Tales of Sonic: Mobius ZX

TALES OF SONIC: MOBIUS ZX

DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF WAR

KINGDOM OF ACORN

The sun is rising over the horizon, but no one is sleeping well tonight. The Kingdom of Acorn is mobilizing their army, their warrior cladding themselves in armor and collect their weapons. They gather outside the perimeters of the city, making formations. In a golden armor, their monarch is at the forefront of the army, golden armor shining bright, a high-tech halberd in hand. By their side is Mobian woman, a squirrel/chipmunk hybrid. The Monarch says that she still has a chance to get inside Mobotropolis and wait it out. The reply comes in that she won’t stand back as her people suffer. She’ll fight with them, not hide behind them.

The monarch sighs but doesn’t talk her out of it, knowing that they’re the same. The Monarch agrees but says if they fall…Sally has to retreat immediately, the Kingdom needs a ruler, and the people will need someone to lead them. The woman, apparently the princess, brandishes her twin blades, says that they won’t fall. The Princess communicates to someone called Nicole on the inside, saying to put up the barriers.

A lynx woman receives the message and starts dialing on her keyboard. She says that the barriers are being put up. Devices pop up from the other walls of the Kingdom and a forcefield is put up.

As the sun reaches the final stages of the sunrise, another army appears from over the horizon. Beings made of shadow and crystal. A few select of the elites have elemental additions like fire, lightning, earth ect. They click their mandibles, purr, growl and hiss. One of the elemental ones, whom has the power of speech, roars, signaling the army to attack.

The shadowy monsters charge, and it is like a wave of inky shadows is crawling towards the Kingdom. The monarch tells the army to hold…when the shadowy creatures have traveled some distance, some explosions go off, some mines that have been planted earlier. Then she orders the ranged attackers, the one with firearms and arrows, to open fire. Their projectiles briefly darken the sky as they rain down on the monsters. Though wiping out a fair amount, the army is still large.

The Monarch tells her army to charge, drawing any weapon they have and charging in. The trained soldiers cut through them, the Monarch and the Princess taking out a fair amount. Though not without casualties on their side…One of the largest being, an Earth Elemental confronts the duo, dwarfing them. However, neither are afraid. The being can summon chunks of rock to throw at them, or create a line of stalagmites to try and impale them when stomping. But their reflexes are on point and they can cleave projectiles thrown at them in half. The Monarch jumps on the Earth Elemental’s head and strikes with their halberd, breaking some of the earthy shell on its face. The Princess follows up by impaling her swords in the open wound, impaling a crystal that is inside its core, shattering it and making the Elemental collapse.

Two more elementals, of the lighting and the Water confront them. Dodging high pressure water blasts and lightningbolts, the two charge in. The two of them struggle for a bit. However, the princess got an idea to even the field, grabbing attention of the lightning elemental, piercing her sword into the water Elemental, and using it as a lightningrod to draw in the lightningbolt, as she dodges. The Water Elemental is vaporized by their fellow monster.

The monarch says that was some strategic thinking. The Princess says they’re not done yet. They are surprised when the Lightning Elemental absorbs the remains of the other two Elementals’ core crystals and becomes bigger and stronger, and now is a Tri-Elemental. The Princess notes they couldn’t do that before, the Ogre King has enhanced his army.

They see the same happening that several of the smaller shadow monsters combine into bigger and stronger monsters. The Princess calls out to the troops, saying to fight smarter, not harder, look for weaknesses.

The Tri-Elemental charges at the monarch and the Princess…however, three blurs rush and knock the tri-Elemental to the floor. Sonic, Tails and Longclaw stand in their way, their beloved pet Muttski at their side. Sonic says their money would have been on them, but they decide it’d be bad manners to sit around and watch. The trio briefly introduce themselves, before saying they’re there to help.

The Royals accept their help. The Tri-Elemental gets up and two fire elementals, one red and one blue, arrive. The heroes get ready to fight. The Princess notes all these monsters have a ‘core’ and damage it to defeat them. However, she warns the monster can absorb the cores of their fallen brethren to enhance themselves. Tails makes a scan with a wrist device and says he can see the core of the creatures, so he knows where to strike them. The heroes prepare for the next round.

The Tri-Elemental fires bursts of lightning, earth and water. Sonic vibrates and generates an electric aura, drawing in the lightningbolts…and running in the middle of a pack of smaller Shadow monsters to have them take the hit. The rock projectiles, Longclaw easily slices through them like butter. Muttski, in his larger form jumps in and lets out a sonic howl that disperses the water. Several soldiers stop and ask what type of dog it is. Tails say ‘A good dog’ before throwing a bomb at the Tri-Elemental’s head, staggering it.

Muttski closes the gap and grabs it by its throat and pins him down. Sonic and Tails curl up in balls and ram into the creature with a spin jump in the bomb wound, shattering more of its outer shell. Longclaw charges energy in her claws and creates an X-crescent wave that cuts through the shell some more and exposes the core. Sonic lands on the core, charges up energy, and kicks off with a shockwave, shattering the crystal and defeating it.

The princess and the Monarch handle the two fire elementals. They dodge fireballs and put up retractable shields from their arms. They charge through the flames and strike the Elementals. They combine into one bigger purple flamed Elemental and spew out a bigger burst of purple flames. Sally throws one of her blades, hitting a nearby tree to fall on the elemental.

The Monarch activates a function on her halberd, striking the ground and a line of energy travels across the ground and slams into the Elemental. The Princess grabs her second sword, and combines both her swords in a bigger blade and cleaves the Elemental in half, shattering their core.

Sonic is spin-dashing, Tails perform a twin tails spin attack, and Longclaw shoots forward with her claws out like a drill, slicing the shadow monsters apart. When Muttski isn’t clawing or biting the creatures, his Sonic howl is able to disperse them. The shadow creatures retreat, not liking the odds. The royal army sighs in relief.

MEETING THE ROYALS

Sonic is happy with their victory. Though the Princess says they didn’t win, they just lived another day. The Monarch comes forward and asks why they did help him, it is not their war. Sonic says it was the right thing to do. Longclaw says they will apologize for interference, but not for coming to help to those in need. Tails says ‘I’m sorry, we just wanted to help’.

The monarch softens and apologizes, saying the war has made their words harsh and cold. They are grateful. They also note they hadn’t introduced themselves while the strangers had. The monarch removes the helmet, and they stare in the face of an older but beautiful chipmunk woman with a red mane. She says her name is Alicia Acorn, Queen of the Acorn Kingdom. And the Princess introduces herself as Sally, her daughter and heir.

Sonic notes that they both fight like great warriors. He also gives a catty smirk to Sally and saying he likes strong women. Sally says that the three of them and their familiar are great warriors as well and note their unique powers and features. They ask if they were born with their powers and whom trained them.

Sonic removes one of his gloves and shows a symbol tattooed on the back of his left hand. Longclaw moves her cloak from her right shoulder and shows a similar tattoo. Tails just pulls out a pendant with the symbol (he’s too young to get a tattoo) and Muttski has the same on his collar. The Queen and Princess recognize it as the symbol of the Owl Clan, an ancient guild of peacekeepers. They thought they were extinct. Longclaw sadly says there are few left, the four of them plus a few others spread out. They recognize the sadness in Longclaw’s tone, the Queen saying she feels their pain. Her husband and sun went missing early on the in the war with the Ogre King’s forces. There were no bodies to bury but their absence hurts.

Though they say they should properly thank the heroes whom came to their aid with a feast. Sonic asks if they have chilidogs. When asked what those are, Sonic looks at them like they grew a second head. Longclaw notes Sonic may turn into a chilidog one day, and eat himself. Sonic says he wouldn’t even question it.

The Queen and Princess explain that the Ogre King was an old enemy of the Acorns. Centuries ago he appeared and offered his services as a court magician, but was using that to infiltrate and take control of the Kingdom from the inside. He was found out and banished, thought to be gone. But he has returned several years ago and this time has foregone subtlety and uses magic to create an army. Luckily they have someone whom has been providing them with the tools to stop them.

Tails notes that the armor is a unique composition, containing cold iron and a few he can’t identify from a quick glance, and realizes the armors are powered by Chaos drive. Which makes sense, as chaos energy can counter magical beings.

The royals think this discussion is better continued inside the walls of the castle. As they are led into the city, Sonic whispers to his siblings that the princess looked really hut cutting that elemental in half. When they give him a stare he notes ‘What? I have a type!’

MORE INTRODUCTIONS

The lynx woman, from behind her console, grabs a sort of medicine and swallows it with some water. When approached by Sally, she is introduced to our heroes. In a raspy voice she introduces herself as Nicole Ellidy and said she saw them in action. She was impressed.

Sally says Nicole doesn’t look so good, she should rest. Nicole notes she still has to double check the system, she is the only one whom can manage it. Sally says Nicole does that and goes to rest immediately. Nicole agrees.

They go down a lab where they find a human. Tall, thin, lanky and bald, with a huge mustache. He is hunched over his notes as his attention is drawn. He draws out some cards with some standardized responses and greetings and immediately gets in the heroes faces. He admires them for their prowess and asks them to ‘tell him everything’.

Sally asks politely to the Doctor to respect personal space. He can ask them later. Tails looks at the lab and sees the Doctor is the one whom came up with the designs of the armor and weapons of the army. Tails starts to describe the technology out loud. The Doctor is impressed and asks if Tails made his own gadgets, like the ones he used in the fight. Tails verifies and they start to exchange techno-babble with Sonic saying ‘And they lost the rest of us’.

The Doctor laughs and says he likes the kid. He introduces himself fully as Julian E. Tinkerton, but everyone calls him Mr. Tinker, the man whom has the right tools for the job and if he doesn’t, he makes them.

Mr. Tinker takes a second look at Sonic and says now he is paying attention, Sonic resembles an old buddy of his, a fellow scientist, ‘Good ol’ Charles’. Sonic says that he’s related to Charles, or as he knows him as ‘Uncle Chuck’. Tinker asks how the old spikeball’s doing. Sonic says he and his parents have been missing for years. And that’s why he’s in the Acorn Kingdom, to look for answers.

Tinker says he’s sorry, he really liked Charles. He hasn’t seen him since he, his brother and his sister-in-law left the Kingdom, they were looking for something. Though he can lend Charles’ old research notes and tell him stories about them if he wants. Sonic says he’d like that.

Sally says they can stay as long as they need. And they’ll be having a feast in their honor. Which the four of them agree to since they have been traveling for days living off roasted desert crawlers and cactus juice.

At the banquet table the royals stare and see the group eating enormous amounts of food. Though they use their royal decorum to keep their faces neutral. Meanwhile Tinker is writing down: ‘…Have…enhanced…Metabolisms.’

Sally notes that life is going to be interesting with them around.

THE OGRE KING’S LAIR

The surviving shadow creatures report to their master, the Ogre King. The Ogre King raises his wand and vaporizes the messenger. He grows frustrated, as he seeks a relic of great power hidden inside the Acorn castle and he hasn’t been getting closer. It is needed to cement his rule over the Archipelago, which he feels he righteously deserves.

He does note that the newcomers whom helped the Acorn army are either descendants of the Ancient Races, or they are Chaos-Touched. They may be throns in his side for now, but maybe he can work their presence to his advantage.

He has come too far now to quit. He won’t stop until the islands are ruled by him, Mugruith Naugus, the Wizard King of the Lost Ogre Kingdom.

TRIVIA

• Of Sally’s parents, it is King Max whom often gets the most focus, compared to Alicia whom is often just there. So Alicia gets an increased role and fights alongside her daughter. So two gens of warrior waifus.

• The heroes were only showing a fraction of their power last time, they are capable of much more when they can go all-out.

• Tinker is an alter ego of Eggman when he had amnesia in the IDW comics but his appearance and personality is closer to Sonic the Comic’s Ovi Kintobor, the scientist whom became corrupted in Dr. Robotnik.

• Naugus has been portrayed as an amalgam of Mobians or a troll, but in this continuity he is an ogre. His first name is also Mugruith, after a famous legendary Celtic druid Mug Ruith, instead of Walter. Also doesn’t use the title of Ixis but of ‘the Ogre King’.

• Nicole is not an AI…yet. But as you can see, it may happen in the future due to her illness.