Tails the Fox
Chapter 31 - A Turning Point
Boss 20 - Super Techno Sonic

Note: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and 
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?

Metal Sonic approached Techno Sonic, aiming his laser at him. Techno Sonic let out an evil laugh. "Original Sonic copy is inferior! Techno Sonic is supreme!" As Techno Sonic spoke, his plasma shield began to surround him. Metal Sonic, however, didn't notice. "Target locked... Fire!" Metal Sonic fired his laser at Techno Sonic, which merely bounced off the shield. However, each shot weakoned the shield, and soon it was very weak. In response, Techno Sonic took in the remaining energy and fired his plasma shockwave at Shadow and Metal Sonic, forcing them to jump out of the way. Metal Sonic wasted no time shooting back. The shots banged up Techno Sonic a great deal, but Sargent Gunner simply watched, grinning evilly. Metal Sonic's laser soon ran out of shots, and Techno Sonic was looking a bit worn out. Shadow crossed his arms as he watched. "This robot is pathetic! It can't seem to do anything!" he remarked.

Techno Sonic remained eerily quiet as Metal Sonic rushed to try to finish him. It was then that Gunner gave his command. "Techno Sonic! Transform!!" Techno Sonic held a White Chaos Emerald over his head, another fake. In a brilliant flash of light, the emerald was absorbed by Techno Sonic, who began to glow as he was charged with the energy. His blue metal body now shone golden. "Transformation complete! Super Techno Sonic, ATTACK!!" The transformed robot took to the air and charged at Metal Sonic, delivering a crippling blow that sent Metal Sonic flying into the wall, dropping to the ground in a crumpled heap! "Mission failed..." he quietly said.

"Whoa! Are you OK?!" came a voice. Copter had caught up with them, and was now examining Metal Sonic's damage. Metal Sonic simply buzzed in response. "I'll take that as a no..." Copter muttered. Gunner backed toward the elevator, eyes wide at who he now saw. "Experiment 2 is here, too! It's a big conspiracy!" he said. Spy looked up from his work. "Sure, or maybe Eggman was really behind everything from the start..." This statement irritated Gunner a great deal. "Shut up and work, Spy! I need to crush these minions of the Eggman Empire!" he growled. "I'm not on Eggman's side, Gunner! I just want to know what he's up to!" Shadow insisted. "LIES! ALL LIES!!" Gunner screeched, "You let Sonic go before, so you're not on my side!"

Shadow suddenly couldn't help himself. He just started laughing, almost uncontrollably. Gunner failed to see the humor. "What's so funny! Stop laughing at me, you freak!" Shadow stopped laughing, but continued grinning. "You really have gone nuts." he said. Gunner was fed up with this. "You won't trick me again! Nor will we ever cross paths again!" he threatened. Shadow became serious once more. "You think your Sonic copy scares me? That fake emerald will just produce a fake super form. I can beat it."

"Oh, insert tab A into slot A... What moron thought that up?" Spy could be heard in the background. "I said shut up!" Gunner snapped. "Super Techno Sonic! Destroy that traitor, Shadow!" he commanded. Techno Sonic roared from overhead. "ELIMINATE BLACK HEDGEHOG!!!!"

"Shadow!" Copter shouted, "You take care of that clown! I need to try and fix metal moron over here!" He began tinkering with some tools he had "borrowed" from Spy when no one was looking. "How would Tails do this? Attatch red wire to green wire? This could take a while..."

Shadow looked up at Super Techno Sonic. "All right, sarge! You asked for it!" he said. Gunner ran over to where Spy was working, and shouted his last command to Techno Sonic. "Kill him! No one gets away from GUN!"

Super Techno immediately dashed at Shadow at such incredible speed that he couldn't be seen! Shadow couldn't even see him as he made it behind him and gave him a powerful kick, knocking him over. Techno then dashed behind him again and repeated the attack, sending Shadow face first into the floor. Shadow rose to his feet shakily. "He's using Chaos Control, isn't he?" Shadow thought. "Does he really expect to beat me with my own moves?" Shadow used Chaos Control himself, at the same time as Techno Sonic, and they both reappeared on opposite sides of the room. So, they tried again, with the same result. "This isn't getting anything accomplished!" Shadow shouted. "Quit cowering and fight, robot!" Techno Sonic responded by firing plasma beams from his hands, which Shadow found difficult to dodge, and was nearly hit several times. As he got close to Super Techno, the robot responded by unleashing a series of physical attacks to Shadow's gut, ending with a powerful uppercut attack, sending Shadow flying into the roof and falling back down. "This isn't working..." Shadow thought. He struggled to his feet, hearing Gunner's amused laughter in the background. "Come on, Shadow! You know you can't beat a super form! Just die quietly!" the sargent taunted. Shadow was not one to give up easily, and decided it was time for a different tactic. "Chaos Spear Storm!" A blizzard of spears erupted from Shadow and flew at Techno Sonic, who simply brought up a plasma shield. However, the shield couldn't hold out against so much force, and Techno Sonic soon found himself pummeled by hundreds of Chaos Spears. In order to escape, Techno Sonic used Chaos Control again, reappearing in front of Shadow and giving him several more physical attacks. This time, however, Shadow managed to use Chaos Control himself to get away. Super Techno's attacks seemed to only grow stronger as the battle continued. Shadow wondered how he could win at this rate, but quickly shrugged off those thoughts. He ran after Super Techno again, this time using Chaos Blast once he was close enough. Super Techno glowed even brighter as he withstood the attack, and proceded to attack Shadow more violently than ever, ending up by smashing a fist into his jaw! Shadow was flung several feet from Super Techno, his body beginning to show signs of damage. As he picked himself back up, Shadow noticed his nose was bleeding. "Oh, that does it! I'll rip you to shreds!" Shadow shouted, unleashing another Spear Storm attack. Techno Sonic began glowing more violently as he withstood the attack, now seeming more red than gold. It Chaos Controlled itself away once more, but now sparks were shooting out from him. Gunner's cocky grin now turned to a frown. "What's happening!	? Why is he sparking like that!?" he wondered aloud. Shadow smiled. "A robot can't hold so much energy. He can't take much more!" Super Techno Sonic seemed to grow redder as it became filled with rage. "Silence! I have been ordered to destroy you, and I will! Charging to maximum power! Time to end this!" The robot warped to Shadow's location and began unleashing furious attacks at Shadow, whose wounds began to bleed as he struggled to withstand the assault, and even fight back. Finally, Shadow decided the time was right, and warped away, just in time for Techno Sonic to fire his fully charged plasma beam! The beam instead hit the wall, causing a small cave in, but nothing major. Techno Sonic was sparking violently, and struggled to speak as he turned to Shadow. "Kill... black... hedgehog..." he managed to say. Shadow had enough, and charged at Techno Sonic with all his might, rolling into a ball as he impacted and soared through the robot's body, leaving a hole in its chest that sparked violently before Techno Sonic finally died in a violent explosion! Parts of the robot flew all over, and a small fire remained where the robot stood. Shadow was bloody and tired, but he had won.

Gunner shrieked with devastation. "Noooo!!! My ultimate android! Curse you, Shadow!" Metal Sonic, whom Copter had succeeded in repairing, joined Shadow in facing Gunner. "Mission complete, thanks to Shadow!" he said. Copter joined them as well. "You're finished, Gunner!" he said, excitedly. Gunner began to panic. "We've been cut off from our reinforcements..." he realized. Shadow, whose wounds semed not to bother him, started to approach Gunner. "You're leaving this place now, one way or another!"

Suddenly, the elevator Spy had been working on sprang to life. "What do you know! Sarge, it's working!" Spy said happily. Gunner was more shocked than ever, considering Spy did something right for a change. "It is?! Finally, some luck!" The sinister sargent hopped into the elevator. "So sorry, furry freaks! You lose!!" At Gunner's words, the elevator shot up into Darkegg Fortress, taking Gunner and Spy inside. Shadow, Copter, and Metal Sonic ran to the spot the elevator had been and looked up to see the elevator disappear from sight. "Not good. There's now a saboteur in the base!" Metal Sonic pointed out. "I must give chase!" With that, Metal Sonic ran out of the cave and back into the mines. Copter let out a frustrated sigh and looked at the clock on his wrist. Terror suddenly washed over him. "It's 5:30!? NO!! No, no, no!! I'm so short on time!! I must get to Space Colony ARK immediately!!" he shouted in alarm. Copter then ran into the mines as well, not stopping for a moment. Shadow's eyes went wide as he realized what Copter had said. "ARK!? What in the world would he be doing there!? Now I have to follow him!" he realized.

Copter very quickly found his way to Eggman's space shuttle and started up the engines. Shadow stealthily stowed away on board, making sure Copter didn't know he was following him. BAS was also installed on the shuttle, and announced the liftoff. Copter was horrified as the shuttle left the Earth, but his mission was at stake, and he had to go. Once they were well under way, BAS made an announcement. "Now approaching Space Colony ARK! ETA to landing, 3 minutes!" Copter looked at the time. "Stupid piece of junk! Hurry up!" BAS simply taunted him. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me!" BAS then noticed Copter was up to something. "Hey, are you playing with my buttons!?" Copter was, and he started banging on the control panel. "Work! Work, darn you!!" The shuttle suddenly began shaking violently, and Copter, Shadow, and BAS all started screaming. "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!"

Somehow, they landed on the ARK. Copter stumbled out of the shuttle, threw up, looked at his clock, and ran off. "I can't waste any more time! I must complete my mission now!" Copter said to himself, "Everything depends on it!"

To be continued...