Chapter Sixteen

"So, it all comes to this, brother," Bakura hissed.

"We don't have to fight…you know that she could never love you," Tsuko replied with surprisingly little emotion.

"Who says that we have to love our mates? The females are slaves to our will, nothing more! This thing called love is foolish! Females are to be dominated!"

Tsuko couldn't believe what he was hearing…these were the words of a male chauvinist pig…something his brother would never be…unless Sonic had poisoned his mind. There was no way Tsuko knew of removing the corruption…Bakura had to pay, as much as he hated the thought.

"I won't take that from you! I'll make you pay for those words!" Tsuko cried, and dashed, in a fiery blaze, straight at his brother. Bakura anticipated this, and dodged away, and swung his halberd at his brother. He did not, however, expect it to melt on contact with his brother's heat-producing aura. With his weapon gone, Bakura immediately shrank back in fear. Tsuko realized that his victory was already won.

"What's the matter? Now you're scared? Hmph. No wonder Yumi disliked you. You're as cowardly as Sonic!" He walked forward, and picked up his brother, putting him inches from his aura. "You think a weapon makes the hedgehog? No…it's the hedgehog that makes the hedgehog! I could kill you right now…but I won't." He dropped his brother, and left only a harsh burn on his chest.

"What! Tsuko, finish him!" Sonic roared. "Your victory is yours! He's gone mad! End his misery! Just kill him already!"

"No…even if he is a coward who doesn't deserve to live…he shall live…for the poisoning of his mind is not his fault…" He turned toward Sonic, and his aura flared up…"YOU ARE THE CAUSE! YOU'LL PAY, SONIC!"

In a burst of flame, he crashed right through the field, delivering a ferocious uppercut to Sonic's chin, and melting Yumi's chain all at the same time. Immediately, the girl ran toward the crowd, and pushed past the astonished guards.

Sonic picked himself up and struck back with a wild haymaker, sending Tsuko flying into one of the houses. He looked at his hand, which was burned a little.

"Stupid fire…"

-- -- -- -- -- --

Espio seemed concerned about that last attack. "Shadow…perhaps we should intervene at this point…I sense Tsuko cannot win, despite his newfound power. Even you seem to be outmatched."

"Not really…", but then an idea came to Shadow. "Wait, I have an idea! I know a way we can get Amy to snap out of her funk, and beat Sonic, all at the same time."

Espio, who knew the bond Shadow and Amy had just recently begun to share, immediately realized what the black hedgehog had in mind. "You're going to…"

Shadow nodded. "Yep…she'll awaken her true power the same way I did. I just hope Tsuko can hold on. I also need to get beat up enough."

"Good luck, Shadow…" Espio said, saluting him casually. Shadow took off back toward the castle.

Amy sat there in her cell, staring into thin air. Her encounter with Lady Thorn…or, as it turned out, the real Amy, had changed her outlook on life. Tails lied to her…he said that she had merely been sleeping for all those years, when in reality, she was just a clone…was everything else a lie? She heard the crackling of Shadow's microjet-propelled shoes, but didn't react much. Shadow appeared in the door, and was disappointed to see Amy still sulking there. He tried to comfort her.

"Amy? You okay?" he asked as he sat down next to her.

"I'm not Amy…I never was, I never will be. You know it, too!" she replied."

"I don't give a damn. For all I care, you are the original."

"Well I'm not. Get used to the notion."

"I'll try."

Shadow was silent for a minute. Amy continued to sit there, staring. Despite the tenuous calm, Shadow could almost sense the torrential storm in Amy's mind.

He heard Tsuko emit a piercing, echoing scream." "Listen to that, Amy…Tsuko is fighting for someone very dear to him. And from the sounds of things, he's losing." "So?" Amy said unemotionally.

Shadow was aghast. "So? So! SO! Listen to yourself! You've lost all will to go on, just because you find out you're artificially made! I was too!"

"Well, you aren't a clone. You're your own individual…I'm just a copy. Those memories of being saved…they were all lies!"

Shadow sighed and threw his hands up in frustration. "If this is how you're going to be, fine! I'm going to go help Tsuko. You obviously are too weak to be of any help." Shadow started off back towards the field without another word.

"Now for Phase Two of the plan…"

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

Tsuko was really taking a beating from the super-powered Sonic. But with each blow, he only renewed his attack with greater vigor. Sonic, despite repeated fire-elemental shots to the head and gut, wasn't hurt very much.

"Damn it, can't you just give up!"

Tsuko, now starting to seem delusional, shook his head. "No way, Sonic! I won't stop until either you or me is dead on the ground!" He charged again.

"Very well…" Sonic muttered. As Tsuko came in, Sonic's quills flared straight up, his body turned golden, and large feathered wings appeared from his shoulders, all in a matter of moments. Before Tsuko could deliver another attack, Sonic smashed his foot until Tsuko's belly, sending the flaming hedgehog upward. Sonic flew up, grabbed Tsuko by his right leg, and kicked him in the head. Sonic then tossed his foe upwards, and, with lightning speed, delivered six dash punches, three spin kicks and at least five other individual martial arts moves impossible to describe with mere words, before sending Tsuko, now inches from death, plummeting to the ground like a fiery meteor.

That ought to do it, Sonic thought to himself. Of course, his victory would have to wait, as Shadow burst onto the scene with a series of punches fierce enough to fell a skyscraper…but it was not much to Sonic.

"Oh boy! More fun!" Sonic said with a sinister grin as he faced Shadow.

"You think this is some sort of game, don't you?" Shadow replied harshly.

"Isn't that what life is?"

"I don't have time to contemplate life with you, Sonic. I'm here to get revenge."

"For what?" Sonic asked in a sardonic tone.

"For crushing the will of one who cared for you!" Shadow cried, and continued his attack. The two exchanged blows at a pace even the most well-trained human eye would have severe difficulty tracking. At many points in time, one of the two hedgehogs were sent soaring away, and then either disappearing before the other could continue their attacks or countering with a barrage of energy blasts. This went on for several minutes.

Meanwhile, Bakura had picked himself up and walked toward his near-dead brother, who still tenuously held on to life. He looked at Tsuko, and shook his head in disappointment…he had dared to challenge the Overlord, and now he had paid the price. He picked up the burnt handle of his weapon, and took the sharp end, and prepared to finish his brother off…only to meet his own end at the hands of Espio. He had not seen Espio's invisible approach, and got a katana right through his heart.

"I am sorry, brother of Tsuko…but I cannot allow brother to strike down brother." Espio said. The other guards, angered by their leader's death, rushed in, their own weapons drawn.

Espio went invisible again, and leapt to one of the rooftops. Carefully aiming his sharp throwing stars, he pierced each of the twenty guards in the throat. Espio didn't like causing carnage, but he had to do something to save Tsuko.

Meanwhile, the flashy and high-flying duel between Sonic and Shadow was beginning to take a toll on both of them. But Shadow had been secretly holding back, and Sonic had one last trick up his sleeve.

"Enough of this messing around, Shadow! It's time I kicked things up a few notches!" Sonic boomed. He tossed away his ripped and singed cloak, and it fluttered to the ground. And then…the laughing started…an insane cackle that rang through the air like unholy bells. In a blaze of light, Sonic shifted into his "ultimate form", which appeared to be very similar to Knuckles' form…a hulking, winged and insane version of his former self.

That's right, Sonic…give Amy a challenge, Shadow said to himself. Now for phase 3 of the plan.

"So, are you scared, Shadow?" Sonic roared.

"Oh, I'm so scared…Not!"

Sonic apparently wasn't about to take this from Shadow, who for some reason, dropped his guard entirely. Sonic took the opportunity and immediately set to his attack.

-- -- -- -- -- --

All the while, Amy sat there in her cell, pondering. As she tried to dig through her implanted memories, something came up that seemed real to her.

Amy stumbled down the street, crying her heart out, and holding her hand over her left eye. Turning into an alley, she made her way into a seemingly random apartment building, right past the landlord's office. She made her way down the hall, and knocked on Apartment 1-R. The door opened, and there stood Shadow, holding a dripping chili dog in one hand.

"Amy!" Shadow gasped. He dropped the chili dog, staining his shoe. "What happened?"

"Bad fall when I was with Sonic…he…just left me…"

"That must have been some fall…are you sure this isn't Sonic's doing? He's been awfully mean and angry lately."

Amy feebly revealed her eye. It was bruised severely.

Shadow winced a little. "Geez, I wish I could take you to a hospital, but I can't be seen in public. I'll do what I can, though."

Amy dried her tears and smiled. "Thanks…you're such a friend…"

"You did help me realize the good in me…are you sure Sonic isn't beating you?"

"I'm sure." Amy was silent for a moment. "Shadow?"

"Yeah?"

"I need a hug."

"Well…alright." He did so, and then briefly left the room to get his first aid kit. He never needed it, but these days, Amy sure seemed to need it.

"Shadow…if something ever happened to me, would you…save me?" Amy asked as she held a cold pack over her black eye.

"I…guess…so…at least I'd try."

"Thanks…"

Amy's reminiscing was cut short by another scream of pain. But it wasn't Tsuko's this time…it was Shadow's. She then heard Sonic's maniacal cackling. Somehow, it stirred something inside of her…then it hit her.

Shadow has always been there for me. The promise he made fifteen years ago…that he would always be there if Sonic ever treated me badly…

Amy stood up, but did nothing. Another shriek of pain from Shadow pierced the air. The feeling within became stronger. But still she did nothing.

At that moment, Lady Thorn came in, carrying her scythe as always. The look on her face was a smug one. Amy scowled at her…she was the last thing that she would want to see right now.

"Hello, there, fake."

Amy was silent, still listening to the battle outside. She could feel tears come to her eyes and she started to whimper a little.

"Aww, what's the matter, do you want to cry like a little girl?" Thorn spat.

A third scream, this time enhanced by something of a gurgle, issued forth. Amy's fear and doubt turned to anger. Her tears began to stream down her face, and energy began to course through her. The burning feeling in her forehead that happened a week before started again. Both her fists were clenched.

"Wh..what the…" Lady Thorn stammered, backing away.

Finally, the energy within Amy erupted fully, and one final thought crossed her mind…

Shadow protected me, Amy Rose, he made everything better. Even if I am not real…I can still help Shadow…it's time to return the favor.

The blast blew open the cell and sent Lady Thorn into the wall. The castle shook, and then started to break apart. But Amy didn't care. Thorn was not Amy. She was nothing like her at all.

"Who's the little girl now?" Amy spat at the cowering Lady Thorn. Hearing no response, Amy burst through the wall of the castle, straight toward the sounds of the screams and the laughing.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

Shadow was severely beaten and broken, and the hulking Sonic held him by the scruff, chuckling.

"What's the matter? You weren't even trying!" Sonic said. "I'm done playing with you. It's time to end this."

Sonic formed a large energy ball in his other hand, and held it less than an inch from Shadow's face.

"Goodbye…old friend…"

As if on cue, Amy streaked in and delivered a devastating haymaker to Sonic's chin, disrupting his shot, and sending Shadow plummeting to the ground. Of course, it would take more than a one hundred foot drop to finish off the ultimate life form…

Sonic chuckled, and crossed his arms. "Well, well, if it isn't the fake! Looks like Tails taught you some new tricks. But if Shadow couldn't beat me, what makes you think you can?"

"I'll find a way…" she replied, putting her guard up.

And so the stage was set for a battle Amy thought she would never have to fight…she would, to save Shadow, the one she loved…she would have to fight Sonic, the one she once adored. She would stop the laughing once and for all.