconds ticked by, the blackness writhing and pulsing violently as it tried to consolidate its hold on the satellite, but it was all for naught. Everyone watched, and waited, holding their breaths for the inevitable even as they were worried it was only temporary. Finally, as the blackness on the moon exploded, allowing the surface to once again bathe in the light of the sun, a single yellow streak of light flashed across the sky, causing the whole group – and the whole city - to erupt in cheers.
--
"...moon...Sailor...Moon..."
The first thing Usagi felt was cold. It was like being in the inside of a freezer for hours on end, to the point where one's entire body was blue and even black. It ripped through her clothing and chilled her to the bone, making her wonder how she had been in the cold for so long. It was also a bit painful, to the point where she almost cried out.
Then she saw Earth in the distance, and the stars that surrounded her and blurred as she passed them, saw her tattered school clothes and she remembered why. She gave a gasp and started to panic.
Oh no...!
"Woah!" A voice suddenly spoke, and she became aware of two arms under her back and legs. "Watch out. You'll float into space!"
Usagi's eyes widened as she realized the source of the voice. She turned her head and found herself face to face with a character that, before, she had only seen on her old game system as she fruitlessly punched buttons in order to make him spin. Super Sonic, though he wasn't quite as super as he had been before. His skin was slowly turning green, a sign that whatever had been powering him was faded, or gone completely.
"You..." she choked. "I can't believe it..."
"Yeah, me." Sonic smirked as he flew along. "Are we enjoying the flight?"
"...You saved me." Usagi's eyes began to slightly water. "Saved my friends. Thank you so much..."
"All in a day's work for a hedgehog, though I couldn't have done it without you. Buttnik, on the other hand..."
Sonic stopped at that, and said nothing more. Usagi didn't need to be told what had happened to Dr. Robotnik - to the self-appointed Sailor Universe. It was what had happened to Sonic the first time he attempted to rescue her. And even if she had no idea of what was going on, the crumbling black energy floating aimlessly into space clued her into the extent of the doctor's rampage.
All my fault... Usagi closed her eyes. Once again, the Silver Crystal...
"Say," her thoughts were interrupted by Sonic again, as the Earth began to engulf their vision. "In your town, you wouldn't happen to know a good place where they sell chili dogs, do they? I've got a craving that would knock out a rhino!"
"Oh..!" At this, Usagi gulped. "Actually, I don't know any place in Tokyo..."
"Bleh." At this, Sonic winked. "Hate your planet already."
Usagi couldn't help but laugh as they entered into the atmosphere, the flames burning all around them as they flew down. At this point, Sonic began to turn blue, using up all of the energy he had left from his power-up to shield them from the heat. Though Usagi began to sweat profusely, she knew she had nothing to fear.
"Oh..." She thought. "What happened to those emeralds? Did they..."
"Oh, they're fine." Sonic also began to sweat. "I just threw them out to parts unknown. I'm pretty sure at least one of them is clear out of the galaxy by now."
"Thank goodness." The flame was replaced by blue skies, where Usagi still nearly floated out of Sonic's arms. "At least no one will bring them together again."
"Well, yeah, but..."
"But?"
"...I just ran out of juice."
"...Whaaaa..."
There was a horrified silence as Sonic, now completely blue, turned bright red at his blunder. Below her, Usagi could see her island country, but could only barely make out where her city was. She knew that was going to change very soon as she began to sweat even more profusely.
"I hope you Earth people have good coverage" was the last thing Sonic said before the two of them suddenly started plummeting towards the ground, screaming their heads off.
--
Uranus smirked as she watched the scene from within the Deep Aqua Mirror.
"You think we should rescue them?"
"Oh," At this, Mars snorted as she waved her hands. "I think we should let Usagi fall a couple thousand feet. Spend some more time with her feti-"
"Hey!"
"...Oh...sorry!" Mars felt Tails' annoyed glare on her. "Never mind...!"
"Spotting location..." Mercury's fingers typed quickly on the keyboard of her computer. "Activating the communicator's remote signal!"
At the pressing of the Enter button, Usagi and Sonic both disappeared from the mirror screen; seconds later, the fell through the ceiling of the room, screaming as they fell the six feet down onto the floor.
"Usagi-chan!" The girls all flocked to their leader instinctively, holding her up as she groaned from the impact. "Usagi-chan...Princess!"
"SONIC!!" Before Sonic could even get up, Tails was on him, finally able to give him to proper welcome back. "SONIC!! YOU'RE BACK!!"
"Woah...easy there!" Wiping his eyes, Sonic returned the bear hug. "Was there ever any doubt in your mind, little bro?"
"I'm so happy..." Tails sniffed. "Sonic, you have no idea how much I missed you."
"Same here, little pal."
"I mean, I thought you were gone..." Tails looked down at this. "And...I gave up real easily on you. And that's not what heroes do. I let you down. And...I let Robotnik..."
"...What? Are you kidding?" Sonic brought Tails' chin up. "Why are you so hard on yourself? You didn't cause any of this. If anything you're the reason I'm not still down there! You may not think you did anything, but you did a lot more good than you'll ever know."
"I..." Tails smiled. "Thanks, Sonic. You don't know how much that means to me."
"No problem, keed." Sonic nodded. "I understand."
"I...I just thought...hey," Suddenly, Tails backed away from Sonic and spread his arms out. "When we get back to Mobius, can you tell me what happened? Even where you were, there must have been amazing stuff!"
"Yeah..." Visions of dancing frogs, drunk bellringers and disembodied heads swam through Sonic's mind at this. "Um, maybe later. First, though..."
Suddenly, Sonic burst from the room, throwing up dust and choking everyone in the process. Seconds later, however, he returned, and plopped Beryl onto the floor near Usagi.
"What..." Usagi's eyes widened as she recognized the sorceress. "You?!"
"Don't worry. She helped save you." At this, Sonic nudged Beryl. "Right?"
"I..." Beryl turned red at the sight of Usagi, then promptly turned away from her. "Hmph."
"...Oh, come on." At this, Sonic put his hands on his hips, a little smirk on his face. "Are you really going to carry on like this? After all you went through to get here?"
It was a long and comfortable that followed. It was clear that Usagi was shocked at the sight of her old adversary, and it was doubly clear that Beryl wasn't too keen about seeing the one person she despised most in the universe. Of course, it wasn't merely the fact that Beryl disliked Usagi, but also the fact that they loved the same man, and Beryl had tried so hard without success to win him.
"Come on..." She heard Sonic tap his foot. "I'm waaaaitiiing..."
"I...fine." Beryl spoke through gritted teeth. "Sailor Moon, I'm sorry I...tried to take Endymion from you. I...I won't interfere with your relationship..."
"That's sorry?" She stopped when she heard Sonic speak again. "Come on, Beryl."
Beryl turned even redder at this, and she finally turned to Usagi, biting her lip as she did. A glare passed between the two, Usagi's look being the warier of the two, before both women looked away again. As the moments passed, even Sonic's smile began to drop a little.
"...I..." Finally, however, Beryl broke. Shutting her eyes tightly, she kept her head down and away from Usagi regardless. "I only...wanted to be with him. He was my everything. I was jealous of you, all right? Because I loved Endymion with all my heart. I still...love him, even at this very moment. Even now I would tear this world apart if it meant I could have him."
"...Daah..." Big Griz blinked, and scratched his head. "Dis is an apology?"
"Well," Tails gave a sheepish shrug. "At least she's being honest?"
"But...I know he can't be mine." The sage's grip on her staff tightened. "No matter how much I want it to be. For that I will always despise and loathe you, even if some day I come to no longer love him, even if we become allies...and I'm sorry it must be that way. But...I can't just forgive and forget. I just...can't."
Another awkward silence descended upon the group as everyone stared at Usagi, waiting for her response to Beryl's words. Indeed, she was almost as red as Beryl, though her wariness turned into incredulity before it turned into confusion.
"...I...ah..." The sailor soldier fumbled for a proper response. "Um, thanks? I guess?"
"...You're very welcome," Beryl mumbled. "Princess."
"...Well!" Sonic clapped his hands together. "That's better! I'm proud of you, Beryl."
"Proud of me?" Beryl's left eyebrow raised. "For what, Sonic?"
"The fact you've actually learned something from all this when push came to shove." Sonic nodded. "And you didn't call me rodent or hedgehog."
"I..." Beryl blinked in surprise, her lips pursing into a small ghost of a smirk. "I suppose I didn't."
"Big whoop!" At this, everyone turned to Robotnik, Jr., who had a slightly annoyed look on his face. "Now that everyone's buddy buddy, what are we going to do with this giant fortress?"
"What'll we do?" Breezy brought her good hand through the stouter robot's hair. "What do you mean by that, sweety-kims?"
"I mean, this is the first time a fortress my dad built hasn't collapsed on itself after a battle. Normally when my dad makes a fortress, it gets blown up or imploded, or something." Robotnik, Jr. looked up, flummoxed. "There's, like, no precedent for an intact fortress post-battle when it comes to my dad."
"Ooooh?" At this, Venus made her way to Uranus' side before anyone else could speak, a coy look on her face. "You mean, this place isn't going to collapse? How interesting, don't you agree, Uranus?"
"Ditch the asinine attitude." Uranus gave the girl a death glare. "I never agreed to your stupid bet."
"Aaah, but!" Venus shoved a finger at Uranus' nose. "It's the principle of the matter! Sailor Venus says!"
"And Sailor Uranus," the sky soldier growled, "says she's going to-"
"Now, children." The two girls looked over to see Sailor Pluto chuckle. "There's no need to argue. I'm quite sure we don't have to worry about this little conundrum."
"What do you mean?"
"Well," Pluto closed her eyes. "I'm sure we'll be able to find a use for this place. Don't you agree, Sailor Moon?"
At this, she looked at the hair-bunned girl, who gave Pluto a blank look in response. As Pluto kept looking at her, however, a realization began to dawn on her, one that was lost on the Mobians and Beryl, but not lost on the sailors. Each of them began to brighten up and smile and smirk at Pluto's unspoken implications.
"A-aaah!" Finally, Usagi bobbed her head up and down, her eyes wide and a big grin on her face. "I got it! Yeah! Um, I'm sure we'll find a, um, future use for this place, right?"
"Right." At this, Sonic yawned and gave a couple more taps of his feet. "Well, now that all this is over and we've figured all of the loose ends out, I propose we go all out to celebrate before we get ready to go back to Mobius."
"Party?" Tails pumped his fist. "All right!"
"Celebrate?" Jupiter raised her hand. "Well, I know of this new club that opened in Shibuya-"
"So who's up for chili dogs?"
"...Huh?" Jupiter's face fell. "Chilli dogs?"
"ALL RIGHT!" In unison the Mobians cheered. "WOO-HOO!! YESSSSS!!"
"NOOOOO-HOOO-HOOO!!"
Everyone's cheers abruptly stopped the moment Scratch's wailing. They all turned to see Scratch and Grounder leaning on each other, bawling into a pile of tissues.
"He's goooone!" Scratch cried. "Our Supreme Mustachedness is gone! Isn't he!?"
"He didn't come back with you, so he must be...!" Grounder blew his nose, which blew off and hit Mercury in the face. "I didn't even get to give him his birthday present!! Why'd you have to do that, hedgehog!?"
Normally, the Mobians would have ridiculed the robots after they were defeated by Sonic, or their master's plot was foiled. However, something about the situation was different from the countless times before; perhaps it was the fact that Robotnik had abandoned everyone, even his most loyal followers, in his pursuit. Or perhaps the price that everyone had paid was far beyond what the Mobians had experienced before. As the robots mourned, the Mobians, instead of mocking their pain, simply stayed silent, giving an occasional look towards Sonic, whose expression showed a surprising lack of emotion.
"There, there..." Sailor Venus walked pat Grounder on the back. "I'm sure everything will be all right, yeah?"
"Y-yes your Most Beautiful Venusness..." At this, Grounder looked up at his new master, his eyes shining. "C-can I stay with you now, s-since Dr. Robotnik's not around anymore...?"
"Bawww!" Scratch blew his nose. "Grounder, y-you're such a d-dolt...!"
"A d-dolt in love..."
"Uh, well...however you want to look at it. I'm sure my parents won't mind!" At this, an evil gleam sparkled in Venus' eyes as she began to mull over the possible arrangement. "Especially my mom. I'm sure she'd have no objections at all to you staying in my room so that I have to sleep in her new Swedish temperpedic bed at all. Heheheh...yes..."
"Always looking on the bright side, Venus?" Usagi began to sweat. "Though, the robots do being up a good question. What did you do to...him?"
"Oh." Sonic shrugged. "I sent him away."
"Sonic?" At this, Caninestein tapped the hedgehog on the shoulder. "I hate to doubt you, but vere in ze world – er, universe – could you have sent Robotnik? Zat explosion on ze moon seemed...well, final-looking."
"Yeah," at this, Robotnik Jr. piped up. "I gotta agree with Caninestein. Knowing my dad he'll be back, even from this kind of defeat. Unless you did something really bad to him...?"
At this, Sonic looked around at everyone. Senshi, Mobian, and robot all looked at him expectantly for a better answer. Even Beryl was looking over, her curiosity clearly piqued by what was going on.
Should I?...Naaaah. Why ruin it? At this, his eyes met Tails'. On the other hand...
"Well, professor, I'm not going to go into details about it, though I might tell Tails later. I owe him that much. But I'll just say that I don't think we have to worry about him again for a good long while, Professor." A little smirk came on his lips. "I sent him to someone who'll make sure to take care of that..."
--
The screams of the underworld permeated through the great jeweled castle, into the sanctified columned room where the great throne of Hades himself sat and oversaw his domain. It was like music to him, a beautiful symphony, to hear the torture. With each passing day the orchestra became larger, the tortures of those who had done evil giving him the greatest pleasure of all.
On this day, though, a new shriek suddenly echoed into the throne room as the owner descended towards his final judgment.
"...aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"
He landed so hard that the entire underworld shook as if there was a violent earthquake causing even the bell by the entrance - which was on the side completely opposite of the great throne hall – was shuddering terrifically from the impact.
"Hey!" The bell ringer growled as he took up a broken bottle of alcohol. "Who's doing that!? I'll shove a giant fish up your-"
"Hey, shut up!" Several newcomers shouted up as Cerberus gave the bell-ringer a small growl. "No one cares!"
There was a groan from the large hole that the portly poltergeist had made in the perfect marble floor of the ancient abode. A gloved hand came up, followed by another, and then up came the all too-familiar bald head and orange mustache. He slowly crawled out of the rubble, which, once he got out, began to shift and crack under the guide of an unseen hand. Within seconds the disaster area was good as new, smooth and even as if no one had dared even scuffed it with their shoes.
"What? Huh??" Slowly getting up, Robotnik looked around, confused as he rubbed his head. " This isn't the moon. Where on Mobius am I? That blasted rodent and...whatever he did to me! I don't...feel any different, but….h-GAAAUGH!"
That was when he noticed the giant, almost comical, hole in his chest. He thrust his hand in, realizing it was going through his back, and he jumped up in shock. His eyes began to bug out as he started to realize, among other things, what was wrong with him and where he might actually be.
"This...I...No!! It can't be!!"
"Oh, but it IS!"
Suddenly, a pillar of flames and smoke engulfed the room, revealing a tall, muscular man, with black hair, and black eyes that smoldered with unyielding anger. His blood red cape was draped around his shoulders, and next to him was a woman, dressed in a green tunic, her own eyes boring into the unfortunate doctor as he stood in the middle of the throne room of the Rich one, the dreaded god of the underworld himself.
"So," Hades' voice boomed as he stared down the former ruler of Earth. "This is the man who dared invade my kingdom and usurp my throne? How strange that he is not as I had imagined him…I thought he would be far more intimidating to look upon."
"Why, I….." Robotnik gulped as he realized he was in a great deal of trouble. "Well, it….it wasn't...I mean, it went like this-"
"SILENCE." Robotnik was immediately cut off. "You have committed a most unforgivable crime, amongst all the others you have done. You have no right to speak in my presence! Yes, the record of three judges and I, have decided your punishment shall be long and painful; until the end of eternity and beyond shall you suffer! Moltaire!"
"Yes," at this, the faithful apparition appeared, head in hand as always. "Oh, Rich One?"
"Take this bloated, misshapen monster," Hades' eyes flashed, "and place him in the pit of hot molten metal. So his body may melt each day, and at night, he may cool off and reform for the next day's torture...an so it shall be...for all eternity!"
"W-what?! Wait!" At this, Robotnik dropped to his knees. "It's…it's not what you think! I…I was corrupted! Yes! The Crystal corrupted me! And my robots, they convinced me to come to Earth! And, eh, the hedgehog as well! Oh, if you only knew what he's put me through all these years…!"
"Oh really."
"Yes! Really!" Tears began to form in the madman's eyes. "I promise I'll behave! I'm just a lost soul in need of guidance...and um, assurance that I'll live until my golden years! Yes, I...really don't belong here..."
"Husband," at this, the woman spoke. "Perhaps this poor man is right. If he was indeed corrupted by the crystal, then perhaps he would not find a punishment more….suitable to that?"
"….More suitable." At this, the flames died down. "What could you mean, my wife?"
"Perhaps he is right about the hardships he had faced, and he simply needs….a correction of morals." With a soft smile, Prosperina nodded. "Then he would understand better the gravity of his crimes?"
"Oh, yes, yes!" Seizing the opportunity, Robotnik crawled to Hades' feet. "A correction of morals, that's exactly what I need! I'm willing to repent! I'm willing to see the light! My age craves indulgence! I don't need to be melted in a pit!!"
"...Very well." Though the fire died down, Hades' mouth formed a rare smile; even if he was fully unaware that it meant the god was up to something, as his smiles were laced more with cyanide than clover, something about it was still none too comforting to the mad scientist. "That shall be his eternal punishment. And it just so happens, we have a teacher well-suited to this person's...unique problems."
"Oh yes, thank you! I'm in your debt, oh great and, ah, wonderful one."
Robotnik couldn't help the grin forming on his face. Perhaps there was a way out of this mess after all. People were so easy to manipulate, even gods; one didn't need infinite power when it came to old-school trickery and manipulation. It had always worked on Mobius, and even on Earth to an extent.
Of course, Robotnik didn't know how much Hades wished to laugh at his pathetic attempt to trick him and escape his fate. The god learned all of what Robotnik had done, just by looking at his face; the punishment he had planned it all well in advance of his arrival.
"Bring in the teacher; let the correction begin!"
At this, a door opened on the left side of the throne room, revealing a lighted room, and in it, a silhouette. Robotnik's eyes gleamed, and he smiled as he waited for his chance to see his new teacher who he assumed could easily cave in to his own wishes. A suggestion here, a hint there, and perhaps with the poor slave's help he would be able to leave the place he was now in, and finally get his revenge. He had been so close at that moment...
His smile vanished in an instant when his head connected with the blue umbrella. With a cry he fell onto his back, holding his head in pain.
"Whaaaat?!"
"THERE you are!!" The shrill voice that answered chilled the doctor's blood, for it was one whose owner he knew all too well. "I've been looking for you EVERYWHERE!!"
The silhouette suddenly covered him, and the blue umbrella smacked him in the head once more. Squealing in fright, Robotnik scrambled away and stood up to face the person who would be his companion. Behind him, Hades' smile deepened maliciously; he was clearly having fun, a rare event for the usually somber god. Even his wife looked pleased with the reaction the doctor was having.
"M..." he stammered. "Mama?! How?!"
"Whaddya mean, 'how'?" Mama Robotnik raised her umbrella again, her mustache twitching. "I got a letter saying you were conquering the universe without me, that's how. I guess you weren't planning on letting the poor woman who gave you life out of the home you know she hates?!"
"No, Mama!" Robotnik took another step back, trying to distance himself from his parent. "Th-that wasn't the plan at all!"
"No?!" The umbrella was waved menacingly. "Then why didn't you bother telling me?!"
"M-mama!" Robotnik began to sweat. "It was n-nothing personal, honest!!"
"I'll show you nothing personal!" The umbrella came down again. "Take this, you no-good noodnik!!"
"Nooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!!"
With that, the chase was on, and Mama Robotnik was hot on the madman's tail. Out of the castle they went, into the deep, endless caves, where men were burned, women were disemboweled, trees were made of knives and the water tasted of blood. As their figures disappeared, Mama Robotnik's shrill shouts of indignation could still be heard loud and clear.
"HOLD STILL! I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU YET!!"
"Foolish mortals. I think I will enjoy this." Hades crossed his arms, the slightest hint of smugness dancing in his eyes. "Who would have thought this would work out so beautifully, my dear wife?"
"Dear husband," Persephone smiled. "Forget not whose idea it was."
"Of course." Turning towards his queen, Hades looked behind her towards Moltaire. "I believe your ingenuity in this situation deserves some token of esteem."
"Well..." Moltaire blinked, then shrugged. "I don't know what precise thing I'd ask for myself, but, uh, I guess maybe you could us all a favor and say something to that bell ringer..."
A cry of fright penetrated the throne room as the Robotniks ran in, circled the throne room, than ran back out. Once outside, the madman looked left and right, sweat on his brow, at all of the horrifying punishments others had been given; he wished he'd been given all of them combined as opposed to his 'teacher'. In response to his plight, the denizens of Hades' domain gave him strange, nonchalant or bemused looks before returning to their own punishments with shrill cries of agony.
He never thought he could be so humiliated. He, who had just then almost dominated the dimensions, was instead being dominated by his mother.
"I-DOOF!-I hate this punishment!!" The umbrella came down on him mercilessly, the beginning of an unpleasant stay that the both of them knew, deep down, would last for a long time to come."I HATE THIS PLACE!! But most-DOOF!!-of all...I hate...I HATE...I HATE THAT HEDGEHOG!!"
END?...