S. Chensu: Well, the episode is up…just not at the end of October like I predicted in the last episode…
Luff: Yeah…I can tell --
S. Chensu: Heh, nevermind. I'll just get on with some reviewer replies!
Dragon Master Naya- School work, trying to get some qualifications so our parents don't moan at us! Not a good excuse but it's true so oh well! At least this one was put up sooner…?
the funk master- Ah, maybe it is a chitinous layer on the outside and breaths via- Chen is gagged Sorry about that, Chen tried to use her (very basic) knowledge of science (Hey, I do Biology and Chemistry for A Level I'll have you know!) to explain how it could breathe. It's got her thinking though, far too deeply…
Yugi and Mai- We're sorry, we thought we told you! And what is the song about? And the other one too? Talking of chocolate Yami, Chen hasn't told you about her new story idea yet! She will do when she next sees you… By the way, the tomb robber isn't smelly; if he was then why did Yami do lots of interesting things with his tongue last night then? Heh… And also, it's spelt motto, not moto. And royal shortness is a bit generous, how about royal dwarfness instead? Is that song to do with Kaiba because if so I can tell him that he has no friends because he's a bastard! And nobody would want to be in his shoes anyway, don't be so presumptuous!
MUWAHAHAHAHAAAA!Ahem...Mai- Just ignore the stupid short arse, he not worth bothering about! Chen has writer's block too, that's why she hasn't posted any of her stories up yet… She will do though, at some time… Maybe when she's retired…
Just a random thing from Yugi- Nice…
Mokey (now known as Lia Xaragi)- Hopefully you've read a little bit more of this story now and it lives up to your expectations. It's not that good really…and the next update is now! Yeah, we love your stories too, Chen is a bit too obsessed, she thinks your new Yu-Gi-Oh! one is hysterical, especially when Bakura takes over Yugi (typical, that something like that is her favourite part…) Anyway, we'll continue looking for updates on your stories while we try to get this finished…
Mai.The anomynous being,who is no longer anomynous to you- Does he now? Hmm, I'll have to investigate… grabs a spoon and uses it to dig out of the padded room As Chen said, ignore the short arsedness, he doesn't matter, Yami only cares about him when he's in bed…so that does actually make it no one. Glad you liked the song, Chen loves it lots and lots…
Yugi and Mai- This is getting a little repetitive now…especially the names because Chen knows they're just your little pet names! And about the song…hmm. Chen'll think of something in a minute… Nope, nothing. And here is our update. And congratulations on finally getting on here, it took you long enough!
Luff- You know, it feels very odd replying to someone who's written this story… Heh. And yeah, the day off was nice and so is this one too! And now I've done this chapter, you have to do your Pressures of Life story, so nuh!
Yugi and Mai- No nothing's happening, it does it all the time when we're checking the format's ok and all that. At least, we don't think anything's happened… By the way, we told you to review once and that's it! Stupid Pharaoh!
Captain Yasha and ALNhiei- Yeah, yeah we're updating as quickly as we can! But we're nearly done now, so close… And good luck with your story, you've probably already updated while we're still floundering!
michael- We think you're a new reviewer so…WELCOME! We hope the ending is up to your expectations and it'll be soon! And you'll find out who Shaylea and Kensa are either at the end of this episode or in the next one. We haven't decided yet, it depends how long this one is… Unfortunately, we haven't written any other Sonic stories and all the others we have done aren't really like this one. Apart from Chen's Super Smash Bros one but that hasn't got very far yet…
xoticlightning- We've never read the Boxcar Children books but we're sorry it's too cheery! Hopefully you'll have read a little bit more by now and it's won't be so happy. And we did write the beginning chapters two years ago when we young and innocent so that might explain the continual optimism in them.
S. Chensu: We don't own this so let's go!
Episode thirty-five: Isolated JudgmentThe room was gloomy and it was hard to tell anything at all, apart from the fact they were standing near someone else. The air seemed musty, dry, like nothing living had been in here for a long time. But how could that be when it was obvious they were going to face the big boss? Did they not know something about him, something very important?
"Kensa, are you sure the boss is in here? Maybe we're in the wrong place…" Sonic said loudly, causing several pairs of eyes to turn and glare at him.
"Just shut up Sonic, you might attract unwanted attention!" Knuckles hissed and Sonic rolled his eyes.
"Well it knows we're coming anyway so there's no point in us being secretive about it." He pointed out.
"Yes…I can see you…" A familiar voice murmured and Shaylea whimpered, taking a step backwards.
"Kensa…what happened?" She said, not able to believe she had lost the person who had always been there for her so easily. The battle hadn't even begun yet…
"Don't worry, she knew this would happen…but you'll soon join her…" There was another tone to her voice now, a darker part that pushed through and overtook what had been Kensa…
"Show yourself! Stop using others and let us see you!" Sonic yelled, stepping forward, hands clenched tightly in anger.
"But you already have Sonic. After all, did you not see the Book?"
"How do you know about that?" Shaylea gasped, speaking for the first time.
"Because I read every single one of your thoughts! I know all about it, how you place your stupid hopes in it! You didn't think it would go unnoticed for so long now did you? Dear dear me…" It teased, seeming to draw them in, like fingers coaxing them towards something unknown.
"And why are you so confident you're going to beat us?" Marie piped up, holding Shaylea's hand to try and comfort her. She wasn't sure why, but it seemed like she was a friend.
"Because there is no alternative. There is only one future: one where your wrecked bodies are scattered throughout this place, alone and uncared for! You may try and act brave but I can tell you're just a little frightened girl! Do you think you can defeat me, broken and divided, unable to work together? I know about your pasts, your little bickers and the danger you put the world in as you tried to prove yourselves to each other! So in fact, we're quite similar to each other-"
"SHUT UP!" Shaylea suddenly screamed, storming forward and pushing Kensa hard. "STOP LYING! STOP IT!" She started sobbing, stumbling backwards, supported by both Rouge and Marie. "JUST GET ON WITH IT!"
"Ok then, if you insist…"
Kensa started to float into the air, a strange liquid pouring out of her, forming a face with two holes that were eyes before she dropped to the floor quickly, her body bouncing as it hit the hard ground. Shaylea went to run to her but she was held back as the others looked on in horror at the growing face. The liquid turned to symbols, numbers and letters jumbled up into an unknown language, if it was one, and suddenly they heard a snapping of fingers, causing spotlights to flood the area in a blinding radiance. They looked around, startled to see that they were now on a walkway, a vacuum of stars surrounding them, meteors held up by unknown strings. There was no way this could have been real…
"Wait, this is where…" Shadow said and turned to stare at Sonic, who was doing exactly the same thing. They had had their last battle against each other here, it was exactly the same…
"Well I'm glad you recognise it because that means you should know what happens next…" The voice flickered, changing in volume, like it couldn't decide what it should sound like and Shadow gasped, instantly grabbing Marie, who would probably struggle the most.
"EVERYONE MOVE! THIS WALKWAY'S GOING TO COLLAPSE!" He yelled before setting off full pelt away from the boss.
"What does he mean?" Eggman said to himself before feeling the platform he was standing on sink slightly, cracks appearing on the surface. "Ah, that's what he meant, the walkway's collapsing…" He contemplated this for a moment before his eyes widened and he let off a string of curses. It's time like these I really wish I had done more exercise…
"That's right Eggman, it's time to work that flab off!" The face cackled as Eggman followed the others' example, albeit at a slightly slower pace.
Now it was each for their own, their first concern surviving this nightmare until the scenery changed. After all, if it wasn't originally like this then surely this wasn't real. It must just be a hologram and if that was so, then there must be a control for it somewhere. Well it made logical sense to Eggman anyway.
"Oh but you're so wrong Eggman. This is my world and anything could happen. Your knowledge is so limited here, your mind could not even begin to comprehend what I can achieve!" It paused in its incessant whispering as though considering something. "But then of course, you could always find out for yourself."
"What…?"
Suddenly the platforms were falling faster, and Eggman, already going at full pelt couldn't dredge anymore energy together in order to go quicker. The support beneath him plummeted downwards and he travelled with it, letters and numbers streaming off him, his body breaking apart until a tiny essence was left, drifting into nothingness…
"EGGMAN!" Tails screamed, glancing back for long enough to see the green lines streaming through the air, being sucked into the scenery.
"Come on Tails, we can't stop!" Marie yelled, struggling against the grip Shadow had her in as she tried to reach him.
"Marie, stop it…" Shadow grunted, a surprised look on his face when she managed to break free, running towards Tails. "Wait, you're going the wrong way!"
Tails was going so fast he didn't notice Marie coming towards him until it was too late, she had passed him, desperately trying to stop in time before she ran off the edge. She turned around in confusion, her voice suddenly lifeless, like she had lost all control over herself.
"Wait for me please." She simply stated before being sucked up amongst the mass of the Virus, barely acknowledging her new surroundings as she joined Kensa…somewhere.
The last bit of self restraint Shaylea had been holding onto finally snapped, she was an angry, flame covered wraith. All sense had gone from her mind and the only thought left was that she had to do whatever she could to stop the beast that was toying with them.
"ARGH!" She floated in space, her energy concentrated into white heat which poured away, annihilating everything in her path. She seemed an impenetrable force that would stop everything in its path and indeed, when she and the Virus finally clashed, the gang thought the end had finally been reached.
The fire spread into a wall and as the Virus was forced back by Shaylea, explosions causing shrapnel to land amongst those on the walkway. They grouped together, able to stand still for some reason and they watched as gradually cracks appeared in the fire, sliding down through the path and disappearing to the same mysterious realm as Eggman did. Soon a small figure was left, framed for a moment by light before it erupted, the Virus ripping into two and unable to put itself back together as the scene around them fell apart too.
"Goodbye, my friends…" They looked up in wonder, hearing the voice and watched as something white floated until it rested on the ground in front of them. Looking closer, they realised it was a feather and as it dulled, its shape began to fade until it was just a mound of ash. There was only one person they knew who had wings, someone who had just sacrificed themselves…
"No, not Shaylea too…" Rouge whispered, covering her face with her hands as Knuckles held onto her tightly.
They shivered as they felt a wind whistle past them, a laugh being carried along it causing the queasy feeling inside them. It grew and they saw the Virus reforming itself, seemingly unscratched despite what Shaylea had done.
"One more down and just five left to go. That may seem bad for me but I know something that will instantly get rid of three of you…"
"What is it talking about?" Tails whispered, backing away from it slightly. Not noticing the scenery, which had previously been blank since Shaylea disappeared, was now warping into something else…
"Just take a look around you…"
They did as it said and gasped, seeing something being sucked out of a hole in front of them, a new place being laid out before them. Only it wasn't new, it was yet another place they had been to quite recently. Somewhere Rouge, Knuckles and Tails didn't have the ability to survive: above Earth facing the Final Hazard.
Instantly the support beneath the three of them disappeared, and they were merely flame engulfed spots below Sonic and Shadow's feet, facing friction from falling so fast. They looked at each other in shock, not noticing for a moment that they had changed: brilliant and illuminating compared to the cold darkness of the surrounding space. They had somehow become their super forms, even though the seven Chaos emeralds were nowhere nearby, there was no Master Emerald, no shrine to place them in…
They warily watched the monster in front of them, wondering what it was going to do next when its eyes suddenly rested on them, processing what was happening before suddenly coming to a rest.
"And so this is the end. You both know you cannot survive long out here before losing your powers and succumbing to the same fate as your friends. You do not have the power to defeat me, only one does and they went a long time ago…" It paused, almost as though looking back on memories. "It is destiny that I take over the world and change it to what it was meant to be originally: a desolate and bleak place where nothing lives! People were never supposed to inhabit as far as they did, they weren't evolved enough to be able to do so. But something happened…" Sonic risked a glance at shadow to find out if he understood what was happening but didn't get a response. "/You/ happened! You and all of your freaks helped them out, even though they persecuted and hated you! You should have given up but you didn't!"
This bit of information completely stopped Sonic and Shadow in their current thinking. Earth wasn't supposed to be like it was at the moment? That this battle should strictly speaking mean loss for them so things could go the way they should have done? But the Virus had always been portrayed as evil; Its name was evil in itself. Something was missing and they were not going to be told about it. It didn't matter what things /should/ have been like, it was what they were like now that mattered.
"You'll never defeat us! Things happen for a reason, you can't say the Earth isn't supposed to look like it is now!" Shadow yelled, stepping forward.
"Well it doesn't really matter; it took up some time at least." It said triumphantly and they realised with horror that they had lost precious time listening to him talking.
They were both stuck for ideas. He was too strong to defeat physically and they didn't know his weakness either. Everything was frozen; it was like they were just waiting for everything to end…
Do not give up, It has made a grave miscalculation… They were surprised at the voice, they had never heard it before and the Virus did not seem to have noticed its appearance. I am the one who can defeat It and I'm still alive and strong enough to stop It.
"Who are you?" Sonic said aloud, not sure what else he could do in the situation.
My name is Norton and I am an anti-virus. It replied and suddenly they noticed a shimmering yellow figure standing behind them, staring at the Virus. I can defeat him but I need more time…
"Well, there is one thing I could do…but I don't know how long you'll get." Sonic suggested slowly and Shadow turned to him, puzzled.
"Sonic…?"
"But we've got to do it now, I don't have much power left and it needs a lot." Seeing Shadow's puzzled look, he explained further. "It's called Time Stop. It can freeze the Virus but I don't know for how long."
"Sonic, you'll kill yourself trying that now! You can't!" Shadow suddenly yelled out desperately, realising how much Sonic meant to him. They were brothers, it wasn't right for Sonic to do this…
"You've helped us before and now it's my turn. That's just the way it is…" Sonic said, shrugging his shoulders.
"No! Please…don't…" Shadow breathed, looking away so he didn't have to see what would happen next.
"TIME STOP!" Sonic yelled and blue light shone out from him, hitting the Virus and causing It to almost crystallise, everything tinged like it was coated in sapphire.
Norton flew forwards as fast as It could, reaching the Virus and starting to break down the strands of symbols but Shadow wasn't concerned about this. Instead he stared as Sonic closed his eyes, falling backwards with his arms on either side of him, almost like he was flying. Shadow flew down to him and held him in his arms, desperately trying not to cry at the heavy weight of Sonic.
"Why did you…?" Shadow whispered, not noticing the familiar pain as they entered the atmosphere. He only cared about the fact that Sonic was going, he was alone, he hadn't even had the chance to know the only family member he had…
Shadow, come back! Norton yelled, taking his attention off the Virus for a moment to see where he was.
This was the chance It had been waiting for. Gathering all of Its energy together, It pushed through Norton to reach the two hedgehogs hurtling through the atmosphere. Norton was unsure of what to do: stop Its enemy or help the mortals? It merely hoped that the infection was deep enough to stop It before it was too late and watched as the two hedgehogs held onto each other, the Virus catching up to them…
Sonic's eyes snapped open, sensing the nearby danger and they widened, seeing the green mass flying towards them. He then saw Shadow close to him, still golden and unwrapped the arms around him, pushing Shadow away as the Virus caught up to them. It swallowed him, slowing down in the process and Norton saw Its last chance to finish It off. It smashed straight through It but it was too late, the monster had reached Shadow…
Shadow opened his eyes just in time to see a pair of jaws opening up around him before everything disappeared and he ceased to feel anything…
S. Chensu: Have they all survived to see another day?
Luff: Well duh, we've still got two episodes left…
S. Chensu: Shut up! Although you do have a point. Anyway, we're really sorry about the lateness of this but it's been hard to make this good and it was important to because it's the climax of the story.
Luff: The last couple of episodes are going to be more light hearted now, as should be in the end of all stories.
S. Chensu: So until then, please review! This story will be finished by the end of the Christmas holidays! PROMISE!
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