Chapter 5: Sweet Mountain - Act 1
The transport pod from Tropical Resort slid into the terminal of Sweet Mountain with a soft hiss. As the doors parted, a flood of sugary aromas wafted strongly—thick caramel, molten chocolate, the sweet tang of vanilla frosting, and the unmistakable scent of deep-fried donuts. The air itself felt almost sticky, weighed down by the decadent fragrances.
As the group stepped onto the platform, Sonic inhaled deeply, his eyes lighting up with delight.
"Oh man, this place smells incredible!" he exclaimed, practically bouncing on his toes with excitement. "It's like stepping into the galaxy's biggest candy store! We've got to grab some of this stuff later."
Carol wrinkled her nose, the overbearing sweetness almost felt suffocating.
"Smells like cavities waiting to happen," she muttered, shooting Sonic a sideways glance. "How does this place even function?"
Yacker floated ahead, chirping excitedly as he pointed toward a towering staircase.
Tails, tapping away on his Miles Electric, gestured for them to follow.
"Let's see what we're up against," the fox suggested. "If Eggman's got Wisps here, this place probably hides more than it shows," he suggested.
With Yacker leading the way, the group started up the stairs. As they ascended, the already overwhelming scents became even stronger, filling the air with an intoxicating mix of sugar and artificial flavors.
"This place is like every dentist's worst nightmare," Carol said with a smirk. "Or maybe their dream—imagine how many cavities they'd get to fix."
Sonic chuckled, shaking his head as he replied.
"Yeah, and just think of the dental bills! Eggman's amusement park might be sweet, but those dentists would be rolling in cash. They'd be minting money!"
Carol snorted, adding, "Looks like Eggman's not the only one with an evil scheme going on here."
Reaching the top of the staircase, the absurdity of Sweet Mountain finally came into full view. A massive neon sign reading "Welcome to Sweet Mountain!" flashed above them, but it was the sprawling landscape beyond that left them speechless.
In the distance, giant candy factories puffed out clouds of sugar-laden steam, their orange and white facades fitting with the planet's strange theme. Chocolate-covered hills rose like mountains on the horizon, and towering lollipop trees swayed gently under an orange-tinted sky. Vast conveyor belts carried enormous jellybeans, cupcakes, and frosted donuts through factories, while rivers of molten caramel oozed between gingerbread cliffs. Candy corn forests lined the horizon, and floating candy platforms, seemingly suspended by nothing but whimsy, dotted the airspace above.
"Okay, now this is nuts!" Sonic exclaimed, his eyes wide as he took in the ridiculous landscape.
Carol's expression remained skeptical as she surveyed the scene.
"Impressive," she admitted, "but I still can't figure out how any of this stays standing. It's all so… impractical."
Tails, equally bewildered, scratched his head.
"There's got to be some serious tech behind all this," he mused, "Eggman probably has his robots running the factories, and the Heartless must be here to guard his more 'secure' areas."
Yacker let out a string of anxious chirps, pointing toward the horizon where a towering chocolate volcano spewed whipped cream instead of lava. The sight would have been comical, but the Wisp's urgent tone suggested something far less innocent. Tails quickly adjusted his Miles Electric, trying to make sense of Yacker's rapid chatter.
"He says… something about giant jellybeans?" Tails frowned as the translator spat out another garbled message. "That can't be right…"
Carol sighed, shaking her head.
"You really need to fix that thing, Tails," she said.
Sonic folded his arms and added with a grin, "Yeah, unless Yacker is warning us about a 'jellybean apocalypse,' I think you're a little off."
Tails huffed in frustration but continued tweaking the device. After a few moments of tapping and adjusting, the Miles Electric beeped with a more accurate translation.
"Got it! Okay, Yacker says that the other Wisps are being forced to power some kind of machine. He doesn't know exactly what it does yet, but it sounds like something big." Tails frowned as he read further. "There's also something else. Yacker says there's a weird-looking generator deep inside Sweet Mountain, and it's guarded by someone—or something.."
Sonic's grin faded, replaced by a serious expression.
"So that's where Eggman's keeping the Wisps?" he questioned.
Tails nodded grimly as he replied.
"It's not just Eggman's robots guarding it either. According to Yacker, the Heartless are patrolling the area too. Whatever's there, Eggman doesn't want anyone messing with it."
"And the guard?" Carol asked, narrowing her eyes. "What do we know about this 'someone' or 'something'?"
Tails adjusted his Miles Electric again, and Yacker let out another string of chirps, describing the strange figure.
"Yacker says it's a pirate," Tails explained.
"A pirate?" Sonic asked in suprise.
"Yeah," Tails replied, continuing what Yacker said. "A giant jellybean-shaped robot leading the crew, with an eyepatch and a lollipop sword."
"A jellybean robot pirate? Seriously?" Carol remarked, blinking in suprise.
"Classic Eggman," Sonic muttered, already imagining the ridiculous enemy. "I bet this robot is calling themselves 'Captain Jelly' or something."
Tails glanced down at his screen and winced.
"Uh… yeah. That's actually his name," Tails confirmed.
Sonic facepalmed, groaning.
"Of course it is..."
Before they could say anything else, the park's PA system crackled to life, and Eggman's overly cheerful voice echoed throughout Sweet Mountain.
"Welcome, welcome, one and all, to Sweet Mountain! Where every delicious moment is 100% artificial but still 100% satisfying! Please make sure to enjoy our world-famous attractions, including the Cupcake Coaster—perfect for those who love a little thrill with their frosting! Or perhaps you'd like to take a stroll through the Candy Corn Caverns, where every corner is packed with enough sweetness to make you forget all your troubles… until your next dental visit, of course!"
Eggman's voice paused for dramatic effect, before continuing with an almost too-enthusiastic tone.
"But that's not all, folks! Don't forget to try our Donut Dunes! A delightful sandy escape with donuts the size of small planets. And for those brave enough, be sure to climb the Cake Tower—it's a sweet view at the top, but beware of frosting avalanches! You'll burn off those calories in no time!"
His voice turned slightly more sinister, though it kept the same chipper delivery.
"And remember, here at Sweet Mountain, safety is our number one priority! Please refrain from licking the candy-coated structures—they're made of steel, folks! And be advised, trespassers will be met with a sugary wrath, courtesy of Captain Jelly and his delightful crew. Enjoy your stay… while you still can! "
The announcement crackled off, leaving a moment of silence as Sonic, Tails, and Carol processed Eggman's words. The sudden shift from whimsical to ominous hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Sugary wrath?" Carol repeated, arching an eyebrow. "He really knows how to kill a mood. One minute he's talking about cupcakes, the next it's death by candy-coated pirates."
Sonic crossed his arms, shaking his head.
"Eggman's got a weird sense of humor, but we've seen worse. It's that 'Captain Jelly' we need to worry about. If Eggman's warning us, you know it's not just some candy mascot."
Tails glanced at his scanner as he replied.
"If Yacker's info is right, Captain Jelly's guarding that generator. And if he's Eggman's enforcer here, we'll need to get through him before we can do anything about those Wisps."
Carol shook her head, smirking.
"I still can't believe we're actually about to face off against something named Captain Jelly. That's gotta be the dumbest name for a bad guy ever," she remarked.
Just as she finished speaking, a large shadow passed over them, darkening the candy-coated landscape.
"Heads up! We've got company!" Sonic stated, looking upwards to the sky.
From the orange-tinted skies, a massive flying ship loomed into view, creaking as it sailed closer. The ship, crafted from gingerbread and candy, looked like a bizarre mix of a pirate galleon and a bakery gone wild. Giant candy canes jutted from the sides like cannons, and lollipop masts held up sails made from thin, sugar-coated wafers.
"That must be him," Tails said, staring at the approaching vessel. "Captain Jelly."
As the ship hovered closer, the unmistakable figure of Captain Jelly himself appeared on the deck. His jellybean-shaped body gleamed in the artificial light, and his single eyepatch—emblazoned with Eggman's logo—only added to his ridiculous appearance. In one hand, he brandished a massive lollipop sword, and surrounding him was his crew—an unsettling mix of Eggman's robotic minions and looming Heartless, their glowing yellow eyes glaring down at the group.
Captain Jelly raised his lollipop sword in a dramatic gesture, his robotic voice booming from the ship.
"Arrr! So ye be the trespassers defilin' Sweet Mountain! I be Captain Jelly, the scourge of these sugary seas, and yer adventure ends here! Ye'll not be meddlin' with the good doctor's plans, or ye'll face my candy-coated fury!"
Carol groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Wow. It's even worse than I thought. Candy-coated fury? Is he serious?" she sighed.
Sonic, however, was already cracking his knuckles, his trademark grin returning.
"Doesn't matter how stupid the name is. We know what we need to do," he affirmed.
Captain Jelly swung his lollipop sword again, pointing it directly at Sonic.
"Prepare to be crushed beneath the weight of me sugary wrath! Crew, attack!" Captain Jelly bellowed, swinging his lollipop sword dramatically.
From the gingerbread galleon, a swarm of robotic pirates, each outfitted with candy-themed armor—gumdrop helmets, licorice whips, and candy cane swords—leaped from the ship. They descended like raindrops, their metallic bodies reflecting the artificial light of Sweet Mountain as they crashed to the ground.
But they weren't alone. Dropping from the sky alongside the robots were new variants of Heartless. Sugar Shadows, small and nimble with jelly-like bodies, leaped toward the ground in droves, their licorice limbs stretching unnaturally as they moved. Behind them, the more lumbering Caramel Crushers oozed their way down, massive candy-coated fists swinging as they fell from the ship like slow, sticky meteors.
Sonic smirked, eyeing the incoming swarm.
"You ready, Captain Marvel?" he remarked confidently.
Carol, her fists beginning to glow with cosmic energy, grinned back.
"See, my name is so much better than 'Captain Jelly!'" she mocked.
"No argument there," Sonic replied, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Just as they prepared to charge forward, Tails quickly tugged Yacker to safety behind a nearby candy-cane fence.
"Let's leave this one to Sonic and Carol, little guy," Tails said, patting Yacker reassuringly. "They've got it covered."
Yacker chirped anxiously but stayed close to Tails as they watched the scene unfold.
With a quick nod between them, Sonic dashed forward in a blur of blue light, and Carol followed, taking flight as they plunged into the fray.
Robot Pirates and Sugary Heartless
Battle Music: Sweet Mountain Act 3 - Sonic Colors
The Sugar Shadows were the first to strike. Their jelly-like limbs stretched unnaturally as they leaped toward Sonic, trying to overwhelm him with sheer numbers. Sonic grinned, his eyes sharp and focused. In a flash, he curled into a tight ball and launched his Spin Dash, tearing through the first wave of Heartless like a blue buzzsaw slicing through soft candy. The Sugar Shadows shattered into sticky pieces, their licorice arms flailing helplessly before dissolving into darkness.
Carol hovered just above the ground, her eyes locking onto a swarm of robotic pirates charging toward her, their candy-cane swords raised in a menacing display. She smirked, her fists crackling with cosmic energy as she shot forward in a blur of motion. Her first punch landed with devastating force, sending one robot spiraling into the air before it exploded mid-flight, shards of candy armor scattering in every direction.
Close by, Sonic unleashed his Homing Attack, zipping from target to target. Each strike sent a Sugar Shadow or robotic pirate flying, their candy armor shattering under the force of his blows. One Sugar Shadow tried to wrap its limbs around him, but Sonic broke free effortlessly, launching into his Phantom Rush ability. His form blurred as he delivered a flurry of high-speed punches and kicks, each hit landing with precision, until the Heartless disintegrated into a puff of sugary dark mist.
The ground shook as a Caramel Crusher lumbered forward, its massive fists swinging down in slow, deliberate strikes. The ground seemed to ripple as its candy-coated limbs impacted the candy terrain. Carol grinned, now flying toward the massive creature. It tried to smash her with a caramel-coated fist, but she dodged with ease, her body weaving through the air as if she were dancing.
"Let's see how you like this!" she shouted, winding up for a punch.
Carol rocketed forward, her right fist glowing with cosmic energy, as she delivered a crushing blow to the Caramel Crusher's chest. The impact sent the massive Heartless soaring through the air like a missile made of caramel. It crashed straight into a towering Gingerbread Fun House, smashing through the candy walls with a thunderous crash. The entire structure wobbled for a moment before collapsing in a spectacular cloud of gingerbread dust, gumdrops, and frosting.
Before the dust could even settle, Eggman's overly cheerful voice crackled through the PA system.
"Attention, guests! The Gingerbread Fun House is now closed—thanks to Captain Marvel and her unbelievable right hook! Please enjoy our other sugary attractions while we sweep up the crumbs. Have a sweet day!"
Carol barely acknowledged the announcement, already spinning in midair, her movements fluid and graceful. Without missing a beat, she unleashed a barrage of rapid-fire energy blasts from her glowing fists, each one finding its mark with pinpoint precision. The candy-coated robots crumbled under the relentless assault, their brittle parts bursting into sparks and sugar dust, disintegrating as they hit the ground.
Nearby, Sonic was handling his own set of problems with his usual flair. He dashed past a wave of Sugar Shadows, gathering energy before unleashing his Sonic Wind technique. A spiraling vortex of blue energy tore through the remaining Heartless, sweeping them into the air like a mini-tornado. The sugary fiends spun helplessly before dissolving into black mist as the powerful wind sliced through their bodies.
Just as the Sugar Shadows disintegrated, a familiar blue glow appeared nearby. The Cyan Wisp floated toward Sonic, chirping excitedly before diving into his body with a burst of energy.
Sonic's entire form glowed with cyan light as he felt the familiar surge of power.
"LASER!" the bodiless voice boomed, announcing the transformation with authority.
In an instant, Sonic became a streak of pure light, zipping through the battlefield at impossible speed. He ricocheted off candy platforms, bouncing between enemies, his laser form cutting cleanly through Caramel Crushers and robotic pirates. The sugary Heartless and candy-themed robots stood no chance as Sonic sliced through them like a bolt of lightning, leaving a trail of shattered candy pieces and fried circuits in his wake.
As Sonic reverted back to his regular form, he landed smoothly next to Carol, who was finishing off one of the last remaining Caramel Crushers. She grabbed the Heartless with one hand, her strength effortless as she launched it high into the air. The Crusher spiraled upward before Carol raised her other hand, charging a Photon Blast.
"Time to wrap this up," Carol muttered, as she took aim.
With a swift motion, she unleashed the powerful blast, hitting the Heartless mid-air. It exploded into a burst of dark mist on impact, but for a split second, it almost looked like candy pieces were going to pop out.
"Would've been fitting if candy popped out of these things," Carol chuckled.
High above on his gingerbread galleon, Captain Jelly watched the battlefield with growing frustration. His crew had been decimated, and even his most powerful Heartless had fallen. His candy-shaped body trembled as he raised his lollipop sword in a dramatic flourish.
"Arrr! Fall back, ye fools!" Captain Jelly bellowed. "Retreat to the shadows!"
The remaining Heartless, still lurking in the distance, melted into the darkness, disappearing like shadows retreating from the light. The few remaining robots, their candy armor dented and scorched, scrambled to follow the order. They rushed off in a chaotic retreat, some tripping over gumdrops as they fled.
Captain Jelly glared down at Sonic and Carol one last time before turning his ship around, his robotic voice booming across the battlefield.
"This ain't over, ye scallywags!" he called out.
Sonic dusted off his hands and smirked as the galleon disappeared into the distance.
"Yeah, yeah, see you around Captain Jellybean!" he teased.
"That was… almost too easy," Carol admitted, turning her gaze down to Sonic.
"What can I say? We make a good team," Sonic remarked with a confident grin.
Rank: S
The battlefield was now littered with broken candy and sparking robots, remnants of the chaos that had just unfolded. The area was finally clear, and the immediate threat had been driven back—for now. Sonic, Carol, and Tails regrouped, Yacker floating nervously beside them, his usual chirps now calm.
Sonic stretched his arms behind his head, his trademark grin still plastered on his face.
"Well, that was fun. But it looks like we've got more work to do," he affirmed with a grin.
Carol glanced at the horizon, where Captain Jellybean had retreated.
"Yeah, fun, but not done yet. We still need to take down that generator, and there's the whole 'Captain Jellybean' problem." She shook her head, clearly still unimpressed with the name. "Honestly, that's gotta be one of the worst villain names I've ever heard."
Sonic chuckled, tilting his head playfully.
"Yeah, it's pretty bad. Maybe we can improve it? How about… Captain Jellylegs? Or Jellybelly?" he suggested with a teasing tone.
Carol let out a snort, crossing her arms.
"Really? Those aren't much better," she admitted.
Sonic grinned, tapping his chin in thought.
"Hmm… Captain Jelly-Tart? Captain Jellyroll?"
Tails, still focused on his Miles Electric, chimed in without looking up.
"How about we stick to the plan instead of naming him like a dessert menu?" He glanced at Yacker, who chirped eagerly. "I'll stay with Yacker and explore the park a bit more. There's a lot going on here, and I want to analyse this place before we shut everything down. You two can handle finding that generator."
Sonic nodded, already bouncing with excitement.
"Sounds like a plan. We'll split up to cover more ground. Carol, you take the high route; I'll handle things down here." He grinned mischievously. "And hey, last one to the generator is a… uh… sour gummy!"
Carol smirked, her competitive side flaring up.
"Oh, you're on, hedgeh-."
Before she could even finish her sentence, Sonic dashed off in a blur, leaving a trail of blue light behind him.
"Catch me if you can!" he called back, his voice full of playful energy.
Carol rolled her eyes but couldn't help grinning as she took to the skies.
"A sour gummy, huh? Well, I'm definitely not losing to that," she remarked.
As Tails watched them disappear, he turned to Yacker and smiled.
"Looks like they're having fun. Let's see what else we can find around here."
Yacker chirped in agreement, and the two set off to explore deeper into Sweet Mountain, while Sonic and Carol raced against time—and each other—to reach the generator before Captain Jellybean could regroup.
Another chapter down.
Thanks for the follows and reviews, really means a lot.
Also, thanks to Aragorn II Elessar for adding my story to his community. If you like multiverse stories and awesome one shots, go check out their fan fiction page. Thanks for the support my friend!
I thought we'd start with some action with Captain Jelly and some variants of the Heartless. Can't beat a team up with Sonic and Carol.
Bring on Act 2 - with Sonic rushing through the park on foot.
Next chapter will be released soon. Hoping next day or two.