The updates might be coming a little slower due to having two stories to work on.
Chapter 15: The Beginning of the End.
" Ready?" Espio asked a blindfolded Phantom. The white chao smiled and nodded. The ninja grinned and tossed a chunk of metal into the air. Phantom silently swung his fist, causing a wave of air to slice it in two. The halves of the chunk clattered onto the floor as Espio used his ninjutsu to create dozens of clones. Each clone produced a shuriken and hurled it at the blindfolded chao.
" Come on Espio!" Phantom chuckled as a breeze swirled around him. The breeze quickly escalated into a vicious tornado that swept the shuriken in. The tornado picked up speed and hurled the bladed stars right back at the clones. When the winds died down, the floor was littered with fallen clones. All at once, the clones exploded in a cloud of smoke. Phantom punched the air, blowing away the smoke. Espio stood there, softly chuckling.
" Well done, Phantom! It took six years, but you are now a master of wind…" the ninja exclaimed.
" I remember when I first came in here…" Phantom recalled.
" Hello? Is anyone here?" Phantom called as he stepped into the dojo. He heard a soft thud as Espio dropped down from the ceiling.
" Welcome to my dojo, Phantom-san. I take it that you wish to train under me?" Espio asked.
" Yes, you are right. I want to become stronger so that I can keep a promise…" the white chao replied and bowed to his sensei.
" A lot has happened since then… You married the girl from the Dark Garden, Spectra. You also have two eggs just waiting to hatch. Both are boys, am I correct?" Espio asked.
" Yes… Espio, could you do me a favor?" Phantom wondered.
" Anything for my star pupil…"
" When one of my sons gets older, I want you to give them this…" Phantom requested and handed Espio the sheathed Dragon Fang.
" I will do just that…" the chameleon replied and took it. Phantom smiled and left the dojo. Outside, he was greeted by Spectra who was holding two eggs.
" The elder wants to see us…" Phantom's wife informed him.
Hours later, Phantom and Spectra sat the two eggs in front of the council. The elder placed his hand on the first one.
" Hmm… This child has an aura of justice emanating from him. We can expect great things from this one." The elder smiled and placed his hand on the other egg.
" I sense a dark power from this one… It's not evil; it's possible that he could be good… What I do know is that their destinies will at one point collide." The old chao finally said.
" I see…" Phantom pondered.
Elsewhere…
" Leave her alone!" Trez shouted at a group of thugs who were picking on Erin. The leader of the gang kicked Trez and then called off his pals.
" Are you okay, Trez?" Erin asked.
" Never mind me… are you okay?" Trez replied. Erin nodded. She then rummaged through her purse and handed her friend some money.
" Could you go grab some ice cream for us please?" Erin requested. Trez smiled and ran off. Erin sat down and caught her breath when she heard the sound of a propeller.
" Thank you! Here's your ice cream. Come again!" the lady behind the counter smiled as she handed the two cones to Trez. The gray chao happily skipped to where Erin was waiting and stopped. His mouth opened in a mixture of terror and shock. The two cones fell onto the pavement.
" Erin!" Trez screamed as he ran to his friend who lay in an alley. She was shot and was fading fast.
" Trez…I'm sorry. Promise me that you will show the world the same courage that you showed me. Bring hope to the world…" Erin gasped.
" Don't leave me! Please don't go!" Trez cried.
" Farewell, Trez…"
" ERIN!" the tiny chao screamed as she passed on. For a few moments, he never left her side. Then, a thought crossed his mind: the thugs. Hatred grew and grew within him and he felt a strange feeling inside him. it felt like something was synchronizing with his own heartbeat.
Destroy…
Trez felt a new power coursing through his veins.
Destroy!
But instead of fighting it, he invited the darkness in. He let the evil take hold.
DESTROY!!!!!
Trez rose with a dark aura surrounding him. His once gentle eyes now fierce with rage and a crazed smile crossed his face. He vanished into the night, hunting those who were responsible.
Trez reappeared at the old junkyard. For the moment, his dark power let go.
"Hey! It's that chao of Erin's!" One teen laughed as he and his gang hopped off the junk heap where they hung out. Another teen flicked out a switchblade while yet another broke off a bottle.
" Y-you'll pay for what you did to Erin!" Trez stammered.
" What are you going to do?" Switchblade asked as he held the blade close to the little chao's throat. Trez's head lowered for a few seconds. When it rose, Trez's eyes glowed blood red. He sent Switchblade flying through the windshield of a junked car near the pile, breaking his arms.
"Let's get out of here!" One teen screamed as the rest of the gang ran for their lives. The darkness fueled chao then slowly walked to the broken Switchblade.
"N-no… Spare me…" the thug gasped. His screams of agony echoed through the night.
The screams reached the ears of Phantom.
" Spectra, get home and stay there!" the white chao ordered and ran off. When he reached the junkyard, there stood Trez. The gray chao wore a skull on his head.
" Trez? What did you do to them?" Phantom asked shocked. Trez merely pointed at his former friend.
" Prepare yourself, Phantom…Cause you're next!"
The next chapter will end this…