Chapter 10: A Spooky Reception (Part II)

Luigi's Mansion: Secret Room

Dimentio's message had left everybody shocked, most of all Cream.

"He has Cheese!?" Cream asked. "What are we going to do!?"

"We're gonna find her!" Luigi said bravely, almost forgetting his fear. He grabbed his Game Boy Horror. "Everybody hang on!" He used it on a mirror and teleported everyone to the front lobby.

"Hey!" Tails exclaimed. "That's pretty nifty!"

"I think we should split up." Sonic suggested. "We can cover more ground that way."

Mario nodded. "I agree."

"There are seven of us," Sonic said. "How should we divide up?"

"I'll be on my own." Shadow said. "Unlike some of us I can handle it."

"OK," Mario said. "Luigi and I will be a team, Sonic and Tails will be a team, and Knuckles and Cream will be the last one. That sound OK with everybody?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"All right then," Sonic said. "Good luck to everybody!"

They all split up to find the missing Chao. After awhile Mario, Luigi, Sonic, and Tails ran into each other in the courtyard.

"Find anything?" Sonic asked, at which the Bros. shook their head.

"Nope." Mario confessed. "Dimentio must've hid him pretty good."

"Or you're just blind." Dimentio teased, as he appeared above them.

"Well if we're blind," Luigi argued. "We wouldn't know about the secret room, now would we?"

"Where's Cheese?" Tails demanded.

"Found her!" Sonic exclaimed, pointing at a cage with the missing Chao in it.

"Ha! Told you that you were blind!" Dimentio laughed.

"But…but that wasn't there before!" Luigi said. "You just put it there!"

"Maybe I did, and maybe I didn't." Dimentio merely shrugged. "But what are you going to do about it?"

"We're going to give Cheese back to Cream!" Tails told him. "You said we can have him if we find him."

"I did say that," Dimentio nodded. "But the good thing about being evil is that you get to lie a lot!"

"You little snake!" Knuckles shouted, as he and Cream rounded the corner.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up." Dimentio crossed his arms.

"Please sir," Cream pleaded. "Please let Cheese go. He didn't do anything to you."

Dimentio faked a sob. "How heartbreaking…but I still refuse!" He smiled evilly. "The little bugger is staying with me…Hey!" He noticed that the cage was empty. "Where did he go!?"

"I believe you're in the wrong spot Dimentio!" Shadow said, holding Cheese.

"No, no, NO!" Dimentio shouted. "How could you ruin my fun!?"

"While you were busy blabbing with your mouth Shadow and I opened the cage." Sonic said, chuckling at Dimentio's disappointment.

"You should really ask Eggman to make you a better lock." Shadow teased. "I could've picked it with my eyes closed. But breaking the door was much more fun."

Just then King Boo appeared, at which Luigi glared at. "Dimentio," the king said. "We have found it."

"Great work King Boo, thank you!" Dimentio smiled. "Well," he turned back to the heroes. "I have what I came for, and so I'll be leaving you now. But don't worry, we'll meet again. Ciao!" He snapped his fingers and vanished.

Cream politely bowed. "Thank you all for helping me get my friend back." She said gratefully.

"Chao chao!" Cheese agreed, bopping his head up and down.

"No problem Cream!" Sonic gave her his thumbs-up.

"Let's head back to the castle!" Tails said.

"Chaos Control!" Shadow quickly said, making the heroes disappear.

Bowser's Castle: Basement

Bowser walked in as Eggman was bent over a desk. "Is your big plan ready yet!?" He thundered.

"Not yet." Eggman shook his head to Bowser's disappointment. "It still needs some fine-tuning."

Just then Dimentio appeared. "Got the Chaos Emerald." He said, holding it in his hand.

"Perfect!" Eggman rubbed his hands together. "That will move our plans along nicely!"

"So when do we attack?" Bowser Jr. asked, as he and Metal Sonic walked into the room. "I'm getting really bored."

"We will attack when everything is ready." Eggman told him.

"I WILL show Sonic that I am the Ultimate!" Metal Sonic declared. "I cannot just sit here waiting and rusting!"

"Then go get the heroes attention or something!" Bowser snapped. "Go beat them up as much as you please!"

"Yes," Eggman agreed. "And while you do that I'll finish up here."

"Don't forget our little secret part of the plan." Dimentio reminded him.

"I know that!" Eggman retorted.

"I will go buy time!" Metal Sonic declared. "I will prove that I am the Ultimate! I WILL defeat Sonic!" With that he ran out of the room.

"Man, he's in a hurry." Bowser Jr. sighed.

"Dimentio," Eggman said, calling the magician to him. "I have a mission just for you."

"I'm all ears." Dimentio said, his curiosity raised.

Bowser laughed evilly. "Soon Mario will be dead, and the princess will be mine!"

The heroes have defeated Dimentio and rescued Cheese! But the villains have already gotten their hands on a Chaos Emerald! Things may look messy as the two teams continue their search, in the next chapter of Heroes Alliance!