The Speedster Coven
(The Owl House X Sonic the Hedgehog)
Chapter 6: Meeting of the Minds
Emperor Belos was in the middle of a meeting with Alador and Odalia Blight. An Abomaton soldier slumped down behind them. Hunter was at his side, bored out of his mind.
"So, Blights," Emperor Belos said, tapping his fingers on the arms of his chair, "you said you had a new innovation with your abomination research.
"Yes indeed," Odalia said, she points to Alador, who is trying to pick out pieces of abomination matter from his hair, "My dear husband, Alador, has been hard at work increasing the offensive capabilities of the Abomaton Soldiers, allow me to demonstrate." Odalia snaps her fingers, and the Abomaton soldier rises from its stasis.
"The Abomaton soldier 2.1 upgrade not only makes it more strong and agile, but it can also shoot improved projectiles, and it wields armored hand gauntlets, and…"
As Odalia rambles off about the various improvements, Hunter quickly loses the little interest he had in the meeting, and turns to Belos.
"Hey uncle," Hunter whispered, "are these meetings necessary to sit through? I mean, why not just take the abominations, and move on?"
"Now Hunter," Belos whispers while sitting still, "as emperor, it is my duty to make calculated decisions, and to do that, one should take the time to listen to their subjects."
"But isn't this pretty straight forward?" Hunter replied," I mean It's just some abomaton upgrades."
Belos puts his hand on his face, "look Hunter, if you don't find this meeting 'enthralling', then you can just leave here you know… Besides, I'll just have Kikimora attend this instead."
Hunter looks like he's about to say something, but instead he leaves the room and walks around in the hallway. His palisman flies from out of his jacket, and lands on his shoulder. The palisman chirps at Hunter, "Yeah I'm fine," Hunter replies, "I've already proven myself, so I shouldn't get too worked up." Hunter walks away, when he hears something from behind.
"Huh?" Hunter shouts in confusion, he sees a strange cut-like formation in the air. The cut opens up, and he hears someone talking, the guards are oblivious. Hunter takes a peek inside, he sees a tall, round scientist rambling on to himself, he gets out of the way before the scientist can spot him.
"Now fire, Badniks!" the scientist shouts, the guards and Hunter duck for cover as missiles shoot from the portal, blowing statues all over the place. The scientist walks out of the portal in some sort of mech, he is followed by robots.
"Now time to enact my grand plan!" the scientist says gleefully, he's wearing a red coat and goggles.
One of the emperor's guards makes a spell circle and gets in front of the scientist, "Freeze intruder!" he shouts, "You are in the palace of the honorable Emperor Belos, so I recommend you go back to your or else your punishment will be s-" The scientist shoots a laser from his mech, making the guard fall limp to the ground.
The other guard gets up and sees his unconscious college, and the scientist. "Uh, he's just a co-worker." The guard nervously states, he runs away.
The scientist stares out awkwardly, before continuing. "Well, never mind that, let's roll out minions." the scientist and his robotic soldiers move forward through the castle.
"This isn't good." Hunter mutters to himself. He quickly leaves his hiding place and runs towards the emperor's chambers. Some of the scientist's robots see him, and shoot their lasers at him, one of them grazes his shoulder, leaving a burn.
Hunter bursts through the door and quickly closes it shut, interrupting Odalia's ramblings, Kikimora is the emperor's side. Belos gets off his chair, "Hunter, what is the meaning of this?" he says with a slight annoyance. Belos notices Hunter's heaving breathing and burned cape, "Hunter, what's going on?" he says calmer.
Hunter grabs his staff that was given to him by his uncle. "Uncle," Hunter yells tired, "we're being invaded!" Everyone else in the room's eyes widened.
"How?" Belos asks, "Our defenses are stronger than ever, and there have been no significant rebellions since the Raine incidents. How could we be invaded, and who is responsible?
Hunter explains, "I don't know, some scientist dressed in a red coat and goggles came out of some portal followed by dangerous machines.
The thumping of the scientist's robots and the screaming of the guards can be heard outside the room. Belos turns to face.
"Blights," he says, "I think a demonstration is in order."
Odalia smirks, "As you wish, your highness, right Alador?"
Alador nods then puts on his goggles, "Abominations, Rise!" Abomaton soldiers emerge from various containers around the room.
The scientist is roaming the castle halls, he leaves a trail of defeated guards behind him. The scientist stops to look around, "Now where can this Belos guy be?" The scientist is shot at by an abomaton soldier.
"What the…'' The scientist says to himself, more abomination goop is shot at him, The scientist ducks. Two Abomaton soldiers rush towards the scientist, he sighs, "Ah, seems like they brought reinforcements," A small group of flying wasp robots fly from behind him, "But so have I..."
The wasp robots shoot lasers at the Abomatons, the Abomatons destroy most of the wasp robots by shooting project. "Argh, time to bring out the big guns!" blasters emerge from the front of the scientist's mech, and blast away at the Abomaton soldiers, the first one was able to lock the shots with its arm guards, the second one isn't as fast, so it gets obliterated by the lasers.
The Abomaton soldier jumps at the scientist, but he dodges the attacks, then he tackles the soldier with his mech. The Abomaton soldier is knocked back. The Abomaton stretched out its arm and held the scientist up and off of his mech. The scientist struggles for a sec, before he sees the fire button for his blaster, and stomps on it, destroying the Abomaton soldier, and dropping him back in his mech.
The scientist adjusts himself in his seat, "Now that's over with, I shall continue." and marches off in his mech.
Meanwhile, Belos and Hunter are fighting off some of the scientist's robots. Belos is shooting the robots with fireballs, while Hunter is dashing around, throwing them with his staff. Belos suddenly falls to the ground and clutches his face, a black substance drips from his mask.
"Uncle," Hunter shouts, "are you ok?".
Belos gets up, "Yes hunter," he blasts an approaching robot with fire magic, "It's just that all this magic use is making me a bit weak." Belos gets up and Hunter gets against his back, "Now let's get these pieces of scrap metal." They prepare to attack the roots, but suddenly, a fireball destroys some robots. Kikimora jumps down in front of Belos and Hunter.
"Go, Get the intruder!" she says, some guards arrive to help her out, "we'll deal with the machines."
Belos and Hunter nod, and they run off.
The scientist continues to roam the halls, "I really out of here and find that emperor guy!" he says, a fireball shot past him.
When the scientist turns around, he is confronted by Belos and Hunter, who stand menacingly in front of the scientist.
"Well," Belos says, he casts a spell circle, "you found me!"
Hunter pushes himself in front of his uncle, "What do you want from me and Uncle!"
The scientist rubs his hands together and chuckles. "Oh, it's really nothing!" The scientist said, "All I want is for you to give up your place of power, so I can build a mechanical theme park and obtain total control of this realm and all other realms."
Belos and Hunter look at the scientist, flabbergasted. "I have no Idea what most of the words that came out of your mouth mean," Belos says, "But I won't be giving anything up today!" He casts a lightning spell at the scientist and shocks him.
The scientist gets up, he is burned, "Oh, so that's how you want to play, is it? Well…" the scientist snaps his finger.
All of a sudden, a gray robot with the features of an anthropic hedgehog flies and lands next to the scientist.
"Now, Mecha," the scientist said.
"Yes, master?" replied Mecha in a monotone robotic voice.
"Destroy these vermin!" He commanded.
"As you wish, master." he replied, and he flew towards Belos.
Hunter used his staff to flip Mecha over on the ground and hold him down. "Uncle, deal with the intruder!" Hunter shouted, Mecha freed himself from Hunter's grasp, "I'll deal with the machine." Hunter is tackled by Mecha into the wall.
Belos turns to face the scientist, "Well intruder, I must say, I'm impressed. You invade my palace through some interdimensional portal, you defeat my guards, and even some of my client's advanced Abomaton soldiers. Now that being said, for your next challenge…" Belos makes two spell circles with his hands. "Are you ready to face the wrath of a god?"
The scientist breaks into a slight laughter, before facing the emperor. "Oh, trust me your Highness," the scientist pushes a button on his mech, revealing a myriad of weaponry, "I came prepared." The two lunges toward each other.
Belos uses two lightning spells, but the scientist dodges both of them. The scientist shoots a series of small projectiles at the emperor while strafing around him. The emperor is overwhelmed for a bit, but when the scientist goes in to kick the emperor with his mech, Belos unleashes a beam of fire on the scientist, lighting both him and his mech.
"Here," Belos says, "Let me help you put it out." Belos uses an ice spell to launch the scientist in the air, but he manages to adjust his mech so that it lands on its legs.
The scientist lands, steam rising from him and his mech, his impeccable mustache is singed. He growls, before hitting Belos with an electrical attack, leaving him immobilized, then pummeling the emperor with a barrage of light projectiles, knocking him to the ground.
The emperor can hear something being pointed at him, he looks up and sees a barrage of missiles on the scientist's mech, ready to be launched, "Oh no." is all he can weakly mutter.
Meanwhile, in another room, Hunter is facing Mecha. Hunter is knocking Mecha around the room with his staff, and Mecha falls to the floor.
Hunter smirks, "you want to quit now?" he mockingly asks.
Mecha activates thrusters on the bottom of his feet, "exterminate!" He yells as he flies towards Hunter.
Hunter grasps Mecha's arms, and the two are at a standstill. "I guess that's a no then." Hunter says as he struggles to keep Mecha back.
Hunter flips Mecha into the wall, Mecha stops the impact with his limbs. He jumps down to the floor and spins into a ball. He bounces all around the room before dashing into Hunter, knocking him down. Hunter tries to get up, but Mecha keeps hitting him back down. Hunter manages to grab his staff and push Mecha back. Mecha uses his thrusters to spin around Hunter, then he kicks Hunter's staff out of his hand. Hunter looked around the room in desperation, as Mecha charged up another spin dash, suddenly, Hunter's palisman flies in the room. "There you are!" Hunter says, the palisman transforms into a staff, and hunter grabs it. Mecha charges towards Hunter, but he teleports out of the way. Mecha jumps in the air and launches his mechanical quills at Hunter, but he kicks one of them back at Mecha, piercing through his right eye. Mecha falls to the floor, sparks flying out of where Hunter had hit him.
"Had enough?" Hunter asks in a cocky tone, as he points his staff at Mecha. Mecha gets off the floor, as his thrusters charge, sparks rapidly emerge from where his right eye once was.
Back in the other room, Belos is dodging the scientist's missiles as they shoot from his mech, one goes off in front of Belos, knocking him back. A piece of Belos' masks falls off, letting a strand of his snow-white hair fall through
The scientist chuckles, "Wow, really up to your threat," he says sarcastically, he removes his goggles, "What kind of 'god' are you?"
Belos gets up, the eye holes of his mask glow blue. He teleports in front of the scientist and launches his mech in the air with an ice beam. Belos gets up in the air and zaps the scientist with a lighting spell. The scientist sits up in his seat, he shoots projectiles at Belos, some of them hit Belos. Belos gets up and retaliates with a series of fireballs, one of them hits the scientist. While the scientist is distracted putting himself out, Belos makes an icicle stick from the ground through the control panel of his mech.
"Uh oh," The scientist says, sparks fly out and an alarm blares from the mech. The scientist scrambles out of his mech, right before it sparks up into flames.
Belos walks before the scientist, who is lying on the ground. "S-so intruder…" Belos says tiredly, "are you ready to be finished."
"Actually yes," the scientist says, he suddenly pulls out some sort of laser gun and shoots him in the leg. Belos kneels for a second, before getting back up and pointing a spell circle at him. The scientist points his gun at the emperor.
"So," the scientist said, "it appears we're at a standstill..."
"So, it does…" emperor Belos replies.
"Look, emperor, uh, Belos, was it?" the scientist inquiries, "I think fighting each other isn't all that beneficial for the both of us,"
"Hmm," the emperor replies, "what are you implying, intruder?" the emperor puts his arm down.
The scientist puts his gun down and starts walking, "I mean, as an emperor, don't you desire control over your subjects?"
The emperor puts his finger on his chin, "I suppose, but where are you getting at?"
The scientist stops and faces the emperor, "I'm saying our goals may align more than we think. I desire control of the multiverse, and I bet that you would also find that outcome desirable. So why shouldn't we work together and benefit from each other. I mean just two of those goopy… whatever those soldiers were, wiped out a small army of my Buzz Bombers."
"And those orange, egg shaped whatever's gave me and my nephew a hard time." Belos interjected.
"Exactly!" the scientist replied, "So what will you say about a potential alliance? besides, if we continue fighting, we'll probably both end up dead."
Emperor Belos pauses to think about the scientist's offer for a second. "You know what?" Belos replies, he holds out his hand, "I think we have a deal! uh…"
The scientist shakes Emperor Belos' hand, "Dr. Ivo Robotnik, but my nemeses call me Eggman."
"Well, Ivo," Belos says, "cheers to a long-lasting alliance."
Crashing sounds can be heard from the other room, Eggman and Belos go to investigate the ruckus. The two find Hunter and Mecha pushing shoulder to shoulder against each other, Hunter's palisman is hiding behind a cabinet, out of sight of Belos and Eggman.
Hunter turns and notices Belos, "Hey Uncle!" he says while awkwardly waving from his free arm.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Eggman says he pulls out a remote and presses a big red button, Mecha slumps down and deactivates, Hunter trips over Mecha and falls down on the ground.
"Hunter," Belos says, "This nice fellow is Dr. Robotnik, and he is going to be very useful."
Hunter looks at Eggman, flabbergasted, who awkwardly waves at Hunter. "Are you serious, Uncle? He invaded and tried to kill us!"
Belos lets out an offended gasp, "Hunter, that's no way to speak to our fine guest."
"Uncle listen to yourself! This is insanity!" Hunter desperately yells. Belos eyes glow blue, he steps towards Hunter.
"I've have had enough of your insolence, Hunter!" Belos yells, "You will defy me no longer!"
While Hunter and Belos are staring at each other intensely, Eggman awkwardly steps in-between them, facing Hunter. "Look Hunter, I know we got off to a bit of a rough start."
"Yeah," Hunter says, "I'm well aware." He takes a breath.
Eggman picks up Mecha and slumps him over his shoulder like a sleeping child, "But I think we'll be quite acquainted with time." Eggman holds out his hand.
Hunter doesn't shake at first, but an intense glare from his uncle is enough to make him reluctantly shake his hand. "Yeah, sure…" he says, slightly agitated. Belos and Eggman turn to leave, Hunter grabs his palisman while they aren't looking, and puts him in his coat.
"Hunter," Belos asks, "Are you coming? We're going to have an important meeting"
"In a bit," Hunter replies, "I just need to walk and clear my head."
"Fine," Belos states, "Just don't take too long, or I'll have Kikimora replace you again." Belos and Eggman walk off.
Hunter walks outside the room, his palisman flies out from his cloak. The palisman chirps at Hunter, "Yeah, I don't trust that Robotnik guy either." he replies, "But he's got Uncle wrapped around his finger, so I don't really know what to do,"
Hunter walks by a window, and his palisman spots something through the window, and chirps wildly at Hunter.
"What's wrong, Buddy?" Hunter asks, his palisman runs off. "Hey!" Hunter shouts as he chases his palisman on foot.
The palisman flies through the castle, Hunter gives pursuit. The palisman eventually leads Hunter outside the castle walls. At last, the palisman stops and Hunter catches up, then Hunter collapses on the ground.
Hunter gets up, huffing and puffing, "Why… Did you bring me… ALL THE WAY… over here!" Hunter says exhausted. He notices something red and shiny in the dirt. It is a red glowing gem, in the cut of a diamond. Hunter picks up the gem, "Is this what you wanted to show me, buddy?" His palisman chirps in response. "I mean It's a cool rock I guess, but I don't know why you made me chase you made me-" the rock glows In Hunter's hand.
"Woah!" Hunter says in amazement, "Now I definitely have to tell Uncle." Hunter takes the gem and his palisman, and puts them in his cloak, He rushes off back into the castle.
Hunter makes it into the emperor's chambers, but isn't noticed by the emperor, who is talking with Eggman.
"The chaos emeralds?" Belos inquired.
"Precisely," Eggman replied, "they are ultra-powerful gems that enhance the user's power. They look like diamonds, but don't let that fool you!"
Hunter looks at his gem, he puts two and two together, and realizes he has one of the Chaos emeralds.
"These emeralds could be very useful, but I'm afraid without already having one, they will be quite hard to obtain. And plus, there's a good chance that my nemesis, Sonic, has already obtained one."
"Oh please," Belos interjects, "One of my guards has already managed to get their hands on one of them. Plus, the members of my coven are the strongest they are, they won't be outwitted by a hair dyed rodent."
One of the emperor's guards hurried into the room.
"Ah, Steve, just in time!" Belos says, "Show this gentleman the emerald Grimm Hammer gave you."
Steve puts his finger in the air for a second, before putting it down and stammering for a second. "A-actually," Steve says nervously, "Grimm Hammer claims he was robbed of it by a blue hedgehog."
Belos stares intensely at Steve, before turning to Eggman, who gives a "I told you so!" expression.
"Alright Steve," Belos says, holding in his anger, "You are dismissed."
"Thank you, emperor!" Steve says, he turns to walk away, before looking back for a second. "I'm not fired, are I?"
"Do you wish to be?" Belos coldly threatens.
"No, thanks sir!" Steve says nervously. He runs off, but not before spotting Hunter and saying, "Oh, hi Hunter"
Hunter suddenly gets nervous as Belos and Eggman look toward him.
"Ah, Hunter, you're here!" Belos says; he notices Hunter's expression. "What's wrong Hunter? You look like you want to say something.
"Actually yes," Hunter says, "I wanted to give…" he is about to pull out the Chaos emerald, but he hesitates, "I-I wanted to give our esteemed guest a warm welcome!" He holds out his hand
"Oh, Hunter, you're too kind!" Eggman says gleefully. He shakes Hunter's hand, practically crushing it with his massive hands. He also pats Hunter on the back, very hard.
"N-no p-problem…" Hunter stammered weakly. Hunter leaves the room.
"Now, Ivo, back to the topic at hand." Below continues, "What do you suggest we do about the emerald situation."
Eggman ponders for a second, "Well, I know Sonic has at least two emeralds, so I would think pursuing the rest of the emeralds would be foolish. Instead, I think I know of a different kind of emerald that would be useful."
"Oh, tell me more, Ivo." Belos inquired.
"Back in my world" Eggman says, "there is a large emerald known as the master emerald, that resides on Angel Island. It's even more powerful than the chaos emeralds, requiring all of them to even match its power."
"Well, why not pursue it if we know where it is?" Belos inquired.
"Well," Eggman explains, "the emerald is kept under the watchful eye of Knuckles the Echidna. He is the Guardian of the Emerald, but most importantly, one of Sonic's closest companions. I have tried to pursue the emerald many times, but Knuckles and Sonic have always been there to stop me."
"But he won't have Sonic to help this time," Belos interjects, "and besides," Belos' eyes glow blue. "He's never faced me before"
"Yeah, you're right Belos," Eggman states, he chuckles, "This will be too easy!"
Hunter goes to his room, takes out his palisman and emerald, and slumps down on his bed. His palisman flies around, before landing on his head and chirping at him.
"I don't know what to do buddy, if I gave him the emerald, he would be ecstatic, but It would also help out Egghead, and I refuse to do that." He takes off his cloak and throws it on the other side of the room, "Also remind me to wash that cloak," he looks at his arm, "and this arm."
His palisman chirps and Hunter gets up, "yeah, you're right" he says, "I am too concerned about everyone else." Hunter goes up to his window, palisman on his shoulder, and emerald in hand. He stares intensely at the emerald.
"Besides," Hunter remarks, "Is it too unfair to keep something for myself?"
End of Chapter Six