A/N: Thank you guys for your support in encouraging me and lifting my spirits. BTW before I start, a reply to a guest's review: I have no idea what you mean when you say "fake and gay"
Anyways, this time, I had to delve deeper than usual into one of Dark Tails' victims.
Despite the full moon lighting the streets, the feeling of darkness was ever present in Emerald City. Especially now that a murderous dark fox freely walked the streets of the city.
Ever since Dark Tails came onto the scene, the city had been running scared and its citizens were driven completely paranoid. Especially during the night, when they were sure the fox walked with an unopposed freedom.
As of tonight, after killing his second target, Henry Gray, Dark Tails sought refuge in one of the Rundowns' dilapidated apartments. Prying the window of a random flat open, he hopped in and quickly shut it. He immediately regretted doing so.
His sharp nostrils were instantly assaulted by an intoxicating blend of stenches that would undermine a skunk's spray. He was forced to reopen the window to stick his head out and take huge gulps of fresh air.
"OK. This is deplorable." The dark fox gagged as his night vision kicked in, allowing him to take a look at the apartment's pathetic conditions in the darkness. He knew the residents of the Rundowns lived in squalor but this was an all new low. A few steps forward and he felt his shoe stepping into something sticky. He did not want to know what that was.
Of course, the apartment's poor state did not matter to Dark Tails in the least. All he wanted there was some food and maybe a place to rest for awhile. Then, he would continue his mission of revenge.
Dark Tails walked to the fridge, which was emitting an annoying rattling noise and threw the door open, hoping to find something edible to eat. He did not. The fridge was more like a breeding ground for fungus than a food preserver. He shut the door in disgust. Clearly whoever lived here treated their home with neglect. But he did not care in the least.
The dark fox did not even want to bother looking around, as he knew he would find nothing of interest in here. But as he turned to head out the door, his sharp eyes caught something of interest. It was a picture. He moved closer to inspect it and his usually angry face rose to a new level of rage.
It was a picture of Henry Gray with his other two friends, William Young and Carl Larson, the otter and hyena flanking the lion. They were dressed in their Emerald City Academy uniforms and had their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders.
The picture, unlike everything else in the room, was in a picture frame that looked to have been neatly taken care of. It was probably the only thing in the entire apartment that was still treated as though it still existed, as it bore no characteristics of neglect such as wear or dust.
It took Dark Tails less than a second to decipher whose apartment this was: Henry Gray's.
It even took him less time to shatter the frame's glass with a quick fist, damaging the frame but not the picture. He wrenched it from the busted frame and held it in his hands. Staring at the three Mobians in the picture, the dark fox felt mixed feelings: rage for what they had done to him in the past but also a slight satisfaction, knowing that two of the three were now dead. Killed by his own hand. Now only Carl remained.
Dark Tails licked his lips in bloodthirsty anticipation as he glared daggers at the lion in the centre of the group. "Only you remain, Carl Larson. I know where you work. I know where you live. Believe you me, I will make your death a pleasure to watch." He intoned as his hands glowed red. The picture slowly smoked until it finally combusted.
The dark fox watched, almost hypnotically, as the flames licked at the picture. The sight brought a small smile to his muzzle as one by one, the bullies were licked off the picture. It looked almost ominous when William's face was first to be destroyed, followed by Henry's –the same order in which they were killed. Carl's face was finally burned last. Dark Tails let the ashes fall through his fingers, before dusting his hands.
He briefly considered flying over to Carl's house and killing him that very night but he restrained himself. He wanted to make his hunt last as long as his bloodlust allowed. And right now, said bloodlust was satiated.
Dark Tails was interrupted from his murderous thoughts when his ears picked up the distinct sounds of approaching sirens; it seemed the police were responding to the atrocity he had recently caused. There was no need for him to linger there any longer. Time to go.
Rather than use the window like before, he opted to use the door this time. He did not want to e spotted flying away. The dark fox opened the apartment's door and walked into the dimly lit hallway.
-O-O-
"The notorious drug dealer, Henry Gray, along with over twenty of his compatriots, was found brutally slaughtered at their hideout at approximately eleven forty-eight last night. The police believe that this was once again the work of the black fox, who is also responsible for three other murders across the city. The Emerald City Police are urging the citizens to remain calm and offer their assurances that the murderer will be caught. Henry Gray had previously evaded police for-"
That was all Carl Larson had wanted to hear before the clicked the TV off. He sighed deeply as he reclined in his office chair. It had been a strangely uneventful day at the office and he found himself dealing with some boring paperwork.
Although he did not show it, he was deeply gutted to hear about his friends' deaths. First it was William and now Henry. Despite the latter turning to a life of crime, Carl still valued the friendship they shared when they were in school. But if what the police said was true, that both William and Henry were killed by the same person, Carl merely assumed they did something to piss him off. This was his theory: Henry needed some help with a "job" and recruited William. Despite the otter's honest job as a night worker at the docks, he would occasionally run himself into a rather sticky situation, courtesy of Henry. He was an easy go-to guy if the hyena required some assistance. Anyways, they probably did something that did not please the black fox and they ended up being marked for death. William was first and Henry followed.
Of course it was just a theory. He did not really know why the black fox would target his friends but he was certainly sure about one thing: as far as he was concerned, he did nothing to make himself a target.
The lion was snapped out of his thoughts when his desk phone beeped. He pressed the answer button. "Larson here."
"Larson, we have some customers. We need you at the bottom floor to work your magic." The voice at the other end ordered.
Carl heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, something fun to do. That was why he loved this job. With a spring in his step, he strutted out of his office and headed for the elevator.
-O-O-
Dark Tails was restless. There was something about watching his target sit vulnerable, yet doing nothing about it that drove the dark fox to his limits. He was currently on the rooftop of a building that was opposite Carl's office, offering him an uncompromised view of the lion at his place of work without being seen. With his eagle-like vision, he could clearly make out Carl sitting in his office, going through a stack of papers.
Completely oblivious to the dark fox's venomous glare.
Dark Tails had been observing his target for the better part of the afternoon. And the entire afternoon was nothing but torture to him, knowing that he could simply just fly across the street separating the two buildings, crash through Carl's office window and have his way with the lion until he deemed it the right moment to end him. But he restrained himself. He wanted to make the kill at the hour that seemed most appropriate: night time. To kill his enemy at night, in the comfort of his own home seemed more amoral.
Right now, the dark fox just fuelled his rage and bloodlust with gruesome images of Carl's body after he would be done mutilating him. Out of the three bullies, it was Carl who had tortured him the most. The memories were fresh in Dark Tails' mind and he growled maliciously just thinking about them. Without even registering it in his brain, his hand glowed red and he opened his palm and aimed it at the lion's office. He quickly collected himself and stopped just short of firing a blast at the oblivious lion.
Control yourself, Dark Tails. You will deliver his comeuppance soon enough.
Just then, Dark Tails saw Carl answer his phone. He was too far away to hear anything but afterwards, the lion got up and exited his office.
An idea then struck the dark fox. He could not harm Carl just yet. But he could at mess with him. And he knew just how to do it.
Dark Tails walked to the door on the rooftop that led to the stairs. Raising his fist, he punched the concrete so hard he broke away a few bricks. He picked up a brick that was still in one piece and raised his index finger, unsheathing a claw. Then, like a woodcarver, he began to scratch a message onto the brick.
He took surprisingly less time to carve out the message. He blew onto the brick to get the dust off it and gazed at the short but foreboding message he had carved onto it. Now, it was time to deliver it.
Dark Tails tested the brick's weight and then reared his hand back. He carefully calculated his aim and then hurled the brick.
With his enhanced strength, he was able to send the brick across the street with relative ease. His aim was well and true as the projectile smashed through the office window. It bounced off the table, scattering the neatly organized paperwork all over the floor, before it landed on the carpet itself.
The mess the brick caused brought a smile to Dark Tails' muzzle. He then waited for Carl to return.
It did not take long for the office door to swing open and for a jovial lion to come striding in. The dark fox's grin grew wider when he spied the quick change of expression on his countenance once he noticed the mess and then the brick.
-O-O-
Carl had a little skip in his step as he walked the hallway to his office. That was just what he wanted: a chance to get out of the drab confines of his office and to go work his magic. And he was successful in his endeavours. Whistling all the way to his office, he thought his day could not get any better. He had completed his paperwork and had just offered a customer a deal that promised profits. Ah, life was good.
He swung the door of his office open, his eyes closed and his tune rising up a pitch. But nothing prepared him for what lay in store for him the moment he opened his eyes.
"What the fuck?!"
There was a giant hole in the glass of his window. Broken glass littered the floor closest to the window. But that was not what really irked the lion. His once perfectly done paperwork was now littered all over the floor. A light draft picked up from the broken window, threatening to scatter the mess even further.
Carl walked into his ruined office, his mouth agape and his expression incredulous. That was when he felt his toe poke at something rough and slightly heavy on the floor. Glancing down, he saw that it was a brick.
Instinctively, he bent down and picked it up. How was this possible? He ran to the window and looked out. Staring down at the street a good fifty storeys below, he knew no one would possess the strength to be able to throw a brick this high. Then where did it come from? And more importantly, who threw it?
Carl then examined the brick. He slowly turned it over... and almost dropped it on his foot. The lion gasped and took a huge step away from the brick as if it was a bomb.
There, on the other side of the brick, was a crudely carved message. The message was two simple words but these words were enough to send an uncomfortable chill down his spine:
YOU'RE NEXT
In an even greater state of panic, Carl rushed to the window and frantically looked at the street. Everyone was going about their business. No one looked particularly interested in him. So who was it who would want to target him?
A thought then crossed Carl's mind and his blood froze.
The black fox.
Maybe he was the one that was targeting him. But Carl willed himself to calm down. He was being ridiculous. From his perspective, he had done nothing to warrant a black fox attack on himself. But still, this was enough to unnerve him.
The lion walked to his desk and pressed the speed dial button. After a few rings, the line was answered.
"What is it, Larson?"
"Mr. Sanders, someone threw a brick through my office window bearing a threatening message." Carl explained and instantly cursed himself mentally for phrasing it that way. He must have sounded crazy.
Apparently, that was what his boss thought. "Larson, never in my forty years of business have I heard such a farfetched excuse to get out of work."
"What? No, I'm not making this up." Carl sputtered. "Look, you can come see for yourself and if you find out I'm lying, you can suspend me or maybe even fire me."
There was a sigh on the other end of the line. "Very well. I hope you 're not risking your job for a mere joke, Larson." Then the line went dead.
Carl did not have to wait long for his boss, a fat walrus, to come barging into the office, a not-so-pleased expression on his face. But that look quickly dissipated when he saw the state of the office. "What in God's name...!"
Mr. Sanders glanced to the window, seeing the giant hole in the centre and the broken glass on the floor. Then, he saw the brick in Carl's hand, bearing the message. "What kind of tomfoolery is this?"
"I wish I knew, Mr. Sanders." Carl replied. Then, before he knew what he was saying, the words were already out of his mouth. "I think the black fox is targeting me."
He expected a look of condescension from his boss but to his utmost surprise, the walrus' eyes widened, indicating that he understood. Mr. Sanders had also been following the black fox's attacks on the news and was well aware of the danger he posed. And to hear that one of his employees was the fox's target...
"Go home, Larson." Mr. Sanders ordered. "If you're being targeted by the black fox, then you put everyone in this building at risk."
Carl nodded. Although Mr. Sanders sounded a bit brash and uncaring, the lion saw the sense in his command. "OK, boss."
-O-O-
Dark Tails was chuckling to himself when he saw how Carl reacted upon seeing the mess in his office, the brick and the message it conveyed. He could tell the lion was in full panic mode, judging by his frantic pacing around his office.
In the end, an overweight walrus came into the office. They talked for a time and when the walrus left, Carl was seen packing some papers and his laptop into his briefcase and practically stumbling for the door. He could not see the lion's face but he had a pretty good idea how scared he looked.
There was no doubt that Carl was on his way home. Dark Tails could tail his car the whole way but there was really no need. He already knew where he lived.
"Alright, Carl. Now it's time you got your just punishment." The dark fox growled before leaping off the edge of the rooftop and flying in the direction of the suburbs.
-O-O-
Carl pulled up to his driveway and heaved a great sigh. He ran a hand through his hair and reclined in his seat. To think that his day had started so promising, who knew it would turn sour all of a sudden? He needed some reprieve.
He got out of his car and walked to the door. After unlocking it, he stepped into the comfort of his home. Almost immediately, he felt relaxed.
"Honey, I'm home!" He called out.
A lioness walked out of the kitchen. Carl smiled as he walked up to her and enveloped her in a hug.
"What was that for?" She asked, giggling.
His response was a feather light kiss. "Can't I be happy to see my wife again after a long day at work?"
"Long day? You're home early." She then frowned. "You're not fired, are you?"
Carl chuckled lightly. Already, he could feel his stress ebbing away. "No, Lucy, I wasn't. Something... different just came up."
"Do tell."
Carl sighed and stepped away from her. "Lucy, I've had a really long day, OK? Are you really going to interrogate me right now?"
Before Lucy could reply, there was the running sound of a soft footfall coming down the stairs. Then a little lioness came bounding into the room, clutching a stuffed toy in her hand.
"Daddy!"
Carl smiled as he got to his knees and opened his arms wide. The child took the initiative and quickly ran up to hug her father. "Hey, Alice! How was school?"
"It was fun! We did bouncing numbers (I don't know how that works) and painted pictures. I painted a pony!" The little lioness said with glee.
"That's nice, pumpkin. Won't you show Daddy?" Carl asked in a cute voice.
Alice giggled and scampered back upstairs to retrieve the picture.
Carl sighed with content. If there was one thing that helped get the stress of work out of his system, it was his family. All of his worries and fears were instantly forgotten.
Alice came back downstairs holding her painting, which she proudly showed off to her parents. It was a typical kindergartner's painting which featured a stick-like horse with a large smiling head standing against a background of blue sky, yellow sun with a smiley face and green field.
"Wow, this is wonderful." Carl lied.
-O-O-
Night time had fallen over Emerald City. Once again, anyone who was still up and about walked the night with fear ever present in their minds, fear that not even the Midnight Slashers could instil. Fear that they might fall prey to a certain black fox.
But they were not even Dark Tails' targets. The dark fox himself was currently occupied with his intended one. He walked the lifeless streets of the suburbs, reading from the paper he had written Carl's house address on, trying to match it to one of the houses. He glanced at the houses he passed, observing the silhouettes of their owner as they went about their business. None of them really mattered to him anyway. He was after one house.
"207C Rooker Street. Where are you hiding, Carl?" Dark Tails muttered to himself as he looked at each house's address. His red eyes lit up when he finally found himself on the right track. "Aha! 205C, 206C, 207C! There you are." The dark fox licked across his fangs.
Now that he had found the house, he then debated with himself on how to enter. Should he just blast the door open and charge in? Or should he be more subtle and knock like a normal person, then when Carl goes to answer the door, hit him with a surprise attack. The former would most likely alert the neighbourhood. So he opted for the latter.
Like a good neighbour looking to borrow a cup of sugar, Dark Tails walked up to the porch and tapped at the door.
-O-O-
Carl and his family were seated at the table having dinner. All was going well for the lion. After spending some time with his family, he had completely forgotten all his troubles and worries. After the incident at the office, the rest of the day went by as smoothly as though nothing disturbing happened. He heaved a happy sigh of relaxation. It was true what they said: the comfort of your family is the cure to your worries.
The lion's serene thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. He got up from his seat and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Don't worry, honey, I'll get it."
Carl walked to the door, thinking to himself I wonder who that could be. If only he knew.
As soon as he unlocked the door and laid his hand on the doorknob, the door was suddenly kicked in, sending him sprawling on his back a good ten feet away. Groaning in pain, he looked up to see who the wise guy was.
"Who the hell are-?" he stopped when he saw a dark figure standing at the doorway. His blood ran cold and his heart seemed to stop. The incident at the office came back to him like a bucket of water to his face.
The black fox! He had come for him at last!
Glowing red eyes stared back at him. Something about those eyes made him envision death.
The figure slowly crossed the threshold. "Carl Larson." The voice was surprisingly normal; Carl had expected a deep, rumbling voice. "Tonight, you face judgement for your crimes committed against me."
Carl found himself crawling away into the living room. The black fox followed at a leisurely pace. "Who- who are you?"
The response was a malevolent chuckle. "You don't remember me?" Then, with a sudden burst of speed, the fox was leering over him. He quickly clamped his hand over his neck, hoisting him up. "I AM YOUR JUDGEMENT!" With surprising strength for someone of his size, the fox hurled him into a chair. Carl roughly landed on it and sent it toppling over.
The black fox approached the lion. "You used to torture me. Bully me. You made my life at school a living hell!" He punctuated the last word by grabbing Carl by the neck once more and tossing him to the wall. He collided with it on his left shoulder, sending him to a world of pain.
Carl grunted in pain. "Which one were you?" He asked. Memories of his sorry life at Emerald City Academy came flooding back to him, memories he had tried to forget. The days when he preyed upon the weak. Unfortunately, he had bullied a lot of kids back then, he lost count. So he could not remember which one this was.
The fox's answer was a deep growl. "You don't remember me, do you? Allow me to refresh your memory. You knew me by many names: mutant, freak, abomination, to name a few."
"Carl's eyes widened. There was only one person he used to insult that way. It was also at that moment that he noticed the two swishing tails behind the fox. "Miles Prower?"
"That is no longer my name. I now go by Dark Tails."
"What happened to you?" Carl found himself asking. The Miles Prower he remembered was weak, naive and had orange fur. This one was a complete black furred opposite.
"I dabbled in experiments you wouldn't understand. Now that that's out of the way..." He unsheathed his claws and began to advance on Carl.
"Carl, honey what the hell's going on in here?" Lucy walked into the room... and then stopped dead in her tracks once she took in the scene. Her husband was lying on the floor, groaning in agony. Standing a distance from him was... her eyes went wide and she gasped. "Oh, my God!" She quickly ran to her husband as if to protect him.
Just then, another voice came in. "Daddy!" Alice came into the room and automatically ran to her father, trying to hold him close. Then, she stared at the black fox. "Daddy, who's the scary fox?"
Dark Tails simply stared at the three as it dawned on him. "So, you're married. And you have a child." He laughed humourlessly. "I honestly did not expect that. Considering you were a fiendish bully back then, I kind of expected you to end up like those two friends of yours."
Lucy's look of terror momentarily gave way to one of curiosity. She glanced at her husband. "Bully? What is he talking about?"
"Oh! He never told you?" Dark Tails chuckled. "Well, allow me to fill you in on your husband's past. Back then, he was nothing but a complete bully! A sadistic little piece of detritus who took pleasure in torturing those smaller and weaker than him! Including me!" He grinned as he let the words sink in.
"Is- is this true, Carl?" Lucy asked incredulously.
As much as Carl wanted to deny that, to simply declare that these were just the mere claims of a psychopathic murderer, he found himself inclined to tell the truth. "Yes."
Dark Tails snickered as the revelation had its desired effect on the family. Lucy now looked at Carl as if he was a stranger. Her supportive grip on him slackened.
The dark fox then turned to Alice with a wide grin. "You hear that, little girl? Your Daddy is a monster."
Alice, however, refused to let go of her father. She glared at the fox. "You're the monster!"
"Honey, sh!" Carl shushed his daughter, lest she say anything that might worsen things. He turned back to Dark Tails. "So, what do you want?"
Dark Tails licked his fangs with a growl. "To put it simply, I want your life!" He punctuated the last word by unsheathing his claws and igniting his hands. Then he pointed to Lucy and Alice. "They are free to go but not you. This is your last night alive."
The dark fox's message made Lucy shudder. A small part of her, a cowardly side, wanted her to pick up her daughter and run out of the house, to leave her husband to his fate. But her braver side reminded her that in marriage, you stick together through thick and thin.
She bravely stood up to Dark Tails. "Look, whatever person my husband was in the past, he's no longer that person anymore. He's changed."
Dark Tails' eyes narrowed. "The reformed can't reform their past. Now I'll offer you the chance one last time. Leave, or die with him."
Carl quickly intervened before Lucy spoke. He knew full well what his wife was going to say. "Lucy, no. I can't have you suffer for my sins."
Lucy tried to protest. "But."
"But nothing!" Carl yelled, in spite of himself. "This was something I caused and I will take responsibility for it. Take Alice to safety. I will deal with this."
The lioness was on the verge of tears. But she knew her husband was right. Reluctantly, she disentangled Alice's grip on her father. The little girl tried to protest.
"Daddy, no! Don't stay here with this bad fox."
Carl wanted to cry but could not bring himself to do so in front of the dark fox. He whispered a silent "I love you" to his family as Lucy carried the weeping Alice out of the room.
Dark Tails feigned concern at the pitiful scene that unfolded before him. "Wow, you really have changed. I would have never expected you to make that sort of sacrifice." But in a flash, the dark fox's attitude changed. His eyes glowed red and returned to their malicious state. He quickly pounced on Carl and clamped his hand over his neck, lifting him up. He then flung the lion across the room.
Carl landed on a wooden chair, breaking it. It was a very painful landing, he could have sworn something inside him popped. He then heard the dark fox slowly approaching from behind. He had to find a way to fight back. Looking around frantically, he spotted a broken chair leg within his reach. Scrambling desperately, he had managed to grab it before Dark Tails reached him.
As the fox stooped down to lift him up once again, Carl struck. With surprising speed, he turned over and brought one end of the leg across Dark Tails' jaw. The blow sent him pivoting and he staggered away. The lion then saw an opportunity to capitalise. Using the leg as a club, he brought it down as hard as he could on the fox's head. The blow broke the wood in half. It was definitely enough to knock him unconscious.
But to his uttermost surprise, Dark Tails was still conscious. He got up and turned to Carl and the lion's knees went weak when he saw the dark fox's countenance.
Dark Tails had a look of pure hate. His eyes glowed red and he bared his fangs in deep malice. A deep animalistic growl issued forth from his throat as he moved with blinding speed. He unsheathed his claws and took a swipe at Carl's face. The lion staggered back in pain as he felt the distinctive three claw marks across his cheek. But the dark fox struck again, this time swiping at his midsection. The attack forced Carl to hunch over and Dark Tails finished with a knee to the lion's face, sending him on his back.
Blood was oozing from Carl's nose, cheek and stomach. He was in great pain and discomfort and Dark Tails took pride in watching him writhe on the floor.
"Tell me, Carl. How does it feel to be at the receiving end of torture?" The dark fox taunted. "To be the one helpless and at the mercy of someone stronger than you." He kicked the downed lion hard in the side.
Carl cried out. "Go to hell, you freak!"
Dark Tails snarled and he grabbed Carl by the neck. "After you." He ignited his hand.
Carl felt his neck burning. Strangled gasps issued from his throat as he was slowly suffocated and burned at the same time.
Dark Tails revelled in his enemy's pained look. Time to wrap it up. He unsheathed the claws in his other hand and readied himself for the killing strike.
WHAM!
He was interrupted from his torturing by a frying pan that was brought down on his head. The blow was enough to make him release his grip on Carl and disorient him.
"Get away from my husband!" Lucy yelled as she brandished the makeshift weapon. She saw the dark fox slowly rise up and swung the pan once more.
Dark Tails simply used his speed to catch it mid-strike. He wrenched the pan from the lioness grasp and clamped his hand to her neck. "I guess you chose to die with him." He lifted her off the ground and started to squeeze.
There was a determined roar and Dark Tails was suddenly tackled to the floor, releasing Lucy. Carl pinned him down and unleashed the fury of an enraged husband on the dark fox. He punched and scratched at Dark Tails' face, yelling like a madman. "Don't you ever lay your hands on my wife!"
Dark Tails felt every blow strike his face but it did little to deter him. He regained himself and grabbed Carl's hands mid-strike. With a growl, he threw the lion off him.
Carl scrambled to his feet and desperately searched for a weapon to incapacitate the fox with. He saw the chair leg from earlier. This time one end was heavily splintered. It would have to do. He picked it up and advanced on Dark Tails. As the dark fox got to his feet and spun around, Carl was ready. He used the chair leg as a spear and plunged the splintered into his side. Dark Tails roared in pain and Carl stared at the fox's disfigured face triumphantly.
"You should have stayed in your circus, mutant."
But something completely unexpected happened. Dark Tails looked into Carl's eyes and... grinned? Then, to the lion's total surprise, all the injuries he had inflicted on Dark Tails' face started to heal. Soon, his face looked completely flawless as if nothing had ever happened to it.
Carl gasped. "What on Mobius...?"
Dark Tails wrenched the chair leg from his side. The wound knit itself together and eventually, it looked like nothing happened. He then faced Carl with an enraged growl. Igniting his hand, he dealt the lion a mighty fist in the chest that made him spew out blood and sent him sprawling a good twelve feet away until he collided with a wall.
The dark fox's eyes glowed red and he stalked towards the injured lion... only to be met with another form of resistance. This time, in the form of a five year old lioness.
Alice stood in front of Dark Tails, brandishing a "weapon" of her own: her stuffed toy. She wielded it like a bat and struck the fox's legs repeatedly. "You leave my Daddy alone!"
Undeterred, Dark Tails grabbed her by the face and roughly shoved her aside. "Move it or lose it, pipsqueak."
Carl saw his daughter shoved to the floor and was overcome with a fresh burst of adrenaline that made him forget his injuries. He sprang to his feet and charged at Dark Tails...
...only to be hit in the chest with a concussive blast of energy from the dark fox's hand. He fell back to the floor, coughing up more blood.
Dark Tails stooped and grabbed the bleeding lion by the neck. "You should have never picked on me, Carl. Every action has its repercussions." He unsheathed his claws and looked him in the eyes. "Now, let's make this quick."
"Wait!"
Dark Tails stopped what he was doing. He glanced at the lioness impassively.
Lucy slowly approached them, her hands raised in a pleading gesture. She slowly sank to her knees, her eyes brimming with tears. "Look, I know my husband wronged you in the past. He hurt you and bullied you and you have every right to be angry at him. But he had a chance to redeem himself and he took it. He's a changed Mobian now, an upright citizen who now seeks to make the world a better place. He has a family and he is very responsible at taking care of it. Please, find it in your heart to spare him. Carl turned over a new leaf and I'm sure he would want to start over with you, to make things right. Please give him a chance and you'll see what a changed person he is. Please, I beg you, don't take him away from us." Her voice broke at the end. (I'm not good at speeches, nor am I good at this sappy stuff, so please be patient with me)
In spite of himself, Dark Tails listened to every word. He donned an expression that made it look like he was mulling it over. Then, he spoke in an unusually soft voice. "Your husband can make things right." He released his grip on Carl's neck and Lucy heaved a sigh of relief.
"...but this is the only way he can do that!"
Before Lucy could even react, Dark Tails grabbed Carl by the chin and tilted his head upwards. In a fluid move, he unsheathed his claws and swiped them across the lion's neck.
Blood splashed onto the wall as Carl slowly bled out. Dark Tails left the body be and watched as Carl's life sustaining fluids poured all over the floor. He donned a smile of satisfaction as the life faded from Carl's eyes and his body stopped twitching.
Lucy screamed and crawled over to her husband's dead body. She wept as she cradled him. As for Alice, she wailed while standing, one hand rubbing her eyes, the other still clutching her toy.
Dark Tails rolled his eyes at the bawling lionesses. He briefly debated on whether he should kill Lucy or leave her be; he chose the latter. There was no need, his intended deed was done. As for Alice... well he sometimes questioned himself on whether he would sink to depraved depths and kill a child. He saw no reason to start now.
As he left, he decided to leave behind a parting shot. "I'd start cleaning up if I were you."
That just tore it. With a mad yell, Lucy retrieved her frying pan, sprang to her feet and dashed for the fox.
Dark Tails stopped and sighed. He remained motionless until the lioness struck. He quickly spun around and caught her hand mid-strike. With his other hand he unsheathed his claws and plunged them into her stomach.
Lucy gasped and dropped the pan. She stared at the dark fox with wide eyes. He could only stare back emotionlessly as he drove his claws in deeper to the fingertips. Then he wrenched his hand free. Blood poured out of her wound like a waterfall. He then released her, letting her lifeless body fall to the floor.
Now, the only sounds in the house were Alice's screams and wails. Dark Tails glanced at her. It looked like his question on whether he would kill a child or not would be answered tonight. The answer was simple: he was Dark Tails. He had no conscience whatsoever.
With a malicious grin, Dark Tails stalked over to the girl. She never even moved as the dark fox leered over her and unsheathed his claws.
The house was filled with shrill screams, followed by a deathly silence.
-O-O-
Another chapter bites the dust. Whew! What a ride this one was. The longest chapter I have ever written so far. It went through a bit of restructuring so I hope this appeals to you.
OK, just one more person for Dark Tails to kill: his ex-girlfriend, Leena Ashley. And then, spoiler alert: he's planning something big; I won't tell you what it is. Now, I'll leave you guessing here: Does Dark Tails kill Leena like he killed the other three? Or will the gang stop him before he strikes? You can let me know what you think either in a review or a PM. By the time I would have posted that chapter, some of you would have guessed right while the rest of you will be disappointed.
Please read and enjoy.
J.W.H. 10
