The Blue Typhoon continued to sail through space. Behind them, several Metarex ships followed in hot pursuit. Whisper looked at her scanner, frowning. "They're going to attack again!" The wolf whispered. "They're aiming straight for us!"
"We have to work fast!" Tails said, typing on the Blue Typhoon's computer. He turned to Chris. "Chris, you, Silver, and Sonic disperse the missiles, then launch a counter-attack!"
"Okay!" Chris nodded. He then turned to Cosmo. "Cosmo, take over for me!"
"Sure!" Cosmo nodded, running over to Chris's station.
Chris smiled as he ran up to Sonic and Silver. The two smiled at him. "So what's going on, pal?" Sonic asked.
When they got on their plane, Chris told Sonic and Silver the plan. "Okay, guys, here's the plan." He told them. "Looks like the Metarex are about to launch another attack. We've gotta try to fend them off as best as we can and give them a dose of their own medicine!"
"Sounds good!" Sonic smirked. "We'll wipe out those Meta punks in no time flat!"
"Yes!" Silver nodded in agreement.
The three grinned at each other.
Watching from the Blue Typhoon, Penny frowned nervously. "I have a bad feeling, Cosmo." She told her young friend. Cosmo nodded at Penny. "Me, too. These Metarex attacks just seem to get more and more violent every time."
Penny frowned. "It's more than that," she said. "I just can't figure it out."
Chris, Silver, and Sonic were about to launch their attack, when something shook the Blue Typhoon, interrupting their take off.
The Blue Typhoon passengers yelped at the sudden collision. "Hey! What was that?!" Tails yelled.
Amy looked panicked. "I don't know! There's nothing on the radar!"
"What could it be..." Tangle asked.
Zelkova smirked as he held the Blue Typhoon in his hands. "Your time is up, my friends!"
Knuckles growled as he watched Zelkova on the screen. "Oh, no!" Knuckles frowned. "Not him again..."
"Why doesn't Zelkova just give up already?" Cloud frowned, glaring at the screen.
"I'm starting to get sick of him, and this is just the second time he showed up!" Hiro grumbled.
With one mighty heave, Zelkova threw the Blue Typhoon towards the planet below. Thanks to that, that sent the X Tornado flying hard to the ground.
The Blue Typhoon crashed to the ground. It skidded to a stop near the edge of a lava river, and above them, all loomed a volcano.
"Well, this looks like a real hotspot!" Amy frowned.
"I feel sick to my tummy..." Cream whimpered.
"Not another volcano..." Penny whimpered.
"That crash disconnected our energy servers!" Tails frowned. "It looks like we're stranded, you guys!"
The girls gasped in shock. They yelped again as another rumble shook the ship. Zelkova chuckled as he stared at the ship. "I see we're together again! Prepare to meet your doom! Prepare to perish. Prepare to succumb to the evil that is Yellow Zelkova! Prepare to..." He paused. "Prepare to..."
Tangle frowned. "Prepare to battle?" She asked. Amy, Whisper, Kat, and Cosmo shrugged.
"I don't know," Tails said. "Battle just seems kind of weak, doesn't it?"
"Maybe it means 'prepare to die?" Penny joked nervously.
"Enough!" Zelkova growled. "This is no guessing game! This is the moment of demise!" He lunged his fist at the Blue Typhoon, and the ship shook again, causing its passengers to scream. "Where are those hedgehogs?!"
"Here we are!" Sonic called. Zelkova glanced up to see Chris, Silver, and Sonic flying towards him.
"It's Sonic, Chris, and Silver!" Penny smiled happily. "They're okay!"
"Almost there, you two!" Chris announced. "Ready?"
"Ready!" Sonic and Silver nodded. They grasped a ring in their hands and launched a spin attack at Zelkova.
"Little pushy!" Zelkova smirked, pulling up an invisible shield. Sonic and Silver struck at it, but the two couldn't break through it. The two landed back on Chris's aircraft. "Sonic, Silver, what happened?!" The boy asked.
"I'm not sure..." Sonic muttered.
Zelkova threw an energy ball at the plane, causing its passengers to yelp. Tails' eyes widened. "That's the same thing that happened when Eggman put up his star shield!"
"Maybe it's made from the same stuff!" Amy said.
"You are correct, little one! I, Yellow Zelkova, have been fortunate enough to be equipped with one of the first, brand new Doctor Eggman Aluma Shield Power Packs! As a bonus, I received this Eggman temporary tattoo!"
"Eww..." Penny muttered in disgust.
"You geek!" Amy growled. "You have an Eggman tattoo? YOU LOOSER!"
Tails and Cosmo both restrained Amy. "Don't, Amy, you'll make him angry!" Cosmo gasped.
"Cosmo's right!" Tails said. "Settle down!"
But Amy was too furious to back off. "I will NOT settle down!" She growled. "That thick yellow hunk of junk is gonna be sorry he ever met me!"
"Hunk of junk?!" Zelkova growled. "How DARE you mock the great Yellow Zelkova! I'll make you pay for that!"
However, before Zelkova could launch an attack, Knuckles stood in front of him. "Well, we meet again," He smirked. This time he was accompanied by Cloud and Hiro. Zelkova lunged at them. "Perhaps this time I will finish you three off!" Zelkova tried to punch them away, but Knuckles, Hiro, and Cloud easily blocked his punch.
"I'd like to see you try!" Knuckles growled. Cloud smirked at Zelkova. "Come on, how about using that shield on us, yellow duck?"
"We might be able to knock Zelkova out with a ring tunnel!" Chris told Sonic and Silver as they flew. "Right now, anything's worth the try..." He pressed a button and unleashed the ring tunnel. Sonic and Silver zoomed towards them, but Yellow Zelkova used electricity sparks to push Sonic, Silver, even Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro away. They flew back, grunting.
"SONIC! GUYS!" Penny shrieked.
"Oh, no!" Cream whimpered.
Knuckles grunted as he got up. "Oh, yeah?" He asked. Hiro and Cloud also got up, glaring at Zelkova.
Zelkova chuckled. "You thought you might, pipsqueak, but you will never beat me! With my new Aluma shield power pack, I am virtually unstoppable!"
"You big wimp!" Knuckles growled as he stood up. Cloud and Hiro joined him, panting. Cloud gave Zelkova death glares. Hiro growled. "Gotta rely on a stupid shield, huh?" The red wolf asked. "Too afraid to fight us with your own fists!"
Knuckles frowned. "You are nothing but a big baby!"
Zelkova looked taken back. "What did you say?!"
The trio of Mobians looked at each other and smirked. "We'll see if that shield helps you now!" Knuckles said. "Get ready, pal!"
Zelkova punched Knuckles, Hiro, and Cloud to the ground. They yelped as Zelkova slammed his foot on them. At that moment, the Blue Typhoon and its crew launched missiles at Yellow Zelkova. Their eyes widened as no scratch was to be seen on Zelkova. "You fools!" Zelkova growled. "Your missiles are play toys compared to my awesome power"
"Oh, no!" Cosmo and Penny whimpered, watching inside the Blue Typhoon. Tails looked at them. "We have to keep trying, Cosmo and Penny!" He told them. "We'll get through!"
Tails frowned. "In order to penetrate a shield that powerful, we're going to have to harness a great deal of energy. Of course, I'm not sure where we'll get the extra energy from..."
"You're going to have to think of it soon, Tails!" Penny whimpered, watching Zelkova smash Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro.
"KNUCKLES, CLOUD, HIRO, NO!" The Blue Typhoon passengers cried. Penny gave Kat a comforting side hug.
To their relief, they watched the three fighters straining as they lifted Yellow Zelkova's hand off them. Knuckles growled. "You think with a fist like that you can actually do some damage?!" Knuckles yelled.
"Knuckles' right!" Cloud smirked. "You might wanna spend less time on aluma shield and more on the old upper body strength!"
"I grow weary of your mocking, you little fools!" Zelkova growled. He grabbed Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro and tossed them towards the lava. Thinking quick, the three launched their fists and managed to grab onto the cave, saving themselves from sliding down into the lava.
"Now this is what I call hot spot..." Hiro muttered, sweat dropping a little. Cloud and Knuckles nodded in agreement. The three looked up and climbed their way up the cave.
The Blue Typhoon once again launched their lasers at Yellow Zelkova, but just like before, there was no scratch.
"Now what do we do?!" Penny yelped. "Nothing works against him!" Her eyes widened as Zelkova stomped towards the Blue Typhoon and pushed it towards the lava lake. "Now you will all meet your firey end!" He chuckled. Penny and the others screamed as the ship began moving towards the edge. Closer... closer...
"Not so fast, you yellow belly!" A familiar voice growled.
"Knuckles! Cloud! Hiro!" Penny and Kat cried happily. They watched as Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro used everything they got at the Metarex. Zelkova tried to smash the three, but Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro thought quick and hopped out of the way just in time. "We're not done!" Knuckles growled, launching another attack. At that, Zelkova launched electrocuting energy at them and pushed Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro back. They fell to the ground with a grunt.
Zelkova chuckled as he stomped over to them. Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro regained their senses quickly and attacked Zelkova again, pounding everything they got at him.
"You three are in for a shock, my tiny friends!" Zelkova growled, sending another energy blast through the three Mobians. They yelled. "Some shock!" Knuckles glared at Zelkova. "Is that all you got?!" The three Mobians started attacking as soon as the pain left. Cloud, Knuckles, and Hiro lunged a huge blow and managed to break Zelkova's knee, however damaging their fists in the process. They yelled in pain.
Zelkova crumbled to the ground. He glared at Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro. "You three think you're clever, don't you?"
Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro glared at him. "What, you mean you haven't figured it out already?!" Knuckles growled. Cloud chuckled. "Boy is he dumb."
"It's Knuckles, CLoud, and Hiro!" Tangle said happily as she flew in a plane with Whisper. Amy, Kat, and Cream smiled. "Let's get out of here while he's not looking!" Amy said.
"YOU CANNOT FOOL ME!" Zelkova growled, shooting electric waves at Knuckles, Cloud, Hiro, Kat, Penny, Amy, Cream, Cheese, Tangle, and Whisper. They yelped as they were tossed away from the shock.
Inside the Blue Typhoon, Cosmo and Penny cried in fright as the electricity shot through them. Tails grunted as he was pushed back by the force, but hurried back to fix it. "I'll use Zelkova's energy against him to break through that aluma shield!" Tails growled.
"Chris to Blue Typhoon! Do you read me?!" Chris called.
"He's okay!" Tails and Penny cheered excitedly.
Sonic smirked as he landed on Amy's plane. "Looks like Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro need some assistance!" The blue hedgehog told Amy. "Let's lend them a hand!"
Zelkova looked at the fighters in confusion. "What now?!"
Knuckles, CLoud, and Hiro growled as they lunged another attack on Zelkova. Then once again were struck away by the electricity.
"Hey, big guy!" Sonic called from above. Zelkova turned to them. "Up here!" Sonic hopped off of Amy's plane and tried to attack Zelkova, but once again was pushed away, and then saved by Cream. "I gotcha!" Cream cried. Cheese chaoed in response.
Sonic grabbed the wire that was wrapped around his shoulder and had the other end circle around Zelkova, who watched in confusion. Soon, Zelkova was surrounded by a huge circle of wires.
Chris and Tails readied the antenna to their plan. Tails yelled to Cosmo and Penny, and the two gave Sonic and Silver the signal. Sonic smirked. "Here it goes!"
With Silver's help, he threw the wire towards the antenna on the Blue Typhoon. "What is this?!" Zelkova panicked. "What's going on here?!"
Cloud, Hiro, and Knuckles smirked. Knuckles called out to Zelkova. "Don't you worry your little head, Zelkova," Knuckles said. "You just sit tight!" And at that, Knuckles, Cloud, and Hiro jumped far away from the scene.
Sonic spun into the clouds, creating electricity from above, and then leading the electricity to the antenna of the Blue Typhoon. The electricity flew up to Yellow Zelkova, and the Metarex's shields didn't stand a chance against it. Zelkova screamed as the electricity broke through his armor, and crashed to the ground. "What is happening to me?!" Zelkova panicked.
When his armor completely fell off, Zelkova's original form appeared.
Penny, Tails, and Cosmo gasped in shock. Chris held his sister, trying to comfort her. This was too much for Penny.
Zelkova had returned to normal, and his green amulet that was attached to his chest fell off. Zelkova glared his green stare at Knuckles, CLoud, and Hiro. With one punch, the trio sent Zelkova falling towards the lava. "Dark Oak will be victorious!" Zelkova yelled in his normal voice, falling towards the lava. "He will have revenge!"
And he was gone.
Penny shuddered a heavy sigh, her eyes wide. That was too shocking to her. She glanced over at Cosmo, who looked as shocked as she was. Sonic, who had just joined them, gave Penny a comforting hug. Chris looked stunned. "He thought he was indestructible..." The boy muttered.
Penny, Kat, and the others nodded in agreement.
...
"Interesting..." Eggman mumbled as he stood over a computer. "After having researched their data, I have discovered the Metarex plan to..."
"Explanted, doctor!" Decoe whispered, cutting him off.
Hearing clanking, Eggman, Decoe, and Bocoe turned to see a Metarex standing at the doorway. "Doctor Eggman. Is there something I can help you with?"
Eggman turned to him. "Oh, not at all, my friend!" He said. "I was just admiring your up to the minute gadgetry! I really must commend you on your technological wherewithal!"
"The doctor is taking rather copious notes!" Bocoe said.
"As so one he could build one just like it!" Decoe said.
The Metarex stared at them suspiciously, before turning around. "Zelkova's been destroyed."
"What's that?!" Eggman sounded shocked.
"It seems your so-called aluma shield was of no use to him in the end."
"Well, it didn't come with a warranty," Eggman said.
The Metarex chuckled as it walked away.
Eggman glared after it.
...
Shadow and Rouge spotted something bright on the tree up ahead. Shadow hopped up its roots to get to it.
The glow came from an Emerald.
"That looks pretty interesting..." Rouge said as she flew next to him, inspecting the jewel. Shadow frowned. "Let's see here..." He muttered, taking the Emerald in his hands. He easily smashed it.
Rouge gasped.
"I knew it," Shadow grumbled, dropping the remains of the Emerald. "It's fake!"
"Why would there be a fake Chaos Emerald in the middle of nowhere?" Rouge asked with a frown. "How weird.."
Hearing groaning, Rouge and Shadow dropped to the ground to find the Resistance... Molly's group... trapped in trees. Rouge gasped. "What?!" She yelped.
Leon looked in pretty bad shape... he was trapped in the tree, his clothes ragged, and it looked like he was becoming part of the tree.
"Shadow, it's that Leon guy," Rouge said. "From the resistance."
Leon weakly opened his eyes. Shadow was silently relieved that Penny didn't go with them on this mission... this sight would really be too much for her. Shadow shook the thought of Penny away. He had to focus. He kneeled in front of Leon. "Tell us what happened!" Shadow demanded.
Leon rasped weakly. "M-Metarex...they fooled...us all...they told us...we could be one of them...but they lied." He grunted in pain. "They destroyed us all...already happening..." He grunted in pain as vines wrapped around his face from the inside.
"Shadow..." Rouge mumbled. Shadow sadly shook his head.
Leon weakly opened his eyes. "My pocket..." he wheezed. "Look...inside..."
Shadow dug into Leon's pocket. He pulled out something strange. "What is it?" He asked Leon.
"You must stop them..." Leon pleaded through clenched teeth. "It's... not too...late..."
And he died.
Shadow and Rouge said nothing as they stared around the other bodies trapped in trees.
