Chapter 2: The Switcheroo
Sonic was falling from the sky and face planted into the ground. After he got his face out of the dirt, he took a look at his surroundings.
Sonic- What's going on here? Where am I? This is really weird. And who was that mustached man in red that I saw right before I was brought here? Maybe I can find a local who can tell me where I am. With my speed, I should find someone in no time.
Sonic began running around the open field, hoping he would find someone to speak to. Eventually, he saw a group of three Goombas.
Goomba- Remember, he should be delivering the Princess to us at this stop soon.
Sonic- Hey, little guys. Mind if I ask you something.
Goomba- Someone overheard King Bowser's plot to kidnap Princess Peach!
Other Goomba- Let's get him!
One of the Goombas tried to tackle Sonic, but he quickly stepped to the side and tripped the Goomba. Then Sonic cracked his knuckles and struck a fighting pose.
Sonic- Oh, you want to fight? Well bring it on!
Sonic suddenly vanished and all the Goombas saw was a blue blur smacking them over and over. It almost seemed like they'd been hit over 100 times in the split second that blue blur passed each of them. Suddenly in the distance, Luigi walked in.
Luigi- MARIO! Where did my brother go? Hello, what's going on here?
Luigi watched as this blue flash dashed by each of the three Goombas while smacking them around at the same time like a bunch of pinballs. Then the blue blur dashed around the Goombas until it made a blue tornado and blew the Goombas into the air, knocking them away. Then the blue blur stopped moving and Luigi saw a blue hedgehog with emerald colored eyes.
Sonic- And that's why you don't mess with me or you get your ass kicked so fast, you won't know what hit you jerks!
Luigi- Wow! That was incredible how you dealt with those Goombas!
Sonic- You want to fight too?!
Luigi- Take it easy there! I won't hurt you. You're not from around here, are you?
Sonic- No, I'm not. In fact, I don't even know where I am. I was sucked in through a black hole and I ended up here. Can you tell me where I am?
Luigi- You're in the Mushroom Kingdom. Who are you anyway? I'm Luigi.
Sonic- I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, known as the fastest thing alive. Nice to meet you, Luigi.
Luigi- Say, you wouldn't happen to have seen my brother, Mario? Have you?
Sonic- Other than you, those three runts were the only ones I saw.
Luigi- My older brother, Mario, is known as the Mushroom Kingdom's greatest hero, but no one has seen him since this morning and I'm worried about him. Maybe if you help me find him, Mario might be able to help you find out why you suddenly ended up in the Mushroom Kingdom.
Sonic- Well, I guess I got nothing to lose. What does he look like?
Before Luigi could answer Sonic's question, they heard someone scream in the distance. Sonic and Luigi rushed to where the scream was coming from and saw a large Shyguy holding Princess Peach over its shoulder as it was carrying her away.
Princess Peach- You put me down right now!
Luigi- Oh no! That Shyguy is kidnapping the princess!
Sonic- Then I'll just take her back!
Then Sonic dashed right for the large Shyguy. Before the Shyguy or Princess Peach knew it, something had struck the Shyguy in the back and knocked it to the ground while at the same time made it toss Princess Peach into the air. Luckily, Sonic caught her right before she hit the ground. Sonic was holding her almost bridal style before setting her back on the ground.
Sonic- (Jokingly) Whoa! Are you a falling angel or something or am I just going crazy?
Princess Peach- Thanks for saving me, but who are you?
Sonic- I'll explain later. Your friend, Luigi is behind those bushes. Hide there while I deal with this big loser.
After Princess Peach hid behind the bushes with Luigi, the large Shyguy got up and saw Sonic.
Sonic- Alright tubby, time to have your fat ass handed to yah!
The Shyguy pulled out a baseball bat with a nail through it and swung it at Sonic, but Sonic dodged it all too easily.
Sonic- Not fast enough!
The Shyguy swung again, but still didn't hit Sonic.
Sonic- Missed me!
The Shyguy kept swinging, but Sonic kept dodging them while making the Shyguy go crazy. Suddenly, the Shyguy noticed his baseball bat with a nail through it was gone. Then the Shyguy felt finger tap on its shoulder.
Sonic- Hey big boy, behind you.
When the large Shyguy turned around, he saw Sonic swinging the baseball bat. There was a sickening crak, before the Shyguy started seeing stars and feeling sleepy.
The large Shyguy- *In a goofy tone* Which way did he go, George? Which way did he go?
Sonic- Hmm…That way!
The large Shyguy- *Still in the goofy tone* Thanks a lot, George! Thanks a lot!
Suddenly, the large Shyguy toppled over with a huge lump on its head. Then Sonic walked over to the Shyguy's backside, smacked the baseball bat right at the Shyguy's butt, and sent him flying right into the air.
Sonic- And it looks like Sonic just scored a homerun!
Luigi and Princess Peach rushed over to Sonic, still amazed at what they saw him do.
Princess Peach- Such speed! I'm speechless! Who are you?
Sonic rubbed his index finger against his nose and grinned a bit.
Sonic- Sonic's the name, speed is my game!
Luigi- You weren't kidding when you said you were the fastest thing alive.
Sonic- Well, like your brother, I too am a hero where I come from.
Luigi- And where is that, exactly?
Sonic- I come from a place called Mobius. But I was suddenly brought here when this wormhole opened up in the sky and sucked me in here. But as I was crossing over, I remember seeing a man who looked similar to you, Luigi. Only he was wearing red and had an M on his hat.
Princess Peach- Oh no! Mario!
Sonic- Did I say something wrong?
Luigi- Sonic, that man you just described was my brother, Mario.
Sonic- If that's true…then he and I…switched places!
*At Castle Koopa in Dark Land*
The large Shyguy was in Bowser's throne room telling Bowser about the strange fighter that beat the Shyguy and took back the princess.
Bowser- How interesting. This sounds like a worthy foe for me. Perhaps it's time I see what this new warrior can do with my own eyes. I'll lead the next attack myself.
*Over in Station Square on Mobius*
Mario was falling from the sky and he landed on the beach near the hotel pool in Station Square. After Mario got his face out of the sand, he looked around at his surroundings.
Mario- What was that all about?! And who was that I just saw before I crashed into this place? And where am I for that matter?
Mario stood up and decided to take a look around. Mario saw some people in the hotel pool and when he asked where he was, they told him he was in Station Square. Mario was curious about this place, so he decided to explore. Maybe he could find a way back to the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario walked around for a few hours and this city seemed very peaceful. That was until Mario was walking passed an alley near the casino. A hand reached out from the alley, grabbed Mario, and pulled him in. The next thing Mario new, a red creature had grabbed hold of his neck with one hand and was holding him against the wall of the alley.
Knuckles- Alright, who are you and what have you done with Sonic?!
Mario- Sonic? Who? I don't know what you're talking about!
Knuckles- Wrong answer!
Knuckles punched the wall, barely missing Mario's head, and making a huge dent in the brick wall. Knuckles then pointed his fist at Mario.
Knuckles- Unless you want your face to be next, you'll tell me where Sonic is!
Then a fox with two tails flew in. He was using his two tails as helicopter propellers to fly in the air.
Tails- Knuckles, what are you doing?! We're supposed to be looking for Sonic!
Knuckles- I saw this man come out of the same wormhole in the sky that Sonic was sucked into. This guy has answers and I'm gonna get them out of him! One way or another!
Tails- Instead of using violence, how about my lie detector.
Tails pointed his device at Mario.
Mario- I don't really know what's going on! I was in the Mushroom Kingdom when this portal opened up and pulled me here! I did see a blue spiky creature just as I was crossing over to this place but only for a split second! Maybe that's was this Sonic character you're all referring to!
Tails' lie detector turned green and said truth on the screen.
Tails- He's telling the truth, Knuckles. You can let him go.
Knuckles- Fine, but I got my eye on you.
Mario gasped for breath after Knuckles let go of his neck.
Tails- Please forgive my friend, Knuckles. We're just looking for our friend, Sonic. And yes, that blue spiky character you mentioned does sound very similar to Sonic. Who are you, anyway?
Mario- I'm Mario and I come from the Mushroom Kingdom. My brother and I are plumbers, but we're also protectors of the Mushroom Kingdom. Saving Princess Peach from villains like King Bowser.
Knuckles- Ha! Plumber heroes? That's gotta be some kind of joke! I've never heard anything so ridiculous!
Tails looked at his lie detector again and it said Mario was telling the truth again.
Tails- Actually, he's still speaking the truth.
Knuckles- Oh come on! That thing is obviously busted! Let me try! 2+2=3!
Then the lie detector changed red and the screen said false.
Tails- I think it's working just fine, Kucks.
Mario- If that hedgehog I saw before I came to this place was Sonic, then I'm guessing Sonic's in the Mushroom Kingdom. That also means we've switched places.
Tails- That kind of makes sense.
Mario- Hey, I've answered some of your questions. How about answering some of mine? Who are you guys and where am I?
Tails- This place is Mobius, but this city is called Station Square. My name is Miles Tail Per'hour, but everyone calls me Tails. And this is Knuckles the Echidna. As for Sonic, he is Mobius' defender just like you're the defender of this Mushroom Kingdom.
Suddenly, the alarm at the bank went off. Mario, Tails, and Knuckles saw some of Dr. Eggman's robots robbing the bank.
Mario- I guess since Sonic's in my world, it's now my job to stop this mess?
Knuckles- Those are Eggman's robots. How is a plumber supposed to take them on?
Mario reached into his pocket and pulled out a fire flower.
Mario- Like this!
Mario ate the fire flower.
Knuckles- Did you just eat a flower?
Suddenly, Mario turned into Fire Mario and held a fireball in his hand.
Fire Mario threw the fireball at one of the robots and it was burnt to a crisp. The other robots tried to fight back against Fire Mario, but they met the same fate at Fire Mario's fireballs. Tails and Knuckles were very impressed.
Knuckles- I see you really can hold your own in a fight, well for a plumber I mean.
Tails- Let's head for my workshop in the Mystic Ruins. Maybe we can find a way to bring Sonic back and return Mario to his home.
*At Dr. Eggman's base*
There was a bold man with a big gut and a bigger mustache than Mario's watching the video footage of Fire Mario frying his robots.
Dr. Eggman- Who is this guy. Odd how he shows up just as Sonic suddenly vanishes. And how did he gain the power of fire just by eating a flower I've never seen before? Maybe I should come face to face with this Mario!