Chapter 8: Fighting out of Time
Back in the castle throne room, Sonic and the others are able to defeat the Black Arms that attack them. However, some of them run away for some reason. They capture the ones who are defeated and trapped them in bubbles that are created by Laura-Su, Yong-Ho, and Knuckles. It's already the next day, and they believe the aliens have been beaten until Maria can finish them off.
"Well, I think we captured much as we can," Sonic says.
"Yes, but Eclipse is still somewhere in the castle and Maria use chaos control to teleport herself and him away," Sally says.
"Don't worry you majesties, we'll find them and we'll help Maria too," Mina says.
"Yeah. We won't stop until all of these Black Arms are finished," Vector says.
Knuckles says, "I think what we need to do is find their base."
"You're right. Knuckles, take at least six people with you to find Eclipse base, the rest of us will look for Sakura," Sonic says.
"Right," Knuckles says.
He then says, "Laura-Su, Tails, Mina, Julie-Su, Espio, and Charmy, you guys will come with me."
"Right," The three answer.
"Then the rest of us will try to find Maria and hope she is able to handle Eclipse," Sally says.
Suddenly, they begin to hear footsteps, and it's coming from the door at the end of the room. Everyone begin to stand in fighting possession, waiting for the Black Arms to attack.
"Be on your guard. We don't know who is going to come through that door," Sonic says.
Everyone are ready to fight against the beast or aliens that might come through the door. Suddenly, the door begins to open all the way and the room is dark. Just then, Maria comes walking into the room.
"Maria, you're okay. We were starting to get worry," Twinkle says.
"Where were you? We've been waiting for you to… " Manic says.
But stops to see Eclipse and the other Black Arms are walking beside and behind her. This shocked the mobians in the throne room.
"Uh Maria, why are you with the aliens?" Chomper asks.
"If this is a ploy, we're not enjoying it?" Twinkle asks looking scared.
Yong-Ho notices something, "No, something's wrong. Her eyes are red and they look empty."
"Sis, are you feeling alright?" Sonia asks.
Eclipse chuckles, and says, "She's our sister now?"
"What have you done to her?" Sonic confronts the alien.
"Nothing, I just help Maria come to her senses. She's one of us now," Eclipse answers.
"What?! Maria will never be one of you creeps!" Knuckles shouts in anger.
Eclipse remarks, "Pathetic creatures, aren't they? Only good for their complex protein chains."
"Maria, Eclipse is trying to get in your head! You have to resist!" Sally cries out.
"Maria, if you don't want to hurt you! You have to break free or we'll have to knock some sense into you!" Chomper says.
"That's not nice Chomper," Sugar scolds.
"Chao chao!" Blackberry agrees.
"They give you orders? Threaten to hurt you?Aw. Why don't you give them a reasonable response?" Eclipse asks Maria.
Without a single word, Maria skates across the room and spin dashes right into Chomer, sending him sliding to the floor. Sugar yelps in reply.
Sonic turns to Knuckles, "Guys, get going! We'll handle Maria."
"Right, leave it to us. Come on gang," Knuckles says.
With that, Knuckles and the others run out of the hole in the castle wall. Eclipse look to see the mobians leaving.
He mutters, "Cowards."
He and the Black Army soldiers begin to chase after them, "We'll handle the Mobians, Maria. You'll handle the others!"
Maria begins to attack the Mobians who are her friends and family. Meanwhile, Eclipse and the others are going after the others.
Still trapped in prison, Rouge is still worried about Maria, and has an idea to get out of the prison to find her. She looks outside to see a very large Black Arm to help her with the escape.
Rouge calls out, "Hey big boy, are you a garbage disposal or are you a wimp."
The Black Arm is not pleased with the remark. The alien charges towards the cage. Rouge moves out of the way, and the alien rams through the bars and slams to the wall. Soon the alien is knocked out. Rouge quickly leaves the cage to find a way out.
She runs as she says, "Should have done that days ago."
Rouge continues to run down the hall, but manages to hide behind the rocks and the small tunnels close by. Rouge can see a doorway, and quickly get in the room. She hides in one of the tunnels in the room, until the large Black Arms walk pass it.
Rouge sighs in relief to see that they're gone. She turns to the inside of the room, and gasps in shock. She can see six of the chaos emeralds standing in a container.
"The chaos emeralds?!" rouge asks in shock.
Meanwhile in the castle throne room, Sonic and the others are trying their best to fight Maria. Maria is proven to be very strong and powerful. Sonic and Maria counter each other with spin dashes. Manic and Sonia help their dad fight with their dash spin, but Maria's is stronger than both of theirs combine.
Sonic and Maria manage to get back on their feet. Sonic runs with his speed while Maria skates with her shoes.
Sonic says in thought, "It feels like I'm fighting Shadow, like the old days. But now, I'm fighting his kid."
Sonic calls out to Maria, "Maria, you need to stop this. This isn't what you want. You don't want to be a part of beings who will destroy everything you love."
"Please Maria, fight it!" Sally screams.
Maria feels a strong sensation in her head. She stops skating and begins to clutch her head in pain.
"My… my friends… my family," Maria mutters.
But she then heard another voice saying, "Don't listen to them! Don't speak to them! Destroy them!"
Maria stops feeling the pain and charges at Sally and the other. Yong-Ho comes forward and punches her at the chest.
"Sorry Maria, but you're not giving us many options," Yong-Ho says.
Maria then begins to skate forward and launches thunder from her hands. Then chaos speare. Yong-Ho uses his chaos shield to protect everyone.
"Maria, I know you're in there! You need to stop!" Yong-Ho shouts.
But Maria continues to attack the others who are fighting her.
Melody screams, "Marai please!"
"Maria fight it!" Sonic shouts.
Meanwhile, Knuckles and the others are trying to find Eclipse's secret base. At the same time, they are trying to lose him and his Black Arms.
"Don't those guys give up?" Vector asks.
"They won't stop until, we stop them," Knuckles says.
Suddenly, Knuckles is receiving a transmission on his communicator watch, "Who can be calling me?"
He answers to reveal Rouge the bat, "Hey Knuckles, long time no see."
"Rouge? It's been a long time. I heard you got caught and raise a little princess," Knuckles says.
"Yeah. It's long story. Listen, I'm inside Eclipse secret chamber and he has six of the chaos emeralds. I can guide you to the base and we can get out of here with the emeralds," Rouge says.
"Got it," Knuckles says.
"How is Maria? I'm guessing that you already saw her," Rouge asks.
"Yes. but Eclipse has taken control of her and she's fighting Sonic right now," Knuckles says.
"Oh no," Rouge says in shock.
She manages to calm down, "I'll guide you to the secret base, but after that you need to get me to the castle. I can probably get through to her. If not, her chao friend can."
"Fine. Just lead me to where that base is," Knuckles says.
Rouge rolls her eyes, and mutters, "Somethings never change."
Rouge uses her kick to break the glass and gather the chaos emeralds. She then begins to way out of the base and help Knuckles and the others get there themselves.
Back in the throne room, Maria is still under the control of the Black Arms and is attacking everything and everyone in sight. Yong-Ho, Sonic and the others are trying their best to stop Maria and break her free, but Maria is too powerful even when she emotionless. Sally and the little ones are worried to see everyone and Maria are fighting each other. Soon they are going to end up hurting each other.
"We gotta stop them mom," Manic says.
"I know sweetie, but the only way to do it, is to to break Maria out of Eclipse's control," Sally says.
"How about we hit her on the head?" Sonia suggests.
"I don't she already has her head hit a bunch of times, but the control is too strong for her to break free on her own," Sally replies.
"How are we going to snap her out of it?" Sugar asks.
"I wish we have the answer to it," Twinkle replies.
Suddenly, they look to see Maria is using chaos spear at them. Everyone manage to dodge and repel the attack.
"Boy, Maria tough for a girl," Chomper says.
"Yes, but that won't stop her from attacking us," Mystic says.
"How are we going to stop her?" Yong-Ho asks.
"I think I have an idea. We need to pin her down somehow," Sonic says.
"I think I know how, and I need to do it now," Yong-Ho says.
Yong-Ho and the others look to see Maria skating right towards them.
Yong-Ho gets in front and shouts, "Chaos control!"
The power causes Maria to stand still. Then Yong-Ho pins Maria to the ground.
"Maria, I know you're in there! You have to break free from Eclipse's control! Do it if you wanna live!" Yong-Ho shouts.
Blackberry shouts, "Chao chao!" And flies to Maria.
"Blackberry comeback!" Manic screams.
Blackberry flies to Maria and lands on her chest. She then hugs Maria as she calls out to her in sadness.
"Yo-Yong-Yong-Ho… Bl-Black-Blackberry," Maria mutters.
"Yes Maria, it's me. You need to remember. You need to remember who you are, and choose who you want to be. Don't let anyone think otherwise," Yong-Ho says.
Suddenly, Maria launches a chaos spear passes Yong-Ho, and is cause an explosion on the ceiling. Yong-Ho quickly turns around to see the alien starfish with the eye.
"Yong-Ho… Stop it… It's controlling…" Maria says, struggling to get her words out.
Twinkle flies up, "I got it."
Twinkle grabs the alien as it tries to run away, spins it around, and throws it to the floor. Mystic and Chomper grab it before it can escape. Yong-Ho and Blackberry help Maria up. Her eyes soon change back to her original blue colors. She is free from Eclipse's control.
"Are you okay, Maria?" Yong-Ho asks.
"I think so. I don't remember much, but I remember Eclipse got into my head and wanted me to attack you. I almost…" Maria says, feeling ashamed.
"You won't. I know you won't. That was Eclipse doing not you. I know that if we keep calling out to you, you will snap out of it," Yong-Ho says.
Maria smiles, "Thanks."
She manages to get up and notices Blackberry hugging her. Maria hugs her back.
She then notices a few things, "Uh, where's Knuckles and the others? What's more, where's Eclipse?"
"That's right, Eclipse is after them while they're going to find his secret hideout," Sonic says.
Maria says, "Then let's find him and put a stop to his plans."
"You sure? What if Eclipse tries to get in your head again?" Sugar asks feeling worried.
Maria becomes serious, "That's right. I don't care what Eclipse says and what the prophecy said about me. The way I see it is that our home is being attacked by the Black Arms, and we can't let them harvest the world as a feeding ground. We're the only ones who can stop the, and we need to do it now."
"You're so brave!" Twinkle and Sugar say with glee.
"Or crazy," Chomper mutters.
Mystic and Twinkle glare at him for the remark.
"Still Maria is right, the Black Arms need to be stopped," Sonic says.
"And we better do it fast before something happens," Manic says.
Suddenly, everyone in the throne room hear a lot of screaming. They quickly run out and gasp in shock to see the Black Arms and Dark Arms are attacking the citizens of Mobotropolis.
"Oh no! There attacking the city!" Sally shockley says.
"We have to do something," Melody says.
Maria steps forward, "And we will."
"But what?" Skye asks.
"Alight gang, here's the plan. Yong-Ho, Sonic, and I will find Knuckles and the others. The rest of you try to stop the Black Arm from attacking the city, and make sure to get as many people as you can for the attack. Mystic and Chomper, keep an eye on the captured Black Arms," Maria says.
"We got you there," Music says, holding the alien.
Maria says, "Alright Freedom Fighters, let's move out!"
Maria and everyone begin to go into the city to stop the Black Arms and find Eclipse's base.
"That's my girl," Sally says in thought.
Sally is very proud of Maria for taking charge and wants to help protect the planet. She can only the Black Arms can be stopped.