They were taken to a row of stone pillars on one side of the arena, Espio was chained to one. Shadows is taken off the chariot first and is led to the pillar next to him while Tikal was put on the one on his other side. Espio didn't look happy "I was beginning to wonder if you'd gotten my message" chains were attached to Shadow's cuffs and were carried and tied to the top of the pillar. "I retransmitted it just as you requested, Master. Then we decided to come and rescue you", Espio looked at both of them and raised his eyebrows "Good job". On a high balcony on the arena walls Dimitri, Vesper, Robotnik and Mimic walked out. Vesper began announcing to his people "Settle down. Let the execution begin!" the crowd cheered. Three doors opened on the other side of the arena, a large green robotic rhino walked out of the first, outside the next was a large red crab that was screeching at the wasps trying to direct it. Finally, a large lizard creature that looked to be made out of lava jumped out and ate the first wasp it saw. "I've got a bad feeling about this" Shadow said as the three creatures began advancing on them.
Espio looked to Shadow "Just relax. Concentrate" "What about Tikal?", Espio glanced to the other side of Shadow. He turned and saw that Tikal wasn't there, she was climbing to the top of the pillar and she somehow picked the lock on her cuffs "Huh" was all Shadow could say in surprise. The crab advanced on Espio and tried to hit his head with its claws, but he ducked down, and it instead broke the chains. The rhino charged right at Shadow, but he jumped up and landed on its back as it hit the pillar, he wrapped the chain around its horn and when it ran the chain was broken off the pillar. The lava lizard was climbing the pillar trying to get to Tikal, she tried to hit it with the chain, but it reached up and scratched her back causing her to scream in pain. Shadow was trying to direct the rhino, but it threw him off and the chain started dragging him across the ground. Tikal jumped off the pillar and used the chain to swing towards the lizard and she kicked it in the face causing it to fall back to the ground. Robotnik was angry "She can't do that! Shoot her" he yelled at anyone who would listen. Tikal climbed back up the pillar and the lizard continued to circle it.
The crab knocked over one of the pillars trying to get to Espio, one of the wasps charged at him with a spear but he grabbed it and threw the wasp into the claws of the crab. Shadow was able to get back on his feet and slowly advanced on the rhino and was able to jump on it and used the chain as rains. Espio threw the spear at the crab but its shell was too thick to pierce. Shadow directed the rhino right at the fire lizard and it stomped it to the ground. Shadow looked to Tikal "Jump!" she did so and landed behind him on the rhino, she quickly kissed him on the cheek. Espio ran towards them and jumped on the rhino. Before they could do anything though, Gammas suddenly marched onto the arena and surrounded them. On the balcony a yellow lightsaber was suddenly ignited in front of Mimic's neck, Dimitri turned around and grinned "Master Merlin, how pleasant for you to join us". "This party's over" Merlin said as suddenly Shinobi began to appear all over the arena stadium, igniting their lightsabers.
Dimitri's expression didn't change "Brave but, uh, foolish, my old friend. You're impossibly outnumbered", Merlin scoffed "I don't think so" "We'll see". Behind them the new Omega robots were marching, they started firing on Merlin but he was able to dodge. Mimic then used his wispon to shoot fire at the fox. With no choice Merlin jumped off the balcony and into the arena where an army of egg pawns and Omegas were charging in. The Shinobi army met them, and they started cutting through the badniks. Shadow and Espio were thrown lightsabers which they used to cut off the hand cuffs. The wasps in the arena all scattered as the battle commenced. An explosion knocked our trio off the rhino, Espio immediately ran to fight, Tikal picked up a blaster and started shooting as Shadow covered her. The two of them ran to a chariot that was being dragged across the arena and they jumped on. Tikal began covering any Shinobi she saw as Shadow cut through the robots the chariot passed. Nack was watching everything from one of the balconies. An army of badniks that were marching into the stadium contained Orbot who couldn't control his body and was holding a blaster "A battle! Wait, there's been terrible mistake. I'm programmed for etiquette not destruction!" he said in a panic. Espio and Merlin begin fighting back-to-back as another Shinobi jumps onto the balcony to attack Dimitri, but he is quickly shot dead by a pleased Mimic.
The rhino charges and knocks over Espio and begins chasing Merlin, knocking him over. Mimic seeing the opportunity uses his wispon to hover down to the arena, Merlin quickly gets back on his feet and Force pushes Mimic right into the path of the charging rhino. He gets back on his feet and the rhino turns around to charge again but Mimic turns his wispon red and shoots a fire ball at it, breaking the metal rhino into multiple pieces. Mimic takes out his blaster and starts firing on Merlin who is charging towards him, Merlin however is able to dodge the shots and when he's close enough he decapitates Mimic. Nack watches horrified from above. Orbot was uncontrollably firing "Die Shinobi dogs! Wait- what did I just say? Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry about all this". One of the Shinobi forced pushed him to the ground immobilizing him. The animal pulling the chariot that Tikal and Shadow were riding was shot causing the chariot to go on its side, the two of them used it for cover. Shadow smiled "You call this a diplomatic solution?", Tikal smiled "I prefer to call it aggressive negotiations" she continued firing at the badniks.
Espio was fighting a group of Pawns who suddenly started backing away. He turned around and saw the crab creature screeching at him, instead of looking worried though Espio charged forward, cut of the creatures' legs, knocking it over and stabbed it in the head. Emerl appeared next to Orbot's body "Emerl, what are you doing here?". Emerl leaned down and used the tools in his hands to reprogram Orbot's body "Emerl be careful! You're singeing my circuits". The Shinobi began to get overwhelmed as more and more were getting killed. The remaining ones were all backing into the middle of the arena as the badnik army surrounded them. Dimitri continued to watch on the balcony, and he raised his hand, all the badniks immediately stopped firing. There were few Shinobi left, Shadow was standing in front of Tikal, Espio was kneeling down to check one of his fallen brethren but it was too late, and Merlin looked up to the balcony at Dimitri. "Master Merlin, you have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the archives of the Shinobi order. Now I'm afraid it is finished. Surrender and your lives will be spared!" he sounded like he was hoping they did. Merlin looked defiant "We will not be hostages to be bartered, Dimitri". Dimitri looked solemn "Then... I'm sorry, old friend". The Badniks all pointed their weapons on the remaining Shinobi, Espio walked next to Shadow, the two of them looked ready to fight. Tikal then heard something, and she looked up "LOOK!".
They all looked up and saw the sky was full of gunships, one of which was carrying Blaze the Cat. The badniks all immediately started shooting up, but the gunships fired back wiping out a huge number of them. Blaze watched "Pilot, create a perimeter around the survivors!" the gunships all immediately landed in a circle around the Shinobi giving them cover. Clone troopers jumped out of the gunships and started firing on the badniks, the Shinobi all ran into different gunships and when they were full the clone got back on and they took off. Espio, Shadow and Tikal ran onto one that happened to be carrying Razor "Need a hand?" he said with a smile as helped them on. Dimitri saw all the ships take off before he put his helmet on and went inside. Orbot finally managed to get up "Emerl, I just had the most peculiar dream", near them Nack was kneeling next to his father's body and he picked up his wispon. The gunships were taking them all to where the large main ships had landed. On their ship Tikal looked at Razor with an unreadable face "Razor, weren't we against creating a military?". Razor looked nervous "Yes, Milady. But with the situation worsening I believed that they were needed for-". Tikal stopped him "You made a call, I understand" she wasn't happy but she did accept it was necessary.
Merlin was on a gunship with Blaze and Nate, Blaze looked at him "If Dimitri escapes, he will rally more planets to his cause". All the gunships entered a battle that was happening on the ground, they all landed in an assembly area and released the Shinobi who each led a squad of clones into battle. The clones were made up of all types of animal's seals, skunks, foxes and more. As the huge army of clones and Shinobi charged into the battle led by Merlin, Blaze remained on her ship "Take me to the forward command centre" the ship took off.
Dimitri entered a meeting room where Robotnik and Nega were watching the battle on a holo-map "The shinobi have amassed a huge army" Dimitri looked confused "How could they have come up with an army so quickly?". Giant insectoid walkers were landing on the clone's side and they started firing on the badniks. Robotnik looked worried "We must send all available badniks into the battle" "I'm afraid there are too many". Nega walked forward "Then we must get the egg carriers back into space" he left with Robotnik. Vesper looked to Dimitri "I will send my warriors to hide in the catacombs. You must take the designs. If the Shinobi find them, we're doomed" he handed Dimitri a hologram projector of an egg-shaped space station. "I will take the designs to Mobotropolis. They will be safe there with my Master".
