Hiya! I AM SUPER DUPER SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I was going to update one more time before my long trip to Universal, but my laptop decided to be stupid and not turn on. So today was the first day it decided to work! (if you recieved a message from me, it was sent through my sister's laptop...) So this is a short chapter... so I am going to post the final 3 chapters today! :) So without further ado... here is chapter 15! :D

Chapter 15: Down Once More Part I

Opera Populaire during Crisis

Sonic dashed through the backstage area of the Opera Populaire in a desperate search to find Madame Vanilla. As he waded himself through the huge crowds of evacuating people, Sonic heard-

"No! You can't come back here! You are not permitted to come back stage unless you are a performer! Stay back! HELP!" Madame Vanilla screamed at a large group of police and men with pitchforks who were trying to force their way into the backstage. Cream flew above the mob, yelling the same orders as her mother so that the back of the crowd would hear too.

"Madame! You must let us through! The Phantom is a felon! He must be stopped!" The Police Chief yelled back at Vanilla. At sight of the scene, Sonic bolted over in her defense, helping her hold of the mob.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Sonic ruthlessly yelled, scaring away most of the crowd except a few stage crew workers and policemen. Turning toward Vanilla, Sonic quickly asked, "Where did he take her?"

Vanilla grabbed Sonic's arm and answered, "I will take you to him, but we have to hurry! Amy is in danger!" Sonic nodded with a look of determination on his face as Vanilla commanded to Cream, "Cream, hold them off! I'll be right back!"

"Yes mama!" Cream replied politely. Seeing that Vanilla and Sonic walked away, and the only thing keeping them from backstage was a small, innocent rabbit, the men tried to push their way past her. "No! You can't come back here!" Cream screamed, pushing the crowd back so hard, that it caused a few men to fall over. Wow… guess I don't know my own strength! But mama better get back here quick because I don't know how much longer I can hold them off… she thought.

Meanwhile…

Phantom:

Down one more to the dungeon of my black despair!

Down we plunge to the prison of my mind!

Down that path into darkness deep as HELL!

The Phantom sang (more like screamed) as he carried Amy down the tunnels leading to his home. Amy struggled and clung to anything on the walls that was within her reach, trying to escape Shadow's grasp. The Phantom's strength was far greater than hers, so he easily shook her off of whatever she decided to grab onto. Angry, Shadow held Amy head with both hands so that she would listen to him as he screamed/sang:

Why, you ask,

Was I bound and chained

In this cold and dismal place?

Not for any mortal sin

But the wickedness of my abhorrent face!

After the short boat ride, they finally approached his home. Shadow yanked Amy out of the boat, holding tightly around the shoulders and pushed her in front of one of his velvet red curtains as he forcefully sang:

Hounded out by everyone

Met with hatred everywhere

No kind words from anyone

No compassion anywhere

Amy, Amy,

Why? Why?

Amy just gave him a blank stare, still in disbelief that this was happening. The Phantom pulled out a small diamond ring out of his cloak and smirked, "Amy Rose… will you be my wife?"

"I'll never marry you! " Amy hissed through her teeth, glaring at Shadow with fire in her eyes.

"He, he" he chuckled to himself with an evil grin on his face. "That was a rhetorical question… you WILL marry me if you care about your beloved Sonic…"

Amy gasped, "YOU WOULDN"T!" she cried.

"Oh, but I would! Miss Rose… you are past the point of no return!" he slyly said, lifting the red curtain that they stood in front of, revealing the Amy mannequin wearing the wedding dress. Tears formed in her eyes as Shadow pried one her fisted hands open, putting the ring in, and lightly closing it. The Phantom cackled maniacally as he pushed Amy into the mannequin, causing it the fall over. "I'll give you plenty of time to change my love…" he told her in an evil tone, as he lowered the curtain, trapping her in the room.

Amy softly cried as she thought Oh Sonic! Where are you? He'll come… he WILL save me! I know he will! Until then, maybe I should listen to Shadow… I don't want anything to happen Sonic… She picked the mannequin up from the cold ground and took the wedding dress off it. You better get here fast Sonic!

Madame Vanilla led Sonic through many corridors, hallways, and secret tunnels around the Opera Populaire. Finally, she stopped about halfway down the large spiral staircase that leads down to the Phantom's 'lake'.

"This is as far as I dare go…" Vanilla sighed.

"Thank you Madame Vanilla!" Sonic thanked her, giving her his trademark grin and thumbs up.

"Anytime Sonic. Wow… you really would do anything to keep Amy safe. You must really love her…" she commented as Sonic blushed.

"Yeah, I really do. She means the world to me." He admitted, blushing a little more.

"That's wonderful Sonic. I'm really happy for you two! Now you must go save her!" She encouraged, as Sonic nodded as he ran off. "Keep your hands at the level of your eyes!" Vanilla yelled to him, hoping Sonic heard her.

Keep your hands at the level of your eyes…? What is that supposed to mean? Sonic thought.

As Sonic dashed down the stairs, he didn't even think about the dangers that the Phantom had in store for intruders. Suddenly, as Sonic touched the next step on the staircase, his foot fell through what he didn't realize was a trap door, and he fell into the darkness of the Phantom's trap.

CLIFFIE! CHAPTER 16 (DOWN ONCE MORE PART II) WILL BE UP SHORTLY!