(Previously on the Sonic/Splatoon Crossover...)
Shadow, Rouge, Omega, and Eight were successful in tackling the first ten floors of the Spire once again. But someone is watching the heroes as they climb the tower. Will this mysterious one interfere in their journey to save their reality?
(Back to the present...)
"Everyone still in one piece? Sweet! What even was that?" Pearl said.
"That was no ordinary Jelleton. That I know." Eight said, as Shadow nodded.
"Definitely stronger than any Jelleton we've seen. What did you pick up at the end? A locker key?" Acht said.
"Yes. We grabbed it before we came back here." Shadow said.
"That's interesting. Based on this, I think you'll get a key every time you clear certain floors for the first time with each Palette." Marina said.
Rouge and Eight felt something in their pockets, pulling out a locker key each.
"Huh. I never noticed that." Rouge said.
"It appears we all got these locker keys, and we didn't even notice." Omega said.
"How did we even- You know what, nevermind." Eight said.
"So...if we clear 10F again with another Palette, we'll get another key?" Pearl asked, to clarify.
"Exactly, Pearl! That said...I don't think we've wrung this Palette dry of keys yet." Marina replied.
"Yeah. I expect we'll find more as we take these ones further along." Acht said, in agreement.
"Guess this'll be another positive." Shadow said.
"Oooh. Check it out, guys!" Pearl said, pointing to the top of the floor selection. "'Vending-Machine Corner'! Wanna get a soda and kick back for a bit?"
"Oh...these don't sell drinks. But for a few Membux you can restock lives or buy color chips." Marina said. "Some even let you swap your sub weapon or special weapon for a new one!"
"Also, a Vending-Machine Corner counts as a floor. So if you hit one up, that's one less risk you take on your way up the Spire." Acht explained.
"Solid arguments all around. So whaddaya say, guys? Wanna see what it's got?" Pearl said.
"Guess it couldn't hurt." Eight shrugged, selecting that floor.
The elevator went up for the Vending-Machine Corner.
(// Spire Tower: Floor 11F //)
(*Timestamp: 57:39*)
*Only one at a time will go for the Vending-Machine Corners and Easy levels. Eight will go first.*
(After Eight returned to the elevator...)
"So, how was it?" Shadow asked.
"Grabbed one color chip each in Poison Ink and Ink Recovery rate." Eight replied, plugging her color chips in.
"Huh? Do we get something extra on the next floor?" Pearl asked.
"Who knows." Rouge shrugged.
"Ah! You found a bonus floor!" Marina said, looking at the floor selection. "On floors like this, you get either a Color-Chip Saturation or a Bonus Challenge."
"A Color-Chip Saturation sets color chips to all empty slots in your Palette. Only for that floor though." Acht explained. "The color chips you get are randomly picked. All they have in common is their tone."
"Where as a Bonus Challenge gives you an extra objective separate from the main one on the floor." Marina explained. "You don't have to do it. But if you do, it'll earn you some bonus Membux!"
"Not seeing a downside here. What do you think, guys? Wanna give it a go?" Pearl said.
"Affirmative." Omega said.
"Guess I'm down." Shadow shrugged.
(// Spire Tower: Floors 12F-19F //)
(*Timestamps and heroes assigned below*)
*12F: 59:14; Eight
13F: 1:00:44; Shadow, Rouge, and Omega
14F: 1:02:39; Eight and Omega
15F: 1:05:01; Shadow, Eight, and Omega
16F: 1:07:43; Eight and Rouge
17F: 1:11:03; Shadow and Eight
18F: 1:13:18; Shadow, Rouge, and Omega
19F: 1:15:07; Shadow, Rouge, and Eight*
(Dialogue after certain floors...)
(/\ Floor 14F /\)
"Huh? Something funky's up with the next floor." Pearl said.
"How so?" Rouge asked, looking at the floor selection.
"Yeah, there's danger there. Whatever happens on a floor like that, you're not going to like." Acht said.
"No kidding? Well, we know what not to pick!" Pearl said.
"The thing is...if you don't, Danger floors will show up more and more often until you go for one." Marina pointed out.
"Seriously?! Maybe we oughta bite the bullet. Don't want to be faced with three bad options later." Pearl said.
"I'll probably agree with her." Shadow said. "But if we do, we'd probably need to double up in recruits when we get these things."
"Might as well. If it's too much, you can always spend some Membux to return to the elevator." Acht said.
"True. I dunno, guys. I'll leave it up to you!" Pearl said.
Shadow and Eight agreed with taking on the Danger floor.
(/\ Floor 15F /\)
"Think we're past the Spire's halfway point. This place doesn't let up, does it?" Acht said.
"Probably not." Shadow said.
"But at least that Danger floor is down for now." Eight said.
"How you holding up, guys? You should rest a little before we hit the next floor." Pearl said.
"Sorry, Pearl. But the Freedom Fighters can't give up when the fate of this reality is in danger." Shadow said.
"I'm so sorry you have to go through all this. If only Order hadn't found a way into my mind..." Marina said.
"Yo, don't feel bad! None of this is your fault, Marina." Pearl said.
"She's right. Some artificial intelligence can get out of hand. Just like Metal Sonic back in our world." Rouge said.
"I mean...somewhere deep down, I did wish for a perfect world of peace where nothing had to change." Marina said. "It was a weakness in me that Order took advantage of."
"Or someone that attempted to override that A.I. and is endangering the fate of your reality." Shadow said.
"Lots of people are afraid of change. Even me sometimes." Acht said.
"You too, Acht?" Marina said, a bit shocked.
"I had a similar fear to it as well. But being a part of Sonic Underground changed my mind." Shadow said, holding out his bass medallion.
"Personally, it's never been in my top ten fears." Pearl said. "But I know that whatever you wished for, it wasn't THIS. You don't got nothing to apologize for. So dry those eyes! Shadow, Rouge, Omega, Eight, and I are gonna pump the brakes on Order. Just sit back and enjoy the fireworks!"
"But Pearl... guys..." Marina said, a bit worried. "No! I can't just sit back. I'm going to do whatever I can to help fix this!"
"Good. With all of us pitching in, we'll make this right." Acht said.
(/\ Floor 19F /\)
"Guys...odds are good that we're coming up on a boss. You'll need to be smart at the core and careful on top." Marina said.
"Not to worry, Marina. All four of us will be out on that battlefield just like last time." Eight said.
"Yeah, Marina, you worry too much! They'll be just fine. The five of us got this!" Pearl assured.
"R-right...of course." Marina said.
"There's that unsolicited advice I'm so familiar with." Acht said.
"I can't help it! Pearl's just too precious. She's fearless at the core and adorable on top!" Marina said.
"Huh. This side of you is less familiar." Acht said.
"Okay, okay. Let's just get this over with. We still have another ten floors to conquer after this one." Shadow said, punching in.
(// Spire Tower: Floor 20F; Pinging Marciale: Boss Fight //)
'Used a separate video since it's the other boss battle in the long gameplay video. But the other boss will be included somehow.'
(After the boss is beaten...)
"Another boss defeated like it was nothing." Shadow said, wiping his jacket.
"Huh. This kinda feels a little weird. Since that this boss kind of knew our attack patterns a little." Eight said.
"This is starting to get sketchy." Rouge said.
"Affirmative. I'm sensing a presence darker than that thing." Omega said.
"I think it might be best we just keep going until we figure out what's going on." Pearl said.
"Alright then." Eight shrugged, and grabbed the locker key.
The heroes returned to the elevator once again. But once again, the dark entity was following them once more.
"Hmm... well, that didn't work." Another voice said, from behind the dark one before getting slapped.
"Of course it didn't, stupid. It was merely a prototype from Order's work." A female voice said, in amusement and frustration.
Their master then stepped out from the darkness, slowly revealing himself to reveal it was none other than Mephiles himself.
"Gizmo. Have you hacked into the Spire's settings to figure out how we can hold them back yet?" Mephiles said.
The four warriors standing in the darkness slowly faded out to reveal themselves as none other than the Octostrikers.
"Not yet, master. It's still a work in progress." Gizmo said.
"Of course it would be. Shadow and Eight will stop at nothing to destroy Order and save their reality." Mephiles said. "I guess I'll just have to amplify Order's power so they'll have to deal with with a more difficult threat if they want to go home."
He disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving his team alone.
"I wonder if it'll be possible for us to face Shadow and his allies before the final floor." Rogue said.
"Maybe. Gizmo, hack the Spire and see if you can do that." Revenant ordered.
"You got it." Gizmo said, running his hack work on the Spire.
With another ten floors conquered, only ten remain within the Spire of Order before they can reach Order itself. But with Mephiles, and somehow the Octostrikers watching and attempting to get in their way, how will Shadow and the others react when they find out they have been watching them, and have potentially been the cause for all of this...
(End of Chapter 5)
(Publish date: 4/15/2024)