Chapter 8: Underdogs Vs Champion

Place: Lab, Miami

Time: 2:45pm

Tikal carried a pile of samples over to the microscope that Chaos was examining.

Tikal the Echidna and Chaos are two friends that have not been seen in a while. Tikal helped Sonic and friends battle Chaos a while ago and calmed him down. Now they live in Miami and are trying to find a way to cure diseases using chaos.

Tikal placed the tubes down on the side and joined Chaos at the microscope.

"Is it multiplying?" asked Tikal.

"Yes, I'm afraid," said Chaos

"Next sample then?"

"Please"

Tikal picked up the next sample and handed it to Chaos. Chaos took the sample and was about to place it in the microscope when he felt a sudden surge of energy. He dropped the sample and fell backwards. Tikal leapt to the rescue and grabbed Chaos before he hit the floor.

"Are you ok?"

"I just felt a sudden surge of chaos. It can't be..."

Suddenly, there was knock on the door. Tikal helped Chaos to a chair before answering the door. Tails, Amy and Cream were there.

"Tails! Amy! What are you doing here!" said Tikal.

"It's not a social visit" said Amy.

"We're here to see Chaos" said Tails.

"Yeah" followed Cream.

"And you are?" asked Tikal.

"Cream pleased to meet you"

"I'm Tikal"

Cream and Tikal shook hands while Amy and Tails went over to Chaos.

"How are you?" asked Tails.

"You're here about the power" said Chaos.

"That's right" said Tails, a bit shocked to know that he already knew.

"You know him then?" said Amy.

"I cast him aside long ago after he nearly forced me to end a life in cold blood" said Chaos.

"What do you know about him then?" asked Amy when Cream and Tikal joined them.

"He is a being of chaos and I guess he is after me and the emeralds" said Chaos.

"He also has some helpers" said Cream.

"Yes. He must have absorbed the emeralds then."

"He has three" said Tails.

"He needs me to keep his energy and keep himself in a solid form" said Chaos.

"Were here to keep you safe and get any info you have on him" said Amy.

"I can do that" said Tikal.

"We know you're strong Tikal but Cheq is really powerful" added Tails.

"Cheq? Knuckles brother?"

"You know him?" said Amy.

"He was a really nice guy. He helped me when I was in trouble and then one day he just disappeared"

"So my power has possessed a Echidna" said Chaos.

Tails nodded.

"Then there is a way to defeat him"

"How?" said Cream.

"Cheq will be weak to the emeralds that he has absorbed. They are the key to defeating him"

"Use the absorbed emeralds against him?"

"Correct"

"But..."

An explosion and the door flying off its hinges and nearly smacking him in the face rudely interrupted tails. Cheq strolled in. His fur now dull and the glow in his eyes almost completely vanished. Tails, Amy and Cream immediately went into a fighting stance and shouted to Tikal.

"Tikal you have to guard Chaos!"

Tikal nodded and helped Chaos into the back of the room. Tails began the attack with a rushing kick wish Cheq dodged by leaping in the air and bringing his leg down into Tails face. Tails reeled backwards and Amy smashed her hammer into the side of Cheqs head. Cream, meanwhile was preparing her violin to play the melody. Cheq saw this and backhanded Amy across the room before facing Cream.

"Chaos Strike!"

The blade appeared but faded just before it hit Cream. Cheq's power was fading fast and he needed Chaos. Cheq flew across the room on his feet and punched the violin out of Creams hand just before she played. Cream kicked out at Cheq and caught him in the ribs. Cheq shrugged this off and punched Cream in the face, which put her down. Amy fired a bolt across the room just missing Cheqs head. Cheq ignored her as she fired two more bolts and each one just missed by an inch. Tails saw Cheq running for the back room and prepared his attack.

"Chaos Gravity!"

Cheq heard this and did a sideward roll through the hole in the attack and then narrowly missed another bolt from Amy. Cheq opened the door to the back room and saw Tikal with Chaos. Tails and Amy charged towards the room but Cheq fired another chaos strike, which succeeded in knocking them down. Cheq now faced Tikal who had a look of anger in her eyes to protect her friend. Cheq launched a punch, which Tikal caught before raising her leg and smashing Cheq in the face and flinging him across the room. Tikal charged towards him only to be meeting with a fist and a foot. Cheq then grabbed her by the neck and throwing her away.

Chaos was now open for attack and Cheq plunged his hand into Chaos and absorbing him on the spot. Chaos drained away from the world and into Cheqs fist. Tikal screamed out in pain as Cheqs eyes glowed bright again and so did his fur. Cheq laughed out in pleasure and blew the door and wall off the back room into the lab where Tails and Amy were still recovering. He grabbed Tikal and threw her into the pair and again cackled with laughter.

"I'm back! You put up a good fight but you are all weaklings in the end" shouted Cheq, "Now, after I have claimed the emeralds and the Master Emerald the only thing in my way will be the one full of Chaos"

During this short speech, Tails had stood up and charged towards Cheq with his fists. Cheq saw this and smashed his foot into his gut. Tails landed with a thump in the corner.

"Got to go!"

Cheq swirled round and vanished in a flash. Amy stood up along with Tails and Cream but Tikal stayed on the floor.

"Are you ok?" asked Amy.

"Save Chaos. Please." said Tikal.

"Ok. We better get to Sonic and tell him that Cheq got Chaos" said Tails.

Amy and Cream nodded and followed Tails out of the room. Tikal sat in the mess of a lab and began to pray.

End of Chapter 8