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XIV: Ghostly Blackmail

"Tails." The female fox on the other side of the rift sighed out as her eyes met his.

"K-Kiko?" Tails gasped out, sounding like he was having trouble breathing.

"I do believe this pretty little thing was your wife young Tails." The King chuckled. "Until death did you part."

Tails looked like he was on the verge of tears and future Sonic placed a hand on his shoulder, which the fox shrugged off and took a step forward.

"Now then, one wrong move and this precious spirit is sent straight to the torture chambers for all eternity." The King threatened.

"You can't do that! That defies the laws of death!" Amy shrieked at him.

"Oh I can do just that. I am the King of the underworld, I can do whatever the hell I want. Besides, you're one to talk Amy Rose about defying the laws of death, I still need to think of an appropriate karma for that." The King mused as he tapped a finger on his chin in thought.

"Leave her alone." Future Sonic begged. "Hasn't she suffered enough at the hands of your vile people?"

"And whose fault was that Sonic?" The King laughed and all the colour drained from future Sonic's face.

"Thought that would shut you up." The King said. "Back to business. I think you could help me out Tails, considering two certain hedgehogs want to protect the people that betrayed them."

The King smirked as he stroked a finger over Kiko's trembling form.

"I'll do anything!" Tails begged as he fell to his knees in front of the rift where the King watched. "Just don't hurt her. Don't hurt her."

"His attitude I like." The King said as everyone watched helplessly.

"Don't listen to him Tails." Kiko said. "Innocent lives are more important than what happens to me in the afterlife."

"Aw, how sweet." The King cooed before smiling evilly at Tails. "I believe saving innocent lives was what got her into this mess in the first place."

"Just stop it!" Tails shrieked as he covered his ears with tears now flowing freely down his face.

Sonic stood there watching the scene feeling powerless. He had never felt out of his element before, but he certainly did now. There was nothing he could do without fearing that he would make it worse. His best friend was breaking apart in front of him and when he looked over at his future self, it looked like he was having a minor breakdown too.

Sonic watched as his future self sat there on the floor looking like he was in a trance while Amy tried to get him to snap out of it, with Knuckles' help.

"Tell you what." The King began and this seemed to wake future Sonic up as he stared with determination at the King, analysing his next move carefully.

The King cleared his throat before beginning. "It has come to my attention that Sonic has actually helped me after all."

"What?" Knuckles demanded, his eyes darting from future Sonic to the King.

The King smirked. "I see you and that scientist re-installed the switch that opened the rift in the first place instead of one that closes it, this time it will allow me to escape."

Future Sonic said nothing.

"Sonic?" Amy whispered in shock.

"You traitor!" Knuckles yelled.

"Here's what I'm going to do." The King said turning back to Tails. "Mechanic boy is going to activate the switch that will allow me to fully break free of my prison here and in exchange, I will give you back Kiko, alive and healthy."

Everyone gasped at the offer and Tails darted towards the switch.

"Tails no!" Kiko shrieked, but the King clasped a hand tightly over her mouth.

Knuckles tried to jump on top of Tails to try and stop him from reaching the switch, but missed. Amy teleported in front of him and managed to grab hold of him, pinning his arms to his side.

"Listen Tails, you do this and the world as we know it ends." Amy tried to reason with him.

Tails only shrieked in response as he tried to break free, but Amy held on.

"Please Tails just think, the world would be ripped apart and many innocent lives will be lost and Kiko doesn't want anything like that to happen." Amy explained.

"You'd do it for Sonic." Tails yelled as he thrashed and finally wriggled out of Amy's grip.

"Tails no!" Kiko screamed as she managed to get free of the King.

This made Tails freeze, his hand just a few centimetres above the switch.

"You're about to cause the next apocalypse." Kiko gasped out as shadow demons grabbed hold of her. "I would gladly die a million deaths than see innocent people suffer."

The King pretended to wipe a tear away as Tails' hand began to relax.

"I can't go on living without you, knowing that I could have you back." Tails whimpered as tears ran down his face.

"You have to." Kiko explained and if dead people could cry, it looked like she'd be sobbing. "Ben needs you though, you'll always have a part of me in him and he's proof that our love was real; still is real."

"How sentimental." The king groaned. "What's it going to be Tails?"

Tails kept his gaze locked with Kiko who pleaded with him with her eyes. Eyes that Sonic knew were brown from the photos he had seen, but were now a ghostly grey as her spirit flickered in the moonlight.

The twin tailed fox was caught between a rock and a hard place.

The shadow demons wailed with impatience.

"Just look at what I am offering all of you." The King sighed as he rubbed a hand against his forehead in irritation. "Tails, you can have the love of your life back. Sonic and Amy, I could cure your curses and let your family live in safety and peace, all of you can live in safety and peace. Why would you deny that? I'll never understand people."

Amy stepped forward and glared at him.

"Then you were no true holder of the Scorpion power." She hissed at him. "It's not just about death and defence and revenge, it's also about passion and being caring to others."

The King huffed in annoyance. "Petty words won't save you, are you going to take the offer?"

Everyone shook their heads except Tails who stared miserably at the switch that could end the world.

"Flick the switch Tails." Future Sonic ordered and everyone's eyes flickered to future Sonic in shock.

Sonic stared at his future self in horror. He couldn't possibly be considering this?

But future Sonic continued to look at Tails with a determined expression. "Flick the switch." He demanded again.

"You can't be serious?!" Knuckles shrieked. "After everything…you're siding with him? You really are a traitor!"

"I'm glad to see we have come to an understanding Sonic." The King beamed at him proudly, his hollow eyes burning intensely at the thought of being free for the first time in thousands of years.

"Sonic what are you thinking?" Amy shrieked.

Tails stared at his best friend in shock, his hand once again hovering above the switch.

Future Sonic nodded, encouraging him. "Trust me."

Without any further thought, Tails flicked the switch.

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