I'm sorry for neglecting this story. School has been killer. But it's over now, which could mean one of two things.
1: I now have more free time to work on this and other stories if I finish.
2: I have so much fun this summer that I completely forget.
Now. I understand that I have some reviews, finally. For the sake of writing as little as possible, since this story is directly linked to the other two, I will include the names of people who reviewed the other two sides of Darkness Within. The title, I'm aware, doesn't really fit the story so far. I may be the only one who's aware of that fact, since I'm the only one who's mentioned it. But It will make sense soon… somewhat.
Christian Ape99: Do you know Christian Wolf99? THey reviewed the side stories, while I was going over the reviews, I didn't realise a different animal was used and thought you were the same person.
werewolf lover99: Thanks.
random reviewer: I've never seen that movie. What's Underworld about? Probably vampires.
A couple of you asked about fan characters. Do you mean can you put fan characters in the story? The thing about that is that I already have a set plot, so maybe not this story, but my other stories might be fair game, depending on whether I'm strictly following the plot or not, because I'm planning on writing a closely related plot for Kingdom Hearts and the anime Date a Live. If you're a fan of Legend of Zelda, that's definitely fair game, because I'm creating a story all my own for that, but I may not want to write them all at once, because I want to not have such a big work load, but them all being completely different may add the variety I need to make this work.
Now, one last thing. I made a huge mistake in chapter 3 with Silver. Apparently, he's a Sorean who can't fly. And, I believe in one of these chapters, I already elaborated that Soreans have wings attached to their arms. So I have some editing to do.
Song: Solitude-Lost World
Samuel and Shadow were standing in a white room. In that room was a bed. On that bed was a girl. A blonde girl.
They weren't alone. There was also two brunette boys, and a white haired boy.
"Hey, Shadow… she'll be okay. Hey…" Samuel called to him, but he wouldn't respond.
"Hey. Dolt. It's us you should be reassuring. We've known her longer." The white haired boy said.
"Do you think I won't hurt you just because we're in a hospital? We're already here, so that would just give me an incentive to hurt you." Sam warned.
Chris was a little on edge. "Hey, Julian. Are you sure that healing serum is working?" Julian? Who's that?
"It will work." Ivo responded. Now's not the time to question it.
Samuel got an idea. "Well… I'm accomplishing nothing by being here." Sam gets up, gives Shadow another worried glance, and leaves.
Song: Strategy- Sonic Adventure 2
Samuel, Big, and Ray were huddled around a machine.
"I think we've found it." Samuel said. "It's in Station Square, between Twilight Station, and the Chaotix hideout."
"What's the plan?" Big asked.
Samuel gave him a look. "How long have you known me?"
"4 years."
"Have I ever come up with a plan before seeing the full situation?"
"Yes."
"Oh… well that won't be happening today."
Song: Sadness-Sonic Adventure 1
Big watched as Samuel, donning his Blyxil cloak, ran off. "Don't you think Sam is… a bit too strategic?" Ray looked up at Big and wondered.
"Yeah. I'd never expect him to be able to trick Eggman like that. Doesn't he have an IQ of 300?"
Big was a little thoughtful. "That's what Tails told us."
Song: Byrne's Theme
Samuel arrived at his destination to find Knuckles, Rouge, Silver, and Blaze in the clearing. He skidded to a halt in front of them, and they just stared.
Samuel looked around a bit. Where the hell is Ivo? He turns to the other mobians and loosens his stance. "Ummm… hey." They instantly readied for a fight, at which Samuel jumped back a few feet. "Whoa! I'm not here for a fight. I'm just looking for…"
"A ring?" Blaze asked harshly.
Samuel cringed a little. "Yeah. You think you could give it to me?" Samuel regained his composure and laughed a bit.
"Not a chance!" Rouge ran at him.
"Time frame!" Samuel raised his hand up and the yellow ring shined as everything slowed down.
Samuel watched as Rouge's foot slowly got closer to his face. He grabbed her foot and turned her around, then captured her in a shield from his blue ring. Time returned to normal.
"Let her go!" Knuckles took a step forward, and Samuel readied his staff and pointed it at Rouge.
"This is a modified staff. I can stab through steel with this. Don't tempt me to see how hard her skin is. Give me the ring. I don't want to hurt anyone." Samuel looked down and sighed. "In fact… I want to get through this while inflicting as little damage as possible. I mean no harm, but I need to keep these rings out of the wrong hands." Blaze shot a fireball at him, and he activated a second shield around himself.
"And you expect us to believe you have the right hands!? Silver told me all about you. You're a murderer! I should kill you right here and now!"
Sam was shocked. "Murderer? There's only one person I plan to kill has eluded me for 10 years." Samuel walked a little closer. "He ruined my life. Everything that ever gave me any joy disappeared in the blink of an eye." He stared right at Blaze. "You know the feeling. Don't you?" She flinched. "So…" He turned back to Knuckles. "The ring?"
Knuckles was about to hand the ring over when a robotic hand snatched him up.
Song: E.G.G.M.A.N
"Why thank you Knuckles, for acquiring this ring for me." Another robot came up, the same one from Circus Park.
"Eggman!"
"And thank you, Blyxil, for telling me exactly where it was."
"So you knew I'd betray you, and decided to make this day difficult for me?" Samuel asked.
Eggman laughed. "You think I'm betraying you just because I thought you were going to betray me? I'm EVIL, little pest! HE! HE! HE! HE! HE! HE! Now, let me continue my studies! or I'll crush you all!"
Samuel scoffed. "You think you can power a machine with the Twilight Rings? They're not Chaos Emeralds. They won't work for machines."
Eggman growled. "Silence!" As he said this, Samuel saw a yellow aura crashed into him.
"Bah! What was that? Was that Sonic?"
"You'll wish I was Sonic when I'm done with you."
Song: All Hail Shadow-Crush 40
"So you're Doctor Eggman?" Shadow asked
"Bah! I am Doctor Robotnik! I was going to let it slide because I was going to continue my research, but now I'll crush you all!" Eggman tried to smash Shadow, but he warped behind Eggman and launched himself, in ball form, at Eggman's mech, and it broke.
"Doh! This isn't the end!" Eggman detached his pod from the mech and flew off.
Samuel walked over and picked up the ring. He heard a noise behind him.
"Hands up, creep." Shadow said.
Song: Can It Be True-Sonic 06
Samuel turned towards him to see an Assault Rifle pointed at his head. He lifted his head up. "You probably won't believe me, but it's in your best interest to let me go."
"Not a chance. I should put a bullet between your eyes right now."
"Why? I'm sure breaking and entering plus theft doesn't equal a death sentence." Samuel put his hands down, and began to down an entire bottle of Radikal-Nektar.
Shadow laughed. "What if you add assault, rape, and 6,249 counts of murder? Then what?"
Samuel choked, spit, then coughed, and fell over. "WHAT!?"
"You heard me. 6,249. All over the world, people are dying. Sorean, and Sun-Walker. Mobian, and Human. And everytime, you're to blame."
Samuel let it sink in. 'Alright. What's going on? I never killed anyone, and now I'm being accused of this!?' Billy said.
'You're right. It doesn't add up.' Max stated.
'Who'd be so evil as to do something like that!?' Lenny asked.
Kyle was unaffected. 'I bet it wasn't just one person. But I don't really care. Why is the finger of blame always pointed at us?'
Billy thought a little. 'I'd like to know that as well.'
Samuel felt a sharp pain in his head.
"Get up!" Shadow yelled. Samuel sat up and stared.
"What makes you think it was me?" He asked. He received another smack in the face from the gun.
"You're clearly pictured in every event! Pictures, videos, oral retellings, notes, everything! You can't expect me to believe it wasn't you!"
"You don't even know what I look like! You never saw my face! I bet those idiots haven't shown their faces either. Nothing links me to the crimes. NOTHING!" Samuel yelled. He slowed down time with his ring and took Shadow's gun. When he had it, a green flash came from Shadow, and he socked Samuel in the face, and the flow of time was restored. Samuel fell back and the gun flew off into the distance.
"You're not getting the better of me again!"
Shadow The Hedgehog
Song: Rhythm & Balance
Shadow ran towards Samuel and rolled. Samuel got up and dodged. He swung his staff, and Shadow caught it in his hands.
Shadow threw Samuel into the air and launched some Chaos Spears at him. Samuel activated the blue rings ability. "Shield!" The Chaos Spears had no effect.
"That's new. But it won't be enough to stop me!" Shadow rushed at Samuel and rolled. Samuel jumped out of the way and swung his staff down. Shadow spun out of the way and uncurled. Then ran up and roundhouse kicked Samuel, but was unable to pierce the shield.
"I think it did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself!" 'This shield is awesome!' Kyle thought.
Shadow ran up to Samuel again. "CHAOS BLAST!" Shadow glowed red and blew up. Samuel was literally blown away, and the shield was cracked.
"Uh oh! Fade!" Samuel turned invisible with the help of the yellow ring.
"You can't hide forever." 'He's right. We only have so much energy.' Max warned.
Shadow shot in a random directions. He continued this, and the 5th bullet went right through Samuel. 'So we're intangible. Good to know.' Lenny said, bewildered. As soon as that thought was thought, Samuel ran out of power and reappeared.
"Found you!" Shadow yelled. He ran up to Samuel, who was very drained from the rings, and kicked him in the face.
Song: Brief Relief-Shadow The Hedgehog
Samuel stood up, barely able to stay up. "Hoh, hoh, how did you get so much better? We were equals just a short while ago."
"Because I have a real reason to fight. I have friends to protect. You… are nothing. You will never have what I do. No matter where or when you cause trouble, I will fight like I always have. Now, Jasmine would like her ring back. And I'll take it back by force if I have to." Shadow stated. "And then you'll go to jail for your crimes. The life sentence is too good for you. Death by fang is what you deserve."
"You mean that wasn't force?" Samuel asked. "And it's not her ring. It's mine. It's been mine for 9 years. I just haven't had it in my possession." Samuel chuckled darkly. "The man you have to thank for that is the same man who spooked me on the beach. Which reminds me of why I wanted to trick Ivo in the first place." Samuel forced another invisibility from the ring and left. He activated his new Red Twilight Ring to heal himself. 'I hope this works for Maria. That was a lot of lightning.' He remembered Shadow's words. 'He knows nothing. If only I could make him understand.'
Song: Empire City Day
"So, you've beaten Shadow before?" Samuel asked.
"Yeah. Silver has too, but I think Shadow held back for that one." Sonic and Samuel were walking to the hospital to see Maria. Samuel hoped the ring was working. 'Let's also hope it wasn't confiscated.
The pink bat with green eyes from a few days ago showed up as well. "Oh, hey Jasmine." Samuel called. 'She's kind of pretty.' Thought Lenny. Kyle got a little irritated.
'We can't exactly like her. A Sorean? And me? Nuh uh.'
'Don't be such a baby.' Billy growled.
"Hello, Samuel." Sam noticed that her face was slightly pink.
"You can just call me Sam." He opened the door for his recently made friends, and the three of them made their way to Maria's room.
They entered to find Maria sitting up and talking to her friends. "Oh, hey guys!"
Samuel feigned surprise. "Where'd you get that ring?" Said ring was currently on the desk beside her table.
Julian turned to him. "She woke up with it. It wasn't there before, so we thought it best to not leave it on."
Sonic got a closer look at it. "Hey. That's the ring Knuckles went to get. I thought Blyxil stole it."
Jasmine took notice too. "It kind of looks like the ring he stole from me too."
Samuel decided to play along. "And according to Shadow, he left Eggman's cockpit with two more. I've gotta meet this guy." Everyone gasped.
Song: Organization 13 - Kingdom Hearts
"NO!" Jasmine yelled. "You don't have to meet him!"
"Why not?" Samuel asked. I must seem ignorant to them. That might work to my advantage. Max thought.
"We've been shown proof that Blyxil is a cold-hearted murderer." Sonic said.
"Bull shit." Samuel stated simply. "I thought the Chaotix would've been smarter than that."
"Huh?" Sonic asked.
"I may seem like I've been living under a rock, but I know more than you think." 'There goes the ignorant idea. Way to go, Billy.' Max growled. "I won't believe it until I see this so-called undeniable proof." He was met with pictures of what looked like him in his blue cloak, with a sword, and many different kinds of people lined up in front of him.
"Do these look like proof?" Jasmine asked.
"Blue cloaked figure is a murderer. All it proves that whoever did it wore a blue cloak. That doesn't mean it was Blyxil." Samuel sat down and started eating a fried chicken leg. "Blyxil is better than you give him credit for. He's saved people from certain death before. I was one of them. I once followed him to see what he does."
Maria gasped. "Did he spot you?" The attention Samuel was getting was starting to bother him.
"Yeah. He gave me my first staff. He also taught me how to make another one if it ever breaks. It's not a simple as 'get a piece of wood, and carve it into a pole.'"
"But that doesn't prove he's not responsible for what's going on now." Jasmine said.
"Ok. Say he was a murderer. Then how come he didn't just kill you while he took the ring? How come he didn't just kill Eggman? Why didn't he kill Knuckles?"
Sonic stepped in. "Jasmine said she wasn't in her room when Blyxil stole the ring. The other cases are as good your guess as they are mine."
Samuel was looking through the disturbing set of images when he noticed something. "These pictures tell you when they were taken."
Julian walked up to him. "So what? That doesn't mean anything."
"Yes it does. Look here." He showed Julian a picture of Blyxil killing someone in what looks like a city in Adabat. "3:11, 5/5/1335" and another picture. This one looked like it was in Holaska. "3:11, 5/5/1335. They were taken at the exact same time. And I don't think Blyxil could've gone halfway across the world in less than a minute."
Everyone processed the information. "There's two of them. And Blyxil only used a sword once, by the way. Almost cut his own arm off. And that was just last year. He couldn't have improved since then." He looked at more pictures. "These were taken at the same time as those two. This isn't just two people. It's an entire organization. And I bet they're the ones taking the pictures as well." Samuel started swaying back and forth. "These pictures are making me nauseous."
Julian chuckled. "Why? Each picture is taken just before the act."
"It's the implication that's bothering me. If I actually saw heads on the ground, I'd either faint, or puke." Samuel threw his half eaten chicken leg in the trash and sat back down. "Blyxil's not the culprit. But I don't want to know who is." Samuel noticed the not-Julian twin and the kid were there too. "What do you two think?"
Chris walked up. "I think we should steer clear of Blyxil, just in case."
"I think GUN should go after him and this organization."
Samuel stared off. "The rings cannot fall into the wrong hands." He said.
"What was that?" Sonic asked.
"The rings… Who ever these people are, they can't get their hands on the Twilight rings. Maria, you should hold on to that one." Samuel pointed to the red ring.
"Why should we listen to you?" Julian asked.
Samuel laughed. "I wasn't speaking to you at all. I thought I made it clear. I have to go check up on something, but I don't want to do it now. Sonic, in a few weeks, do you think that maybe you and a few others could come with me to Mazuri?"
"Sure thing. I could use an adventure right about now."
One last thing. Once this is over, I have a sequel in mind that will be basically rewriting another Sonic game. You can guess which game it is, but that'll be obvious in the last chapter. I will read reviews to see if anyone got it right, but I won't tell anyone if they're right or wrong until I upload the last chapter, because if I do, I'll spoil how this one will end. I want to give you a hint, but I can't think of anything that won't be too obvious.