Disclaimer: Well, first of all, I do not own Manic or any Sonic character who appears here, they are property of Sega, Dic and Archie respectively. The Characters Elijah Echidna and Morge-Li (Morgiana) are mine. I guess that's all then.
Author's Notes: Now this chapter is the longest thing you will ever read, I'll seriously have to do my chapters 's got also a lot of grammar and spelling errors, but as I said, english is not my mother tongue. However, beside all this, right now, this is the chapter that I'm proud the most, the battle scene was a sucess and I survived due to hating to write battle scenes. This chapter, along with the freaking ammount of action, has some other new characters, so it will be worth it, I promise.
Also, for the full undertandiment (is that a word?) of my readers, I'll start adding notes so for those who are not familiarized with archie and with my story timeline can get used to it and understand it. I will add numbers next to the phrases, names etc that will be explained at the bottom of the page. K? So with this said, let's get to the next chapter and please enjoy and review, ok? Blink surely appreciates it :3
Chapter VI: Glacier Birth
They traveled up to the northest part of the continent, to a small town that settled between the bay and the Intrincara River.
"Welcome to Fishertown."
"Seems like someone ran out of ideas." Manic said after Shadow, Mina was after them rubbing her arms as she cringed.
"God… is s-so cold in this place..."
"Yeah, we better get something before we freeze to death…" Mina grabbed Manic's arm before he ran away.
"We're not stealing anything."
Manic sighed as they walked through the town near the sea, the smell of dead fish and saline water ran inside their nostrils as they felt the cold air cutting their flesh. Also there were sounds typical from bays: Birds, people talking quickly, bells, swearing, the fish still thumping on the wooden floor, etc.
"Manic, what do you plan we do now?"
Manic turned to them, his face serious. "This is when things start getting a little farther." Manic cleaned his throat before speaking again. "We're going to the North, to the icecap zone."
"Why exactly?" Asked Shadow without changing his expression.
"There's a Chaos Emerald around the area. I'm not exactly sure where but I've made a radar that might help us find it, but first we've got to be there."
"That's- why you brang us to this f-freezing end of the world?" Mina asked shivering violently.
"Yes. So we better find a boat, and quick. I'm gonna turn into a walking ice cube if we don't."
"You guys seem to be cold!" They turned their attention to an old, coated fisherman as he jumped off his boat.
"Yes! Indeed we are!" Mina shivered. The fisherman laughed and put a hand over Manic's shoulder.
"Come in! I think I've got something that might interest ya."
Inside the old rooms of the boat, the old, bearded fisherman scrutined into a small wood closet.
"Here." He threw a red leather jacket to Shadow, a pale yellow one to Mina and a brown one to Manic. "These ones should help." He laughed. Mina bowed back and forth like a toy.
"Thank you so much sir!"
"My name young lady, is Ankler." He said touching his white moustache. "So, may I know why are you here?"
"We need to find a boat." Manic said nervously. "So in that case, I think we better start going."
"There's no need for that, young man. I could take you there if you want!"
"That would be perfect Mr. Ankler." Said Mina smiling, Manic put a hand over her shoulder.
"We don't want to be a bother, besides, where we're going is no place where fishermen go."
"You mean the icecap?" Manic stopped on his tracks. "I could take you there."
"The lands of the north are too risky, sir." Manic's face was hard as steel, showing that he didn't look very happy anymore.
"And so is for young people like you." The old man started to behave strange and to walk around in circles. "The northern lands are habited by strange wild animals and god know what else. That is definitely no place for a normal hedgehog."
Manic's teeth started to come out a little, Mina knew something bad was about to happen in that instant, and so Shadow did.
"But you're no normal hedgehog, or am I wrong…" He pulled out a small hand axe from his pockets. "…Green Demon?"
"Sonic."
"What's wrong Knux?" Sonic yelled, the sound of the airplane didn't let him talk normally. Everyone else was inside while Knuckles and Sonic were sitting on one of the wings.
"I think there is something you would like to hear." Knuckles' eyes gleamed below his eyebrows. "This strange green hedgehog… is there any possibility you're going after 'The Green Demon of the North'"
"If you say the Green Demon without the 'North" thing, then maybe." Sonic smiled playfully, Knuckles however, was cold-faced.
"You seriously don't think this strange hedgehog, Green Demon or whatever you call it, is Manic, do you?"
"…I'm not sure." Sonic stared into the sky. "But I really want this guy to be him. You know exactly why I'm doing this right?"
"Yeah." With this Sonic stared back at Knuckles.
"Say, you look worried, Knuckles old pal, what's wrong with you?"
Knuckles sighed. He, like Sonic wanted to believe they would find his friend's brother, however, he was dubious: There were millions of hedgehogs around Mobius, lots of them green. He knew some: Rob o' the Hedge, who was a freedom fighter traditionalist and Amy's cousin. Scourge, before named 'Evil Sonic', a clone of the fastest thing alive that had been exposed to Emerald Radiation and was one of the evilest and nastiest things in history. And then was Manic, the thief-prince with the 'surfer dude' accent, the crazy hair and a problem of sticky fingers. These three however would be shivering by hearing the name of the green demon: A hedgehog creature that Knuckles knew well enough by talk.
"Sonic, there are rumors about the 'Green Demon of the North', very bad rumors. Some of them, I doubt them to be truthful, but even the most fantastic of this tales are truth enough for me."
Sonic laughed. "You echidnas seem to hear lotsa stuff around Mobius."
"Indeed we do." Knuckles answered. "My father and Athair come with many stories from outside Angel Island. I was with them the time they started talking about this guy."
"What did they say?"
"Well, the first of the tales starts with his birth." Images of the tales came to their minds. "Rumors say the demon was born from the Sabina Glacier, in the north. They said the glacier started to break apart all of a sudden and this hedgehog came from it. After being born, an armada of Eggman robots intercepted it. Some people said they were after some Freedom Fighters in the area. The thing is, he destroyed the entire armada in seconds, Eggman had to run away quickly if he didn't want to get killed."
Sonic now looked concerned as well, Knuckles quickly regained his composture and cleaned his throat. "What I'm saying is, we gotta be careful in this lands of the north, we don't know who- or what is there. Of we have to play, we have to play it slowly Sonic."
"Pfft!" Knuckles glared at Sonic after making that rude noise, however, he didn't mind. "Ya worried Knuckles? Come on, we can defend ourselves, I am the fastest thing alive, no? And you're a pretty strong gu-"
"The green demon has the strength of a god, not even a hundred swatbots would be match for him-"
"You're afraid he's stronger than you?"
Knuckles remained silent, Sonic just gave his trademark grin. "Nothing's gonna happen Knux, we'll be just fine." When said this, the cockpit opened, revealing Tails on the inside. "Guys, I have good news and bad news."
"Yeah?"
"The bad news is, there's a sandstorm in the desert, a very big one."
"How long will it last?"
"It will last up to the morning of Wednesday."
"Aww man!" Sonic bawled. "Today and tomorrow full?"
"Yes, I'm sorry Sonic, but is too dangerous. This plane couldn't take it."
"Then I'll go." Sonic stepped up and prepared himself to jump.
"SONIC!!" Sonia's high voice rose from inside, as her head poped up from inside. "Are you out of your mind?! Stop that right now!!"
"I'm going to go after Manic!"
"The only thing you will do is kill yourself!! Now sit down and follow Tails' suggestions."
Sonic made a hard sigh and sat, Sonia then got back to her seat.
"Don't worry Sonic." Tails smiled. "The good news is that Galera city is up ahead and we may stay there until the storm passes. On Wednesday, we can continue the journey to the north." With this said, Tails closed the cockpit. Sonic sighed and crossed his arms together.
"I bet I'm just right." The sailor said. "Is not everyday that a green, young hedgehog comes to the north to come back to its birthplace." His axe, which aimed to the group made Manic's quills stand as he tried not to snarl, he didn't want to scare his teammates, especially after that strange sort of breakdown he had when fighting Elijah the echidna, the fisherman just continued talking.
"Do you remember when the glacier broke before you? Then you were born, to kill us all some say."
"Manic, what is he talking about?" Mina said in a concerning tone while Shadow, whose expression, which was always one of boredom and loathing, turned to one of slight surprise.
"Nothing." He said as he turned back. "Come on, lets' go. We don't have time to lose here."
"Yeah, give your back to me and to everyone, like you did years ago. After all, the prince as he says, doesn't have time for confronting to an old man…. Part of his people."
That was it. Manic, in an attack of anger grabbed the man's arm and put his strength on his arm, which made the fisherman drop the axe. The fisherman didn't oppose resistance, he knew that struggling was useless at such strength.
"Heh." The old man muffled. "You sure are strong."
"You bet I am." Manic glared. "Just who are you? A spy from Robotnik?"
"I can assure you I'm not." He smiled. "I'm just a noble fisherman that wants to help his majesty."
"Yeah right!" Manic applied more strength to his hands, making the fisherman make a small sound of pain, Mina then interrupted.
"Manic, I think he's telling the truth."
"Are you sure?"
"I…" Mina's face lowered, Manic stared at her in disdain.
"I asked, are you sure?"
Mina didn't answer, the Shadow walked to the fisherman and held his wrist with his thumb.
"He's not lying, his heart rate doesn't rise."
Manic stood silent for a while and let go of the man. He regained his composure quickly, then Manic spoke. "What do you want?"
"I want to be of use, my young prince. I'm so damn tired of this tyranny, so tired to work only to be robbed when the taxes rise up. I can't assure a future for my girls nor my grandchildren. I'm sick of being useless. So I ask you to let me get you and your friends to the north, but in exchange, with all permission…" He kneeled on the floor and hid his head on the ground like an Islamic follower. "… I just beg that you remember me as your noble servant."
Shadow made a rude noise from his mouth while Manic seemed troubled. "Yeah… sure, I will."
The old man stepped up from the ground and smiled. "So I guess we can move on, young one."
In a few minutes the old boat started to run its engine and to travel far away to the north. In matter of hours, the space was being invaded by a strange cold mist. They put their coats on and kept waiting until they could see some land, in that moment, Ankler came with three old hot cups.
"You better drink it while is hot." Manic took a sip from the cup and his face contortioned instantanely and spit out of board.
"I didn't think it was that bad." Ankler laughed. Mina took a look to the black, slimy and bubbly brewage in the cup as her nose rose.
"What's in this thing?"
"Don't remember… I think coffee and… grouper liver oil, turtle, some… fish guts I guess…" They tried not to puke as Ankler made a list of what he added to the drink. "Anyways, those ingredients are a very good source of protein, vitamins, calcium, and will keep you awake as you go through the cold winds of the north, so is better to be prepared. I'll go back to the cockpit, call me if you need something." With this said he left leaving them behind, with Shadow and Mina to talk with Manic.
"Manic, we've gotta talk." Mina started, manic sipped the black liquid again, making a noise.
"What about?"
"What the hell happened in there?" Shadow asked with his unchanging expression.
"I guess he went insane." Manic srhrugged as he turned his back to the board, Shadow pulled him to turn to him.
"I wasn't talking about that. I meant what was he talking about, this 'green demon' thing."
"I don't know what he was talkin'-"
"You're DAMN RIGHT you do." He shook Manic from his shoulder. "And you're gonna tell me right now what's going on before I find out for myself."
Manic sighed and proceeded to explain himself. "Green Demon is a nickname I put on myself to avoid Swatbots of catchin' me. I also invented the whole scheme, it was all for safety."
Shadow still wasn't convinced of this, Mina either, however they chose to leave him alone., for that night, they all slept with the wait of a new morning. However, when waking up, they didn't see daylight but a slightly dark and cloudy sky, they were close.
The boat made a soft thud when hitting earth. Ankler jumped from the boat to secure it to the icy bay, after him, the group of three jumped from the boat.
"Ank, I beg you to stay here while we go find the emerald, could ya do that?"
"Of course prince." Ankler smiled. "Anything for ya."
"Thanks." With this said, the three of them proceeded to walk.
The northern Ice Cap Zone was one of the coldest places of Mobius, and indeed it was. Manic could feel the ice forming around his ears and nose, however, they had to continue.
"Shadow, you didn't bring your bike by instance, did ya?"
"Yeah, like I could put it on a boat." Said Shadow sarcastically.
"You don't have to say it that way, sheesh."
They continued walking for hours, and the more they walked, the colder it would get. Sometimes they would see what looked like some dried-up bushes and some trees, that made themselves more occasional when entering a forest of pines. After walking thorugh it Manic stopped on his tracks and tapped the radar several times while mumbling some curses, Shadow stopped next to him.
"What is it?"
"Is this stupid thing, is failing."
"Why the hell is it doing that?"
"Perhaps is the cold, the temperature is freezing its internal parts and-" Then, the device made a strange sound and shut down. "Great. It crashed."
"Why that's perfect." Shadow put a disgusted face, like he always did the whole time. "Why didn't you think of that before getting in this godforsaken place?"
"Don't yell at me, ok?" Manic stated angrily. "Besides, I can't think of everything, I'm too busy to think of everything."
"Busy having hot spring baths? Yeah I suppose that takes a lot of effort, doesn't it Manic?"
"Shut up before I break you in half."
"I dare you."
Manic lifted Shadow of the ground, but Shadow didn't hesitate, instead he kept his cold defiance. "You're getting me tired, Shad. I'm serious. Now, shut up, or I swear I won't be easy on you."
"Tsk. Oh, please spare me, I'm just a poor bastard who doesn't know anything , it actually reminds me of someone…"
Manic threw Shadow to a tree and Mina screamed, then he proceeded to grab Shadow again over his head. "I'll say it again Shad. I'm serious dude, so shut up now."
"Manic, stop it." Mina said. "I know he's a jerk, but leave him now, we gotta find that emerald, remember?"
"Since when do you care?" Shadow said hastily. "All you've done is crying and moaning all trip long."
"Shut up Shadow. After all, I'm trying to help you, so show some gratefulness for once." Said Mina in an angry tone, Shadow just ignored her. "And what you have done this trip long Shadow? Besides, of course, blame us for everything and throwing hissyfits?
"I slayed the legionist."
"WE slayed the legionist, you and me, in case you don't remember." Manic corrected. "And we've been fine since then. So you don't have anything to blame me for."
"Except for the radar crashing."
"It was the cold that made it crash, so is not my fault either. That happens very often and there's nothing to worry about. We'll find the emerald sooner or later if we keep doing as I say."
"We won't find the emerald if we do as you say besides if I didn't appear to help you, Mina would have gotten eaten. And perhaps you would have cried your heart out after that, I can figure."
Manic pushed him to a tree and grabbed his throat. The hot blood trailed through his veins. "You don't know me. You sure don't." Manic snarled a little. Mina intervened again:
"Manic, don't. Please." Manic just ignored her, Mina got angry.
"Fine, go ahead! Keep discussing; you're doing a great job! I'll go somewhere else to DO SOMETHING USEFUL." Then she walked away from the patch of woods, Manic and Shadow however, didn't move. They stared at each other for a while and didn't say anything. Shadow then snapped out.
"I'll keep watching you. I'll let you do whatever you want, you do something wrong, it will be your problem. From now on, I don't give a damn about your decisions. OK?"
"How is that you can still breathe normally?" Manic wondered, he had been holding Shadow for a while now. Shadow just stared deeper.
"You don't know me."
With this said, he let go of Shadow and cracked his knuckles. "Come on, we've gotta catch up with Mina."
"Before she gets in more trouble than she's worth?" He said as he walked before Manic.
"Listen, if you want me to get along with- Mina?" He noticed Mina's body stand still into what looked like a white mass of fur. Shadow walked closer and took a look while Mina's face stood horrified. In front of them laid a white not anthropomorphic animal of some sort, dead. Fleas floated around along with a rancid smell.
"Sweet- aw god." Shadow covered his nose, then Mina did the same as she cringed back making soft shrieking sounds. Manic approached the dead animal and crouched, he didn't cover his nose like Shadow and Mina did, after living most of his life on the street, the smell of almost everything nasty didn't do any effect to him. He grabbed some of the flesh and turned it around and saw what he thought: Worms. He knew what it meant.
"It's been dead for days. I don't know for how many or what was the cause of it, but I'm sure this fella has been thrown here a long time ago."
"What is it?"
"Is our radar." Both Mina and Shadow were puzzled. "I don't know much, but I've seen this animals group around emeralds and stuff. You see, radiation attracts them, no matter what kind, it attracts them like fleas to the flesh." He pointed to the dead animal. "That includes chaos radiation."
"Manic, this animal is dead, it won't go anywhere."
"I never said that it would lead us to the emerald." Manic looked up to a near hill, in which thousands of the same goat-like animals climbed to the top. Mina gasped slowly. "They will."
"So all we have to do is follow that herd."
"Yeah. They should know where the emerald is, just don't drink that water there." He pointed to the river next to the corpse. "I don't think any of us wants to take a dump before the right time."
"You sure are useful when you want to."
"Easy Shad, easy."
"Guys, did you hear that?" Mina snapped out suddenly. Manic looked around but nothing.
"I don't see anything."
"But… I'm sure I heard something moving throught the trees."
"It must be some forest animal, now lets get goin'. My hide is freezing cold downright quick." Manic and Shadow walked in direction to the mountain, Mina followed them still unsure and with the presence of that someone who followed them.
They followed the herd up the grayish, ice hill. They walked for what seemed hours, and that's when the energy started to give in and the hunger started to attack, along with the cutting cold that helped no bit.
Finally they reached the hill's top, which was followed by another chain of hills. The group of three continued following the herd until they stopped to see a small house made out of pine wood, on which a small while and orange flag hung on top. Manic smiled.
"I should have known, come on." They walked among the herd, which groped themselves in fron of the door. Manic pushd them aside and knocked, but there was no response. He tried to knock again, but nothing. Finally he got out of his pockets a small metal piece and started doing what he was best at.
"What are you doing?"
"Just applying a little trick." Then a click came out of the lock. "Right on, dude." He opened the door and went inside along with Mina and Shadow following him. The place was completely dark inside, there were no candles, nothing. Manic called.
"Aunt Morg! I'm here! Are you home!" There was no answer, Manic however called again. "Yo aunt, is me, Manic. You remember?"
"Who's this aunt you're talking about?"
"She's not really my aunt." He answered to Mina. "Everyone just calls her that way, she helped me when I was injured from a battle, she's a freedom fighter."
"And she lives up here?" Shadow asked looking around.
"Looks like it." Manic then reached a lonely door. "Here must be her office or something." To his surprise it was open, he felt that some strange feeling came up his spine, then he turned around to see the illuminated face of an orange echidna with a handkerchief tied over her head come out of the darkness.
"Hey!" He smiled. "Aunt Morgie, is me!"
"Hello sweetie…" Her voice sounded choked, Manic frowned.
"What's wrong, why are you so-" A flame appeared behind her cheek, almost burning her. Then, from the shadows another figure was illuminated by the firelight. Manic's quills stood in an aggressive patern and his teeth came barely into sight. It was the figure of a purple cat, with bright yellow eyes, she wore what seemed like a dark purple suit with a golden collar and furred sleeves, also she was carrying a messenger bag that seemed to move magically. After her, another figure appeared, this one was a hedgehog just like him, but instead he was white, with only two quills on the back of his head and five smaller quills on his forehead, his eyes were an amber color and he was wearing strange boots and gloves with strange, light blue patterns on them. Shadow frowned after them.
"What are they doing here?" He thought.
"Who are you?" Manic asked still in defiance. The cat was the first one to speak.
"We come in a message from the Dark Legion. You're ordered to surrender, if you don't… well, let's say she won't be lucky to survive." The flames of her hand got bigger, the echidna woman just emited a little gasp and Manic's fangs bared themselves visible enough.
"Leave her." He received no answer, Manic's patience was cutting short. "I said leave her!"
"Manic wait up." Shadow said. "This is not normal. They are not this way." He whispered.
"What do you mean?" Manic frowned. "You mean you know them?"
"They are good people. But something seems to control them, I'm not sure what it is, but I know the legionists did this to them to go after you, because they have enough power to take you with them, dead or alive."
"Did you finish your conversation?" The cat girl asked again. "Or do I have to make you decide quicker?"
"Don't you touch her, or I swear I'll-"
"You won't do anything." The white hedgehog snapped. "You don't touch her, Manic. I don't want to be the one to kill you."
"But I'll sure be battling you." Manic snapped back. Shadow started pulling something out of his pockets, made out of cold, black metal.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with-" She didn't have time to finish her sentence when Shadow pulled his gun and shot the wall. The fire died and the cat was in shock for a moment, Manic decided to go after the white hedgehog and leaped to him, pushing him to the ground. Aunt Morgie ran away from the house to keep herself safe, but the cat followed her, knowing that she was the only way to catch the hedgehog thief. Throwing fireballs at her they came outside where she cornered her against the edge of the hill. There Manic appeared holding the white hedgehog, and threw him at her with a force that sent them flying off the hill, however they evaded the fall thanks to an unknown power that lifted them up the ground and made them touch the ground safely. Manic and Shadow ran down the hill to face them.
"I don't get this." Shadow said frowning. "They are not this way, something is controlling them."
"I see no mind control device." Manic answered. "Just who the hell are they?"
"The cat's name is Blaze, and as you can see she has full control of the fire."
"I could take her down in a second."
"Don't be so sure about that. She's bat enough, but Silver is a though one, a very though one."
"What is his power?"
"Let's say it could beat you fast enough, even with your superstrenght."
"Yeah but what-" Blaze threw a fireball, which both evaded and the fight started. Manic went for Silver as Shadow went for Blaze. Shadow had problems attacking Blaze directly, and using Chaos Spears wasn't helping to slow her down. She kept throwing fireballs at him ad the attacks got fiercer and fiercer.
"Damn it!" He thought. "She's getting stronger, if I don't do something quick, I'll be gone. However, if I use the Chaos Blast she'll die. And I don't have the emeralds near me to use Chaos Control.1 I knew I should have taken Manic's emerald!"
He almost got burnt by a fire attack. In the meantime Manic wasn't doing any better. Silver was too fast for him and kept evading his attacks, but when Silver was distracter was when he could finally strike a punch that sent him flying to a large ice mass.
"Off the wall dude! Yeah!" He didn't have time to celebrate when the pieces of the ice mass lifted off the ground surrounded by a blue aura, and charged to Manic, who reacted just in time to dodge most of them, except for the one that hit his left leg. Silver lifted himself off the ground floating.
"Surprised?" He said softly while he grinned evilly. Manic frowned.
"Telekinesis?" He thought. Silver's grin grew wider.
"Now you will have to come with us, dead or alive." When he put emphasis on the word dead Manic growled aggressively and pulled the giant ice thorn out of his leg and pointed it at Silver.
"Dead shall be then." The strength of his voice, in an almost bestial fashion gave the impression that he wasn't definitely happy anymore, he was angry and ready to kill.
He threw the ice lance at silver, who destroyed it with his powers, Manic ran to him swiftly and punched him on the face, the punched again and again, it was when Silver extended his arm and a mass of snow hit Manic in the face, covering his eyes, which gave the chance that Silver needed to escape from his hands and attack again. He was NOT letting him go away and ruin his mission.
Silver then started to throw everything he could with his telekinetical powers, rocks, trees, everything. Manic broke them and dodged them and kept trying to hit him at the same time, meanwhile Mina and Aunt Morgie watched them from above, Mina frowned as her eyes followed Manic fighting silver. "I can't stand it anymore. I'll go help them!"
"Use your speed Mina, it will help you." Aunt Morgie said, Mina frowned at her.
"How do you know my na-"
"There's no time, Manic needs you sweetheart."
"But my speed is not the same anymore! How I'm supposed to-"
"You will have to. Now go!" Still unsure, Mina drifted down the hill to help her friends. It was when Blaze, enraged saw her and stopped attacking Shadow and made her the new target.
"Mina!" Shadow screamed, but it was too late, Blaze unleashed a burning fire against her, and Mina dodged it quickly and started running, after her the fireballs would fall, one by one, but she would just keep running faster, faster…
That's when she came to Blaze and punched her in the gut, she definitely felt stronger this time, this time, Shadow would not bash her, he would not even DARE to.
Manic continued fighting Silver as he threw stuff to him, and then, when he had the chance, when he could punch him, he aimed his fist to his cheek, Silver immediately fell to the ground, but before Manic could do something else, the white hedgehog lifted him from the ground as he was surrounded by a blue aura.
Silver stepped up and touched his cheek. "You made it this time, you've got me pissed off." He closed his hand onto a fist and Manic felt as his organs inside him were being crushed, letting out a scream he felt as weak as when he traveled with his brother and sister. Sonic himself had and ability of his own, he was the fastest thing alive. Sonia although not fast, she could spin herself so quick she would become as strong as a hurricane on earth, but Manic, even having the power of making earthquakes, he could not do it without his medallion, in any case he had nothing.
He was woken up from his trance when Silver twisted his lungs, a chocked gasp came out of his mouth and he remembered his sickness as well. The last days he has taken his medicine, but the twisting of his organs would aggravate his condition a tenfold. But right now, the only thing that mattered is that he needed air, but he would not get it if his lungs were being used like clay.
Mina kept fighting Blaze and it wasn't until she turned to Shadow that she saw Manic, his eyes getting out of its orbits, it was a horrendous sight. She knew what she had to do, and quick.
"She's all yours Shad!" And before Shadow could hesitate she ran to where Manic and Silver were fighting and propelled a terrible to Silver's face that made both she and Silver lose balance and he let go of Manic, who fell on the ground breathing heavily. Mina then tried to help him, and that's when she looked up, to see Blaze burning in rage. She screamed and threw a fireball at Mina, who dodged it. When the fire reached the snow, Mina looked horrified, was Manic carbonized? Tears came to her face, hot tears, hot as the rage she felt towards Blaze and Silver and she expressed it charging towards Blaze, and falling on her, aiming punches to her face, bruising it badly. Silver defended Blaze throwing Mina far away to a rock where she fell unconscious, leaving Shadow alone.
Manic tried to lift himself from the ground, he felt a huge hand over his shoulder. "Don't let them see you." Said a strange voice. He was behind some dried up bushes and then faced the figure.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Big." Big was a large-sized, purple and white cat with yellow eyes and huge ears, Manic frowned at this sight. "I helped you with my fishing rod, see?" He pulled a yellow and black fishing rod. "I grabbed you with my hook and brang you here. Here, is a lot more safer!" He said gallantly.
"Why, thanks, but I have to-"
"You've gotta help me!!" He grabbed Manic's shoulders and shook him. "You've got to! You've got to!"
"WAIT!" Manic pushed himself from Big. "What do you want?"
"My friend Froggy was captured!"
"Just who the hell is Froggy?"
"He's my friend! He's inside that mean kitty's bag! You've got to help me!"
"OK, OK!" I'll help you!" Manic sighed. "Just do as I say, alright dude?"
"Yes!" He saluted.
"Listen, I have a plan…"
Meanwhile Shadow faced both Blaze and Silver at the same time, and it didn't matter what he tried, he faced one then the other would attack his back and vice versa, it was just when he heard Manic when he felt somewhat relieved.
"Yo, you want me! Come and get me!"
"Don't be to cocky Manic Hedgehog." Blaze yelled. "We won't go so easy on you now."
"Bitchin'" Manic grinned. "Just what I wanted to hear."
The attacks to him started again, the flying objects and the flames passed just by his side when he dodged them while getting closer. It was then when Silver held him captive again, that Manic stopped.
"You can't win Manic." Silver stated. "Your friends can't be of use right now."
"Really? What about the big, angry cat behind you?"
"What are you-"
"Leave Froggy alone!!!" Big grabbed Silver from one of his quills and started spinning him around. Blaze tried to help his friend and tried throwing a fire at the big purple cat, but stopped when she heard a clicking sound and turned her sight to Shadow pulling a gun against her head.
Big finally stopped spinning silver around like a ragdoll and threw him away, Manic, who was set free by Big ran after the flying Silver and jumped on him. Silver, horrified tried to defend himself. "Oh no, you won't." Manic grabbed his wrists and pinned them to the ground and bared his white shining fangs, Silver said nothing, he was too scared of that demonic figure that held him on the ground, the cold blue eyes that almost his completely behind his eyebrows watched him carefully as his hot breath hit his face. To Manic it was just the enemy, only the enemy and nothing else. It was so easy to make him stop, so easy. After all he did, it was just the time to pay.
"What are you waiting for?"
He reacted. What was he thinking? Killing him? What the hell? It was then when he noticed something on Silver's neck and everything became clear. "Shadow! Is a chip! A chip on their necks is controlling them!" With this, Manic lifted Silver and grabbed the device with his fingers and ripped it off Silver's neck, Shadow did just the same and both Silver and Blaze came back into reality.
"Wha- what happened?" Blaze turned to the black hedgehog. "Shadow?"
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I think so… Owww, my head." She moaned.
"Are you alright dude?"
"I… I dunno." Silver answered. "Who are- wait, you're… Manic, right?"
"Yeah."
"We've been searching for you!"
"Whoa man! If you start attacking again you better-"
"Again? What happened?"
"A controlling device." Shadow interrupted, holding the chip. "The Dark Legion did this, they used you as weapons."
"Dang it!" Blaze said angrily. "We shouldn't have let them catch us!"
"That's not important now-" Manic then went pale when seeing Mina lying in front of a rock, unconscious. He ran to her and tried to wake her up desesperately. "Mina! Mina! Wake up! Yo, Mina! Please!" There was no answer. "Mina please! WAKE UP!"
"Poor missy…" Big whispered. In that moment, Aunt Morgie walked down the hill and looked at Mina.
"Poor girl, I just hope that hit didn't damage her head." Manic shook her more and started calling for her again, the he started feeling a great pain on his body, a very big pain. He started running with Aunt Morgie calling after him, but unable to help him while she helped Mina. Shadow felt curiosity to know why he had ran away from there in such a hurry and followed him to the back of a large mass of ice, that's were he saw something he would have not wished to see. He saw as Manic starting spitting large amounts of blood from his mouth, the color abandoned his face as the red liquid did the same, when it was over, Manic shivered a little and turned around with the most frightened face he had ever put since he met Shadow.
"Manic…" Shadow frowned as Manic pushed back.
"Shadow, I… ARGH!" He grabbed his stomach tightly as Shadow crouched.
"What's wrong here? Start talking." Manic knew it was useless to lie, so he proceeded to speak.
"I'm sick. And there's no much time left for me."
"You're gonna die?"
Manic coughed. "I think so."
"How much time you've got left?"
"I don't know." He started spitting blood again, Shadow stepped up quickly.
"I'll call the others."
"No, don't." He pulled Shadow's pants. "I don't want Mina to know about this."
"You would be lying to her… again."
"I don't want her to know, I don't wanna worry her, just… just call Aunt Morgie here, she will know what to do."
Shadow didn't say anything for a moment. "You know what I said about letting you do whatever you wanted, so that will be your problem then, is your choice. I just hope you know what you're doing." Even if it didn't seem like it, Shadow was concerned, Manic could feel it. "I'll call her up."
Manic waited for a few seconds, crouching and curled up until Aunt Morgie appeared. "Manic, my sweetheart…" She crouched to face him. "Is happening again?" Manic nodded weakly. "Alright, is fine, I'm here now. How are you feeling?"
"Not so good." He made the sign of being about to puke when the echidna woman put her hand over his back.
"No no no. Calm down Manic, calm down, that won't do you any good and you know it."
"I… I want to talk with you Aunt Morgie… alone."
"Alright, Shadow, could you please leave us alone for a moment? Go give a hand to Big and Mina, please." Shadow the proceeded to walk away. "What is it?"
"Aunt Morg… do you know how much will I last?"
"I'm still not sure Manic, I'm still not sure. You know my powers have limits."
"I know, I know."
"However, let me tell you this Manic, the time is coming. Something evil is rising, I can feel it on my bones. And you're part of this whole scheme. You know what I meant when I told you that you had a big future waiting for you, a future full of victories."
"I remember, yeah." Manic stepped up slowly. "I remember it well."
They walked away from the ice mass and to their friends. Big was holding what seemed like a green frog, turning side to side. "Froggy, I'm so glad you're fine! I'll never leave you again buddy!" Shadow just rolled his eyes. Mina was also fully awake now; Manic ran to her and hugged her tightly. "Mina, you're safe!"
"Why… yeah…" Mina blushed.
"Mina, you're the bomb!" Manic looked at her and smiled widely. "Seriously Mina! You were totally cool when fighting Silver and Blaze. I never seen that in you Mina."
"You were amazing indeed Mina." Aunt Morgie interrupted.
"How is that you know my name without knowing me?"
"I knew you would come, you, Manic, Shadow, Big, even Silver and Blaze. I knew you would come from the future to help me."
"The future?" Manic asked surprised, Blaze nodded.
"Yes, we came from the future to help Morgiana with the Dark Legion events. It would somehow affect the future, so we had to go to the past to change the events right now, at this time. But we got captured and sent to kill her and you three."
"We're really sorry." Blaze said sincerely.
"Is cool Blaze." Manic grinned.
"Anyways, as I was saying, Mina, you have more power than you can imagine. But the biggest power is what you can do for others, that power is bigger than anything else. That is Mina, what makes you strong as you only are, and you need to be strong for who need you when the right time comes."
"And when?"
"You will see."
"Thanks aunt, you were of great help."
"Thanks to you Manic, to everyone, and please come visit me in a while, it gets kind of lonely here." She smiled. Manic put his arms around her.
"Take care aunt."
"You too, and please don't steal."
Manic laughed. "I'll try."
"Thanks for all Aunt Morgie." Mina hugged her as well.
"Don't forget what I told you."
"I won't."
"Thank you so much auntie Morgie!!" Big ran to her and hugged her, and she laughed.
"Take much care of Froggy." Froggy croaked in response. Morgiana casted her sight over Shadow and smiled. "So you will say goodbye to me or… you're too grown up for that?"
Shadow sighed and walked to her, he stopped and extended his hand. "Thanks for everything." No one said anything for a while, until Morgiana hugged Shadow in surprise and Manic chuckled, Shadow's face was blank.
"Be sensible to your surroundings Shadow, you don't know when you will get to miss something, or someone."
Shadow patted her back and pushed himself apart. "Take care."
"We will stay here to help her." Silver said. "We'll see you around guys."
"I hope so, after all that happened, it was nice to meet you." Manic laughed, and so they did.
"I guess so."
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Morgiana pulled out of her coat a white shining jewel. "I found this emerald covered in snow months ago. I used it to bring the Shriekgoats here and have something to eat, but as you can see…" She pointed to the herd. "I don't need it anymore."
They took the emerald, said a last goodbye and Shadow took them to the bay with a Chaos Control. Ankler received them warmly.
"We have more guests eh?" He laughed. "Let's see, you are?"
"My name is Big! And this is Froggy!"
"Well, is nice to meet you two, hehe! Get in, this old ship has space for you!" He looked at the other group. "You found the emerald?"
"Yeah, Shadow has it."
"Okay, then I guess we can go! All aboard!"
They entered the ship, when inside, Manic asked Shadow a question. "Shadow, when we were fighting… did you say something to me?"
"Something like what?"
"Something like: 'What are you waiting for?'"
"I never said such thing."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. Maybe it was your imagination."
"I- I don't know…" Manic had the strange feeling that something was wrong. If Shadow didn't say that, then, who did? What was happening to him? He asked himself that question over and over again as the ship abandoned the icy bay and went in direction back to Fishertown.
1). According to Archie, Shadow can use Chaos Blast when removing his inhibitor rings.
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