Superior Uprising part 4 -...WAITJUSTASTINKINMINUTE!- Sonic’s shout attracted the attention of everyone else, making them stop celebrating and look at the blue hero from another dimension. -Aren’t we forgettin’ something? Or… Someone?- asked the blue hero, at which the others began to think, only for Zero to gasp. -ACE OF SPADES!- he said, looking back at the flaming debris. -And Tails! They were still in the Battleships! We need to get them out of there!- said Sonic, zooming to the debris and trying to lift the smaller pieces of metal, whining in pain as he burned his hands when touching the flaming hot scraps. -Zavok, we need to rescue Sonic’s friends!- said Zero through the ear piece. -Do that, we… We’re out of the fight…- panted Zavok in the ear piece, he was clearly exhausted even after Zor restored his energy. The jackal nodded as the others went to help Sonic, ignoring the flaming hot metal and removing as much debris as they could, but they stopped as they heard a noise come from the top of the pile of scrapped metal. The claw of one of Superior Eggman’s tentacles came out, followed by the other claws which dug Superior Eggman’s body from the debris. Sonic gasped as he wasn’t even scratched, just his fur was a bit charred and his coat was torn here and there but aside that he was unscathed. -Geez, how strong is that dude?!- he groaned as Superior Eggman coughed and looked down at them, a gaze of pure unfiltered rage shimmered in his creepy eyes. He lifted out of the debris the battered bodies of Tails and Amy, respectively turned off and passed out. -You… You, you, you, YOU…- he stuttered, shivering and clenching his fists tight while never losing sight of Sonic. He then tossed the knocked out bodies of his friends, prompting Sonic to dash and grab them, placing them delicately on the ground. That made him smirk enraged as he descended the pile of metal, the arms making the metal shake as they stomped down until he got to the ground level. -Hey, the heck’s wrong with you?! You could’ve hurt them!- shouted Sonic dashing back to the others. -...Still playing the hero, huh? You don’t change… No matter what I do, no matter how many people I hurt or how much I destroy the planet… How do you do that? How do you manage to be so consistently, inescapably INFURIATING??!!- Superior Eggman suddenly shouted, slamming his fist on the ground as the arms bent down to let him do that, then back up. -You… You think you’re SOOOOO much better than me, don’t you?! Going around with that smug smile, that damn confidence, helping out those in need when you have the power to rule them all? Why… Why…- he growled, grabbing his head and shaking violently, clearly he was in the middle of a hysterical fit. -Even if you’re dead in this world… WHY DO YOU KEEP TORMENTING ME?!- he growled again, his cheeks red in rage as he even teared up. -YOU RUINED MY LIFE, YOU IMPEED MY PLANS, YOU HAUNT MY DREAMS… AND EVEN DEAD YOU STILL MOCK ME!!- he shouted out loud, his arms lifting him more. -You brought this on yourself, Eggman.- said Zero, reading his sword. But he barely had time to do that before one of the pincers grabbed him by the neck and brought him closer to the mad doctor, who stared at him with eyes filled with unbridled rage. -I’M. NOT. EGGMAN! I’M THE SUPERIOR EGGMAN, YOU DAMN ANIMAL!- he roared, slamming him on the ground several times. -I’LL SCULPT THAT NAME IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR SKULLS, IF I HAVE TO!!- he shouted, tossing him down, then grabbing a piece of metal and threatening to impale him. -NO!- Sonic shouted and Fang shot at the pincers, making the enraged doctor drop the piece of metal, but then taking his attention as he closed one of the pincers and made them hit Fang’s stomach, sending him flying and making him lose consciousness. -FANG!- shouted Bark, lunging at Eggman. -Oooh, I’ve waited a LONG time to do this!- Eggman chuckled, making his tentacles wrap around his own limbs which gave him enough strength to withstand the polar bear’s charge, knocking him out with a devastating uppercut. He didn’t even have to watch to take out Bean, alerted of his presence by him screaming and by the smell of the fuse sizzling. He grabbed the hand with the lit bomb with one of his pincers and held on while Bean squirmed and struggled until the bomb exploded, making the duck shout in pain as the explosion took out his hand. -YER DEAD, FREAK!- shouted Rough as he and Tumble performed the Grand Stink Bomber Slam but Eggman, rolling his eyes, simply whacked back the spinning Rough into Tumble, knockingt both of them out. -Is this the best you can do, you filthy fleabags? Pathetic… And to think you were such a pain in my sides for so long…- grunted the Superior Eggman, eyeing Johnny Crow and Sonic next. -Gh… Damn you, Eggman…- hissed Sonic but Johnny stretched his arm in front of Sonic. -I’ll deal with him… No matter how strong he is…- said the doctor, transforming in his gaseous form. -All fall to fear.- he said, dashing at him and planning to poison him with his toxin, making him relive his fears and rendering him innocuous. But that failed too as Eggman’s arms stretched their pincers and began to rotate fast, creating a current that kept him away. -There isn’t a single day that my fears torment me. As such, you have no power towards me.- said the evil doctor as he took out a small cylinder and opened it, which created a powerful suction that sucked up Johnny’s gaseous form. -AAAAHHHHhhhhhhhh…- shouted the doctor as he was trapped in the cylinder, which Eggman just tossed away before eyeing Sonic. -See? None of them had a chance against me… Yet you make them try! You inspire them to go murder themselves in the name of hope, and I’m the villain?- Eggman growled at Sonic who had grown subsequently more enraged with more of his new friends he took out. -You inspire everyone to go against logic… Hell, you even inspired ME! Hadn’t you defeated me so many times, making me acknowledge even for just a second that your body and powers were superior against my mind, none of this wouldn’t have happened! I may have destroyed the world, but you…- said the evil doctor, starting enraged and ending with an ominous chuckle. -You… are the one who lit the fuse of its demise…- he grinned, making Sonic clench his fists. -I’m not your Sonic. I’m not responsible for you and your actions… But that won’t stop me from beating the hell out of your sorry ass, you sick, demented freak!- Sonic growled, getting in position, imitated by Eggman. -...I’m stronger, smarter and faster than you, I know all of your tricks and techniques, and still you wish to go against me?! You’re the demented one, Sonic!- shouted the doctor, gritting his teeth. -You’re illogical… You’re insane…- hissed the evil doctor, lunging at Sonic. -I HATE YOU, HEDGEHOG!!- he roared, attacking Sonic. Sonic braced himself, crossing his arms in front of his face and blocking Eggman’s punch with his arms, the attack made him stammer and slide back, hissing as he wasn’t lying: his attack was much stronger than Sonic's own attacks, but he couldn’t back down, not with this world’s weight on his shoulder. He revved a Spin dash from where he was, making Eggman smirk as he did the same, both emitting respectively blue and violet lightning as they charged their attacks, then they slammed against each other, none of them intending to give even a single inch to the other. They parted only to slam against each other several times, each time sparks flew from the point of impact, while slowly the others got back up, groaning. -Ugh… What-What happened?- asked Rough, groaning. -Mgh… Oh! He’s… He’s fighting him!- said Tumble. Zero got up, hissing in pain and holding his sides, a few ribs were cracked but he had no time for that. -F-Freedom Fighters… L-let’s grab the others and l-leave… L-Let Sonic fight at his f-full strength…- he groaned, seeing the cylinder and grabbing it as he saw inside its transparent walls Johnny’s face floating in his own gas. The pother slowly nodded and went to grab Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Shadow and Silver, sleeping a power damper on the future hedgehog’s head, before they carried them back to the Monastery. -Get in, quick!- said Zavok, prompting them to rush inside before he sealed the entrance. The Freedom Fighters stumbled inside, dropped the others to the ground before flopping down as well. It was then that Amy’s eyelids flapped, beginning to regain her senses. -...ooohhh… Wh-What? Wh-Where am I?- she asked, looking around and still unable to move as her limbs were turned off. -You’re with friends, Ace of Spades.- said Zavok, helping her get seated up and placing her against the cave’s walls. -Amy… Just call me Amy… Are you okay?- she asked, seeing the Freedom fighters and most of the Wise Six laying down. -We are. Sonic is now facing Superior Eggman.- said Zavok, making her gasp. -O-On his own?!- she asked. -Yes. And he’s doing great.- he said, checking him out and seeing how they kept slamming into each other in their ball form, letting out more lightning. -I think he’ll get the upper hand soon.- said Zavok, going back to face Amy who looked shocked. -No… No…- she stuttered. -What’s wrong?-asked Zavok. -He… he can’t do it! Not alone! You don’t know him, he’s… He’s more powerful than you realize!- she whined, making Zavok look back at the fight ensuing. -Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do. We can just hope Sonic will prevail.- sighed the Red Zeti, hating to be useless but his power hadn’t fully returned yet. In this state, he’d just be a hindrance to Sonic instead of an ally and, while he hated that, he had to set this one out. In the meantime,. Sonic was surprisingly holding his own against Eggman. As they charged against each other, he got out of his ball form and kicked Superior Eggman’s crouched body, sending him flying against the metal scraps, the force of the impact made him dug a pretty massive hole in the debris, then he got out, grunting and shaking his head, only to then receive a fistful of Sonic in his face that made him slam on the ground, pinned down by Sonic who punched him repeatedly, grunting as he, for once, could finally let loose, knowing that this Eggman could take a bit of roughhousing. Superior Eggman widened his eyes and gave him a double kick in the stomach, sending him back, then he got up and huffed, wiping his face and gritting his teeth as he saw blood on his glove, he could taste it on his lips. He looked back at Sonic, who got up grunting and holding his belly, then Eggman smirked, hunched abit over himself. -Heh… Hehehehehehe…- chuckled the doctor, making Sonic groan. That was his laughter, he recognized it as he always laughed like that whenever he was excited to fight someone who could put up a challenge. However, done by Eggman sounded even more disturbing, warped and twisted. Eggman was laughing because he could finally fight Sonic physically, hedgehog to hedgehog. -Th-The hell are you laughing at, Eggman?!- shouted Sonic. -This feeling… This wonderful… wonderful feeling… I have longed for this. A challenge, someone who could go against me. I was satisfied with your death, but then I realized how much I wanted to kill you with my own hands… Or in this case… YOUR hands…- he chuckled, from his tone he sounded like he was in ecstasy. He looked at his own hands, shivering and licking his lips. -Thank you… so much. Without you being here, I wouldn’t be able to finally, FINALLY do what I always wanted: kill you fair and square, in a fist fight. In a way, you can say this is…- he said, adopting Sonic’s trademarked grin which froze the blood in Sonic’s veins as his foe got straight and began swinging his finger from left to right, even taking Sonic’s identical pose. -...Way past cool.- he giggled before he dashed, almost invisible, towards Sonic, who only noticed the attack a few seconds after, shivering and looking down as he saw Eggman’s fist digging in his own stomach. Eggman moved his fist away, allowing Sonic to fall on his knees while shivering, holding his stomach and groaning as this attack was much stronger than any attack he had withstood so far, even surpassing Knuckles or Shadow’s strength. Sonic looked up just in time to see Eggman kick him in the face, making him fly backwards and slide and roll on the ground, panting as he tried to get up, the indent of Eggman’s sole imprinted on his face. -I see you still have some juice left…- cackled Eggman as he walked to him, his arms behind his back, and extended two of his metallic arms towards him, their pincers closed as they hit Sonic in the back hard, making him groan as they hit him multiple times, then one of them grabbed the blue hero’s head and brought him close, his limbs dangling down as he opened one eye and panted hard as he glared at the doctor. Superior Eggman smirked and punched his foe in the stomach again, this time harder than before, then he began to strike at his body pitilessly and multiple times, each blow had the strength of a truck launched at full speed and Sonic could feel his body groaning under the remorseless assault. Then Eggman switched to slamming Sonic face first on the ground, making him leave the imprint of his face on the ground, then he lifted him again, smirking as now it was Sonic’s mouth that was bleeding. -A wound for a wound.- cackled the mad doctor, letting go of his head and drop kicking Sonic onto a piece of metal, making him dig into it, then Eggman walked closer again, his arms swaying behind him. He wanted to take his time in killing him, wanting to make him feel all the pain in the world before he could make him beg to make it stop. He didn’t just want to kill Sonic, he wanted to destroy him, physically and mentally, he wanted to make him beg for mercy before ending his life. Sonic got out of the debris, landing on his knees panting and shivering. -Oohh, superhero landing.- chuckled Eggman, clapping sarcastically. Sonic spat blood, then got up and got in position again. -Aren’t you a sucker for pain?- asked Eggman, giggling. -I… I can d-do this… all day…- groaned Sonic, wobbling a bit as he struggled to keep upright. -Don’t try to outpun me…- scoffed Eggman as he walked closer, deliberately taking things slow to mess with Sonic. The blue bomber gritted his teeth and dashed at him, but his attack stopped a few centimeters away from Eggman’s face, Sonic’s eyes widened in shock as his foe punched his stomach once more, this attack hurted even more, making him fall on his knees and barf. -Ever heard of using your enemy’s strength against you?- giggled Eggman as he began to kick Sonic in the ribs and head multiple times, his bones creaked and groaned at the merciless assault of the mad doctor, who didn’t even leave him room to catch his breath. The Wise Six and the Freedom Fighters watched the absolute massacre unfold, gasping in shock as they saw Eggman rage on Sonic. Compared to that, what they went through was nothing. Seeing that made them realize how much the reason they feared him wasn’t because of what he said but by his actions. He WAS that ruthless, it wasn’t just some trash talk to make them give up. -He… he’s going to kill him…- groaned Zero. -Him?! What about US?!- whined Tumble, holding his head. -If he can’t stand a chance against him, what can WE do?!- whimpered Rough, hugging his knees. -W-We can’t give up… He didn’t give up on us, so we can’t give up on him… We need to help him!- said Bean, holding his left wrist. -How? Eggman wiped the fucking floor with us, he’d just do it again…- groaned Bark. -...Starline, how much until the transfer is complete?- asked Zavok. -T-Ten minutes…- groaned Starline. -Ten minutes? He’s not going to last that long if Eggman keeps this up!- groaned Zor. -... You don’t know Eggman… He was obsessed with killing Sonic again… Knowing him, he’s going to make sure to keep him alive as much as possible while he beats him. That monster wants him to suffer.- groaned Amy. -How does that help?- asked Rough, groaning. -...I think Sonic knows this and that he needs time. It might be a risk, but… maybe he’s stalling. Going through all that suffering just to let the transfer finish.- said Zavok. -What? So… You think he’s getting himself beaten on purpose?- asked Bean. -I think so…- said the red Zeti, looking out the window. -What is he, crazy?- asked Tumble, grunting. -No… He’s Sonic the Hedgehog…- Amy sighed and smiled. Zavok nodded, smiling back. -I know he’s reckless and wants to do things his own way. It’s such a him thing to do this.- said the leader of the Wise Six. -...He’s more heroic than we thought…- said Zero, hissing as Zeena was bandaging him. Johnny had gotten out thanks to Zomom crushing the cylinder and the other Wise Six were taking care of the others’ wounds. -Sonic… Please survive…- sighed Zavok. In the meantime, Eggman was continuing his remorseless assault at his foe, finishing by kicking him in the chest and lifting him up only to slam him back down with a punch on his back, making him dig a Sonic-shaped hole in the ground. Eggman stopped to pant, huffing as beating him up was fun but tiring, he was using up the serum quicker than he thought. He checked one of his bracelets and gasped: of the 96 hours he had from the doses he took, he had used up 60! He had only 36 hours left of serum. He gritted his teeth and looked at his body, the veins pulsing in their own grotesque way. He heard coughing mixed with giggles and saw Sonic getting up, battered and bruised everywhere with blood seeping out his nose and lips and an eye closed and yet he still smirked cockily. -Ch-Checking the t-time, Eggs?- asked the hero, chuckling and hissing in pain as he couldn’t even stand up. Superior Eggman gritted his teeth more as he walked around Sonic. -How… Do you do it? You can barely stand and yet you keep getting up? Why? What makes you risk your own sake like this?- asked the baffled doctor. -B-Because… Because I made… M-Made a p-promise…- Sonic stuttered getting on his knees. -...A PROMISE?- asked Eggman, shocked. -You’re risking everything… because of a promise?!- asked the doctor again, and Sonic slowly nodded, coughing, before his foe grabbed him by the chest, lifting him up. -ARE YOU LISTENING TO YOURSELF?! You… You’re insane. You’re not even from this world… Why risk everything for a promise to someone who’s not even from your own reality?!-. asked the doctor, not able to understand his reasoning. -H-Heh… Y-You p-parade yourself as me, faker, yet… y-you fail to see wh-what makes me… me…- groaned Sonic, his teeth were stained in blood as he smirked. -It’s… it’s not about the promise… I-It’s about doing w-what’s right… About just… d-doing what you h-have to d-do without regrets… Th-That’s what m-makes Sonic… Sonic…- coughed the blue hero. This seemingly got through Eggman as he plopped Sonic down. -...You’re right. What was I thinking? Concerning over something so stupid as the why you do things. You don’t think about it, you just do it.- he said, while Sonic groaned. -It’s so simple, yet so complicated at the same time. I just need to follow what my heart says and everything else will go accordingly, right?- asked Eggman. -W-Works for me…- groaned Sonic, beginning to catch a weird vibe in Eggman’s voice. Eggman chuckled and slapped his forehead. -Oh, silly me. And here I thought your resolve was part of some unyielding heroic reasoning. But no, you do things because you want to do them, because you CAN do them. You fight because no one else can, and you hang on because only you can. That’s the secret.- he said, returning to his grin. -I shall try your idea. I’ve been restraining myself because I thought I needed to, but… turns out, I don’t really need to. From now on, I shall do what I want because I want to. And guess what I want now, more than anything else?- asked the mad doctor, grinning. As he said so, one of his arms whipped Sonic’s face hard, making him flop back down, holding his cheek as one of the arms’ spikes opened a gash in it, then more began to whip him down, beating him up even more, then three of Eggman’s arms wrapped around Sonic’s entire body, leaving only his head free. -I want to see you DEAD!- said the doctor grinning as he began to slam the metal cocoon on the ground, making Sonic groan loud, then Eggman lifted the cocoon in front of himself, smirking as he folded his arms. -You see, ever since I had these things I’ve developed a liking for a certain method of executing my enemies… I’m sure you’ll find it… Breath-taking…- Eggman joked as the tentacles began to tighten on Sonic’s already battered body. Sonic kept his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, squirming as much as he could as the strong tentacles kept him tightly bound, pinning his arms to his sides. Eggman licked his lips as he watched Sonic’s useless attempts at freeing himself, making the tentacles roll on his body and making them clench tighter for a few seconds, watching enthralled as Sonic struggled to breathe during those moments which for him felt interminable, before loosening, but each time he’d made them loosen a bit less. Two of the three pincers sealed tight against the sides of his head, making him grit his teeth as they held his skull tight, then the third one slammed on his face, making him widen his eyes and whine as it hurted and struggling to get that off as it locked him from breathing properly and that too clenched tight against his head, the pincers’ claws almost digging through his skin. -I always thought you didn’t deserve to breathe the same air as me…- chuckled Eggman as he tightened again, making Sonic arch his back and groan as the grip was growing tighter by the second, each time feeling what little air he had in his lungs deplete and his body began to creak louder as the coils cinched forward, squeezing him with increasing force. Still he squirmed and fought, not wanting to give up still even despite the pretty hopeless situation. -You’re really something, hedgehog. Most of my victims would’ve just given up to despair and at least tried to plead for my mercy at this point. But we both know you’re too stubborn and proud to do that. So I say, let’s skip the boring part and move in to the part when I completely crush you, shall we?- asked the cackling doctor, making the coils tighten even more and also beginning to make the pincers press tighter around his head, making him widen his eyes and struggle more as he was really trying to crush Sonic like a bug. The coils cinched tighter, relentless in their torture of the breaking hedgehog, causing his arms to begin to bend in an unnatural way with how tight they had grown. Sonic couldn’t control a muffled scream of pain as blood seeped from behind the pincer on his face, dripping on the tentacles pitilessly crushing him. -And finally, you scream in pain. Such an interesting fact, this is your current pain limit. bet your Eggman would love to know this.- giggled Superior Eggman as he made the tentacles squeeze Sonic harder and harder, he was running out of air and he found that his eyelids were getting heavier and heavier, but he fought against unconsciousness, even though that wouldn’t have changed anything. -Still hoping, hero? Still thinking you’ll get out of this victorious? Think again. None of those losers will dare to help you, they’re too scared that I will do the same thing to them. face it: this is where you DIE.- Eggman gloated as the tentacles and pincers squeezed tighter, Sonic’s limbs couldn’t hang on anymore and their bones began to break, along with his ribs. He threw his head back, yelling in pain and shaking his head violently as he was at the mercy of this monster and worst of all, he knew he was right: the others weren’t coming to save him, but he wouldn’t have wanted them to risk their life anyway. As Sonic’s screams increased, the Freedom Fighters and the Wise Six were horrified to say the least. They could only watch as Eggman was killing their last hope, feeling so enraged against themselves for being too scared to go and help the hero who was supposed to help them. Starline watched in horror from the lab too, so he failed to notice the BEEP coming from the machine, only noticing something was off as he heard something pierce through the ceiling of the power core at high speed, making him look up, gasping in awe as the weak sun shined through the clouds into the room. -Uh… Guys? I… think help is on the way…- he muttered. Zero, the closest to the lab, heard him and ran at him. -What?- he asked, to which Starline pointed at the hole in the ceiling, then at the machine. -The… mind swapping procedure is complete…- said the platypus. -You mean…?- asked the jackal, who ran back to the window, followed by the doctor. Sonic was on the brink of passing out, his eyes about to roll to the back of his head and his skull creaked ominously. -A few more seconds and… Hehehehehehe… Bye bye, hedgehog…- Superior Eggman giggled ominously, but then he heard something tap on his shoulder and turned his head. -Boo.- said a familiar, although robotic, voice before Eggman received a powerful punch in the face, sending him towards a rock and making him free Sonic, who flopped on the ground. He could barely breathe and his body was broken and covered in bruises all over, so he missed the tall, buff figure practicing the mouth to mouth resuscitation to him, making the broken hero open one eye and see, through his blurry vision, a figure that kinda resembled him but was bigger and brawnier. -Yo, stay with me, dude.- said the familiar voice again, followed by a few gentle slaps on Sonic’s cheeks. Sonic coughed as he finally could breathe on his own, after a few inhales he recovered enough eyesight to see… a huge Metal Sonic staring down at him with worried piercing green eyes. -Oh whew, you’re still with us.- huffed the newcomer, wiping his metallic forehead, more of a rhetorical gesture than a needed one. -W…W… What th-the…?- asked Sonic as the newcomer lifted him up on his shoulder. -Ya did great so far, but now it’s my turn.- he said before taking flight and going back into the Monastery. where the rest of the Freedom Fighters grabbed Snic and placed him on a table carved in rock, giving him basic first aid as he coughed and groaned as everything hurted, then he stared back at the metal hedgehog, along with the Wise Six. -Y-You’re…- asked Zavok, in shock, at which the hedgehog smirked and gave a military salute. -Sonic the Hedgehog, reporting for duty.- said the robot, making the others look back at him. -It… It worked… It really worked…- said Zero, limping to him and touching his muscles in titanium fiber. -Heh, yup.- said the hedgehog, looking and posing in a mirror. -Gotta get used to the new look… But it ain’t half bad…- he giggled, then he saw Amy, looking at him in a mix of awe and happiness, tears flowing down her eyes. -Hey, Ames…- he said, going to her and kneeling down, petting her shoulder and cheek, making her lean on his hand and purr: even if his hand was metallic, she could still feel that it was his hand. -S-Sonic…- she cooed, whimpering as she was moments away from crying. He rubbed her cheek with his thumb, then he placed his hands on her head and closed his eyes, removing the block on her limbs and allowing her to move. -Woah…- said Zavok. -You reactivated her arms and legs!- said Zero, impressed. -I feel this ain’t the only thing I can do…- he said, noticing the bodies of his roboticized friends and going to them, kneeling on them too and placing his hands on them, focusing hard as they were enveloped in a white digitized light. Once the light vanished, Tails, Knuckles and Shadow were back to normal. -Oh my… You can de-roboticize the Mobians?!- asked Amy, going to them. -Seems so. I fear that Silver will need a more invasive intervention, but I don’t think we got time for it now.- said Omega Sonic, simply cuffing Silver. -What are you going to do now?- asked Amy, as Omega Sonic got up, determination in his mechanized eyes. -I need to have a word with Eggman…- he said as he took flight. The Wise Six, Amy and the Freedom Fighters covered their eyes from the dust as he flew out, then dedicated themselves to heal Alpha Sonic, while his Omega variant went back to the battlefield, where Superior Eggman had returned. -Eggman.- said Omega Sonic, making Superior Eggman widen his eyes. -Y-YOU?! H-HOW?! HOW CAN THIS BE?!- he asked, visibly scared and stammered back. -What can I say… In the future, you should really learn to check if the body of your enemy you got rid of is still dead…- replied the metal hero, folding his arms. -That’s… That’s why they stole Omega Metal Sonic and the mind switchers… To bring you back…- he stuttered, shivering. -Yup. Back and, I have to say, not at all happy with what you’ve done to this world with my body…- said Sonic, moving forward. -S-STAY BACK! YOU CAN’T HAVE IT, IT’S MINE NOW!- yelled Eggman hugging his foe’s body with his regular arms and metal arms. -I don’t plan on swapping back. You poisoned my body with that crap you used to stuff your veins with and your body’s too far gone for you to inhabit it.- Omega Sonic sighed and rolled his eyes. -Oh… Heh… Still so cocky… You think you can take me on when your own variant has failed to even scratch me?!- asked Eggman, grinning back. -Who’s bein’ cocky? Ya forgot you built this bot to kill me? I’m pretty sure that I can take you on in this thing.- Sonic replied, huffing and shaking his head. -DON’T UNDERESTIMATE ME, HEDGEHOG!- Eggman yelled and dashed at him, but as Eggman striked Sonic was no longer there, instead having moved behind him and punching him in the back, making him growl in pain as his Metal Sonic’s body was much stronger than him. Eggman slid and rolled on the ground before getting up with his tentacles, but as he did Sonic was already on hiom, hitting him under his chin with his knee, making him fly up, then Sonic grabbed his tentacles and whipped Eggman back down, making him crash on the ground with a loud roar of pain. The tentacles wrapped around Sonic’s arms, but he was not phased by them, instead he planted his feet on the ground and began pulling as hard as he could. -W-What are you…? GGHHAAHH!!- Superior Eggman yelled as Sonic, with some little effort, ripped the arms away from the backpack, leaving them to squirm a bit before flopping down. Then, he saw an option come up in his HUD: ASSIMILATE AND ADAPT. he chose it and the tentacles fused with his body, allowing him to spawn them whenever and wherever he wanted. -N-NO! M-My b-babies… You… You took my babies…- Eggman whined as he crawled to Sonic. -Huh… Bet these can be useful…- he said, creating them. They now were blue and light gray, the light of their “eyes” was green and they had a less aggressive design, losing the spikes in favor of green bulbs. -No no NO!! THIS… THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING!! I… I TOOK EVERYTHING FROM YOU… YOU CAN’T TAKE IT BACK!!- Eggman yelled as, from the backpack emerged the seven Chaos Emeralds. -Ya have those too?!- asked Omega Sonic. -I’LL… I’LL NEVER LOSE… TO THE LIKES OF YOU… NEVER AGAIN!!!- he shouted as the Emeralds shined of an ominous violet light, enveloping him in a violet and red aura which empowered him further, ripping completely his coat and making his quills raise up before his fur became violet with red hues, his skin turned black with popping red veins, especially on his chest and stomach where they formed a circular motif, and his eyes became completely red with black veins inside while his muscles swelled up even more. -MUAH HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! SAY HELLO TO SUPER SUPERIOR EGGMAN… AND GOODBYE TO YOUR PATHETIC, SHORT-LIVED COMEBACK!- he roared, dashing at Omega Sonic and punching him, sending him flying before he stopped with the thrusters on his back. He rubbed his cheek, feeling that Eggman made it cave in a bit and fixed it before he saw him dash at him at blinding speed and hitting him over and over again, not leaving him time to react as he outsped and overpowered him completely. -That devil… He had the Chaos Emeralds on him this whole time!- grunted Zavok, at which Sonic coughed, making everyone go to him. -G-Guys…- he whined, sounding in pain. -Sonic… Your variant is fighting Eggman but he has a Super Form! Our Sonic won’t resist for long!- said Zavok. -N-Neither will him…- said the blue hero, at which Zavok raised a brow and asked:-Huh? What do you mean?-. -He… He was always… c-checking his weird bracelet-watch… Wh-Whatever gives him th-that strength and s-speed, it’s depleting quickly...- groaned Sonic. -It’s the power enhancers…- groaned Omega Tails, getting up as he had heard everything. -Those weird injections he used to give himself in battle?- asked Zavok. -Yeah, that’s what destroyed his body before and what made him switch minds with Sonic. He kept using them even in Sonic’s body to “be superior”, but Sonic’s body’s high metabolism made quick work of the serum, forcing him to inject it more often as time passed by, making him addicted to that stuff. I gave him a double dose, but its effects last longer if he doesn’t strain himself.- said Tails, stumbling a bit as he was unused to his old organic legs until Amy helped him. -But how long will it take? We don’t know how much can that metal body resist.- said Zero, sighing. -While it looks weird, that is a Super Form and, as such, it runs on positive Chaos Energy, which is known to burn off poisons et cetera. The power enhancer is basically a poison, which means the more he fights in that state…- said Tails. -...The quicker the enhancers go off.- huffed Shadow as he got up too. -Plus, that stuff is what replaces the Ring fuel needed for the Super Form to work so, once the enhancers are gone, so will his Super Form, leaving him completely powerless.- added Knuckles, him too regaining his senses. -You’re back… I’m so happy…- Amy sniffed and smiled as she hugged her friends. -Yeah. As Sonic said, we’re going to need some help to eradicate Psychonia off of Silver’s body and mind… The Chaos Emeralds will suffice.- said Shadow, folding his arms. Sonic sneered, seeing how they weren't much different from his friends. -So, again, all we must do is wait…- said Zavok, ordering Zeena and Zor to use their powers to cure Sonic, then the others, while the battle ensued. Superior Eggman had the clear advantage, continuing to attack Omega Sonic and even ripping off one of his arms during his onslaught of attacks. Fast, strong and precise, each blow had a devastating effect on Sonic, who despite that looked all but concerned as he slid back, holding the place where his arm was. -Giving up yet?!- asked Eggman, flying in front of his foe. -I’m just getting started.- replied Omega Sonic before his metal body regenerated his wounds. Superior Eggman growled, making his ominous aura flare up harder as he dashed at Sonic at full speed, preparing to punch him. But, in midair, his eyes widened and he stopped, shivering as he seemed in pain. His whole body twitched as the aura vanished, returning him to normal as he flopped down on the ground, groaning and panting. -Looks like you ran out of juice.- said Omega Sonic, walking to his foe. -No…No no no no no…- whimpered the doctor, trying to get up but failing as his muscles refused to obey him. -You… You did this to me…- he groaned, managing to lift up on his fists and get on his knees, gritting his teeth as every action seemed extremely hard for him. -Again? Ugh, doc, how many times we’re gonna go through this?- asked Sonic, rolling his eyes. -You did this! You did this, you did this, you did this!- he growled, punching his foe’s metal legs but his attacks were almost uneffective on Omega Sonic’s new metal body. -You did this… You… kept winning… I… kept losing… I just… wanted to win… I-I had t-to w-wi-i-i-i-in…- Eggman bawled before he slid down, beginning to cry hysterically and hugging himself, rocking back and forth and shivering clearly having gone too far. -Oh doc… You have no one and nothing to blame but yourself…- said Sonic with contempt, wrapping his foe in his new tentacles and giving him a powerful sedative. -Th-This was… M-My new b-body… You s-stole it f-from m-me… I’ll… k-kill you f-for it… o-one day, I’ll…- Eggman growled before falling asleep due to the sedative. -Sure you will, doc… Sure you will…- said Omega Sonic, patting his back as he headed back to the Monastery. As he went in, he was heavily cheered on by everyone, even Shadow and Knuckles praised Omega Sonic for finally having defeated the tyrant who killed him and destroyed their world. -Well done, fam.- dsaid Alpha Sonic, already able to stand up on his own after the beatdown, walking to him and fistbumping him. -All in a day’s work.- gloated Omega. -How are you holdin’up?- he then asked his Alpha counterpart. -With my legs?- he asked, smirking and making Omega Sonic laugh. -HAHAHAHA!! That’s a good one!- he said through his laughter while Omega Shadow rolled his eyes. -Oh great, now there’s two of them...- he huffed. -Can I go back to being a robot now? Please?- grunted Knuckles, making the rest of them laugh. Immediately, the group of heroes raided the super prison, defeating the guards still loyal to Eggman and capturing them and Gerald Crow, Johnny’s deranged father, who saw his son in his gaseous form while being brought away. -Johnny… You made it… You are fear now…- he said but Johnny ignored him as the other heroes took him away. Zero could finally embrace his son again, who cried as his father hugged him as he was traumatized by what he had to endure, and Starline could also hug his adopted daughter and son, who too missed him greatly. Omega Sonic used his powers to modify the insides of the prison into one massive cylindrical cell where he put Eggman in, then he went back to the others. -Tails, I’m going to need some help in keeping an eye on this guy.- said Sonic. -Count on me, buddy.- Tails said smiling. -Knux, I need you to purify Silver’s body and mind. Can you do it?- asked the metal hedgehog to the echidna. -Of course.- said the Guardian. -Shads, I need you and Amy to find and defeat the rest of Eggman’s men.- said Omega to Shadow. -No need to say it twice.- said the Ultimate Lifeform, already going. -I’ll join you later, Shadow.- said Amy, going to her Sonic, hugging him. -It’s… so good to have you back…- she cooed. -Good to be back too. Want me to do something ‘bout your limbs?- asked Sonic, pointing at them. -...No. I’ll keep them on. As a memento of what we’ve been through.- she said before kissing him on the lips, which ahd the others clap as they rekindled their spark. -Mmmmwah… Oh, how I missed kissing you…- she purred. -Even if my lips are made of metal?- asked Sonic, petting her hair. -They could be made of stone, for all I care…- she said back, making him smile. -Whelp, all’s well that ends well. Who’s gonna send me back home?- asked Alpha Sonic. -Oh right!- said Omega Sonic, going to him. -Dude… Thanks…- he said, shaking Alpha Sonic’s hand. -Heh, no sweat. And hey, if I’m ever in need of helòp, I know who to call, robo me.- said Alpha Sonic, nudging his metal variant’s arm. -Same.- said Omega Sonic, nudging his arm back, making him hiss as Omega was stronger and he wasn’t fully healed yet. -Oh… My bad…- groaned Omega Sonic. -GOTTA get used to this thing…- he huffed, flexing his fingers. -Yeah, do that.- said Alpha Sonic, massaging his arm as his metal variant created a Power Ring warp for Sonic to come through. -Good bye, Sonic. And thank you so much, for everything.- said Omega Zavok, smiling. -You’re welcome. Let me know how it goes with this world.- said Sonic, traversing the Warp Ring and being back in his living room. -Aaahhh… Home sweet home…- he sighed, before hearing a knock on his door. He went to open it and saw Amy. -Ames!- he said, pulling her in a hug. -Woah! Not that I don’t mind a hug, Sonikku, but… What’s with the sudden affection?- she asked, raising a brow. -Oh right, you don’t know. I just partake in the craziest adventure you could imagine! Go sit down, I need to tell you about it!- he said. She blinked but nodded and sat on the couch, then he sat next to her and began telling her everything he went through. Two weeks later… Omega Sonic flew towards the super prison, taking a look at everything they did: the reconstruction was going along fine, with his new abilities he fixed the natural damages done by Eggman and the grass and trees had begun to grow back, helped by Silver’s gardening expertise, after being purged everyone thought he’d hate plants and stuff yet he was still as passionate with them as before. He smiled and shook his head: he still didn’t think he really fit to be the new world leader, but someone had to do it, might as well be him. He stopped in front of the prison, the biometric security systems recognized him and made him come in, walking towards the cylindrical cell, controlled by Tails who stood by a computer in front of it. -Morning, director.- said Sonic to his buddy, who smiled. -Morning, boss.- Tails chuckled, at which Sonic ruffled his hair. -Call me that again and I’ll give you the free weekends.- he chuckled and joked with him. -Oh no, such a horrid prospect…- Tails giggled back. -How’s our guest?- asked Sonic, looking up. Superior Eggman had been tied into two straightjackets and kept hanging above the ground by strong straps, already squirming in them and growling something, the cylinder was on mute so they couldn’t hear him. -Awake and grumpy, as usual.- said Tails, sighing. -Unmute him. I want to talk to him.- said Sonic, flying up until he was eye to eye with his foe. Once he was up there, tails unmuted the cell, letting Sonic catch on to the final part of a not so flattering comment about their mothers before the doctor saw him, glaring his eyes at him. -WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT, YOU FREAK?! HUH?!- growled the doctor, squirming in his straps. -Morning to you too, doc. I see you’re full on abstinent rage mode, huh?- aske Sonic, placing his hand on the glass. -LET ME OUTTA HERE AND I’LL SHOW YOU ABSTINENT!!- roared the evil hedgehog, squirming. -Keep hanging on, doc. We’re gonna eradicate any trace of the power enhancers left in your body then we can begin to work on rehabilitation.- said Sonic, unfazed by his tantrums. -I DON’T NEED YOUR STINKING HELP! I DON’T WANT YOU TO SAVE ME!! STOP. TRYING. TO SAVE MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!- he shouted until he turned red. -Sorry, no can do. You can say that’s my drug: helping others in need. It’s what I do and I never give up on anyone, so I won’t give up on you too, doc.- said Sonic, shaking his head. -I swear, when I get out of here I’LL…- his rant was stopped as Tails muted him again, making Sonic look down with a brow raised. -Sorry, he was already busting my earbuds…- groaned the fox, rubbing his temples. Sonic shook his head and went back to look at Superior Eggman, still thrashing madly and seemingly spewing more insults at them. -Sigh…- he huffed, then he heard a beep. -Oh, Zavok needs me. I gotta bail. See ya Tails.- he said, waving at tails, then back at Eggman. -Bye Eggman. I’ll see you tomorrow.- he said flying away, leaving Eggman in his cell to silently curse in every way he knew the hero whom he killed but then returned to foil him again. The end (this time for real).