Sonic: The Tournament of Chaos
Chapter 14: The Fastest Thing Alive
The once peaceful Irrinia Island was swiftly becoming nothing more than a warzone as The Egg Emperor unleashed several attacks, causing the arena to slowly grumble with every strike. Team Sonic, accompanied with their new friends from the Etastie Empire, hastily moved to destroy the powerful mech. Said robot sliced its giant lance throughout the air, unleashing arc-shaped waves of energy in several directions.
The blasts impacted against the stage with sickening force, creating small tremors every time they landed. Compared to the first time this robot was used in battle, the waves of energy now moved faster than before, leaving the team with little time to react before they were struck. Silver stood protectively in front of Amy, Knuckles and Revon, throwing out his hands to generate another Shield of Light. He successfully deflected the blasts, though it was clear to everyone it was putting the already exhausted hedgehog through intense strain.
Vector pounced forward, dodging all of the waves of energy until the distance between himself and robot closed. Upon reaching the giant mech, he slammed his powerful fist into the robot's leg. He gawked in horror, noting his attack didn't even leave the smallest of dents. "What?!"
The Egg Emperor kicked him away with its giant mechanical foot, leaving the detective to scream with horror. Ozor quickly intervened, catching the crocodile within a teleknic hold before he could leave the stage. He swiftly raised his hands, summoning energetic chains to wrap around the robot's shield, pulling it to one side and leaving the mech exposed to the others.
"Hurry up, guys!" Ozor demanded, gritting through his tightened teeth. "I don't know how long I can hold this!"
Knuckles and Tiny took Vector's place, repeatedly striking against the Egg Emperor's torso. Unable to leave any permanent damage, they ran out of reserved stamina in a matter of seconds. From the skies above, Tails hurled several Dummy Rings towards the robot's face while repeatedly shooting his laser pistol. The rings exploded harmlessly against the robot, not even leaving a scratch. Rouge and Tabitha accompanied the fox in the air before hurling downwards, striking their legs against the same spot.
"Get off!" Eggman exclaimed.
He swiped them away with his lance before striking said weapon towards Espio and Revon. The ninjas moved to ambush the robot by his exposed area, hurling through the air to avoid the lance and landing on top of the robot's shoulders. Before they could strike, electricity suddenly emitted from the mech, paralysing the ninjas as they screamed in agony. This same attack shattered the energy chains restraining the robot's other arm, allowing Eggman to shield bash Knuckles and Tiny into the distance.
Ozor roared with frustration, summoning his energetic blade. The jackal avoided the Egg Emperor's lance, closing the distance between them with ease. He repeatedly swiped against the robot's powerful armour, his raw energy unable to leave a single damaging effect. Blaze moved to assist, unleashing her scorching flames towards the robot's front. She pressed on, roaring fearlessly. But her flames did nothing to stop the Egg Emperor in its place.
Eggman's voice cackled widely throughout the speakers. "As you can see, I've made quite a few additional touches to this mech since our last encounter! This is pure tungsten metal! It's fire proof, bomb proof and electric proof!"
As he laughed mockingly, Shadow snapped his fingers, forming another Chaos Spear within the palm of his hands. Determined to prove the doctor incorrect, he tossed the powerful weapon, albeit with some strain. The Egg Emperor protected itself from harm with its powerful shield. While distracted by Shadow, Eggman whelped with surprise as the robot's thrusters suddenly gave out, causing the Egg Emperor to awkwardly stumble on its feet.
Queen Serenity lowered her hand, examining the now frozen robot. "Your arrogance will be your undoing, Doctor Eggman."
While the robot was temporarily down, everyone raced forward to take advantage of its lack of guard. The strongest of the team repeatedly stuck its thick armour while those who wielded energetic abilities unleashed hundreds of projectiles. Despite their coordinated attack, the good doctor wasn't willing to give up so easily. The robot's powerful thrusters roared back to life, thawing the ice before it ascended into the air.
"That's how you want to play it? Fine!" Eggman barked, slamming both fists down on the console. "Take this!"
Dozens of homing rockets launched from the robot's back, targeting the large team. Sonic gritted his teeth, hating every moment he was forced to stand idly by and do nothing. He tried in vain to move his legs, but they buckled out every time he tried to take a simple step. Chax stood by his side, protecting the hedgehog from any stray blast that was unfortunate enough to hurl their way.
"Everyone, fan out!" Silver pleaded.
The heroes split up into several smaller teams, choosing to escape the stage in favour of the bleachers. Sonic, Shadow and Chax chose unwisely to stay on the stage, using any opportunity to avoid the missiles as they smashed against the ground. A cacophony of thunderous impacts were made at its epicentre, the missiles shaking the stage with every strike, threatening to crumble it to pieces at any given moment.
Using the opportunity to finally launch a counterattack, Sonic, Shadow and Chax raced forward, leaping up with their legs stretched forward. Their feet collided against the Egg Emperor's chest, leaving no impact from their coordinated assault. Eggman swiped the lance, succeeding in striking Chax mid-air while Sonic and Shadow, the smallest of the trio, avoided the blow. As they landed, Shadow didn't hesitate to hurl Chaos Spears towards their target, aiming specifically for the head. With no obvious weak spot, they did nothing to deter the mech at all.
The Egg Emperor smashed the duo down before raising its shield, intending to cut the hedgehogs in half with one final blow. The shield came close to making a fatal impact, stopping just inches away from their midsections. Vector stood over the two hedgehogs, grunting with anguish as he struggled to hold back the giant shield.
"Get away from them!" Amy's voice rang out, distracting the Eggman from his original targets.
The Egg Emperor turned around, its head staggered backwards as the Piko Piko Hammer collided against its metal structure. While it didn't dent the armour in the slightest, it broke Eggman's concentration momentarily, allowing Vector more time to hold the mech backwards.
"Quick, get out of here!" the crocodile pleaded, feeling his arms about to give out at any moment.
Sonic and Shadow scrambled to get out of range. Knuckles and Tiny returned shortly, grabbing the shield. The trio worked together to push the mighty weapon back. The others returned shortly to help. Silver and Ozor approached from behind, using their combined powers to restrain the lance within a telekinetic hold. Even with the two of them working together, holding a giant weapon like this for some time was putting quite the strain on their powers. Serenity jumped forward, unleashing her ice beams towards the Egg Emperor's face.
Inside the mech, Eggman grunted with frustration as his vision was compromised. "Losing visual contact! Take this!"
Everyone gawked in horror as the mecha begun charging once more, unleashing a large golden swarm of energy that began to form and surround the robot, creating burning power. The storm of energy continued to circle, growing more powerful with every passing second. With one final sickening roar, the aura of energy closed in and detonated, engulfing everyone within in a giant explosion, one that could be witnessed for hundreds of miles. Those who were not within range shielded their eyes from the explosive results, the powerful energy blinding their eyes with light almost as strong as the Sun.
Amy was the first to recover her sight, her mouth dropping in horror to the sight before them. "NO!"
She could only watch in horror as Knuckles, Tiny and Vector were no longer standing, stretched out across the stage without any trace of life. Sonic, Shadow and Chax, who were partially caught in the blast, felt their hearts drop to see their friends in such a motionless state. Their fears were shaken away with sickening rage within. They charged forward once more with the rest of their allies joining the fight.
Eggman chuckled and commanded his robot to lower his weapons. They suddenly broke about into millions of nanoparticles. The lance and shield restructured into giant fists, pounding them together with assertion.
"Whoa!" Tail exclaimed. "Nanotech!"
"Like what you see?" Eggman cackled. "Even if you could possibly damage my robot, my nanotechnology will instantly rebuild the damage! You can try all you like, but nothing will be taking this robot down!"
Ozor screeched with anger and dashed forward, charging into battle. The Egg Emperor sidestepped and grasped Ozor by his throat, lifting him above his face. Promptly, Rouge and Tabitha moved towards the robot's respective sides, simultaneously landing a kick each into his face. The robot absorbed their blows like tickles and countered by punching the former away while blasting away the latter with a single blast, all the while he restrained the jackal. Silver swooped in from behind, intending to double kick him out of position.
The Egg Emperor's free hand wrapped around the hedgehog's waist, applying pressure that crushed his ribcage, thrashing the future warrior around like a ragdoll. He tossed Silver away and tightened his grasp on Ozor, overwhelming the jackal with incredible force. Every passing second forced a yell of distress to leave his lungs.
At that moment, Tails launched his last remaining Dummy Rings into the robot's wrist, focusing specifically on a critical area he noted while the nanotec restructured its design. The explosion caused its hold on Ozor every so slightly, giving the jackal enough breathing space to finally slip out. His crippled body hurled backwards, saved from further harm as Tabitha caught her ally, gently setting him down in one of the bleachers.
As Tabitha raced backwards to rejoin the battle, Amy and Chax raced forward to join her. The trio charged forward from above, below and forward, intending to strike simultaneously. The Egg Emperor reacted with frightening speed, throwing out his mechanical hands to block Amy's hammer and Chax's punches, fending them away with a simple punch. The robot bounced up to whip Tabitha across the face with a simple backhand. All three were sent flying with Chax and Tabitha smashing into different areas of the arena.
Sonic, summoning his newfound strength, raced forward to build enough monetium to launch into the air. He caught Amy within his arms, landing awkwardly at the top of the bleachers. He gently set the dazed hedgehog down, examining her condition with concern. "Amy! Amy, are you okay?"
She slowly opened her eyes, the aftermath of her injury leaving her head spinning. "S-Sonic?"
"Stay here, Amy," Sonic spoke gently, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Relieved she was only dazed, Sonic didn't hesitate to retrieve her hammer for his own use. He raced back onto the stage, repeatedly striking the Egg Emperor with the Piko Piko Hammer. While far from full strength, he carried enough stamina to race faster than the average man, allowing him to strike the robot with super speed.
Rouge was quick to assist the blue hedgehog, bringing her feet down and unleashing a rapid series of kicks with incredible speed, stirring up harmful wind currents in the process. The Egg Emperor turned as Blaze came racing towards him, screeching with frustration and humiliation. Her powers flamed high as she approached, one arm arched back to deliver a devastating strike. Se slammed his fist directly into the robot's face, providing enough force to push his head slightly to the side. Her moment of triumph was short-lived as the Egg Emperor turned his head back, even while Blaze's fist remained pressed against his face. Without warning, Eggman backhanded the princess away, delivering enough force to leave her stunned.
"Blaze!" Silver cried out, choosing to race after her in concern.
Before the future warrior could reach her, the Egg Emperor grasped him within its giant fist, slamming the hedgehog against the stage. Relentlessly, Eggman stomped on him repeatedly, determined to eliminate him from battle. Silver cried with anguish with every stomp, but could do nothing to stop the endless onslaught. Despite the unbearable anguish he endured, Silver worried more for Blaze over his own wellbeing. His mind went blank as one final stomp crushed him into the stage, leaving the future warrior unconscious.
Blaze softly regained her sense of reality, looking down to realise she was over the stage. Panicking, she threw out her hands and unleashed tornadoes of flames, slowing her descent. She glanced towards the Egg Emperor, gasping with concern to see his depleted state. The sight of her close friend enraged the princess, giving her the strength to return to battle once more.
While Silver fell, Chax recovered from his previous collision and charged once more, throwing his fists in rapid speed. His attacks were swift, striking with such speed and ferocity. This relentless barrage of attacks was not enough to surpass the Egg Emperor's movements. Eggman saw through his attacks with the robot's tracking tools, retaliating by slamming his fist against the wolf's stomach, winding him with such a devastating strike.
Chax tumbled over and clutched his stomach, his breath bashed out of him. With his guard down, Eggman mercilessly kicked the young fighter into the distance, indirectly knocking down Espio and Revon along the way. He finally grew impatient with Sonic's endless attacks, taking to the sky once more to avoid the hedgehog's hammer attacks.
Sonic screeched to a halt, breathing sharply with exhaustion. The remaining fighter joined him shortly, standing by his side. Inside the mech, Eggman couldn't avoid frowning at their endless persistence. The robot's abilities outmatched the heroes in every way, yet his powerful and brutal attacks were not enough to break their fighting spirits. He growled, determined to beat the heroes once and for all.
Rouge and Blaze returned, racing towards the Egg Emperor while swooping around his giant fists. As they closed, Rouge jumped over the robot and moved to land a sharp kick. Before her foot made contact, Eggman spun and landed a powerful uppercut of his own, knocking the bat towards the sky. She cried out in shock, her head spinning from the powerful impact.
Shadow raced upwards to save his partner, catching her inches away from hitting the ground. His feet grinded against the stage, jet skates flaring as he skidded to a halt. The two glanced towards each other, experiencing a sense of déjà vu. Brushing off these thoughts, Shadow quickly set Rouge down before shifting his focus towards their adversary. Rouge paused for a moment to compose herself, following her partner into battle.
During Rouge's absence, Blaze continued pressing her flames forward to no avail. The armour withstood her strongest temperatures. The robot turned in her direction, its nanotech forming one of its wrists into a single cannon, aiming directly towards the princess. Eggman unleashed a giant blast, its powerful presence approaching her. Unable to move to safety, Blaze threw out her arms in a futile attempt to cushion the blow. The blast connected with the ground, the shockwave sending the princess hurling through the air once more. She smashed through the bleachers, her head smacking against one of the seats causing the world around her to swiftly fade away.
As Sonic hurled Amy's weapon towards the robot, Espio cupped both hands and vanished from sight once more, choosing stealth over brawn. He charged to the side, treading lightly on his feet to avoid giving his position away. The detective ponced forward, landing on the Egg Emperor's back, searching for a weak position.
Eggman's powerful baritone rang out through the robot's speakers, aware of the detective's position. "Nice try!"
The mech spun around aggressively, forcing Espio to lose his grip and fall. Restructuring the robot's arm cannon back into a hand, he slammed the fist directly into the plummeting chameleon, striking into his head with enough force to shatter buildings. Espio shot through the air like a speeding bullet, hurling over the stage and into the water below. Knowing the detective would drown in his subdued state, Tabitha didn't hesitate to dive towards the bottom of the arena, her claws grabbing Espio's arms. She dropped him as gently as possible, briefly examining his condition. From her experience as a bounty hunter, she recognized a concussion from a single glance. Until their opponent was defeated, there was little she could do to provide medical care. She returned to the air once more.
During the owl's absence, Shadow moved forward to take her place. Without warning, Eggman sent him away by firing a barrage of energy blasts from the robot's fingers. At full strength, Shadow would have dodged or even withstood such a weak attack. His worn down condition did nothing to prevent the blasts from carrying him away.
Eggman watched with joy to see that even the Ultimate Life Form could do nothing to stop him. He spun the mech around, slapping away a surprise attack from Tabtiha. He grabbed the owl by her leg, tossing her towards the approaching Rouge. The two collided mid-air, the force leaving them both winded. The duo fell from the sky, smacking against the bleachers with enough force to shatter bones.
Vath grabbed Tail's attention, gesturing for the fox to approach. "Quick, throw me towards his arm!"
While unsure of the pangolin's strategy, Tails obliged and grabbed Vath's razor sharp hands. The extra weight of his armoured scales forced Tails to use more strength than he was used to, grunting with obvious strain. Nevertheless, he did as instructed, hurling the warrior through the air. Vath tucked himself into a ball, allowing his razor sharp body to slice directly through the robot's right wrist, separating it from its body. He landed with a small thud, taking the opportunity to gloat. "Ha! How do you like that?!"
His moment of triumph was short-lived. The Egg Emperor's nanotech formed around its arm, structuring another wrist in place of its missing limp. Vath, awestruck at the sight before him, growled with frustration. He threw up both arms, challenging the evil doctor to face him. Eggman happily obliged, throwing his mechanical fist towards the pranglin. Vath greatly overestimated his own strength, barely catching the fist within his hands. Danger followed as Eggman raised the other robot's hand, unleashing several energy blasts from its fingers, hitting Vath at point blank range.
The last thing the teammates heard were Vath's cries of anguish before he was surrounded in an endless attack. Vath was forced to endure the blasts, the sudden, violent detonation of energy shook the ground for miles around, forming a huge cloud of smoke. The smoke cleared, revealing Vath, both arms held over his face in a crisscross pattern. He breathed out slowly, lowering his arms. He stumbled forward, striking the ground face fist.
Eggman bellowed with laughter at the defeated pangolin. "Even Knuckles wasn't that gullible!"
Swiftly, he shifted around to grasp Chax, restraining him from further interference. With the wolf at his control, he grinned and took joy in having this fighter at his mercy. Reeling back his free hand, he punched the wolf repeatedly while the others tried in vain to help. Chax, as strong as he was, couldn't withstand the punches for long. His head went limp before long, eliminating another fighter from battle. Eggman nonchalantly tossed the wolf towards the water below. Tails gasped, racing down to save him from certain death.
With their numbers dwindling by the minute, Revon hastily jumped on the Egg Emperor's face, distracting the evil doctor for the others to begin their counter attack. Serenity followed her teammate closely, unleashing a barrage of ice attacks. This momentary distraction allowed Sonic and Shadow to intervene, using their Homing Attacks to repeatedly strike at the Egg Emperor's core.
Eggman charged his electricity defence once more, but Revon, having adapted to this counterattack, jumped away before he was harmed. Eggman, one step ahead, launched more missiles towards the ninja, who could not avoid the missiles mid-air. He rebalanced himself, swatting and kicking away as many missiles as possible. Their numbers eventually overwhelmed the ninja, exploding nearby and sending him towards the stage below, grinding against the ground with a loud screech.
Eggman kicked away Sonic, focusing all attention towards Serenity. He charged forward, blasts of ice brushing past his robot without harm. Serenity roared and accelerated her attacks, unable to slow him down. The Egg Emperor restrained one of her arms, using enough force to yank her arm out of its socket. She screamed as her shoulder dislocated, unable to pull her hand free from the robot's powerful grasp. Refusing to submit so easily, Serenity threw up her legs, unleashing a combo of kicks into his arm.
Growing desperate to escape, Serenity used her free hand to form an ice blade over her arm. She hurled the weapon forward, slicing through the robot's arm with some difficulty. Finally free of the robot's grasp, she nursed her injured arm. Shadow suddenly appeared by her side, outstretching one hand.
"I can help you," he offered with a sense of urgency in his voice.
Serenity recently turned her head, allowing Shadow to grab her arm and yank it back into its socket, forcing a painful whelp to leave her throat. The Queen fell to her knees, unable to continue fighting in her condition. Sonic and Shadow shared a knowing look between each other, realising they were the only two left now.
Eggman bellowed with triumph, nanotechs swarming around his arm to rebuild his lance. "Well, well, well! Just the two of you left!"
"Give it up, Eggman!" Sonic demanded. "You know you can't beat us!"
"Really? Take a good look at your friends, Sonic," Eggman darkly suggested. "I bested them all! What chance do you think you have?!"
The hedgehogs exchanged one final look, nodding in agreement. The two raced forward with Sonic charging forward while Shadow teleported to one side. The hedgehogs entered their Spin Dashes, circling around the Egg Emperor with high speed. As their speed increases, a pulsating electrical field begins to form around the robot, resembling a nucleus. Their Atomic Strike grew in size, the electrical field at its peak. The hedgehogs jumped away from their opponent, using every last ounce of strength to release the electric field against the evil doctor. The second their feet touched the ground again, their legs finally gave out, forcing the friends to their knees.
Meanwhile The Egg Emperor's body shook violently, electricity sparking from all directions. All systems appeared to have short circuited, rendering the giant robot little more than a shell of its former self. The hero's moment of triumph was short lived. The Egg Emperor roared to life once more, all systems back to full strength thanks to the reserved power. It stomped aggressively towards the defenceless hedgehogs, casting a shadow as it towered over them.
"Clever trick, but futile," Eggman stated. "I would say it's been a pleasure, but your endless persistence has pushed me to my breaking point one too many times, hedgehog!"
The Egg Emperor raised its lance, electricity forming with a sickening howl thundering across the sky. Sonic and Shadow lacked the strength to stand. The former panicked, realising his adventuring days were finally coming to an end. Shadow closed both eyes, ready to accept his demise. He lived a long life, one he never intended to reach during his years on Earth. His only regret was to fail Maria's promise in keeping the world safe from harm, a guilt he would take with him to his grave.
Eggman whelped with surprise as a sticky substance smeared itself over the robot's face, rendering him without sight. This forced him to halt striking down the defenceless hedgehogs, stepping backwards while cursing at the one who had the audacity to sneak attack him. Taking advantage of the doctor's vulnerability, Serenity outstretched her good arm, summoning the last of her strength to freeze part of the stage below the robot's feet. The Egg Emperor's metallic foot slipped against the frozen ground, throwing the whole robot onto its back. The Queen fell to her knees once more, too weakened to be of further assistance.
Sonic shifted his focus, spotting Tails, the one responsible for blinding Eggman, landing beside them. The fox hastily removed his backpack, retrieving a familiar briefcase.
"Tails, I-"
"No time to chit chat! You guys need these!"
Tails emptied the briefcase, watching in awe as the Chaos Emeralds scattered around the hedgehogs. He stepped back, offering a small nod. "Go get him, guys!"
Sonic smiled, shakily offering a thumbs up to his little brother. The hedgehogs closed their eyes, the Chaos Emeralds levitated the duo into the air. Their powerful presence called to the speedsters, seeing no hatred or evil intentions within their hearts. They were pure hearted fighters, heroes who would sacrifice themselves to save others. The Emeralds accepted their will, merging their extraordinary abilities.
By the time Eggman finally ripped away Tail's glue attack, his eyes widened in horror as Sonic and Shadow were carried into the air, the seven Chaos Emeralds circling around them with a familiar glow. "Oh, no, you don't!"
Desperate to stop the hedgehog's transformation, Eggman unleashed his remaining missiles, determined to destroy the duo once and for all. His eyes widened as the blasts connected without any damaging effect left in its wake. The Chaos Emeralds' raging energy protected the friends from immediate death. The powerful gems enclosed together, disappearing from sight before surrounding the duo in a glowing white light. Its presence was as beautiful as the Heavens but carried the weight of raging power. The light dispersed in seconds, revealing the doctor's worst fears.
Sonic's blue fur was now golden yellow, his quills standing up as the flaming energy roared to life. His green pupils were now red, his overall appearance appeared lighter from the energy and light output of the golden aura from where the excess energy radiated from within. He clutched both hands tightly, feeling his stamina replenish way beyond his previous state. Super Sonic opened his eyes, grinning with confidence as he took the air.
Simultaneously, Shadow's black fur morphed into a golden lemon-cream colour, his eyes turning completely ruby red as well. Unlike Sonic, his quills remained unchanged. The transformation restored his Chaos energy, bringing the Ultimate Life Form back to full strength once more. Super Shadow unleashed a sickening roar, one that carried itself throughout the arena and echoed throughout the island.
Now fully replenished, Sonic and Shadow threw out their arms, summoning a golden aura with traces of electrical sparks surrounding them. The members of Team Etastie marvelled at the incredible sight before them. Serenity and Ozor could sense the growing power raging throughout the hedgehogs. The stories of the Chaos Emeralds granting limitless power had a mere legend throughout their empire. To witness the legend come true was a great honour, a story they would tell for years to come.
"All right!" Sonic whooped. "Let's scramble some Eggman!"
Shadow growled in agreement. "You're going to regret this, Doctor!"
The Egg Emperor briefly stepped back, concerned their transformations had gifted them the strength to defeat him once more. Composing himself with a loud snarl, Eggman slammed on several buttons, overriding the mecha's limitations. "Don't think this changes anything!"
The giant lance charged with electricity once more, wielding well over one hundred thousand volts of electricity within its grasp. Releasing they were of little help at this point, Blaze ordered those who were still on the stage to return to the bleachers for safety, concerned Eggman would resort to attack them in an attempt to distract the heroes. Without even blinking, Sonic casually raised his arm, catching the giant weapon within the palm of his hand with no obvious strain. His strength now exceeded his previous state, barely breaking a sweat.
Shadow used this opportunity to swoop forward, landing a devastating kick into the robot's chest. The Egg Emperor launched backwards throughout the air. Concerned his defence was going to break, Eggman controlled the robot's nanotech to restructure the shield in place of the robot's wirst. He held the shield forward, desperately trying to stop Sonic from penetrating his armour. The hedgehog rapidly rammed against the shield, driving the robot back with every strike breaking its armour away. Eggman scrambled around to repair his robot, but the hedgehog was causing too much damage for the nanotechs to take effect.
He swiped the lance forward once more. Sonic caught the lance again, this time applying a gentle squeeze to crush the giant weapon into ashes. He used the opportunity to grab the Egg Emperor's shield, yanking it from the robot's arm with no difficulty. He tossed the shield back at its owner, laughing with amusement as the impact forced a loud whelp from the good doctor.
Shadow used this opportunity to take, charging up red energy within his hands. He gathered enough energy to release multiple red destructive energy projectiles, homing towards the Egg Emperor with enough force to penetrate his armour. Eggman hastily retreated, needing to buy himself time for the robot's repair functions to take effect.
Sonic and Shadow raced after him, their speed far surpassed their previous state. The two rapidly circled around the robot, slicing through its armour with every strike, too fast for the nanotech to rebuild itself. From the stage below, everyone marvelled at the sight before them, watching the events unfold. Those who were too injured to stand were supported by those who could. The battle finally turned in their favour. Super Sonic and Super Shadow were quick to dismantle the robot with their extraordinary power.
Sonic raced around the Egg Emperor once more, slicing around his midsection. The top half of the robot broke away, revealing a terrified doctor. Eggman yelped in panic while Sonic loomed over him with a proud grin. The doctor panicked, immediately ejecting out of the destroyed Egg Emperor in his Egg Mobile. He didn't make it far as the Ultimate Life Form ascended before him, both arms crossed with a questionable head turn. "Going somewhere, Doctor?"
Shadow teleported to the doctor's side, striking the Egg Mobile with his signature roundhouse kick. Eggman's yells echoed throughout the arena as his hovercraft pounded against the stage, throwing him out of the pilot's chair upon impact. Eggman rolled across the stage, defeated and defenceless. He pushed himself up just in time to see Sonic and Shadow landing mere feet away, their powerful presence casting away any confidence the doctor once carried.
"Sonic, Shadow! I-I-I'm sorry! Please, I'll come quietly, I swear!" Eggman pleaded, dropping to his knees with both hands clenched together, his voice breaking with every strained word leaving his lips. "J-J-Just give me a chance!"
Sonic chuckled at the obvious facade, placing one hand to his hip as his fiery appearance towered over the evil scientist. He waved one finger in front of the doctor's face teasingly. "You already pulled this card before, Eggman. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you."
While Sonic relished in seeing their greatest enemy grovel before him, Shadow marched forward, grabbing Eggman by the scruff of his collar. He forced Eggman to stand, who was quick to cover both arms over his face, fearing the Ultimate Life Form's wrath. "I still have a bone to pick with you, Doctor. Using the Phantom Ruby to make a copy of me isn't something I'm going to let slide."
Eggman whimpered in terror, his arms trembling with anxiety, dreading the hedgehog's fury. He whelped as Shadow tossed him aside. He rolled into the centre of the stage, landing at the feet of Team Etastie. The seven warriors surrounded the doctor, who was unable to escape. At their mercy, Eggman feared what was going to happen next. They peered down towards him, some of them carrying mischievous grins.
Ozor was the first to speak up, summoning his energetic blade once more. "I think we should chop him up into little pieces. One by one."
Tiny slammed his fists together. "I say we pound him into dust!"
"Perhaps we should send the good doctor to an icy grave," Serenity coldly suggested, slowly raising her hands menacingly towards the terrified villain. Ice slowly began to form around her hands, threatening to unleash her cold at any moment.
Eggman was beyond terrified, sweat pouring through his tinted glasses into his eyes. He shot his gaze towards Sonic, his expression visibly pleading with him to help. For as much as he hated the blue hedgehog for ruining his plans, he knew Sonic was no killer. But now he questioned if the hero would willingly stand by and leave him to his demise like this. To his horror, Sonic showed no hint of intervening, calmly watching the events unfold with both arms crossed.
A great discomfort pressed against his chest, a feeling in the back of his mind like excess caffeine settling deep within. He fought to run, escape and hide, but it was no use. His body simply didn't react, tightened in terror. At any moment now, one of the several warriors was going to strike him down, and there was nothing he could do to stop them. Eggman wished he had come more prepared, but his rash return was literally going to cost him everything.
Deciding his fun had gone on long enough, Sonic stepped forward in between the group. "I think he got the message loud and clear."
While some of the team wished the torment could continue, they respected Sonic's decision and backed away. Eggman frantically scrambled to his feet, racing towards the edge of the stage. Shadow almost pursued, but decided otherwise when Sonic held out his arm while softly shaking his head. The rest of the friends made no effort to pursue the doctor either, relishing in watching the the villain run away in terror. They didn't expect Eggman to willingly jump off the stage, cannonballing into the water below, a loud splash following shortly. Sonic peered over the edge, chuckling at the sight of Eggman swimming to safety before racing out of the arena.
"Well, that takes care of that mess," Sonic declared while dusting his hands clean.
Joining the rest of his friends, everyone congratulated each other on a job well done. Sonic and Shadow joined together, closing their eyes with intent focus. Slowly, they relinquished control of their extraordinary power, their fiery golden auras dispersing into the air. The hedgehogs returned to their normal appearance, no longer burdened with the intense power coursing through their veins. The Chaos Emeralds dropped around them, but Tails was quick to react, gathering the gems up within the briefcase before they were lost.
"Great work, guys!" Tails praised.
Sonic retrieved the Chaos Emeralds from his best friend, holding the powerful gems within his grasp once more. Their incredible power had saved him more times than he could count, their amazing energy giving him extraordinary abilities to overcome impossible odds. Untempted by the desire of power, he presented the open briefcase towards the rest of his team. "A deal's a deal, guys! One Chaos Emerald each!"
Without hesitation, Rouge swiped the purple Emerald within her grasp, cradling it closely against her cheek. "My, I have missed this warm feeling."
Shadow rolled his eyes at her over affection to a simple gem. Nevertheless, he was drawn to the green Emerald, having used it countless times in battle. He accepted the powerful gem, its presence calling to him as their Chaos energies entwined into one. Swearing to guard it with his life, Shadow thanked Sonic for keeping his word before stepping away.
Knuckles gently picked up the red Emerald, embracing the sense of warmth the gem carried. It called to him, almost begging to be taken back to its rightful place next to the Master Emerald. The echidna hummed with satisfaction, content on guarding this Emerald as well as his own.
Espio waited patiently for the line to clear before he stepped forward, retrieving the yellow Chaos Emerald within both hands. Truthfully, it was very rare he held a Chaos Emerald within his grasp, having no use to wield such power. At first, the detective briefly contemplated putting it back, concerned he would be tempted by its power for selfish reasons. He brushed away these feelings, entrusting his disciplined heart to guide him to use the Emerald for selfless reasons. He thanked Sonic for keeping his word, swearing to protect the powerful gem at all costs.
"You may keep my Chaos Emerald, Sonic," Blaze assured. "I'm afraid I have no use for it in my world. It is much safer in your dimension."
"You can keep mine, too," Silver agreed. "I won't need it in the future."
Sonic nodded with appreciation, respecting their decision. He glanced down at the briefcase, noting there were still three more Chaos Emeralds remaining, including his own. While he briefly contemplated keeping them for himself, holding too many in one place was never a good idea. Keeping them separated stopped the likes of Eggman from obtaining them so easily.
"Here Tails," he said, passing the silver Emerald to his younger brother. "You hold onto this one."
"Are you sure?" Tails inquired. "I didn't really do all that much to earn it."
"Tails, if it weren't for you, Shadow and I would have been toast," Sonic reminded, patting the young fox on his shoulder. "I know you've had your doubts for the past few weeks, but I know the Emerald will be safe in your hands.
Beaming at the praise, Tails' whole demeanour changed. He stood upright, no longer carrying any doubt or concerns about his strength. "Thanks. I won't let you down, Sonic."
The blue hedgehog nodded before grabbing the final two Emeralds within his grasp. While he held the blue Emerald within one hand, he nonchalantly tossed the final Emerald forward.
Serenity swiftly caught the cyan Emerald tossed her way, surprised to see the blue hedgehog hand over the powerful item without a second thought. She studied the diamond coloured gem with curiosity. She never held such power within her grasp before, almost frightened by the temptations it may bring.
"Sonic, I do not understand," Serenity said, her eyes holding concern. "Would you willingly give up such power so easily?"
The blue hedgehog shrugged while casually throwing the Blue Emerald up and down. "Who better to protect the Emerald than you guys? You stood by our side against Eggman when you easily could have ran away. I trust you."
Astonished by Sonic's compassion, Serenity fell speechless. She slowly peered down, her expression softened. She gently stroked one finger over the Chaos Emerald resting in her hand. The powerful gem was more than a simple gift. It was a symbol of both trust and friendship.
"You are a pure hearted warrior, Sonic," Serenity noted with a gentle voice. "Thank you for your kindness. We will not forget this kind act."
Sonic returned her thanks with a single thumbs up. Everyone's eyes shifted towards the edge of the ruined stage as a familiar face joined them. Jit the Eagle, accompanied by several of the tournament's staff, raced over towards the heroes. Feeling guilty over the damage caused, Sonic softly rubbed his head sheepishly. "Oh hey, sorry about the damage."
"Are you kidding?!" Jit exclaimed with enthusiasm. "This has been the best tournament yet! We caught the whole battle on camera!"
The eagle's enthusiasm sparked different reactions from both teams. Some were happy to see good came out of their battle, others frowned while the rest showed no reaction. Nevertheless, everyone was in agreement over their victory. Irrinia Island was safe from Doctor Eggman's attack and the Chaos Emeralds were secure.
"Guess it's time to say goodbye, huh?" Sonic noted, outstretching his hand towards Chax. "It was great meeting you guys."
The wolf, still partially stunned from his earlier injury, accepted the hedgehog's handshake firmly. "Take care, Sonic the Hedgehog."
The two teams bid each other farewell, going their separate ways. Team Sonic followed the remaining tournament's staff back to the transport where Charmy and Cream were waiting for them. Relieved their friends were okay, Charmy didn't hesitate to embrace his teammates, even as they winced in pain. Cream was more gentle, softly hugging her older sister. Amy returned the gesture, happy to see their friends were unharmed. Jit was kind enough to allow Tails, Vector, Charmy, Amy and Cream to join the rest of their friends on the transport home. Everyone took their seats, some groaning from their extensive injuries.
Fortunately, there were several medical workers riding with them, tending to their severe injuries. Thanks to the Chaos Emeralds' powers, Sonic and Shadow were back to full strength, all traces of any injury now vanished. The same could not be said for most of their friends. Espio suffered a concussion, Knuckles & Vector had internal bruising, Silver's ribs were broken and Blaze's arm still trembled from her earlier battle against Chax.
The transport ship took the air once more, leaving the tropical island for good. Sonic peered out of the window, watching as Irrinia Island morphed into a small dot on the horizon. He softly smiled, happy to have experienced another exciting adventure with his friends. His eyes slowly shifted towards the seat beside him, noting Amy resting her head softly against his shoulder, seeking to comfort the blue hedgehog. Instead of brushing away this affectionate gesture, Sonic slowly placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer while he casted his gaze towards the outside once more.
Rouge's ears perked as a familiar scribbling caught her attention. Her eyes trailed towards Shadow sitting beside her, now writing within a small book. "Another one for your journal?"
Determined to never lose his identity again, Shadow took it upon himself to start a journal since his battle against Black Doom. While he didn't relish in the thrills of adventure as much as Sonic, Shadow held his promise to Maria by travelling the world she longed to see for so long. His closest friend was no longer here to enjoy exploring the planet as they had hoped. Shadow honoured Maria by documenting the countless continents he visited. This self-proposed mission allowed the Ultimate Life Form to meet new people, learn about different cultures and understand more about the world.
Shadow nodded in return. "Yes. The arena itself may have been ruined, but… I think Maria would have liked this island."
A soft smile appeared on the bat's face. Shadow rarely disclosed his personal life with others. Rouge was the only one he confined in, the only friend he could truly share his personal feelings with. She appreciated Shadow's openness about his journal, noting he was growing better at expressing himself, though she doubted he would ever truly grow out of his shell.
For the rest of the journey, the aircraft fell quiet, everyone choosing to reflect on their experience together in silence.
Returning to the mainland brought a strong sense of comfort to the heroes, relieved to be away from the battlefield. Upon returning to Emerald City, everyone went their separate ways home. Vector, Espio and Charmy travelled to the hospital, the former becoming a nervous wreck over the thought of the medical bills that would follow. Amy bid the rest of her friends farewell, choosing to take herself and Cream back home. The rest of the team returned to Mystic Ruins, arriving outside of Tails' home as the late afternoon arrived.
Food was on everyone's mind the second they returned home. Thanks to Tails stocking everyone's favourite snacks and beverages, the friends practically ripped apart his kitchen for refreshments. Before long, everyone gathered outside to chat with one another about their battle. All except for Shadow, who maintained a small distance, leaning against a tree with both arms crossed. The Chaos Emerald rested softly in his hand, its presence bringing a sense of comfort.
"Hey Shadow."
The Ultimate Life Form perked up, spotting his former rival approaching with a friendly wave. Shadow returned the greeting with a small nod. "Sonic."
"Something on your mind?" Sonic asked with concern.
Shadow shook his head. "Nothing to be concerned about."
"...Shadow."
"Yes?"
"...Thanks."
"What for?"
"For everything," Sonic said gently. "Joining our team, saving me twice and standing by our side. We couldn't have won this battle without you."
Shadow hummed softly for a moment, holding his stoic demeanour. The biggest challenges in his life always revolved around expressing himself. Even to Rouge, Shadow very rarely shared his personal feelings. But today was an exception. A grin formed at the corner of his mouth, catching the attention of his rival. "It was eventful, but I expect a better performance from you next time. Faker."
Sonic chuckled in response, unfazed by the insult. "Whatever you say. Faker."
The time finally came for everyone to say their farewells. The tournament was officially over and Team Sonic were disbanded. Of course, if they ever chose to partake in next year's Tournament of Chaos, this wouldn't be the last time they worked together. Sonic felt comfort in knowing they would be reunited again for future adventures.
As Shadow jumped on his bike, Rouge became distracted by her Chaos Emerald, cherishing the sacred gem as if it were her own child. "I have just the perfect place for you."
The Ultimate Life Form rolled his eyes. He tugged at the bike's gears to catch her attention by forcing a low rumble to leave the engine's exhaust. This broke Rouge out of her trance. She was quick to jump on the bike with her closest friend. The members of Team Dark bid one final goodbye to their team before racing away into the distance.
"Guess I better head back to Angel Island and make sure Shade and the Master Emerald are okay," Knuckles declared, his arm still clutched tightly over his torso.
"Are you sure you don't want to see a doctor first?" Tails suggested.
Stubborn as ever, Knuckles waved off these concerns. "It takes more than a little bruising to stop me, Tails."
Trying to convince the echidna otherwise was a futile battle. How he could even return to Angel Island without air transport was a mystery to all. Nevertheless, everyone bid him farewell as he disappeared into the treeline.
Blaze approached the blue hedgehog, one arm placed behind her back while outstretching her free hand. "It has been great to see you again, Sonic. But I fear I must return to my duty in protecting the Sol Emeralds."
Sonic nodded and accepted her hand, a custom they shared every time they departed from each other. He shook hands with the princess, bidding her farewell for now. "See you later, Blaze."
The princess released his hand, shifting her gaze towards Tails and Silver. She didn't expect the future warrior to suddenly embrace her in a soft hug, taking care to avoid damaging her injured arm. Blaze raised her arms to return the hug, but she lowered them just as fast, unsure on how to react. Sonic and Tails exchanged glances, neither certain where this affectionate gesture came from.
Silver released his hold after a few seconds, offering a gentle and sincere smile. "Take care of yourself, Blaze."
Blaze felt herself blush, struggling to conceal the growing purr resonating with her breathing. She offered a small nod of appreciation to Silver, grateful for his selfless actions in the tournament. "Thank you, Silver."
On cue, Tails raised the Dimensional Gateway Device, opening the portal to the Sol Dimension with a single press of a button. Blaze stepped inside the portal, pausing to wave once more. The portal closed before long, leaving only the trio remaining.
"It feels like I just got here," Silver said, his eyes cast towards the crystal clear sky above. "Sometimes I wish I could stay, but I can't abandon everyone back home."
Sonic placed a reassuring hand on the future warrior's shoulder. "You're always welcome here anytime, Silver. Cheer up, we'll see each other again."
"Now that we know how to reach you in the future, we can get together for social events more often," Tails added with excitement.
Happy and grateful to have formed friendships with such genuine people, Silver thanked the duo for their compassion. Knowing it was time to leave, Silver surrounded himself within a gentle aura, slowly ascending towards the air with both eyes closed. The portal emerged from thin air, making its presence well known as the wind picked up. Silver called out one final goodbye before the portal dragged him through time once more.
Tails sighed with content, turning towards his best friend. "I guess you'll be on your way, huh, Sonic?"
The blue hedgehog nodded softly. "There's still a whole world out there to explore, Tails…" he paused and noticed his younger brother's expression softening into a gloomy frown, aware he was going to be on his own for a while till the world needed saving again. Sonic outstretched his hand, offering a small smile. "So, let's explore it together!"
Tail's head raised with interest. "Huh?"
Sonic nodded. "Yeah, me and you! It'll be just like the old days. What do you say?"
Awestruck at the offer, Tails pondered the idea. His memories casted back to their adventuring days, recalling the moment when he realised he couldn't rely on Sonic forever. But even with this independence, the two continued going on several adventures together. Metal Sonic, Dark Gaia, the Interstellar Amusement Park, The Lost Hex and several more. He longed to join his best friend once again.
He clasped his hand tightly into Sonic's hand. "Then what are we waiting for?"
"That's the spirit!" Sonic exclaimed, maintaining a tight hold on the fox's hand. "Here we GO!"
The blue hedgehog raced forward, holding his younger brother close by. Tails cheered with enthusiasm, loving every moment of this experience. Sonic's feet tapped lightly against the ground, a great sense of joy building within his heart. He raced into her frigid air once more, bathing in the wind blowing softly through his blue quills, escaping the confines of a boring life once more.
Their next adventure awaited.
The end. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read. I may write more Sonic stories in the future, I do have several ideas, but I wanted to see how this one turned out first. Thanks again for reading. Everyone have a good day.