Eggman's robot stands unmoving just outside of the city limits. It has caused a lot of destruction in its wake, and the area where it has come to rest has been warped by Eggman's trademark chroma. Worse still, the various robots composing Eggman's army are concentrated here, meaning that trying to find a way in is going to be exceptionally difficult.
Your colorful allies tell you as much, but Sonic doesn't seem worried in the slightest.
"The three of us will keep 'em distracted. Egghead wants a piece of me, so the three of us will fight the robots."
"We'll send you guys in with a ring to hopefully catch him off-guard. If what we've theorized is correct, you should be able to literally knock the Master Emerald out of him, and once you have that, he shouldn't be much of a threat."
"Best of luck, warriors."
The plan is straightforward and simple enough, and your friends take off once everyone's ready to go. They've left you with two rings - one to get in, and one to get out. When you're all prepared, step inside.
Welcome to Eggman's control room. Bathed in black and green light, the inside of the robot's head is composed of three sections: a smooth circular outer wall that is sloped and would be difficult (but not impossible) to stand on, a circular platform in the center (far larger than the picture for the purposes of this fight), and an alcove built into the wall that houses a man and several high-tech devices. The man does not look up from the screens he's watching as you enter.
Eggman, on the other hand, is already aware of your presence.
"Here come the would-be heroes. Did you really think marching in here was a bright idea? In case you've forgotten, I hold all the power here."
Green lightning-like energy sparks around him and to him as he speaks, and Eggman kicks off the platform to move to float in the air - high enough up that it would be a pain to try to reach him without hoverboards. Of course, you do still have those...
"You all aren't who I'm after. Stone, take care of them."
He flicks a finger in the direction of the other human present in the control room who jolts a bit in response before furiously tapping away at the keyboard on the control panel in front of him. Eggman simply turns his attention away from you all, to focus back on Sonic and friends who are currently in the process of wrecking his robots. Occasionally he does something and the entire robot shifts - moving to punch or aim attacks at Sonic and friends with said robot which will cause the whole of the robot to move - mind your footing!
[ Ashley's getting pretty sick of all of this. A rage fills her, white hot, at the thought of being used, at the thought of her friends being used as weapons.
It's then, coincidentally, that she sees Fukuda, who has just come out of his own terrible mind control.
And she has a sudden, sharp thought. Impulsive. She calls out— ]
Fukuda! [ She raises the hand with her shard. ] I want to make him hurt. Do you?
[And here we go!! Yeager's making his token appearance in this fight just for this. This will shut Eggman down for a turn, at least, so bless this shardbond (and the timing).]
[Dorothy can't help but look pleased herself; their hard work is coming into fruition, and it doesn't feel like they're going to get abandoned for it. They're doing good work, they're getting their dues, and it's...
It's nice, honestly.]
...I may too, all be told. [Dorothy catches some of the droplets of rain in her hand before focusing again.] Something like this isn't common where you come from?
[He practically jumps at being addressed by Ashley, but it only takes him a second to nod emphatically, and gingerly press his hand against hers.]
Taking someone's control of their own thoughts and actions away from them... We've all had quite enough of that, I think. The doctor needs to reflect on what he's done wrong.
[Pointing at Robotnik with his free hand, inflicting him with terrible crippling hallunications equivalent to the scale of his crimes. So I guess everyone in Chicago is yelling at him.]
[ Ashley focuses. Is this what Infinite felt, when he used the Phantom Ruby on them? There's so much power in it. So much...
She's concentrating. Can't concentrate on anything else. But there's something about this terrible power, using someone who's hurt her and her friends and turning it back on him, that she...honestly enjoys. ]
Yeah. [ he doesn't want to make a huge deal out of it right now considering that they're in the middle of a fight, but won't brush her off. ] Nothin' but dirt and sand back home.
[ wolfwood will bring out his hands (both of them!!!) and make a little cup with them to catch some of it. but they really need to be focusing on what they're doing. ]
Gettin' the chance to see and experience all of this water then the animals 'nd plants... It's been a real treat.
[Raven and Yeager immobilize Eggman, which is perfect timing to prevent him from intercepting the attacks aimed at Stone. He tries anyway - only to be further shut down by Ashley and Fukuda's mind-warping abilities causing his eyes to dart away, like he's tracking something else. Exactly what he's seeing isn't clear.
Stone is a perfectly ordinary, albeit mind-controlled human - surely those attacks will hit.
They don't. Stone's eyes glow red and every single attack fails, hitting some sort of invisible barrier and leaving him without a scratch.
Eggman isn't as lucky. Without any means to escape, those hits rain down hard; he was already struggling before, but with the increased damage, he just isn't going to be able to handle all of the damage. Raven and Yeager's hold on him suddenly breaks and he's sent flying by Void Archives' laser, landing hard and not getting up, smoke rising from his form.]
[With those last hits, Eggman lands hard on the platform. If it wasn't obvious before, it is now; he's not human. Smoke rises from his beaten and battered form, and the injuries you've left on him have ripped open machinery and wiring - and more importantly, haven't knocked the Master Emerald out of him.
For all intents and purposes, Eggman is dead. Which just leaves...]
As expected. You put up a good fight.
[Stone rises from where he's sitting; his expression doesn't change from impassive at all, but there's something sharp and focused in his gaze - unlike normal humans acting under Eggman's orders, he seems entirely aware of his surroundings and of the fight as a whole.]
[Before you stands a different metal hedgehog, standing a bit taller than your colorful friends. A crackle of that green Chaos Energy begins to flicker around him as he opens familiar red eyes - the ones you saw in that mindscape - and he steps forward to float above you.]
I am Neo Metal Sonic, the true ruler of this world - and soon to be yours as well. You've come far, for insignificant beings such as yourselves.
But I don't intend to let you leave.
[He raises a claw to the ceiling and the robot around you begins to crackle with that same energy. It isn't long before pieces of it are simply ripped up and apart - and are then immediately thrown at you, because if we've learned one thing in this game, it's that anything can be a rock if you throw it hard enough.
You've got one ring to get you out of danger - you'd better make good use of it. For those of you out last, roll a 1d20 for the damage you're taking, because Neo Metal Sonic will literally tear this robot apart to try to kill you all.]
[Viktor kind of wished this hadn't happened twice, but at least he was already on the hoverboard--pulling on the staff to accelerate and grabbing Basilio with Mafuyu on the way out.]
[...He was definitely going to crash the second he got through that ring (17), but getting through was the important part.]
[Dorothy looks out at the creature before her, and she doesn't know what she feels, seeing this. This is...
...Is this what she could have become, if she were still in her own world?]
...You poor thing. Is this what I could have...
[It's softly said, because Dorothy is going to be getting out of here--swiftly dodging anything thrown her way (20!) and moving to carry Raven in her arms. ...Yeager too if he needs it, but she's going to have a lot on her mind tonight.]
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