Chapter Fifty-One

Me: (sings) Because of you I'm aliiiiive…for you I'm awaaaaake!

Shadow: Yeah! Godsmack is teh sheeznat! (rocks out)

Me: Word. (also rocks out)

Tahra: You've listened to that song way too much, Janus. Get on with the story.

Knuckles: Yeah, we need to find Leviathan.

Me: Very well. Onward to victory!

-- -- -- -- --

"The waves are getting a lot stronger," Vector said to Armeil suddenly. "I think Leviathan's close…real close. Tell everyone to get below deck…leave this to me and the big guy." Armeil nodded, and went to spread the warning while the crocodile turned his eyes back to the great expanse of ocean before him. He waited a few minutes, trying to key himself to the great water creature's mind waves as best as he could, then raised his arms into the sky.

Moments later, the sea began to calm, save for a single great bulge slowly rising on the water's surface. After a few seconds, the bulge burst open and sent water pouring onto the deck. This would have knocked the crocodile into the drink had he not slammed into a railing.

When Vector got up, he was in awe…it was a whale…but at least fifteen times larger than even the largest whales…its length, glistening with pure blue, stretched for at least a quarter-mile out to sea, and its great azure eye was the size of a small car.

"You, crocodile…have awakened me from my millennia-long slumber. I am Leviathan, king of the ocean. I know of the world's trouble, and I will join your cause whole-heartedly." After saying that, the whale remained where it was. Vector was puzzled at this.

"Uh…is there anything else that's gotta happen, big guy?"

"I must go now…dark forces approach…"

The whale quickly dove into the water with almost no rippling in the water. A few seconds later, a black mass could be seen in the distance, and it was approaching rapidly. Vector barely had enough time to get inside the boat before the creature, an immense shadow dragon, had landed on top of the boat. But it wasn't alone…Haishin had ridden it here, and was after someone specific. With a few swings of his family's axe, now tainted with evil, he smashed the door down and began his search. Immediately, he was met with Tails and the other Seraphim.

"So…the six greatest servants of the master have banded together to guard these inferior beings…how ridiculous. Move aside and I won't hurt you."

Tails found this humorous. He expected to defeat all six of them? He had to be kidding. Armeil could defeat him with both hands tied behind his back, so how could they lose when it was six on one? The ex-Seraphim soon got his answer, when the hedgehog took the massive axe and sent all six of them careening, each punching holes in the walls and some of them falling into the water. For reasons none of them were sure of, they were all paralyzed by this attack.

"You should have stood aside, Nack…" Haishin said with a grin. "It's amazing what a little bit of the Parasite's blood tempered into a weapon can do." Now that the main threat was disposed of, he could easily complete his mission. He burst into one of the rooms, and found his target: the white bat. She had no idea who this fellow was, so she was defiant.

"Just who do you think you are, punk…coming in here like you own this boat?"

The hedgehog chuckled, inverted his axe, leaned on the handle and looked Rouge up and down.

"Just as the boss said…you're exactly what he's looking for."

"What do you mean by that, axe-boy?" Rouge asked in her usual manner.

"Oh, you'll see…"

Haishin pointed at Rouge, and then she found herself inside an orb of pure, impenetrable darkness, and soon she was unconscious…

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

Shadow didn't know what to think at the time. A few minutes ago, he was minding his own business when Amy approached him. But instead of the sweet, kind girl she usually was, he found himself under the gaze of a different side of her…a darker side. He hadn't expected Amy's Dark form to be so…pretty. In fact, it was just like in his more perverted dreams…her breasts were significantly enlarged, and she was curvier as well. But there was one extra feature that made him realize what was wrong: she seems to have extended canines, much like Rouge's. She was also wearing black clothing, if that was any indication that this wasn't the good Amy.

Immediately, she rushed up to Shadow and tackled him. After that she began to do very unsettling things as she sat on top of him, among them whispering lewd things, describing everything they would do when the time came that they would consummate their love. One thing was sure: she was going to have some fun with him…and fun that he knew that would jeopardize everything they were going through if it was to happen now.

Fortunately for both of them, Akuma had sensed trouble, and came as fast as he could, and quickly put Amy out of commission, after which her form reverted to its normal state. Shadow had to know what was going on.

"The sickness known as hadou syndrome…I believe that all four of you are afflicted with it, which is why each of you has had your darker selves take control. I am quite sure that the Meteor Parasite is the ultimate source of the organism that inflicts the sickness. And as far as I know…the only way to cure it would be to destroy the source. But for now, I think it's best if you and Amy do not see each other for the remainder of your time here."

"What?" Shadow protested. "That's not right!"

"I think you two are having trouble controlling your emotions…you two are like addicting drugs to each other. The very smell of her drives you wild, bringing out the more sinister and perverted side of yourselves. The same goes for her. You know very well what could have happened if I had not intervened. I haved separated Sonic and Tahra as well, for different reasons."

Shadow knew all too well what would have happened. They would have had sex, and there was a good chance Amy would have gotten pregnant…and she would not be able to fight while carrying a baby. It was either that or having to abort the child, and Shadow could not bring himself to kill someone he had given life to, even if they were unborn.

"Alright, Akuma…you win. But where can I go? There's only one island in this void, right?"

"No…there are two. The other is very distant, though. The fog surrounding this island conceals it. Besides, you and Sonic, as well as the two girls, are going to learn a valuable skill."

"What?"

Akuma began to fly off, but slowly, so he could continue to speak with Shadow. "You shall see tomorrow. But we must leave for the other island this very moment. Come, Shadow."

The ebony hedgehog sighed, glanced at Amy one last time, and flew off with Akuma.

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

"Work, you worms!" the voice of Doctor Eggman cackled over the loudspeaker in his metal tower. "I want this city to be a monument to my genius, and to the glorious reign of me and those who control your fate!" After Krynku's attack on the city, the Doctor's fleet bombed the city, reducing much of it to rubble. Now he had much of its citizenry working day and night rebuilding it into a city of steel and machinery to serve as a base for the mechanized divisions of the Meteor Parasite's army.

But one thing was still clawing at the cybernetic scientist's half-machine brain: when that accursed blue hedgehog would appear. For all his success, he knew he could not rest easy as long as Sonic and his friends were alive. His hatred for Sonic had grown as his city did, and when he saw any hedgehog that looked like Sonic, he would fly into a rage and have that hedgehog killed.

Regal was with him too, having just come back from checking out the Academy, which he now controlled. His epiphany about his affection for Vera had done little to change him otherwise. He viewed the suffering of the workers with neutrality. He could barely feel any emotions at all if neither Vera nor any of his girls were around.

"Hey doc, you seem to be really steamed at that blue hedgehog, Sonic, even more than me. I never learned why." The scientist turned to Regal, and stared intently at him with his robotic eye, and drummed his fingers impatiently before answering.

"Steamed doesn't begin to describe how I feel about that hedgehog. He and I have been enemies for years. You met him only once. It seems you are angrier at that purple hedgehog who you claim to be your cousin than Sonic."

Regal considered Eggman's statement, and found it to be true. His hatred was aimed toward Tahra more than anyone else even it was Sonic who had insulted him. His mind dug through his memories, trying to find one good memory he had of his cousin. But he could find nothing of the sort. His own hatred had made him forget.

Meanwhile, the mad scientist was ranting and raving about all the times Sonic and his friends had foiled his plans for world domination, which Regal found as funny. If the doctor was such a genius, how could he have been defeated so easily time and time again? He started to view the doctor as immature and childish…it was strange about why Nazo had put so much trust in this bloated buffoon.

As he contemplated this, he heard someone enter…it was Vera, strutting in as always and his heart skipped a beat. She also had a few other girls, two hedgehogs, an echidna, and a two-tailed kitsune with her. They were brainwashed and made completely loyal to Regal and Vera, more so to Regal, whom they already adored. The girls immediately swarmed around the red hedgehog. He became more like his old self: a regular Casanova, once he was surrounded by his ladies. Meanwhile, Vera went to talk with Doctor Eggman about more serious matters.

"How goes the rebuilding, Doc?" she asked, as she began to twirl her finger around his half-mustache. Eggman did not like such things, and brushed her hand away, but answered her question.

"Progress is a bit slow right now, but I believe the city will be rebuilt in time for the anniversary of its conquering, with the proper encouragement to the workers. That is the news I bring to your father, Vera. Now leave me be. I have no time to be fondled."

"Suit yourself, machine man…" Vera said as he started out of the room. She clapped a few times, and the girls began leading out of the room, into another chamber.

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

"Okay, ladies…your Regally-poo needs some alone time with his favorite, okay?" the red hedgehog chuckled as he managed to nudge the girls off of him. "Go and do something else, okay?" The girls obediently left the room to do things Regal did not wonder about. Besides, he had to ask that question to the bat he adored for some reason. As Vera sat next to the hedgehog, fondling him as he always did, he tried to gather the words he needed to say what he wanted to say.

"Vera…do you love me?"

The bat stopped for a moment, then grinned. "You're my lover…if that's what you mean. What a stupid question. Relax your little head, Regal…"

"No, I'm being serious here…I mean...would you want to spend your life with me…have kids?"

Vera started laughing hysterically. "You nimrod…I have no reason to feel that way about you. Only one with a feeble mind could consider something like that. Love, as you seem to define it, is a fleeting thing. You can't tie yourself down to one person, if that's what you mean. Now shut up and relax."

The red hedgehog couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't getting through to her. Was she just acting, or had the darkness that was dragging his heart and soul into the void of total hatred for all things consumed her too? He pushed her aside, and he stood on the opposite side of the bed, trying to reason with her…maybe if they could work together, they both could get out to the darkness.

"Vera…do you remember the day you first showed up at the Academy?"

"Yeah, what's your point?"

"You were scared…alone, and friendless."

Vera shook her head. If she was going to snap the red hedgehog out of his ranting, she had to tell him the truth. But Regal kept trying, not giving the bat a chance to speak.

"When I took you in, all the other girls looked down on you. That white hedgehog Melody treated you like dirt. That's why she was kicked out of my group. That same day, I saw firsthand what your father does to you if you don't follow his orders…"

Vera was about to interrupt Regal when she heard this…and she knew deep down that he was right. For almost a century, she had followed her father's wishes on the threat of death when she would literally explode from a dark energy overload…a horrible and repulsive fate, even for her. She had convinced herself that this was what she wanted to do in life…and now she was starting to question it again. But this triggered daddy's punishment…she immediately dropped to her knees in pain, trying to keep her chest from expanding. She immediately stopped thinking about Regal's words, and she was back to normal. The red hedgehog shook his head in disappointment.

"See what I mean. I'm surprised he hasn't done something like to me."

"Maybe I should suggest it to him."

"You don't have the guts." With that, Regal turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the bat to wonder once more about her situation…

-- -- -- -- --

Tahra: Boob inflation as a way to die? That's sick.

Me: That's kind of the idea...gotta make Nazo and Geddon as evil as possible, just so everyone will hate them more. The next chapter is going to be cool, though!

Raiden: Y'know, we non-paired characters get almost no time. I don't think I've even said anything for a while now relevant to the plot.

Sven: Yah better not have forgotten us, Janus.

Black Doom: Yes…you need to focus on all of the characters, you fool!

Me: Fine! Fine! I'll include you people in the next chapter too.

Ragozine: Good.