Mechanical Monstrosity
Chapter 2: Sacrifices
By Chibi Trunks
A Sonic the Hedgehog/Starcraft Crossover Fanfic
This fanfic is the second chapter of a series of fanfics. It continues from the ending of Resurrection, the first chapter, and will make a lot more sense if you read #1 first. In the case of inaccessibility, I've added a summary of Resurrection to get you started. Also, look for Alien Conflict, the fanfic I used to create this series. Try the Mystery Saiyan Theatre by Persona for this fanfic.
After the insurrection of the alien presence on Mobius, Knuckles used the power of the Chaos Emeralds to revive all those lost in the war (Sonic, Tails, Sally, Amy, Rotor, Antoine, Bunnie and the Chaotix, in particular). They all meet up in the renewed Acorn Royal Palace, and after the reuniting of Sally and Sonic, Tails flies off to find Amy. Amy is found eventually, and though she has been revived, she is in shock. However, another blow is added: the passing of Knuckles, due to the awesome fatigue of the war combined with the loss of energy from the usage of the emeralds.
Worse still, another series of events soon unravels: Knuckles disappears in a glowing blue light, and the palace is attacked by a new breed of aliens! While some of them are vaporized by a mysterious starship, the true danger was revealed when a horde of creatures overwhelmed the palace! Acting quickly, Tails and Charmy evacuate the unconscious Amy, while Sally & Sonic escape the area in the Tornado, along with the rest of the Freedom Fighters.
They are now headed to Floating Island, where Knuckles and the Emeralds originated from. But a new danger is coming: Mecha Sonic has also been restored, and is searing with emerald power! Worse still, the mechanical warrior is hot on the Sonic Crew's trail!
By the way, Martin the Warrior had a pretty crummy ending: The death of Martin's only love, Rose, is really harsh (not as harsh as Alien Conflict, but more cruel, in a sense).
Now, to begin Mechanical Monstrosity! ------------------------------------------------ Chapter 2: Sacrifices
Again, my fanfics are MiSTing-approved, so don't be shy! Just remember that credit goes where it's due!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------
"Why did we all die, Aunt Sally?" Tails asked me this when we were safe inside the Hidden Palace. I looked at him and, blinking back a tear of sadness, replied "Tails... Knuckles, Sonic, and the rest of us too, all died for a purpose! We died defending the people we love, and protecting those who couldn't defend themselves! Mighty believed that, and gave his life again to save us, so we remember him as a true friend. All we can do is remember..." I could think of no more to say, but Tails nodded, tears of his own trickling unbidden down the side of his snow-white face. We embraced as family, comforting each other in the dark reality of war...
Excerpt of Sally Acorn's diary, after the Wraith's Awakening, Mar 13.
Sally guided the Tornado into a shaded jungle grove, just south of the Hidden Palace where Knuckles had kept the Chaos Emeralds safe from the wrong hands. The Chaotix took the lead, as they knew the place better than any Freedom Fighter, clearing a path with a set of stainless metal swords they had picked up from the palace armory. Sonic set about cutting a nearby tree down with his Sonic Spin Attack, converting it to a flat board in short time. With some of the strong, soft leaves that grew in the area, it made an adequate stretcher for Amy.
With Tails' help, the hedgehog leader of the resistance lifted Amy onto the stretcher and set it gently down on the rustling grass, watching for signs of any incoming visitors. It didn't take long, though: Before long, the bulky, muscular form of Mighty emerged from the brush into the clearing, gesturing for Sonic's team to follow him. They all got moving, while Tails, Sonic and Rotor brought up the rear, getting ready to support the stretcher bearing Amy.
Tails immediately rushed to grab one end of the makeshift device, but Sonic shook his head. "Lil' bro, me 'n Rotor can carry Amy. You watch her to make sure she doesn't fall." Tails nodded solemnly, and moved aside as they lifted the unconscious hedgehog and bore her into the jungle, following Mighty's deep tracks. Tails held her hand as they walked through the thick foliage, which unveiled a trail of cut branches and fallen tree limbs.
Suddenly, something glinted in the distance. Before anyone could say anything, Sally signalled for silence, and climbed up a nearby tree, with the acrobatic ease that suited her species. Before long she hopped back down, whispering in a low, excited tone. "It's that giant spaceship that attacked the aliens back at the palace!" Sally exclaimed. "What do you think we should do, Sonic? Can we trust them?" Sonic noticed in a corner of his mind that every eye was turned towards him. He nodded quickly, an experienced glint in the black, beady eyes.
"Yeah, we might be able to work with these guys, whatever they are!" Sonic was not too worried, showing that he was still prepared for anything. "We have a common enemy, and they helped save us!" Everyone agreed, and the troupe set off again, following the trail that had been cleared by the Chaotix. Sonic remembered it from pure experience: he had passed through these hills before, during the early times when the land had been called Angel Island. Soon, they would be going through the Lava Reef, an underground volcano which lead to the hidden palace.
*****
Mecha Sonic saw the island, and was relieved: The emerald was beginning to lose its timed burst of power! With a crackle of electricity, the robotic warrior punched his engines into overdrive, flaring towards the island at top speeds, circling and gliding in anticipation of the battles to come. However, before he reached the island, a flurry of blue energy bolts seared towards him. With a curse of surprise, Mecha Sonic veered upward, watching the beams go harmlessly under him.
With a surprised look on his face, the modernized fighter looked ahead, his enhanced eyesight picking out the advancing fleet of golden armored spacecraft. With a grin, the machine blasted forward, roaring playfully as he dodged the plasma blasts like he was playing a game of 1 on 1000 air- based dodgeball. "HAHAHA! YES! A scuffle! Come on, betcha can't hit me!" Mecha Sonic was actually enjoying himself, evading the deadly attack and laughing like a kid. Battle was his reason for existence, and he liked nothing better than defying certain death.
Suddenly, his sensors flared, picking up a large number of familiar lifesigns. With a quick flick of his head, he immediately began to register their statistics against his own indestructible memory banks, checking off each group of them as he continued to dodge and weave against the energy onslaught of the alien starfighters. This was far more interesting, and much less tiring, than playing dogfight with a bunch of space toys.
"Now, that'll be three of the echidna's Chaotix," Mecha Sonic mentally noted the position of Charmy, Espio and Vector, just outside of the central mountain. "And down there, that's the armadillo, the ground-squirrel princess, the hybrid rabbit, and the stupid one." Mecha Sonic had a few scores to settle with Sally, so he kept that position fresh in his memory. His eyes flashed as his sensor picked up the next group.
"The fox-cub, the walrus, and another sign. The female hedgehog, Amy, experiencing some form of shock." Finally, Mecha Sonic's sensors registered the final life signature, and then something strangely close to hate, mixed with definite disbelief, raced through the golden fighter's being. He stopped on a dime as a wired nerve short-circuited. "IMPOSSIBLE! THE HEDGEHOG'S ALIVE?" Mecha Sonic's flawless memory banks blurred backwards, to the orb in Sonic's hand. 'The creature was at his feet, wounded and dying, then something appeared in his hand. Wait... that pin... "DON'T PULL THAT..." the iron hedgehog roared, then went calm again, returning to his silent remembrance, slightly shaking. An explosion, a deafening, roaring fire, a searing heat that smashed me apart. Systems failed, and I was offline, in pieces. This feeling, what is it? Pain... The Hedgehog hurt me?
With a wild, heart-rending shriek, Mecha Sonic's robotic mind snapped, as emotions raced through the limited systems of the war machine, overloading every ounce of control that the self-proclaimed ultimate warrior had placed to prevent his sadistic, mechanical self from emerging. Pain and fear blasted the emotionally-torn android, and the bright neon eyes of Mecha Sonic became as crimson as the sun itself. The bright, golden armor darkened, becoming black as the abyssal emptiness that was hidden beneath his iron shell. Several plasma streams converged on the midnight flyer, only to be absorbed by a sphere of crackling purple power.
Mecha Sonic then yelled, his anger and hate taking over, unleashing a powerful explosion of dark energy that radiated from the burning core of his long-regulated nightmares. The fighters themselves became black as night, engulfed by the evil power that had emerged from the obsidian warrior, before they themselves let off spherical explosions, ripped apart by the deadly force behind the attack, blue plasma expanding wide before it dissipated in the atmosphere, leaving no trace of their existence.
Sally noticed the lights and looked upwards. Sure enough, the mothership had sent those smaller fighters out again. But what were they attacking. Quick as a flash, Sally scaled the length of the tallest tree around, scanning the area where the fire had been directed. The dark shadow in the distance was barely visible, but the flaring magenta energy trails behind it were easy to see, even at that range. Without warning, a much larger, darker sphere filled her vision, growing and forming above the shadow. More by instinct, the ground squirrel leaped to a more distant branch, and just in time, as a black orb of energy shot towards the tree where she had been watching from, engulfing it in a black, searing flame, before causing it to explode from the heat.
Sally cautiously peeked her head up from where she was ducking in the branches, then swore loudly as a midnight-colored shadow blurred right through the base of the tough wooden tower, causing it to topple with a deafening crash. Sally attempted to jump clear, landing on the ground perfectly, then yelled out in surprise and agony as a black, steel limb smashed into her, sending her flying through the whipping fronds of the trees.
"SALLY!" Sonic screamed and, handing his end of the stretcher to Tails, ran faster than he had ever run, not noticing the black shadow standing in the clearing where the fallen timber had been. With a powerful leap, the blue hedgehog grabbed the airborne Sally before she hit a tough oak, landing heavily on the ground. With a grunt of pain, Sally struggled upright, holding a black bruise on her side where she'd been hit, and winced at the effort.
Sonic leapt up and checked on Sally. The hit had been pretty hard, and some bones were probably broken. With a smile of concern, Sonic helped Amy towards Bunnie and Antoine, giving them a look that yelled "Take care of her! I'll see what did this!" Antoine nodded, and slung Sally over his shoulder, following Mighty and Bunnie through the trail. Sonic turned slowly, a golden fire burning in his eyes.
"Where are you, you jerk? Show yourself, you cowardly bastard!" With an evil chuckle and a deliberate slowness in its movement, a shadow seemed to step confidently towards the hedgehog. Sonic, caught off guard, stepped back a pace, and suddenly a pair of glowing red slits emerged at the head level of the silhouette. Sonic then gasped with shock as the black wraith stepped into the light.
"Mecha Sonic? But you should've been scrap by now!" The darker Mecha Sonic's chuckle became a full laugh, an insane tone in the usually-cocky voice of the mechanical monstrosity. Then, with a roar and a flying lunge, faster than even Sonic's quick eyes could follow, the evil machination slammed his knee into Sonic's stomach, causing the hardy hedgehog to double over in pain. Before he could recover, Mecha Sonic's other steel foot blurred sideways, catching Sonic fully in the chest, sending him up into the clouds. Before he broke the thin layer of white, Mecha Sonic flashed past the airborne target, stopping behind the flying victim of his wrath, and delivering a mighty, hateful double-fisted blow to the back of Sonic's head, dropping him into the ground like a missile.
Mecha Sonic was still grinning evilly as his living counterpart slowly inched his way out of the deep crater that had been made by the impact of his soaring body. It felt like every bone in his body had been broken, and Mecha Sonic's behaviour puzzled Sonic. What's going on? The hedgehog thought as he pulled his damaged form from the custom-made crater. Mecha Sonic usually gloats, but this guy hasn't said a word. He's stronger, too, and I can barely see him. He's completely black, and he seems... darker. Sonic didn't ponder too much longer on it, though, as Mecha Sonic slowly began to hover upwards, staring at the hedgehog with his reddened neon eyes.
"Mecha Sonic? That soft, gold-plated imbecile?" The robotic wraith bit out each word with a bitter effect on the normally-calm voice. "No wonder he was golden: that fool was softer than gold, and melted easily with emotion. Only one feeling holds any meaning now: hatred! You damaged me like no being has ever hurt me before! You caused me to feel pain! ME! THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR! YOU SHALL PAY NOW FOR MY SUFFERING! FEEL THE WRATH OF THE CHAOS WRAITH!" With that, the engines blasted again, sending the newly-revealed Chaos Wraith skyward.
Sonic didn't waste anytime. With a quick flick of his wrist, he produced a power ring from his pack and healed his legs and body enough to run at full speed. Then, with a equally speedy charge-up, the supreme symbol of swiftness on Mobius jetted away towards the mountain. He saw the weak stone wall, where the hidden entrance to the Lava Reef was, and kicked his feet into overtime, rolling into a ball in mid-dash and slamming into the mountainside, cracking the strong stones with a rumbling tremor from the impact.
"HEDGEHOG!! YOU CAN"T ESCAPE FATE! NOW DIE!" A metallic voice rang out over the sounds of gunfire. The alien fighters were back in force, attempting to slow down the mad machine's fury. With a sudden flare of darkness, Chaos Wraith stopped on a dime and unleashed a sudden shockwave, the sudden surge of black power disintegrating the small aggressors and knocking the Freedom Fighters down. They were up again fast enough, reaching the cave wall even as their obsidian foe cupped its hands together in front of him, a ball of dark energy forming in his palms.
"SONIC SPIN!" Sonic revved up for a spin attack, aiming himself towards the rock cliff as Chaos Wraith charged up the deadly attack in his hands. It soon became clear that this was a race, and their would be no prize for second place. Sonic became a blurring blue light, smashing into the cleveryly-built wall like a piston, and the barrier slowly gave way, crumbling into dust at the continuous force being applied to it. Sally checked her compact computer, analyzing the thermal level of the stone to make sure they weren't barbecued as soon as they got in.
Though if they were, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. They would either have to risk a boiling, painful death in the womb of an ancient volcanic monument, or be completely eradicated by the evil energy of Chaos Wraith. They would not have time to make a second attempt to escape: the explosion would be too powerful and wide for them to run from in time. Suddenly, the race was ending, and they heard a slight rumbling as their obstacle was grounding into dust.
Chaos Wraith sensed they would make it through, and decided it would be prudent to unleash the energy he had collected now, before they got away. With a wild yell, the mechanical warrior that had formerly been known as Mecha Sonic stopped crackling with energy, and the ball of dark power between his palms expanded no further. Then, before anyone could react, the attack was complete, and ready to fire.
"CHAOS FLASH FIRE!!" The attack fired downwards, a beam of powerful chaos energy aimed directly at the Freedom Fighters. However, it was destined to miss: Sonic burst through the other side of the wall, and the rest of the escapees rushed through the new tunnel, barely escaping the full impact of the evil firestorm, ducking to either side of the exit as the hate-charged explosion rocked the mountainside and sent tongues of dark flame soaring through the cave, causing the walls to glow with an eerie, deep pulse of purple.
Chaos Wraith then went into free-fall, exhausted beyond mention by the previous expenditure of chaotic hatred, slamming into a plateau halfway up the volcano, the dark armor crackling with black electricity: the Chaos Emerald was completely drained. With a burst of supernatural light, the evil armor became a deep purple, almost like a combination of the black, evil energy and the colour of Rotor's mauve fur, then gave way to a crimson and black armor, coloured the same as Sonic's imagery of some hell-bound, demonic war engine. With a groan of frustration, the maddened evil warrior sat up, eyes flashing red and gold as he began to hold a conversation with the emotional side of himself.
"I COULD'VE KILLED THEM ALL IN ONE GO! YOU IDIOT, YOU SHOULD'VE LET ME FINISH IT QUICKLY!" The boundless rage of Chaos Wraith subsided, into a calm, regulated tone, and his armor once again took on the blues and silvers of Mecha Sonic. "Why should we have to kill the hedgehog? I was the one at fault, remember?" "YOU WEAK MORON! WHY MUST I SHARE THIS IRON SHELL WITH A SOFT COWARD LIKE YOU?" "You mistake my emotion for weakness, Chaos Wraith! I am still a warrior, and I will battle Sonic, but not to the death!" "WHY NOT! HE KILLED US! HE MADE US HURT! WE SHALL MAKE HIM SUFFER!"
After an hour of this banter between Mecha Sonic and his darker ego, Chaos Wraith, the evil side of the machination got a devious scheme working in his side of their robotic mind. "HA! You know, Mecha Sonic, that you are still too weak to battle the hedgehog! You are strong indeed, but you'll never amount to the power of that one, unless you allow me to take over! BECOME STRONG, OR FOREVER REMAIN AS SONIC'S SECOND!" Mecha Sonic's form flinched, as if his darker side had caught him a blow in his steel-bladed head.
"NO! I won't be weaker than him! I was designed to be the perfect warrior, and I will do ANYTHING FOR VICTORY!" With that, the armor charged with evil energy again, and Chaos Wraith took over, grinning inwardly. That was close! That spineless fool nearly got control! I'll have to be more careful next time, or my vengeance will fail! With those words, the hellish, seemingly burning darkness that was Chaos Wraith blasted into the air, watching the Freedom Fighter's every movement.
"I WILL destroy you, Sonic the Hedgehog! You can be sure of that..."
*****
Sonic had ran forward, clearing a path through the hardened magma layers with the full force of his Sonic Spin. They found themselves progressing through the mountain quickly, heading into a far cooler area. Suddenly, the walls became crystalline, glinting from an unknown light. Sonic saw this and was relieved, knowing they were getting close. Suddenly, the mountain rumbled again, knocking the Freedom Fighters off their feet. Sonic scrambled upwards, half-expecting to see Chaos Wraith burst through the ceiling. It didn't happen as Sonic thought it would, but something else was definitely coming.
Outside, Chaos Wraith had finished charging enough for a second attack. With a mechanical scream, he reverted back to his darkest, hate- filled shadow form, powering up for another Chaos Flash Fire. This time, it was aimed a little differently. The dark energy was released at full speed, crashing into the burning, long-dormant, open peak of the ancient volcano and setting off seismic forces that had remained unscathed for centuries. Boiling magma and choking ash found its way to the hidden cave, and the devil android laughed aloud, an insane, wild laugh that rang throughout the skies.
"NOW, HEDGEHOG! NOW YOUR TIME HAS COME! BURN AND DIE, SO THAT I MAY BECOME THE STRONGEST BEING IN THE UNIVERSE!" Suddenly, as the Chaos Wraith chuckled to himself with satisfaction, his voice cut off suddenly, and the armors of the machine became pure gold once again. Shaking his head with regret, the shining robot raced away, leaving the Freedom Fighters to their new predicament while he tried to deal with his dark, evil counterpart.
*****
Without warning, the heat suddenly became unbearable. In Sonic's mind, warning klaxons were sounding off suddenly. "Chaos Wraith's caused the volcano to erupt! Lava's coming!" The Freedom Fighters all stared in horror at the glowing liquid that began to creep its way around the corner of the Sonic-style tunnel. Sonic gunned his speed into overtime, and Tails followed, becoming a furry blur of speed. "SONIC SPIN!" "TAILS SPIN!" Both crashed into the wall, cutting through the soft sandstone like a laser through water. Sally, forgetting the pain in her ribs, pulled out her specialized PC from her vest pocket and converted it into a laser weapon, firing a stream of glowing-green light into the rapidly-vanishing wall, causing each particle to overheat and vaporize.
The lava was speeding up, and they all knew there wouldn't be enough time to escape. Without warning, though, a side of the mountain burst open, and Mighty lumbered into view, surprisingly fast in the dark mountain. "KEEP GOING!" The armadillo yelled over the bubbling lava. "I'LL TRY TO DIVERT THE ERUPTION! GET KNUX BACK!" With that, Mighty began to dig downward, disappearing in an instant. The hole became bottomless, to all eyes, and the lava began to roll down the new passages, flowing into the cave where Mighty had come from, and falling deep into the pit that Mighty had just dug.
Sonic blinked back tears, watching the hot magma pour into the abyss, and bowed his head, silently thanking Mighty for the sacrifice he made. Antoine and Tails picked up the stretcher bearing Amy, and continued their journey through the Lava Reef's crystal caves. Sally lagged behind, the pain in her chest returning with a vengeance. Sonic sped back and supported her, wrapping her arm around his neck and grabbing her other arm with his free hand. Within an hour, they had arrived at the Hidden Palace, where Vector, Charmy and Espio were waiting, each with a concerned look on their face.
"Mighty's gone. He saved us at the cost of his own life." The remaining Chaotix nodded solemnly, and Vector spoke for them all. "He wouldn't have gone any other way!" Then Sonic got down to business. "Tails, you go keep watch for visitors. Rotor, go and see what we got for weapons. Bunnie, you take Sally and Amy someplace where they can rest. I need to plan with the Chaotix." They all rushed to follow Sonic's orders, not bothering to argue or question them.
"Now, we've got major problems. As you know, these new aliens are probably all over the place, and can transport by air." The Chaotix agreed: It was only going to be a matter of time before those things found their way to Floating Island. "Mecha Sonic's back, and he's got one of the Emeralds, meaning he's going to be tough." Charmy swore under his breath. Sonic nodded and continued. "Worse still, he's even more powerful than usual! He's faster than I am, and has a huge amount of energy. He's completely evil now, and is calling himself the Chaos Wraith!" Sonic was out of breath, and Espio added his own report. "We've also got the ship overhead, and we think that's the one that Knuckles is on. We know that they hate the aliens, and they also attacked Chaos Wraith, so I say we try and join forces with them." Everyone shook hands on the strategy.
"Sally got hurt pretty bad. Chaos Wraith got her bad, so I'll go check up on her. I want you guys to whip up the armory. Espio, you come with me. I need you to run the computers." Suddenly, Tails dropped in, excited and out-of-breath.
"Hey, Sonic! It looks like those ships got hurt pretty bad by Chaos Wraith. Most of 'em are pullin' out!" Sonic nodded grimly. I hope we can get up there before they leave orbit. Rotor came up quickly after, even more excited than Tails. "Sonic, I've found a lot of those pulse rifles we used back in the war! I've also managed to get some new recruits!"He turned around and gave a whistle, and two familiar figures turned the corner.
Sandra and Sonar, the two Marine officers they had recruited during the war, saluted crisply, awaiting their orders. Rotor laughed silently and whispered, "These two haven't changed a bit: They're probably worried you'll give 'em a court-martial if they slouch!" Sonic smiled to himself and saluted equally, walking forward in a manner that befitted a Marine commander.
"Right, Marines, here's the drill! A new breed of aliens has landed on Mobius, and has attacked our military forces. We have been given a second chance to keep the populace safe, and we will use it! I am your commander, Sonic. Should you require anything, or note anything that should be brought to the company's attention, you report to me, or else to my second-in-command, Officer Prower." The hardcore military duo nodded in sync, and pulled a smart salute.
"Also remember: This is NOT as strict a military unit as the Marine Corps were. We hold individual opinion highly, and will not tolerate stiff procedure. You just do your best, and take this into mind: We are not merely your fellow officers and superiors. We don't follow ranking and severe disciplinary actions in this outfit. We believe that friendship and casual behaviour outweigh starchy regulation and stiff-necked saluting. Just be yourselves, and enjoy life with the Mobian Royal Forces!" With this speech's ending, the sinuous, energetic fox grinned cheekily and yawned, pretending to doze off from boredom, while the crimson-furred hedgehog recruit pulled out a deck of cards and started a game of solitaire, pulling off a variety of showoff tricks.
Rotor barely kept from bursting into an uproar of laughter, seeing Sonic face fault almost perfectly on cue. Then, with a shrug, the technological genius set to work unloading the pulse rifles he had stocked, tossing one to the grounded leader. Sonic leapt right up and loaded it, feeling the heavy steel in his hands. This was going to be a long day.
End
And so the story goes on! After the narrow escape from the Acorn Royal Palace, Sonic and the Freedom Fighters land on Floating Island and attempt to find their way to the Hidden Palace. Their journey is not uneventful, however, for Mecha Sonic, charged with a Chaos Emerald, and consumed by his own raging fury, discovers them and attacks with all of his rage, annihilating several of the Protoss ships, damaging Sally harshly, crushing Sonic easily and unleashing a deadly beam of energy, dedicated to the destruction of the Freedom Fighters. However, before the lethal attack hits home, Sonic manages to break his way through the mountainside and enters the Lava Reef, an ancient volcanic catacomb that leads to the Hidden Palace. However, the newly-proclaimed Chaos Wraith still has a few tricks up his iron gauntlet, and manages to set off a powerful eruption, causing a stream of bubbling lava to boil towards our heroes. Just in the nick of time, though, Mighty of the Chaotix tunnels into the predicament, and diverts the lava into a hole with his digging skills, sacrificing himself so the expedition could continue.
After the selfless end of Mighty, Sonic and Tails manage to work together and cut through to the Hidden Palace, where they gear up for battle. With the unexpected addition of former Marines Sandra Fox and Sonar the Hedgehog, as well as a good supply of pulse rifles, the Freedom Fighters are ready to rock! However, do they stand a match against both the ravenous Zerg AND the mechanical cunning of the hate-filled, shadowed and evil powers of Chaos Wraith, Mecha Sonic's darker side? Read on to Chapter 3 of Mechanical Monstrosity: The Mobian Exodus!
A Sonic the Hedgehog/Starcraft Crossover Fanfic
This fanfic is the second chapter of a series of fanfics. It continues from the ending of Resurrection, the first chapter, and will make a lot more sense if you read #1 first. In the case of inaccessibility, I've added a summary of Resurrection to get you started. Also, look for Alien Conflict, the fanfic I used to create this series. Try the Mystery Saiyan Theatre by Persona for this fanfic.
After the insurrection of the alien presence on Mobius, Knuckles used the power of the Chaos Emeralds to revive all those lost in the war (Sonic, Tails, Sally, Amy, Rotor, Antoine, Bunnie and the Chaotix, in particular). They all meet up in the renewed Acorn Royal Palace, and after the reuniting of Sally and Sonic, Tails flies off to find Amy. Amy is found eventually, and though she has been revived, she is in shock. However, another blow is added: the passing of Knuckles, due to the awesome fatigue of the war combined with the loss of energy from the usage of the emeralds.
Worse still, another series of events soon unravels: Knuckles disappears in a glowing blue light, and the palace is attacked by a new breed of aliens! While some of them are vaporized by a mysterious starship, the true danger was revealed when a horde of creatures overwhelmed the palace! Acting quickly, Tails and Charmy evacuate the unconscious Amy, while Sally & Sonic escape the area in the Tornado, along with the rest of the Freedom Fighters.
They are now headed to Floating Island, where Knuckles and the Emeralds originated from. But a new danger is coming: Mecha Sonic has also been restored, and is searing with emerald power! Worse still, the mechanical warrior is hot on the Sonic Crew's trail!
By the way, Martin the Warrior had a pretty crummy ending: The death of Martin's only love, Rose, is really harsh (not as harsh as Alien Conflict, but more cruel, in a sense).
Now, to begin Mechanical Monstrosity! ------------------------------------------------ Chapter 2: Sacrifices
Again, my fanfics are MiSTing-approved, so don't be shy! Just remember that credit goes where it's due!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------
"Why did we all die, Aunt Sally?" Tails asked me this when we were safe inside the Hidden Palace. I looked at him and, blinking back a tear of sadness, replied "Tails... Knuckles, Sonic, and the rest of us too, all died for a purpose! We died defending the people we love, and protecting those who couldn't defend themselves! Mighty believed that, and gave his life again to save us, so we remember him as a true friend. All we can do is remember..." I could think of no more to say, but Tails nodded, tears of his own trickling unbidden down the side of his snow-white face. We embraced as family, comforting each other in the dark reality of war...
Excerpt of Sally Acorn's diary, after the Wraith's Awakening, Mar 13.
Sally guided the Tornado into a shaded jungle grove, just south of the Hidden Palace where Knuckles had kept the Chaos Emeralds safe from the wrong hands. The Chaotix took the lead, as they knew the place better than any Freedom Fighter, clearing a path with a set of stainless metal swords they had picked up from the palace armory. Sonic set about cutting a nearby tree down with his Sonic Spin Attack, converting it to a flat board in short time. With some of the strong, soft leaves that grew in the area, it made an adequate stretcher for Amy.
With Tails' help, the hedgehog leader of the resistance lifted Amy onto the stretcher and set it gently down on the rustling grass, watching for signs of any incoming visitors. It didn't take long, though: Before long, the bulky, muscular form of Mighty emerged from the brush into the clearing, gesturing for Sonic's team to follow him. They all got moving, while Tails, Sonic and Rotor brought up the rear, getting ready to support the stretcher bearing Amy.
Tails immediately rushed to grab one end of the makeshift device, but Sonic shook his head. "Lil' bro, me 'n Rotor can carry Amy. You watch her to make sure she doesn't fall." Tails nodded solemnly, and moved aside as they lifted the unconscious hedgehog and bore her into the jungle, following Mighty's deep tracks. Tails held her hand as they walked through the thick foliage, which unveiled a trail of cut branches and fallen tree limbs.
Suddenly, something glinted in the distance. Before anyone could say anything, Sally signalled for silence, and climbed up a nearby tree, with the acrobatic ease that suited her species. Before long she hopped back down, whispering in a low, excited tone. "It's that giant spaceship that attacked the aliens back at the palace!" Sally exclaimed. "What do you think we should do, Sonic? Can we trust them?" Sonic noticed in a corner of his mind that every eye was turned towards him. He nodded quickly, an experienced glint in the black, beady eyes.
"Yeah, we might be able to work with these guys, whatever they are!" Sonic was not too worried, showing that he was still prepared for anything. "We have a common enemy, and they helped save us!" Everyone agreed, and the troupe set off again, following the trail that had been cleared by the Chaotix. Sonic remembered it from pure experience: he had passed through these hills before, during the early times when the land had been called Angel Island. Soon, they would be going through the Lava Reef, an underground volcano which lead to the hidden palace.
*****
Mecha Sonic saw the island, and was relieved: The emerald was beginning to lose its timed burst of power! With a crackle of electricity, the robotic warrior punched his engines into overdrive, flaring towards the island at top speeds, circling and gliding in anticipation of the battles to come. However, before he reached the island, a flurry of blue energy bolts seared towards him. With a curse of surprise, Mecha Sonic veered upward, watching the beams go harmlessly under him.
With a surprised look on his face, the modernized fighter looked ahead, his enhanced eyesight picking out the advancing fleet of golden armored spacecraft. With a grin, the machine blasted forward, roaring playfully as he dodged the plasma blasts like he was playing a game of 1 on 1000 air- based dodgeball. "HAHAHA! YES! A scuffle! Come on, betcha can't hit me!" Mecha Sonic was actually enjoying himself, evading the deadly attack and laughing like a kid. Battle was his reason for existence, and he liked nothing better than defying certain death.
Suddenly, his sensors flared, picking up a large number of familiar lifesigns. With a quick flick of his head, he immediately began to register their statistics against his own indestructible memory banks, checking off each group of them as he continued to dodge and weave against the energy onslaught of the alien starfighters. This was far more interesting, and much less tiring, than playing dogfight with a bunch of space toys.
"Now, that'll be three of the echidna's Chaotix," Mecha Sonic mentally noted the position of Charmy, Espio and Vector, just outside of the central mountain. "And down there, that's the armadillo, the ground-squirrel princess, the hybrid rabbit, and the stupid one." Mecha Sonic had a few scores to settle with Sally, so he kept that position fresh in his memory. His eyes flashed as his sensor picked up the next group.
"The fox-cub, the walrus, and another sign. The female hedgehog, Amy, experiencing some form of shock." Finally, Mecha Sonic's sensors registered the final life signature, and then something strangely close to hate, mixed with definite disbelief, raced through the golden fighter's being. He stopped on a dime as a wired nerve short-circuited. "IMPOSSIBLE! THE HEDGEHOG'S ALIVE?" Mecha Sonic's flawless memory banks blurred backwards, to the orb in Sonic's hand. 'The creature was at his feet, wounded and dying, then something appeared in his hand. Wait... that pin... "DON'T PULL THAT..." the iron hedgehog roared, then went calm again, returning to his silent remembrance, slightly shaking. An explosion, a deafening, roaring fire, a searing heat that smashed me apart. Systems failed, and I was offline, in pieces. This feeling, what is it? Pain... The Hedgehog hurt me?
With a wild, heart-rending shriek, Mecha Sonic's robotic mind snapped, as emotions raced through the limited systems of the war machine, overloading every ounce of control that the self-proclaimed ultimate warrior had placed to prevent his sadistic, mechanical self from emerging. Pain and fear blasted the emotionally-torn android, and the bright neon eyes of Mecha Sonic became as crimson as the sun itself. The bright, golden armor darkened, becoming black as the abyssal emptiness that was hidden beneath his iron shell. Several plasma streams converged on the midnight flyer, only to be absorbed by a sphere of crackling purple power.
Mecha Sonic then yelled, his anger and hate taking over, unleashing a powerful explosion of dark energy that radiated from the burning core of his long-regulated nightmares. The fighters themselves became black as night, engulfed by the evil power that had emerged from the obsidian warrior, before they themselves let off spherical explosions, ripped apart by the deadly force behind the attack, blue plasma expanding wide before it dissipated in the atmosphere, leaving no trace of their existence.
Sally noticed the lights and looked upwards. Sure enough, the mothership had sent those smaller fighters out again. But what were they attacking. Quick as a flash, Sally scaled the length of the tallest tree around, scanning the area where the fire had been directed. The dark shadow in the distance was barely visible, but the flaring magenta energy trails behind it were easy to see, even at that range. Without warning, a much larger, darker sphere filled her vision, growing and forming above the shadow. More by instinct, the ground squirrel leaped to a more distant branch, and just in time, as a black orb of energy shot towards the tree where she had been watching from, engulfing it in a black, searing flame, before causing it to explode from the heat.
Sally cautiously peeked her head up from where she was ducking in the branches, then swore loudly as a midnight-colored shadow blurred right through the base of the tough wooden tower, causing it to topple with a deafening crash. Sally attempted to jump clear, landing on the ground perfectly, then yelled out in surprise and agony as a black, steel limb smashed into her, sending her flying through the whipping fronds of the trees.
"SALLY!" Sonic screamed and, handing his end of the stretcher to Tails, ran faster than he had ever run, not noticing the black shadow standing in the clearing where the fallen timber had been. With a powerful leap, the blue hedgehog grabbed the airborne Sally before she hit a tough oak, landing heavily on the ground. With a grunt of pain, Sally struggled upright, holding a black bruise on her side where she'd been hit, and winced at the effort.
Sonic leapt up and checked on Sally. The hit had been pretty hard, and some bones were probably broken. With a smile of concern, Sonic helped Amy towards Bunnie and Antoine, giving them a look that yelled "Take care of her! I'll see what did this!" Antoine nodded, and slung Sally over his shoulder, following Mighty and Bunnie through the trail. Sonic turned slowly, a golden fire burning in his eyes.
"Where are you, you jerk? Show yourself, you cowardly bastard!" With an evil chuckle and a deliberate slowness in its movement, a shadow seemed to step confidently towards the hedgehog. Sonic, caught off guard, stepped back a pace, and suddenly a pair of glowing red slits emerged at the head level of the silhouette. Sonic then gasped with shock as the black wraith stepped into the light.
"Mecha Sonic? But you should've been scrap by now!" The darker Mecha Sonic's chuckle became a full laugh, an insane tone in the usually-cocky voice of the mechanical monstrosity. Then, with a roar and a flying lunge, faster than even Sonic's quick eyes could follow, the evil machination slammed his knee into Sonic's stomach, causing the hardy hedgehog to double over in pain. Before he could recover, Mecha Sonic's other steel foot blurred sideways, catching Sonic fully in the chest, sending him up into the clouds. Before he broke the thin layer of white, Mecha Sonic flashed past the airborne target, stopping behind the flying victim of his wrath, and delivering a mighty, hateful double-fisted blow to the back of Sonic's head, dropping him into the ground like a missile.
Mecha Sonic was still grinning evilly as his living counterpart slowly inched his way out of the deep crater that had been made by the impact of his soaring body. It felt like every bone in his body had been broken, and Mecha Sonic's behaviour puzzled Sonic. What's going on? The hedgehog thought as he pulled his damaged form from the custom-made crater. Mecha Sonic usually gloats, but this guy hasn't said a word. He's stronger, too, and I can barely see him. He's completely black, and he seems... darker. Sonic didn't ponder too much longer on it, though, as Mecha Sonic slowly began to hover upwards, staring at the hedgehog with his reddened neon eyes.
"Mecha Sonic? That soft, gold-plated imbecile?" The robotic wraith bit out each word with a bitter effect on the normally-calm voice. "No wonder he was golden: that fool was softer than gold, and melted easily with emotion. Only one feeling holds any meaning now: hatred! You damaged me like no being has ever hurt me before! You caused me to feel pain! ME! THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR! YOU SHALL PAY NOW FOR MY SUFFERING! FEEL THE WRATH OF THE CHAOS WRAITH!" With that, the engines blasted again, sending the newly-revealed Chaos Wraith skyward.
Sonic didn't waste anytime. With a quick flick of his wrist, he produced a power ring from his pack and healed his legs and body enough to run at full speed. Then, with a equally speedy charge-up, the supreme symbol of swiftness on Mobius jetted away towards the mountain. He saw the weak stone wall, where the hidden entrance to the Lava Reef was, and kicked his feet into overtime, rolling into a ball in mid-dash and slamming into the mountainside, cracking the strong stones with a rumbling tremor from the impact.
"HEDGEHOG!! YOU CAN"T ESCAPE FATE! NOW DIE!" A metallic voice rang out over the sounds of gunfire. The alien fighters were back in force, attempting to slow down the mad machine's fury. With a sudden flare of darkness, Chaos Wraith stopped on a dime and unleashed a sudden shockwave, the sudden surge of black power disintegrating the small aggressors and knocking the Freedom Fighters down. They were up again fast enough, reaching the cave wall even as their obsidian foe cupped its hands together in front of him, a ball of dark energy forming in his palms.
"SONIC SPIN!" Sonic revved up for a spin attack, aiming himself towards the rock cliff as Chaos Wraith charged up the deadly attack in his hands. It soon became clear that this was a race, and their would be no prize for second place. Sonic became a blurring blue light, smashing into the cleveryly-built wall like a piston, and the barrier slowly gave way, crumbling into dust at the continuous force being applied to it. Sally checked her compact computer, analyzing the thermal level of the stone to make sure they weren't barbecued as soon as they got in.
Though if they were, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. They would either have to risk a boiling, painful death in the womb of an ancient volcanic monument, or be completely eradicated by the evil energy of Chaos Wraith. They would not have time to make a second attempt to escape: the explosion would be too powerful and wide for them to run from in time. Suddenly, the race was ending, and they heard a slight rumbling as their obstacle was grounding into dust.
Chaos Wraith sensed they would make it through, and decided it would be prudent to unleash the energy he had collected now, before they got away. With a wild yell, the mechanical warrior that had formerly been known as Mecha Sonic stopped crackling with energy, and the ball of dark power between his palms expanded no further. Then, before anyone could react, the attack was complete, and ready to fire.
"CHAOS FLASH FIRE!!" The attack fired downwards, a beam of powerful chaos energy aimed directly at the Freedom Fighters. However, it was destined to miss: Sonic burst through the other side of the wall, and the rest of the escapees rushed through the new tunnel, barely escaping the full impact of the evil firestorm, ducking to either side of the exit as the hate-charged explosion rocked the mountainside and sent tongues of dark flame soaring through the cave, causing the walls to glow with an eerie, deep pulse of purple.
Chaos Wraith then went into free-fall, exhausted beyond mention by the previous expenditure of chaotic hatred, slamming into a plateau halfway up the volcano, the dark armor crackling with black electricity: the Chaos Emerald was completely drained. With a burst of supernatural light, the evil armor became a deep purple, almost like a combination of the black, evil energy and the colour of Rotor's mauve fur, then gave way to a crimson and black armor, coloured the same as Sonic's imagery of some hell-bound, demonic war engine. With a groan of frustration, the maddened evil warrior sat up, eyes flashing red and gold as he began to hold a conversation with the emotional side of himself.
"I COULD'VE KILLED THEM ALL IN ONE GO! YOU IDIOT, YOU SHOULD'VE LET ME FINISH IT QUICKLY!" The boundless rage of Chaos Wraith subsided, into a calm, regulated tone, and his armor once again took on the blues and silvers of Mecha Sonic. "Why should we have to kill the hedgehog? I was the one at fault, remember?" "YOU WEAK MORON! WHY MUST I SHARE THIS IRON SHELL WITH A SOFT COWARD LIKE YOU?" "You mistake my emotion for weakness, Chaos Wraith! I am still a warrior, and I will battle Sonic, but not to the death!" "WHY NOT! HE KILLED US! HE MADE US HURT! WE SHALL MAKE HIM SUFFER!"
After an hour of this banter between Mecha Sonic and his darker ego, Chaos Wraith, the evil side of the machination got a devious scheme working in his side of their robotic mind. "HA! You know, Mecha Sonic, that you are still too weak to battle the hedgehog! You are strong indeed, but you'll never amount to the power of that one, unless you allow me to take over! BECOME STRONG, OR FOREVER REMAIN AS SONIC'S SECOND!" Mecha Sonic's form flinched, as if his darker side had caught him a blow in his steel-bladed head.
"NO! I won't be weaker than him! I was designed to be the perfect warrior, and I will do ANYTHING FOR VICTORY!" With that, the armor charged with evil energy again, and Chaos Wraith took over, grinning inwardly. That was close! That spineless fool nearly got control! I'll have to be more careful next time, or my vengeance will fail! With those words, the hellish, seemingly burning darkness that was Chaos Wraith blasted into the air, watching the Freedom Fighter's every movement.
"I WILL destroy you, Sonic the Hedgehog! You can be sure of that..."
*****
Sonic had ran forward, clearing a path through the hardened magma layers with the full force of his Sonic Spin. They found themselves progressing through the mountain quickly, heading into a far cooler area. Suddenly, the walls became crystalline, glinting from an unknown light. Sonic saw this and was relieved, knowing they were getting close. Suddenly, the mountain rumbled again, knocking the Freedom Fighters off their feet. Sonic scrambled upwards, half-expecting to see Chaos Wraith burst through the ceiling. It didn't happen as Sonic thought it would, but something else was definitely coming.
Outside, Chaos Wraith had finished charging enough for a second attack. With a mechanical scream, he reverted back to his darkest, hate- filled shadow form, powering up for another Chaos Flash Fire. This time, it was aimed a little differently. The dark energy was released at full speed, crashing into the burning, long-dormant, open peak of the ancient volcano and setting off seismic forces that had remained unscathed for centuries. Boiling magma and choking ash found its way to the hidden cave, and the devil android laughed aloud, an insane, wild laugh that rang throughout the skies.
"NOW, HEDGEHOG! NOW YOUR TIME HAS COME! BURN AND DIE, SO THAT I MAY BECOME THE STRONGEST BEING IN THE UNIVERSE!" Suddenly, as the Chaos Wraith chuckled to himself with satisfaction, his voice cut off suddenly, and the armors of the machine became pure gold once again. Shaking his head with regret, the shining robot raced away, leaving the Freedom Fighters to their new predicament while he tried to deal with his dark, evil counterpart.
*****
Without warning, the heat suddenly became unbearable. In Sonic's mind, warning klaxons were sounding off suddenly. "Chaos Wraith's caused the volcano to erupt! Lava's coming!" The Freedom Fighters all stared in horror at the glowing liquid that began to creep its way around the corner of the Sonic-style tunnel. Sonic gunned his speed into overtime, and Tails followed, becoming a furry blur of speed. "SONIC SPIN!" "TAILS SPIN!" Both crashed into the wall, cutting through the soft sandstone like a laser through water. Sally, forgetting the pain in her ribs, pulled out her specialized PC from her vest pocket and converted it into a laser weapon, firing a stream of glowing-green light into the rapidly-vanishing wall, causing each particle to overheat and vaporize.
The lava was speeding up, and they all knew there wouldn't be enough time to escape. Without warning, though, a side of the mountain burst open, and Mighty lumbered into view, surprisingly fast in the dark mountain. "KEEP GOING!" The armadillo yelled over the bubbling lava. "I'LL TRY TO DIVERT THE ERUPTION! GET KNUX BACK!" With that, Mighty began to dig downward, disappearing in an instant. The hole became bottomless, to all eyes, and the lava began to roll down the new passages, flowing into the cave where Mighty had come from, and falling deep into the pit that Mighty had just dug.
Sonic blinked back tears, watching the hot magma pour into the abyss, and bowed his head, silently thanking Mighty for the sacrifice he made. Antoine and Tails picked up the stretcher bearing Amy, and continued their journey through the Lava Reef's crystal caves. Sally lagged behind, the pain in her chest returning with a vengeance. Sonic sped back and supported her, wrapping her arm around his neck and grabbing her other arm with his free hand. Within an hour, they had arrived at the Hidden Palace, where Vector, Charmy and Espio were waiting, each with a concerned look on their face.
"Mighty's gone. He saved us at the cost of his own life." The remaining Chaotix nodded solemnly, and Vector spoke for them all. "He wouldn't have gone any other way!" Then Sonic got down to business. "Tails, you go keep watch for visitors. Rotor, go and see what we got for weapons. Bunnie, you take Sally and Amy someplace where they can rest. I need to plan with the Chaotix." They all rushed to follow Sonic's orders, not bothering to argue or question them.
"Now, we've got major problems. As you know, these new aliens are probably all over the place, and can transport by air." The Chaotix agreed: It was only going to be a matter of time before those things found their way to Floating Island. "Mecha Sonic's back, and he's got one of the Emeralds, meaning he's going to be tough." Charmy swore under his breath. Sonic nodded and continued. "Worse still, he's even more powerful than usual! He's faster than I am, and has a huge amount of energy. He's completely evil now, and is calling himself the Chaos Wraith!" Sonic was out of breath, and Espio added his own report. "We've also got the ship overhead, and we think that's the one that Knuckles is on. We know that they hate the aliens, and they also attacked Chaos Wraith, so I say we try and join forces with them." Everyone shook hands on the strategy.
"Sally got hurt pretty bad. Chaos Wraith got her bad, so I'll go check up on her. I want you guys to whip up the armory. Espio, you come with me. I need you to run the computers." Suddenly, Tails dropped in, excited and out-of-breath.
"Hey, Sonic! It looks like those ships got hurt pretty bad by Chaos Wraith. Most of 'em are pullin' out!" Sonic nodded grimly. I hope we can get up there before they leave orbit. Rotor came up quickly after, even more excited than Tails. "Sonic, I've found a lot of those pulse rifles we used back in the war! I've also managed to get some new recruits!"He turned around and gave a whistle, and two familiar figures turned the corner.
Sandra and Sonar, the two Marine officers they had recruited during the war, saluted crisply, awaiting their orders. Rotor laughed silently and whispered, "These two haven't changed a bit: They're probably worried you'll give 'em a court-martial if they slouch!" Sonic smiled to himself and saluted equally, walking forward in a manner that befitted a Marine commander.
"Right, Marines, here's the drill! A new breed of aliens has landed on Mobius, and has attacked our military forces. We have been given a second chance to keep the populace safe, and we will use it! I am your commander, Sonic. Should you require anything, or note anything that should be brought to the company's attention, you report to me, or else to my second-in-command, Officer Prower." The hardcore military duo nodded in sync, and pulled a smart salute.
"Also remember: This is NOT as strict a military unit as the Marine Corps were. We hold individual opinion highly, and will not tolerate stiff procedure. You just do your best, and take this into mind: We are not merely your fellow officers and superiors. We don't follow ranking and severe disciplinary actions in this outfit. We believe that friendship and casual behaviour outweigh starchy regulation and stiff-necked saluting. Just be yourselves, and enjoy life with the Mobian Royal Forces!" With this speech's ending, the sinuous, energetic fox grinned cheekily and yawned, pretending to doze off from boredom, while the crimson-furred hedgehog recruit pulled out a deck of cards and started a game of solitaire, pulling off a variety of showoff tricks.
Rotor barely kept from bursting into an uproar of laughter, seeing Sonic face fault almost perfectly on cue. Then, with a shrug, the technological genius set to work unloading the pulse rifles he had stocked, tossing one to the grounded leader. Sonic leapt right up and loaded it, feeling the heavy steel in his hands. This was going to be a long day.
End
And so the story goes on! After the narrow escape from the Acorn Royal Palace, Sonic and the Freedom Fighters land on Floating Island and attempt to find their way to the Hidden Palace. Their journey is not uneventful, however, for Mecha Sonic, charged with a Chaos Emerald, and consumed by his own raging fury, discovers them and attacks with all of his rage, annihilating several of the Protoss ships, damaging Sally harshly, crushing Sonic easily and unleashing a deadly beam of energy, dedicated to the destruction of the Freedom Fighters. However, before the lethal attack hits home, Sonic manages to break his way through the mountainside and enters the Lava Reef, an ancient volcanic catacomb that leads to the Hidden Palace. However, the newly-proclaimed Chaos Wraith still has a few tricks up his iron gauntlet, and manages to set off a powerful eruption, causing a stream of bubbling lava to boil towards our heroes. Just in the nick of time, though, Mighty of the Chaotix tunnels into the predicament, and diverts the lava into a hole with his digging skills, sacrificing himself so the expedition could continue.
After the selfless end of Mighty, Sonic and Tails manage to work together and cut through to the Hidden Palace, where they gear up for battle. With the unexpected addition of former Marines Sandra Fox and Sonar the Hedgehog, as well as a good supply of pulse rifles, the Freedom Fighters are ready to rock! However, do they stand a match against both the ravenous Zerg AND the mechanical cunning of the hate-filled, shadowed and evil powers of Chaos Wraith, Mecha Sonic's darker side? Read on to Chapter 3 of Mechanical Monstrosity: The Mobian Exodus!