Back to Chapter 77

The ship juddered to a halt with a metallic clank as mechanical landing equipment docked it in place. And what a place it had docked upon. The Death Egg was Robotnik’s most astonishing invention yet. The deranged doc considered it his masterwork. Of course, only a lunatic would think a moon-sized space station capable of wiping out cities in a single blast was a masterwork.

To those down on Mobius, the Death Egg would have been almost unfathomably large. Oh, sure, we all know moons are big and it’s easy enough to say something is the size of a moon. But at the same time, it’s not as if we can measure it with a tape measure. One might look out the window and see a house and, comparatively speaking to a human, a house is very big. But a house is small compared to a skyscraper. And a skyscraper is small compared to an entire city. A moon would dwarf many countries. And the thing is, we know all of this information. But there’s still really no way of truly appreciating the vast size of something like that, particularly when we can only ever view it from afar through a telescope or in photographs. That is why the scale of the Death Egg would be beyond the imagination of most people- the truth is, it’s just impossible to conceptualise most incredibly large things.

And, so much smaller, standing a mere three feet tall and a very, very long way from his comfy bed and his loving stepmother was a blue hedgehog, clambering out of his hiding spot and, though he would never admit it to anyone, feeling very, very scared.

The Death Egg was cold and metallic. Sonic wondered if Robotnik could truly feel happy in a place like this. His own domain where he got to look down over Mobius from on high. Sure, Robotnik could pretend to be king of the world from up here, but it just seemed very lonely to Sonic. Then again, he reasoned, Robotnik would probably be plenty happy if he could turn everyone on the planet into his slaves, whether willingly or as Badniks. There was no point trying to get into the mindset of someone like that. Robotnik just wasn’t like anyone else.

Sonic came to a short corridor, with reinforced glass windows down either side. Looking through, he could see Mobius down below. It really was a beautiful planet. Somewhere on that globe was Tails. Somewhere, smaller than he could possibly make out, was Sally. Somewhere on one of those islands was home. Sonic suddenly felt isolated. But he knew there was no turning back now. He had to stop Robotnik- there was no other option on the table.

Sonic walked into the room ahead of him and a metal shutter slid down at either end of the room, penning him in. A tiny viewing grille opened in one of the walls, revealing Robotnik’s laughing face.

“I knew I couldn’t possibly be rid of you so easily, you pest!” Robotnik shouted at Sonic between laughs.

“What’s so funny, egg breath? Is your genius plan to hide in the wall until I get bored?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. My genius plan is to get a front row seat to your demise as you get sliced into a billion bitty hedgehog nuggets”

Sonic became aware of a roaring, whooshing noise. Looking up, he saw jet thrusters firing, aiding the descent of something terrible. A mechanical, robotic mirror of himself. Bulkier, with dark eyes and red lights for pupils, its body a dark grey metal and jet boots to mirror his Power Sneakers.

“Silver Sonic?” Sonic couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Not quite, rodent,” Robotnik sneered, “This new model is my most brilliant- and brutally powerful- robotic doppelganger yet. I call him Robo Sonic. Say hello, won’t you? Not that he’s much of a talker. Not that you’ll have much to say when he obliterates you”

“And how exactly does your little toy intend to—”

Before Sonic could finish his sentence, Robo Sonic rocketed towards him with incredible speed. Sonic didn’t think anyone could beat him in a foot race, but even he could be taken off-guard. The robot slammed into and past Sonic with ease, sending the heroic hedgehog tumbling across the floor.

“You look ever so tired, Sonic,” Robotnik taunted, “It’s been a busy couple of days for you, hasn’t it? It must be an awful effort GETTING IN MY WAY SO CONSISTENTLY!”

Sonic didn’t think he’d ever seen Robotnik so angry. Spit flew from the villain’s mouth as he screamed, his bald head turning a deep pink. Sonic wasn’t sure but he thought a throbbing vein was emerging on Robotnik’s forehead.

“Well, too bad, you blue brat! Because Robo Sonic doesn’t tire- not ever! And eventually, you’re going to have to drop!”

Sonic locked his eyes on the metallic menace. Suddenly, his robotic twin leapt into the air, achieving a height Sonic wouldn’t have thought possible for such a heavy robot. Robo Sonic slammed down with tremendous force, hitting hard where the real Sonic had been stood mere seconds before.

“Give up, Sonic!” Robotnik barked, “You can’t dodge forever! One of these hits is going to get you and that’ll be the last of you!”

Sonic knew Robotnik was right. He was exhausted. His arms ached and it was taking all of his strength to stay upright. He’d been awake for over twenty-four now and he’d been adventuring and fighting for most of that time. All he wanted was to sleep.

“Don’t worry, Sonic, I’ll take good care of the planet. I’ve already found five of the Chaos Emeralds! It’s just a matter of time until I find the remaining emeralds! In fact, the ones I have are doing a remarkable job powering this wonderful Death Egg space satellite of mine! I think I’ll use one of them to power the laser eyes- you’ll not have noticed it having my face, I’m sure! Perhaps the first target will be that blasted Green Hill Zone”

Suddenly, Sonic felt strangely renewed. Nobody threatened his home! Robotnik just picked the worst choice of words.

A loud, metallic screeching filled the air as Robo Sonic curled into a ball and begin whirling like a sawblade. That good for nothing robot had copied his Triple Spin!

“Oh, I thought you’d notice that!” Robotnik chuckled, “It’s quite a nice move, I’ll give you that much. It ought to finish you off with ease!”

Robo Sonic slid across the floor in its Triple Spin formation, looking for all the world as though an angle grinder’s blade had come loose and shot across the room. The robot launched high into the air once more and, not uncurling, flung itself at Sonic. Sonic had to make this count. If he mistimed this, not only would he not get another chance, he’d not get another breath.

WHAM!

Sonic rolled to the side as Robo Sonic collided with the ground, its spinning blades digging it into the metal floor. Sonic’s gamble paid off- Robo Sonic was stuck.

“No! You fool, uncurl, uncurl!” Robotnik snapped at his robotic lackey.

Robo Sonic did as instructed and reverted to its normal state- but it was no good. The blades that made its spines were well and truly wedged. Sonic thought of the Green Hill Zone in peril and, punched the robot in its face with all his might. Then again. And again. Raining down lefts and rights at tremendous speed, Sonic didn’t even notice the force of his blows was buckling the robot’s head. Then, with a pop, Robo Sonic’s head burst open, revealing sparking wires inside. To be on the safe side, Sonic yanked a handful of the wires out. The robot stopped moving immediately, limp.

Robotnik panicked. The viewing grille slid shut. Sonic could hear Robotnik’s footsteps running away. He had to figure out where to doctor had run to.

The metal shutters opened and Sonic rushed forwards into another corridor. His attention was caught by a door marked “ENGINE ROOM”.

It had to be worth a shot, right?

Spin Attacking the door off its hinges, Sonic blasted into the room and found, as he guessed, the remaining Chaos Emeralds. Now was the only chance Sonic would get. If he could somehow take an escape pod back to Mobius, he’d probably even do that as getting the emeralds away from Robotnik had to be his top priority.

But the lasers- could Sonic risk leaving Robotnik to his own devices with such a dangerous weapon at his fingertips, even without a Chaos Emerald to power them?

Of course, Sonic knew, he could not.

Sonic reached his hand out towards the Chaos Emeralds and concentrated. As with so many times before, they blinked out of reality and Sonic was overcome with a warm, refreshing sensation. His muscles didn’t ache any more. He didn’t feel tired.

And yet.

Sonic could feel another presence inside, roaring like a trapped beast caught in a cage, demanding to be released.

Tails had called it Super Sonic. That was as good a name as any. And Sonic knew he had to do everything in his power to ensure that cage didn’t open.

But the power- he could use it to defeat Robotnik easily!

No!

Too much power. Too much for one hedgehog to handle. And he’d nearly killed that poor innocent creature back in the Oil Ocean Zone. Without Tails to talk him down, there was no telling what kind of rampage Super Sonic might go on.

Sonic couldn’t risk it.

Of course, as Sonic knew, he may not have much say in the matter.

The next room Sonic came to was huge. It almost could have been an observation room as there were plenty of tall windows through which to view Mobius down below. Sonic didn’t know what the room was, but he was pretty confident it was important.

A warning siren confirmed Sonic’s suspicions. The ceiling panels slid away one by one as something larger than Sonic had ever faced in battle before descended from above. Just as Sonic had been eye to eye with his own mechanical doppelganger, now he faced Robotnik’s own metal double. Only this machine would have made twenty of Robotnik. It was truly gargantuan, a metal mockery of the doctor. A gigantic battle suit to be controlled from within, made in Robotnik’s own image for the doctor to fight hand-to-hand with Sonic- with the most unfair advantage in the world.

Robotnik’s voice bellowed from inside a speaker, “THIS IS THE LAST STRAW, HEDGEHOG! FACE MY DEATH EGG ROBOT AND PREPARE TO BE A BLUE SMEAR UNDER MY BOOT!!”

Sonic merely looked up at Robotnik with disdain, “Bring it on, egg-features”

The enormous battle suit bore down on Sonic, who was pushed back towards the wall. He was running out of space. But he was careful to note the footsteps of the huge contraption. Sonic stopped, his back against the wall. Yet he was confident. Robotnik raised the foot of the machine one last time- and it became painfully evident he’d run out of space. He couldn’t take another step without crashing into the wall.

“BLAST YOU!” Robotnik roared as the machine took a step back. Then, to Sonic’s surprise, it launched itself high up above. Sonic became aware of a light blinking on him- some kind of targeting guide, perhaps, not unlike a laser sight on a gun. Sonic waited with baited breath…

Suddenly, Robotnik dropped from the skies directly above him. In a heartbeak, Sonic dropped than began spinning like a racing car spinning its wheels with the handbrake on- then he released that imaginary handbrake. Sonic rocketed to the other side of the room and came to a stop.

Robotnik’s machine landed with great uncertainty, wobbling noticeably.

“Wh—HOW!?” Robotnik demanded.

“Like it?” Sonic asked, nonchalant, “Just something I’ve been working on. How about we call it the Spin Dash? To tell you the truth, Tails was the one who invented it when he was trying to copy my Spin Attack. So you’ve got him to thank. You remember Tails, right? The fox you let get away when I blew your last escapade? Bet that stings now”

Robotnik let out a furious, almost unintelligible scream.

“Temper temper, eggy,” Sonic wagged his index finger cheekily, “Someone in your physical condition’s liable to blow a gasket”

“See how you laugh with your mouth punched off your face, you pincushion!” Robotnik boomed. The machine took aim at Sonic. Without warning, it fired one of its arms as a missile- which was dangerous enough in and of itself, never mind the fact the tip was covered in spikes.

But Sonic had seen enough. Re-energised by the Chaos Emeralds, he leapt back as the arm fired towards him before leaping atop it, knowing Robotnik wouldn’t allow himself to remain quite literally disarmed. Sure enough, the arm returned to sender, bringing Sonic level with the machine.

“It’s over, Robotnik,” Sonic said simply.

Leaping from the arm, Sonic clanged into the machine repeatedly, attacking every joint and part of the battle suit he could. The head, the neck, the shoulder, the elbow, the torso, the leg, the knee.

The knee was what did it. If the suit was unsteady before, it was like jelly now. Eventually, the left leg buckled completely, cutting a hole in side of the machine as it fell loose. The arms fell off and the torso hit the floor with tremendous force.

Robotnik let out a guttural roar, nothing more than a cry of sheer hatred, “I HATE THAT HEDGEHOG!!!”

Sonic couldn’t have predicted what would happen next. Whether the machine had hit a pipeline or a power supply panel, Sonic didn’t know. But sparks shot in a chain reaction throughout the room. The sparks grew into explosions. The explosions ignited an enormous fire. Robotnik was trapped in his machinery. But if Sonic didn’t move now, he was a goner.

Spotting the one available exit, Sonic ran harder and faster than he ever had. In spite of it all- every last maniacal act- Sonic still felt a pang of guilt that he couldn’t rescue Robotnik and prove he was the better person.

Sonic fast approached an emergency escape door and barrelled into it with a Spin Attack which hit with sonic boom force, blasting the door off its hinges…

And sending Sonic tumbling from the edges of space to the planet far down below.

The Death Egg exploded with monumental force.

And Sonic fell.

On to Chapter 79