Prowl, Swoop, Perceptor, Pyra Magna, Knuckles, and Aleena arrived on the outskirts of Green Hill Zone. “Huh,” mused Aleena. “Never thought I’d actually be where Sonic’s career gained some notoriety.”
“So his fight against Eggman took off here?” asked Pyra Magna.
“Yep, though, I had temporarily abdicated and retreated from public life at the time. With Eggman roboticizing every creature on the planet, I couldn’t do much.”
“Why?”
“…It was the recommendation of the Oracle of Delphius.”
“…Oracle?” asked Prowl.
“He’s never been proven wrong before.”
“Ma’am, I’d take care if I were you. Oracles only see one path.”
“Knuckles, the Master Emerald can give you glimpses into time, yes?”
“Only the past,” answered Knuckles. “It tends to avoid the future.”
“Hold it,” called Pyra Magna. “I heard something!”
“Where?” asked Prowl as everyone drew their weapons.
“I wanted you to hear me!” called a voice. Yellow Zelkova then stepped out from behind a stone loop, followed by Ravage, Knock-out, and Metal Sonic.
“We have no quarrel, Yellow Zelkova,” called Pyra Magna.
“We don’t?” asked Knuckles.
“I’m not here to crush you yet,” assured Yellow Zelkova.
“Yet?” asked Ravage.
“I merely wish to challenge the strongest of you, see how much of your strength is merely an idle boast.”
“Oh? And what’s the prize?” asked Pyra Magna.
“Bragging rights.”
“…Bragging rights? That’s it?”
“That’s it. We fight, one of us is one the ground, the one standing shall forever boast about how they toppled the mightiest of us.”
“You’re a Decepticon ally. Forgive me if I’m dubious.”
“…Not sure that’s a real word. Look, if I say we can use any weapons we want, whenever we want, would it make you feel better?” Pyra Magna thought for a second.
“Team, huddle time,” she called. Everyone huddled in a circle. “Guys, we can’t just accept this challenge! He’s dumb, yes, but there’s a further plan here!”
“So deal with him while we hunt for the Emerald,” suggested Prowl.
“Pardon?”
“Prowl’s right,” agreed Aleena. “He also has partners. They may hunt for the Emerald. Who knows, maybe we can steal it from them.”
“…You know, not a bad idea,” mused Pyra Magna. “So, who’s fighting him?”
“You,” said her teammates.
“…You guys suck!” The huddle broke as Pyra Magna activated her own elemental form, her armor evoking metal-encased fire. She then pointed her cudgel at Yellow Zelkova. “I, Pyra Magna, accept your challenge!”
“Very well,” declared Yellow Zelkova. “Basic rules. No killing, the one unable to battle is the loser, do whatever it takes to win.”
“On my mark,” called Ravage. “…Begin!” Thew two warriors then charged each other. Pyra Magna swung her cudgel at Yellow Zelkova, eliciting a surprise.
“ILLUMA SHIELD!” he announced. An energy shield then surrounded him, forcing the cudgel to bounce off and direct a bit of the shield’s energy into Pyra Magna. She dropped her weapon and was then punched in the face, knocking a few dental plates out. As Yellow Zelkova laughed, Pyra Magna shook her head to clear it. When she did, she finally posed her question.
“Was that a plasma shield?! That’s for starships! How’d you get a small one?!”
“That’s thanks to the good Doctor!” laughed Yellow Zelkova. He then pulled his cape aside to reveal a device on his back with Eggman’s symbol on it. “You see, during his studies of shield generators, he was inspired to make a smaller one! After so many failures, he finally made a working prototype and ironed out the kinks! I, Yellow Zelkova, have been fortunate enough to be equipped with one of the very first of the brand-new Dr. Eggman™ Illuma Shield Power Packs!”
“…Somehow, I could hear the trademark symbol in that sentence.” Pyra Magna’s optics were then grabbed by something on Yellow Zelkova’s shoulder. “Wait, is that an…Eggman Tampograph?”
“…It’s actually a ‘temporary tattoo’, I believe he called it.” Yellow Zelkova had face-palmed in embarrassment by that point. “That story’s a little longer than the one of my Illuma Shield involving Metal Sonic, a beaker of hydrochloric acid, and a Mobian dish called ‘pizza’, but that’s not important!” He recovered his dignity and assumed another battle stance. “You see, Dr. Eggman has not only made it so that it can project a defensive barrier, but also allows the user to project offensive attacks, such as my patented ILLUMA SHOCK!” He swung his arm and fired an energy blast right at Pyra Magna. Pyra Magna rolled out of the way.
“That’s it! PYRA MAGNA, TRANSFORM!” Her arms swung out and joined at her shoulders, then the assemblies rotated as the head sunk into the torso. They then swung towards each other as the legs rotated and the toes folded down and united to make a fire engine with ladder boom. “You know,” chuckled Pyra Magna as her Mobian Fox holo-form appeared within the cab the legs made, “this vehicle’s designed to put out fires and I’m a Witch of the Red Order.”
“Ah, a bit of clevery!” declared Yellow Zelkova. “…No, that’s not the word, er, what’s the word where something is used to the opposite meaning?”
“Irony?”
“No, I don’t think that…WHAT AM I DOING?! WE’RE STILL FIGHTING!!” Yellow Zelkova charged at Pyra Magna and she doused him with a jet of water.
As they fought, the Autobot team searched the surrounding woods for the Emerald. “All right, it’s around here somewhere,” grunted Aleena.
“So you had the same idea as us,” called a distinctly Russian voice.
“Ravage!” snarled Prowl. Ravage, Knock-out, and Metal Sonic appeared from the trees. “This doesn’t concern you, Decepticons! Leave here and no harm will come to you!”
“One, I’m a consultant, not a full Decepticon, despite what they say!” snarled Metal Sonic.
“More to the point, after all the people that died in Station Square during the Allspark Fiasco, you still want to oppose us?” countered Ravage.
“Rumble wouldn’t have wanted this!” urged Knuckles.
“DON’T TALK AS IF YOU KNEW HIM, FLESHLING!!” roared Ravage. He charged at Knuckles and slashed him with his own claws. That was the signal to fight! Knuckles and Aleena took care of Ravage, Perceptor and Prowl went after Knock-out, and Swoop kept trying to swat Metal Sonic.
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” called a voice. A purple energy blast then knocked everyone off their feet. Stepping out of the trees was Rodimus Unicronus, and he had the Purple Emerald in his hand! “Oh, you easily-distracted gnats!” he boasted. “You just can’t help yourselves! Whenever an Autobot or Decepticon meets their opposite side, you just can’t help but give in to hatred and murder! Better to snuff your Sparks and end all light in the universe! And THIS…!” He held up the Emerald. “THIS will be the key needed to complete my master’s objectives!”
“TAKE THIS!” shouted a new voice. Rodimus Unicronus turned to see a tree in a cyan aura fly straight towards his head. He was hit and dropped the Emerald from the impact. He then shoved the tree off and saw his attacker. It was a silver hedgehog, male, Mobian, had five quills on the forehead, two on the back of the head, and he wore boots and gold bracelets with cyan lines on them and the gloves.
“…Er, did a…” asked Rodimus Unicronus.
“Yes, my forehead quills look like a marijuana leaf, I heard that before! Just give up already!” barked the new Hedgehog.
“Sir, who are you?” groaned Aleena as she and her allies got up.
“I’m Silver, and I’m here to stop this madness!” Silver then gained a cyan aura, then projected it around the Purple Emerald. It then left Rodimus Unicronus’ hand.
“Hey! That’s mine!” shouted the Shadow Prime as he pulled on it. It became a game of tug o’ war.
“It’s no use!” declared Silver as he yanked hard, making Rodimus Unicronus fall flat on his face. The Emerald floated towards Silver, but his concentration was shattered as Ravage swiped his opponent’s face! The Emerald fell to the ground, but Ravage caught it before it hit, then he opened a Bridge.
“Do svidaniya, Autobots!” laughed the panther-like Decepticon as he and his cohorts fled into the portal.
Meanwhile, Pyra Magna and Yellow Zelkova were still locked in combat. “ILLUMA SHOCK!” shouted Yellow Zelkova as he swung his arms, firing a plasma blast. Pyra Magna rolled out of the way.
“You know, you’re becoming predictable, you weed!” she taunted.
“Predictable! HOW DARE YOU!” Yellow Zelkova charged at Pyra Magna, which was all that she needed. She swung her cudgel at Yellow Zelkova’s head, made contact…and made it crack! The right side of the helmet shattered, revealing the creature inside. Yellow Zelkova’s true form had yellow-green skin, had pine needle hair, and a branch for a horn. His green eye burned with rage and his mouth formed a snarl.
“Yield and this goes no further.” Pyra Magna grinned at her defeated opponent.
“Yell…elk…is Ra…ge…ve the Eme…”
“My helmet’s damaged,” replied Yellow Zelkova to the caller. “Report with text.” He then got a text, read it, then his eye widened, and then a massive grin formed. He mentally texted his intentions back to the caller, then got the confirmation text before he started laughing. Pyra Magna became visibly worried.
“Prowl, what happened?!” she called over the comms.
“The Decepticons took the Emerald,” he reported. “Rodimus Unicronus attacked both us and the Decepticons before being knocked out. We’ve found Silver and we’re returning to base before Rodimus Unicronus wakes up.”
“Understood.” Pyra Magna hung up and growled at Yellow Zelkova.
“Oh, when the stars align!” he laughed. “But, I AM generous. I will concede victory of our little fight to you.”
“This is no victory, it’s a participation trophy!”
“That’s all you deserve! Now, I believe the appropriate term here is…” Yellow Zelkova opened a Bridge portal before jumping backwards into it. “YEET!” The Bridge portal closed and Pyra Magna roared to the heavens before she summoned a Ground Bridge home.