Chapter 6 – Hidden Pasts

"Ok were ready." said Tails.

"Take care and come back." said Marian.

"We will. I promise." said Tails.

He stepped into the transporter and appeared on Mobius. Knuckles appeared a few second later followed by Sally and Bunnie. Tails looked up at Little Planet and sighed. He wondered if he would ever see it again.

"Ok lets go." said Knuckles.

Tails clenched his fists and stared at Little Planet again. He looked back at the group to find they were all looking at him. They had never seen Tails so focussed before.

"Come on then." he said and they slowly set out towards Sarapolis.

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Sonic sped through the forest. He had never been this fast before and it scared even his evil self a little. He stopped on a small ridge and looked down. Below him were the Aquatic Ruins but they looked deserted now. He thought for a moment and then turned and ran off.

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The group stopped for a moment in a small clearing. Tails made a fire and they huddled around it as night closed in around them. They were in the Great Forest to the south of the city and tomorrow they would start there next strike. For now they rested and caught there breath. Slowly Sally and Bunnie fell asleep next to the fire and Tails and Knuckles started talking.

"Tails? You sure you're alright? You seem to be taking this very personally." said Knuckles.

Tails glared at him.

"How would you take it?!" he said angrily, "Sarath comes in, turns everything on its head and then takes away all my friends!"

Knuckles looked sorry for asking.

"Sorry Tails. I guess I'm kinda tense right now. I just wish everything was back to normal."

Knuckles looked up at the sky and sighed heavily. The stars had come out now and the moon was full. Tails looked up too. He remembered sitting like this many times with Amy. She liked stargazing he had never really got into it. He couldn't believe she was gone forever. A tear formed in his eye.

"Sometimes I wish I was dead!" he said.

"Well that can be arranged." said a familiar voice behind them.

Tails and Knuckles were instantly on there feet and ready as they saw Sonic emerge from the trees. Tails glared at the person who had once been his best friend.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Well, it that anyway to treat an old friend?" asked Sonic.

"You're not my friend! The old Sonic was my friend!" said Tails, "And you're not him."

"Too bad. If you join us I can guarantee your life but if you insist I will have to kill you."

Slowly Sonic brought out a small red gem. It was giving off sparks and glowed brightly. It looked familiar but Tails couldn't put his finger on it.

"You know what this is?" asked Sonic.

The two of them looked blankly at him.

"I guess not. Well I'll tell you. You may be surprised to hear that it is a Chaos Emerald."

"What?!" cried Tails and Knuckles together.

Sonic smiled at them.

"That's not possible. Chaos Emeralds are never that powerful." said Tails totally shocked.

"Yes but then these are not usually circumstances. You see the Master Emerald normally controls the power of the Emeralds, but that problem has been neutralised." said Sonic.

"What do you mean?!" cried Knuckles.

Sonic turned to him.

"You see we needed a strong power supply to open the portal and the Master Emerald was perfect. We used its energy, completely draining it of all power. After that the Chaos Emeralds had no controlling force and now can use there full power. Now I only need one Chaos Emerald to go beyond my super form. And I don't need rings to do it."

He laughed and Knuckles bared his teeth.

"Now I will ask again. Join us or die." said Sonic.

"We'll never join you!" cried Tails loudly.

Sally and Bunnie woke up at the noise and gasped.

"Very well. Then I have no choice." said Sonic gripping the Chaos Emerald.

There was a flash of light that lit up the forest. Tails looked away and then back again. Where Sonic had been standing was a yellow hedgehog with black stripes all over him. Tails gasped at the sight. This had never happened before. He quickly took up a fighting stance and Knuckles followed suit. Sonic laughed.

"Fools! Do you really think you can win?"

He rushed forwards towards them curling into a ball. Tails and Knuckles barely had time to dodge to the side as Sonic shot past at light speed. Sonic collided with a tree turning it into a pile of ash almost immediately.

"Very nice. I'm impressed you were able to dodge." he sneered.

"Sonic stop!" cried Sally.

Sonic looked at her.

"Your next after them squirrel!" he said and charged at Tails and Knuckles again.

Tails used his tails and took off into the air as Sonic sped past. Knuckles tried to fight his way out of the attack and lunged at Sonic. It was a bad move. Sonic's attack was more powerful and Knuckles was flung backwards into a tree. He slumped to the floor.

"Just you now freak boy!" said Sonic.

"ARGH!" cried Tails and dived at Sonic curling into a ball as he did.

Sonic just stood there and at the last second dodged to the side as Tails pilled into the ground. Tails didn't have time to feel groggy as Sonic picked him up by the neck and bashed him against a tree.

"Now we end this." said Sonic.

Just then Tails felt an odd sensation. He felt incredible powerful, like he had just been given strength from the gods. He also felt a warm feeling in his tails. He glanced down slightly. His tails were on fire! He virtually screamed at the sight. He didn't know what was going on. Sonic saw it too.

"What is this?!" he cried weakening his grip on Tails' throat.

This was all Tails needed. He thrust his arms upwards, breaking Sonics grip. He pushed off the tree, somersaulted over Sonic and landed behind him leaving a trail of fire behind him. Sonic spun to face him. Tails didn't wait for him to speak. He didn't know why but he instantly knew what to do.

He leaped forwards swirling his tails as he went. Sonic jumped to the side but still caught part of Tails' attack. A flaming tail struck him across the stomach. He screamed and jumped backwards.

"So the freak has some hidden talent." he said.

He shot at Tails again. Tails stood his ground and then sprang to the side leaving a double trail of fire as his tails flared. Sonic hit the trail and was sent flying backwards. He hit a tree and stood up. Tails looked at him.

"Now we end this." he said with a smile.

Tails clenched his fists and his tails flamed. He spun round and his tails shot two large fire balls at Sonic. Sonic didn't have time to dodge and the fire balls hit him. He screamed and collapsed to the ground. There was a flash and Sonic returned to normal, the Chaos Emerald lying next to him still giving of sparks. Tails felt himself calm down and his tails returned to normal. He ran to Sonic's side and looked at him. Sonic slowly opened an eye and looked at him.

"Thank you." he said weakly and passed out.

Sally ran to Tails side.

"Bunnie, see to Knuckles quickly." she said as she knelt down beside Sonic.

Bunnie quickly ran to Knuckles side.

"He's ok, just out cold." she said.

Sally checked Sonic's pulse. It was still there. She let out a sigh and looked at Tails.

"What happened there Tails?" she asked completely puzzled.

"I don't know. I've never done that before. But maybe…."

He picked up the Chaos Emerald from next to Sonic. He felt the same strength as before and the warm feeling in his Tails returned. He dropped the Emerald.

"What is it Tails?" asked Sally.

"It can't be possible but it is." Tails said to himself.

"What is?"

"The Chaos Emeralds….I'm sensitive to their power!"

"What?!"

"I don't understand either." he said getting up.

The sun was just starting to rise now. Tails looked into the sky and a smile spread across his face.

"Sally. You stay here and look after Sonic and Knuckles. I've got something to take care of."

He bent down and picked up the Chaos Emerald and walked off. Sally didn't know what to say.

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Tails walked into Sarapolis as if it was still Mobotropolis. He walked slowly into the central plaza and sat down on a bench. It wouldn't take long.

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Sarath was amazed. That freak had just walked into the city and sat down on a bench!

"That freak has guts but he is foolish with them! All units intercept." he said into a comm unit.

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Tails watched as several squads of troops converged on him. He smiled and took out the Chaos Emerald.

"Now things get interesting." he said and gripped it tightly.

He felt that feeling again and he leapt from the bench as his tails erupted into flames. He charged at the first group of troops who had just stopped to stare at what had just happened. Tails sent them flying as he charged through them.

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"WHAT?!" cried Sarath, "That little freak has a Chaos Emerald."

He spoke into the comm unit again.

"Battleships 4 and 8 intercept that fox!"

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Tails watched as two large battleships appeared and opened their gun ports.

"So bringing out the big guns eh Sarath? No problem."

He leapt into the air his tails shooting out behind him leaving a trail of fire as he streaked into the air. He curled into a ball and became a glowing ball of fire. He hit the first ship and passed straight through it and out of the other side. He uncurled and looked back as the ship turned steeply and fell from the sky, crashing just outside the city. The second ship turned and made to attack. A salvo of missiles shot from its pods. Tails swished his tails in front of him, making a huge wall of fire that shot downwards towards the oncoming missiles. They hit the fire wall and exploded. Tails didn't wait and shot towards the second ship in a ball. He curled up and passed through it. The ship didn't even have time turn, it exploded on the spot sending waves of debris downwards.

Tails landed on the ground and looked at the palace.

"And now for the final challenge." he said and ran off towards the palace.

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A few minutes later Tails was at the palace. He didn't bother with the secret passages and fired two fireballs at the main doors, vaporising them and walking through. He marched down the corridors, dispatching guards when they came into view. Finally he arrived at the throne room. He pushed open the doors and saw Sarath standing there with Espio and Charles next to him.

"So the little freak has come to challenge me I see." said Sarath with a smile.

Tails just blinked.

"What me? I just came to clean the windows." he said with a laugh.

"Your days are up!" snarled Sarath drawing his sword.

On either side of him, Espio and Charles made ready to attack too. Tails flicked his tails forwards shooting a fireball at both Espio and Charles. They were both sent flying back against the wall. Tails looked at Sarath and then in a flash returned to normal. He tossed the Chaos Emerald between his hands and then threw it over his shoulder.

"I insist on a fair fight." he said.

"Very well freak but you shan't win." said Sarath.

He suddenly lunged forwards at Tails. Tails took off and brought his feet down on Sarath's head. Sarath fell to the ground but was up again in a second.

"Very impressive." said Sarath wiping a bit of blood from his mouth.

Sarath glared at Tails and then lunged again but then suddenly spun swinging his sword around himself in a large arc. Tails had dodged to the side but still caught the tip of his sword. He screamed as the sword tore the flesh on his right arm. He spun away quickly and looked at the wound. It was pretty deep and was bleeding heavily. He started to wish he hadn't given up the Chaos Emerald now. The pain was intense. Sarath smiled.

"Give up yet?" he asked.

"Never!" said Tails suddenly leaping towards a pillar.

He sprung off it and careered across the room hitting Sarath fully in the chest and smashing him against the wall. There was a loud snap and Sarath screamed. Tails jumped back as Sarath got up. Sarath's left arm was hanging limply by his side, obviously broken.

"You'll pay for that freak!" cried Sarath as he lunged again.

This time Tails wasn't quite ready. He dodged the blade but still caught the handle across his face. He was knocked over onto his back. Sarath quickly spun and pressed his sword down against Tails' neck.

"I said you could not win. Now you will die."

Tails braced himself for the final thrust when suddenly Sarath was sent flying across the room. Tails looked up to see Sonic standing where Sarath had been.

"Sonic!" yelled Tails.

"Yeah it's me. The real me." said Sonic as he helped Tails to his feet.

Tails looked around. Sally, Knuckles and Bunnie stood in the doorway. Sarath got up from where he had fallen.

"So you are all here. Good. Then I can finally proceed." said Sarath.

He reached for his amulet pulling it off his neck.

"Tails! Catch!" yelled Sally as she threw the Chaos Emerald at him.

Tails leapt up and caught it, instantly becoming super. Sarath raised his amulet and it glowed. Tails threw his tails in front of his sending two fire trails towards Sarath. The first struck the amulet, shattering it into pieces, the second hit Sarath. He collapsed to the floor.

"No………I will not be….." said Sarath before he collapsed.

In a flash Tails returned to normal and fell to the floor. He clutched the wound on his arm as the pain finally took over. Sally rushed to his side.

"This is a deep wound. We have to get it treated." she said.

"In a while Sally." said Tails through gritted teeth.

He slowly got up and walked over to Sarath's body.

"Who's the freak now?!" he cried releasing his anger.

He turned back into the room and walked off.