Bass facepalms.

*Sigh* Of course... Stand aside, I've got this.

Bass proceeds to fire rapid shots at Devil Man!

@TheHighTower :



Your wish is my command

had this since the 2020 tiermaker lol

???

Suddenly, a note appears on the sign:

REMINDER: SUBJECT "Skull Man" AND ALL AFFILIATES HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY FIRED BY MAMA ROBOTNIK. - PI

Where Mao actually ended up

Indeed it did. There were even moments I thought it never would've stopped happening.

Strangely, instead of ending up with the others, Mao (and only Mao) ends up in a small, privated dimension a certain individual seems to have whipped up on the spot. In the middle of the small dimension is a table with tea and two chairs. Sitting in the chair across from Mao's is the aforementioned certain individual. On Mao's left from the table is a TV, seemingly set to Ashura's battle in Wood Zone.

Do not even bother trying to attack me. I have already set up one of those Jazz Droid's Anti-Attack fields or whatever, meaning that neither of us can harm another... So, if you don't mind...
...I'd like to have a simple chat with you.

---

The End of Time

A particular old man was simply standing about (...Wait, was he napping? Standing up?) when he hears Rhys enters.

...Another group of visitors, I see... Welcome. Are you perhaps here to see Spekkio, too? That seems to be the reason most people come recently... But then again, most people also happened to have appeared in a whole group, hoho!

Gaspar
Guru of Time

Joyous Tower - Floor 100

Beta Shadow fires another spreadshot of Shadow Core energy, this time with a few extra shots.

---

Somewhere in Space

Suddenly, a Dimensional Window appears before Tachyos!

...Walter may not have anything to say on the matter, but I do... Namely, a correction of statement.
The fact of the matter is, There IS no U3T2. Not anymore... For the "Absurd Roleplay" you used to have explored no longer exists. Additionally, this ALSO means there's only one set of Grand Stars.
...Ok, so semi-recent events* made it to where there's no set of Grand Stars now, but the point still stands.
The fact is, this realm is known as the Chaos Zone. Currently, there are only 2 timesplits, though the Dimension 2 of Chaos Zone is moreso a footnote where the Earth of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon universe has been placed. The only thing that this world has ANYTHING to do with the Absurd Roleplay are some of the people in it.
(I mean, you could probably run at high enough speeds to create a timesplit, or some other kind of dimensional bull, but to literally what ends? So it could exist?)
...My point is, this isn't the "universe outside of the void" that you entered into the first time, so it's best you stop assuming that facts from that world are the same as in this one.
...That being said, have fun with your hunting, or... Whatever.

The dimensional window fades.

---

Grass Land - World 1-1

...So, that's-a the guy we're dealing with... This Coda... What were-a you two doing with such a fiendish character?
Being desperate.
I didn't exactly have anywhere else to go... And besides, what he promised us-
Isn't it obvious at this point, Imajin? Coda had NO intention on giving us what we wanted... On giving ANYONE what he promised. He TRICKED us... All of us.
...*Sigh* You may be right... But what do we even do?
Well, if what you're saying is right, we may have a seriously bad case on our hands.

As if on cue, Team Sonic and the SFRs arrive on the scene.

Sonic? What-a brings you guys back here?
Well, originally, we wanted to help with whatever situation was going on in the Mushroom Kingdom- Silver here has warned us about Koopenstein and an imbalance of Chaos- when we were suddenly intervened by some creep named "Beta Devil", who claims to want to destroy everything... And I mean EVERYTHING.
D-Destroy everything!? Great... Just when we thought things couldn't get any worse...
...Say, I don't think we've ever met before... Who might you be?
Oh! Uh, my name's Stanley, and the guy in the turban is Imajin.
Well, it's nice to meet you both, but if we're going to defeat these two, we might need to find some larger numbers... Does anyone have any ideas?
...I think I-a have an idea... And I believe I-a know where to look first.

---

*Namely, the original Chaos Zone thread, Page 25, Post #2

Joyous Tower - Floor 100

Beta Shadow is inflicted with the Paralysis, but he immediately rids of the effect with Dispel.

...Of course, this leaves him open to get hit again.

...Sorry. I know you won't naturally know the move until level 35* or so, but I've seen enough of your battles to know that letting myself stay paralyzed long enough for you to reach that point will end in a Hex spam that I am not interested in going through. (Not that Paralysis isn't annoying enough of a status effect to get through.

---

Dark Castle (Tails' Skypatrol)

The figure in the minecart has listened to the two Doctors' plea, and is... Rather intrigued.

...So, what you're saying is, you two are here in search of a base of operations, so you could plot to take out a blue rodent and his two-tailed fox friend...?
Exactly! So, if you don't mind, we'll be taking custody of your fancy little-
You will be doing nothing of the sorts.
I'm afraid that you don't have a say in the matter. Badniks, I demand you to-
Because I am going to be generous, and LET you use my castle as your hideout.
...Want to run that by me again?
Do I have to spell it out for you? Believe it or not... We share a common interest. And perhaps, it will benefit the BOTH of us if we were to join forces.
*Ahem*.
Fine, the three of us.
Hm, seems interesting... What's the catch?
Well, nothing much, really. ...Well, except for one thing, perhaps... I'll let you do what you will with the blue rodent...
...But the fox, on the other hand... is MINE.

Witchcart
Wicked Minecart Wizard

---

Dispel - (Recovery) Removes status effects from the user.

---

*In accordance to other Rotoms in Sword/Shield

Joyous Tower - The Floor Where the Battle Should've Been Taking, and Would've if Beta Shadow Wasn't So Lazy (Otherwise known as Floor 100)

Beta Shadow finally retaliates, attacking the clone with a Shadow Buster shot from his fingers*!

---

"Abandoned" Jazz HQ** - Outside

A certain red-cloaked robot is seen pacing back and forth.

...Is there a problem?

Orchestra +
Renegade Retaliation Robot

Not a single one, at least none that any of us can partake in. And that's just it! It's far too boring!

Jazz Droid Mark-X
Remnant of Hands Repurposed

...So, what, you WANT something bad to happen?
I dunno! Maybe! Dealing with some sort of situation is better than sitting around and doing NOTHING!
Then why don't you do what the rest of us are doing, and prepare for-
For WHAT!? For being casted on the SIDELINES!? Face it, no amount of training is going to make us any more than a Trio.EXE***-ed SIDENOTE during the final battle against Beta Devil. We are wasting our time with this.
...Trio.EXE?
I was killed off by the highest-ranking of the gods. Therefore, said gods can go themselves for all I care.
...Hm.
Screw this. I'm gonna go down to Little Papa Beta's and wallow in junk food and soft drinks until something actually happens that I can participate in.

Mark-X warps away. Orchestra sighs in defeat.

---

*As Beta Shadow is not a robot, it should be minded that all Buster moves used by him and his alternates are replicates created by means of Ki/Magic/Whatever inner power they prefer to use.
**The recap was too long for this post, so here's a Google Doc instead.
***HighTower character; An attempted "Anti-Matt" (Or perhaps an Anti-Cranky? WAA HAA HEE is already the established Anti-Matt.); Sealed away into Tri-Limbo at the end of the Trio.EXE Arc (Alternatively referred to as the secondary plot of the Badnik Arc).

@Snowman Pokeepoo :

1. The net was already cut.

2. The battle between Pikason's group and Team Rocket is privated, meaning no one is currently allowed to intervene.

@Snowman Pokeepoo :

It is not a good Roleplay practice to control other people's characters. In this regard, Viking MKII... Which, should I also mention, is no longer an existent entity, nor does the MKII Virus have any part of Proto MKII's story anymore, considering it has long since been removed by Regulus.

Joyous Tower - Floor 100

Beta Shadow, still keeping the attack charged, uses Defense Shade on Rotom's copy!

---

Dark Castle (Tails' Skypatrol)

A familiar pair of mad doctors roam around the castle, still looking for a place to call their base of operations.*

...Are you sure about this? This place doesn't exactly scream "Eggman".

Classic Robotnik
Mad Doctor of Another Dimension

It'll certainly take some adjustments, but so far, nobody has tried to stop us from taking this place over, unlike before.

Dr. Eggman
Has the Master Plan

Suddenly, the nearby rails begin to vibrate...

Huh? What's going on?
...I think I hear something coming... Some kind of minecart?

Suddenly, as the Eggmen turns to look, a figure appears behind the two...

Well, well. Just what do we have here...?

---

Defense Shade - Casts a shadow over a single target to lower enemy Defense. (Based off of the removed Attack/Defense/Speed Burn move.)

---

*Recap: The two Eggmen were brought upon a Death Egg that was created by AOSTH Robotnik by Scratch, Grounder, RS Guts Man, and RS Cut Man, mistaken as CD Robotnik (HighTower character; Another form of the Life Virus/Trio.EXE in Chaos Zone) during two separate searches. After leaving the Death Egg during a bickering feud between AOSTH Robotnik and RS Wily, the two have made several attempts at finding a place to call their base of operations... With less than success. [Note: Both of them have no affiliation with Team Mecha or their dimension, of which the Eggman of that universe is confirmed dead some time after the events of Shadow the Hedgehog.]{spoiler}