It was nightfall by the time Dark Tails was able to reach another town. He was tired and hungry but overall, he was feeling pretty good. Two Dark Emeralds were now in his possession, leaving only one. But that also meant another new location and another guardian to fight.
The dark fox grinned and licked his fangs in anticipation. Killing such leviathan creatures brought a satisfying feeling that made him feel invincible. If he could kill such beasts then who –or what- could stop him?
Of course it was not as sweet as his revenge. No, killing his wrongdoers was the most satisfying feeling he felt... so far. Maybe he would feel even more satisfied once his mission was complete. He was one Dark Emerald away from achieving that.
Dark Tails was rudely broken from his reverie when a motorcycle whizzed a little too closely past him. The rider looked back at him and yelled some obscenities that made his blood boil with instant rage. Dark Tails was about to raise his hand and fire a blast of energy at the rider when he turned a corner and disappeared behind a building. The dark fox then noticed another motorcyclist riding too close to the sidewalk, and as he zipped past a female mouse, he snatched her handbag. Laughing wildly, the motorcyclist popped a wheelie whilst holding her purse up like a trophy.
He did not know why he did it. Perhaps it was to compensate for the previous rider that insulted him and got away, the mouse's helpless cries, or –something he would strongly deny- a certain, very small slimmer of light in his dark soul that pushed him into doing something heroic; he would never know. But Dark Tails found himself aiming his hand towards that motorcyclist and firing off a blast of energy. It caught him square in the chest and sent him flying a good distance from his bike before he rolled into a broken, crumpled and smoking mess on the tarmac. His now riderless bike crashed into the side of a building.
The mouse was too shocked to move and retrieve her purse from the smoking corpse. She directed her wide-eyed stare towards Dark Tails, who stared neutrally right back at her. Did she expect him to retrieve her purse for her? Well, his heroism could only go so far.
Dark Tails walked on. The constant sounds of revving motorcycle engines and whooping laughter made him clutch his backpack more tightly. He felt silly, knowing that he was more than capable of dealing with anyone that would try and steal from him.
A low growl coming from the dark fox's stomach reminded him of how hungry he was; a hunger that made him wish he should have eaten that octopus he had killed while acquiring the second Dark Emerald in the underground cave. A hunger that almost made him turn back to feast on the rider he had just killed. But he was not that hungry. Dark Tails grimaced at the thought of consuming a fellow Mobian's flesh. Sure he had bitten into a few Mobians and tasted their blood but that was as far as he went. Raw meat was also OK, even if all Mobian carnivores had evolved past that habit. But he did not find it disgusting; probably an effect of the Dark Energy.
Even though he was dancing with his thoughts, Dark Tails was still able to find a twenty-four-hour diner. He walked in and sat at a seat by the window, where he could watch the happenings of the town. For such a late hour, the town was still bustling with activity. But it was not the respectable kind of activity. Across the street, a group of young male Mobians harassed whoever walked past them. On another part of the street, scantily dressed hookers stood by a bar, ready to sell their bodies to whomsoever had the urges -and money.
Dark Tails could not help but ogle a snow leopard that sashayed past the window, clad in very revealing clothing. But he had no interest in such things other than his mission. Still... he was still a teenager. And while the Dark Energy could prevent him from bleeding and keep him from dying, it could not prevent his other bodily functions, like his hormones. His gaze lingered on the hooker's rear until she was out of sight.
Focus, Dark Tails! Just fill your stomach and leave for the volcano. This town has nothing to offer you.
"Hi there." A female voice said.
Dark Tails nonchalantly looked up... and his heart seemed to stop.
What's this?
The waitress standing before him was a fiery red vixen. She looked down at him with sparkling blue eyes and a radiant smile that showed off her perfect white teeth.
"May I take our order?"
Dark Tails did not figure her for a waitress. She wore no uniform, but casual attire of a chequered shirt and skinny jeans that only accentuated her beauty. Her beauty...
For the first time since his transformation, Dark Tails found himself overcome with the same inhibitions that had plagued him during his "Tails days". He suddenly became self-conscious about himself and his appearance. He just fought a giant octopus and was fearful that he reeked of calamari. Did his clothes still maintain the freshness of their last wash? Fat chance.
"If you haven't decided, I can come back later."
Dark Tails gathered his thoughts. Remember what you're here for. Eat, then leave. Do not waste your time with these temptations of the flesh.
Wait, what?
It then occurred to the dark fox that he had not actually looked at the menu; his eyes had been elsewhere. No matter. Just go with the usual.
He looked up into her blue eyes. "Just give me whatever has the most meat." And then turned his gaze back to the window. I hope the Dark Energy prevents me from blushing.
"OK..." the vixen wrote something down in her notepad. "Your order will be ready in ten minutes." Then she left.
Dark Tails exhaled as he sat back in his chair. Seriously? He was fearless when killing his former bullies' and facing off against giant monsters but reduced to putty in front of a hot girl? The last time he felt like this was when he met Leena. She was breath-taking that day. It was a whole week before he could manage to speak coherent sentences to her; he babbled most of the time. Eventually he worked up even more courage to ask her out. When she said "yes", he felt like the luckiest fox in all of Mobius. Such a shame she had to cheat on him. The day he walked in on her and Leonard was the day all feelings of romance died in him.
But now, this vixen was reawakening those dead feelings.
Dark Tails tried to push them as far away from his mind as he could. He was there to eat; nothing more.
But when the vixen came out of the kitchen holding his plate of food, those mushy feelings returned with a vengeance. Dark Tails' initial thought was to suppress them, just as he did his anger back then. But another thought came to him: the old Tails would be acting exactly like this: a bashful fool. Well, Dark Tails was not going to be like that.
The vixen set his plate of food down; potato chips, salad, a chicken leg and a steak. "I threw in the steak for you, like you wanted. Enjoy." She turned and was about to head back to the kitchen.
That was when Dark Tails made his move. "Hey, wait."
The vixen stopped and turned. "Anything else?"
Dark Tails put on a smile –the first smile in his existence that did not bear any malice. "Yes. I didn't get your name."
The vixen paused, eyeing the dark fox with curiosity. But then she scoffed. "I don't just give out my name to anybody."
"Trust me, I'm not just anybody."
The vixen rolled her eyes but decided to humour him. "OK. Prove it."
Dark Tails raised an eyebrow. Prove it? The first thing that crossed his mind was igniting his hands and showing off his superhuman powers. But that would probably scare her off. Then again, she did not look like she scared easily. He could see it in her eyes. Her demeanour and attitude reflected a self-assured vixen with a very high self-esteem. No wonder she was playing hard to get with just giving him her name.
No matter. Two can play that game. "I could, but you wouldn't handle it." He said it in such a way as to rouse her curiosity.
It worked. The vixen folded her arms across her chest. "What makes you so special, besides your two tails?"
Dark Tails grinned. "Why don't you stay and find out?"
The vixen scoffed. She was ready to turn away from this fox but there was something about him that seemed to draw her to him. Glancing at him up and down, she took in his appearance: his black fur. She had never seen a fox with black fur; maybe he was part wolf. There were also his red irises, which seemed to glow with their own luminescence. And the bag he kept protected between his legs, as if there was something very valuable inside. Was there?
Needless to say, the fox was a plethora of questions. And she was suddenly curious to ask them.
She sat down opposite Dark Tails. "OK."
The dark fox's grin spread wider, exposing his long fangs. "Great. So, what's your name?"
"Fiona." She answered.
"Fiona." Dark Tails repeated. "That's a beautiful name." In his dark state, this niceness felt weird. What usually came out of his mouth were curt, harsh sentences and malicious threats. The dark fox felt a sudden awkwardness that impeded his confidence. He momentarily broke eye contact and turned to his food, now registering its scent in his nostrils and remembering he was hungry. He picked up the chicken leg and bit off half of it, together with the bone. His stronger jaws allowed him to easily chew threw the bone.
Fiona stared at Dark Tails with slight disgust at his eating habits. Anyone would have immediately walked away upon witnessing that, but she was yet to know more about this strange fox. "And your name?"
Dark Tails momentarily stopped chewing. It seemed a straightforward question but to Dark Tails, it was as if she had asked him to explain quantum physics. How should he answer? If he told her his name was Dark Tails, she would definitely think him a weirdo and leave or laugh at him. Then his anger would undoubtedly get the better of him and he would kill her. His real... no, former names of Miles and Tails made him feel weak. They were a representation of his former life as a weakling who was always picked on. Dark Tails was anything but weak.
He swallowed hard, ignoring the pain of bone pieces scratching his oesophagus as he swallowed. What was it going to be: Weird or weak?
Let's go for weird.
"I am Dark Tails."
Wait for it...
Fiona looked at him strangely, an eyebrow rising. "Is that your nickname?"
"No." Dark Tails answered without hesitation, looking directly into her blue eyes. What's your reaction gonna be?
Fiona blinked. She could pry him further about how the name but there was more she wanted to know about this black furred fox. "OK... that's... interesting. So, tell me, what brings you to this cesspool of a town, Dark Tails?"
Dark Tails had already made up his mind not to tell her anything concerning his mission. He had already thought up an answer that would surely halt any further questions. "Jewels."
"Jewels?" Fiona chuckled into her hand. "What are you, a treasure hunter?"
"Of sorts." Dark Tails answered flippantly, tossing the remaining chicken into his mouth, his jaws loudly crushing the bone.
"Aren't you a little young?" Dark Tails' face betrayed his youth and Fiona could see it. She had to estimate his age somewhere around sixteen or seventeen, no older than herself.
Dark Tails swallowed his mouthful. "You're never too young to do anything." He leaned in across the table, a smirk forming on his face. "You wouldn't believe what I have accomplished at my age. And what I intend to accomplish."
Fiona leaned in as well, her interest piqued. "Do tell."
In response, the dark fox suddenly reclined back in his seat. "Don't worry, you'll hear about it soon enough. Once I find this Dar—I mean, jewel I'm looking for."
A look of disappointment crossed Fiona's face, her interest replaced by suspicions. She began to suspect that maybe this fox was delusional or still stuck in the adventurous phase most people experience in their childhood. She had half a mind to dismiss his claims and just walk away but something made her stick around.
"I take it your parents know what you're doing?"
Dark Tails scoffed. "No. And it would be better if they didn't." The mention of parents brought the perfect opportunity for him to flip the questions her way. "How about your parents? Do they know their daughter is working in this... what did you call it? Oh yes, a cesspool of a town?
The vixen scowled, much to Dark Tails' hidden excitement.
"I strike out on my own."
Dark Tails' dark thoughts suddenly filled his mind: she's got something to be angry about! Perhaps you should pry into her past life to see what rage she represses. And the most efficient way for her to... let it out.
"Why? Did they do something to you?"
Fiona growled, looking away. "I don't want to talk about it."
Oh, so her parents did do something! Something bad. Something she probably wants to get revenge for. Well, why don't we give her a little bit of... persuasion?
Dark Tails' eyes unconsciously dropped to the backpack lying between his legs.
Fiona followed his gaze and saw the backpack. He had kept it close to him the whole time. There was definitely something of value in there. What could it have been?
Her sharp eyes caught something coming from the bag. She squinted to get a better look. Then she saw it: a pulsating purplish light. She found herself transfixed by it. Almost as if it was alluring. Hypnotizing.
She made to reach for it. "What's in the bag?"
Those words snapped Dark Tails out of his thoughts. In a flash, he crossed his legs around the bag, pushing it away from her. "Don't touch it!"
The harshness in his tone caught Fiona off guard. She tried to smile it off. "Hey, come on, I just wanna take a loo-" As she leaned down towards it, Dark Tails grabbed the bag and pulled it away from her at blinding speed.
"Stay away from it!" He bared his fangs; his voice was even harsher than before.
It was enough to put Fiona off. Whatever mood their conversation generated, instantly died. "OK then... I guess we're done." She stood up. "Nice meeting you, Dark Tails." She walked back to the kitchen, thinking to herself. As far as strange Mobians go, this fox is right up there. Very weird. But also, very interesting.
And kinda hot.
Wait, what?
As soon as Fiona disappeared into the kitchen, Dark Tails relaxed and put the bag down next to him. He did not mean to drive her away, but he also could not risk exposing her to the Dark Emeralds. He could sense the anger in her, the darkness in him could feel it. All she needed was a little push and her rage would manifest into her dark side.
But something stopped Dark Tails from exposing her to the Dark Emerald. What was it?
The aroma of his food once again reminded him of his hunger. Pushing his dark thoughts away, he settled into his meal. As she chewed on his steak, his thoughts turned to Fiona. Her brown hair with that cute little bow. Her shimmering blue eyes that did not need any power, dark or otherwise, to glow. And her body, her perfect body...
I should have gotten her number, Dark Tails thought. But he had left his phone back at Emerald City. Could come in handy right about now.
Dark Tails was rudely broken from his thoughts by the sudden piercing brightness of half a dozen motorcycle lights stopping right outside. The lights went off and six Mobians, all male, dressed in biker gear, walked into the diner. Dark Tails found their loud talking and laughing annoying. He was tempted to walk up to them and shut them up. Possibly permanently.
But Fiona beat him to the punch.
This was not the first time Fiona had to deal with this gang. Every time they came into town, disaster followed. And now, it seemed they had set their sights on the diner.
She bravely approached a tall fox, who was the gang's leader. "Craig, what are you doing here?"
Craig grinned devilishly once his eyes fell on the vixen. "Well, well. It's been a long time, Fiona."
Fiona held her ground, despite the fox leering over her. "You're not welcome here, Craig. You should know that."
"Oh, come on now, little cutie. Is that how you treat your customers?" Craig said as his gang surrounded Fiona.
The vixen remained unfazed. "You're not customers. You're just looking for the next business to destroy." Fiona was well aware of the hooliganisms of Craig's gang. They would ride into town, set their sights on a business establishment and vandalize it. By the time the police would arrive, they would be long gone, leaving nothing but destruction and occasionally, the beat-up body of the business' owner. Tonight, it seemed they had set their sights on her diner.
"What can I say, it's just how we roll, ain't that right, boys?"
His gang whooped loudly in response.
Fiona bared her fangs at Craig. "Just get the fuck out!"
Craig just stared condescendingly at her, like she was a child. "OK, tell you what. We'll leave your place untouched..." he moved closer to her "...if you and me... get a little touchy." He punctuated the word by grabbing a handful of Fiona's ass.
Fiona instantly reacted by punching Craig hard in the stomach. His eyes bulged, and he stumbled back, clutching the afflicted area.
"Don't you dare fucking touch me."
Biting through the pain, Craig righted himself, breathing heavily. "You hit really hard for a bitch. I take it you've rejected my proposal. So..." Signalling to his two lackeys standing behind Fiona, they grabbed both her arms, restraining her.
"Hey, let go of me!" Fiona struggled against the bikers' grip but they were too strong.
"…you're gonna watch as we tear this place apart…" The biker leader forcefully grabbed her chin and leaned in close. "…after that you and I are gonna-"
"Hey!"
Craig stopped talking, turning to the source of the voice in surprise.
It came from a small black furred fox.
Dark Tails slowly walked towards the gang. "Leave her alone."
Craig's look of surprise quickly turned patronizing once he sized the dark fox up. Clearly this little guy was no threat to him whatsoever. "Oh, lookie here, boys. Someone trying to play hero." He walked up to Dark Tails and stared down at him.
Dark Tails held his stare easily; he had looked in the eyes of creatures more threatening than this waste of flesh. "I said leave her alone."
Craig leaned down to Dark Tails' height. "And what are you gonna do about it if we don't?"
In response, Dark Tails snarled at him. Craig and his gang jumped back in fright.
Still restrained, Fiona stared at Dark Tails with newfound interest. He looked nowhere near as strong as Craig or any member of his gang, yet he was bravely challenging them. Was he willing to get himself killed for her, even though they barely knew each other? Or did he have something up his sleeve?
Craig quickly composed himself. "Oh, very funny, little fox. Now let me show you my version of humour." Curling his hand into a fist, he threw a punch at Dark Tails.
Unflinching, the dark fox simply caught the fist. Craig tried to wrench his hand free but Dark Tails slowly started to squeeze it. Craig grit his teeth in pain as he felt his hand's bones reaching breaking point. The pain had him sinking to his knees. Just when some of his gang members were about to come to his aid, Dark Tails released him, and he fell back. Clutching his hurting hand, he looked up at Dark Tails and growled.
"Tear him limb from limb!"
Fiona's eyes widened in shock as Dark Tails' own eyes glowed red.
A fox armed with a bat and a wolf armed with a length of chain approached Dark Tails, brandishing their weapons. The biker fox struck first, aiming a downward swing towards Dark Tails' head. Dark Tails caught the bat with his left hand but before he could counter, the wolf threw his chain at the dark fox. It coiled around his right arm and the wolf yanked hard on it, throwing him off balance. He relinquished the bat as he toppled forward, allowing the fox a well-aimed blow to the unprotected back of Dark Tails' head. He swung the bat down and it connected solidly.
But to the fox's utter shock, the bat broke in half on impact. His arms stung with the force of the hit, as if he had struck a brick wall.
Even more shocking was Dark Tails getting to his feet, as if he had not just taken a skull shattering hit to the head. Growling fiercely, he charged his left hand and fired a blast of energy that burned a hole right through the fox's midsection. With the last of his life, the fox looked at the hole with bulging eyes, before sinking to his knees and falling face first to the floor.
Dark Tails then pulled his chained arm back, effortlessly pulling the wolf off his feet towards him. Unwinding the chain from his wrist, the dark fox wrapped it around his hands and ignited them, burning it red hot. He then hoisted the wolf to his feet and, with a sadistic grin, coiled the red hot chain around his neck. Dark Tails turned to the now frightened gang, leaving the wolf on the floor yelling in pain before finally falling silent.
The bikers and Fiona stood, eyes wide and mouths agape, completely frozen in shock at what they had just witnessed. When Dark Tails took a step toward them, they snapped out of it; Fiona extricated herself from the bikers' grip and ran for the assumed safety of the kitchen while Craig sent two of his lackeys after the dark fox.
With maddened howls, two wolves charged at Dark Tails, who stood motionless. When they were within range of attack, Dark Tails sprang into action. Fanning out his namesakes, he spun in a circle. The sharp tips of his tails caught all three in their midsections, splitting them asunder. They hunched over, clutching at their gaping wounds, which were spilling large helpings of blood and entrails. Within seconds, they all fell dead in their own blood puddles.
Only Craig and another wolf remained. The latter decided it was not worth it. "Fuck this, I'm outta here!" He bolted for the door, leaving the biker fox to face the dark one alone.
Craig reached behind his back and produced a metal rod. "Y-you don't s-s-scare m-me."
Dark Tails grinned maliciously, licking across his fangs. The smell of Craig's fear –and his trembling voice- betrayed his claim. "Prove it."
Those words sucked away what little bravery Craig had left. His grip on the steel rod slackened, almost dropping it. His eyes stole a brief glance toward his dead crew. The tremble in voice spread to the rest of his body. The fox's brain was screaming at him to run, like his surviving colleague, to cut his losses and live another day. He might not have his gang anymore, but he will still live. But in that moment, his brain did not mean anything. Instinct took over. If he was going to live, then he was going to have to engage this menacing fox.
Craig swung the steel rod, aiming for Dark Tails' head.
Dark Tails easily caught his hand before the rod could make contact. Snatching the rod from Craig's hand, he dealt the fox a solid kick right in the gut. Craig was sent flying and crashed into the wall, the impact knocking the air out of him. Hunched over and breathing heavily, he did not notice the dark fox creeping up to him. Dark Tails then wrapped the steel rod tightly around Craig's neck like a scarf, his strength allowing him to easily bend it.
Craig's eyes bulged as he struggled to free the choking rod from his neck, but he lacked Dark Tails' superhuman strength; the dark fox made it look so easy. With heavy gagging sounds, the biker fox writhed on the floor in a futile attempt to get the rod off him, but it was no use. It was not long before his struggling subsided before his body finally went limp with lifelessness.
Dark Tails grinned with satisfaction as he watched Craig's body twitch one last time. But what happened next took the grin right off his face.
CH-CHCK!
The dark fox turned around and there was Fiona, standing by the kitchen door, with a Benelli M4 shotgun in her hands, aimed at him.
"Get out." Her voice was venomous, just like him.
Dark Tails frowned. He had shown his true self to Fiona and she had reacted just as he had expected –and feared. He knew this was coming: the frightened reaction to watching him take lives as easily as if it was a regular thing. Well, it was regular for him. But now, after what she had witnessed, there was no way she could reciprocate whatever feelings he would pour out. He took a step toward her.
Fiona only raised the shotgun, aiming it dead centre between his eyes. "I said get out!"
Dark Tails could sense the anger in her voice. Anger mixed with fear. It all but confirmed what he did not want: rejection. She had rejected him. With that in mind, what should he do? Her weapon was useless against him. It would be easy to let her waste her time trying to stop him with it before he wasted her.
The dark fox pictured it in his head: Fiona firing round after round of shells into him, every shot pushing him back but not stopping him, until the gun clicks empty, then he wraps his fingers around her throat claws unsheathed, slowly squeezing until he either suffocated her, snapped her neck or pierced her arteries.
But for the first time in his existence, a murderous thought did not give Dark Tails any pleasure.
Snapping out of it, he instantly remembered his mission. What he was there for in the first place. It sure as hell was not to find love.
Turning on his heel, Dark Tails returned to his seat and picked up his backpack. Slinging it over his shoulder, he went out the door, without a word or a backward glance.
Fiona kept her gun trained on him until he disappeared into the night.
-O-O-
As the full moon shone brightly in the night sky, Dark Tails landed in the dense forest that surrounded the volcano. Looking around to make sure no one was around, he took off his backpack and hid it under some heavy rocks. Even though he was certain no one would come snooping around these parts, he was not taking the chance of just leaving the Emeralds lying around. At the very least, if someone did stumble upon them while he was away, they would not be able to lift the rocks off the backpack.
With that taken care of, the dark fox took to the skies once more.
As Dark Tails flew up to the volcano, Fiona was at the very back of his mind. But that did not mean he did not think about her from time to time. Her rejection of him may have hurt but he had decided he would not kill her for it. It felt rather strange, not taking the life of his wrongdoer. That was when the dark fox realised there was something special about that vixen. She was the first Mobian he had had a proper conversation with and she was also the first Mobian he had allowed to live after hurting him.
Looking up over the volcano's rocky slope, Dark Tails could just make out its crater. Increasing his speed, he flew up to the edge and peered in.
Not even the moonlight nor his enhanced night vision could penetrate the inky blackness below.
Dark Tails shot a huge blast of energy into the vent, watching it briefly illuminate the sides as it travelled down. Soon, it was also lost in the darkness. He held his breath and strained his ears, hoping to catch the faintest sound of the blast hitting the bottom. Nothing. That gave him the impression that maybe the volcano was bottomless. But he remembered his vision. The Dark Emerald was somewhere at the bottom. He could feel it.
Taking a deep breath, the dark fox prepared himself for the jump. Lighting up his hands for illumination, he spun his tails, leapt of the edge and dove into the volcano.
As he predicted, his glowing hands provided very little illumination in the pitch blackness. His night vision was also useless, he might as well have kept his eyes closed. He simply followed his sixth sense that allowed him to track the Dark Emerald's position. Looking up, he could see the crater rapidly shrinking, reminding him he was still in descent.
After what felt like an eternity of just flying straight down, Dark Tails felt his feet meet solid ground. Shining his hands down, he could make out the floor, which comprised of solidified lava. He guessed that he must have been in what was once the volcano's magma chamber. If the Dark Emerald was in this volcano then surely it would be here, Dark Tails thought. How can there—
Red eyes briefly flashed purple as his Dark Emerald seeking sense kicked in and his body turned on its own accord. He found himself facing into more darkness but his dark senses willed him forward. He could sense the Dark Emerald somewhere deep inside the volcano.
As he walked, Dark Tails could feel the floor changing. No longer did he feel the layers of solidified lava but smooth rock. Almost as if it was paved—
"Go on." A soft female voice whispered out of nowhere
Dark Tails jumped at the voice, his hands immediately flaring up, eye darting every which way, trying to locate the source of the voice.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Dark Tails shook his head, ears pricked up, ready to detect the slightest foreign sound. All he could hear was his own breathing and heartbeat.
Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, the dark fox walked on. Shining his hands brighter, he could make out his surroundings a lot better. He saw that he was walking into a tunnel of sorts. The walls had lost their roughness and the ceiling formed an archway. It looked as if some ancient beings had carved out the tunnel after the volcano had gone extinct. But who would want to live in a volcano?
The question would have to be answered another time, for Dark Tails now found himself standing at a crossroads.
He scratched his head in puzzlement. "Why would there be a crossroads in a volcano?" His previous hypothesis of ancient volcano-dwelling beings sprang back into his mind. Could it be that the volcano housed a civilisation that was still undiscovered by historians and explorers?
But that hardly concerned Dark Tails. He returned to his priorities. "Which way to the Dark Emerald?" He said out loud.
"Left."
That voice again! This time unmistakable. Soft. Definitely female. Strangely alluring...
"Show yourself!" Dark Tails' hands glowed brighter, ready to shoot at whatever moved.
Again, silence.
"If this is some trick you're playing on me, just know that when I find you, I'm gonna-"
He did not finish his threat, for instantly, his eyes flashed purple and he found himself going blank. His hands switched off and went limp as his whole body went into a catatonic state, just like the one he experienced at the police station. But this one brought no visions. Just a sea of purple.
Dark Tails was possessed. By something that matched the Dark Energy.
He walked zombielike to the left.
"Yes, my pet. Obey me."
Dark Tails' open mouth began to drool as he followed the voice. His footsteps became monotonous as he trudged hypnotically to wherever the voice was leading him. In the very depths of his dark mind, Dark Tails struggled to regain control. But he noticed that as he followed the voice, the Dark Emerald's signature was also getting stronger. Maybe it was a coincidence that the voice's owner would be where the Emerald also was. Or maybe—
"OOF!"
Dark Tails snapped out of it when he collided with a wall, sending him to the floor. Lighting up his hands once more, he shined them towards the obstruction. His eyes widened in wonderment.
The wall had a multitude of pictures and engravings carved in a language the dark fox could not understand. Focusing on the pictures, he tried to decipher their meaning: various tribes belonging to different Mobian species engaged in battle; echidnas holding up three emeralds; a female echidna with an emerald in her chest, pointing to various other villages; large frightening looking echidnas; fire raining down on the villages...
The dark fox ran a hand across the engravings. "What the hell is this?"
"You are close, my pet."
The voice's mind control once again gripped Dark Tails' mind and he found himself walking towards it. Soon, he found himself standing before large double doors that reached all the way to the ceiling. They slowly opened on their own. As Dark Tails stepped into the room, the unknown voice relinquished control of his mind.
Wall-mounted torches spontaneously lit up, bathing the room in orange light. Dark Tails could see that it was long and narrow, almost like another passageway—but wait...
Instead of another long corridor at the other end of the room, there was a large bed made entirely out of stone, except for the mattress and sheets, which seemed to be made out of the finest fabrics. Seated on the bed was a Mobian figure. Clearly female.
But Dark Tails was filled with disappointment. That was clearly not what he was expecting. "Hey, where's the Dark Emerald?"
The female rose from the bed. "Welcome, my sweet." Her voice was like the refreshing waters of a spring.
Dark Tails recognized it instantly. "You. You're that voice I've been hearing!"
The female started walking towards him. "That is correct. I am the Enchantress. And I have been expecting you."
Dark Tails followed suit. "I don't have time for this, lady. Where's the Dark Em-" his eyes widened as he got close enough to take a good look at the Enchantress.
She was strikingly beautiful. Mesmerizingly beautiful.
She was an echidna, orange in colour, with long, blonde hair that fell all the way to her back. Her big, violet eyes batted flirtatiously as she sashayed towards the dark fox. Her breasts, which looked ready to spill out of her bra-like top, bounced with each step she took. She put a bit of sway in her hips. Her wide, perfectly sculpted hips further accentuated by her outfit: her skirt –if it could be called that- was just two flap-like strips of silk that ended just above the knees and covered very little of her behind and her most private place. A good enough wind would expose everything. She was barefooted but sported beaded anklets on each ankle.
Dark Tails did not know what drew him to this woman, but he found himself unable to tear his gaze away from her. His eyes looked her up and down hungrily. His mouth hung open, drool running down his muzzle and dripping onto his jacket.
"You shall have so much more than just the Emerald, my sweet." The Enchantress cooed, sashaying towards the dark fox.
"No... I don't... want your... all I want... is... the Dark... Emerald..." Dark Tails' voice faltered as he ogled the Enchantress, unable to tear his eyes away from her.
By then, the Enchantress was within reach of Dark Tails. "I'll give you something much better than the Dark Emerald." With a hand to his cheek, she turned his head to hers. Her brownish red eyes twinkled, capturing him in her hypnotic spell. She stroked the dark fox's cheek with a gentleness he was all too familiar with.
But he did not stop her. She had him under her spell and he was almost powerless against her. He could feel the Dark Energy trying to counter her charms, but it was a losing battle.
"I can give you a lot of things that are more... satisfying than a mere Emerald. And I mean a lot of things." She punctuated her words by leaning into Dark Tails, pressing her breasts against him. Their softness elicited a reaction the dark fox could only attribute to his teenage body.
The Enchantress leaned in close to Dark Tails' head, her ruby-red lips mere centimetres from his. He could feel her breath on his mouth as he spoke. "Do you desire my gift, my sweet pet?"
Dark Tails was breathing heavily. His voice had completely left him and all he could reply with was a strained croak. The Enchantress leaned in even more, her breasts squishing against the dark fox. He gulped, feeling his blood flow to his loins. Her feminine charms and body continued their entrancement, daring him to make a move. He obliged.
His eyes managed to break the Enchantress' hypnotic stare and dropped to her heavenly breasts. That was when he saw it.
Buried under the skin right between her cleavage was the object he truly desired: the Dark Emerald. Gazing into it, its glowing pulse induced its own hypnosis. In a flash, he instantly remembered his mission. Looking back at the Enchantress, he was suddenly filled with revulsion.
With a single hand, he pushed her back with all his might, sending her flying back to her stone bed. She slammed against it with such force, it collapsed right on top of her.
Dark Tails approached the pile of rubble and was half surprised when he saw it shift. The Enchantress emerged from the rubble, carrying a large slab of rock over her head, which she tossed away with ease. Her brownish red eyes were replaced by an all too familiar purple glow as she glared at Dark Tails. A devilish smirk crossed her red lips.
"I should have known. You have been blessed with the power of the Dark Emerald. No wonder you were able to break free from my spell."
Dark Tails silently thanked the Dark Energy possessing him. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now hand over the Dark Emerald in your… chest area."
Biting her lower lip, the Enchantress slowly brought her hands up to her breasts and parted them slightly, giving Dark Tails a glimpse of the Dark Emerald buried underneath. It made the dark fox momentarily lose focus before he snapped out of it.
Her voice suddenly turned cold and dark. "If you want it, come and get it."
Dark Tails growled in response and charged towards her at speed. When he neared her, he leapt into the air, twisting his body. He threw a punch, putting all of his rage into the blow.
With a dismissive smile, the Enchantress caught his hand in her palm.
Dark Tails' eyes widened in utter shock. She had caught his fist and barely flinched! It was the kind of punch that would break concrete and definitely shatter any ordinary Mobian's skull.
But the Enchantress was no ordinary Mobian.
She slowly started to squeeze Dark Tails' hand and he surprisingly found himself unable to wrench it free. He could feel his bones beginning to snap under the pressure and the increasing pain forced him to his knees. With his free left hand, Dark Tails shot a concussive blast of energy at the Enchantress' face. The hit temporarily sent her falling backwards and she relinquished her hold on him, allowing his hand to heel.
Dark Tails turned to face the Enchantress, whose regenerating burnt face was twisted into a fearsome scowl. Growling viciously, her eyes started to glow purple and the Dark Emerald in her chest pulsed rapidly. Getting to her feet, her hair and scanty clothing suddenly burst into flames. Dark Tails was briefly blinded but he also felt vulnerable. He instantly got into a fighting stance, ready for whatever attack the Enchantress could throw at him.
The Enchantress narrowed her eyes. Raising her foot, she stomped the ground, causing an almighty earthquake that literally shook Dark Tails off his feet. A huge fissure split open from under her foot, cracking all the way to the prone dark fox. He quickly rolled out of the way to avoid falling in.
As he scrambled to his feet, Dark Tails noticed something else: the temperature in the room was rising rapidly. In less than thirty seconds, it already felt like a furnace. Turning to the Enchantress, she smiled wickedly as she raised her hands. Another ground-splitting earthquake shook the entire chamber, again knocking Dark Tails to the ground. Amidst the noises of the cracking floor and rumbling chamber, the dark fox's sharp ears picked up another sound: a low sizzling, followed by continuous bubbling. These were coming from newly split fissures in the floor, which had begun to glow orange. The temperature spiked exponentially, making breathing difficult. A quick glance down a fissure and Dark Tails' eyes widened as he realised what was happening.
The Enchantress was reactivating the volcano.
Lava began to slowly rise from the fissures, creating little islands, bathing the room with a red glow and oven-like temperatures.
Dark Tails had to end this and fast. Charging up his hands, he shot a huge blast of energy at the Enchantress. She did an upwards motion with her hands and a wall of lava shot up from in front of her, immediately solidifying to form a wall which blocked the blast.
With a devilish shriek, the Enchantress aggressively pushed her hands out. The solid wall instantly melted back into lava and shot towards Dark Tails. He frantically dove out of the way but still felt the heat; adding to the heat already in the room, the effort was enough to disorient him. The hot air felt like he was breathing nothing at all. He would have dropped unconscious were it not for the Dark Energy still keeping him alive, much less conscious. Staggering to his feet, he prepared himself for the Enchantress' next attack.
As if on cue, the Enchantress ignited her hands and shot two huge fireballs at the dark fox. He saw no room to get out of the way, so he crossed his hands and dropped his head. The flames hit him like a scorching hot wind. The literal burning pain caused him to cry out. He could feel his skin and flesh burning away, faster than the Dark Energy could heal him
"The Dark Energy protects you, my sweet." The Enchantress said in her sweet voice, which contradicted her form: flaming hair and clothes, glowing eyes, jagged teeth. "But to what extent?" Waving her hands aggressively, she sent a wave of lava towards Dark Tails. He quickly hopped onto another rock island seconds before the wave obliterated the one he had vacated. But the rush of scorching heat that followed disorientated him. And worse; he could feel his flesh start to melt away. The smell of his roasting flesh -which he strangely found appetizing- permeated his nostrils.
Noticing her opponent was suffering the effects of the blazing temperatures, the Enchantress smirked. Hoping over the rock islands, she approached the dark fox, who had collapsed on his hands and knees, barely acknowledging her presence. She grabbed him by the neck and hoisted him up, then held him over the lava pool.
Despite his roasting eyes, Dark Tails could still see the Enchantress' sadistic glare; it kind of reminded him of himself, whenever it was he who had someone else's life in his hands. So this was what his victims felt like.
But unlike his victims, he had a fighting chance.
With the remainder of his strength, he charged up a hand and shakily raised it to the Enchantress' face.
She could only roll her eyes. "Pitiful." And with that, she released him, letting him fall into the lava. He disappeared almost instantly into the molten rock.
Lingering over the edge, the Enchantress looked down at the spot Dark Tails went under, a triumphant smirk on her face. "Not even the Dark Energy could save you from that, my sweet." She turned on her heel to leave…
…and was stopped when she felt a hand grab her ankle. Looking down, the Enchantress' eyes widened in shock when she saw that it was a skeletal hand.
She gasped. "Impossible!"
With a loud boom, Dark Tails breached from the lava. His skin and flesh had completely burned away, leaving nothing but his skeleton. But even in such a state, the Dark Energy was still able to keep the fox alive.
Still clutching the Enchantress' ankle, Dark Tails took to the air, spinning his bony tails. He looked down at the Enchantress with his empty eye sockets, holding her upside down over the lava. Looking back up at him, the Enchantress snarled in defiance.
But Dark Tails did not drop her in. instead, he spun her like a rag doll and threw her hard against the cave wall. She collided with it so hard, she got stuck in the hole her impact caused. Dark Tails flew over to her and without hesitation, reached for the Dark Emerald in her cleavage. She quickly grabbed his skeletal wrists to stop him. The dark fox growled in annoyance and strained hard to reach for the Emerald. The Enchantress could feel her grip loosening. Despite matching Dark Tails for strength before, he had somehow gotten stronger in his skeletal state. His hands were slowly getting closer to the Emerald. She looked up, locking her eyes with Dark Tails' empty sockets. He snarled in her face.
In response, the Enchantress opened her mouth and blew out a huge breath of fire at Dark Tails that sent him hurtling away from her. She pried herself off from the cave wall and landed on a rock island. A look of pure rage crossed her face.
"I've just about had enough of you!"
Flames appeared in her eyes and she aggressively raised her hands. The entire volcano was suddenly shaken by a massive earthquake. The lava began to bubble more vigorously until finally, it erupted.
Dark Tails had no time to react and was caught in the surge of molten rock. he felt himself being pushed around by the current, unable to resist. Finally, with a large explosion, he found himself shooting out of the crater. He spun his bony tails; surprisingly, he remained airborne. Then, he awaited the inevitable arrival of the Enchantress.
She came shooting out of the volcano in a violent explosion of magma and rock. Her blazing eyes locked with the dark fox's empty sockets.
"I will vaporize you!" Raising her arms, she brought her hands up over her head. A fireball began to form in between her hands, gradually growing in size; it was soon larger than herself. She hurled it at the dark fox.
Luckily, he had a counter measure.
Bringing his hands together, Dark Tails created his own huge energy ball. When it was large enough, he hurled it at the Enchantress' fireball. The two balls collided, creating a giant blinding explosion. The shockwave sent both Dark Tails and the Enchantress crashing to the ground.
Dark Tails was first to his feet. With the fiery ordeal seemingly over, his flesh, tissues, muscles, skin and finally, clothes, regenerated. His restored eyes scanned the wreckage the explosion caused. Trees were blown clean out of the ground and those still standing were on fire. He scanned the clearing for the Enchantress.
He found her at the other end of the clearing, writhing slowly on the ground. The explosion had taken away part of her face, forearms and torso. Her eyes were clenched tight and her teeth were grit -either from pain or rage. Regardless, her injuries were healing fast.
If he wanted to get the Emerald, now was the time.
The dark fox straddled the Enchantress' ruined torso to keep her in place. The sudden weight of his body made her open her eyes, just in time to see his hands going for her chest. With lightning quick reflexes, she grabbed his wrists, stopping him from grabbing the Dark Emerald. Dark Tails growled and applied more force. To further deter him, the Enchantress lit her hands on fire. Pretty soon, the smell of the dark fox's burning wrists hit their nostrils. The pain would have stopped any lesser being, but Dark Tails was no such being. He was a fox on a mission and part of that mission's objective was within centimetres of his fingers.
With a determined growl, Dark Tails ignited his own hands and fired a blast right at the Enchantress' healing chest, ruining it anew. She yelled in pain and her grip slackened, allowing Dark Tails to reach in and grab the Emerald. With a savage yank, the wrenched it free.
The Enchantress let out a bloodcurdling "NOOO!" before her maimed body spontaneously combusted. Dark Tails quickly scrambled away as the still screaming Enchantress burned before his eyes. Then, her body exploded, the force sending Dark Tails flying a few feet back and causing him to drop the Dark Emerald. He got to his feet and saw a small flaming crater where the Enchantress had just exploded. As his injuries healed, he retrieved the Dark Emerald and began his descent.
-O-O-
Dark Tails found his backpack exactly where he had left it when he left for the volcano. He opened it and found the other Emeralds untouched, much to his relief; no traveller stumbled upon them. He stuffed his newfound Emerald amongst his other finds, zipped up the bag and slung it over his shoulder.
"Now that I have all the Dark Emeralds I need, I can move on with my plan." He said to himself as he walked through the forest. With the first phase of his plan complete, he could now proceed with the second phase, which was a lot more complex and required him to use his brain power. He had already done the theoretical part back at the university. Every calculation had been accurately solved, every factor had been considered. He began to revise his plan out loud.
"Hmm… I'm going to need the Dark Energy to be concentrated in order to ensure maximum distribution. Which means I have to build a core of sorts and infuse it with Dark Energy. The Chaos Emerald can act as a power source. Now, acquiring the vessel for distribution will be a challenge. But then again, I haven't encountered anything that can challenge me."
The dark fox was so lost in thought, he almost became unaware of his surroundings. He halted abruptly when his sharp ears pricked up, suddenly attentive.
Something -or someone- was heading his way. Very fast.
Dark Tails readied himself for whatever it was he was about to face. Had finding the final Dark Emerald unleashed some sort of last-ditch super guardian to stop him? He scoffed at the thought.
The bushes behind him rustled. He spun around in a split second. Nothing was there.
"Who's there?!" He growled.
Another rustle behind him. With his hands charged, Dark Tails spun around, ready to fire. Again, nothing was there.
The dark fox growled savagely. "Whoever you are, you better show yourself immediately! Believe me when I say, you do not wanna make me angry."
Again, the bushes rustled. Dark Tails aimed his charged hands towards them, ready to fire. "Come out. Now! Or else."
A small, roundish object flew out of the bushes and rolled towards him. It came to rest at the dark fox's feet.
Curious, Dark Tails leaned down to inspect it closely. Suddenly, it began to beep and flash red. The beeping and flashing soon increased in frequency.
The dark fox's eyes widened when he realised what it was. "OH, FU-!"
The grenade's explosion engulfed his entire body.
-O-O-
Hey, guys. I know, it's been over a year since I last updated. Well, things have been going on in my life that made me push my story writing aside: depression, school, stress, self doubt and even more depression. It's been so hard to get over the depression especially. But enough about my problems, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Also I hope all of you are staying safe out there during this pandemic. Please be well.
J.W.H. 10