A/N:P Please go easy on me with this one. It's my first Sonic and Mario crossover, so I know some things might be a little farfetched, but I tried to make things make sense. Hope you enjoy.
Time was of the essence. Something needed to be done before pandemonium ensued. The scheme had to be stopped.
Bashing an Egg Pawn with her mighty hammer, Amy fought her way through the intricate maze of the aircraft. Another wave of robotic minions greeted at every turn, and no matter how many circuits she caved in, the number never waned.
The Egg Carrier was starting to get on Amy's nerves.
She watched as a group of Egg Pawns ran towards her, screaming and hollering in mechanical buzzing. Amy brought the hammer down on the closest one, shattering its metal frame into pieces. This did not deter the others, and Amy brought her hammer up again, swinging it around in a wide arc, shattering them as the robots continued to rush her.
Amy lost track of time. How long were she and her friends battling the forces of Eggman? How much time did they have left before the badly mustachioed man completed his scheme?
"Stupid bucket of bolts! There's no end to them," she hissed. Her muscles ached, her heart pounded in her chest, and she was beginning to feel lightheaded. She was so tired that carrying her hammer was getting difficult. Regardless, the pink hedgehog continued to fight. She refused to give up while the world was at stake. Whatever heinous scheme the mad doctor concocted; Amy would help her friends put an end to it.
To her relief, a friend came to her aid. The red blur plowed through the robotic masses and guarded Amy's six.
"How you holding up?" they asked.
"I've felt worse," Amy answered with a small sigh. "They just keep coming. Thanks for the assist, Knuckles."
The guardian of Angel Island nodded back.
"Sonic and Tails went on ahead. We didn't want to leave you behind, so I came back to get you. Didn't think you'd get the most resistance. Can you keep going?"
Amy readied her hammer as, to no one's surprise, more robots arrived.
"I'm not throwing in the towel just yet. Can't let you boys show me up," she grinned. "Ready?"
Knuckles cracked his namesakes. "Ready."
Together, the pink and red powerhouses fought their way through Eggman's defenses. The combination of Knuckles' fists combined with Amy's mallet was too much for the Egg themed robots to handle. They were a well-oiled machine, destroying everything in their path. It was the last thing the robots witnessed before joining their brethren in the scrapyard.
The evil doctor monitored his progress. Everything, aside from the usual resistance, was running smoothly. He just needed a bit more time. Seeing Amy and Knuckles tear through his army like tissue paper made the doctor sweat. Although he had the edge in intelligence and ingenuity, his foes were certainly powerful. He couldn't afford to make any mistakes.
"It won't be long now," Eggman said to himself. "If these pests think they can stop me this time, they have another thing coming."
Eggman had big plans. Things would be different. He uttered those words often and would suffer the consequences, but this time, he was sure of it. First, there was a nasty little group he had to deal with.
"Metal!" the doctor hollered.
Quick as a flash, a robotic impersonation of Sonic the Hedgehog appeared before the doctor.
"Get ready to welcome our guests. Keep them away from the Master Emerald."
Metal Sonic accepted his mission and prepared for battle. He was eager to make his loathsome copy beg for mercy. Meanwhile, Eggman went back to work. His machine required constant supervision.
"Chaos energies are stable. Good, my plan will finally come to fruition."
After weeks of planning, the doctor was ready to initiate his plan. He had to give that moronic echidna some credit. It was difficult to secure his most prized possession and make off with it. Eggman lost more resources than he wanted. It would've been easier and faster to simply use Metal Sonic, but the doctor wanted to save his strongest creation for the infuriating blue hedgehog he based his creation on.
With the Master Emerald in his possession, Eggman knew it would only be a matter of time until his archnemesis made his presence known. Luckily, he already had the machine prepared and ready to go. Now, all he had to do was use the emerald's infinite energy to power the machine and get his troops ready.
His nose hairs then felt a disturbance, and before he could get a word in, there was a loud explosion. The door to the room flew off its hinges, and smoke billowed in.
"Eggman!" a familiar echidna roared. "Hand over my Master Emerald you snake!"
The doctor cackled, tickled by the absurdity of the demand.
"No can do, Knuckles. I'm afraid I need your precious Master Emerald to further my plans. You can have it back after I'm finished."
"What's the diabolical scheme this time, Egghead?" Sonic entered the room. "I can use a quick laugh before kicking your butt for the millionth time."
"Ooh, you'll see, you horrid little hedgehog. I have a grander point of view. Why settle on taking over one world when there are so many possibilities?"
"Because you always fail to take over the one you live on," the blue blur interjected. "Give it up while you still can, Egghead. Your time is up. I don't care where you try to escape to, I'll always be there to stop you."
"Exactly, you little pincushion," Eggman retorted. "You're always getting in my way, foiling all my genius plans. Just when I think I have you finished, you somehow manage to overcome the odds. However, you're still just one creature who inhabits one world. I can subjugate other worlds, amass a greater army, and finally be rid of you and your pathetic friends once and for all!"
"You don't know what you're doing!" Knuckles stated, his ire rising dramatically. "You're messing with a power beyond your comprehension. Using the chaos force to access a world beyond ours might have cataclysmic results."
"Hmph, you underestimate my intellect. There are hundreds, thousands, millions of different dimensions. The possibilities are endless, but I won't waste any more time on the likes of you. Metal, annihilate them!"
Metal Sonic happily obliged and shot towards the quartet. His primary target was Sonic, but the robot was intercepted by a hammer swing from Amy.
"Don't forget about me," she warned him. "You mess with my friends, you mess with me."
Sonic's robotic counterpart got back up and faced the pink powerhouse. There were no words. Based on the beeping and buzzing, Amy assumed the robot was taunting her. She raised her hammer to block the rapid blitz, quickly being overwhelmed and pushed back, but Sonic, the real one, kicked the robot off his friend while Knuckles and Tails charged at the doctor.
Metal Sonic, not allowing the enemies to get the Master Emerald, fired a laser from his stomach to separate Amy and Sonic, and then fired another to halt the red echidna and yellow fox in their tracks. Metal Sonic tackled Knuckles instead, driving the strongest hitter to the floor.
Tails fired at the robot with his blaster, flying around the machine with his twin tails. Soon, Amy and Sonic re-entered the fray, and Knuckles picked himself up and joined the onslaught against Metal Sonic. The quartet attacked, but Metal Sonic was a formidable opponent. He tanked everything thrown at him and dished it back with the same ferocity.
As the battle continued, Eggman's device finished its preparations. The Master Emerald, which was hooked up to the machine, started to whine and emit a blinding light.
The fighting ceased, everyone turning their attention to the glistening gem and the evil doctor cackling as he caressed its fine cut.
"Finally. Now, let's get down to business."
Eggman placed a hand on the massive gem. He could feel its power tingling his arm.
"Hear me, Chaos! With your infinite power, shatter the boundaries between our world and the next! Show me what lies beyond the cosmos! Chaos… Contr-."
"NO!" Knuckles roared. He sprinted past Metal Sonic and made his way to the doctor before the damages could be done.
Metal Sonic attempted to intervene but was held down by Sonic, Tails, and Amy.
The guardian pushed Eggman away from his precious treasure. At the same time, Metal Sonic released a burst of energy that knocked his captors away. Sonic and Tails hit the wall while Amy was sent careening into the massive emerald, dislodging it from its confinement.
Eggman gasped and pushed the echidna off him. "No! You fools!"
The flow of energy was disrupted, chaos readings started to go off the scale, and waves of potent energy caused the entire carrier to shake.
"Amy, get away from there! Hurry!" Knuckles screamed, pinning Eggman to the ground.
It was too late. The energy started to break free and mess with reality. A green web made to look like cracks in a glass surface, spread over the wall behind the Master Emerald. In the middle, a white, spiraling entrance was made.
Unfortunately, Amy could only watch as she was sucked into the portal.
"AMY!" her friends caterwauled.
The rift started to shrink.
"NOOO!" Sonic screeched. He sprinted, but even with his legendary speed, the blue blur was too slow.
The portal closed before Sonic could get to it. He pounded the ground out of frustration and snarled at the doctor for his plans.
Eggman, however, was gone too, and Metal Sonic was nowhere to be seen.
Amy was falling. Her body was falling for what felt like an eternity. Something was wrenching her in every which way.
"W-What's happening?"
There was nothing but an infinite void of chaos energy.
"S-Sonic."
There was no one.
"Sonic isn't here."
Amy's eyes shot open, and her body regained control of its functions.
She wasn't alone.
Metal Sonic chased her through the rift, his diabolical red eyes glaring at the pink powerhouse.
"It's just you and me, Amy Rose," the robot spoke in an amalgamation of various voices. Without warning, the metallic menace propelled himself at Amy with his claws ready to tear her in twain.
Amy barely had time to raise her hammer, Metal's staggering speed seemingly growing in this vicinity, before she was sent flying faster through the portal. A sharp yelp left her lips as she felt the sting of Metal's slap throb on her cheek.
Metal Sonic pursued, copying Sonic's legendary Spin Dash, but this time, Amy was ready. She used her weapon to deflect the impersonation of her lover and get her bearings straight.
"Not bad, Rose," Metal commented, retaliating with a barrage of missiles. "Now, get a load of this!"
Amy danced around the plane. She swung her hammer like a bat and bashed the projectiles back to sender. A simple laser destroyed the missiles, a sea of explosions erupting, concealing Metal's presence. The robot increased his speed and locked limbs with the pinkette's hammer. Their collision caused a reaction from the chaos energy. Neither noticed, but both were being enriched by the power. They pushed their bodies harder, knowing a single mistake would cost them the battle or worse.
Amy's senses were growing sharper as her reaction speed matched Metal's tenacity. She sent Eggman's robot skidding back, but the evil automaton never backed down. He was relentless in his pursuit, gradually wearing the hedgehog down despite the boost in attributes. However, still, Amy proved to be quite the obstacle. Metal's circuits overworked themselves to go toe-to-toe with the pink hurricane.
"I won't let you and Eggman have your way," she panted.
Metal's body sustained too much damage to use voice clips. He was forced to resort back to beeps and buzzing. From his stance, Amy assumed the beeps to mean a promise of her defeat and the doctor's eventual rule. Regardless, Amy would not allow such atrocities to happen, not to her world or anyone else's.
They prepared themselves for another clash. Their bout shook the realm, where, still unbeknownst to the pair, was reacting with their desires: the desire to best their enemy. The energy surrounded them.
Amy, with a ferocious battle cry, felt strength course through her body. Her pink fur flickered gold for brief seconds but never committed to the transformation. Meanwhile, Metal Sonic had grown in size, his body evolving but never able to finish. The chaotic energy surged during their clash, and cracks began to form in the boundaries.
Both lost their strength and succumbed to the chaos energy's pull. Amy's vision faded, unconsciousness leaving her as Metal Sonic powered down for a spell.
They exited the portal.
The sky turned black over the Mushroom Kingdom. A giant black cloud appeared, blotting out the sun's radiance. Sudden darkness fell over the land. No one could ascertain why.
The darkness deepened until it was absolute. Blue skies were gone, deep rumbling noises, akin to thunder, roared, and flashes of green lightning surged around the black clouds.
Something was coming. Green, web-like cracks formed in the sky as more lightning ran across the thunderclouds. Waves of energy emerged from the cracks, coming with a potency that shook the land and toppled trees.
"What's happening?" the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom inquired from the comfort of her balcony. Peach had never been more nervous. Such a spectacle was never heard of.
Meanwhile, across the plains and over the mountains, the denizens of the Koopa Kingdom watched the green web spread and release its strange energy. It was an otherworldly feeling that had most of the populace sweating.
"Kamek," the biggest Koopa, Bowser, growled, "What is that?"
The king's right-hand Magikoopa felt a bead of sweat roll down the side of his face.
"I wish I had a suitable answer, my liege. Whatever it is, it's definitely dangerous. Do you also feel its energy?"
"Yeah, it's giving me a bad feeling," the king replied. "I never felt anything like it, but we'll work on that later. We need to see about this."
"It might be too unstable, your maliciousness," Kamek spoke up. "Interacting with it may cause further disasters down the road."
Bowser growled but relented. He knew Kamek was right, but he couldn't shake the feeling tingling up his shell.
"Dad, look!" Bowser Jr. pointed at the web, revealing it had opened up and presented a swirling white void on the other side.
"What's it doing?" Bowser strained his eyes.
"A portal maybe?" Kamek hypothesized.
It was hardly noticeable, but Bowser saw something exiting the portal and fall from the sky.
"What was that?" he immediately whistled for his clown car. "I'm going to go investigate. Kamek, gather a team and see what you can gather from it. Junior, come with me. Everyone else, get ready for a possible assault. I want this castle on high alert."
"Sir, yes, sir!"
The king and prince flew towards the portal in the father's clown car. As they drew near, the energy from it was getting overwhelming. Junior was trembling, but as he hankered down and braved it for his father.
"Dad, what's going on?" he asked.
"I don't know, son, but if the tingles on my scales have anything to say, we're dealing with interdimensional matters."
"Another dimension? Is that good or bad?"
Bowser could only think of the latter, but he didn't want to frighten his son more than he already was. The king didn't blame him, the energy radiating off the now closed portal was stupefying.
"It's too soon to say. Let's find out what fell through and go from there."
"Right."
'Because if it's exactly what I think it is, we don't have a lot of time.'
"I'm-a sure it fell in this area."
The legendary brothers of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario and Luigi didn't know what to make of the current event. A mysterious thunderstorm appeared in the sky, bringing with it a whirlpool of lightning and a white void. They saw something fall from the sky and hurried to its position. It was a bad idea to leave Peach unattended, but she reassured them she would be fine and called Professor to lend a hand.
"What caused this?" Luigi asked his brother.
"This has-a Bowser's name written all over it," Mario replied. "I bet it was-a him messing with things out of his league."
The brothers gazed at the expanding cracks in the sky. Its looming presence filled them with dread.
"Let's-a hurry, bro. I don't like-a this one bit," Luigi said.
"We've looked everywhere though. We did see the same thing fall, right?"
"Is this what you pesky plumbers are searching for?"
The Mario Bros. turned and came face-to-face with the mighty King of Koopas and his son. What mainly caught their attention was the being in the king's arms. Neither Mario nor Luigi saw someone like them, a pink-furred girl in a red dress. Her body was battered and bruised, evident she was in a scuffle of some magnitude. In the king's other hand was a hammer that matched the girl's style perfectly.
"We found her not too far away from her," Bowser said. "We had the same thought."
Mario remained on guard. "Is she okay? You didn't hurt her, did you?"
Bowser sneered.
"Hey, don't accuse my dad!" Junior spoke up instead, hopping with fury. "We found her like this."
"Right, and that-a wasn't your doing either?" the red hero gestured to the thing above them.
"Not this time, plumber," Bowser nudged his head in the direction of his kingdom. "We were at the castle when it appeared. We don't know why it's here."
Luigi placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"I say they're-a in the dark like we are. Why would it-a be in this location if they were behind it? Besides, what if she was in danger and had to-a escape here?"
Mario listened to his brother. The points did match up. Bowser was always direct and willing to trade hands when necessary. The more pressing matter was the arrival of the portal and the girl who fell from it.
"Alright," Mario calmed down. "I'll-a take your word for it. What do you make of it then?"
"Since she came through it, that must mean it leads back to her world, another dimension. If that's the case, things are about to get worse."
Mario, Luigi, and Junior didn't like the sound of the king's words one bit. Junior wanted to get far away from the portal as possible and clung to his father for strength. It was impossible to tear his eyes away from the portal, worried it might come alive and consume them all.
"What do you-a mean?" Luigi inquired.
"There's a reason I never tried interdimensional conquest. Anything dealing with space and time I try to avoid," Bowser explained, to which Mario scoffed.
"You didn't avoid conquering galaxies."
"Galaxies within OUR universe. I'm talking about the spacetime continuum. Messing with the boundaries of our universe is too risky even for me," Bowser lowered his attention to the pink girl in his arms. "Obviously, someone in her dimension doesn't feel the same way."
"You really know a lot, huh?" Luigi pointed out.
"I may be a conqueror, but I know what to do and what not to mess with. That thing is evident there's a tear in spacetime."
"It's growing," Bowser Jr. stated. The adults looked up, and indeed it was. The web expanded, and Bowser had to ruffle his son's head to keep him calm.
"It should be as-a simple as sending her back, right?" Mario suggested.
"Doubt it," Bowser immediately shot the idea down. "We'd have to open the rift to send her back, and by then, something else may be ready to invade us. Let me tell you pesky plumbers something. I don't take too kindly to people trying to take my kingdom. I do the conquering."
"Who could-a harness a power strong enough to tear open a portal to our world anyway?" Luigi inquired.
"It was… Eggman."
The pink girl stirred in Bowser's arms. Her eyes opened to reveal dull but striking scarlet eyes. The brothers didn't think too much of it, but Bowser and his son knew something was off. Of course, they kept quiet about it, giving the girl time to speak.
"An evil doctor… did this."
"Eggman?" the Mario Brothers repeated. That was a name no one recognized.
"Hold on, Pinky. We're gonna get you treated first. Then you can tell us everything you know," Bowser said.
"Wait," Amy pushed herself up, but her body was weak. "There's a robot… one of Eggman's… creations."
The mysterious girl lost consciousness.
"Great, another issue," Bowser sighed.
"So there's an evil robot on the loose too? Mama mia," Luigi shuddered.
"Sounds like my kind of machine," Bowser chuckled. He set Amy in the clown car. "Junior, take our traveler back to the castle and get her seen about. If she wakes up before I return, see what you can learn about her and how this giant crack in the sky came to be."
"Y-Yes sir."
Bowser ruffled his kid's head again. "Listen, son, everything's going to be alright. We're Koopas. Nothing can get under our scales."
Junior nodded and hopped in the vehicle. "What are you going to do, Dad?"
The king cracked his knuckles.
"I'm going to find this robot and smash it into pieces. It's lurking around here somewhere, probably watching us as we speak. Leave it to me, and watch over Pinky. Go."
"Be careful, dad!" Junior bid farewell and flew off with the pink girl in transport.
Bowser turned to the twin plumbers.
"You two are going to tell Peach what we found. I have Kamek figuring out more about this rift, but I know Peach has someone doing the same thing. In the meantime, I have a rust bucket to destroy," he said while not giving the brothers a chance to object. Bowser stomped off, leaving the duo behind.
The Mario brothers chatted and then hurried to Peach's Castle.
Unbeknownst to them, Bowser was correct about being watched. Another pair of red eyes watched the trio from the surrounding foliage. After the brothers left the area, the stalker set their sights on the Koopa King.
Bowser growled as he looked for the robot. Considering the spot where he and Junior found Amy, the king believed the robot couldn't have fallen far. The two should be in the same proximity.
"A giant rift in dimensions opens up. Now, we have girls wielding big hammers falling from the sky and a bucket of bolts made by an egg who doesn't know dimensional etiquette. You don't mess with spacetime. It's villainy 101, stay in your dimension."
There was rustling in the bushes.
Bowser quickly turned his head in the direction of the noise but was met with silence. He cautiously approached the pile of leaves, readying a flame breath to scorch his enemy.
The minute he got close, Bowser opened fire, setting the bush ablaze, but there was nothing to be found. No charred remains of a metal foe. No pile of cinders. Just a smoldering bush.
"Trying to hide, eh? What's the matter? Can't handle the heat?" Bowser taunted. "I don't blame you, but you're making a mistake."
A twig snapped.
"No one sneaks up on the Koopa King without getting burned!" Bowser roared and released another blast of fire on the area he believed the sound came from. A fiery explosion was heard as the entire area was engulfed in flames.
Bowser surveyed the area, trying to see if anything was caught in the crossfire. Unfortunately, there was still no sign of the metal enemy Amy warned about.
"Great, Peach is going to rip me a new one for that," the king hissed. "Where are you, tin can? I know you're here."
It was faint, but Bowser picked up a whirring noise that grew nearer with each second. His eyes darted around.
"Not behind me," he felt a tingle run up his shell. The realization hit him. "Above me!"
The Koopa King looked up just in time to see a glowing-eyed figure come down on him. He barely had time to react before he was hit with a spin dash and drove in the ground. Then, his assailant rocketed up, adjusted their trajectory, and crashed into the king again.
Bowser was sent flying, smashing through several trees. He came to a stop after smashing into a small boulder. Feeling woozy, he slowly got to his feet. His vision cleared in time to see the figure dash towards him.
"How dare," the massive Koopa growled. Bowser leaped out of the way and threw his counter, a powerful megaton punch that caught the assailant's face upon unfolding itself.
They were spiraling, head rattled as Bowser grabbed the robot and slammed them on the ground.
"I finally got you now, rust bucket," Bowser punched them again. "I don't know why your creator wants to invade my domain," another punch, "but I'll make sure he knows his place."
One last punch, and Bowser was ready to burn the machine. The flames of his soul gathered in his jaw, but the robot had a trick up its nonexistent sleeve, a black shield that stopped Bowser's breath and flung the king off Metal Sonic.
The robot got back up. His body was still damaged from the scuffle with Amy in the rift, but he was able to keep fighting.
"All living things will kneel before their master."
"Kneel?" Bowser exploded in laughter. "You dare tell me to kneel? I'm the biggest and baddest Koopa around. I do not kneel."
"First time for everything," Metal got into a crouched position.
"Not today," Bowser declared. "I'm going to enjoy smashing you to bits."
Bowser launched a volley of fireballs, but Metal's impressive speed allowed him to evade effortlessly. The king blocked a spin dash with his strong arms. He swung back, his claws tearing through air.
Metal rocketed away, barely avoiding a second attack.
"You'll have to do better than that," Bowser taunted.
Metal pounced forward, swinging his arms down to slice the king open. He had the superior speed and tried to confuse the king. However, Bowser's instincts were sharper than usual. He couldn't explain it, but something was giving him strength. He couldn't keep up with Metal's movements, but his Koopa instincts were keeping him the in the fight. He could block Metal's attack, but it was difficult to land a counterattack.
"You're a speedy tin can," Bowser felt as if he was trying to swat a fly. His opportunity came when Metal suddenly trembled from the earlier damage building up. Bowser hammered the machine down with his hands, bringing the evil automaton to his knees.
"That's right," Bowser stomped on Metal's head, forcing the robot to glare daggers at the ground. "Kneel before your king."
Eggman's greatest creation moved his head to glare at the king. Bowser's smug face infuriated him. To retaliate, he surprised the king with a rocket to the face.
Bowser stumbled back but chuckled instead of growling.
"That's more like it," he leaped at Metal Sonic, "Fight until you can't anymore! Show me how badly you want me to break you!"
Metal wasn't sure what make of this. He'd never fought a creature like Bowser before, a Koopa, he was called. His scanners indicated that the king shouldn't be an issue. There wasn't anything special about him. On the other hand, Metal was created to best Sonic the Hedgehog, who was capable of several large feats. Bowser should be an insect in comparison, but the Koopa King was proving to be quite the adversary. No matter what Metal threw at the spikey-shelled Koopa, Bowser refused to stay down.
Metal Sonic continued to fight. He had to eliminate the king while he was alone. There had to be a weakness Metal could exploit.
"You're tough," Metal muttered. "Tougher than I anticipated."
"That's to be expected from the Koopa King," Bowser grinned. "I'm not going down without a fight!"
Metal pushed his circuits harder. He would not fall to this lesser being. He was the doctor's most powerful creation. He was the real deal, the true terror. Metal Sonic would not be beaten by a stupid turtle!
A strong sensation rushed around them.
The rift, it began reacting again. Its whirring halted the battle, drawing Bowser and Metal's attention to the green lightning charging up in the sky. Without warning, it shot down, striking Metal Sonic with its power.
Bowser shielded his eyes, and when he locked gazes with his metallic foe, he was stunned to see Metal undergo a transformation. The robot was bigger and taller, with five quills as opposed to the three, white stripes and markings around his eyes. The yellow color in his ears was replaced with red, and his once gray nose was now black. He also possessed more pronounced body armor, with black and curved shoulder plates, larger gauntlets and leg armor with pointy kneecaps that have white outlines, a plate covering his pelvis and elf-like shoes. Lastly, he sported a spiky belt with a black cape that protruded out of the back of his waist.
"What the?" Bowser said. He looked up at the portal and then back to his foe. Its energy spiked before hitting Metal Sonic. He never felt a bigger chill run down his shell. "What is this, a desperation attempt?"
Neo Metal Sonic confirmed his target.
"The power of chaos," he said coldly. The menace vanished from view and reappeared in front of Bowser before his instincts could alert him. A single kick sent the king careening several yards and tearing through the plains. His body slowly rolled to a stop, leaving the king gasping and straining to stand. He was floored by Metal's newfound power. He tried to get up but was struck from behind. Another kick launched the king skyward.
"You're finished," Metal Sonic took flight and hunted the king down. With his wicked claws, he ripped Bowser's body apart. "Prepare yourself to meet your end!"
Bowser's battered, beaten, bruised, and buffeted body fell to the ground with a loud impact.
"You're going straight to Hell."
Metal unleashed a storm of missiles upon the impact area. Explosions rocked the plains, sending dirt and debris high into the air. People could only watch, take shelter, and run, knowing a great evil was attacking their peaceful home.
However, it was a grave sight for the prince of the Koopa Kingdom.
"DAAAAD!" Junior cried as he watched the smoke settle. He moved to his clown car but found himself held back by his father's minions. "Let met go! Let me go! My dad's out there! LET ME GO!"
"We can't, young lord," one of the guards stated. "The king would never want you put in harm's way. He will be alright."
"Quite right, Young Prince," Kamek flew in on his magic broom. He motioned for the guards to release the prince, confident he could keep Junior from running off. "Your father is the toughest Koopa to ever live. Nothing can keep him down. If Mario can't, no one can."
Junior wasn't satisfied. He was scared.
"But, that explosion and the tear in the sky," he and the Koopa Kingdom felt it.
"Yes, there's no mistaking it," Kamek stood beside his surrogate grandson. "The king's battle is causing the rift to react. It might be resonating with his power and growing stronger."
"Will he be alright?"
"I have no doubt he will," Kamek admitted with a reassuring smile. "We have to be extra cautious though. If the rift gets too powerful, it could tear the fabric of reality and destroy everything. Young Prince, did you find the one who fell from the portal?"
"Y-Yeah, she's recovering."
"Good, please take me to her. We must hurry and get her back."
"Why? What will happen?" Junior followed the wizard.
"Two possibilities: either the rift consumes our world, or in an attempt to restore balance, it crashes our world into our stranger's and destroy both."
Junior didn't like either possibility. They eventually arrived where Amy was resting, and upon seeing the pink girl, Kamek studied them.
"She is indeed from another world. I've never seen a specimen like her in all my days."
"She said there's some evil egg guy who caused the portal to appear. Dad is fighting one of their robots," Junior explained.
"Hmm, most interesting," Kamek replied. "And do you have any idea how to stop the rift from growing out of control?"
Junior was confused until Amy opened her eyes. This time, they were green instead of red when Junior first saw them.
"Unfortunately, I do not," she climbed out of bed, feeling much better. "I felt the surge of chaos energy. Wait… weren't there four of you?"
"That was my dad and our archenemies," Junior spoke up. "He's fighting that robot you warned us about."
Amy stood up.
"He's doing what?"
"He's fighting that egg guy's evil robot," Junior repeated with a raised brow.
"Oh no, we have to help him. Metal Sonic is too strong."
"My dad won't lose!" the young Koopa declared. "He'll make scrap piles out of that robot."
"You don't understand. Metal Sonic is a foe who can copy another's abilities. He continuously grows stronger."
"You mentioned chaos energy," Kamek interjected. "Is that the energy signature we've been feeling?"
"Yes," Amy nodded. "It's highly destructive, capable of bending reality to one's will. Has there been any issues?"
"Not to my knowledge," Kamek said. "Then again, I've been trying to analyze the source but came up with nothing. So far, it's been docile. That sudden discharge was the most recent change. Other than that, it's been growing in size."
"That's not good," Amy said, worriedly. "I have to hurry."
The pink hedgehog seized her hammer and moved to the door. However, she smacked face first into a barrier Kamek erected.
"Hold on, young lady, I have another question to ask," he waved his magic wand.
"What are you doing?" Amy snapped. "Your king is in danger! We don't have time to answer your questions!"
"Lord Bowser will be fine," the wizard remained calm. "Our biggest issue is opening the rift and getting you back to your dimension. Now, you said this chaos energy can bend reality to a person's will, meaning it can be manipulated. Does that mean you and this robot can do so?"
Amy lowered her head.
"I've never tried, but Metal Sonic can."
She recalled the incantation her friend, Knuckles, learned from his ancestors.
"Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the chaos."
"Interesting," Kamek lowered the barrier and nudged Junior forward. "That's all I needed to know, Miss…"
"Rose, Amy Rose."
"Miss Rose, please look after the prince and assist the king however you can. I will be there shortly."
"What are you going to do, Kamek?" Junior inquired.
"Take care of some things; don't worry about it, just go and help your father. The army is yours to command."
Junior hurried and issued the order. They were going to help Bowser take down this metal automaton.
"Your faith in your king is admirable," Amy told Kamek.
"You misunderstand," he replied, much to the hedgehog's confusion. He walked ahead but stopped to look over his shoulder. "It's not because he's the king that I have the utmost faith in Lord Bowser. It's because he's my son. I raised him into the Koopa he is today, and I'll be damned if some bucket of bolts from another dimension swoops in and ends his reign."
Kamek flew off, leaving Amy moved by his dedication.
"Amy!" Junior called out. "Let's go!"
She gripped her hammer and hopped onboard the prince's airship.
'This time, I'll take you down. Watch out, metalhead. We're coming for you.'
Metal Sonic hovered in the sky, basking under the rift's power. After getting rid of the Koopa King, the metal automaton began feeding from the portal, restoring his power. Even though he underwent a transformation, Metal Sonic wasn't operating at one-hundred percent efficiency beforehand.
"It will not be long now."
His strengthened connection to the chaos force allowed him to interact with the chaos rift. Accelerating its growth would be ideal, so Metal focused on nurturing it. Already, the cracks controlled more of the sky. Green lightning surged from one to another, coming down hard on the peaceful land of the Mushroom Kingdom and spreading to other kingdoms.
Devastation ensued.
"The time has come for all living things to embrace the chaos."
"HEY!" an angry screech hit his auditory receptors.
Metal lowered his hands and turned to the source, only to be blindsided by a volley of Bom-ombs. Alas, the explosions did nothing but agitate the metallic being. When the smoke settled, Metal came face-to-face with Bowser's air fleet.
'Pitiful resistance.'
Leading the charge was Bowser Jr. and the rejuvenated Amy Rose. Her presence came with a commanding aura, something Metal sensed. She was the robot's primary target.
"Where's my dad, tin can?" Junior interrogated.
Metal looked unimpressed and lowered his head. It wasn't a gesture of remorse, however; it was his answer.
Junior and the army followed the enemy's lead and felt their blood run cold. Far down was a massive crater recently made after Metal's missile assault on the king. Junior and the minions felt their hearts grow heavy.
"No," the prince muttered.
"There's no way," one of the minions said.
"Not the king," another whispered.
"No. … NO!" Junior screamed and stomped his feet. The seven airships turned ninety degrees. Each possessed three cannons on either side and aimed the nozzles at Metal Sonic. "Open fire!"
The army let out a battle cry as they unloaded everything upon their foe. Bullet Bills and more Bom-ombs detonated around the fiend, engulfing Eggman's creation in a fiery explosion. The cloud of smoke and debris lowly dissipated, revealing the still hovering Metal Sonic. He was encased within an octahedral energy shield with black outlines around him. This black shield rotated around him at high speeds while his own body glowed in a multitude of white, blue and purple colors.
"What?! How is that possible?!" Junior shouted in disbelief.
"Did you fools really think that would damage me?" Metal retorted. "Your so-called king failed to stop me. What hope does his puny troops have?"
Bowser Jr. growled as his army seethed with rage.
"Don't insult my dad!"
"How dare you talk about the king!"
"We'll destroy you in his place!"
Junior order another wave of projectiles, but the same results occurred. Metal's impenetrable shield stood strong.
He wasn't prepared for Amy to come flying at him though. The weight of her hammer crashed into Metal the instant he dropped his defenses. It was like the head of a rocket barreled into him at high speeds, propelling him back down to ground level.
Amy was safe thanks to Junior and his clown car.
"Reload and prepare another wave," Junior instructed. "We're taking the fight on even ground."
"Yes sir!"
Junior descended. Metal Sonic had just gotten back up by the time Junior and Amy touched the grass.
"My scanners were correct. You, too, have been infused with more chaos energy," Metal said. Amy's strike did damage him. "Our fight in the rift between did this."
The pink hedgehog looked upon her robotic nemesis with a stern expression. She knew his capabilities better than anyone else. If anyone could take down Metal Sonic, it was her.
"Prince, check on your father. We will need his help. I can deal with him in the meantime."
"My car can help."
Junior pressed a button and let his clown car scan Metal Sonic. Now, it knew who to fight.
"Kick his tailpipe."
Amy smirked, her green eyes flashing scarlet.
"With pleasure."
Bowser Jr. slid into the crater and dug through the rubble.
"Dad!" he cried. "Dad!"
Junior saw a tuft of red hair and quickened his endeavors.
"Dad!"
"Let us help."
Junior was surprised to see Mario and Luigi lending a hand. The plumbers had already unearthed Bowser's lower legs and were working on the trunk of his body.
A sudden explosion halted the excavation. Mario, Luigi, and Junior braved the violent earthquakes as a series of battle cries and screeches echoed across the plains. The brothers peeked over the crater to see the pink girl and Junior's clown car going toe-to-toe against the aforementioned robot. They were amazed by the girl's tenacity and skill with her hammer. As enthusiasts themselves and heroes of their world, they couldn't allow her to fight the battle alone.
"Bowser Jr., we're-a going to help her out. Try to get Bowser awake," Mario stated. "Let's-a go, bro."
"Oh yeah."
Amy parried Metal Sonic's energy blasts, and the clown car unleashed a flurry of punches with its boxing gloves. It didn't do anything, but it did leave the robot distracted long enough for Amy to display her incredible speed, closing the distance between her and Metal in seconds. The force of her hammer striking violently against Eggman's robot's head made him stumble, leaving him open for the car's uppercut.
Metal skidded back, swatting Amy's hammer away, but was suddenly struck with it by a man in red. The same man he saw with the king before the fight began. He had returned.
Mario wielded Amy's mallet but was baffled by the weight of it. She made it look so light.
"Mama mia, what's this-a thing made of?"
The weight grew lighter as Amy sprinted past Mario and seized her hammer, yelling, "Thank you," as she prepared an overhead strike. Although, she had to curse Eggman's name for adding the accursed black shield to Metal Sonic's arsenal. Her swing stopped cold, unable to break through the shield.
"Come on!"
Metal discharged the shield's power and launched the pink hedgehog back. A gloved hand reached out for her.
Luigi, the man in green, helped Amy to her feet.
"Mind if we-a helped?" He inquired, brandishing his own hammer.
Mario joined in with the exact same mallet, and the clown car pounded its fists together.
"Mind?" Amy smiled. "I would be honored. I'm Amy."
"I'm-a Mario."
"And I'm-a Luigi."
"We're the Mario Brothers."
Not just the brothers, Bowser's minions finished planning and got back to work. The next wave of Bullet Bills rained down.
The peaceful plains were now a battleground of explosions, quakes, and ferocity. As the Koopa army unloaded their firepower, the Mario Bros. and Amy weaved through the projectiles.
Amy was the only one capable of doing real damage, so she fought against Metal Sonic head on. As she kept the robot's attention, the twin brothers sandwiched the fiend with a pincer attack using one of their famous Bros. Attacks. The three hammer wielders, despite not used to the quadruple formation, proved to be good partners, and the marksmanship of the Koopa air fleet was unparalleled. The explosions provided excellent cover for Amy and the boys.
It wasn't enough though. Neo Metal Sonic was too strong, and thanks to his copy ability, he was able to fight the team better, growing stronger over time.
Amy didn't stop fighting. She couldn't afford to stop. The fate of her world and the Mushroom world hung in the balance. She had to keep going. Her body ached and screamed at her, but she ignored it. Her heart pounded desperately at her chest but went ignored. Amy Rose refused to back down.
She had the wind knocked out of her, but Amy got back up. Her adversary was about to end her, but her allies came to the rescue. Mario and the clown car put distance between them and Amy while Luigi steadied her.
"You okay?" he asked.
Amy breathed. "Yeah, I'm good. I've endured worse, trust me."
The three were losing ground, and the clown car was sputtering to keep up, taking severe damage. It only had one arm left, but Junior's command forced it to keep fighting. The Koopas in the sky were dodging chaos lightning while continuing to fire. For their king and the prince, the denizens of the Koopa Kingdom would never stop fighting!
"I can't let this world be destroyed," Amy told the green plumber. She knew little about her placement, but the inhabitants were willing to risk their lives to help her. She was an outsider who brought a destructive robot with her. For all they knew, she could've been an agent sent to destroy them, but here they were, helping her. They were putting their lives on the line too.
"We need to beat him."
Mario did everything he could against Neo Metal Sonic, but the foe was unlike any enemy he fought. He battled numerous enemies of various exteriors, but Metal Sonic was the toughest yet. It was hard to determine the most stubborn foe: Metal or Bowser.
Speaking of the Koopa King, Mario was worried about him. Him and Bowser were archenemies, but the red plumber held a level of respect for the king. When they fought, it was never easy. When they brand together, there was nothing that could stop them.
'Is that it? Are you-a just going to lie there? What happened to-a being the strongest-a Koopa?'
Everyone's desire wanted the king back in action.
The rift started to whine, and chaos readings were surging once more. Lightning danced across the sky, gathering above the battlefield, and shot down on the crater where Bowser rested.
The ground trembled. An encouraging cry could be heard from the heart of the hollow. Mario, Luigi, Amy, and Metal Sonic ceased fighting. It wasn't until the cheers of the Koopa army did they realize what was happening.
"Let's-a go," Mario grinned. "He's not-a down yet."
A large hand reached out, and out climbed the Koopa King.
Bowser was livid. His feral eyes bore holes in Metal Sonic's armor.
"What are you gawking at?" the king questioned. He stepped out of his hollow with his left hand gripping his right arm. No one had ever seen Bowser appear so ragged. He could topple over at any second.
"What… did you think that I was going to roll over and die… from an attack like that? You must have forgotten who you're dealing with."
Neo Metal Sonic was impressed and annoyed at the same time. The fact that Bowser was still standing after the punishment he endured was admirable. However, flies were still flies, and Metal was tired of the growing number of them.
Mario, Luigi, and Amy were speechless. The former knew the king was resilient. It took a tremendous amount of effort to bring the king down, and yet, he always stood the test of time. Nothing could keep Bowser down.
"Amazing," Amy found her voice.
"You caught me by surprise, tin can," Bowser snarled. "Unfortunately, you made one crucial mistake. You didn't make sure I stayed down. Now, you're going to pay. I'll send you back to the scrap heap! You're nothing but a glorified bucket of bolts. I am a beast! The Koopa King! Bowser!"
His mighty roar raised the group's morale, especially his minions. It brought them immense joy to see their sovereign still kicking.
Bowser stomped towards Metal Sonic with a look that could kill.
"Junior," he said to his son, giving him a small pat on the head. "Time for you to go. You've done great, but it's time your old man cleaned up his mess. Get to Peach. She needs more than measly Toads watching over her."
"Yes sir," Junior hugged his father and whistled for his damaged clown car. It was badly beaten up but still operational. The prince held on for dear life as the vehicle sputtered and jolted during flight.
Metal watched the little Koopa leave.
"Who said you could escape?" he outstretched his left arm and used the data he copied throughout the fight to change his limb into a cannon resembling Bowser's head. From the mouth, a great big ball of fire started charging up.
"No one leaves here alive."
The twin plumbers and Amy were about to strike, but the raging father got to Metal first. He tackled the robot to the ground and exhaled a searing breath of fire.
"NO ONE HARMS MY SON!"
Metal was consumed by the fire and left smoking in the storm. However, it wasn't enough. The menace threw Bowser off and regained his footing with only scorch marks left on him.
"Hmph, you still wish to challenge me? Did my power not crush your puny hopes?"
"The only thing you've done is make me angry," Bowser rumbled. "Attacking me is one thing. You can hurt me. You can hurt the things I stand for. You can even hurt my feelings. But no one – and I mean NO ONE hurts my son."
"You can barely stand," Metal pointed out. "A weak breeze can knock you down, so called Koopa King. It doesn't matter how many of you there are, the results will be the same. This world will vanish along with all who dwell within, and you, too, will sleep eternally in chaos's embrace."
Bowser's laughter pulsated around the plains. No one expected him to burst out laughing. Even the expressionless Metal Sonic was confused.
"GWAHAHA! Typical villain speech," the large Koopa replied. "There's even a giant rift in the sky to act as the perfect backdrop. You really sweat the details… Listen up!" an overwhelming wave of bloodlust enveloped the grasslands. "You're saying this world will vanish! NOT TODAY! This world belongs to me! So you vanish! It's showtime!"
Despite his body being wracked with pain, Bowser summoned his inner flames, pushing every fiber of his being towards one mission.
Destroy Metal Sonic.
The Koopa King could hardly stand like Metal said, but he ignored the pain and continued the fight. He was getting strength, to protect his son, his kingdom, and get even with the automaton in front of him.
Metal had enough power to activate his black shield and tank the fire. However, the instant he dropped his defenses to counterattack, Bowser was on top of him, knocking him back with a double drop kick.
"This is our chance," Amy stated.
"Wait, we have one last trick up our sleeves," Mario said. He traded looks with his little brother. Neither had to say a word to know the plan.
"Let's-a go!" Luigi cried as he and Mario gathered power. Like Bowser, Mario's flames were intense as he called it to his hand. His brother mirroring him with the power of lightning, Firehand and Thunderbrand merged with perfect ratios.
"This is for our world! Downburst Cannon!" the brother released their elemental attack. A two-headed dragon made up of fire and lightning raced towards its prey, opening its maw wide to chomp down on the metal foe as Bowser dove for cover.
The explosion was so great that it the Koopa airships were forced to retreat else they get caught in the crossfire.
However…
"Kneel before your master," a cold voice sent chills down the minions' spines.
The smoke settled, and the group found Metal nowhere to be seen, seemingly disintegrated by the blast. Although, Amy's senses picked him up, his chaos signature skyrocketing. She looked upward, where Metal was taking apart the airships. Blue lightning struck the ships as all the metal was forcibly stripped away and given to the robot.
"Oh no," Amy grew wide-eyed.
"My airships!" Bowser roared. "What is it doing?"
"…Transforming," the hedgehog answered.
"We were," Mario panted, "so-a close."
Luigi didn't have the strength to speak let alone stand. He promptly collapsed from exhaustion and his injuries with his brother not falling far behind.
"It's up…to you two," the red plumber fell unconscious, using up all his energy.
Bowser and Amy were the only ones standing.
Bowser's minions were falling, and the king didn't have a means of saving them. Those who could fly couldn't save all who couldn't. It was only a matter of time until they hit the ground with a horrifying splat.
"Lord Bowser!" a screeching laugh called out to him.
Magic was a truly wonderful art, and with Kamek's superior knowledge of the arcane energies, he and several Magikoopa swooped in and teleported the falling minions to safety.
"Heh, talk about impeccable timing," the king smiled.
"Get everyone to Peach's Castle," Kamek ordered his squad. "Let the princess look after them in the meantime. Go!"
"Yes sir!"
Bowser's right-hand Koopa descended and greeted his king and Amy on ground level.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, my lord," he bowed respectfully. "I see you and Miss Rose have been busy."
Kamek saw the Mario Brother's tired bodies on the ground.
"Hmph, even the great Mario Brothers weren't a match for our foe."
"Talk to me, Kamek. We're running low on time," Bowser stated.
"Yes, your maliciousness. Let's see, he should be arriving in a few moments," the blue-robed wizard looked over the distance. "I'll explain as best I can. That strange energy we've been sensing is apparently chaos energy, something that originates from Miss Rose's world. I've been collaborating with Princess Peach and her scientist on a means of using said energy to our advantage. Ever since she told me what it can do, I've been pondering. Now, if that scientist wasn't so slow… oh, here he comes."
Riding towards them was a short statured man in a white lab coat with swirly glasses. He rode on what seemed to be a big vacuum cleaner and trailing behind said contraption was a small wagon with a treasure chest on it.
"Phew, made it unscathed," the man breathed a sigh of relief. "Today has been quite eventful. The walls between space and time is torn into, energy levels skyrocket, and now, I'm helping Bowser's minions trying to come up with a... what… is… that?"
"The robot Miss Rose warned us about," Kamek answered. "It's currently undergoing another transformation, so we don't have much time. Are they ready?"
"Hold on," Amy interjected. "What's the plan exactly? And who is this?"
"Oh, Professor Elvin Gadd, my dear. Nice to meet you. Inside this chest could be the very means of besting this foe and returning everything to normal. We've been gathering the discharged chaos energy and storing it within some powerful items the Mario Brothers are best known for using. From what Kamek told me, its properties are too unstable for us to handle, but it shouldn't be a problem for a being like you."
E. Gadd opened the chest to reveal two yellow star-like objects with big, black narrow irises on it. The objects were glistening like stars in the night sky.
"Is it safe to mix your world's properties with the power of chaos?" Amy inquired, unsure of the plan.
"Fret not, my dear," Kamek stated. "Considering we haven't been blown to smithereens, it's safe to assume we're in the clear. Also, have you not noticed it, Miss Rose? You've been releasing this energy since you arrived, unless you mean to say your eyes have always been red when I first saw you with green ones."
"What?"
Kamek conjured a small mirror and showed Amy her reflection. The wizard was telling the truth. Her green eyes have turned scarlet.
"You most likely absorbed some of the energy while in the rift. If that's the case, we can provide you with more to turn into your own power and vanquish this foe. We must try it."
Amy was nervous. She had seen how the powers of chaos affect an individual. Her eternal love, Sonic, became astronomically powerful. Not just him, Shadow, without a Chaos Emerald, can perform insane feats. However, Amy had never used the powers of chaos. She wasn't sure her body was acclimated to the power. To make it more stressful, it was energy from the Master Emerald, a bigger source that contained infinite energy. The Master Emerald was greater than the regular Chaos Emeralds.
What choice did she have though? If nothing changed, Metal Sonic would destroy them all. She couldn't let that happen.
"Okay," she finally answered. "Let's try it. Why are there two?"
"For me," Bowser spoke up.
"What?" Amy said.
"We don't know what effects the chaos energy will have on you, my lord, but I know you wouldn't like sitting this out." Kamek inquired.
"You know me well, Kamek. I'm not missing out on this colossal brawl. Let's finish it."
At this time, Metal Sonic finished his extensive transformation. Using the infinite energy from the master rift, Metal Sonic had gone even further beyond. His small body had evolved into a large, blue, heavily armored mechanical dragon. He was massive!
"Hurry!" the scientist told the two.
Metal Overlord let out a piercing screech that sent shockwaves in every direction. His first targets were the insects who forced him to obtain this form.
"Bowser," the pink hedgehog spoke. "Thank you for helping me."
Bowser smirked. "Don't thank me yet, Pinky. Wait until we disassemble that pile of junk. Then you can thank me."
The duo grabbed the stars and let its energy flow into them. Like a raging fire, an indescribable sensation engulfed them.
Amy remembered the incantation. She recalled how Sonic did it, using the positivity to obtain control. She had to remember why she was fighting. Her friends were waiting for her back home, but before that, she had to help the kind people of the Mushroom Kingdom. She had to help the people who risked their lives to take down the metal threat.
A golden light shot up into the sky, accompanied by a powerful war cry from the pink hedgehog and the Koopa King.
Kamek and E. Gadd shielded their eyes, and when they witnessed the change, their mouths hit the ground as they craned their head. The king grew thrice as big, with more pronounced physical features. His limbs were longer and less bulky with more toned muscular regions, sharper fangs, claws, and shell spikes. His snout was less rounded, his horns were larger, his hair was spikier, his eyes were bloodshot, and his overall skin tone and shell were darker.
Amy's proportions remained unchanged, and her attire stayed the exact same. The most significant change was her pink fur becoming golden-yellow to match her scarlet-red eyes, her peach skin turning slightly golden, and the quills on her head pointing upwards. Surrounding her body was a golden aura resembling the flicker of a flame.
Giga Bowser let his roars be heard as Super Amy hovered next to him with her hammer sparkling.
Metal Overlord wasn't fazed, but the professor and the blue-robed wizard were stunned beyond all belief.
Metal's gigantic rival stomped towards him without a single word, a notion not missed by those in the vicinity. It was then that Metal Overlord knew.
Bowser wasn't in control. His Giga form mixed with the chaos energy and Starman's had taken over his body. He was just a beast, not so much mindless, as he simply ignored Amy rather than push her aside.
"Do they really think an inexperienced Super form and beast will stop me?" Metal screeched.
Bowser mirrored, his shout sending shockwaves in every direction. The two behemoths collided in a violent clash, their attacks slamming into each other with the force of a nuclear explosion. The impact sent tremors throughout the plains, causing the ground to shake and crumble.
Amy, with her newfound power and speed, rescued the Mario Brothers and got Kamek and E. Gadd to safety. She felt incredible. Amy didn't know she had a super form, but there were also no rings to keep it sustained. Amy didn't know what was going to happen, but she didn't dwell on it.
"It's all up to you and the king now, my dear," Kamek said. "The star's power won't last long. I estimate you have about five minutes and counting."
Amy grinned. "Thank you," and flew to Bowser's side.
The two dragons continued their brawl. Bowser's flaming breath was hotter than ever, a combination of red and white that devoured everything in its searing flare.
Metal displayed his enormous feat of strength by lifting Bowser and throwing him over him over his head. The mechanical dragon then launched the spikes on his back as homing missiles.
"You were right, Koopa King. I should've made sure you were eradicated. This time, I won't make the same mistake," he declared.
The missiles hit their target, consuming Giga Bowser in a monstrous explosion, but the king was not deterred. He retreated into his shell and propelled himself using his fire to crash into Metal Overlord. He came out, seized the metal nuisance by the neck, and slammed him into the ground.
"We will not quit!"
Super Amy descended like a rocket. Her golden aura flared as she wind up and brought her hammer down atop Metal Overlord's head. His armor was tough though. Amy hit him with all her strength and hardly scratched him.
"Figures, it's just like back then," she hissed and flew back to put some distance between them. It was strange to be flying, but Amy quickly got used to it.
"It doesn't matter how many times you transform. You will not win!"
"Amy Rose," Metal Overlord growled, "Why do you and my loathsome copy continue to get in the way? No matter how hard I try, you remain a thorn a side."
Giga Bowser breathed a blistering wave of red and white fire. Metal Overlord expertly evaded and retaliated with another barrage of missiles. The sky lit up like fireworks.
"You know why you can't ever beat us?" Amy flew through the explosions. "It's because we have a reason to fight."
Her hammer smashed into the dragon's wings.
"You and Eggman fight to destroy and take over the world. We, on the other hand, fight to protect. Friends, family, innocent people; we fight to keep them safe and maintain peace."
"Hmph, hope and peace are fragile concepts," the dragon retorted. His wings blocked Bowser's claws as his blizzard breath kept Amy away and offset Bowser's flames.
"The tighter you cling to such nonsense the harder it hits when it's stripped away."
"What would you know?"
It was Bowser. He spoke through his haziness. He faintly made out Metal and Amy's conversation while struggling to gain control of himself. His vision was cloudy, but even so, his body knew how to act. It was unlike anything he ever experienced, comparable to the power of the stars. He could get addicted to this, the power of chaos.
"What would a soulless machine know about feelings of hope?"
"More than you think, Koopa," Metal snarled. "What would you know about the forces empowering you? You deal with a force far beyond your reckoning."
"Ha! Wouldn't be the first time, tin can. You and your mechanic think too small. World domination? Meager prize. I've conquered galaxies!"
"You what?!" Amy was taken aback.
"You're a villain too," Metal said. "Why stand with this hedgehog then?"
"Simple," Bowser's grin threatened to split his face. "The heroes never betray you. A villain should never trust another villain. I would know."
"You would," Metal mused. "You're a lot like me, Koopa. We're both ruthless, single-minded, and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve our goals. The only difference is that you have a heart, and I don't."
"And that's what makes you weak," Bowser growled. "Pinky," he turned to Amy. "Sorry to burst your good opinion of me, but I'm not so nice either. This Eggman of yours, I can relate to him. Kingdoms, worlds, galaxies, you name it. I've conquered it."
Amy didn't know what to say. Bowser and his minions helped her, but at the same time, they were the villains of this world. Did every world have its own hero and villain?
"I have my own reasons for fighting too, Pinky," Bowser's bloodshot eyes hardened. "My subjects, the neighboring kingdom, and my children; I do what I do for them. I'm their king and future ruler, and no one defies the Koopa King!"
Bowser roared and resumed the attack on Metal Overlord.
"Interesting," Metal replied. "Let's go then!"
The two behemoths collided in the air.
Bowser swiped at Metal with his claws while Metal tried to pierce Bowser with his tail.
Giga Bowser breathed fire, and Metal Overlord countered with his blizzard breath. The battle raged on, and neither fighter could gain an advantage. They were evenly matched.
Seemingly forgotten, Super Amy attacked Metal Overlord at supersonic speeds. The robot was big, but with Bowser doing the heavy lifting, Amy was able to get in a ton of damage, focusing more on the power of her swings than defending herself. She had to put her faith in Bowser to keep her guarded while dealing the damaging blows. From her experience with the metal entity, only a super powered strike would inflict harm.
"Don't underestimate us! That's another villainous mistake!" she declared. "Bowser, I need you to keep him occupied!"
"Got it!" Bowser was more than happy to oblige.
The two continued to fight, and Metal Overlord was slowly being worn down. He was taking too much damage from both Amy and Bowser.
"You're...stronger...than I thought," Metal Overlord said. "But I'm not beaten yet!" He gathered his remaining strength and launched a final attack. A huge energy blast shot towards Bowser and Amy. Bowser reacted quickly and shielded Amy with his body. The blast hit him full on and made him cry out in pain.
The king held on.
"Go, Pinky! Do it now!"
Amy soared higher until she was over the clouds and dove straight down. In succession, she chucked her hammer, sped up while Spin Dashing, and caught her hammer while still dashing.
Metal prepared to shoot Amy down, but Bowser interrupted his attempt and clawed through the dragon's wings.
"You forgot about me again," he stated.
Metal as falling. His nigh-indestructible form was failing.
"Why? Even here, I still cannot win? Why?"
The flaming meteor that was Super Amy descended upon the dragon.
"This is for our home world!" she shouted and swung her hammer with all her might.
The blow was true, and Metal Overlord was nailed into the ground, creating a large crater. His metal body shattered under Amy's tremendous force and started to revert to Neo and then to regular. Metal Sonic tried to get up but couldn't manage it. His body twitched violently as he reached for the rift, trying to summon its power, but there was no response.
Amy panted. She was still in the air when her super form dissipated. Luckily, Giga Bowser caught her before he, too, lost his massive form and collapsed from lack of energy.
It was a long fight, but the king and Amy emerged victorious.
"Bowser, how do you feel?" Amy inquired. She wasn't as tired and helped the king to a sitting position.
"Tired, sore, and starving," he grumbled. "Feels like I've been crushed by a Thwomp a million times."
He broke out in a light chuckle. "Gotta say though, Pinky. That was a great hit there. You're one tough cookie."
The pinkette beamed.
"Don't let this dainty figure fool you. I'm more than just a pretty face."
"Is everyone that tough where you're from?"
"You have no idea. Some of us are more stubborn than anything, but we get the job done. If we had time, I'd tell you all about my hero and darling, Sonic."
While Bowser rested, Amy searched the crater for Metal Sonic.
"There you are," she found the metal copy badly damaged and powered down. Without a second thought, she carried the robot out and over to Bowser.
"You sure you want to preserve it?"
"It's better to take him with me than leave him here. He is my responsibility. Now, how do we get home?"
Before Bowser could respond, the earth began to shake, throwing the pink hedgehog on her bottom.
The rift glimmered.
Bowser mustered enough strength to stand up. He wobbled to and fro as he glared daggers at the tear in the sky. Everyone could see into it, a vast open void of white and green that seemed to go on for eternity.
"Someone else trying to invade my kingdom?"
"No, I think it's something else," Amy suggested.
"DAD!"
"Lord Bowser!"
Bowser Junior and Kamek arrived on the scene, the young prince hugging his father desperately.
"Another surge of energy," the wizard pointed out. "I suspect your battle was too much, and the rift started reacting again."
Suddenly, the masses could hear incoherent mumbling, echoes of a conflict lurking on the other side.
"A-Amy!" a loud voice called out to her.
The girl gasped, knowing that voice all too well.
"Sonic," she whispered. She cried back, "SONIC!"
"Amy! Can you hear me?! AMY!"
"That your friend?" Bowser asked.
"Yes, that's my darling Sonic."
"Seems like they can't hear us," Kamek said.
"Keep it going, Tails! Hang on a little longer, Knuckles. I'm going in!"
"H-Hurry!"
"Be careful, Sonic."
"Oh, I see. Your friends managed to open the rift from their side. This could be our chance," Kamek stated.
"Let's get you up there, Pinky," Bowser whistled a tune. "Junior, stay here with Kamek. It's dangerous getting too close to that thing."
"Okay, dad."
Minutes later, nothing happened with the rift, nor did the people hear anything else from the other side.
Bowser's clown arrived a few more minutes later.
"Hop in, Pinky, it's time to send you back."
Amy set Metal Sonic inside the car and hopped in herself. This was it, she was going home to her friends and loved ones.
"Wait, hold on," she said and turned to the prince and wizard. "Thank you, guys, for all you've done. Tell Mario and Luigi that I appreciate their help. Hopefully, we'll all meet again, under better circumstances."
"It was an honor, my dear," Kamek replied. "We should be thanking you for your services. May you return safely to your home."
"You rock, Amy. I've never seen anyone but dad be that cool," Junior complimented.
Amy waved them bye as Bowser took them to the sky. In the distance, close to a large castle with three prominent spires, she saw Bowser's minions waving and saluting her. It was as if they knew she was leaving.
"Aww, that's sweet," she tried not to cry. She had only known the other inhabitants for a short time, but they fought tooth and nail alongside her. It was like they've known one another for a lifetime.
"My soldiers never forget a deed, and neither do I," Bowser said. "You and Junior did well to lead them in my absence. For helping us defeat that tin can, you have my thanks. On behalf of the Koopa Kingdom, we are in your debt."
Amy stifled a giggle, seeing the so-called conqueror trying to hide his blush.
"And I'm in yours," she replied.
Bowser deployed evasive maneuvers as the rift tried to shoot them down with lightning.
"This is as far I can get. Think you can make it from here?"
"Yeah, I think so," Amy said. She carried the metal automaton in her arms. His weight would be an issue, but Amy was a strong girl with powerful muscles. It shouldn't hinder her too much.
"Thanks for everything, king. Take care of yourself."
"You too, Pinky. Maybe our paths will cross again someday."
Amy steeled herself and took the leap of faith. She soared through the air, the wind rushing through her pink quills. The rift was getting closer and closer, and she could hear Sonic's worried voice more clearly.
"Sonic! I'm coming!" she shouted, reaching out to the void. She could feel its energy pulling her in. So close, she was so close. The tears were already cascading down her cheeks, coming full force when a white-gloved hand grabbed hers and pulled her into the rift.
"Amy!"
Never had Amy been so happy to see her love's face. Everything went white as the relief flooded from Amy's shoulders and she broke out in tears of joy.
"I gotcha, Amy," Sonic comforted her. "I gotcha. Good job on taking out Metalhead."
Amy wiped her tears.
"I had a lot of help."
Sonic pulled on the rope twice.
"I got her, Tails! Let's go!"
Amy held onto the blue blur as all three were yanked back through the rift.
"CHAOS… CONTROL!"
The abundant flow of chaos energy receded. The rift slowly started to close as the three friends were pulled back into their own reality.
"Hang on, guys!"
The trio hit the ground hard, but unharmed.
Sonic and Amy looked up to see the rift slowly close.
"It worked!" Tails exclaimed.
"Phew," Sonic sighed. "Great work, guys."
"You had us worried there, hun."
"Rouge?" Amy raised a brow.
"Not just me. Shadow and Omega are here too."
The ebony hedgehog and high-tech combat droid gave little greetings. Omega was winding up the rope that was attached to Sonic while Shadow helped Knuckles secure the Master Emerald. There was no sign of Eggman, but Amy didn't care. She was just glad to be back home.
She flipped herself on her back and raised her hand to her head, giving her other dimensional allies a salute. It was a privilege fighting alongside them, and an adventure she would never forget.