To Protect the Past
Chapter 5: The Chase Begins
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Silvers's fingers tightened on Kurisu's cloak, as he slid down his back. Blaze gave a low growl fur bristling. Both reacting to the tense stance that their parent had taken in that moment. The guardian was silent and still, staring across the way into a darkened building, lips pale and face white. His ears had also flattened, with eyes dilating in instinctive and internal fear.
Laughter echoed out, but the source could not be found. But Kurisu gripped the young hedgehog and cat on the shoulders, sparks of his ability flicking over their fur and skin. Silvers markings began to glow in reaction, clearly, the elder was feeding his own power into the two depleted anthro's. The guardian bent his head down tail ticking once, as those brilliant golden-blue eyes closed for a second.
"Scatter!" They all moved, as a blast of dark energy hit where they had all been standing.
Fire sprung up from the ground as blaze channelled her rage, at least now she would have a target. Silver shot into the air, glowing a subtle green as he began to utilize his Psychokinesis ability.
"Well well, Christopher Thorndyke. Still alive are you?" The dark energy that had been gathering around his hands faded, as that familiar voice startled and caused him to falter.
"Mephilies?" His voice gritted, as pale features stood out in the darkened dirty background.
A chuckle came from the darkness, as footsteps were heard coming towards them. They tensed as they came closer and closer. "Why so surprised little fox? After all you were the one who led me here after all." There in the shadows, a form emerged. You could almost mistake them for Shadow with the way their quills pointed, but the blue streaks were definitely not shadows. "The surprise on his face, when you just let him go, oh how horrified they were," Hands spread to the side as the hedgehogs head tipped to the side, "how guilty you were."
The sounds of mechanical movement were heard in the shadows, behind the dark anthro. Then out came the x-hunters, mechanical machines created by the army when they existed sent out to hunt and kill those they deemed a threat. Created originally from the designs of Dr Robotnick, these were much more sophisticated products. Needing no human in a chair to direct them.
The guardian stiffened, wary and worried. It was hard enough escaping on his own, but with his children at risk, the hybrid didn't know if this situation was escapable. His tail curled around a tense leg, as golden-blue eyes flickered from machine to machine. Tilting his head downwards, Kurisu spoke quietly so only the two young anthro's would hear "Younglings, when I tell you to run, run got it."
Blaze shot a severe look at the elder, lips pressed tightly together. While Silver slightly shook his head, ears erect and anger within his scowl.
"Oh, trying to leave so soon? Really Christopher. You are so predictable." Golden-blue eyes focused back on the threat. Kurisu stiffened as the machines tightened their circle around the three. "Give me what I want, or those children will be the price."
Tilting his head, the guardian gave a grin at the black and blue striped hedgehog. "Christopher? Wrong person, I'm afraid."
"Really going to play that game?" The hedgehogs head turned to the side. "See if your laughing when their broken bodies lay at your feet." Then a laugh erupted. "You should be used to that by now, after all, the others died because of you."
With that the machines began to move, suddenly attacking with force towards the three. Tensing the guardian went to move when suddenly.
"Chaos Control!"
Blinking, he groaned and slowly raised up from the floor. Looking to the side saw the young ones were ok, if a bit startled and suspicious. Looking around, Kurisu didn't recognise the area at all. All he could see were grey walls and darkened ceilings. This either had to be an underground area or within a building partially collapsed.
Grimacing, fisted a hand over his chest. For some reason there was an agonising pain in the centre, radiating outwards. It was then heavy breathing caught his attention. Turning to his right spotted a figure half-hidden in the darkness. It was a hedgehog, with matted and bloody quills hung down their back, but the reddish tinge to the ends of the quills gave away who it was. Slowly sitting up looked with shocked surprise as the figures name fell from his lips. "Shadow?"
They stiffened, hunched posture straitening for a long second before with a glance over a skinny shoulder, red eyes met his golden-blue. The fisted hand, missing the iconic gloves and energy bracelets opened, dropping a gemstone onto the ground. This also eased the pain and Kurisu realized it was his emerald, his soul the other had been holding so tightly.
The figure's eyes were glazed, in pain, and tormented more than ever before. The older anthro then turned away, and with a stifled snarl began to stumble into the darkness. "Fo...llow." Shadow's voice was hoarse and very quiet. Like he had broken it with agonised yelling, or maybe screaming.
"Wait!" Kurisu called but wasn't heeded. The guardian's ears fell. Slowly getting up, reached down and gently helped Silver and Blaze to their feet. Glancing over them to double-check they were unhurt, began to walk after the hedgehog.
No matter what he asked the hedgehog didn't answer, managing to stay ahead of the pack to lead them on into the darkness. Eventually, a room began to appear, light beaming out into the hallway. At this Shadow turned to the side and sat on some rubble, heaving breaths as the hedgehog shut his eyes.
Kneeling down, while feeling Silver fidget at his side, Kurisu looked with concern at his oldest friend. "What happened?"
Those eyes reopened and looked at him, clearing for a moment. "Chris."
"Yes."
Sitting upright, looked down at the hybrid with a stern gaze. "Mephilies...comes. Searching."
"What happened?"
The male looked away, seeming ashamed a little. "Absorption of me, my power, my life... my memories," Shadow looked back at Kurisu, taking in his stunned and horrified form. "I am fading, dying. Torn apart by that creature."
"Can't I?"
But the dark-furred hedgehog shook his head. "I can only defend you...for a short time. Before I tear apart." He pointed to the room. "Go. Before he finds you and gets the emeralds you hold."
"Shadow..." The guardian didn't know what to say. "Come with us. I can help you."
A glare appeared, making the other look almost normal. "Go, stupid boy." A burst of power struck out, sending them flying into the lit-up room. "You can't help me!"
Kurisu shook his head, dazed by the chaos power.
"Guardian. I can't get through!" Silver's voice anchored him. Staggering upright, saw a barrier over the entrance, with the white hedgehog searching for a way out. Silvers hands covered in his power bounced off the chaos energy, sending him flying into Kurisu, who grabbed hold softening his fall.
"You alright?" The hybrid looked over the youngster in concern.
The young one just nodded his head, lips thin. "We can't leave."
"Chris." There was Shadow, leaning against the wall across from the room they were in. "Protect the past, change it, save the future." With that Shadow nodded, then male began stumbling away into the darkness.
Scrambling up the guardian reached the barrier. "Shadow!"
"Good luck, my friend. I will give you as much time... as I have left." And with that, the hedgehog slipped back into the shadows, vanishing from view.
'Damn it.' Ears had folded completely backwards, pressed against his skull. As his hands curled into fists, reaching up went to hit the barrier when he just stopped. His fingers uncurled and his left hand dropped back to his side. "You idiot..."
Silver looked up at Kurisu, eyes wide and saddened. Reaching up, curled his hands around the guardian's own hand. Leaning into his side, side of his head resting on the others side.
Looking down, raised a hand and pressed it gently on the young hedgehogs head. Curling fingers around Silver in a gentle half hug. Those golden eyes raised to meet his own, and the elder gave a small smile. "Thanks, kiddo."
"Pop, over here." Both turned to look in the direction that was further into the room. Blaze was typing furiously into a machine. The computer was flickering with all sorts of code which the cat anthro seemed to recognise. Her gaze was focused, as the cat's tail ticked left and right with her movements.
Letting go of Silver, both moved over behind the female anthro. "What have you found Blaze?" His eyes flickered over the coding, but this type of computer knowledge had always escaped his grasp, Francis and Helen had always been the wizard's at the coding side of things, Kurisu had always been more of an inventor.
"Sis?" Silver was bewildered, this was beyond him. What Blaze had been able to learn before the last of Humanity faded, Silver had grown in a world without technology, just fire and flame.
"A transporter. To where it does not say. But the calculation for evisceration and destruction of living tissue is astronomically high." She turned slightly to glance at them. "We have a very high chance of dying in here." Turning back leaned forward to read more of the code. "But if the machine works, it'll transport us, where I cannot tell you."
Silver looked around at the room, the barrier over the door and grey walls. "We don't have a choice do we?"
Kurisu had wandered over to the circular platform in the middle, colourful wires escaped from the bottom in numerous bunches. All leading into the computer Blaze was at and what looked like electrical prongs hanging from the ceiling. There had to be around five of them, all facing the direction of the platform and the computer. "No Silver, there doesn't seem to be." Turning to face the two, the guardian shook his head. "There is only one thing we can do."
Blaze met his eyes for a long moment. Before with a nod began typing furiously.
Silver understood though, ears flattening, eyes lowered murmured in a soft voice. "Use the machine?" Before looking back at the elder.
Kurisu nodded, holding out a hand towards the child. Silver moved over curling into the elder hybrids side, clearly scared even if he didn't show it outwardly.
"It's ready, in a few seconds it'll activate." Blaze took a step away from the console, turning walked quickly over to the two standing in the centre of the room. Kurisu raised his other hand towards her, and the cat anthro ducked under, also curling into his side. Both shut their eyes as the machinery powered up, the prongs above began to glow.
Then a crash, Shadow fell through the barrier and didn't move. A sharp breath escaped as shocked golden-blue eyes locked onto the creature stepping into the room. The blue-quilled black hedgehog tilted his head before, with a flare of power, threw out his hand in Kurisu's direction. The light suddenly reached a bright pitch, which made the hybrid shut his eyes in reaction, as the three began to dissolve Kurisu suddenly felt a deep sharp pain just as they vanished.
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End Chapter 5