For the record: I like every Sonic character, so when I make fun of one of them, It's supposed to be a bit of humor. However, there's next to no humor in this chapter. It's all about the story.
As of this point in time, I have surpassed the amount of content my previous fanfic had.
Anyway, Here it is:
A 'Miles' In His Shoes
Chapter 5- Maniacal Maze
When Sonic, Shadow and Amy entered the chilled depths of Foximus' Lair, they expected him to attack them at the nearest possible opportunity. However, it seemed that he wanted a bit more spice to this challenge, as the entire laboratory was pitch-black. Amy was frightened, and Sonic felt uncertainty rising in him, until Foximus' deep voice spoke over the intercom.
"SO, you've finally made it, huh? Good for you. However, it all ends here, hedgehogs. Track me down…if you want to survive, Sonic and Shadow. And, Amy…. How could you treat me and my minions this way? I send out a first-class crony to capture you, and you still end up betraying me… the Nerve of you."
"I was never acquainted with you, Foximus." Amy said, angry at the demented fox.
"Oh, please don't be that way…" Foximus said. "After All, Once I capture you, I was planning on making you my queen!"
"What?! NO! I'll never go through with that!"
"Oh, but you will, for I have technology on my side. I've made a brainwashing mechanism that'll convince yourself that you only want to marry ME, not that…. Prickly porcupine."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PORCUPINE?!" Sonic yelled out towards Foximus.
"Oh, Sonic… to think, how the mighty have fallen…. You were a lovable person….you treated me like an equal, almost like a superior… but the minute I take in change, you set an entire war against me… I'm hurt…. How could you, Sonic? You've fallen to a new low…heh heh.
"What?! ME?! You were the one who started this war! How do I get involved? You destroyed the Green in Green Hill. All it is now… is a washed away memory. Nothing's left to remember…. If anyone's fallen to a new low, it's YOU!"
"Wow…. You have some serious guts, saying that to your best friend. But, enough talk. Let's see if you can find me, hedgehog!" Foximus' voice then stopped, and an ominous sound started playing.
"It begins…." Shadow said, and Sonic whipped out a flashlight to see how to get through this newly-established maze.
"Okay, there are 3 ways to go. Shadow, you take the middle. Amy, go left. I'll go right." Sonic ordered, and they all began going through the maze.
"Listen up, Tails! I know that you're in that newly-blackened heart! Please try to escape from your demonic phase!" Amy pleaded out loud.
"Oh, how adorable, my little queen." Foximus said over the intercom. "I would change back, but I'm afraid it's practically impossible until the end of the week."
"Nothing's impossible if you put your mind to it, Tails. AND STOP CALLING ME YOUR QUEEN!"
"My sincere apologies, mistress, but I'm afraid you've reached your end in this maze."
"Huh?!" Amy was confused, until a mechanical arm came, grabbed Amy, and swiftly dragged her towards the maze's exit. "SONIC! SHADOW! HELP ME!"
"DAMNIT, Foximus! Stop with the insane routine! You're practically more demented than Black Doom!" Shadow ordered.
"What was that? I'm sorry, but I'm a bit busy right now… and so is Amy. In fact, I'd say she's a bit….tied up at the moment."
"SONIC, HELP! QUICK!" Amy yelled out.
"Don't worry, Amy! I'm coming as fast as I can!" Sonic said, and he started to quickly dash through the maze, until he reached what seemed like a dead end.
"WHAT?! NO! This can't be…. Oh wait…. There are platforms above me." And Sonic proceeded to climb up, and then came down to an alternate exit to the maze. "Shadow, are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine. Just let me find a way to…. Oh no… A dead end." Shadow said.
"Oh, goody! Another victim! " Foximus said as he sent out the mechanical arm, but Shadow proceeded to take out a Chaos Emerald, until he realized….
"The Chaos emeralds…I lent them to Sonic…. Oh no." Shadow said before the arm grabbed him, dragging him towards the exit. "SONIC, HELP!"
"Shadow! Oh no…. He's been caught. I've got to save them!" Sonic said as he leaped towards the exit, almost reaching there, but ended up landing near a trap that whacked him towards an alternate path… Or at least was supposed to. Before the trap could whack Sonic, Sonic grabbed an emerald out of his pockets, and used Chaos Control.
"CHAOS….CONTROL!" Sonic yelled out, and proceeded onwards towards the exit, and what he saw was absolutely insane. Foximus had a twisted look in his blood-red eyes, and his brown fur seemed to go in all directions on his… surprisingly, same-sized body, still having the same structure as… 4 days ago, when the bet hadn't started. But what really stood out were the machines of absolute torture around him. Amy was in a dentist's chair type of chair, with an enormous helmet attached to her head, presumably brainwashing her. And to Foximus' left, was Shadow, in a classic-horror movie style setup, tied to a table, with an axe about to obliterate him.
"F-f-f-f-f-Foximus….Or rather, Tails…. I can't believe you would do this… Look at yourself…. Physically and ESPECIALLY mentally twisted, and around you, you're torturing my…no, OUR friends! Is this how you've turned? If so, you're not just diabolical, you've turned absolutely DEMENTED. I'm ashamed, Tails. Why can't we go back to the way it was before?" Sonic asked.
"It's too late, Sonic. You see, you're a has-been now. You're insignificant. I've learned how to toy with your emotions, how to succeed at what Eggman failed to do, Sonic. You see…I'm better than any of you! BETTER THAN ANYONE ON THIS PATHETIC PLANET WAS, OR EVER WILL BE!" Foximus yelled.
"Why are you like this, Tails? What did I do to you?" Sonic asked.
"Oh, nothing at all, Sonic. Unless scheming with Eggman for him to replace me counts as something…. Does it?"
"What are you talking about, Tails?! I never did that to you…. Neither would I ever do that to you! You are….or rather, were…. One of the people I trusted! Now, to slip out and try to destroy Green Hill… or rather, Hill Zone, now….let alone try to overtake Mobius…. That's just despicable, Tails."
"You know, Sonic…. You act as if I'm possessed. Well, let me tell you…. I'M NOT, YOU IMBECILE!" Foximus yelled as he pushed the hedgehog down to the ground, and two remaining Crabmeat Badniks came out and grabbed Sonic's arms and legs so he couldn't budge.
"Hnnngh…. Tails! Listen to me! TAILS! You can't do this to me… Amy… or anyone on Mobius!" Sonic grunted.
"Foolish hedgehog…. I've told you…this has all been my own choice. I'm not under anyone's control. All it is… Is fulfilling a villainous role. And I'll admit…. I've taken this too far. BUT, I can't stop here. No… I've only just begun." Foximus declared, as he pulled out a fully loaded gun, and pointed it straight at Sonic's chest.
"Tails…You can't be serious… You're going to shoot me?! This can't be you! Someone's pulling the strings! I know it!"
Foximus proceeded to move the gun closer to Sonic's chest, until its cold, metal hull touched Sonic's chest directly, making the hedgehog quiver with fear.
"Don't do it, Tails…. Remember…all we've done together? Remember the Amusement Park Eggman built? Remember Angel Island? Your fight against Eggman on the ARK? Remember… when we first met?"
"Sonic…it's too late. I have to do this. Crabmeats… hold him down." Foximus ordered.
"N-n-n-n-No… NO... I WON'T LET YOU!" Amy yelled from behind him. She broke free of her doom, and proceeded to attempt to smash Foximus. However, Foximus grabbed Amy by the tip of her hammer, and then he proceeded to slam her to the ground, now aiming the gun at her.
"TAILS, SNAP OUT OF IT, DAMNIT!" Sonic screamed, as he finally felt strength welling, and smashed the Badniks that held him, and kicked Foximus in the back of the head. Foximus then fell, releasing the gun from his hand, and as it fell to the floor, he realized what he had been doing.
"Oh no… Wh-what have I become?!" Foximus exclaimed, while Amy freed Shadow from his ropes. "I'm not Tails…not anymore…. I'M A MONSTER! I'VE TURNED DEMONIC!"
"….He's realizing that now?" Amy asked.
"Tails, buddy….It's okay now. If you agree to return to normal, I'm sure we'll find a way to return Green Hill to normal." Sonic said calmly to his friend.
"NO! IT'S NOT OKAY!" Tails cried out. "I've killed so many animals… So many lives…wasted at my hands… I've kidnapped people… brainwashed unsuspecting people… mechanized them, even…." And as Tails picked up his gun, he proceeded to aim it towards him, starting to cry. "I don't deserve to live… After what I've done to Mobius….I deserve to die." And Tails nearly pulled the trigger, until Sonic snatched the gun away from the kitsune's black gloves.
"TAILS, NO! You don't deserve to die. Nobody deserves to die. You're an equal, like the rest of us…."
"NO! Everything we've once lived for, Sonic…. It's gone. Don't you see? It's gone….in the past….I can't bear to see our planet like this."
"Tails, it can be replenished. And we can help, too. Don't you see? You haven't killed anyone! At most, you've stirred around our emotions, but either way, we still respect you. You're a good man, Tails."
"NO! I'VE DONE TOO MUCH TO EVERYONE! IT'S TOO MUCH TO SWALLOW FOR ME! After all I've done… and all the things I've killed… I mustn't go on.
"Tails… We WILL get it back. All of it. I swear that it will ALL be restored. Do you understand me, buddy?" Sonic said as he held out his hand, and Tails grabbed it and proceeded to say…
"….I understand, Sonic. Yeah! We'll get our old Green Hill Zone back! With Eggman's help, we'll get it back in no time!"
"Yes, but you'll need to stay in the lair for 3 days, however. We don't want Eggman thinking that the bet's off."
"Okay, Sonic. But, mark my words! By the time we finish this week, it'll be like none of this ever happened!"
"Yeah, that's the spirit! Now, farewell Tails."
"Goodbye, Sonic! See ya' in three days!"
"Wait…THAT'S IT?!" Amy yelled. "After all that maze crap, Tails trying to marry me, and nearly murdering my boyfriend, THIS IS IT?! Sonic, punish him!"
"…..Maybe. I'll think about it.
"…..WHAT?! I can't believe this!" Amy yelled, until Shadow grabbed her by the legs, and dragged her towards the exit.
"Come on, Amy. We've got a Zone to fix." Shadow said, slightly smiling.
"Oh….alright." Amy said.
About 30 Minutes Later….
"Eggman! I'm back! Foximus has surrendered, and now we're going to be fixing Green Hill!" Sonic declared. But, when he got there, nobody was there. "….Eggman? Eggman?! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"I'm out here, foolish hedgehog!" Eggman taunted from outside.
"Huh?" Sonic was confused. Why was Eggman outside? However, when he got outside…he was honestly expecting what was happening this whole time.
"Sonic! SONIC! Eggman's stolen everything I've made for the last 4 days! ALL my blueprints and inventions… GONE!" Tails cried out.
"Oh, boy… Here we go." Sonic sighed.
"Yes, Tails…I've stolen it all. From your blueprints, to your badniks….to even your torturing chamber… it's MINE! I've even rebuilt Mechalis!" Eggman said, before laughing maniacally.
"….You bastard…." Shadow grunted.
"Sonic, we've got to stop him, and make him pay!" Tails said, infuriated that Eggman would betray Sonic in the middle of a week of partnership.
"Don't worry, Tails… I've got an idea that just might work." Sonic said, with a devious smirk on his face.
To Be Continued…