Sigh. I can't write anymore. I'm becoming increasingly depressed with life, and I think I'm writing this illegally in the midst of exams… Sigh.

Everything has become so difficult to update. I can't find the right spot with Robotnik's Revenge (I'll update if I find the right thing to say), or The Devil's Child. (expect me to remake this completely). Know I shouldn't put this here, but this is the only updatable piece of fanfiction currently, and that means something.

I have forgotten the joy of posting a fic. Hopefully, I can relieve it.

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Chapter 3- No Way Out

I was in a precarious position. Cream was now in custody, and I was to be at the helm of power here for a while, to conduct the interrogation with everything at my disposal…

The thing was that, I had to choose. Between my conscious, and my loyalty towards Robotnik. I had power; I could just allow her to just walk freely out of the fortress's gates. However, I could imagine that that would be met swiftly with a quick trip to the Robotosizer. Well, at least that would give false hope if they were looking for me, when Cream finds them…, it would rise their spirits a little.

Either that or I could use a stun bomb, and shock her until she tells the truth, bringing her close to death but snatching her away at the critical moment many, many times. I had many options; I could even massacre that blue chao Cheese if I wanted to…

And that would signify that I would be ready to take charge as a merciless person in the Robotnik army, able to kill someone without having any feeling, closer to Dr. Robotnik. The very destruction of my soul…

These were what I projected would happen if I chose either way, free her or torture her. A part of mind screamed at me, trying to convince me that these were mere fantasies but I knew better that they were close to the truth. Either way, I thought, I would be destroying myself. Morally or physically…

But could I really drive myself to do that? Was it really me? To hurt someone? To hurt Cream? No… The image of the young, tortured rabbit passed my mind, making me wince. I couldn't bear to make the same mistake again… I couldn't bear to… I had to free her.

And something else voiced out from my mind, reminding yet again that Master had given me power and respect, the things that he could never get then… I would lose his respect if I was to just release her like that, going back on my word. Respect…, a double-edged sword that kept hissing at my ear, an idol before me which I had and would never let go. I would break a huge promise, an oath. I… I had to do it…

All a very hard choice. I felt myself sweating with fear; really not knowing what to do. Before I realized it, I was at the doorstep of Holding Cell 19. I knew that Dr.Robotnik would be nearby, watching how the interrogation process would go through a one-sided mirror, at the opposite edge. Any pause would make him suspicious… there was no turning back once I stepped in.

Life of death or Death itself, Dr.Robotnik or the Freedom Fighters, it was my choice… I was not content with either, however… I don't think I could go in undecided, face to face with an old friend and not knowing what to do to her.

I was also nervous at the mere aspect of meeting someone that I had betrayed a long time ago, a 'friend'. What would she say? How would I react to her naivety when she would actually say "Tails! Where were you! We missed you!" or something like that, thinking that a long lost 'hero' was just right in front of her, only that soon, she would burst into tears at sudden realization…

I, myself, also had a lot of questions to ask her, about what was happening there with Sonic. Did he still miss me or anything? Or did he totally forget about me, practically just a day after I ran away? How did he feel about me? Angry? Insulted? Worried? I myself had my own set of questions, but my curiosity still paled in comparison with my other feelings at the moment.

I was thinking too much…

I wiped my forehead. More sweat, and a faster-than-usual heartbeat, pumping fast to satisfy my increased bouts of breath. Then it hit me, just suddenly, an idea. There was a third option that I could try, just persuade her to tell me something, a lie was fine, and then let her go. Then she could go tell her friends, and all of them would be alive, yes, that was the best solution. Goodness for everyone, I still could grasp the power, and still hold the respect from Master. It seemed to be a perfect plan… I didn't need to even contend with Cream's words…

Deep down, I knew that it was just some random idea that popped out of my head, playing tricks on me. Nervousness reaching its top…, that's all, it was too situational to work, a clouding of judgment. Amazing how that dark side of me could force me to put my finger on the scanner, mutter "Miles Tails Prower", and enter the keypad number. By the time I realized what I had done wrong, the aluminum door slid open, and I was in.

Without the vaguest idea of what exactly to do.

-

I was confused for a moment, turning my head left and right, analyzing the surroundings. There was a box at the left, filled with some gadgets, probably for torture purposes, and, more importantly, there was Cream, strapped to a makeshift chair on the opposite side of the room.

She had grown quite a bit; I could sense that she had really grown a little taller, now about my height. And, I could sense that she had matured a little. Seeing her eyes, I could tell that she was filled with exciting questions to tell, but she held back. At least she was serious enough to tell that something was amiss. Her face was expressionless, but the fact that she was not blinking at all gave her away, she was surprised to see me…

And I found myself with the same, blank, expression too, feeling exactly the same way as her.

I also saw the blue little chao standing beside her, apparently affected by the silence, not groaning or crying like it was a few minutes ago. It was in a pondering manner, confused.

In this blank room, I just stood there, she just sat there, blank, not saying anything. We just stared at each other's eyes.

On my part, I was thinking of how to break the silence, wanting to say, "Cream, let's make this simple. Just tell me where Sonic is, and I won't hurt you." Starting off with a threat, just to state my position or to tell her indirectly that I wasn't on her side anymore, or something. But I couldn't, as to me, it would seem too abrupt. I was too sensitive to do that to a 'former friend'; I still tried, but every time my mouth opened, still no words came out.

However, I still couldn't say a 'hi', that would surely kill me in Robotnik's eyes. It would…

Suddenly, I felt a little thing embrace my foot, and a soft 'purr' was emitted. I looked down, and the little chao, with a happy face and without fear, was hugging me. I was confused at first, but I remembered the happy times when I would take care of the chao by caring for it, pampering it until it had absolute trust in me, an unbreakable bond. I would feed it cheese, its favorite food, and I would play a ball with it, and…

Funny how it could still remember me after these long years.

I felt some warmth, something tingly inside my heart, a strange feeling… That I was actually cared for and remembered by. It was something…, that I hadn't really felt in a… long time.

At that simultaneous moment, a whisper was conveyed along the room; "Cheese, no!"

I turned to look at Cream, who immediately cried, "Oh, mister… Please don't hurt Cheese…"

I didn't know how I did it, but amazingly, as if on cue, I replied "Don't worry…" and smiled, carrying the chao in my hands and presenting it back to Cream, putting the cute little thing beside her.

I smiled… Then, I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand, realizing something.

What did I… just do.

As if telepathically, Dr.Robotnik's menacing voice boomed back, "Haven't you learnt, Tails, compassion is a weakness! My hope in you is gone…, how could you do such a thing? Perhaps you need a little lesson…"

That bracket of dialogue, it seemed real, it was vivid. Was it?

I jerked back my head to look at Cream, who was now smiling back in gratitude…

"Thank… you, Mister Tails… You…, you haven't changed at all! You… you're still him, Tails… the one, kind person me, Sonic and everyone else… always knew. We missed you…"

She said that with crystal clear voice, that same politeness I always attributed to her, with eyes shining in the dim light of the room. I felt some kind of nostalgia…, suddenly home seemed like something, I really needed.

But, my first reflex was to balance the 'mistake' out with something cruel, as the image of Dr.Robotnik flashed through my mind. But, no, I couldn't do that… I couldn't revert myself to normal by whitewashing, then blackening myself. I have taken a false step onto on path of the fork of the road, the path of 'light'… Or death.

Suddenly I'm just going to die.

I buried my head into my hands, as impending death loomed large in front of me. But I still had to tell the truth. The words of Cream replayed themselves.

"You… you hadn't changed at all."

That was a lie! I had done so many evil things, far from that fearless hero and Freedom Fighter that I was and aspired to be. I felt an instinct, to look at myself, the inability to smile, the frown I was always put up, far from that optimistic, happy fellow I was… I had to tell her that.

"No… I'm not the Tails you knew, Cream! I have changed a lot, I'm with Dr.Robotnik now, and, in front of you, hearing you say that, I feel guilt, Cream, I feel guilty. I was assigned to interrogate you, to hurt you, so that you could reveal information. See those instruments over there?" I pointed towards the box. "I have indirectly hurt countless people with the things I have invented, and I knew about it. I'm a hopeless murderer. A person who messed up in his life."

"I had to tell you this, I'm not the Tails you knew anymore."

Cream looked dumbstruck about this. Suddenly, her forehead had an expression of a frown, but her words reflected a feeling different from that

"Di…Did… you really… take lives…., Tails?" She stuttered, in a fearful way.

I bowed my head, tears falling from my eyes. "Even worse. I… took them…. as they felt pain. Unbearable pain. Excruciating pain."

The rabbit now seemed scared. She was pushing at the back of her chair, trying to get as far away from me as possible. When Cheese tried to jump onto me again, Cream disallowed it by putting her hand before its little body. Suddenly, she started to cry, as those tears of happiness slowly became tears of disappointment and sadness.

Suddenly, I, felt a deeper shame than what I felt when I joined Robotnik's ranks. The very fact that I had killed countless people was enough to unjustify my reason. And what was my reason again?

"Want to know why I did this, Cream? I did it, cause I was jealous of Sonic."

"Jea…lous?" Cream acknowledged that she was listening.

"He got more power than me, that's all. Just because he was getting all, the, glory, Cream, all the rewards, all the praise. And I couldn't stand it Cream. So… I…."

"Mr.Sonic… talked to me… right after you left… He… said…. that he was past his prime and aging, he wanted you to get the chance. To become the hero of Mobius… he said that one… must be responsible… and… and."

"Yes…, Cream?" I was listening intently, although it sounded like what Sonic had told me a million times before.

"Dr.Robotnik gave… gave you power and glory, did he, that evil man?"

I lowered my head again. "He was the only one who did that, Cream. That was why I joined him, Cream, that was why…"

Cream interrupted. "Where… has it brought you to… now? You are… crying…"

I felt the tears of my eyes fall onto my eyes, in sudden realization… It had led me… to a path of sadness, did it? A path of killing, massacring, and taking away. With all that power, I misheld it, didn't I. My good intentions were turned bad, how that rabbit saw her own mother die, how the stun bomb hurt her…

Was glory and power, something worth having?

"That's enough!" a voice inflected in the heat of my mind.

Suddenly, I couldn't think anymore. I felt my will being bent, to Robotnik's will. To master's will…

I could live a life of… kings. Victory, was it near. Locked inside the mind of the firefly in our midst? Focus on the task at hand, drive the information out of her. Do whatever it takes.

Whatever warmth, guilt I felt in my mind became total blankness. It was replaced, by images of violence, rage, anger.

I couldn't help it, I reached my hand into the box, having blank eyes, muscles relaxed, not… having the mental… capacity to control myse…lf

The last thing I knew I did before I totally shut down was that I grabbed a stun bomb, and threw forcefully at her face. It exploded just in front of her.

Maximum effect.

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So, it's finished. Finally, I've updated something. I hope you like this. It was quite experimental in a way. As usual, point out my mistakes and flame me.