Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Sonic and the characters used in this fan fiction are copyrighted by SEGA, DIC, and Archie Comics.
Guess who's back? … No, not Shady. Wrong answer. *Sigh* Anyway, it's time for another chapter of Fist of Chaos! The stage is set. The word has been announced worldwide. And the curtain for the first Fist of Chaos World Martial Arts Tournament is finally due to open. For future reference, it will be very important for everyone to pay close attention to the tournament events, so the brackets will flow easily to them. With that being said, LLLLLLET'S GET READY TO RUMBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLE!
Round 1: The Young Aviator
Broadcasting Live from Chaos Stadium - Central City
4 weeks succeeding the events that occurred, it was time for the world martial arts competition to take place. Tens of Thousands of patrons and enthusiast gathered under one roof, bursting with anticipation. Millions, if not billions, of viewers were sitting in the comfort of their own homes, tuned in to the exhilarating sporting event. Nevertheless, audiences from every corner of the globe anxiously awaited the beginning of the most phenomenal competition in history: The Fists of Chaos Tournament.
"LADIEEEES AND GENTLEMEN! ARE YOU READY TO EXPERIENCE THE MOST EXCITING EVENT OF THE CENTURY?!" A yellow female cat dressed in red and black attire asked. Of course, the large audience responded with cheers and applause. "Hahaha! I KNEW you were! I'm your hostess with the most, Honey the Cat, and I'm delighted to welcome you all to the world's first Fist of Chaos Tournament! The rules of this competition are pretty simple: We have 16 fierce contestants that will duke it out to be the number one contender! Two competitors per round will face off on a designated battleground in a test of skills and strength. The winner of said round will advance to the next bracket, whereas the loser will be sent packing. All combatants are encouraged to fight well, and fight like they mean it! IT'S GO BIG OR GO HOME, BABY!" The crowd goes wild from Honey's ecstatic proclamation!
"ALRIGHTY, THEN! WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IT'S TIME FOR THE 8TH FINALS START! For our first match we have:
Sonic the Hedgehog:
Origin: Central City
Age: 17
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 152 lbs.
Discipline: Capoeria, Wushu and Kenpo Hybrid Style with Improvised Techniques
Occupation: High School Student, Courier
VS.
Miles Prower:
Origin: Aero Colony- District ALPHA-188
Age: 11
Height: 4' 11.25"
Weight: 100 lbs.
Discipline: Tae Kwon Do and Excerpts of Special Forces Combat Training
Occupation: Student, Scientist, Mechanic, Pilot
"THE MATCH STARTS AS SOON AS THE TWO CONTESTANTS CROSS PATHS!" Honey gracefully tossed her microphone in the air and caught it behind her back. Pointing to the sky, the feline exclaimed, "LET THE BATTLLLLE BEGIIIIIIIN!"
10:55 Aero Colony
Aero Colony: The hovering capital of Aeronautics and Astronautics research and development. Established by the founder and previous CEO of the Robotnik Technology Group, Gerald Robotnik, Aero Colony was constructed nearly a century ago as not only a scientific facility, but a prototype and home base for the construction of a space colony. Over several decades, the colony served as a storage unit for inventory needed in the space colony before it ceased operation. Today, it serves as a military headquarters for the United Federation's Air Combat Allegiance, the top educational safe haven for engineers worldwide, and a living habitat for thousands of inhabitants. Highly advanced in the world of technology, Aero Colony is responsible for the innovation of many advanced aircrafts and vehicles that provide quick, effective transportation. However, not everyone was up to speed on the world's technological evolution.
"Sigh. How much longer is this gonna take?" Sonic whined, as he impatiently fidgeted in the leather seats of an old plane. Its pilot, an elderly hare, replied, "It shouldn't be too much longer. Should have ya there in about 15 minutes!" "Dude! You said that TWO HOURS ago! Are we stuck in the Twilight Zone or something?! Geez!" Sonic crossed his arms in aggravation and seethed, "Aaagh! Just great. Now, I'm stuck thousands of miles in the air with two fossils. One's the plane; the other's the friggin' pilot!" Sonic's inconsiderate remark instantly struck a nerve. "I'll have YOU know that this baby has done me dandy for over 30 years and I have yet to hear any complaints! Sit on THAT!" Sonic retorted, "Yeah, that's probably because nobody ever wanted to travel with 'Rust Bucket Airlines' again. Tch. Bet they learned their lesson after the first flight they took with YOU, didn't they?" "Well, if ya think my service is so gosh-darn terrible, maybe you should just exit stage left and hoof it from here. Let's see how THAT'LL work out fer ya!" The hornery hare snapped. Sonic, who was well annoyed at this point, nearly put the retort in consideration, but swallowed his pride and changed his demeanor. He sighed, "Listen, old timer. With all due respect, I'm kind of on an important mission here. Do you think there's any way you could-" "IMPORTANT MISSION?! HA!" The hare interjected, "You kids think yer hot stuff, nowadays, dontcha? Well, lemme tell ya somethin', sonny. You wouldn't know a REAL mission if it bit you in the caboose! I'll tell you about the air raid of the Battle against Kyutozaka. It was a still night, when me and my two wingmates-"
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Sonic interrupted. "Hold on, dude. I just wanted to know if you could come up with a route or something to speed things up a bit. I don't wanna hear any of your war stories! So, if you can PLEASE…" "Alright! Fine. Disrespectful whipper-snapper." With the flick of a switch, a push of a button, and a few pulled levers, the pilot reluctantly complied with Sonic's request. Luckily, it seemed to work, as the plane greatly accelerated. However, Sonic noticed that an Educational Transportation Aircraft filled with children was passing them at a slow but steady pace. Perplexed, Sonic asked, "Hey, uh…old man? Just out of morbid curiosity, exactly how much faster have we been going since then?" "Let me check my speedometer," the pilot replied, "Looks like we picked up an extra…15 miles per hour! Just hang on tight, and we'll be there in too shakes of a lamb's-" "Oh, SCREW THIS!" Sonic exclaimed, quickly unbuckling his seat belt. Sonic rose from his seat and opened the air-tight hatch on the side of the plane, much to the pilot's surprise. "KID, WHAT IN TARNATION DO YA THINK YER DOIN'?!" he yelled. Sonic smirked and replied, "Remember what you said about 'leaving the plane and hoofin' it?' That's starting to sound like a pretty good idea, right about now!" Needless to say, the pilot was shocked that Sonic took the back-handed insult seriously. "YOU'VE LOST YER MARBLES, KID! GET BACK IN HERE AND SHUT THAT DAMN HATCH!" "Sorry, pops, but I've got a schedule to keep. I can't let a flight delay slow me down! SEE YA!" And on that note, Sonic audaciously exited the plane.
In the midst of his free fall, Sonic landed on an oncoming aircraft. After a few brief moments of keen observation, he jumped with well timed precision onto the next oncoming vehicle. These daring stunts continued for several vehicles until Sonic's destination was finally in plain sight. "Heh. I would've done this a long time ago if I knew it was faster," Sonic commented. In spite of a few close calls, as well as causing a disturbance in air traffic, Sonic realized he made the right decision. It came to his attention that a formation of four T-38s was performing its routine drills. Sonic had an idea that would bring him directly to the designated battleground. The formation suddenly broke and the T-38s dispersed in different directions. To Sonic's delight, one of the four jets was quickly heading towards him. "BINGO!" He shouted. Without a second to spare, Sonic leaped into the air and grabbed onto the wing of the jet. The pilot of the jet attempted to shake the hedgehog off the appendage, but Sonic held on for dear life. "Command, this is Lieutenant Hawking. I have an unidentified blue hedgehog latched on my starboard wing. I highly believe he may be related to the uproar near District FOXTROT. Requesting permission to dispose of him." "Uh-oh. THAT can't be good," Sonic thought. "REQUEST DENIED. Report to headquarters with the suspect, as soon as possible." "Roger. Reporting to headquarters at once." The pilot responded. The jet made a sudden U-Turn back to the place Sonic intended to go: The United Federation Air Combat Allegiance Headquarters (a massive airship equivalent to the length of about 5 football fields combined). To his confusion, Sonic noticed Lieutenant Hawking forming a devious smirk as he approached the vessel. As the jet hovered above the airship, Lieutenant Hawking suddenly executed a barrel roll and flung the unsuspecting, wailing hedgehog onto the flight deck of the vessel. With an audible "THUD", Sonic made a rather agonizing landing on the metallic rooftop. "Uuuuuuuugh. What…A…Jerk-off," Sonic painfully moaned, "Well, now that I'm here, I wonder if anyone would be willing to show me around?" "FREEZE! PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!" Without warning, Sonic found himself at gunpoint of UFACA personnel. "Yyyyeah. When I said I was looking for a tour guide, this wasn't the type of 'welcome' I had in mind."
After half an hour of detainment, the brigade finally released Sonic after clarification of his entry in the competition. Although confused as to why the UFACA would agree to such a far fetched request, they complied with Sonic's explanation. As he sat in the waiting room, an athletic, 20-year-old husky entered with a warm grin. "Sup, bro? Name's Airman First Class Noire. I take it you're the guy that's fighting in the tournament, right?" Sonic shook his hand and replied, "Yeah, that's me. I guess I'm gettin' pretty popular around here, huh?" Noire laughed and said, "Yep. Everybody's talkin' about how you were 'so reckless' and 'Only a jackass would do something that retarded.' But between you and me, I tip my hat to you, dude. I mean, you gotta have friggin' BALLS to even THINK pulling off the shit you did. Bravo!" "Oh, dude, you have NO idea!" Sonic boasted. "Hey, how 'bout I show around a bit?" "Sounds good to me!" So, Noire gave Sonic the grand tour of nearly every authorized area that came to mind, introducing him to the military staff members along the way. Despite an unsettling beginning, the UFACA personnel eventually warmed up to Sonic's cool attitude. Sonic had to admit that he was enjoying his time aboard the airship, so much so that he nearly forgot about the upcoming fight. For some odd reason, though, Sonic noticed his watch glowing gradually brighter as Noire and himself explored the vessel. It wasn't a green light like before, but a bright yellow light. "Hmm. It's reacting, again. I wonder if…"
"Ten-ch-HUT!" With a mere utterance, the mellow vibe instantly changed. Every Airman in the general vicinity quickly assumed the position of attention. Howbeit, Sonic wasn't quite hip to the customs and courtesies of the military. "Um, dude. Were we playing a game of freeze tag the whole time or…?" he queried. Noire and the other Airmen remained silent and stiff as statues. "Oh! The silent treatment, eh? That's one helluva way to give me the cold shoulder." "Their doing that because the commanding officer is in our presence, you idiot," an irritable voice said. Sonic turned around to find a muscular Doberman standing behind him. By the looks of things, the Doberman was not too happy to see Sonic. "Carry On," yet another voice commanded. The crew immediately resumed their duties. "We weren't trying to give you the cold shoulder or nothin', dude. That's just how things roll here." Noire reassured Sonic. Just then, a tall grey cat, dressed in a navy blue suit and tie with a vast assortment of ribbons and medals, walked down the nearby staircase of the passageway. "Ah, so you must be Sonic the Hedgehog. I've heard…quite a story about you. I'm Colonel Baxter Trout; the commanding officer of this airship." "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Sonic said as he exchanged a handshake with Colonel Trout. "Pleasure?! It should be an HONOR! Have some respect!" the Doberman spat. "And THIS fine gentleman is First Lieutenant Gerald Hawking," Colonel Trout said. "It's nice to finally run into you…AGAIN," Lieutenant Hawking sarcastically commented, referring to their previous incident. "Likewise," Sonic replied, with equal sarcasm and a dirty look to match. To cut the tension, Colonel Trout intervened, "Well, Sonic, I wish you and your opponent the best of luck in your fight this afternoon, and may the best man win. However, there is one condition you must meet before you proceed." "What's that?" Sonic asked. "Please refrain from damaging any of our equipment in the midst of combat. Understood?" "Sir, yes sir!" Sonic exclaimed, standing at attention and saluting the officer. Lieutenant Hawking and Noire smacked their foreheads in embarrassment. Colonel Trout chuckled, "That's the spirit. Lieutenant, Noire, bring him to the hangar. I'll be in my office if I'm needed." "Roger!" the two responded.
Minutes later Sonic, Lieutenant Hawking and Noire proceeded into the airship's hangar, where a few Airmen and Airwomen were working. It was rather large and had very few windows, but was still well lit for its size. The hangar contained two tiers. The first floor consisted of a fighter jet undergoing maintenance, as well as an area marked off as an extensive aircraft elevator. The second floor, which was where the group had entered, was a mezzanine that contained an office, various switches and a modest workshop for the mechanics aboard. On the wall was a mural of a fusion between a bald eagle and a Dive Bomber, designed with the UFACA emblem and a ribbon that stated "SOAR HIGH. FLY FAR. FIGHT HARD". It was downright astonishing! "Alright, I've done my part. Noire, you take it from here," Lieutenant Hawking commanded. "Sir, wasn't there an additional-" "I said, 'I'VE DONE MY PART.' Take over! Be damned I'm gonna sit here and be a friggin' babysitter to TWO brats! I better not catch any of you screwin' off in here when I get back! Comprende?" Noire only swallowed his pride and followed his instruction as the cranky Lieutenant departed. "That guy seems like a real chode," Sonic commented. "You have NO idea," Noire sighed, "but that's neither here nor there. You wanna see somethin' crazy?" "Sure. I'm game!" Sonic replied. Noire smirked and whistled, "Hey, freak show! Front 'n center!" "Freak show? Hmm…"
After a moment of metallic "clunks" and "clanks", a prepubescent, yellow-orange fox emerged from beneath a jet and scurried up the mezzanine's staircase. The fox wore a pair of pilot's goggles on his forehead, which where overcastted by three protruding bangs of fur. He wore a brown pilot's jacket that contained series of zippers, white gloves, dark red cargo pants, and a pair of red shoes with white tips. What REALLY caught Sonic's attention was the fact that this young fox had not one, but TWO bushy tails! "Oooh. So THAT'S what he meant. Still, that's pretty messed up to call the kid a 'freak show,'" Sonic thought. The fox nervously said, "D-did you request to see me, Airman Noire?" Noire glared at the fox boy, "Just how long is it gonna take you finish your maintenance check-up on that T-38, huh? We'll be halfway across the planet if you keep this up!" "I'm sorry, Airman Noire. I'm almost done with the last jet. I just need to finish checking on the hydraulic system for any leaks, damages and- "Look, I don't need a college dissertation about what's left, Okay?! Just get it done!" Noire scolded. The fox made his way halfway down the staircase before Noire stopped him in his tracks, once more. "Uh, HELLO? Don't you see we have company here? Don't just run off; INTRODUCE YOURSELF!" Realizing that Noire was giving the boy a hard time, Sonic shook his head, smiled and calmly asked, "So, what's your name, kid?" The fox, clearly a tad on the timid side, replied, "I-I'm Miles Prower." "Heh. Nice to meet ya, bro. I'm Sonic; Sonic the Hedge-…WAIT a minute. Um, say again?" The name sounded familiar but Sonic was unsure. "My name is Miles Prower," The boy enunciated. "YOU'RE Miles Prower? THE Miles Prower?" Sonic questioned, clearly vexed. "Um…yeah. I'm the only Miles Prower I know, at least" Miles replied. "This is insane! YOU'RE my first opponent? But, you're barely off the baby bottle, squirt. How did guys your age slip through the cracks?" Miles remained silent. "Eh, whatever. Anyways, tell me your story. Why'd you enter?" Surprised that someone would actually take an interest in his motive, Miles began to speak.
"Well, since I was little I've always taken an interest in science and machinery. One of my biggest influences is the Robotnik Technology Group. The discoveries and inventions they made throughout transcribed history left an impact on my life. Since then, I've been tinkering with an assortment of vehicles and machinery for a while now, but the knowledge I acquired through studying and hands-on experimentation was quite rewarding." It seemed that Sonic was unable to judge a book by its cover. Considering how intelligent and well-spoken the boy was, Sonic had a feeling that Miles was far from a normal kid. He was a genius! Miles continued, "In my spare time, I came up with an awesome blueprint for the ideal combat jet, perpetually powered by Chaos Energy. I actually own a Chaos Emerald that can be used as a power source." Miles then unveiled a small, yellow gem from the pocket of his jacket. "I WAS RIGHT! There WAS an emerald here, all along!" Sonic thought. "Unfortunately, the resources to construct the jet are beyond my reach, and to produce more than one jet, I need additional power sources. So I decided to enter the Fist of Chaos tournament, which will raise the odds of acquiring the equipment and power sources I need. If I win, hopefully I can fulfill my dream of catching my idol, Dr. Ivo Robotnik's attention and working with the Robotnik Technology Group as the youngest Aeronautical Engineer in the world," Miles happily concluded.
Sonic was impressed by such an elaborate mission for someone so young, yet most of the crew members that heard the story burst into hysterical laughter (except Noire). "Ahahahaha. Ohohohoho, MAN! YOU? Work for the RTG? And at 11 years old? Please tell me: In WHAT CENTURY do you plan to accomplish this goal?!" A blue falcon jested. The vigorous look on the fox's face soon began to fade. Nonetheless, the harassment would not cease as a female fennec teased, "Hell, if RTG actually DOES notice him, which they won't, that walking side-show would probably end up as a friggin' science experiment! 'BY THE GODS! We've never seen anything like it. He's not of this world!'Hahahaha!" Noticing Miles' discontent, Sonic finally snapped and decided to speak his mind. "HEY, KNOCK IT OFF, ASSHATS!" With the laughter silence, Sonic was met with distasteful glares from the crew, yet he held his ground "Since when did shooting down this kid's dreams become trendy in the military? I thought you guys were supposed to be professionals here! Guess I was TERRIBLY mistaken! Anyway, the kid's got a crazy plan he's trying to set in motion, and, personally, I feel he's brainy enough to pull it off! I mean, since you guys must SUCK at being mechanics, he's probably your best chance in making sure these jets stay in tip-top condition, ain't he?!" "Just WHO the hell do you think-" Noire interrupted the blue falcon from confronting Sonic. He realized that he was just as guilty as the others for downsizing Miles because of his differences and aspiration. Shifting the mood, Noire looked at Miles and said, "Well, you're not gonna get even CLOSE to that goal just dinkin' around up here with us, right?" Miles shook his head. "Then what are you waiting for? Get down there and fight for that dream of yours, 'Tails'!" Although slightly annoyed by the use his most infamous nickname, Miles ecstatically walked down the staircase and stopped in the center of the elevator. "You too, blue balls. Get your ass down there! We wanna see a show!" Receiving a playful push, Sonic quickly joined him on the first floor. "Looks like it's about time for a showdown. Think you can keep up with me?" said Sonic as he hopped in place. The humble fox assumed his fighting stance, replying, "I'll do my best!" "That's what I like to here," Sonic cheerfully commented as he signaled Miles (or Tails as they preferred) to "come forth", "Alright. Bring it on!"
***FIGHT!***
The ambitious fox initiated the first move with a flying side kick, although it was easily avoided by Sonic. Quickly regaining his balanced from the attack, Tails continued to assault Sonic by throwing a combination of fluid kicks. Sonic was able to block and dodge them, but was a bit impressed by the technique the two-tailed canine displayed. "Eh, not bad, squirt. Not bad at all. Now, lemme show you what I got!" Sonic crouched on bent knee to perform his special Spin Dash, an original technique that would allow him to spin in place in the fetal position while charging for super acceleration. Once the Spin Dash was executed, Tails realized he had a very limited opportunity to react as Sonic sped toward him. Within a mere second of impact, Sonic sprang several feet into the air, floating above Tails. "Keep your eye on the ball, buddy!" Sonic teased. In mid air, Sonic attacked with a lightning fast Somersault Kick, which Tails managed to block by the skin of his teeth. The boy shoved Sonic's leg away with his crossed forearms in an attempt to throw off Sonic's balance. Sonic, however, cunningly back flipped from Tails defensive maneuver and made a solid landing. "Whoa! He's really fast! And his moves; I've never seen anything like them!" Tails thought, astounded by his opponent's finesse in battle, "This won't be easy, but I've GOTTA prove that I can keep up with him!" Next, Tails threw a swift side kick, following a roundhouse kick. Despite the sudden change of pace, Sonic dodged the two kicks. Directly after, Tails launched a 540 hook kick that grazed Sonic's forehead. "Whoooa. SOMEBODY'S feeling froggy all of a sudden," Sonic commented, "Gimme all ya got, Tails! Heh. I like that name." Tails, however, was NOT amused and decided to strike back. Sonic evaded one of Tails' kicks with a Corkscrew flip then countered with a low sweep, knocking Tails off his feet. Tails caught himself, but narrowly escaped a no hand cartwheel kick that Sonic performed. Recollecting his awareness, Tails prepared for an attack that was sure to weaken Sonic's defense. "Take THIS!" he shouted. Tails leaped into the air and, while doing a 720 spin, aggressed with a Tail Swipe. Sonic was able to block the first strike, but the force of the blow was so fast and powerful that it felt like swords cutting his flesh. Surprisingly, Tails did an additional Tail Swipe that inevitably made Sonic drop his guard. "Now I've got him!" Tails thought. Seizing the opportunity to land a few blows, Tails attacked Sonic with a spinning high side kick, following a mid range side kick and a reverse roundhouse kick. Each blow did fair damage to Sonic, but he held his ground and parried a Tornado Kick that Tails attempted to land. With his balance disrupted, Tails was attacked by Sonic's speedy hand strikes, which were succeed by a helicopter kick and a gainer that floored him.
The on-looking crew members went wild at two young warriors' incredible moves. It was without question that the audience at Chaos Stadium, as well as the viewers at home, were DEFINITELY getting their money's worth! "Wow! I've gotta hand it to you, kid; you got skills! You've got a lot of potential, I'll tell ya that!" Sonic cheerfully complimented. Wearily rising to his feet, Tails replied, "T-thanks a lot, Sonic! They pale in comparison to your style, though. It's AMAZING!" "Well, what can I say? I am ME, after all," Sonic bragged, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, "So, you ready to continue?" "Yeah, Let's-"
*KAWOOMP!*
The entrance to the ship's hangar flew open, courtesy of an infuriated Lieutenant Hawking. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! THIS IS A GODDAMN MILITARY AIRSHIP, NOT A FRICKIN' DOJO! AND WHY THE HELL AREN'T YOU ALL WORKING?! WE'RE SET TO PULL UP AT THE DISTRICT ALPHA AIR-DOCKS IN 20 MINUTES! HURRY UP AND MAN YOUR MOTHERFRAGGIN' STATIONS, NOW!" "ROGER, LIEUTENANT HAWKING!" The crew exclaimed as they frantically exited the hangar. Lieutenant Hawking directed his attention to Sonic and Tails, next. "As for you two, I refuse to have a couple of undisciplined brats like yourselves tearing up ANY of my shit! So, I'm gonna PERSONALLY solve this problem!" Lieutenant Hawking walked over to a large red button located on the wall. Because he possessed vast knowledge of the airship's operating systems, Tails knew exactly what that button does and dreaded the hazardous measure that the angry Lieutenant was about to resort to. "Lieutenant Hawking! NO!" "SHUT IT!" The hot headed Doberman barked, "Since you two want to play your little game on OUR court, I think it'd be a lot better for you kids to play OUTSIDE!" With the button pushed, Sonic and Tails felt the platform they stood on rumble slightly as an alarm blared. Next thing they knew, the aircraft elevator slowly began to descend. "Oh, dude, you are gonna get SO discharged for this!" Sonic remarked.
The elevator finally concluded it declension from the hangar and stopped 20 feet below the bottom of the airship. "I should've known there would be a catch to this," Sonic thought as he observed the superfluous quantity of clouds and aircrafts below him, the wind blowing through his quills. "Not what I was expecting, but hey; this is what we signed up for, right?" Sonic joked. The timid fox looked away and remained silent, considering he was highly nervous at this point. "HEY!" Tails immediately snapped out of his catatonic state and looked at Sonic, who stared back at him with a stern glare in his emerald colored eyes. "You're not gonna let a little change of scenery stop you, are ya? I'M sure as hell not!" said Sonic, attempting to boost his opponents morale, "When you say you're gonna do your best, you had better follow through! Got it?!" After a brief moment of silence, Tails finally came to his senses and nodded, "Roger!" "We'll just see about that! You ready?!" Sonic replied as he assumed his stance once more. "Ready!" answered Tails, putting up a brave front.
The fight resumed with Sonic unleashing string of flashy kicks that dealt moderate damage to the preteen fox. Upon noticing the change in his older adversary's demeanor, Tails knew it was time for him to get just as serious and focus on the battle. Tails quickly retaliated with a combination of alternating roundhouse kicks, following a mid ranged spinning back fist and a straight jab. Sonic was barely able to block each attack, but succeeded in doing so. Right after his previous strike, Tails threw a spinning side kick, but Sonic agilely ducked it and countered with a double spinning handstand kick. Tails suffered a brief knock-back, but caught his footing just in the nick of time. With a quick kip-up, Sonic returned to his feet and launched a launched a 540 double leg kick. Tails narrowly evaded the elaborate attack by diving, tucking and rolling, and chose to strike while Sonic's back was turned. Sonic, however notice the young fox in his peripheral as Tails tried to attack with a jump spinning back kick. In mid-air, Tails additionally Tail Swiped Sonic and went for a jump spinning crescent kick. Much to Tails' surprise, Sonic caught Tails' leg at the last second. Retaining a firm grip on Tails' limb, Sonic elbowed Tails in the gut, threw a nasty haymaker, and knocked him to the ground with a sweep kick. "You gotta be a little bit faster than THAT, buddy," Sonic taunted. The fox slowly rose to his feet in anguish, at a loss for words by Sonic's outstanding level of skill. "Ready when you are" said Sonic, tapping his foot impatiently.
Tails was utterly dumbfounded that someone as unique as Sonic existed (and not just because of his speed and prowess). He was unable to concentrate throughout the remainder of the fight. All Tails could think about was how amazing his opponent was. How nonchalant yet steadfast and determined he remained in unexpected circumstances. How he stuck up for him when no one else ever did, despite having just met each other. It was those very thoughts that gave Tails a sense of respect and even admiration for the blue hedgehog. As much as he idolized Dr. Ivo Robotnik and the Robotnik Technology Group, deep down Tails began to see another influential figure. "I wish I can be like this guy, one day. He's so…cool," the boy thought. "HEADS UP!" Returning to his senses, Tails was unaware that he had lost complete focus and had discovered he was standing dangerously close to edge of the platform. Unfortunately Sonic was in the middle of a Spin Attack, and Tails took a blow to the face, causing him to stagger off the elevator. "WHOA! HOLD ON, KID!" yelled Sonic as he slid to rescue his foe. Luckily, Sonic caught Tails' hand just in time, but found himself hanging on to the edge of the platform, as a result.
"Damn it! I do NOT intend to die, today!" he irritably thought. Lieutenant Hawking and the crew immediately rushed to discuss a rescue plan, but realized that they would do more harm than good. It would take 5 minutes for the emergency override system to reboot. Even after the system would be up and running, they would be taking a risk of crushing Sonic's arm or losing Tails. With very few options and just as little time, everyone assumed the worst for Sonic and Tails. "I don't know if I can hold on much longer," Sonic grunted in unease. Tails, fearful of an early grave, knew this would be the end of them both if help didn't come quick. Somehow, that same fear of death enabled him to think of a plan. "Sonic!" The blue hedgehog look at his dangling opponent to see what was on his mind. "I think I know a way to bring us back onto the elevator," said Tails. "Okay! HOW exactly is THAT gonna happen?!" Sonic asked. Mustering up enough courage, Tails explained, "I'm gonna try to fly us back up. It won't be easy, but it'll be worth a shot. You're gonna have to let go of the ledge, though!" Sonic was FAR from compliant with Tails' unorthodox scheme. "ARE YOU OUTTA YOUR MIND? WE'RE OVER 30,000 FEET IN THE AIR AND YOU'RE TELLIN' ME TO JUST 'LET GO?' SCREW THAT NOISE! UNLESS YOU CAN SPROUT WINGS FROM NOWHERE, THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL WE'RE GONNA PULL THAT OFF!" Sonic exclaimed. "Sonic!" "WHAT?!" the hedgehog shouted angrily. He looked down at Tails once more, but saw a look of sincerity in his deep blue irises. "Please. I know it sounds dangerous, but we won't survive this if we hesitate. You have to trust me," the fox pleaded. Sonic had a gut feeling that the intelligent fox had some sort of trick up his sleeve. He knew his intuitions would rarely fail him, yet he still had his doubts. Be that as it may, Sonic was willing to take the risk. He sighed, "Okay. I'm gonna let go. This had better work." "It will," Tails reassured. "If I don't survive this, I'm sorry, Uncle Chuck." With deep exhalation, Sonic finally released his grip.
The two quickly found themselves plummeting several feet from the airship. Bracing himself for the end, Sonic regretfully closed his eyes as he and Tails were quickly falling…quickly falling…falling…slowly falling…stopping? No! Slowly rising, now? Ascending? How was this happening?! Sonic opened his lids to and looked up to discover the fox boy using his twin tails as a helicopter propeller to levitate their way back to the airship! "The HELL?! Kid, how are you-" "No time to explain! Give me your other hand!" Tails requested. Sonic followed the request and reached up to Tails as they quickly made their ascension. "I never would've thought…" Sonic said to himself. They were only 100 feet away from the platform and were sure to make it. Yet, Sonic began to notice that Tails was starting to run out of energy. "Tails, how you holdin' out, dude?!" asked a concerned Sonic. Tails panted, "I'm not sure! I don't think I can make it!" Sonic confidently replied. "Oh, YES you can! I know you're a probably a boy genius n' all, but NOW, it's time to stop THINKING and start KNOWING! I KNOW you can do this! You've gotten us this far! YOU'VE gotta know you can do it, too!" Tails looked down to see the teenage hedgehog smiling with reassurance and faith in him. And that faith sparked a feeling of confidence in his heart. Tails gathered up every ounce of strength in his being to continue their flight to the airship. "Only 30 feet left. You can do this!" he thought as grunted through his exhausting trial.
The UFACA members finally initiated the override system, but noticed that the two competitors were missing. "SHIT! They must've slipped!" Lieutenant Hawking said. Unable to think of any options to save them from their doom, Lieutenant Hawking was making mental preparations to arrange for an honorable funeral. "Whoooa. Check it out!" Noire exclaimed. Lieutenant Hawking wouldn't have believed what was happening if he hadn't seen it himself. "I'll be damned," he said, watching in amazement as Tails hovered towards to the airship.
"C'mon, Tails! You're almost there!" Sonic yelled supportively. Tails, who was now sweating profusely, used the moral support Sonic gave him as fuel to complete his mission. Through grunts and groans, Tails continued to carry Sonic. "Almost…Ggh…Al…most…" Tails thought as his energy quickly faded. He wanted to give up badly, but knew there was far too much at stake to quit. Miraculously, the seeds of excruciating commitment bore fruit, as Tails and Sonic finally made their way back to the airship's aircraft elevator. The lieutenant and crew cheered in relief that the boys returned safe and sound. Patrons at Chaos Stadium, who were on the edges of their seats, roared with excitement after witnessing the indescribable feat.
As they stood on the hangar's mezzanine minutes later, Sonic laughed and said, "I guess having two tails has its perks, huh?" Tails only sighed and hung his head in defeat. He realized that although he fought well, his dreams were shattered, due to the fact that he fell out of the ring during their fight. Just then, Tails felt a playful yet comforting hand his head. "Cheer up, dude. You gave it your all. You fought for something that most people wouldn't even think of accomplishing; dreams. And that's all that matters. No matter what, you have to keep pushing for what you want in life. It's like I said: You've got a lot of potential, man. You just gotta bring it out of you. Never give up, Tails." Tails looked to Sonic. "Sonic?" "What's up, bro?" Tails smiled and humbly said, "Thank you for believing in me." Sonic smirked and shook his head in defiance, "Hey, there's no need to thank me. Just promise me one thing." "What's that?" "You gotta kick some MAJOR butt, the next time around! Deal?" Sonic grinned extending his fist towards Tails. "Hehehe. Deal!" Tails replied, returning a fist bump with his blue adversary.
"NOW APPROACHING AERO COLONY DISTRICT ALPHA. ALL HANDS, MAN YOUR STATIONS, MAN YOUR STATIONS."
"Sooooo, I'm curious," Sonic began as he put his hands behind his head, "Just how exactly did you learn to fly, anyway?" Tails scratched his head bashfully and replied. "Y'know, it's a long story, actually." "Well, it's only the first round of the tournament," Sonic responded as the two walked out of the hangar, "So, I've got nothin' but time."
Broadcasting Live from Chaos Stadium - Central City
"WOW! WHAT A FIGHT! I swear! That match sent a chill up my spine, at the end!" Honey exclaimed, whipping the sweat of nervousness from her brow, "But that concludes Round 1! Sonic the Hedgehog advances to the Quarter Finals!" The audience cheered, chanting Sonic's name. "We're already off to a rip-roaring start, ladies and gentlemen! Nevertheless, the party's just starting and there's plenty more fisticuffs to come! The next match of the 8th finals starts in two days! So, stay locked in and we anxiously await your return when we begin Round 2 of the Fist of Chaos World Martial Arts Tournament!"
Hehehe! Yeeeeah, I TOLD y'all I was gonna bring it! Then again, I'm probably gonna think this chapter sucks, later on down the line. Woe is me. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this update to Fist of Chaos. It was pretty long, I know, but it was also fun as hell to write. Leave a review telling what you did like, didn't like, and everywhere in betwixt. Constructive criticism makes me a happy pup.
(Side note: Lieutenant Hawking was dishonorably discharged from the United Federation Air Combat Alliance for negligence and the endangerment of non-military civilians. He currently works as a manager in Spanky's Burger Shoppe. Yes; He is still hot-headed as ever.)
Author's Inspirational Playlist:
Battle for the Crown- Soul Calibur 3 OST
Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Wing Fortress Remix- EMANUELsonic of YouTube
Wardog- Ace Combat 5 OST
Approaching Tempest- Soul Calibur 3 OST
Hangar 1- Ace Combat 5 OST
Reprisal- Ace Combat 5 OST
Hangar 2- Ace Combat 5 OST
Momento- Soul Calibur 3 OST
Author's VISUAL Inspiration:
art/Tails-for-Debbie-undone-88908184
art/Hybrid-Airship-82125917
art/Airship-96428742
art/Garden-City-411201882
art/Rat-Rage-TAILS-321644979
art/Tails-concept-commision-582692428