Chapter three: Amy and Tekno VS. Morain

Amy Rose swept her pink fringe away from her eyes and blinked in the afternoon sunlight. Under the crook of her arm she carried her trusty crossbow, loaded with an arrow. She was itching to find this imposter and teach her a lesson.

"How far, Tekno?"

The green haired canary girl at her side continued to type away at the handheld computer she was holding. "Not far, Amy. She isn't going anywhere fast. I wonder who she is."

"As far as I'm concerned, she's a threat to us and to the Emerald Hill folk until proven otherwise." Amy replied, tapping her crossbow to emphasize her words, "Tekno, don't tell me you want to trust someone who just appears in mid-air?"

The canary shrugged, "I'm just saying it's odd, that's all. Maybe she's from another dimension? Maybe the Ring of Eternity sent her here or her world accidentally crossed over with ours. Stuff like that's happened plenty of times."

"Maybe, but I'm not taking the chance. You're too soft. How-"

"-Wait! She's heading this way! Just ahead of us!"

Morain cocked her ears and listened hard. She could have sworn she heard voices a second ago. In this unfamiliar terrain, she had to use all her warrior senses. She didn't know what to expect, and she wasn't going to take any risks. Finding Tails would be difficult enough, even if he was famous and all that.

"What do we do, Amy?" Tekno whispered to her hedgehog friend. The pair had taken shelter behind a nearby bush, and they could see the stranger just ahead. Amy was watching every fluid and elegant movement the vixen made with what was a mixture of resentment and awe, and noted the long, sharp sword she held.

"Let's do it your way first. We try to reason with her, no weapons."

So saying, Amy calmly stepped out of the bushes and stood several metres away from the fox, crossbow in paw but pointed downwards towards the ground. Tekno followed her, holding only her computer as she was unarmed.

"What do you want, stranger?" Amy asked in a clear, steady voice.

"I'm looking for the one you call Miles Prower." The vixen replied, keeping her sword close to her side in an act of neutrality. Her accent was only slightly different to theirs, slightly more musical and gentle, despite the obvious challenging note to it.

"Miles...Prower?" Tekno looked at Amy in slight surprise. "I've never heard of him."

"Me neither."

The stranger looked puzzled. Turning her head slightly to one side, she questioned, "You've never heard of him? But he's a great hero in your land, conqueror of the evil Robotnik who held sway over you all."

Amy gave a short laugh, "Yeah right. There's no such person as this 'Miles Prower' of yours! If there was, we'd 'av heard about him!"

The fox bristled angrily. Even from this distance, her amber eyes shone like little flares. She stepped forward, bringing up her sword as she did so. No-one mocked Miles Prower when she was around.

"You calling me a liar?"

"Depends. If you're gonna try and hurt people, then I'll be only too glad to skewer you." Amy brought up her crossbow from her side and pointed it straight as the vixen.

She only laughed, and stared at Amy disdainfully. "How interesting. You think you could take my life..."

Amy blinked, and the fox vanished. "Wha...?"

There was a flash of red and orange, and Amy was sent sprawling backwards. Tekno squealed, and was knocked into a nearby bush by a well aimed kick in her midriff. As Amy stumbled to regain her balance, she felt cold, hard metal touch her throat, and a voice whispered into her ear:

"...before I can take yours? Care to give me your name, sweetheart, before I run you through?"

Snarling with rage, Amy lashed out backwards with her foot. She felt it strike the fox's shin, and on hearing the cursing, grabbed the hands holding the sword around her throat and flipped the stranger over her back onto the ground. The vixen landed with a crunch and a yelp. Grabbing her crossbow, Amy pointed it at the fox's throat.

"Now why don't you give me your name, before I run you through?"

The vixen grinned. "Morain Blackthorn, warrior vixen of the Nameless Zone." Still grinning, she lashed out at Amy, catching her by surprise. Morain swept out Amy's feet from under her, before diving to one side to collect her sword. She took a fighting stance, as did Amy with her crossbow. From one warrior to another, this battle was on.

Tekno looked up as the two females circled each other, watching for any signs of weakness before the fight. Both looked evenly matched, Morain with quicker agility and speed and Amy with a quicker mind and better weapon. Tekno grabbed her computer from the ground nearby, thinking of who to call for backup. She was convinced, now, that this Morain character was sent by Robotnik.

But there was only one freedom fighter left at the base.

Sonic was away on a solo mission.

Porker Lewis was at the Floating Island with Knuckles.

Shortfuse the Cybernik was in the Special Zone taking some time off and visiting the Chaotix Crew.

Tails was having a snooze at the base.

Tails.

He wasn't much, but Tekno decided that he'd have to do. Besides, this Morain was a fox, maybe Tails would know a way of handling her.

A short message flicked up on the screen of her computer:

Currently connecting to server.

Server Connected.

Connecting to Tails.

Meanwhile...

Back at the Emerald Hill Zone base...

Tails was having a lovely dream involving mints and ice-cream when a sudden beeping in his ear sent his dream thoughts scattering. Grumbling, he reached for his watch resting on the bedstand beside him and flicked it open, rubbing his eyes with a gloved paw as he did so.

"Hello?"

"Tails, sorry to disturb you, but...we've got a problem here." Tekno's voice rang through, loud and clear.

"What kinda problem?"

"Amy's having a face-off with an imposter just on the outskirts of the zone. A fox. She's gonna need backup and I don't have any of my weapons or anything. Think you can get out here in time?"

"No problem. Gimme two minutes."

"Thanks."

Tekno's face disappeared in a burst of static and Tails clambered out of bed, still rubbing his eyes. He was so tired. Slipping his feet into his familiar red and white sneakers, he stretched out his arms and gave a huge yawn.

A fox imposter, eh? It'd been a long time since Tails had seen any of his kind, even on his travels around the world. There were foxes on Mobius, obviously, but not nearly so many as there were in the Nameless Zone.

The Nameless Zone...Tails shook his head free of the name even as the memories came pouring back. It'd been ages since he'd been there, and he missed them all so much. Especially Errol Blackthorn and his sister Morain who were very special friends to him. For a brief moment he wondered if this imposter knew of the Nameless Zone, very few did and most of Mobius thought it was only a legend. Tails knew better, but if Sonic ever found out that the Nameless zoners thought Sonic was Tails' sidekick and Tails the hero, then the two-tailed fox would be in big trouble.

Flicking his tails around, Tails took to the sky and headed off as quickly as he could.

Back at the waterfall...

Amy hit the ground with a thud, winded. Morain stood beside her, the tip of her sword hovering inches above the hedgehog's throat.

"You have insulted the honor of my peoples' greatest hero, and for that you must die. Such a pity, you're a noble adversary."

"So...you're gonna kill me..." Amy swallowed. "Be proud of it...none of the rest of Eggman's flunkies have got even close."

Morain paused for a brief moment. "I'm not working for anyone. I work for myself, and only myself. All I know of this Eggman is that he is evil. Nothing more. Don't worry, pink one, I shall give you the honorable death of a soldier like you deserve."

Tekno watched in horror as Morain raised her gleaming sword high above her head, aiming for the weak point at the back of Amy's neck. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Amy closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable swish of the falling sword.

Morain, now in complete warrior mode, could almost feel the lifeblood pulsing through the veins just below the thin membrane of Amy's neck, and the incessant hammering of her heart. She gathered all her strength behind the hilt of her sword, and thrust it downwards.

But the blow never came.

The next thing Amy knew, Tekno had cried out, and was now fighting with Morain. The canary had flung herself at the fox, and knocked her over. Morain's sword had spun wildly into the bushes.

Furious, Morain turned on Tekno, backhanding the canary around the face. The vixen warrior laid her ears back flat against her skull and snarled like a cat, displaying long white canine teeth. Her eyes flamed with an unholy anger. Now she was mad. Tekno shivered, taking a fighting stance.

This made Morain snarl even louder. She lunged at the canary, fighting her with her paws, and Tekno could only try to parry back. They grappled with each other, trying to force the other to submit. But it was the irate Morain, the intoxicating stench of Tekno's fear entombed in her nostrils, that pinned the other female. She grabbed Tekno round the neck, holding the canary's head back, preparing to break it, all the while smelling the blood, when a familiar voice cut through the red mist of rage like a painfully sharp knife.

Tails gaped, wide eyed, at the scene unfolding in front of him. Amy, lying on the grass, trying to get to her feet. Tekno, held in the grasp of a fox, who had her arm around Tekno's neck and preparing to break it.

There was something oddly familiar about the fox. That stance. That flame red hair in a long sweeping ponytail. The purple and green (is that right?) outfit. Tails, not knowing quite why he did it, called out to her.

"STOP! PLEASE STOP!"

Morain looked up even as Tails raced towards them. Of course it was him, she'd recognize him anywhere. But still the urge to fight and kill prevented her from letting the squirming Tekno go.

"Let her go, now." Amy growled. She was on her feet again, and had found her crossbow. She pointed it straight at Morain. The fox's ears flicked in the direction of the hedgehog, but her eyes were fixed firmly on the approaching Tails.

The youngster paused several metres away from them. What he saw betrayed all logic.

"Mo...Morain?"

Instantly, most of the fire died from Morain's eyes.

"Tails?"

The foxes stared at each other.

"Mo...how...how did you...get here?"

"Tails, you know this...monster?" Amy interrupted.

"Morain, let Tekno go. Please."

The vixen was slightly surprised, and her reply took on a slightly whiny tone. "But they...they insulted you, Tails, they both insulted you. You know what the penalty is for that."

"Yes, but...they're my friends, Morain. Please?"

Morain looked at Amy, who still had her crossbow aimed at her. Tails followed her gaze.

"Amy. Can you put the crossbow down now?"

"No way, kid." Amy snapped back. "And let her kill Tekno? Not gonna happen."

"Amy please." Tails asked her again. "Trust me. It'll be ok, I promise."

The hedgehog shook her head and sighed loudly. She dropped her crossbow slowly and kicked it away from herself, but still glared angrily at Morain. Tails, satisfied, turned back to the other fox.

"Mo?"

Morain looked from Tails to Amy to Tekno, but the desire to kill had all but left her now. She felt slightly disgusted at herself for giving in to blind rage. There was nothing to be gained in killing the canary. Besides, the look in Tails' bright blue eyes was so beseeching, she couldn't do it. Slowly, she let her grip on Tekno loosen.

The canary darted over to Amy, gingerly feeling her throat. Tails smiled weakly at Morain.

"I never thought...that you'd be here. It's a surprise."

"I missed you, silly fox." Was her quiet reply.

"Tails, tell us what's going on here." Amy demanded.

Tails' head went down. All his life he had been leading this double life, and yet he had always known that this day would come, sooner or later. It was time to explain everything.

"Well...okay, but not here. Let's get back to the base."

Both Tekno and Amy looked at Morain.

"It's ok." Tails assured them. "She's a friend of mine. Look, I can't explain it here, but she's no stranger. She can be trusted. Morain Blackthorn, meet Amy Rose and Tekno the canary."

"Charmed." Amy remarked icily.

"Ditto." Morain replied in the same tone.

Tails shook his head, and turned to lead the way back to the Emerald Hill Zone base. Explaining everything was going to take a long time...