Fire in the Sky
Zoran had heard the explosion from miles away. He did not know the cause, he could only guess. But if he was right, it came in the direction from which they were following Sonic. He may have had something to do with it. Or perhaps not…
Amy and the turned toward the source of the sound when they heard another, louder explosion than the first. They could see its effect in the sky…
"What's going on?" Amy asked Zoran.
"Something's gone amidst out there. The explosion occurred toward the direction of Sonic." Amy grew worried.
"Zoran, what if he was in the explosion?" She asked him.
"Do you really think he wouldn't be able to get out fast enough?" He replied. It was good enough for Amy. Cosmo and Cream seemed they'd rather take the good turn out than the bad one. Knuckles was not listening, still looking toward the explosion sight.
"Come on, let's go toward the explosion, and find out what's going on…"
(Elsewhere…)
Tails had not acted the same since the incident. Was it justice? It just didn't seem right…
He had tried to tell this to Sonic, but he wouldn't listen. "Tails, it was necessary." He replied. Was it? Tails didn't know what to think anymore.
Why did Sonic even trust the Dread Lord? The Dread Lord seemed… evil… somehow. Tails shivered at the way he acted. Tails really wanted to believe he was doing the right thing.
"Everything Sonic has done has been for the greater good. I should not question what he does." Tails said to himself.
It seemed good enough for him. Yet as day turned to night, it still bothered him when suddenly, they encountered the Dread Lord. He was smiling toward them. "You've both performed excellently, as soon as you arrive home, you'll be surprised how many people will applaud for you!" He seemed highly triumphant.
"That moment will be perfect for declaring me emperor." Sonic stated to him. "None of my enemies will get in my way now…" There was something different about Sonic, too. He was more confident, he was stronger, and yet more terrible. But he was Sonic, that was all that mattered…
Sonic turned to Tails. "You, my buddy," He began. "You will be my top general and strategist, my advisor, my engineer, and my scientist."
Tails was shocked. "Me? But surely there are others more worthier, Sonic?"
Sonic shook his head. "No, there are none worthier than you, my friend. After all, you are the only one I can trust."
The Dread Lord nodded. "Already you are wise, Sonic. With the kitsune's genius aiding you, you will be nearly invincible."
Sonic nodded. "Nearly is not enough." He said to the Dread Lord. "I will strive to be invincible during my reign." Sonic's cold confidence was admired by the Dread Lord.
"Good. But save the rest of your talk for the town. They are waiting for you…."
(Back to Sonic's friends… )
The ruins of Eggman's base were smoked from fire. They all stared at the scene. Evidently Sonic had been here…
They were surprised to see a hand rising from the rubble. It was Eggman. He slowly got up, exhausted from the effort. When he saw Sonic's friends, he grew cold with hatred.
"Great, what are you here for, to finish me off? Sonic's already tried to kill me…"
"Who the heck are you?" Zoran stated to Eggman. Eggman was taken aback. Zoran had never met the man before.
"Save the introductions for later!" Knuckles shouted. "What happened here, Eggman? Where's Sonic?"
"Sonic's probably run off, right after he attempted to kill me. That spiky pest, I swear there's something as evil as me in him…"
"Typical," Knuckles said. "You and your lies…"
"Knuckles," Cosmo whispered softly to him. "There is no lie in his voice…"
"What?" Amy said, surprised.
"She's right." Zoran said.
"And how do you two know?" Cream asked them curiously.
"Natural instincts." They said together, surprised when they did so. "Well, look at this place." Zoran said. "I don't have to use my magic to figure this out. Sonic obviously planned to do this…"
"Yes, exactly!" Eggman cried. "He was here with someone else, he wouldn't know how to make this place explode. I bet it was that tag-along of his…"
"Another lie!" Knuckles said, forgetting that the first lie was cleared up. "Tails is dead, and you said yourself, no one else knows how to do stuff like this…"
"You probably caused it yourself!" Amy said to him.
"Amy, I'm not liking this place…" Cosmo said. It wasn't nice looking. A few of the trees were scorched from the explosion, which was likely her primary reason.
"Sonic was not the only one who came here…" Zoran said. "There's evidence of more than one set of tracks… and one of them looks like the one I saw days before… and if I'm right, the ones I saw months before…"
"What are you talking about?" Knuckles asked. "Sonic and Eggman were the only ones here!"
"I'm saying that Sonic did not come here alone, were you not listening?" Zoran said. "It seems to me as if Sonic has found his old friend again…"
Knuckles had no idea what he was talking about. But Cosmo slowly understood, and slowly, her heart began to smile…
A/N: And thus, the others finally discover Tails is alive. But for better or worse? If Tails is serving the fallen Sonic… then surely something dark must be in the air…
