(For people who didn't get the notification, go back one, there was another chapter update that FF missed.)
Harmonizing Whir Part 3
Blaze's finger's twitched. She crinkled her nose. Her flatten ears flicked with each whine from Infinite. Bile burned in her contorted stomach.
Amy lifted Gadget as Shadow did with Infinite.
Infinite's head hung limp.
"Blaze!" Amy yelled, "Could you get something to tie them?"
Is...this justice?
Blaze fixated on Gadget, his form beaten and bruised.
They...did fight...so it is, isn't it?
She glanced at Infinite, her skin crawled when he laughed.
Infinite raised his head. "Oh, it's been too long, Shadow." His arms flickered into cubes before they reformed and he flung Shadow, Amy, and Gadget.
They all stared at him.
He nudged the mask up. "Don't give me that look. You know exactly who I am." Infinite rested his hand on the ruby.
"For the last fucking time. I don't know who the fuck you are!" Shadow knelt, eyes narrowed.
"Not talking about that pathetic mutt." Infinite's head and arms hung limp. "Then again, I suppose some of its repugnant behavior has clung to me."
"What?"
"Oh Shadow, you break my heart." Infinite laughed. "Oh well, it's how it is." He shrugged. "I'll be forgetting you when you're nothing but a corpse."
Shadow blinked out of existence but:
Infinite caught Shadow's leg inches from his mask."Kicking, really? How barbaric." He pulled Shadow off of his feet before he slammed him face first into the ground. "But I guess that's all this limited forms can do." Bits of blue and black shards jutted from Infinite's skin.
Blaze's jaw hung as she transfixed on...Mephiles? She shuddered.
How...?
"Remember me now, Shad-?"
Shadow lifted himself and stared over his shoulder. "The only thing I remember is sealing you."
Mephiles laughed. "Ah, the day we met." He hummed. "Good times." Mephiles extended his hands out as he levitated in the air. "It's like a happy reunion!" He glanced at Elise.
Blaze balled her hands in a fist and tightened them.
Was it all just a trick again?
Her blood simmered until she glanced at Gadget, who crawled towards Mephiles.
No...maybe he was possessed?
"You shouldn't exist!" Elise rested her hands on her chest.
"You have to thank Shado-."
Shadow blinked out, he phased in behind Mephiles but...
Mephiles clutched Shadow's face and lifted him in the air. "My, my Shadow. Where are your manners?" He slammed him into the ground as dust kicked up from the crater.
He clutched Mephiles' wrist. "Like hell I'd help you."
"Tell me, Shadow, have you ever heard of the Phantom Ruby before?" Mephiles threw Shadow by Amy and Gadget.
Shadow narrowed his eyes and flashed a sliver of his fangs while he lifted himself.
"Oh come now, think about it."
"Get to the point."
Mephiles sighed. "You never were fun." He paused. "But I suppose I owe you own for sealing me in the scepter."
"Scepter?"
"Thanks to you, apart of me lived on." Mephiles clutched the ruby.
"Then this time, I'll make sure you're dead." Shadow snapped one of his golden wrist rings off before the other as they rang against the ground.
Gadget stood in front of Shadow with his arms out to protect Infin—Mephiles.
Mephiles extended his hand, a red ball of light beamed in it.
"Shadow!" Blaze yelled.
In a blink of an eye, Shadow flashed with Gadget and Amy. They warped by Elise and Sticks. "Take them." He faced Mephiles.
Gadget ran to Blaze, he held her hands with his trembling ones as his wavering eyes met with Blaze's: the same one as he watched Finn die.
Blaze's brows parted. She nodded. "I'll save him." She smiled.
He hugged her.
"You're...welcome?"
Amy clutched Gadget's shoulder.
"Be gentle, Amy."
She pulled Gadget back as he stepped away. "Be safe, okay...?" She glanced at Mephiles. "And..." She rolled her eyes. "I guess...save him."
Blaze bowed her head.
Okay, just... have to figure out how to.
Mephiles hovered, he extended his hand out towards them and beckoned them. "Show me what you real-"
Shadow warped. He struck Mephiles from behind and he shattered.
Mephiles slammed his boot behind Shadows head while they crashed into the ground. "You really need to learn new moves."
Shadow rolled and clutched Mephiles' leg. "Get him!"
Flames bloomed in Blaze's palms but they diminished.
Right...can't kill him.
She shot forward towards him like a bullet.
Just have to knock him out!
Blaze cocked her fist back.
The lone eye locked with hers. The image of him dying in Gadget's arms flashed.
Sharp as blades claws reached.
Blaze ducked and skid across the ground.
Come on, not now.
She threw herself up.
Shadow lunged his hand at Mephiles' knee but the leg flickered as Shadow's strike slipped through the limb.
Mephiles clutched Shadow's face and drug him against the ground before he pivoted and flung him at Blaze.
Blaze caught Shadow but they both hurled into a hut as it crumbled on top of them. She hissed and winced.
Okay, kinda see why Amy wants him dead...
Shadow shoved the debris off. He lunged towards Mephiles. He cocked his arm by his shoulder before he flung electric spears. Shadow blinked out of existence.
Mephiles raised his hand in front of him.
The spears deflected.
Blaze's eyes widened as the barrage homed in. She flew in the air.
They punctured the rubble.
Shadow warped to Mephiles left. Foot to the head as the mask shattered. Jets of flames from his shoes seared flesh.
Mephiles staggered, face blemish in black. He clutched it.
Blaze's stomach gnarled. "Don't kill him."
Shadow glanced at her.
Mephiles chuckled. "So we're playing dirty now? Ha, I should've expected from mere creature such as you." He shrugged. "Then let's." Mephiles levitated in the air before he scrunched up while a crimson aura enveloped him until he unfurled and released it.
Blaze and Shadow drifted towards the sky.
What?
They flailed as they failed to grasp anything.
"Let's see what you can do now." Mephiles laughed.
Blaze flew herself towards Shadow.
"Don't spoil the fun!" Blood red orbs charged in his palms. Mephiles hurled them.
She dove, ducked, and weaved.
Air bellowed in her ears.
Flashes of heat shot by her body.
Mephiles flung a barrage at Shadow.
Blaze darted.
The wind lashed at her squinted eyes.
Energy hummed.
She extended her hand. Almost there.
One struck her thigh.
Acute twinge like skin tearing against searing asphalt.
Blaze tackled Shadow into her chest while she flew towards the forest. She hissed.
"Running so soon?"
Her skin crawled, Blaze slued to her left.
Mephiles flew beside her. His eye met hers.
Blaze darted into the trees.
Brush and tree limbs clawed at her. Blurred trunks shot by.
Her heart raced. Chest tight. Breaths short.
Flash of red, distinct sound.
Spears made out of cubes shot out from below.
Hard right.
Wall of cubes narrowed the path.
Duck.
Shadow's voice muffled from the wind, "Drop me!"
Blaze nodded as she weaved past more cubes.
Thundering cannon fire.
Tree trunk ruptured, shrapnel of bark like needles sunk into Blaze's flesh.
"Now!"
Blaze let go:
Shadow vanished.
Flames blossomed in her wavering palms.
Cannonballs punctured trees and severed limbs.
Blaze pivoted. Feet planted against a trunk, sharp twinge shot up her spine. She extended her palms out.
Mismatched eyes clashed with hers.
Her fingers twitched and her thoughts hushed and the flames grew and she clenched her fangs and her heart sunk as her promise broke:
A whirling flame consumed Finn.
Nothing but ashes and cubes.
Blaze landed on her feet but she collapsed to her knees. Eyes stinging from tears. Blaze scrunched up while her thigh throbbed.
Why does it hurt...he's bad guy, the villain. What...we did was justice.
The thought of Gadget wracked her mind.
Wasn't it...?
Blaze's chest ached.
Why am I feeling horrible? What I did was right? He's a murder and that's it.
She glanced at her thigh, skin mottled with bright flesh and burnt skin.
...That's what I did to him...
Blaze's blistering bile churned. Eyes widened, ears stood.
Infinite and Shadow yelled deep within the forest. Flicker of hope.
She stood, Blaze clenched her fist. She whispered, "I'll keep my promise."
. . .
Blaze darted and whizzed through the trees and brush. Her ears scanned for sounds.
Earsplitting cannon fire.
She veered to the left.
Incoherent chatter. Close.
Come on, be alive.
A clearing came into view. silhouettes of figures.
Blaze bolted into the glade.
Shadow sprinted from cannon balls, a trailing energy beam from Mephiles's palm, and orbs from his clones.
She glanced at the floating cannon.
Let's see if this works.
Blaze held her hands over each other while she kindled flames in her palms. She focused on the cannons.
Got it.
She spread her arms apart while a blitz of fire engulfed the cannons before they dissolved into flecks of cubes. Blaze smiled but her lips receded as a sharp sensation snaked up her spine.
Mephiles stood before her.
Trickles of sweat trailed down her temples.
"How peculiar, I figured you'd run."
"Can't when I made a pr-"
Mephiles swatted at her.
Blaze leapt back.
Hurling crimson orbs.
She veered, her legs tightened as she caught herself.
Shards of cubes like daggers shot from the ground.
Heart pounded. Hands balled into a fist. Blaze flew herself at him.
Manic cackles.
She tossed small orbs of flames.
He flickered. Dissolved into cubes.
Blaze pivoted. Fist cocked back, feet planted into the ground. She slammed her fist into his muzzle. Success!
Mephiles staggered, he held his face. "My, my. I thought Silver was the useful one."
She studied his movements.
Those eyes dragged to hers.
Just have to exhaust him...
Blaze's fingers curled in and out.
"Let's make this interesting!" Mephiles flew in the air, he scrunched up as his aura ascended like steam, and he sprawled out while red consumed the scenery before nothing.
Darkness.
Blaze shivered.
What...?
She extended her hand, a flame sprouted in her palm. Eyes darted. Nothing. Blaze's stomach dropped.
Lone eye behind a red streak of glass.
Blaze readied herself.
It bobbed in the darkness as it bolted towards her.
The flame grew.
The eye vanished.
Blaze stomach pitted. Skin crawled.
Blunt trauma to the back of her head.
She flung towards the ground but caught herself with a backflip and faced it.
It vanished again. Behind.
Blaze whirled around. Missing. Her eyes scurried.
Electricity hummed. Above.
She dove for the ground and rolled.
Purple shards with dancing elelecticty embedded into the ground.
The demon's eyes vanished before glowing mismatched eyes and the lone one hounded her.
Blaze flung a volley of flames.
A flash of their forms as the flames darted by.
Her skin crawled and fur bristled.
The demons lunged.
Blaze fled.
Hums of electricity.
She careened. Breaths dull and heavy.
Shards pierced along the ground.
Blaze glanced at the demons.
A bombardment of crimson orbs
She flew in the air.
Excruciating strike to Blaze's diaphragm.
Air escaped her aching lungs as she spat and crashed into the ground.
Blaze tumbled and darted forward while she held her chest as she gasped for air.
The demons chased.
Flames bloomed in her palms. She planted her foot. Blaze flung a fireball at them.
One flew out of its way the other vanished.
Metal struck her cheek. Flames seared her flesh.
Blaze's dull body collapsed against the ground. Her trembling arms carried her until Mephiles slammed his boot against her spine while she shrilled.
Light bled through the void as it dissolved into flecks of cubes:
Shadow stood over her, his eyes widened.
Blaze's vision darkened as her heavy eyes fluttered.
"Shit!" Shadow knelt and lifted her. "Stay with me!"
She panted. "I...m okay." Blaze winced.
Shadow glanced over his shoulder at Mephiles.
Mephiles drifted in the air before he collapsed onto his knees while his body flickered when his arm dissolved into cubes. "Damn, so close." He laughed.
He stared at Mephiles before he faced Blaze. "Can you move?"
She sat upright and knelt. Blaze dragged herself upright with the help of Shadow while she stumbled. She doubled over to catch her breath before she spat when her bile stirred.
Mephiles held himself up with a hand. "Ha...it's the same as with the rat..." He mumbled something.
Shadow stepped towards Mephiles: fist clenched.
"Going to finish what you st-"
He struck Mephiles in the face.
Mephiles crashed into the ground. "Hahahahah, show me what true power is, Shadow." He carried his lopsided body while he stared at Shadow.
"Is the dog in there."
"The mutt? Why would you care?" Mephiles grinned.
Silence.
"Your eyes, I see guilt in them." Mephiles chuckled. "Feel bad for what you did?"
Shadow crossed his arms.
Blaze limped behind Shadow. "Wait..."
"What?"
"Don't kill him."
No reply.
"...Please...?"
Mephiles shook his head. "Pathetic, you insects clutch to useless life." He paused. "Yet you care for a rabid animal that'll only turn on you." His body flickered as energy hummed. "You know he wants you dead?"
Shadow shrugged. "Plenty of people want me dead, isn't new."
"Come now, Shadow, this isn't you. You're suppose to be ruthless killer. You didn't care to kill me off."
"You choose to, the other might be from me."
"Hahahah, right, I chose." Mephiles flashed a sliver of his fangs. "Though I must admit. This mongrel isn't anything like me, but his intent was."
"All of ours have been."
Mephiles' brows parted.
Blaze blinked. "...What do you mean?"
Shadow said, "Answer me, is the mutt in there?"
"And if he isn't?" Mephiles smirked.
"I'll find another cell for you."
"I must say, It's strange. You're awfully determine to save such a sad creature." Mephiles eyes darted to Blaze's before they locked with Shadows.
Blaze studied Mephiles.
Shadow lifted Mephiles by his hair. "I could care less."
"Then end it, Shadow." Mephiles smiled. "All you have to do is burn out the ruby's source."
Blaze skin crawled. "Don't."
Shadow dropped Mephiles.
Mephiles' voice changed to Finn's, "No, I'm in control!" He panted. "Quickly..." He grunted. "Before he gets back! You have to kill me!"
Blaze's chest hollowed.
"A..ll you have to do." Finn winced and scrunched up into a ball. "Clutch the...ah...fuck..." He hissed. "Is touch it...and use its power." He knelt with his chest out. "P...lease." Finn cried. "End...it."
Her fingers twitched as her tail flailed. "There's another way."
"N-no! Use it!" Finn panted, his guttural voice clawed at Blaze's ears, "I...ca...n't contro-" He laughed. "You, HAVE TO NOW!"
Shadow reached. Fingers inches from the dull ruby. He grasped it.
Silence.
Finn's eyes clouded like a corpse. Shoulders dangled.
Blaze chest tightened and stomach plummeted. A frigid bolt snaked through her veins.
He clutched Shadows forearm.
Shadow reared back.
Blaze's eyes widened.
Finn's voice changed to Mephiles', "Oh, you poor fool." He lunged and...
