Chapter 4 – Save the World
As the team stood petrified at the sight of Metal Sonic, the evil robot chuckled menacingly, prepared to continue the fight and eliminate the remaining fighters.
"So, surprised to see me back, aren't we?" he asked. "I bet you are all wracking your brains over what happened down there between me and Sonic. The pity, he could not survive my explosion, even in his Super form."
"What did you do to him?" asked Percival, feeling a surge of shock and anger.
"If you want to know, allow me to explain," said Metal Sonic. "You see, my explosion attack does not really affect me. All of you were so naïve to believe that it would mean my own demise. Just when I was so close to detonating, Sonic grabbed me and dumped us both into the shaft, and it was then when I finally exploded, unleashing an incredible force that nobody can weather!"
"You dirty, conniving, vile trickster!" hissed Torden furiously.
"Why thank you," laughed Metal Sonic. "It pleases me to receive such compliments. But anyway, I put myself together following my kamikaze move and it was then when I realised that I have finally accomplished what Dr Eggman could not! I eliminated Sonic! There's nothing that could make me all the more satisfied!"
"In that case, we're all screwed," said Jakkin.
"Most certainly you are," said Metal Sonic. "And now, I think I'll go ahead and start the process of destroying your pathetic planet as a way to spite you all for the humiliation you've inflicted upon! From here on, I shall do the same with the rest of the solar system and beyond! The entire universe shall fear the name of Supreme Metal Sonic!"
"We won't let you do that!" hissed Draco. "Sonic will be avenged!"
Tails clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as his anger resurfaced. Charged up again, he took a fighting stance.
"Stop wasting your energy, fox boy," taunted Metal Sonic. "Pretty soon, you will join your best friend."
Shadow continued to look at the fallen Silver, and deep inside, his rage was reaching its breaking point. That monstrous fiend… he thought. He humiliated me, belittled my pride, killed my one and only motive to prove myself as the ultimate lifeform, and now he's wounded my descendant! Well, he's gone too far! He'll pay for this! No one messes with my bloodline and gets away with it!
Unable to contain his anger any longer, Shadow screamed furiously and charged directly towards Metal Sonic.
"Wait, Shadow!" cried Tails.
But Shadow continued his assault and fired a powerful energy blast at Metal Sonic. Unfortunately, it did not do much to bring down the monstrous robot. Metal Sonic lunged forward and knocked Shadow backwards. He then stared at the hedgehog while he struggled to get up.
"Goodbye, Shadow," he laughed. "Looks like you're not the ultimate lifeform after all!"
Metal Sonic prepared a deadly beam attack and pointed it at Shadow.
"Oh no, you don't!" shouted Tails and he flew straight towards Shadow, intercepting the attack as it exploded on him.
"Tails!" cried Draco.
As the explosion subsided, Tails barely managed to recover, but he was critically wounded on his left shoulder. "I won't let you take away another life, not as long as I'm still alive!" he spluttered as he glared at Metal Sonic.
"My, you're just as much of an idiot as your friend Sonic," said Metal Sonic. "I'm afraid our time is up! I'm going to kill you all!"
Lily and Torden cringed at Metal Sonic's words. "This is it…" they said sadly.
"No, we cannot give up now," said Cynder. "There must be some way we can put an end to him."
"And one more thing, Tails," continued Metal Sonic before he prepared his final attack. "Just before you, your friends, and everyone you hold dear die at my hands, remember this. All of you will be wiped out of existence while I will live on."
"So this is how it all ends…" said Tails in a defeated tone. "My left arm crippled and killed by a robot. Blaze, Draco, I'm truly sorry. I gave it my all, and yet I failed…"
"Snap out of it, Tails!" shouted Cynder. "Sonic wouldn't sit back and take it all in, and neither should you! You want to do the right thing and make Sonic proud? Then don't be intimidated by that son of a bitch and destroy him for good!"
"You can do it!" called Draco. "Come on, Tails!"
This brought Tails back to his senses. Encouraged by Cynder and Draco's words, he got back his resolve, and despite his broken arm, felt the determination to defeat Metal Sonic. He began to charge up an energy blast.
Metal Sonic was delighted. "That's the spirit," he said. "Let's get the final round underway shall we?"
The two super powers delivered their charged up attacks, which again rocked back and forth. Neither Metal Sonic nor Tails showed any intention of giving up, but Tails found it hard to keep up the attack using just one arm.
I'm feeling lightheaded… he thought as he struggled to push his attack towards Metal Sonic. My body feels so weak, and I'm hearing voices in my head, yet I can't surrender as I have to stop Metal Sonic before he destroys everyone…
"Yo, Tails," called a strangely familiar voice in his mind.
"Wait a second," said Tails, feeling very disbelieved. "Sonic, is that you?"
"It's me alright," replied Sonic.
"But it can't be!" exclaimed Tails. "You're dead! Metal Sonic killed you!"
"I am dead," said Sonic. "But I'm communicating with you through King Kurotsuki in the afterlife."
"Sonic, what am I supposed to do?" asked Tails. "I'm so scared right now, and I don't think I can hold this on any longer! It's all thanks to my pacifism, hubris and weakness that you're dead! And now, we're all…"
"Tails, I believe you have the power," said Sonic. "Remember everything you have learned, all the things you managed to do without me. Saving Station Square from Eggman was one thing that you should never forget. Heck, even before you met me you've saved the Cocoa Island. It doesn't matter if you're as brave as me or not."
"Can you go straight to the point, Sonic," said King Kurotsuki. "I don't have all day, you know. Just tell Tails that he's got it in him to stop Metal Sonic."
"Okay, okay," grumbled Sonic. "Now Tails, listen, if you don't do this, all of your friends are going to die. Draco is going to die. Amy is going to die. Even Blaze and your unborn child, they're going to die. But most importantly, you are going to die. You are much better than that, and you are much better than Metal Sonic! At the moment, you've surpassed me in skill and power! Remember who you are, you are Miles Prower, the smartest, kindest, and most compassionate friend I ever have in my whole life! You're my very best friend! My honorary brother! My trusty right-hand man! Take a step forward, unleash all of your strength, and defeat Metal Sonic! And please, allow Cynder and the dragons to partake in the fight."
Feeling a sudden boost of confidence and strength, Tails let out all he could muster, and his attack was nearly close to dominating Metal Sonic.
"Don't think this is over, you brat!" yelled Metal Sonic. "I won't let you win! You hear me?!"
Metal Sonic desperately increased the intensity of his attack, and now Tails was on the verge of being overcome.
"Uh oh, Tails is in trouble," said Cynder. "We've got to help him, and I know just how!"
"What are we going to do?" asked Draco.
"It's time to pull this one off again," replied Cynder. "Combine our attacks into one! Everyone, prepare to charge up your most powerful moves! He may have taken our energy, but will never take our determination! Let's show that monster what we're made of!"
Cynder and the dragons flew towards the battle. Cynder and Ash charged up their Plasma Bursts and formed them into one giant ball. Draco followed with his Fire Blast while Charonus attempted his Psystrike attack. The rest of the dragons used their strongest attacks, and together, they joined the charged up elemental balls with Cynder and Ash's, causing it to grow to enormous proportions. Finally, Cynder hurtled it directly towards Metal Sonic. The evil robot struggled as now he had to deflect both Tails' attack and the dragons' energy ball.
"Still not enough," groaned Ash. "This guy is pretty much unstoppable!"
"Come on, do it," urged Cynder as she focused on the ball.
"This is it, fools!" bellowed Metal Sonic. "Find solace that at least you will all die together! PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DEATH!"
But just when Metal Sonic could knock the attacks back, one struck him from behind. Metal Sonic turned to see that it belonged to Shadow.
"Now's your chance, Tails!" shouted Sonic. "Finish him!"
And with one final push, Tails delivered the strongest energy beam, which combined the dragons' energy ball and engulfed Metal Sonic. Defeated, Metal Sonic could do nothing but stare in shock as he started to crumble away. The combined attacks let off a really powerful explosion which blew everyone across the room. Moments later, the smoke cleared away, all the dragons and Shadow have reverted back to their normal forms, while Tails was still in his Ascended Super form for a brief moment before reverting back as well as soon as he collapsed in exhaustion. Fortunately, Draco swooped in and broke his fall. The team looked around the now trashed throne room, and they could not find a single trace of Metal Sonic, except for a few tiny pieces of his remains.
"It's finally over," said Cynder in surprise. "Metal Sonic is truly destroyed!"
Jakkin and Percival huddled each other, both amazed and pleased that battle was won at last. Percival was so happy that he was close to crying.
"Way to go, Tails," smiled Draco. "You've beaten the toughest bad guy yet!"
Tails said nothing but breathed heavily, battered yet content that he won the fight.
Cynder looked at the Chaos Emeralds and Master Emerald which were still safe and intact, and then she focused on Silver was still knocked out. "Better collect the Emeralds and pick up Silver," she said. "We've got to get out of here right now! The Anthro League Space Fleet must be entering the Death Egg as we speak!"
When Jimmy received the report from Empress Celeste that the shield was out, he was delighted as he and the rest of the space fighters could commence their attack on the Death Egg.
"I knew Blaze could do it!" he laughed. "Into the Death Egg we go!"
"Vamonos, Jimmy!" beamed Hero.
Jimmy and several of the Anthro League space fighters flew straight for the Death Egg while the rest continued battling against the Eggman Empire space armada. Some of the Flappers chased after Jimmy's team as they flew over the Death Egg's surface before they finally spotted an opening into the superstructure. Evading the laser blasts that opened fired as they flew by, Jimmy and his teammates readied their ships and dove inside with some of the Flappers following close behind.
"Lock on to the strongest power source," he commanded. "We should be able to locate the reactor that way."
"Stay alert," replied Ignatius as he initiated the lock on. "The passageways are getting narrower really fast."
Sure enough, as the fighters travelled deeper into the Death Egg, the corridors were gradually getting narrow, making it difficult for them to manoeuvre. A couple of Flappers crashed against the walls and pipelines as a result.
"Oh no!" exclaimed Kodiak. "They've got me! They…!"
With another space fighter destroyed, Jimmy knew action would have to be taken to relieve the pressure. "Ignatius and I will continue our course to the reactor," he announced. "Split up and head back to the surface so that you can get some of the Flappers to follow you to give us more time."
"Got it, Leon leader," replied Buford and when they reached a fork, he and Fang took the direction to the Death Egg surface while Ignatius and Jimmy turned to the other direction. The Flappers also split up in their pursuit.
Ignatius led the way through the depths of the Death Egg and eventually they arrived at the reactor core. "There it is," he said as Shu pointed ahead excitedly.
"Alright, Ignatius, proceed with disabling the power regulator," said Jimmy.
"I'm on it," replied Ignatius. "You ready to set some fireworks, Shu?"
"Yes, I'm ready!" cheered Shu, and the Incineroar and Pikachu began firing away upward to the power regulator, which burst into flames around the centre of the reactor.
Jimmy then started firing the middle of the core, and as it exploded wildly, the reactor started to collapse. The fighters now knew that they need to evacuate the Death Egg quickly before its destruction. Just then, Jimmy received a transmission from Buford.
"I tried my best!" the buffalo panicked. "Tell my wife and kids I love them…!"
The transmission ended in static, and Jimmy lowered his head under the realisation that another fighter was lost, but he continued the flight upward to the surface. Ignatius and Shu were the first to leave the crumbling Death Egg. Jimmy and Hero were getting nearer to the exit, but they were anxious as the flames were catching up to the ship. At last, they made their way out just in time.
"Yee-haw!" cheered Jimmy while Hero laughed after they escaped.
The remaining survivors of the Anthro League Space Fleet were already heading their way back to Earth, including an Eggman Empire shuttle. As they fled the Death Egg, it burst in rapid flashes of light before erupting in a massive explosion that let off a huge shock wave spanning through space.
Author's Note: At long last, it's a victory for the Anthro League, including Tails, Silver, Shadow and the dragons! It's finally over. The reign of Dr Eggman and Metal Sonic is no more. With two chapters remaining, we'll be seeing what happens as our heroes regroup and reunite. By the way, while writing that climactic battle, the song from Sonic Heroes, "What I'm Made Of," has been playing in my mind!