Chapter Eighteen

"Sonic!" Shadow gasped as he went up to the glass and started pounding on it, trying to break it to get Sonic out. Sonic pounded on the glass as well,but to no avail. Neither one of them could get a single crack in. Shadow growled and stepped back. "Stand back, Sonic. I'm gonna break it with a Chaos Spear." However, once again, before he could summon one, he was suddenly grabbed from behind and held tightly. "Hey! What the hell?!"

"HOHOHOHOHOHOHO!"

Suddenly, the lights turned on in the dark room, revealing everything. Sonic and Ryn were both trapped in separate tanks, one filled with saltwater, the other still empty. Not only did Ryn have a muzzle on her face, most likely to prevent her from singing, but she also had thin cables installed into her back. They looked electric, most likely used to shock her so she would cry out in distress. It must've been how Eggman was able to record her voice. Around the room, in perfect view of the tanks, Sonic's friends were held by Eggbots. They stared in bewilderment of the purple Siren in the tank, unable to believe that it was actually real. Suddenly, Eggman came flying into the room on his Egg Carrier, Orbot and Cubot by his sides.

"Well, well, well. Look at what I've caught." He sneered. "How are you Sonic?"

"What are you doing, Egghead?" Sonic growled. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Oh nothing, just thought I'd show the world that merhogs are real."

"So it is a merhog!" Tails gasped. "I thought they were just myths!"

"Oh no, Tails, they are very real." Eggman smirked. "In fact, this is no ordinary merhog. She's a Siren. The killers of the sea."

"That's why she has a muzzle on her!" Amy gasped. "But I don't understand. Why do you care if the world knows they exist or not?"

"Yeah, Eggman. What's your plan?" Knuckles challenged.

"Oh, you will see in a moment. Right now, it's time to go live."

"You leave her alone, Eggman!" Sonic growled. "These creatures deserve to be protected just like any other. They didn't do anything to you!"

"Oh, but they are dangerous. The world isn't safe with them around. You of all people should know that."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not dumb, Sonic. I know that's no shark bite on Shadow's shoulder. And I know why you're so determined to protect these creatures."

Sonic gulped, feeling very nervous. There's no way Eggman knew that he was a Siren, right?

However, before anything else could be said, Eggman snapped his fingers, causing Orbot to lift up a camera and start recording. Around the world, live feed of Eggman and the hostages showed up on the screens. Citizens looked at each other in wonder and concern, curious to know what was going on. Now knowing that this was live, Sonic started to get really nervous.

"Eggman, please! Don't do this!"

"Greetings people of Mobius! I, Dr. Eggman Robotnik, have brought you some very interesting entertainment." The evil genius laughed, ignoring Sonic's pleads. "As you can see, I have your precious heroes in my hostile grasp, however, I also have something else very interesting. Behold, I give, the most dangerous creature of the sea. Not the Great White Shark, but rather, the myth, the legend. The killer of the sea, the Siren!"

The citizens gasped as Orbot directed the camera to zoom in on the captured creature. Sonic watched in horror as his best friend was put on display on the screen.

"Observe, the voice of a Siren." Eggman cackled as he pressed a button.

Immediately, the floor of Ryn's tank lifted her up, forcing her out of the water. More Eggbots came in with boot loops, wrapping the loops tightly around Ryn's neck and body, keeping her place even as she struggled. Cubot came up and took the muzzle off. Immediately, Ryn started screaming. She was about to sing, but Eggman pressed another button, causing the cables on her back to spark and shock her. Ryn's voice called out in distress, frightening the citizens who watched. Sonic couldn't take it.

"Ivo, please! Leave her alone!" The blue hedgehog begged, using Eggman's real name as tears filled his eyes.

The sound of Sonic's begging made the human look at him, a sinister smirk on his face. "My, my Sonic. Such sympathy for a creature that could so easily rip you to shreds."

"Yeah, well a shark could do the same thing." Sonic growled. "What makes Sirens so different?"

"How about the fact that they see land walkers as their prey? They attack on sight. And… they walk among us. You should know that little fact yourself, rodent, or should I say, fish?"

Eggman snapped his fingers again and immediately, another Eggbot came in with a large hose, a valve at the top. It put the opening of the hose into Sonic's tank and turned the valve, sending saltwater gushing into the tank. Sonic watched in horror as the water started to fill the tank. It only took a few seconds before it reached his ankles, sending a searing hot pain throughout his body that caused him to cry out in pain.

"Sonic!" The blue hedgehog's friends cried out as they saw him fall to the ground, withering in pain as his skin ripped apart.

"AHAHAHA! Yes! Yes! Witness citizens! The transformation of your precious hero, into a monster!"

Tears came to Sonic's eyes as the water continued to raise. Orbot zoomed the camera onto him closely. There was nothing else he could do. He could already feel his tail trying to grow out of his shoes. Sonic stared mournfully at the camera, tears running down his face.

"I'm sorry." He whimpered before the water completely engulfed him.

He withered and screamed, ripping his attire off as he went through the transformation, even pulling his contacts off as they stung his eyes. Sonic's friends and the citizens of Mobius watched in horror as Sonic went under his gruesome transformation, from hedgehog, to merhog.

When it was finally over, Sonic just sat there, floating in the water, recovering from the pain. His blue eyes stared into the lens. He knew when he was beat. His secret was out, and there was nothing he could do about it.

… He never should've came on this vacation.