Super Mario Bros. 2 - Across the Galaxy

Chapter 26: The Power of the Chaos Emeralds

At the Comet Observatory

Mario groaned in boredom. Peach sighed and asked, "Wasn't Sonic supposed to be back by now?"

"Yeah..." Toad replied.

"If you ask me, I think something bad happened to him," Daisy added.

Suddenly, Rosalina and Atlas drove back to the Observatory. Donkey Kong sighed in relief. "At least Rosalina and Atlas are back."

The two stepped onto the ship and Peach said, "We're so sorry that the Chaos Emerald was in my purse and I didn't tell you. I just forgot that it was there!"

"It's okay," Rosalina said. "I was just angry...and Atlas and I have already made up. Now, if you excuse me, I need to show something to him."

"Wait!" Rohan said. "Did...Did Sonic already apologize to us?"

"Sonic?" Rosalina looked around. "I never saw Sonic."

"We sent him to apologize to you for us and he hasn't come back."

"Well...Hopefully, he's alright." Atlas said.

Rosalina and Atlas walked into the garage dome of the Observatory. Rosalina sighed as she knew this day would come but she's already accepted it. She led her son to something covered in a tarp and pulled it off to reveal the space pod from sixteen years ago. Atlas looked at it in awe and felt the somewhat rusted metal of the pod.

"This is what you came home in," Rosalina explained. "You came home with that bear that is now by your bed, a message that said that your home planet was destroyed...and no name. So, that day, I named you "Atlas" to make up for it."

Atlas smiled. "I...I still accept you as my mother. Through and through."

Rosalina smiled too and the two embraced.

Outside of the Garage Dome

Yoshi snored lightly and then a letter dropped on the ground. Mario picked it up and Rosalina and Atlas stepped out of the garage dome. "Guys, this is from Discordia," Mario said.

He then opened up the letter and read it aloud, "Dear: Pesky heroes. I'm well aware that you must have all seven Chaos Emeralds. Now it's ransom time! Meet me and my army outside the Tostarena Galaxy and BRING THE CHAOS EMERALDS or else you'll never see your blue friend again, because he'll be put in a new home. Six. Feet. Under. From Discordia, the Goddess of Discord and Deceit. 😉😘 XOXO."

"Oh, no...Discordia must've gotten her red claws on Sonic already." Peach uttered. "And we need to give the Chaos Emeralds."

"NO!" Rosalina said. "We're NOT giving the Chaos Emeralds! She'll use them to summon Dark Star!"

"But we're not risking our friend to hand over those gemstones!" Rohan said. "We need a plan."

Rosalina looked at the Chaos Emerald suitcase and smirked. "I think...I have a plan..."

Outside the Tostarena Galaxy's orbit

The Comet Observatory floated off of the planet and soared through the stars to end up near Discordia's ship. The goddess smirked and the evil ship activated the plank to connect it to the Observatory.

The villains walked the plank to end up confronting the heroes. Mario suddenly noticed his robotic counterpart glaring at him with those glowing yellow eyes. Rohan took a deep breath and Rosalina held the case tight in her arms.

Mario then said, "Wait...Before we make the trade, I need to ask: How did you make that robot version of me and capture my best friend equal to Toad?"

"She got a little bit of help." A familiar voice said.

Mario gasped in horror as he saw Spike walk by and stand right by Discordia. "SPIKE?!?!?!" Mario and Luigi exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's me," Spike smirked and flexed. "I told you I'll eventually get buff!"

"How?!?" Mario asked.

"I simply cast a strength spell and also gave him a massive makeover," Discordia replied.

"He's three times your size now, Mario!" Luigi said.

"Now, Rosalina," Dicordia snapped her fingers. "Give me the Chaos Emeralds."

"Never!" Rosalina held the case tighter in her arms.

The goddess sneered. "Maybe...you should reconsider."

She then pulled out Sonic who was tied up and gagged. His muffled screams for help were exquisite to Discordia and Spike. Mario clenched his fist and ignited it into flames. Rosalina gasped in horror and Discordia said, "Give me the Emeralds...or else..." She then pulled out her scythe. She held it close to Sonic's throat and turned to the heroes. "I'd LOVE to have a hedgehog as a new skin hanging on my wall..."

Daisy clenched her fists and then Discordia proceeded to slowly slice Sonic's throat. Sonic screamed out of pain and Peach and Mario both exclaimed, "NO! STOP!! PLEASE STOP!!!"

Mario then took the case and handed it to Discordia. She smirked and let go of Sonic. Peach walked over to him and used her healing magic to tend to the wound that Discordia had left him.

"Congratulations, Mario." Discorida chuckled. "You just contributed to the destruction of the universe!"

She then proceeded to walk back to the ship until she paused and then turned to the heroes. "Let's see if they are all there, should we?"

Discordia chuckled and then opened the case to reveal the seven Chaos Emeralds. But she picked one from the case and saw that it was not like the actual Emeralds. "Wait...Wait...This is...THIS IS ORIGAMI!! YOU DARE DUPE ME?!?!?"

She crushed the origami Emerald and held out her palm which made most of the heroes float off the ground excluding Peach. Discordia clenched her fist and the heroes in her grasp started screaming in pain.

Peach's mind raced. She needed to save her friends and family before the worst happened. She then noticed the case with the real Chaos Emeralds in the library dome and took it. Rosalina noticed this and said, "Peach, don't!"

However, Peach opened the case and the Chaos Emeralds glowed. She then shot her head up into the air and started to float off the ground.

"Peach, are you alright?!?!?" Mario asked.

Peach didn't respond. She had this golden aura and her hair started to become flowing and her crown slowly floated off her head. Discordia growled and exclaimed, "Fool! Mere mortals can't use the Chaos Emeralds without consequences!"

Robo Mario then charged at Peach but she caught him and blew him to bits. Discordia shuddered in fear and Peach said menacingly, "Get out of here..."

Spike then ran back to the evil ship and the Deadly Demons and Discordia followed along. The goddess' ship then left and Rohan said, "That was painful..."

"Peach, you okay?" Daisy asked.

Peach still didn't respond and then started straining in pain. Rosalina gasped and explained, "The Emeralds are trying to control her!"

"Fool!" Peach shouted. "You're not letting us use your full potential!" she then yelled in her normal voice, "No! I'm staying strong! I'm only using you to get Discordia out of my friends' faces!"

The Chaos Emeralds' in Peach's voice scoffed. "Fine! Keep your body, but know that you'll pay the dire penalty!"

The Emeralds then exited Peach's body and she fell. Mario caught her and Rosalina managed to put the Emeralds back into the case.

"Mmm..." Peach uttered. "Mario?"

"Peach!" Mario said.

Peach stood up and Rohan ran to his cousin. "Are...Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes...I-I'm fine," Peach answered with a smile.

She suddenly started clenching her stomach in pain and her vision started getting blurry. She then heard the others' voices getting distorted and she collapsed to the ground as she heard Mario's voice echo, "PEACH!!!!!"