Here it is, the third part of Christmas Special #4, coincidentally completed and released exactly one year after the very same chapter of the third Christmas Special. I know I said last year that Christmas Special #3 stands out as my least favorite of all the ones I've written, but now I think that this one is starting to take its place. That's not to say that I think it's terrible overall, but at the same time, I don't feel as if I've done as good of a job with this one as I have with all the others. Again, that's because I feel as if the idea well is starting to run dry for these Christmas Specials.
Of course, as you can see, there's absolutely no way this story is going to be done in time for Christmas (which is tomorrow). Heck, I'd be lucky if I could even get the next chapter done before New Year's, let alone the rest of the story. On the bright side, at least the story is finally moving along, which usually doesn't happen until the third chapter, even with the past Christmas Specials.
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Part 3When we last left off on Christmas Special #4, Metal Sonic and his doppelganger, Metal Sonic Version 3.0 engaged in yet another battle, which, as always, resulted in the latter’s defeat. Upon returning to Julia’s workshop for repairs, he soon discovered that the “Julia” he encountered was an impostor. The impersonator in question turned out to be the Green Hedgehog Project, Ashura; the self-proclaimed “Master of Disguise”. Prior to the Parallel Goddesses’ arrival and departure from the workshop, Ashura had Julia captured and impersonated her as a means of getting his hands on the Celestial and Lunar Emeralds, as well as the Snow Element Gem.
Shortly after exposing Ashura’s true identity and rescuing Julia, Metal Sonic 3.0 decided to engage the former in combat, despite the injuries that he retained from his battle against the original Metal Sonic. With that said, does Three-Point Zero have what it takes to defeat Ashura, and put a stop to whatever scheme that he and Dr. Nega have cooked up? For what reason are the two of them seeking the aforementioned items? Could it be possible that they intend to unleash Cryos into the world once again? Speaking of which… Exactly what is the nature behind the visions that Frostina has been receiving about Cryos’ past? How do she, Volcana, and Oceana know Luna’s ancestor, “Artemis”? Find out as the saga continues on the fourth Knuckles’ Chaotix: Elements of Power Christmas Special!*Music Cue**Metal Sonic 3.0 and Ashura simultaneously Spindash toward one another, and the resulting impact bounces the two of them backwards*Metal Sonic 3.0: *Lifts up some nearby objects with telekinesis, and starts launching the objects at him*Ashura: *Starts dodging, closes in on 3.0, and strikes him with a Homing Attack*Metal Sonic 3.0: Uhhhhh! *Czzzzzt!* *Falls over, sits up, and blasts him with (another) eye laser in retaliation*Ashura: Whoooooaaah! *Gets blasted into a tree*Metal Sonic 3.0: *Turns on his jet booster and begins shooting toward him again before the engine suddenly shuts down* (W-What!? No…not now!) *Czzzzzt!* *Falls flat on his face*Ashura: Heh heh heh! Looks like you’re startin’ to run outta power… What a bummer! I guess it’s ‘cause you still haven’t recovered yet after gettin’ owned by Metal Sonic again. Sucks to be you, dude!Metal Sonic 3.0: (D-Damn it…! That piece of outdated trash…gets the last laugh once again!) *Czzzzzzt!* (This is…like that incident with Metal Blaze…all over again!) *Czzzzzt!*Ashura: *Walks over to 3.0 and kicks him across the ground*Metal Sonic 3.0: Ghhhhh…! *Czzzzzt!* *Slowly stands back up again*Ashura: So, ya’ve still got some fight left in ya, huh? Not bad!Metal Sonic 3.0: Correct… *Czzzzzt!* …I haven’t even…begun to show you the extent of my-…! *Kneels down in pain, holding his arm*Ashura: The extent of your what? Pain? *Snickers*Metal Sonic 3.0: Silence, fool! I’ll show you…what happens to those…who dare to make a mockery out of me! *Czzzzzt!**The fight continues*
Elsewhere, at Vanilla’s house…*Music Cue**The doorbell rings*Silvra: I’ll get it this time. *Opens the door* Quattuor, Prickles! I didn’t know you’d be coming this time around!Quattuor: Hey there. We’re not too late, are we?Silvra: Not at all.*They come in*Prickles: Silvwuh!Silvra: Aww… *Picks him up* How have you been, little guy?Prickles: Guhd!Splash: Hello. I’m glad you were able to make it.Quattuor: It’s nice to see you.Amy: Ooh, that reminds me! Scorch, do you think Denomi will be able to make it this time around?Quattuor: …Prickles: Dehmon…?Scorch: I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in a while. Like I said before, he’s not someone I’m regularly in contact with.Quattuor: Uh, yeah. Besides, he probably has another probably has another…”prior engagement”. (At least I hope he does…)Electra: *Waves to Quattuor* Hey there, handsome. Nice to see you again. *Winks*Quattuor: N-Nice to see you, too… Eh heh heh heh. ^^;Stonia: *Facepalm* Oh, you are so shameless…*Music Cue*Amy: Splash, don’t you have something to say about this? He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he? Tell me you aren’t gonna just let this floozy have her way with him!Splash &
Quattuor:
Actually,
we’re just-
Electra: Who’re you calling a “floozy”!?Amy: Who do you think!?*They argue back and forth*Vector: Heh heh heh! *Takes out his camcorder* These fights… They just nevah get old to me!Espio: …Is it me, or does Amy always seem to be involved in some sort of conflict at these Christmas gatherings?Mighty: That is true, come to think of it.Bomb: Yep. She’s had arguments with Shock and Tiara, and now she’s been getting into it with Electra.Heavy: I’ve noticed. Next to Nega, she’s definitely caused the most drama at these parties thus far.Knuckles: …Speaking of which, you don’t suppose he’s up to something right now, do you?Wechnia: With any luck, he may be bedridden again, like he was two years ago, during that incident with Metal Sonic 4.0.Vanilla: Look, just settle down, you two!Amy: Why don’t we take this outside, then?Electra: That’s fine by me! You’ve been asking for it for the longest time!*They start heading out*Quattuor: …Those two are scary.Seedra: I see what you mean. Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask… How’s Septette doing?Quattuor: She’s been…smothering me a bit, as always, but other than that, she’s doing okay.*Just as they’re getting ready to leave, a knock is heard at the door*Amy: *Opens* Julia?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MzmAIOeY9s]*Music Cue*Electra: Hey, kiddo. Glad you were finally able to make it.Julia: You guys… Zero’s in trouble!Quattuor: “Zero”…? Oh, wait, you mean him.Heavy: Let me guess… He’s getting his ass handed to him by Metal Sonic again, right? Number one, what else is new? Number two, why should we care?Splash: I’m no fan of Three-Point Zero myself, but that was pretty uncalled for.Heavy: Why? I’m only saying what’s true.Julia: Well, yeah… He did get into another fight with Metal Sonic, but that’s not the point. The thing is, Zero ended up having to face someone else right after the fact, even though he hasn’t recovered yet! The one he’s fighting right now is this green and black hedgehog with shades and a scarf, who was impersonating me earlier!Knuckles: A green and black hedgehog…?Volcana: …With shades and a scarf? Sounds like Ashura.Quattuor: (She couldn’t possibly mean that Ashura, could she!?)Oceana: You said he was impersonating you earlier?Frostina: If that’s the case, then he must’ve been the “Julia” we talked to before coming here!Julia: Yeah, that’s right. He had me tied up and stuffed in a closet sometime before you guys arrived. Luckily, Zero got there just in time and ended up saving me.Goldra: (Ah, damn it! I have x-ray vision! How did I not see this!? I must not’ve been paying attention…)Julia: I know most of you guys don’t like Zero very much, but he really, really needs your help right now! Not only that, but the Snow Element Gem was stolen, and since that Ashura guy’s working for Dr. Nega, he’s probably planning to release that Cryos thing again!Luna: I should’ve known…Sonic: Then I guess that settles it! Let’s blast through with sonic speed, everybody!*They leave*
Again, at the scene of the battle…*Music Cue*Ashura: *Kicks 3.0, causing him to roll across the ground again*Metal Sonic 3.0: Ghhhh…! *Czzzzzzt!*Ashura: *Walks over to him, pins him down with his foot, and starts stomping him*Metal Sonic 3.0: Uhhhhhh! *Czzzzzzt!*Ashura: Ah, c’mon, man! I thought you said you were the “strongest”?Metal Sonic 3.0: I…am! *Czzzzzzt!**Ashura continues to stop him for the next few minutes or so, until 3.0 uses a telekinetic force to shove him onto a nearby tree*Ashura: Uhhhhhhh! *Hits his back, and then falls face-first into the snow*Metal Sonic 3.0: *Holds his arm and begins slowly walking over to him*Ashura: *Stands up again* I gotta say… You lasted a lot longer than expected. Not bad for a piece o’ junk on the verge o’ power failure!Metal Sonic 3.0: Silence, vermin! *Czzzzzt!*Ashura: Uh, that was a compliment, dude.Metal Sonic 3.0: I…don’t need your false compliments! *Czzzzzt!*Ashura: Like, whatever, man.Metal Sonic 3.0: It’s time… *Surrounds himself with a golden boost aura* …To put an end…to this! *Czzzzzzt!*Ashura: Whatever, bro. *Surrounds himself with a dark boost aura* It’s your funeral.*Just as they’re about to booster into one another, a beeping sound is heard*Ashura: *Picks up* Yeah?Nega Robotnik: *Through the comm.* Ashura, you said you have the gems, don’t you? So, might I ask what the hold-up is?Ashura: About that, Doc… I’m kinda in the middle of a fight. Y’see, that Three-Point Zero dude showed up just as I was about to come back, and I ended up gettin’ knocked through a portal. So now, I only have the Snow Gem on me.Nega Robotnik: …I suppose that’ll do for the time being. I’ll simply send Metal Silver or some Cyber Sonics to retrieve the emeralds. In the meantime, please report back to the base. It’s time for us to initiate the next phase of our plan! Eee hee hee! This one’s bound to be absolutely flawless!Ashura: Like, totally! I’ll be right there! *Looks in 3.0’s direction* We’ll finish this later.Metal Sonic 3.0: I eagerly look forward to it!*Ashura uses the dimensional camera to escape*
A little while later, at Dr. Nega’s fortress…*Music Cue*Ashura: Here it is, Doc. *Tosses him the Snow Element Gem*Nega Robotnik: Eee hee hee! Splendid job!Ashura: I’ll be right back. *Jets off*Nega Robotnik: Arise, Cryos! I summon you! *Drops the gem into the nearby bucket of ice cubes**An icy mist clouds the area, and when it clears, a frozen puddle of water morphs into what looks like an icy version of Chaos, but as a porcupine*Cryos: Who…has summoned me…?Nega Robotnik: It is I, Doctor Eggman Nega, scientific genius extraordinaire!Cryos: You… *Glares* I… I recognize your voice… You are the being…who attempted to enslave me…Nega Robotnik: “Enslave”? Not at all! I merely intended to help you exact the vengeance you so rightfully deserved!Cryos: …Nega Robotnik: By the way… Does the name of “Artemis” ring a bell?Cryos: …What? How do you…know about her?Nega Robotnik: I’ve conducted thorough research on the matter, so I know all about your past. Many years ago, you were a gentle and loving creature that was wrongfully judged as a monster by the inhabitants Ringstar Island. Artemis was the one person who was able to see through your cold, icy exterior, and she did everything in her power to come to your defense, even at the cost of her life.Cryos: …Yes. That’s all true…Nega Robotnik: I just want you to know that you have my condolences. I deeply sympathize with you both, and I’m behind you a hundred percent.Cryos: …Oh? Are you really? Correct me if I’m wrong, Doctor, but weren’t you the reason I ended up getting resealed!? *His eyes glow*Nega Robotnik: Of course not! That was all Frostina’s doing!Cryos: Maybe, but you were the one who made that suggestion in the first place! *Creates a blizzard*Nega Robotnik: W-Wait a minute! *Tries to resist the winds* Let’s not be too hasty!Cryos: Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip you apart, right here and now!Nega Robotnik: I can give you two! Reason number one: I just got finished setting you free again! Reason number two: It’s through my efforts that you’re going to be reunited with an old friend!Cryos: An “old friend”…? *Stops the blizzard* Who might this be?Nega Robotnik: Eee hee hee… Oh, trust me! It’s someone you’ll be absolutely thrilled to see!Cryos: …Nega Robotnik: See for yourself. *Points**A purple, female porcupine with a long hair bundled into a ponytail, along with tribal clothing similar to Tikal’s, approaches them*Cryos: *Looks* …![color=9933cc]???: Cryos, my love! How I’ve longed to see you again![/color]
Cryos: A-Artemis!?Well, isn’t this a surprising turn of events? Artemis, Luna’s ancestral aunt, Tikal’s dimensional counterpart, and Cryos’ long-lost love, which was presumed dead many years ago, is alive and well! Has she truly come back from the dead in some way, shape, or form? Or could this, perhaps, be some sort of illusion? Will our heroes be able to keep the emeralds out of Dr. Nega’s clutches this time around? Find out as the saga continues on the fourth Knuckles’ Chaotix: Elements of Power Christmas Special!To “bee” continued…