Note: Any references that this story makes aside from the universe that this takes place in belongs to their respective owners and should be as such.
Warning: Mild language, Violence,
Ep.4: Hello Dolly...and death part 4
Making contact with Death's abdomen when using that powerful rage filled tackle Tails heard some bones crack, causing damage to the Reaper himself...at least that's what he thought was the case until he felt a slight surge of pain so he looked up at the reaper seeing that his hands were interlocked with his. The bone cracking he heard were the sounds of his fingers being dislocated by Death's inhuman grip strength.
"AAAAAAGGGHHHHH!"
Tails screamed in pain as he tried to pry himself away but Death wouldn't let go. In fact he didn't budge an inch although his feet weren't touching the ground.
"So hotshot you thought that by being angry you could pick a fight with a Reaper and live?"
The only response Tails could give was him launching himself forward and biting into Death's robed neck(?). No matter how hard he was trying to bite down he couldn't feel himself savagely biting into anything especially the fabric. Death chuckled from the attempt.
"Well alright then. If that is your wish we need a better graveyard to bury your corpse...I got an idea."
Death released his grip on Tail's fingers and pulled his head back forcibly so they're meeting eye to eye. He then grabbed Tail's shoulders and in a surprise twist headbutted him once into unconciousness.
"Hmhm yes Hell's perfect for your attempted mockery."
Death put Tail's unconcious body into a bear hug and fell backwards into the vortex, engulfing them in flames. Tailsdoll quickly ran towards the portal and dove in corkscrew style.
7 years ago
"Cmon buddy this place is gonna blow any second!"
Sonic and Tails never expected Eggman to literally risk everything to kill them once and for all. Eggman escaped through a secret entrance behind his master control seat to get away but before he did that he activated the self destruct program.
"The loading dock should be to our left. Hopefully the controls are similiar to the Tornado."
Tails was able to crack the access code, opening the door to the loading dock. Luckily for them there was a single Aero fighter space plane left. While Sonic zipped over and get the hatch machinism of the main shutters open Tails already got the plane to work.
"Would you look at that? It is the same as the Tornado. Sonic! It works! Get on!"
"Hahah! Tails you're always coming through in the end."
Sonic hopped up onto the right wing of the plane as it blasted off towards its destination, Earth.
"...ls...ails..."
Tails groaned in his sleep. He was dreaming about the beach.
"Tails...Tails wake up."
"Mmmmm no no Cream you don't look fat in that swimsuit zzzzzzz."
Tailsdoll was shaking Tail's body. He was trying to wake him up.
"Dude seriously wake up."
"zzzzzzz Sure I'll try your delectable pie."
"Wake up dumb ass! *smack!* "
From the hard smack to his nose Tails shot awake holding his throbbing nose.
"Owwwwaah!! What was that for?!"
"You should be thanking me. You were out for 3 hours."
"Three hours?...Where are w-...we?"
Tails took a quick look around him. From what he could tell this is definetely not his front yard anymore. He was on a large metal circular platform attached to four thick chains floating on top of a sea of red liquid. The walls that all 4 chains were attached to had giant machete-like spikes sticking out caked in what looks like the same reddish color as the sea around him and god knows what was attached to them.
Above him he can hear the sound of grinding gears but mostly saws though he can't see what it was since the hole above is dark as hell. Tails got to his feet, almost falling over due to the dizziness that struck his nerves.
"Tails...That weirdo Death has been sitting there with his back facing you the entire time you were knocked out."
"Oh F*k my fing- they're okay? But how?"
"My saliva can heal wounds."
"That's a load of horse crap!"
The Reaper Death heard the clang of metal when Tails was on his knees a second ago. It signaled him to rise to his feet.
"Death? Where the hell are we?"
Death turned his body around, facing Tail's direction.
"Exactly what you just said. This is Hell...at least a part of it that is."
"Wait, this is Hell? (God f*king damnit. I knew my temper would lead me to hell one day) By god, tell me this isn't a-"
"No Prower...you're not dreaming. You see this place is the bottom of Gluttony's Maw, where the damned go through endless pain through severe mutilation, recycle and then mutilated again. You wanted a fight with me right?"
Death moved his neck to one side, letting out a loud crack. Tails felt a shift in the liquid that now was identified as his worst nightmare, blood. The shifting almost knocked him off balanced.
"Hope you don't get cold feet."
With his bony hand Death reached across his right shoulder and grasped the fabric. He then flung the robe off him letting it land softly on the ground, folding cleanly by an unseen, illogical force.
"Cause this is your last chance to save yourself and the Tailsdoll."
From his left cheek to his ear and from his left shoulder to the entirety of his left arm they were all skeleton. The rest of himself had lightish green skin, white slicked back hair and yellow eyes. His topless body made Tails a little jealous since Death was well toned and built with a six pack. Good thing he was wearing tight dark blue jeans with a skull buckle holding them up.
"(Is this guy really the Grim Reaper? The depiction of him doesn't fit...Bah! What does that matter? I can't let him take the Tailsdoll.)"
Tails gained stability on the platform, prepared to fight back.
"Since you're determined to save him how about this? A duel."
"...You mean like fisticuffs and stuff?"
Death shrugged his shoulders.
"Whatever floats your boat. Fists, knives, swords, hammers, guns, doesn't matter which. As long as you can hit me once."
You gotta be kidding? Tails felt the power of Death's headbutt now that he remembered it. He knew that he wasn't using much effort to knock him out like that.
"I can tell that you literally got nothing on you. So to be fair I won't block any of your attacks so go nuts."
"(Just once? Hit him once and it'll end?)"
Tails took a deep breath. His nerves started to settle.
"So...I just have to hit you once?"
Death was warming up his body by stretching his arms first. Then his legs.
"Yep, that's the deal."
"No take backs?"
"You insult me Prower. A Reaper never backs down from a deal even when they're at a losing streak whi-"
"Alright then!"
Tails risked the chance and dashed towards Death clenched fists and all...he just stood there with no stance.
"(Combat: 50% Boxing, 50% Taekwando.)"
Death's intense stare unkowingly to Tails was analysing him from different angles as he jumped into the air reeling back his arm for a punch.
"(Defense: 100%, Evasion...doesn't matter.)"
In slow motion Death slid off to the side by kicking his left leg when Tails threw his punch leaving him in confusion.
"(Wha? I was sure that I-)"
Death then took the couple second opportunity of catching him in midair with an uppercut, driving it into Tail's gut. Tails felt his soul get knocked out of him for a moment there, the whites of his eyes exposed and blood spilling out of his mouth.
Not wasting a moment of time Death tapped his foot on the ground twice and kicked Tails in the face, sending him flying a few towards the edge of the metal platform. His finger was touching the red liquid.
"Hmph, is that all you got Prower?"
Surprisingly Tails tried to get to his feet but kept slipping back to the ground. His entire body was shaking from the pain, it was like his muscles were numb and his skeleton rattling. Blood was also pouring from his nose and mouth. After many attempts Tails got a hold of himself and rose up to his feet.
"Huh? I could've sworn those hits would cause you to bleed internally and die instantly from a broken neck."
"I-I-I actually th-thought that as well."
Tail's legs were still a little wobbly.
"At least you're honest. Honestly coming from me you must've been going through intense training to survive those attacks. (I didn't feel any shatter nor cracks of bones in him. Whatever training he has done really made his body alot more durable than expected but...he did take alot of damage.) Hope you're not thinking about running away are you?"
"Are you?"
Death couldn't help but grin a bit from that remark.
"I kinda like you more when you're sane...no homo."
"(Okay as far as I can tell Death's a whole lot stronger than me...his attacks are easy to dodge in a sense so if I just keep rushing in and evade him I might stand a chance. Pheeeww just one...just one.)"
Tails once again moved in on Death with a new fiery determination as he mad his pursuit.
"Tails goes in with a superman punch but Death moves out of the way and counters with a rising knee. But what's this? Tails blocks the kick with his elbow and retalliates with a roundhouse kick but hold on your daddy's not coming home for dinner! Tails continues the assault with a left straight, a right hook, a left straight, a straight right, a left a right leftrightleftRIGHT LELELELELELEL!!"
"TAILSDOLL?! ENOUGH WITH THE PLAY BY PLAY IT'S ANNOYING!!"
"Aww cmon I'm bored and so are the members of our audience watching this."
"Who the f*k are you talking to?"
Tailsdoll looked around himself. A single bubble rose to the surface of the liquid and popped.
"I...I have no clue."
"Geez du- Woah!"
Tails was able to backpeddle from Death's horizontal knife hand swipe, performing a few backflips to gain some distance between them.
"Tell me Prower? Why are you so determined to 'beat me' so badly?"
"Should there be a reason to save a friend of mine?"
"I mean you know who you're dealing with and you know you can't win so why delay the inevitable? He's not even a mobian like you?"
"Who gives a s*t about that! I promised to become stronger so no one will die in front of me ever again. Ever since I lost Sonic I wanted to end my life but I know better than anyone after seven years that day Sonic wouldn't want me to end the life I was given through his sacrifice."
Death's grin changed to neutral.
"I now fight to become the hero Sonic was. To protect anyone that needs me when a catastrophe occurs. I swore that even if my body was broken to pieces my sacrifice will save someone else's life one day. So until that day comes I will never quit!"
"...You goddamn idiot."
"Huh?"
Death was clenching his fists. Those words struck him in a way that got him to lose his cool. He was suddenly in front of Tails before he could blink.
"Who the hell do you think you are?!"
Death grabbed Tails by the arm and threw him over his shoulder to the ground hard on his back. He tried to stomp on Tail's head but he recovered quickly from the impact and rolled forward, getting Death to leave a deep dent into the metal.
"Just because you lost a friend you think you're f*king special?!"
Tails dove away from Death's axe kick only to be grabbed by one of his tails by Death's bony hand. He then whirled him over his head and slammed him to the ground. He proceeded to repeat the slams in all four directions while still having an iron grip on the tail. Tails couldn't escape.
"CAN YOU IMAGINE ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO SUFFERED LOSSES OF A FRIEND AND CLAIMED THEY CAN STOP OTHERS FROM DYING WITH THEIR SELF RIGHTEOUS HEROISM BULLS*T JUST TO DIE FROM IT YOU F*KING DUMBASS?!!"
Death quickly realised of how he lost his cool just now. So he stopped his pulverization and lifted the shaking fox upside down to the point in which he can look dead in his eyes. Death's nostrils flared with anger.
"Snnnnfffffff pheeewww...You don't understand even a smidge of how this works? Heroes are just a concept for that self righteousness who think they can save whoever they deem to be saved without realising that the motivations of others that call theselves heroes and it always ends up biting them in the ass, shaving away the life that they should've had."
Now calmed down slightly Death couldn't watch Tails suffer like this. As a final act of mercy he tossed Tails into the air as if he was light as a feather.
"You're in alot of pain...more than physically. You wanted to make yourself into something you weren't, all for someone you looked up to."
A yellowish wind surrounded Death and his hand glew light blue.
"You had chances to heal yet you think fighting against yourself, others, and even life itself to overcome your trauma will make you stronger? No you're just a kid who tried to model himself after a superhero...fine, then as a final act of mercy-"
As Tails was falling back down to earth, unconcious Death shifted his left foot back, taking a stance similiar to karate. The blue light changed to white, outlining Death's fist when he cocked it back close to his body. Tailsdoll somehow knew what Death was gonna do next when putting two and two together.
"Death...wait."
His plea was ignored.
"-I will-"
"Death please no!"
It was fallen on death's ears
"-give you a painless death. I promise for standing up to me you won't suffer as much as the sinners."
"DEATH DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO ME! I SURRENDER SO LEAVE HIM ALONE!"
Death closed his eyes.
"Shinigami himitsu āto (Grim Reaper secret art)"
"PLEASE, I WON'T FIGHT! JUST CALL IT OFF! HE'S MY BEST FRIEND!"
Under Death's breath he unleashed a punch to Tail's chest.
"...Death...Punch."
...Was that an impact?...Did anything hit him? The white light? What was it? Tails didn't feel any pain from it. Did he stop his punch while he was falling as this "final act of mercy?" Did that mean he won? No wait he had to just hit Death once yet he didn't. That's right, he had to so maybe when he lands on the ground he can do a handstand and kick Death in the stomach? Well Tails could except for one thing that was bothering him a little...Why was he flying away from Death?
Though his perception of time was slowed down in reality however Tails was flying like a bullet into the spiked wall, his body caused an explosion, several broken spikes broke off. Through cloudy eyes Tails looked down to see that one of the machete-like spikes pierced through his back and out where his kidney would be.
This would've hurt like a motherf*ker except he couldn't feel anything. No pain, no sensation, no emotion, nothing. The last thing Tails saw through his hazy lifeless eyes was a blurry vision of Death lightly mouthing out a prayer. It would be nice if Tails could hear what he was saying though? That sucked.
"(Tailsdoll?...Why are you crying?)"
Tails thoughts slowly drained out of him as his body slid off the spike and into the red sea, sinking downward and downward below into the abyss.
7 years ago
The aeroplane that Sonic and Tails were in got knicked by falling debri from the Death Egg, causing them to spiral out of control. With some quick thinking Sonic opened the hatch and grabbed Tail's hand. They both jumped out of the spiraling plane, freefalling down to Earth. Good thing they weren't in space.
"WAHHHHH! SONIC WE'RE GONNA DIEEEE!"
"Tails, buddy no we're not look?"
Tails looked below him and felt a little whoozy.
"Okay there's water below us so if we can just land in the water we're smooth as silk...except I won't lie it'll hurt...alot."
"Then why are we risking it then?!"
Sonic put his hands on Tail's shoulders.
"It's better than slamming your body on the ground."
"ARE YOU TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY?!!...Wait why did I ask? Pheeww okay I believe you Sonic. Let's do this."
"That's what I'm talking about! This is no different from any other adventure we had...well we'll most likely spend a couple of days in the hospital but hey we live another day."
Tails was no longer scared, knowing that they completed their mission and will survive for the next sunrise. It was until Sonic looked up towards the sky and saw a glint of light from the falling doomsday device.
A couple seconds before, after the plane was hit Dr.Eggman scrambled his way to the control panel of his base as there were multiple explosions from afar.
"No...Not again!"
Eggman tap, tap, tapped on the keyboard as fast as possible displaying the screen to his ace in the hole. The Death Egg's Demolisher Cannon, The most powerful weapon that he ever brought to existence without the Chaos Emerald's power.
"Never again will I let these pests defeat me with a smile on their faces while my dream is crushed. TOO MANY TIMES!"
A red button was flashing while the words "charge percentage 30%, fire lazer?" was displayed on the screen.
"At this point I don't give a damn anymore."
Through gritted teeth Eggman rose his clenched fist in the air. Wave after wave of bad memories flooded his mind, pushing his anger to the breaking point.
"DIE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG AND NEVER COME BACK!!"
His fist slammed the red button activating the pointed nose of his almost demolished Death Egg. It exposed a large sized cannon, already charged up with an enormous amount of white energy all the while Eggman laughed insanely as the screen displayed the final countdown.
"5...4...3...2...1...Firing lazer."
The cannon fired.
Moments later Sonic noticed the glint from the Death Egg and saw the lazer incoming towards them. He knew what he had to do...and damnit it wasn't going to be pretty for him. But if he can save just one life then to hell with it he fulfilled his role as the hero everyone needed. Besides he knew that if he was gonna die one day then Tails would be the next hero everyone would need.
"Sonic? Why are you crying for?"
"Because little buddy."
Sonic was choking up his tears.
"Because...I love you little buddy. You're my best friend."
"What do you me-"
Before Tails could finish his sentence Sonic kicked Tails in the gut. It didn't hurt as much but he was pushed away from Sonic. With a smile on his face Sonic closed his eyes and let the laser consume him, his body disintergrating into the white light. Tail's shoulder was caught by the light, causing a really bad burn. The pain was so much that after a few seconds of painful screaming he passed out. Through his hazy eyes the last thing he saw was Sonic's tear before he landed into the water, sinking into the dark abyss below.
"(That's right...That's what happened afterward...That light? Sonic crying? Tailsdoll crying? This all makes sense now?)"
Tails can feel his strength draining rapidly, he couldn't breath at all. None of his limbs would respond. All he could do is sink.
"(This is my punishment isn't it? All those years of anger and denial finally caught up to me...I'm sorry Cream...I'm sorry Knuckles...and most of all-"
His eyes started to feel so heavy.
"(I'm sorry Sonic...looks like I'll never be the hero you wanted me to be.)"
...What's this? Tails thought his body would turn ice cold from death yet he feels warm...the feeling was getting warmer and warmer...but how?
"You idiot, wake up!"
A voice? In this dark abyss? Oh great becoming delirious before death. What a funny joke.
"I SAID WAKE UP! IS THIS REALLY ALL YOU CAN DO?!"
Yep it was himself that Tails was hearing. No doubt about it.
"(What do you want me to do? I'm pretty much dead weight now. Might as well have that last hope of going to heaven.)"
"NO! This isn't everything you can muster dumbs*t! Don't you remember? The last resort?"
"(You mean the Chaos Emeralds? Now who's the idiot? They only work with rings and they're far away to ever reach remember? I need to make contact with them and even if I did make contact with all seven I wasn't able to use them to their full potential.)"
"That's because you kept doubting yourself. 'Chaos is power. Power enriched by the heart.' Your doubt is keeping you from unleashing the power you need to become the final piece of your goal. To become the hero Son- no what everyone needs when a legend was gone."
"(But I can't mo-)"
"JUST DO IT!!"
Tail's body started to become hot. He could feel his limbs move, he could breath...somehow and his eyes could see light from the abyss.
"(You're right...Heroes sometimes doubt themselves. But without the doubt and believing in yourself anyone can push past their limits and achieve their goals. That's why..."
Meanwhile on Angel Island Knuckles is resting against the Master Emerald like usual until a giant spiking energy presence struck his senses. He got up from the Master Emerald to see all seven Chaos Emeralds glowing.
"The Chaos Emeralds? Why are the- Wait."
Knuckles crossed his arms.
"Son of a gun...I knew you would figure it out one day Tails. The secret to the emeralds is not about the rings to activate them, it was to revive their power. Only those who understand that the heart is the only way to truly understand its true power. You've figured it out long ago when Chaos attacked. You lost your way but now...You'll finally get it. You got my prayer Tails so use them to your heat's contents!"
"(That's why no matter what happens next-)"
The energy of outside forces filled Tail's body. Flashes of gold illuminated his body like a flashlight turning on and off. He opened his eyes with intensity, his light blue iris's changed to red.
"I WILL BE MY OWN HERO!!"
Back on the surface Tailsdoll just laid on the floor on his stomach in complete defeat, seeing his reflection from the bloody surface. Death clutched his cross necklace that he wore around his neck.
"Tailsdoll...If you want I'll vouch for you to reincarnate immediately as soon as your judgement is over."
"Hmm..."
"Sigh...let's go. It became very depressing here."
Tailsdoll rose to his feet and walked towards Death with his head down. Death then put a hand on his shoulder. After a few steps Death felt rumbling from underneath. It was causing the bloody sea to become a violent wave.
"What the hell? Where is this shaking coming fr-"
Death's sentence was cut short by a large pillar of light appearing behind him where Tails plopped into the bloody liquid, it pierced through the surface and up the dark holed ceiling. Death slowly turned his head behind him, seeing an impossibility standing on the platform...It was Tails coated in golden fur and 4 fast flying birds known as flickies zipping around his body.
Meanwhile,
From the darkness 7 pairs of eyes in unknown regions of the Earth all noticed the extreme energy surge, all eyes were opened with shock. All except for the 7th who looked like it was just awoken from a beautiful slumber. It chuckled devilishly.
Once. Only once has Tails been so close to this form. Now he has completed it, The power he needs to fulfill his image. The power that he understands now removes any doubt that he had in his heart. This power...Turbo Tails.
"This power. I've seen it happen with the Hedgehog but the fox?..."
Death wasn't cowering. But this was an unexpected developement that not even he predicted would ever happen.
"(!) Wha? Now that I'm feeling this, his combat is the same except my evasion is now...50%?"
"...Flickies."
In a split second Death was able to see a high speeding object causing him to dodge. It was one of those birds that were surrounding Tail's body. Before he could think another flicky dashed towards him, faster than before but Death was able to dodge it by a hair.
With a snap of his finger Tails commanded all 4 flickies to attack which they did. They were each getting faster and faster, using the momentum of their flight to increase their speed yet somehow Death was still able to dodge their attacks with his aeordynamic gymnastic techniques.
"(You can't be serious? He hid this much power from me from the start?...No, that wasn't the case. He most likely couldn't use it before. Seems like he's able to use it now. Wait...this feels like the work of the Chaos Emeralds.)"
Tails looked down at his hands. This energy that is flowing through him rapidly, it felt amazing. This is definetely how Sonic felt when he became super...kinda. Unfortunately there was no time to admire his new form. Right now he had to end this madness so he kicked his feet off the ground and vanished into thin air. This speed he was feeling was euphoric but he couldn't let that distract him from his current objective.
Death was still dodging the birds whom were still gaining more momentum, a couple of close shaves almost had him where they wanted.
"Okay it seems like I'm gonna have to use 50% of my power. This'll end in a mom-"
He realised just now that the flickies were no longer after him but the only one next to him now was Tails who is already throwing a single punch at him. As it got closer and closer Death realised that he made a horrible mistake, the simplest mistake that even someone like him shouldn't have done in the first place.
"(I...I can't...I can't dodge this!)"
That simple mistake to put it into terms that even he can understand just as Tails collided his fist with Death's exposed bony cheek, causing a slight crack.
"(YOU UNDERESTIMATED ME!!)"
Tails didn't speak but Death could feel the emotion from his fist screaming at him those words. A gigantic explosion occured that made the bloody liquid burst upward like a geyser.
End of part 4...complete (?)
Finally jeez. That took alot out of me than I thought. Then again that's the life of an author creating fanfiction. Stay tuned for the Epilogue of this arc. Not saying that season 1 is over or something like that. There's still some craziness to go over.