A/N: To keep it short and simple, Happy late New Year. I hope 2021 will be far better than what we had to deal with. For me, I want to upload more than four chapters by the end. Lastly, I want to thank everyone for helping this crossover peak at 100 favorites and 90 followers!


Disclaimer: Mario and Sonic are respectively owned by Nintendo and SEGA.


Chapter 49: The Great Escape

Dear Journal,

I have one thing to get off my chest first. Thank goodness Sonic is okay...

My suspicions on his odd behavior was a misunderstanding. I really thought he turned his back from me, but it was Kamek who made him act so malicious. When he returned to his normal self, he was being restrained by him and the Koopalings. Colombo and I just couldn't leave the Crystal Palace, not when I was still skeptical of the ordeal.

After revealing the truth, we battled at the top of Shiver Mountain. Then, Wario and Waluigi surprised us with their horde of Bob-ombs. Guess who came in to save the day again? If you thought it was the Tooth Fairy, I would laugh out loud and follow up with a disapproving frown. Seriously, Luigi and Tails came in the clutch! We could've been a part of that huge explosion if it weren't for them, similar to when we were stuck in the depths of Mt. Yuruvius.

To summarize the rest of the chaos, the Emerald was stolen by Wario and Waluigi, but we all caught up to them shredding down the slopes. When they crashed into a tree, Kamek, Iggy, and Lemmy recovered and snatched it away. But thanks to Colombo and Sonic, we secured it in our possession while throwing Kamek's wand into the frozen pond. That'll teach them not to mess with us, especially the real Sonic!

Luigi and Tails departed once again to the Overthere. Beforehand, Colombo got a chance to see my little bro. Such an adorable moment! However, it's technically against the rules from what they explained weeks ago. The only ones who should know about their appearances are us. Colombo may be a ghost who can't talk, but it only makes me think if anyone else will learn about their secret. Also, what kind of consequences could we all face? I shudder at the possibilities.

I wonder if that's the reason why Luigi had been quiet recently. Was he too scared to admit his feelings to me? Before he left, he made a request to talk to me in private. Whatever is on his mind, I'm sure he'll be open to discuss it. Hiding his feelings not only hurts him on the inside, but it also discourages me. I'm not saying that I'm mad at Luigi. There's a level of concern building up whenever he's uncomfortable about something.

Speaking of concern, there was one last tidbit that Sonic told me earlier, and it piqued my curiosity. He heard Kamek and the others talk about another Chaos Emerald in Bowser's Castle. What's more intriguing is the fact he suspects one of his Mobian friends was captured. It can't possibly be Amy, Cream, or Cheese because he said it was a black hedgehog named Shadow. Because we were both skeptical, I brought up the idea of seeing Merluvlee again. It had been a while since we last spoke to her, and she was helpful during our first meeting. We'll be heading over to Shooting Star Summit before we even think about trespassing Bowser's fortress for no reason.

One thing is certain though. My friendship with Sonic had never broken off in the first place. The stupid spell made me contemplate otherwise, yet we showed Kamek what we're truly made of.

~Mario

...

The red plumber tucked his diary into his knapsack as he heard the sound of a flushing toilet. Sonic stepped out from the bathroom and returned to the couch where Mario and Colombo sat for a while.

"Ah! That felt better. I think I'm ready to go."

"So am I," Mario lifted the blanket off of his legs. Standing up to stretch, he carried their empty cups to the sink.

At the same time, Holden and Max exited their bedroom to meet with the heroes. "I guess it's time for you to head on back to the Mushroom Kingdom," the older Bumptie stated.

"Will we ever get to see you again?" Max innocently asked.

"I'm sure I'll see your faces before I head on home to Mobius. If those bullies ever try to put you down, give ol' Sonic a call, and I'll teach them another lesson," the Blue Blur smirked.

"Thanks again for letting us rest here for a bit. Plus, the hot cocoa was delicious," Mario complimented.

"Why, thanks! It's always nice to treat our guests after helping us. Good luck on finding the rest of the Chaos Emeralds," replied Holden.

"We appreciate it!"

"Bye, Mario! Bye, Sonic! You too, Colombo!" Max waved.

"Arf! Arf!"

With the heroes heading out into the snow, they quickly ran to the green pipe. Chattering their teeth, Mario, Sonic, and Colombo warped to the underground sewers, far from the freezing temperature.


~Mushroom Kingdom

The afternoon sun slowly began to set as the sky sheened a beautiful shade of orange. Amy, Cream, and Cheese offered to help Peach with a few errands around the castle. After a busy day, they all decided to take a break by going for a leisurely walk. Along the way, they had a surprise run-in with Daisy.

"Hello hello! Look who's here!" the chirpy, orange princess yelled at the group.

"Daisy! What a surprise to see you!" Peach ran over to give her a hug.

"Hey, Daisy! It's been a while since we last saw you," Amy smiled.

"Same to you guys! How's it going, bestie?"

"We're doing alright. All of us came back from Mushroom City to set up for the concert. Then, we did a few chores in the castle," replied Peach.

"What are you doing here in the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Daisy?" questioned Cream.

"Yeah, I thought you had some important things to do in Sarasaland," assumed Amy.

"What? You're telling me I have to take care of royal duties first instead of seeing my friends?"

"Daisy," Peach playfully rolled her eyes, giggling.

"I know, I know... I'm getting way too ahead of myself. Seriously though, I just had a few meetings with Totomesu and Dragonzamasu. But man, Dragon can't help but blather on and on about trivial matters. He wouldn't let anyone speak a word until he was finished talking. And he lasted for almost a half-hour!"

"Goodness, that must be tiresome to go through," Cream furrowed her eyebrows.

"Chao..." Cheese expressed a hint of exhaustion.

"Enough about that. I wanted to check up on all of you as a surprise. It's been a while since we all trekked on Yurarin Isle. How's the Chaos Emerald hunt?"

"If we're going to be honest, Mario and Sonic are doing the bulk of the work. Meanwhile, we've been helping Peach and Toadsworth with some stuff, and that includes moving everything to the city for the concert," Amy responded.

"Ah, I see. Where are those two anyway?"

"You called us, Daisy?"

The gang looked over to their left, spotting the red and blue heroes strolling up to them. They were no longer in their winter clothes. Colombo barked enthusiastically while running up to the orange princess. She reacted by catching him in her arms, receiving a couple of licks to the cheek.

"Ha ha ha! Easy, boy!"

"Ruff!"

"We didn't expect you to be here, but it's pretty dope to see you again," Sonic gave Daisy a thumbs-up.

"My sentiments exactly, and what perfect timing, too! How was your latest adventure?"

"Considering we hiked up Shiver Mountain and explored the Crystal Palace, it was pretty bone-chilling, if I say so myself!"

"I thought you were going to stop with the 'cool'-related puns," Mario quirked an eyebrow at his friend.

"Heh heh, come on, Mario! You know I can't help it!" Sonic defended, shrugging his shoulders.

Mario went on to explain the rest of their adventure while disregarding their younger brothers again for the sake of privacy. Their friends were appalled to hear about the chaos coming from their enemies. Even the fact that Kamek bewitched the hedgehog to turn against Mario rubbed them the wrong way.

"The freaky magic turtle did that to you, Sonic?!"

"He's not kidding, Ames. I tried everything to gain control of myself. But it's like an evil demon possessed me to act like a total jerk to Mario, and I was stuck inside a prison that fell to the bottom of the ocean."

"That must have been horrible for you both!" Cream sympathized.

"Did any of you get hurt?" Peach was concerned.

"Thankfully, no. Not even Wario and Waluigi's surprise blaze of Bob-ombs singed our coats."

"Really? How did you even escape?" marveled Daisy.

Mario and Sonic awkwardly glanced at each other for a few seconds. It didn't last long because Colombo couldn't stop barking and wagging his tail. The plumber kneeled close to him, rubbing his back until he was lying on the ground. Scratching his stomach to keep him distracted, Mario returned his gaze to the girls.

"Sonic was fast enough to react and pulled me down the mountain. While we didn't get smothered in ash, we rolled down the snowy slopes," he fibbed.

"Oh, dear!" gasped Peach. "I thought you said no one got hurt."

"We didn't! Instead, we caught up to Wario and Waluigi who tried to escape with the Chaos Emerald!"

"But don't worry about it, Princess!" Sonic reassured. "Dumb and Dumber thought they could get away with their dirty tricks, but the rest was a piece of cake!" He proceeded to dig into his quills and show off the violet Chaos Emerald.

"Hey, great work, you guys!" Daisy held a hand up high. Both Sonic and Mario accepted her gesture, slapping a high-five with her. "By the way, that's a nice, purple glow. I think it's better-looking than the yellow one we retrieved from Nabbit."

"All of them are beautiful to look at," Cream admired.

"You're not wrong, but it's crucial that we find the last two before Eggman and Bowser's goons track them down," reminded Amy.

"Oh, yeah..." Sonic scratched his head, feeling guilty. "Speaking of tracking, I sort of surrendered the Emerald Detector to those Koopas."

"You did what?! How did you manage that?!"

"Amy, don't you remember what I said earlier? Kamek's spell was the reason behind it. Sonic didn't just give it up easily. He wouldn't do such a thing!"

"But how are you going to find the remaining Chaos Emerald without the help of the Detector? It could take more than days to uncover their locations. Maybe weeks and months!" exclaimed Peach.

"Well, maybe we technically don't need the Emerald Detector," considered Amy. "These powerful jewels have a connection between them in which they can be used on their own to create some kind of signal, much similar to Professor E. Gadd's device. The only problem is figuring out where to search next."

"Not only that, bringing the Chaos Emeralds in our possession is a potential threat knowing how Eggman likes to appear out of nowhere and surprise us!" added Sonic.

"Sometimes, I still don't understand how he always shows up at the last second," Cream mumbled. "He likes to ruin our day whenever we want to have fun or go out on adventures."

"Chao, chao..." Cheese also whined.

"That's Eggman for ya... Going back on topic though, we have a good idea on the next location."

Peach blinked at Sonic. "You do? Where?"

The Mobian hero grimaced, feeling sympathetic as he stared at Amy, Cream, and Cheese. "From what I heard, it's likely in Bowser's Castle."

Said trio widened their eyes at the revelation. Amy quickly became furious, scrunching her hands into tight fists. "You're telling us that they actually had one this whole time?! And we didn't know about it?!"

"Not true, Amy," Mario shook his head. "Sonic heard another key thing from Kamek. There was apparently some black hedgehog who got captured, and he originally held a Chaos Emerald before they took it. We can't exactly prove our statement, so I suggested we speak to Merluvlee for the truth."

"Black hedgehog? You don't mean you're referring to Shadow, are you?" Cream fretted.

"Shadow?" Daisy echoed. "Who is he?"

"To keep it short and simple, he's a hedgehog who looks like me, but with black fur and red highlights. Somehow, the government from our world mistook him for me, and I got locked in prison for supposedly wrecking the city!"

"Hang on," Amy paused, tapping a finger on her chin. "If what you heard was correct, then Shadow must've used Chaos Control to warp from Mobius to the Mushroom Kingdom. I don't know the reason why, yet it could possibly be the fact that all of our friends were wondering where we've been for the past several weeks or so. Oh, Chaos... What if Shadow wasn't the only one who teleported from Mobius? Maybe our other friends warped and got abducted by Bowser and Eggman, too!"

"They're probably locked up in the cells that we were in!" Cream was overwrought, placing her hands on her cheeks.

"That's why I suggest we visit Merluvlee so she can give us a clue on where to go next," Mario clarified.

"Let's all hurry there now!" Peach insisted, prompting the others to run up north.


~Shooting Star Summit

The fortune-teller was busy dusting her collection of crystal balls during her session of spring cleaning. She jumped when she heard a knock outside of her house.

"Ooh, me oh my! I wonder who could be stopping by!" Merluvlee delightfully sang to herself. She skipped towards the door and opened it to see a huge party standing near her front steps. "Wow, is it Halloween already? I did not expect a bunch of trick-or-treaters right now! I don't even have a bowl of candy set up!" she joked.

"Sorry, Merluvlee, but this is a serious matter. We need your help on something," Mario got straight to the point.

"Hmm, I can tell by the look on your face that you're not lying. By all means, please! Come inside and get yourselves settled."

As the whole group clustered within the living space, they stood on the opposite side of where Merluvlee returned, across from the table with her main crystal ball. Sonic started with introductions, presenting his friends who teleported with him and were once restrained by Bowser's minions. Merluvlee understood and formally greeted herself to Amy, Cream, and Cheese. Offering a cup of tea to her guests, the fortune-teller wondered what they were doing. After Mario explained the whole situation again, she simply nodded in response.

"Yes, yes... You young heroes have made a ton of progress, and I applaud you for your hard work. Yet simultaneously, things have taken a step back after the Chaos Emerald Detector was stolen by Kamek. And now, you suspect that another ally of yours is trapped in the Koopa King's castle?"

"We can't explain it any more clearer," Sonic shook his head.

"Okay, then. Please give me some time and space. I have to concentrate... to gaze into the FUTURE!"

"Did she really have to yell the last part out loud?" Amy whispered to Mario.

"She did it when we asked her the first time. Trust me, Merluvlee is helpful in these kinds of scenarios, even if the process is a little weird to experience."

"We had to deal with it, and so do you," Sonic also mumbled.

"AHHHHHH! HOCUS POCUS FOCUS! CABRAA DA ABRAAA! HULLABALLOOOOOOOO! PAAAAAACKA! POOOOOOKA! PEEKABOO! Ahhh... AH HA HAAA!"

"Is she doing some kind of praying ritual?" Cream looked up at Princess Peach.

"Not really praying... It's more of her way of reaching out to the spirits to guide us."

"Oh, stars that fill the vast night sky..." Merluvlee echoed her clause. "See these souls who have lost the way... SHOW ME!"

"I really hope this is worth our time," murmured Daisy, peering down at her wrist.

"You're not even wearing a watch," Sonic pointed out.

"Don't judge me."

"Bark!" Colombo was astonished by the sparkling stars around Merluvlee's crystal ball.

"Hmm... It's coming together, the visual in my head. Yes, I can perceive your next path... In fact, all of your assumptions, the rumors that you've heard from Kamek and Bowser's Koopalings... A black hedgehog is trapped in the dungeon deep below the base. However, I sense more individuals who have suffered the same fate..."

Sonic, Amy, Cream, and Cheese listened intently, leaning their heads forward as they awaited her to continue.

"Another hedgehog but with a silver-white color for its fur, who can control objects with his psychokinesis. A feline with lavender fur and a violet tailcoat who wields similar powers to Mario's fire abilities."

"Silver and Blaze!" Amy shouted out loud.

"There is also a large, green crocodile, a fuchsia chameleon, and a young, hyperactive bee who make up what appears to be a stable detective agency."

"Vector, Espio, and Charmy! None other than the Chaotix!" Cream blurted.

"The list continues on... The spirits are telling me that there is also a white bat, known for her stealthy tactics and ability to fly. She is accompanied by a red echidna, whose demeanor is tough and stoic who likes to relax in isolation. Deep down, however, he is strong, helpful, and loyal to oversee a large and powerful variant of the Chaos Emeralds..."

"No doubt she's talking about Rouge and Knucklehead!"

"Knucklehead?" Daisy repeated in confusion.

"Sorry, couldn't help it. His real name is Knuckles," chuckled Sonic.

"At least we know for sure that your friends are in there. But what about the Chaos Emerald? Do they actually have one in their hands?" interrogated Mario.

"I was just about to mention that next... Indeed, the spirits are sending uncontrollable and negative vibes to my mind. Kamek once confronted your friends down in the dungeon and snatched a white jewel from your hedgehog ally. Since then, Dr. Eggman and Bowser own it for safekeeping."

"Do you know where they're holding it exactly?" Peach implored for additional information.

"I'm trying to pinpoint it..." Merluvlee closed her eyes. "This could come off as vague, but it seems to be located in Eggman's workshop, resting on a shelf."

"Yeah, not to be a bummer or anything, but that's pretty vague considering we never really explored the castle. We only escaped through the hallways," Amy crossed her arms.

"You don't mind leading the charge again, do you?" Sonic turned to his red-hatted buddy.

"If it means to bust your friends out of Bowser's prison again, then I'm all for it," he firmly nodded and raised a thumbs-up.

"If I was able to assist you, I'll do it again! Bowser will think twice if he's going to try and kidnap me!" Peach smirked.

"So, all of you are planning to head over to the fortress?"

"You bet! Are you thinking about joining us, Daisy?" Sonic offered.

"Considering that I just arrived here not too long ago, I haven't been out on an adventure for a while, and I don't feel like lounging around the castle grounds, that's an automatic 'yes' from me!"

"Wonderful! Let's get rolling and hammering!" yelled Amy, bringing out her metal hammer.

"Chao! Chao!"

"Ruff! Ruff!"


~Bowser's Castle

From the freezing climate of Shiver Mountain to the intense heat in the Dark Land, Lemmy and Iggy were glad they didn't have to endure the snow anymore. On the other hand, they were disappointed because they didn't complete their mission. Not to mention, they were sore from the Bob-ombs and Sonic's spin dashes. Kamek grumbled while leading the Koopas to the entrance. Shaking his wand in his claw, it remained cold to the touch since he had to fish it out of the frozen pond in Shiver City.

"Stupid, spectral canine... I still find it unbelievable how Luigi used to tend for him. It baffles me to this day. I'll get my revenge on that mongrel someday."

"I thought you taught us to always be kind to your pets," Lemmy mentioned from behind.

"The rule applies if you own one, which none of you do since we don't want a mess in the castle. Remember when Morton wanted a Chain Chomp as a pet dog? The day after he took him home, that metal beast wrecked our dining room and destroyed our kitchen. All of our food was devoured!"

"Yeah, but it's still inhumane to treat dogs and other animals poorly," Iggy defended. "We weren't raised to be very cruel. We instead follow you and Dad around to kidnap Princess Peach, which is getting tiresome if I'll be honest."

"He won't change his opinion on that," Kamek bluntly stated.

"Speaking of him, along with Dr. Eggy, how do you think they're going to react when we tell them that we didn't get the Chaos Emerald?" Lemmy tapped his index fingers nervously.

"Although we never executed our goal, we at least retrieved a key component from their search," Kamek dug into his sleeve and pulled out the Emerald Detector. "This crafty device has been their lifeline to uncover five of the Emeralds. We were only lucky to eavesdrop to gather information. Plus, we earned one from the black hedgehog who has been imprisoned with the other animals. With this, however, we now strike an advantage to unearth the seventh."

"How does it work again?" Iggy scratched his head.

"Perhaps Dr. Eggman will have an idea of how this functions. Of course, we'll have to break the news to him and Lord Bowser."

The three entered the castle and reached Eggman's headquarters within the hangar. He was waiting for the Magikoopa to help him finish his Metal Mario and Metal Luigi robots. Meanwhile, the counterparts of Sonic and Tails were standing outside, noticing the Koopas walking up to them.

"Master, they're back," Metal Tails tapped his shoulder.

"Hmm? Oh, excellent!" the doctor sneered. "Well then, hand me the Chaos Emerald, please."

Lemmy and Iggy gulped and took a step backward. Robotnik raised an eyebrow when he noticed their actions. Peering down at the wizard, Kamek grimaced while maintaining his composure.

"Dr. Eggman, I'm afraid we have failed yet again. Mario and Sonic were victorious to obtain the Chaos Emerald. Unfortunately, my spell was not sufficient enough to overcome their teamwork." Kamek noticed that Eggman was fuming on the inside. "Before you take your anger out on me, I have something vital to show you."

"If it's not a Chaos Emerald, I want no business with it," Eggman lightly growled.

"While it isn't what you desired, this particular tool has been useful for the heroes."

The tall man took it from Kamek, scrutinizing the device. "Is this an Emerald Detector?"

"Pretty much," Iggy replied.

"We stole it from the Sonic guy after he was possessed," explained Lemmy.

"Intriguing... I'll keep it for myself," Eggman shoved it in his back pocket. "We'll see what we can do with it. In the meantime, can you assist with my robotic voice chips?"

"Yes, Dr. Eggman. I promised to fulfill your request, and it's the least I can do after my fiasco."

"So, does that mean we're off the hook?" Lemmy innocently asked.

"Not really," Eggman grumbled. "But I'm not extremely livid, to be honest. Just go do whatever. I have things to urgently finish."

"Great job at losing to your competition," Metal Sonic scowled. "Of course, the doctor is more lenient towards you unlike us."

"You're just jealous that we're merely Koopa children. Robots, on the other hand, should be more smarter and effective at their jobs," teased Lemmy.

"So you admit that we're technically better than you?" Metal Tails retorted.

Lemmy snorted for a few seconds until he realized what he said. "Wait a minute. I don't mean-"

"Oh, just forget it, Lemmy. Maybe-"

Iggy was interrupted when they all heard a loud crash. Wondering where it came from, he and the others ran to find the source. The only ones who stayed behind were Kamek and Eggman as they were completing the final touches of their projects. Metal Sonic and Metal Tails boosted faster than Iggy and Lemmy, much to the latter two's chagrin. Soon, they ran into an intersection of the hallway. Without paying attention, the four accidentally crashed into someone and fell to the floor. Everyone groaned as they hit their heads hard.

"Ow... Watch where you're going next time!" they heard Wendy snarl at them.

"I think I got a bump on my head," Roy rubbed the spot, cringing at the pain.

"Sorry, guys. We heard something from the hangar, and we were wondering what happened," Iggy uttered as he and Lemmy helped them up.

"Yeah, we heard it, too," the female Koopaling narrowed her eyes. "We thought it came from the back entrance, so we were heading there until you bozos knocked us like a pair of bowling pins!"

"I said we were sorry!"

"Enough," Metal Sonic interjected. "Let us find the reason behind the crash. Either an intruder is within the castle, or Morton dropped a plate onto the floor."

"I wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter," mumbled Roy.

Another loud bang echoed in the corridors. "There it is again!" Lemmy exclaimed.

"My sensors indicate that it's coming from over there. Make haste immediately!" Metal Tails ordered, causing everyone to run after him.

After some endless running, the Koopalings were tiring out, mostly Lemmy and Iggy since they rarely caught a break. However, the metal clones led the charge until they finally encountered a shocking sight. Ludwig, Morton, and Larry were spinning on their shells with their wands scattered on the carpet. All of them were dizzy and covered in small bruises.

"Holy crap! What happened to you?!" Iggy lifted Larry to his feet.

"Ah..." the young Koopaling wheezed. "Dad heard banging sounds in the dungeon and asked us to check it out."

"We were about to investigate, but then we heard a new sound from outside. Initially, we thought someone was trespassing, and our guess was right!" Ludwig coughed.

"So, there are intruders in here," Metal Sonic's eyes gleamed.

"Who attacked all of ya?" Roy queried.

"Oy... Who do you think?! It's the same dang twerps who barged in to save their girly friends. Except they're all back, too! The pink one slammed her mallet into my stomach, and I crashed into the wall!" Morton complained.

"Where did they go?!" Wendy asked.

"Towards the dungeon! Follow us!" Larry gestured.


Down below, Knuckles' stomach gurgled as he leaned against the cold, brick wall. He had banged on his cell for so long that he finally exhausted himself. Most of his friends were also fed up with his constant tantrum. Out of respect, Knuckles decided to give up to keep himself sane. However, Silver barely noticed the joint was partially bent from the door. He figured his ally's strength caused the hinge to loosen. Thinking to himself, he used his powers to unfasten it from the bars.

"What are you doing?" Blaze noticed his motions.

"Shh... I'm trying to focus," the hedgehog murmured. "If I twist this just a little to the left, carefully remove it, and... Got it!"

The metal hinge shot out from its place and clanged onto the floor. The cell door also fell down, providing an open exit for Knuckles.

"Whoa! I'm free!"

"How did you do that?" Vector gawked in amazement.

"Have you forgotten? I can manipulate and control the littlest things with my mind. When you kept bugging us with your most prominent trait, I observed that the hinge was loose. If we can't escape without a key, I had to think outside the box to get you out."

"That's fantastic, Silver!" praised Blaze.

"Yeah, but do you want to know what else would be fantastic? If all of us can get out," Shadow emphasized.

"I can try, but I might need some extra help."

"Can do!" Knuckles punched his namesakes together. "Stand back, everyone!"

The powerful guardian took some time and effort to leave dents in the other hinges. Silver telekinetically grabbed the loose parts and ripped them from the bars. One by one, their doors clanked loudly. Nevertheless, the Sonic gang had another chance to bolt.

"Hurry! We can't afford to waste this opportunity!" Rouge shouted.

"Bees and detectives first!" yelled Charmy. "Yow!"

The young wasp accidentally flew into someone and fell to the ground. He yelped and covered his head with his hands. But hearing a familiar voice made his fear vanish.

"Whoa! Is that you, Charmy?"

He peeked upward and was filled with elation. Charmy immediately went over and embraced the individual.

"Oh my Chaos! Sonic! We missed you so much!"

"Heh heh! Hey, easy with the hugs now!" the blue hedgehog chuckled, removing him off his shoulders. "Don't worry, I'm here!"

"So are we! I honestly can't believe it! You're all here!" Amy jumped in happiness when she and the others reunited with their friends.

"Hey, Amy! Great to see you, too!" Vector gave her a high-five.

"Indeed. It feels like it's been ages since we've seen your faces. In reality, it's only been several weeks," Espio sighed in relief.

"We're really sorry to make you worry," Cream apologized, her Chao whimpering as well.

"It's definitely not your fault or anyone else's," Blaze reassured her. "We just had a huge mishap when we used Chaos Control from Mobius after we heard about the incident."

"So, who are these people that you've teamed up with? I must say, you humans are slightly different than the ones in our world," Rouge smiled.

"Now isn't the best time to have more introductions," Daisy told her. "We're here to free you all and take the Chaos Emerald!"

"You know about them?" Shadow inquired, earning a nod from the flower princess. "Interesting. Well, I once had it in my possession, but that conniving magician confiscated it."

"Don't worry! We have a lead on where it might be! However, we must be careful and cautious since Bowser and the Koopalings are after us!" warned Peach.

"What are we waiting for? Let's bust out!" Vector yelled.

"I don't think so!"

The gang heard a snarky growl from afar. On the other side of the hallway, they spotted Bowser and Jr., their faces fuming with pure rage.

"How did you escape from the dungeon?! And what are you pests doing back here?!" the Koopa King demanded a response.

"I think I can answer that. Think fast!" Sonic charged ahead and knocked out Bowser with his signature spin dash. The Koopa went flying backward into the wall, his spikes penetrating the concrete.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Jr. shrilled.

"Tell Baldy McNosehair that's revenge for shooting my friend!"

The Koopa son was about to run after the hedgehog, but Sonic smirked with his eyes closed and stepped back. He lifted his left leg, causing Jr. to tumble over and collapse next to his father. Sonic peeked with one eye and guffawed at the annoyed turtles.

"Peach, in case the Koopalings and the metal robots recover, can you and the girls help Sonic's friends evacuate the castle?" Mario pleaded.

"We can definitely handle it! All of us should be able to hold them off," she confidently nodded.

"Good. Sonic and I will head to wherever Eggman is. We'll try and steal the Chaos Emerald from them."

"Just please be careful, Mario. You know what happened last time."

The plumber closed his eyes, gulping at the flashback. All he did was save the blue hedgehog from the doctor's deadly cannon. Of course, his sacrifice came with its own repercussions. He knew how badly he made his friends worry. At the same time, Mario didn't want Sonic to succumb to his worst enemy. More importantly, he didn't want him to die by the one who killed his own surrogate brother. From thereon, he wasn't going to let Eggman earn the satisfaction. The same applied to Bowser. He refused to surrender to their enemies when they've come this far.

"I'll be okay. I promise," he gently spoke.

Peach nodded one more time before leaving a peck on his nose. Mario promptly ran down the hall past Bowser and Jr. with Sonic rushing behind. She, Daisy, Amy, Cream, and Cheese piloted the other Mobians towards the castle entrance. Their hearts raced faster than a herd of horses at a live derby, unsure if they would be caught by the Koopa Klan. To Peach's dismay, her nightmare came true.

"Not so fast!" Lemmy sneered as he and the other Koopalings obstructed their exit. Metal Sonic and Metal Tails appeared behind the group, blocking their other escape window.

"You are ordered to halt and surrender before us," Metal Sonic growled. "Hold your hands over your heads and kneel. Otherwise, we won't hesitate to harm you."

"What are ya waiting? Do what the robot says!" Roy grunted.

"Guys, we're not just gonna stand here and listen to them, are we?" Blaze glimpsed at her allies for help.

"If you Koopas think we're weak, then you've got another thing coming!" Amy gripped her hammer tightly.

"Time for some payback!" Knuckles gritted his teeth, eager to punch.

Metal Tails was the first to dart at the fugitives. The echidna retaliated with his fist, denting his core. Shadow trailed him with a Chaos Spear, sending a bolt of energy at the robotic clones, temporarily disabling their circuits.

"Look out behind you!" the black hedgehog shouted.

Ludwig spat out a few fireballs from his mouth before spinning inside his shell. Before he could reach his opponents, he was frozen by Silver's telekinesis.

"Blaze! Help me out here!"

The purple cat, rather than exploiting her pyrokinesis, lunged at Ludwig's shell, kicking the side while avoiding the spikes. She watched Ludwig soar into a Bowser statue, breaking its head off.

"Ooh, that's gotta hurt..." Blaze cringed.

"Now it's our turn to fight!" the young bunny clenched her hands. Cream hurled Cheese to attack Lemmy, knocking the wand out of his hand. Colombo snatched his weapon and stomped on his head.

"Wait! Don't throw my wand into a frozen lake!" he begged while extending his arm outward.

"We're in the Dark Land surrounded by lava, you dolt!" reminded Wendy.

"Keep it up, everyone! We can't back down!" shouted Daisy as she blinded Wendy and Larry with her blooming flowers.

"Ack! I can't see!"

"Grr! Take this!" Morton ground-pounded the floor, sending a small shockwave at the heroes.

Peach fluttered with her parasol before running up to him. She proceeded to attack and defend herself from his magical blasts. When she got an open opportunity, Peach brought out her trusty frying pan and whacked it across his body like a golf ball. Morton roared, tumbling and falling on top of Larry and Wendy.

"Ow! Get off of us, Morton!" complained Larry.

"D'oh... Too exhausted... The princess is stronger than I thought..." wheezed Morton.

Iggy sent a burst of green fire at the Chaotix. He succeeded in burning their tails for a few seconds, but Espio had a vengeful plan. He entrusted his detective group to perform a Rocket Accel attack. With the chameleon curled up, Vector's muscles and Charmy's speed provided enough momentum to push Espio, making him fly straight into the green Koopaling. Iggy felt the speedy impact penetrate his gut as his shell cracked into the wall, landing beside Ludwig.

"Bullseye! Great job, guys!" Vector pounded a fist in the air.

Roy got into a tight clash against Rouge. Copying Morton's actions by producing tremors, the bat easily evaded the latter with her flight. She zipped from one side of the hallway to the other, dodging the Koopa's purple fireballs. Roy leaped in the air and threw his fist at her, but the jewel thief forcefully stopped him as he nearly punched her chest blade.

"Ah ah ah," she waved a finger. "You definitely don't want to do that."

Rouge proceeded to kick her feet into Roy's stomach. The Koopaling fell to the floor, joining the other Koopalings who were trampled.

"They won't last for long like before! Quickly, to the exit!" Peach called to her friends and the Mobians.


Mario and Sonic ran deeper through the confines of Bowser's fortress. They hoped Peach, Amy, and the others would fare against the metal impostors and Koopas. Plus, they didn't know if Bowser and his son would recover from their temporary daze soon. Sonic grabbed the purple Chaos Emerald from his quills once more, absorbing the radiating energy as he and his friend sought Eggman's room. Approaching the hangar, the gem shined brighter than before.

"We have to be close, Mario! I can definitely feel it!"

The plumber nodded, and the two charged through the next set of doors. Bashing through caused a loud bang to reverberate within the hangar. Kamek and Dr. Eggman were startled and paused from their work. Much to the latter's disbelief, the scientist blew his top off when he spotted their adversaries from the top of the staircase.

"What?! Why are you here, you annoying hedgehog?!"

"Let's cut to the chase! We know you have a Chaos Emerald in here!" bellowed Sonic.

The Magikoopa was not pleased that he was face-to-face with the Blue Blur. Fixing his spectacles, Kamek peered at the object in his hand. Letting out a shriek, he shouted, "I see that you're taunting with the prize you rightfully stole from us! If anything, you should drop it this instant unless you want to fall under another spell!"

"If you think about hexing Sonic again, you'll have to get to me first!" Mario lowered his eyebrows.

"Oh, really? If you seriously insist, Mario..." Eggman grabbed something from underneath his work desk. "Might I give you a sample of another deadly Bullet Bill?!"

Mario froze when the doctor aimed his Bullet Bill Blaster straight at him. Sonic widened his eyes in fear, looking straight at his friend. When he peered back at Eggman, he reacted quickly by pushing Mario down the stairs, taking his body with him. The Bullet Bill shot from the cannon and narrowly missed the red-clad hero. Falling at the bottom, Sonic quickly apologized.

"Sorry, dude. I couldn't let him shoot you again after you saved me," he pulled him up from the floor.

Mario waved it off, appreciating his heroics. "Consider it even. Besides, we're here for one thing."

"Unlike last time, I actually stockpiled this baby with more than one! Let's see if you're fast enough to avoid all of these!" Eggman snarled, launching another speeding Bullet Bill.

Sonic whooshed to his right while Mario hurried to the left, using the airships as large shields. However, the man didn't think it through since the Bullet Bill penetrated the wooden exterior, nearly striking him as it shot through the other side.

"Oh, crap..." Eggman grumbled. "Do you Koopas have insurance on that?" he asked Kamek.

The Magikoopa simply ignored his question and aimed a magic cloud at Sonic. The Blue Blur smirked as he sped around a separate airship. He even went overboard to jump onto the deck and breakdance in front of them. Eggman had enough of his teasing antics and sent a Bullet Bill towards his lifelong foe. Sonic was fast to react and lunged off to the side as the projectile crashed into the mast.

"Aw, Eggy, is your aim that poor? Too bad you're only making it worse for your allies by wrecking their mode of transportation," he chortled.

"Shut up, you nefarious cretin! Stand still so I can end this once and for all!"

"Let me think about it... Nope!" Sonic pranced while sticking his tongue out.

Eggman continuously fired more ammunition. From behind, Mario peeked over to see Sonic acting as a distraction. The hedgehog gave him a wink so quick that it was barely noticeable. Yet the plumber recognized his signal. He rushed into Eggman's workshop and searched for the prize. He smiled when he found it on the shelf, just as Merluvlee described. Leaning up onto the desk, Mario obtained the jewel from its spot, the white glow exuding in front of him.

However, he caught something else from the corner of his eyes. Glancing to his right, Mario's mouth was agape. If there was one word to describe his reaction, it was appalled. Eggman's latest robots stood lifeless against the wall. Their appearances were what made the man disgusted. Eggman had the audacity to recreate Metal Sonic and Metal Tail. Even worse, he managed to produce a pair of mechs who resembled him and his late brother.

He had to take a mental note about it. For now, he and Sonic needed to escape with the rest. Mario heard a loud scream from behind and swiftly rotated his body. Kamek sent a magical burst straight at his face. Panicked, he leaned backward and barely evaded the attack as it flew right in between the robots. Mario pulled off some more moves, jumping in the air with legs spread out, twisting to the side, and ducking for cover. All of Kamek's shots went wide, frustrating the magician to his breaking point.

"Gah! Would you stand still?! You're not leaving with both Emeralds!"

Mario hurried on his feet and hopped onto his head, smushing his blue hat. Kamek plopped onto the concrete as his freezing wand fell out of his claw. Gaining distance, he pressed his shoe against Eggman's noggin, causing the tall man to groan and lose focus. After landing safely, he yelled at his partner.

"Sonic! I got it! Let's get the hell out of here!"

"Cool! Sayonara, Dr. Egg on your Face!"

"Argh!" the doctor growled as he got up. "Damn you, Mario and Sonic!"

He wished he still had his Egg Mobile, but it got wrecked from the black hole he was sucked. Plus, he never bothered to build a new one. So, he had to deal with one of his least favorite activities. Running.

Meanwhile, Mario and Sonic raced down the corridors while sharing a fist bump with each other.

"Thanks for the distraction!"

"No sweat! Good job snagging it from Eggman!"

"MARIO!"

They stopped in their tracks when they heard Bowser's roar. Shockingly, the large Koopa was storming at them.

"You and your blue porcupine are dead meat to me! If those pesky animals managed to leave the castle, then I'll have you nuisances locked up until your bones fall apart!"

"Come on, Mario!" Sonic tugged his hand as they resumed sprinting.

Although he wasn't the best runner, Mario felt like Bowser was getting closer to them while the front door stretched for miles, becoming farther from where he was currently. He was losing focus that he didn't realize where he was running, nor did he hear Sonic yell at him. Mario apparently slipped on some colorful graffiti. At the end of the passage, Jr. peeked around the corner, snickering. He watched Mario skid across the graffiti trap he laid on the carpet.

"Heh heh heh... He's gonna fall on his butt anytime soon!" he rubbed his claws menacingly.

On the other hand, Sonic saw the goop ahead of Mario and ran along the side of the wall. He hustled past Jr. so quickly that the Koopa's hair blew in the same direction. The kid was caught off guard and fell on his bottom. How ironic. Sonic busted out of the gate and turned around.

"Mario!" he called out to him again. "Slip and slide your way to the end!"

He almost forgot he could glide across the residue on his stomach. Whenever he did that in Isle Delfino, he was able to reach places faster despite sustaining damage every now and then. Starting to lose traction, Mario took Sonic's word and hopped forward. Bowser dragged his feet to avoid his son's trap.

"Jr.! How am I supposed to get through this?!"

His son didn't directly answer him as he was still fazed by Sonic's blazing velocity. He honestly assumed Mario would trip or crash into a wall. From the looks of it, however, the plan backfired as the red man covered his clothes in paint and slid out of the entrance. Sonic was there to pick him up, and they hurried across the stone bridge where they reunited with the others who made it out safely. Mission successful. Mario and Sonic not only acquired their sixth Chaos Emerald, but they also saved more of Sonic's friends. Sharing another fist bump, they hurried all the way to the Mushroom Kingdom without looking back at the Dark Land.

Minutes later, Dr. Eggman was rasping heavily until he approached his evil ally. Bringing his hands to his knees, he accidentally dropped the Bullet Bill Blaster.

"Ah... Ha... Ugh... That is... the last time... I'll ever run... in my life..."

"What happened back there?" Bowser grunted.

Eggman held up a finger, indicating for him to wait until he finally caught his breath. "Sonic and Mario trespassed into my workshop and stole the Chaos Emerald I've kept in there."

"They what?!"

"Exactly. I tried to catch up to them, but I wasn't fit for running, I'll admit. I passed by the Koopalings, as well as my Metal Sonic and Metal Tails robots. They're out of commission, damn it!"

"Grr... Those irritating bugs are getting on my last nerve!"

"Me, too. But I do have something vital that they've been using this whole time. Kamek gave it to me earlier."

The doctor pulled the Emerald Detector from his pocket and displayed it to Bowser. After explaining its purpose, the Koopa King went from incensed to intrigued.

"If I'm correct, they now have six Chaos Emeralds. One more, and they have total advantage."

"By the way, what are they even collecting them for?"

"To this day, I'm clueless. But as I mentioned earlier, these Emeralds have unlimited power when all seven are all together. Sonic can turn Super and use them to defeat me like he always had. Anyway, this detector has been tracking their locations since they scattered from our accident in Mobius. We can try to find the last one on our own."

"What if they end up getting it?"

Eggman didn't immediately answer as he was both perplexed and entranced, staring at the device. "Where there's a will, there's a way. For now, they've won another battle. However, they have yet to win the war. I guarantee you, Bowser, this is only the beginning of their demises. We will trounce on our hated enemies. They'll gladly join their dead siblings as we achieve world domination. Despite the circumstances, now isn't the time to jump the gun. We can deploy a smarter plan if we wait it out."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Positive," his mustache moved upward from his sneer.

"Hey," Jr.'s voice caused them to look down. "What does this thing do?"

"Wait! Don't touch-"

The young Koopa inadvertently clicked on the trigger and sent a Bullet Bill airborne towards the front gate. The projectile crashed into the double doors, obliterating them into metal scraps. Jr. gulped before shifting his head slowly to his father and the doctor. He was instantly met with a face full of disappointment and a disturbing glare, respectively.

"Ah, ha ha... Oops."

END OF CHAPTER


I was debating to split this chapter into two, but I decided to keep it as a whole. Also, I wanted to bring back Daisy since we haven't seen her in a while. As for the rest of Sonic's friends, they have finally broken out of the dungeon. We'll get to their formal greetings with Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom later.

Progress wise, the heroes only need one more Chaos Emerald until E. Gadd can employ the portal to Sonic's world. Where is the final one? Will Eggman and Bowser interfere now that they have their Emerald Detector?

To think that this crossover will be four years old is baffling to me. I really procrastinated a lot on NB, didn't I? Nevertheless, I appreciate your patience and for checking out this story. I'll see you all in the next one! This is TGN, signing off.