Warning, this chapter depicts extreme self harm, and emotional abuse. Scourge acts absolutely despicable in this one.

You have been warned.

6 (?) - A Joke (?)

Months Before Sonic's Kidnapping

The echidna watched the vixen walk inside of the room, obviously stressed out and irritated by something. She walked by him, her tail swishing as she sat on top of the long dinner table surface. She pushed away any dishes that were near her and leaned back on her two palms while crossing her legs. She sighed heavily, before glancing over at the fellow Moebian. He adjusted his black hat, and narrowed his eyes at her.

"I assume he pissed ya off again." He muttered, as he wasn't that interested in another one of their quarrels. Ever since that devil turned green, things between ol' Bonnie and Clyde were falling apart.

"You assumed right." She scoffed. "That obvious, huh? I couldn't really fake my attitude, sorry about that."

"Nothin' to be ashamed of lass. I'm sure spendin' enough time with that eejit's bound to get someone down eventually." He raised his gloved hand to his mouth and plucked the toothpick from his lips. "But then again, you two's been at it like a couple of maggots for the past three weeks."

"It's the same as yesterday and the day before that, but it all really started last week." She said in an exasperated tone. "Then again, it's probably a little too raunchy for you to hear." Normally, she'd joke around with whatever the argument was about, acting as if it wasn't a big deal. But this time, he could see the look in her eyes, that something really screwed her up some time ago.

"I've heard a lot from your squabblin' before, don't hold back on me now. If you want to, that is." He added quickly. In other words, he didn't really want to hear it. He was sure Fiona didn't catch on to his true intentions, though. With his calm and soft spoken voice, no one would realize if he was being sarcastic or malicious. But right now, he was done with listening to her stupid sob stories about the kid. She should just break up with him already if he's such a problem. Not that he would actually say to her. Because she would one, not listen, or two, tell Scourge. He didn't feel like dealing with either scenario, so he just stayed subtle for now.

"Okay then," She turned to him and sat up to lean a little closer to him. Miles was still nearby, and she didn't want the kid to overhear such a conversation. "So we were doing it-"

"Great start, lass."

She hushed him with a frown. "Shut it! Listen," She cleared her throat and continued with a bit of a blush. "We were doing it, but things...went south."

"..South?" He raised a brow.

"Yeah." She nodded with a solemn expression. "Before that, earlier that day, I uhh...Called out you-know-who's name."

O'Nux just closed his eyes and looked away with a scowl. "What kind of woman screams out another man's name durin' a time like that? That's what harlots do, girl." He said in a disgusted tone. He wasn't one to pass judgement on anyone, as anyone who's ever lived in this world has sinned at least once in their life before, but he hated deceit on the lines of wrath, pride or lust.

"I'm not a damn harlot! I'm-" She cut herself off, and then sighed again while looking down. She pulled some hair from her face and stared at the table's reflection, looking at herself. "I'm, not like that. I just, I don't mean to do it. 'Cause it really hurts him, and I hate to do that to him."

"That's what cheaters say." He pointed out with a flat voice. "Speakin' of which, he still doesn't know?"

"Know what?" She blinked, until she caught onto what he was asking. "...No, he doesn't." She rubbed her arm for self comfort. So maybe she slept with a couple guys before in order to gather information or goods for Scourge's sake. He just thought she was really good at scamming people of their merchandise, but no. She used other ways to get what he wanted. He didn't know about it, and he hopefully never would. Only O'Nux knew about this, as she always came to him about her personal gripes. He just continued to shake his head at her, holding up a cup of hot steaming coffee and silently sipping it as she confessed to him. "Anyway, he got really mad. So the last time we did it again, he made it unbearable. Everything was just terrible, and he even hurt me a little down there. He said he did it on purpose, for revenge. I was bleeding for a while."

The guardian opened his eyes at that, taking the mug away from his face. That repulsed him even more, and she could see his revulsion on his now scrunched up expression. "What?" He hissed.

"Yeah. I mean, I kinda deserved it-"

He slammed his mug on the table, nearly shattering it upon impact. "No one deserves that!" He growled. "No man should treat any woman like some worn out doll, no matter what the circumstances are! Violence in general makes me sick, but violence towards a female is just...evil!" He exclaimed in great animosity. "That damn gobshite..!"

"Keep your voice down!" She hushed him again while waving her hand at him. "He could hear you, and I'm sure you don't want to fight him again."

"Tch..." He darted his eyes away from her. "You need to stop being such a doormat."

She was flattered by his outrage, but he wouldn't understand. He's never been in love before, and he didn't know Scourge like she did. She just exhaled quietly before continuing again. "He screamed at me, and, yanked my hair back. But then, he got really quiet and stopped. He looked guilty and sad and, just told me to leave. He said he didn't want to hurt me like that ever again, and that he needed to get himself together."

"This is still the other week, what happened earlier?"

Fiona twisted the side of her mouth in a grimace. "I tried getting him into bed, and he got all pissy. Saying that all I would do is moan his name and get him riled up again."

"Are you ever not horny?" He questioned suspiciously. After receiving a glare from the fox, he decided to try and give her the best advice he could muster. "Since you won't break up with him for some God forsaken reason, lay off." He said roughly. "Give him space, don't antagonize him if you know he'll just bite your tongue out." The echidna raised his mug again, but directed it towards her as a gesture. "You're only giving yourself added stress, and you constantly yappin' at each other's not gonna fix anythin'." Once he finished saying what he needed to say, he saw that her face was turning more sorrowful by the minute. He softened his expression and his tone. "Listen Fiona," He whispered her name softly. "You're in love with him, aren't ya?"

"Yeah but," She trailed off, slightly biting her lip.

He then realized what was going on here. To this, he just placed the mug down and dragged his hand over his face. "There should never be a 'but', when being asked somethin' like that." He put his hand down and looked up at her with slight sympathy and even some disappointment. "You're not anymore, are you?"

"I am! I really am, I...He's just, different now." She sounded more than just conflicted.

"Even so, you're not really in love with the eejit if you're doin' and sayin' stuff like that." The elder Moebian pushed the mug to the side and tapped his glove against the table. "No wonder he's been at ya throat, he knows it too. You're makin' everythin' too obvious, lass." O'Nux lowered his eyes at her, as he wanted to feel more pity for her, but he couldn't. She brought more grief upon herself every single day she continued to live here with that asshole. She won't listen to reason, she just won't. "You're scared of him, too."

"..." She didn't speak back, at first. That is, until she started chuckling to herself. She giggled, causing O'Nux to widen his eyes in alarm. She found this humorous? The hell was she laughing about?

"O-Oi," He stammered at her reaction, watching carefully as she looked over at him with a small smile.

"O'Nux, you're probably the wisest guy I've ever met who's so naive to love. How ironic," She commented with another small laugh. "Maybe, maybe you're right." She admitted with a calm tone, causing him to gape with a puzzled expression. Why the sudden change of heart?

"Err, yeah." He nodded slowly. "What changed your mind?"

Fiona shrugged, putting her elbow on her knee and placing the chin of her muzzle in her hand. "The fact that compared to how he was before, he's kind of a joke now." She used her other hand to twirl some of her hair around her finger. "He was so weak and scared back then, but he was so reckless and crazy too. He was the perfect cross between innocent and psychotic, at least in my eyes." The vixen dropped her hair from her finger and reached up to grasp the bow fastened on her head. He gave this to her some time ago, as a birthday gift. "But now, he's just bad. He's still psychotic, but that's it. There's no innocence left. He's still weak, but in all the wrong ways."

O'Nux squinted. "What..?"

"What I mean is, that's what I found attractive about him the most. Not just because he was a bad-boy version of him, but because he was a lot weaker than how he made himself out to be. I could relate to him, connect with him a lot better that way." Her frown faded a bit. "But ever since he got smart again, he just comes off like he's better than everyone else. In a way, he kind of is. He's not as romantic, or sensitive. He's," Her mouth became a flat line. "Someone I don't know." That's when the corners of her mouth tried to curl again, genuinely feeling a sense of humor rustle her vocal cords once again to laugh. She snickered quietly, lightly grinning as she thought about her 'lover'. "Yeah, I think that's the joke. The fact that he's just the former shell of what I really want. A real fucked up punchline, ain't it? I still got feelings for him, but maybe I shouldn't feel too bad about lusting after Sonic anymore."

This time, O'Nux was the one who was speechless. He stared at her with an unreadable look, not daring to say another word to that.

That was, something he couldn't give his opinion on.

Scourge was going to to the dining hall to find Fiona, and apologize to her for his behavior. He straight up snapped at her for nothing, and he felt bad. He was even smiling, ignoring anything else that bothered him. Even that weird spirit thing of himself couldn't irritate him, because he was confident they'd mend their relationship back up again. He wanted to say he was sorry, tell her he loved her and that he knew he was a fuck up. That he knew he was terrible with her, and that he knew she wanted things to be how they were before he was green. Things were so, easy back then. He wanted to propose to her, make promises.

Until he overheard her and O'Nux talking.

Though they were mostly whispering, using inside voices in fear of being caught, Scourge heard it all behind the corner in the corridor. So that's what she really thought about him.

A joke.

His smile fell slowly as he let her words shoot him directly into his ears. He wished he could be deaf right about now, as he didn't want to hear it. Not only did she cheat on him more than once, but she didn't even want him, just like he always thought. She strongly defended against this in arguments, swearing that wasn't the case. But he got it straight from the source herself, she no longer loved him anymore. She still wanted that damn blue bastard. He could tell that even though O'Nux despised him, even he was put off by Fiona's sudden change.

He asked her not to do this, he begged her not to hurt him so many times. He promised her she'd regret it, that he couldn't be hurt anymore by anyone else ever again. If she did, his heart would permanently break this time. There would be nothing else in this world that could ever fix it again. And yet, here she was, plainly admitting to someone else how much she no longer wanted him.

Ha, he didn't care...

His eyes may have been lowered and, maybe a little moist and empty but, he didn't...

He didn't...care...

Didn't...

...

...He was crying.

His tears had clouded up his irises, and his mouth started to twitch. He refused to cry, he hadn't cried in years and refused to do it now. He was so tired, so tired and sick of being used, being played, being cheated, being hurt. He couldn't take it anymore, he couldn't take it. His chest was swelling up, and it hurt so bad. He felt ulcers shrivel up his fur and his skin, his chest was on fire, yet he felt so cold. His hands balled up into fists, his body trembled as he felt weak to stand. He leaned towards the wall, slowly sliding down. He sat down, bringing his knees up to his chest and placing his fists on his knees. He stared down at the dusty old red carpeted floors, watching droplets of his own tears moisten the fabric.

He sniffed sharply, his mouth moistened up as well. The pain was settling in everywhere now, he felt like he was going to die. That was anxiety for you, it just destroyed you from within in seconds. He hated himself so much, he hated that he was even alive. He was going to think about this, and repeat her words to himself over and over until he met his grave. Maybe even afterwards. He had to do something, he had to take control, and force himself to stop crying. To stop feeling.

Ah, he had an idea.

"Scourge?" Fiona called as she walked down the corridor that led to the king's chambers. That was where his bedroom was, and Miles said he saw the hedgehog run upstairs for some reason. She sighed to herself, they needed to talk about this. Maybe she really should break it off, and stop this nonsense before they ended up hurting each other even more. This, was a very unhealthy relationship, that was much was evident. She knew it all along, she just wanted to believe she still loved him after everything they've been through together.

He was her everything, and she was his. They truly loved before, but now, now things were just dreadful. Scourge didn't deserve someone like her, he needed someone better. And in turn, she needed someone who was normal. This bad-boy stuff really bit her in the ass in the end, for a life that only did her more harm than good. She still wanted to help him kill those deities, but until then, they needed to separate. Who knows? Maybe things between them would get better. She couldn't frown about the future, she had to smile for what was to come.

Yeah, she'd smile. Maybe she could give them both the break they've needed.

She walked to the large double doors, placing her hands on the knobs. She looked up, her face becoming determined. Yes, she would do this. They wouldn't argue, just talk seriously with open minds. Scourge wasn't who she wanted anymore, and he was going to understand that. Well, he kind of already did, but he needed to hear her admit it. With a grunt, she twisted the knobs and pushed the doors open. She stepped in, quickly turning to close the doors back behind her. As she closed them with her back turned, she smelled a strong aroma of copper.

Was that blood?

She then looked up at the walls, realizing how dark the room was as there were no shadows from the chandelier above. Why were the lights off?

Fiona then felt something horrible, like her instincts just knew something was wrong.

She slowly turned around with her back facing the door. Her eyes steadily locked onto the center of the room, where she saw blood splatters all over in only that area. The furniture nearby, was either destroyed or bloodied as well. The carpets, soiled with bloodshed. Even the curtains for the large window in the back were stained. Her blue eyes began to shrink smaller and smaller with each second that passed by. In the middle of the pool of blood, Scourge was barely standing. He was looking directly at her, his own bat in his hands. It was covered in his own blood as well, with some splinters falling off of it. That's how hard he hit himself with it, that he nearly broke it. His legs were torn with gashes and bruises, but his head got the worst of it all. Some of his right ear was torn, his cranium bleeding profusely on the floor, even now. His hands were covered in it, and his knees were shaking.

He was holding the bat straight up, and he was smiling at her. Tears were falling from his face as he looked as if he was trying to laugh the pain away. One of his favorite jackets, now torn and ruined by his own assault. "H-Hey, do you think I'm a joke now?" He whimpered with wide eyes. One could tell from the look in his eyes alone, that he was ultimately broken. His irises were so wide, his pupils were so tiny, rattling in a mix of emotions that could only sum up one thing: fear. He sniffed, his body shuddering as he accidentally dropped the bat. "I uh, heard you and Nux...Talking..." He whispered. "I knew it," He smiled greatly as his tears only flowed even more. "You never loved me. You hurt me anyway, even though...I-I asked you not to.."

Fiona fell to her knees.

"So here's...the deal.." He started to pant heavily, feeling dizzy as he began to lose his mind. "I'll just do this, anytime we argue. T-That way...You can feel better, after watching me get punished for hurting you..." He grinned, cocking his head to the side with an innocent and hopeful expression. "And then, you can't leave me. Because...If..I-If you do, I'll..." He didn't need to finish his sentence. He just wobbled to the bed, almost falling over from his heavy wounds. But after a minute or two, they began to fade. The blood was still there, but the gashes were closing. Scourge closed his eyes as he allowed his body to heal itself. He leaned one hand on the mattress, sighing in relief as his body finished regenerating. He stood up correctly, and turned to face Fiona. He still smiled. "I don't owe this world a damn thing baby, so I'm willing to let it blow up with or without me in it." His grin deepened at the sight of her tears. "I can just kill myself now, and let you idiots get dominated by those ungodly fucks in the sky. No one else in this world loves me, so that's why I need you. I promise I'll stop being so insufferable, kay?" He spread his arms out, wanting to embrace her. "Promise me,"

She covered her face with her hands and leaned into the floor as she wailed.

"Promise me Fiona," His eyes never changed. "You will never leave me, unless you want me to die. You'll stay with me forever, until I stop loving you too." His cheeks became rosy, and his tone became lighthearted. "Now stop talkin' shit behind my back and just gimme a hug! I forgive you for everything, and I still love ya to pieces!"

The young woman sobbed, and cried until her face started to hurt. She couldn't leave, she was trapped with him. She didn't want this, she never wanted this. She thought that things would be okay, that they could some how work it out. Scourge was crazy but, but this...But this...She couldn't do this anymore. He was killing her.

Her breath was caught in her throat when his arms suddenly wrapped around her.

He was squeezing too tight, his breath hitting her ear. He was chuckling, her cries instantly stopped and she became completely still. He patted her head, caressing her hair as he smothered the life out of her frame. She coughed, making struggling noises as she couldn't move her arms to push him away. He just continued to smile down at her with the face of an angel. "Hey, I wanna marry you, make you my queen. That way, you really won't be able to leave me." With every pat on her head, he gripped the ends of her hair as a small yank. His nails sunk into her fur, through her flesh. He could feel her bones aching to be released from his hold. He could hear her lungs gasping for air. "Aww, you need some air? Sorry but,"

His smile disappeared, his face became so scary.

Too scary, too dark, too much.

She couldn't see straight anymore, her fear was eating her.

The fear of him.

"I want to suffocate you, until you can't breathe. I want you to feel how I felt when I heard you say all those things." He squeezed tighter, and she opened her mouth widely, without any noise except for a few choked gasps. "You feel like you're dying right? Like you can't do anything, like the world is falling down on you." He released her swiftly, watching her fall limp and collapse on the floor in front of him. Sitting on his knees, he reached down and seized the back of her hair. He pulled her up roughly with one hand, and adjusted her face with the other. He moved forward and kissed her softly, which stopped her from once again breathing normally.

"...!"

He cackled darkly as he withdrew his lips from her mouth, blood falling off of his tongue.

He had bit her lips so hard, he punctured them with his teeth. Her blood was swiped off of her face with his tongue, laughing maliciously as he let her go and stood up to stand over her quivering body. She didn't make a sound, she just sat there in her own tears on the floor, holding herself.

...?

That's when something flashed in Scourge's eyes.

What the fuck was he doing?!

He shook his head back and forth, feeling a bitch of a headache stomp against his skull. He rubbed his forehead with a hiss, before looking down with great concern at his girlfriend. Oh God damn it, he did it again, but worse this time. If he didn't stop, he was going to kill her. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he control himself? Why couldn't he just-

...There he was again.

That damned spirit, just staring at him.

Judging him for what he had done.

Scourge heard distant footsteps, no doubt O'Nux and Miles. He looked down at Fiona again, and grimaced.

She could never love him now.

END - ?

"A joke."

Did you honestly think any of this was funny? There's nothing to smile about here.

Neither of them will never be happy.

(Again, no serious correlation with the main story. HOWEVER, there are some hints in this one that will serve as some huge foreshadowing in the actual plot. O'Nux was in this one and Miles was mentioned, but they're currently not involved with Scourge as of right now. Miles was captured and used by him, while O'Nux is no where to be seen. Remember this. Anyway, this is just another flashback of Fiona's, and the effect of Scourge's manipulation. Scourge severely manipulated and controlled her to the point where she thought that she could never act or speak against him out of fear for her own safety, and his. She loves him, but not as much as she wanted to believe. The moment she thought about breaking up with him, this was the result. She became trapped with the monster she thought she truly loved. He gave her the deadliest ultimatum. She was in love with that small naive innocence he clung to when he was blue, but now that's all gone. All that's left, is a pathetic maniac who can't even control himself. But the worst part is, Scourge ended up throwing her away anyway. Once he fell in love with Sonic, she was nothing to him. They went this entire time going through hell, for nothing.)

EDIT: Don't worry! I will post the next real chapter very soon!

EDIT 2: If you're interested in what I'm working on for stories in the future, please view my profile.