Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog is © Sonic Team / Jules & Bernadette Hedgehog are © Archie / Ashura the Hedgehog, Akuma & Sakana Uni are © me

7: Third Encounter

Sonic ran so fast that he nearly shot across the next intersection when he wanted to turn. He jammed his heels into the pavement, leaving long skidmarks, and stopped right on the edge of the curb. He turned while still on his heels, and continued running. He wasn't trying to get away from the terrible accident downtown; of course not! He wanted to help those people more than anything. He was running in case Akuma was around. He was worried. Maybe on the verge of fear. We just gotta get that Enjeru Rod, he told himself. Can't do nothin' 'til we have that. Can't fight Akuma without it.

He couldn't be afraid. Not him. It took a lot to get him worked up.

Like, say, the Devil coming to Earth.

"Sonic!" Ashura yelled, many yards back. "Slow down! I'm not as fast as you!" Sonic slowed reluctantly until Ashura wasn't so far behind. The apartment building was visible now, maybe two or more blocks away. Sonic was tempted to speed up again, but suddenly tripped over his own feet and fell on his face.

Ashura came up behind him a second later. "What happened?" he asked. Sonic pointed upward. Ashura looked and saw Akuma suspended in the air high above, and descending rapidly. His arms were folded over his chest, his mouth twisted into a cold smirk, and his eyes looked like blazing ice.

A couple seconds later, Akuma landed lightly on the sidewalk, smirking. "Hi, Sonic," he said, in Tails's voice. "Sorry I'm late."

"You aren't Tails!" Sonic snapped. "Thankfully," Akuma said in his normal voice, his mouth wrinkling with distaste. "That boy was pathetic."

"Why you" Sonic started forward, but Ashura grabbed his arm. "Don't, Sonic. He will hurt you."

"I've been hurt before," Sonic growled, trying to shrug him off. "I have a plan!" Ashura said desperately. He lowered his voice. "You go and get my rod, while I keep Akuma busy."

". . . All right," Sonic conceded nervously.

Both hedgehogs charged at Akuma, but Sonic jumped over him at the last second, while Ashura tackled him. Akuma kicked Ashura off as soon as they hit the ground. "What do you think you're doing?" he snarled.

"I'm going to make you sorry for everyone you've hurt today," Ashura said as he stood up and brushed himself off. Akuma folded his arms across his chest again and laughed. "Oh, do you think you can? I'm not even getting warmed up yet."

"I should be the one laughing," Ashura said. "You'll never know what hit you." Akuma started to answer, but looked over his shoulder suddenly. "Why has Sonic run away? Is he scared?" he sneered. Ashura started to say no, but decided against it. He might make Akuma suspicious. "Of course he's scared! You threw him out a window!"


Sonic dashed into the apartment building and slid halfway across the lobby before stopping, once again leaving long gray streaks behind him. I've gotta stop that before I ruin my shoes, he thought.

Usually Sonic would run up the stairs, but this time he took the elevator to rest. He pounded the button a dozen times, then leapt inside when the elevator arrived and pounded the eighth floor button a dozen more times. When the car finally got moving, he collapsed on his behind, gasping for breath. He was barely under control when the doors opened, and he was off again. "Where is it where is it where is it?" he muttered to himself as he burst into his penthouse. The Rod was lying on the floor next to the recliner. "Woo," he breathed as he snatched it up. "Okay. Hang on, Ashura. The cavalry is here."


"So how should I kill you?" Akuma said, stroking his chin. "I could blow you up . . . No, too fast. Tear you apart with my psychic abilities? Very painful, indeed, but still too fast. There's no fun in a quick death. Forget it; I will use my own two hands. Not too fast, and painful, I guarantee. I will make you suffer. I love that so."

"I know that," Ashura growled. "You make innocent people suffer, you monster."

"But it is fun," Akuma jeered. "Here, let me show you." In the blink of an eye, he was face-to-face with Ashura, and smacked him in the stomach with the palm of his hand. The impact was so powerful that it would seem that Akuma had been holding explosives in his hand. Ashura sailed backwards and hit a light pole, snapping it in half. He made a weak gasping sound, not having enough breath to yelp, and collapsed in a heap, his vision already graying. Then Akuma was next to him again, and kicked him in the face. Ashura skidded across the ground and struck a brick wall, cracking the window above him. Electric pain shot up his spine. "Please, Sonic, hurry," he whispered as one eye swelled shut.

"You weak bastard," Akuma snarled. "You're so pathetic I could vomit." He strode up to the fallen hedgehog and wrapped both of his tails tightly around Ashura's neck. "If I stood absolutely still and let you go all out on me, you wouldn't even leave a bruise, would you?" People across the street saw the one-sided fight, and began to shout at Akuma to have mercy on Ashura. "Shut the hell up!" Akuma snapped. A fireball appeared out of nowhere and incinerated the humans.

"Don't . . . hurt them," Ashura rasped, tugging at the tails around his neck. "You can do . . . whatever you want . . . with me . . . Just . . . don't hurt anyone else . . ."

"I don't take orders from a worm like you," Akuma growled, squeezing Ashura's neck so that he couldn't speak. Ashura's face twisted with pain, but he couldn't cry out. He couldn't breathe anymore. A random thought flashed through his head: Don't hurt me, Daddy.

Sonic returned in time to see his brother pinned helplessly to the ground, not making much of an attempt to fight back. "Ashura, no!" he shouted, running to his aid. Damn it, Ashura, if you ever fight in your life, fight now!

Akuma took one look at the rod he held, and immediately released Ashura and jumped back, a slight look of alarm on his face. Sonic knelt down next to Ashura and lifted his head up. "Ash, talk to me."

Ashura cleared his throat and tried to smile. "You got the Rod," he whispered. "Thank you." He took the Rod from Sonic with a trembling hand, and pointed it at Akuma. "Watch where you aim that!" Akuma shouted. "It could get you into a heap of trouble."

"How do you get it to work?" Sonic whispered. "How would I know?" Ashura whispered back. "Try 'go, web'," Sonic suggested. Ashura gave him a clearly confused look.

While the two of them debated, Akuma extended his hand and created a wall of flame out of thin air. Then he sent it towards them. Bystanders screamed, and Sonic yelled, "Look out!" Ashura froze with panic, but it turned out he didn't have to do a thing. The crystal orb on the end of the Rod began to glow blue, and the Rod created a translucent "forcefield" around the two hedgehogs. The boys didn't even feel the heat from the flames as they rushed past. "Oh my God," Sonic said almost a hundred times. Ashura had to concentrate so his shaking arm wouldn't cause him to drop the Rod.

Then the fire vanished suddenly, and Akuma stared in disbelief. "Again," he hissed. "The accursed Enjeru Rod. Possessed by this lower-than-dirt creature!"

"I can only imagine how that makes you feel, friend," Sonic sneered, helping Ashura to his feet. "Now are ya ready for a fair fight?"

Akuma clenched his fists and teeth. He knew that in his current form, one blast from the Enjeru Rod would put him out of commission for a very long time. Perhaps during that time, his enemies would be able to conspire against him, and his defeat would be certain. "I will return," he growled. "Count on it." And just like that, he was gone.

In a flash, terrified and excited people surrounded Sonic and Ashura. They hit the two with a barrage of questions, and begged them to do something about Akuma. One man pointed to Ashura and said, "Hey Sonic, you should get him some medical attention. He's hurt bad!"

"I will take care of him," someone else spoke up. Sonic looked over his shoulder, and saw Sakana Uni coming through the crowd. "I am a nurse; let me take him." She leaned over and put one arm around Ashura's shoulders. "You come too," she whispered to Sonic, then asked Ashura more loudly, "Are you able to walk?"

"Yes," Ashura said weakly. Sakana straightened up, and announced to the crowd, "As all of you can see, it isn't safe out here. Go home, right now." The crowd gradually dispersed, and Sakana slowly led Ashura up the sidewalk. "How did he manage to injure you so badly? Didn't you have the Rod?"

"I left it in Sonic's house when we first came out," Ashura replied softly. Tears were streaming down his face. "I'm very sorry. I . . . I could have killed him right then."

"No, Ashura, you couldn't have," Sakana said gently. "Only when he reaches his final stage can you defeat him finally. But you must stop putting yourself down all the time."

"I'm sorry," Ashura said. Sakana shook her head sadly.

The three of them made their way slowly but steadily back to Sonic's penthouse. Once inside, Sakana wasted no time in laying Ashura down on the couch and creating the healing golden veil around him. "Poor creature," she said repeatedly, then began whispering the incantations that would heal Ashura. Sonic sat down on his recliner, staring miserably at his big brother. He won't fuckin' fight. He can't.

Sakana remained still, whispering over Ashura for six minutes at best, then stopped suddenly. The veil faded quickly. "What?" Sonic asked, his fur raising. "Is there something wrong?"

"I have healed his injuries, but he may still suffer pain for a few more weeks." Sakana said, shaking her head sadly. "I wonder if he will be able to put up with what he will go through. He is just too meek and naïve for his age. Sonic, you must support him. I know he is your older brother, but it is up to you to be the role model. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Sonic replied quietly. He brooded for a moment, then asked, "You popular around here or what?"

"What do you mean?" Sakana asked. Sonic shrugged. "The way you look, an' no one noticed. I mean, you're kinda tall for a woman, and . . . ya got spikes growin' out yer back . . ."

Sakana smiled. "Remember I told you about my psychic powers? I'm able to create the illusion of being a human. The people did not see me as I am."

Sonic almost laughed. "Bet a lotta women wish they were you."

"Do you need restoration?" Sakana asked him. Sonic didn't get what she was talking about at first. "Oh! Nah, I'm good. Just a little dirty." Sakana nodded, then said, "Please show me to your bedroom. I want to make Ashura comfortable."

"Yeah, no prob." Sonic waited until Sakana had gathered the sleeping Ashura into her arms, then led the woman out of the living room, down the short hallway, and into his bedroom. "Just lay 'im down right there."

Sakana paused by Sonic's bed, her head lowered so that it looked like she was kissing Ashura between his ears. She seemed reluctant to put him down, but when Sonic pulled the blanket back, she finally let Ashura go, and tucked him in. Her eyes remained fixed on him, as if she expected him to wake up at any second. "You can sit down if you want," Sonic said, feeling as if the mood was becoming too quiet. It made him uncomfortable. Without looking at him, Sakana seated herself carefully on the edge of his bed.

Meanwhile, Ashura was having a flashback dream.


"Ashura, Ashura! Guess what!"

Ashura, who had been sneaking up on a non-anthro squirrel in the grass, looked up and saw Sonic bouncing towards him. "Wh-what, S-Sonic?"

"I know how to make cookies! My friend just learned, and now he taught me! I'm gonna make some sugar cookies for Mommy and Daddy. Wanna help?"

"S-s-sure!" Ashura said, jumping up and following his little brother into the house.

"Ok-kay, what d-do w-we n-n-need?" Ashura asked in the kitchen. "Um . . . oh my gosh, I forget already!" Sonic cried, looking perplexed. "Oh well. It can't be that hard. What do you know that goes into cookies?"

"E-eggs a-and milk and . . . f-flour," Ashura said. "A-and s-sugar. S-some other s-stuff. Th-that's all I r-re-remember."

"Well, can you get the flour and sugar?"

"Y-yeah," Ashura said, pushing a stool over to the counter, "a-and you g-get the e-eggs and m-milk." He climbed up onto the stool, stood on tiptoe and opened the cabinet where the bags of flour and sugar were. He went for the sugar first, which was the closest to him. But somehow, when he grabbed it, the bag tipped right over. Ashura let out a shriek as he and a wave of sugar hit the kitchen floor.

"Ashura!" Sonic cried, fanning the dusty air in front of his face. "Are you okay!" Ashura coughed a few times, then nodded. "B-boy, am I g-gonna be in t-t-rouble."

"Not if we clean it up, fast," Sonic said. "You go outside and get clean quick, and I'll get the broom, 'kay?" Ashura dashed outside and shook himself like a dog. A white cloud rose off of his body, which made him sneeze. Then, to his horror, he spotted his mother and father not too far off. They had returned from the market already, and he and Sonic hadn't even begun to clean up the mess! Still trailing sugar dust, Ashura ran back into the house and cried, "S-Sonic! S-Sonic, M-mommy and D-Daddy are c-coming h-home!"

"Here, you take the dustpan, and I'll sweep it up," Sonic said hurriedly, grabbing the broom and dustpan out of the corner. With his unnatural speed, they had half the mess cleaned up by the time their parents walked through the door.

Jules froze as soon as he stepped into the kitchen. "Sonic? Ashura? What is this mess?

"We were going to make cookies for you and Mom," Sonic said quickly. "A-a-and I . . . sp-spilled the s-sugar," Ashura murmured softly. Jules set his jaw and said firmly, "Go to your rooms, both of you. You know you aren't allowed to use the kitchen until you're older."

"Sorry, Daddy," Sonic muttered, stalking down the hallway. Ashura began to follow him, but his father caught him by the arm. The boy began to turn, and received a hard slap on his face. "You, most of all, should know better. What kind of a brother are you? You're supposed to be watching out for Sonic, and here you are letting him get into trouble! What the Hell is that!"

"I-I-I'm s-sorry," Ashura whispered. Jules thrust him back towards the broom. "You clean up the rest, then get to your room. Do you understand me?" Ashura nodded quickly, trying not to cry. His father stormed out of the kitchen, and his mother followed, not looking at Ashura. She rarely paid attention to him.

With a red mark burning on his face, Ashura silently swept up the rest of the sugar.


Ashura expected to be sitting in his old bed when he woke up, but instead, he was on a much softer and cleaner bed, in a strange room. He felt a pair of hands resting on his head and sat up quickly. But it was only Sakana touching him. She seemed startled at first, then said, "You have woken up finally."

"Yes," Ashura said. "Where is Sonic?"

"Right here, bro," Sonic said from the foot of the bed, raising his hand. "How ya doin'?"

"I . . . I guess I'm okay," Ashura murmured. "What about you?"

"Same here. Not a mark on me."

"Good," replied Ashura, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. To Sakana, he said timidly, "Why were you touching my head?"

"I was reading your thoughts," Sakana explained. "I happened to see your dream. Your parents were very beastly towards you, weren't they?"

"No!" Ashura said quickly. "Don't talk that way about my parents."

"I'm sorry," Sakana said. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's all right," Ashura whispered.

Sonic frowned. It was about time he said something to help cheer his brother up. "Ashura, you still act like you'll be punished no matter what you do. You just gotta relax. All the people that hurt you; you'll probably never see them again. Live your own life now, man."

"I'm sorry," Ashura murmured. "And quit sayin' 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' all the time," Sonic ordered. "You got nothin' to be sorry about."

"You haven't even done anything wrong," Sakana added. But I did, Ashura thought. I did it a long time ago. No one knows. I can't even remember.