Mr. Rose, Amy, and Cream arrive at a long hallway-in the distance lies a big pair of brown wooden doors with a long red carpet covering the floor leading up to the doors. The trio look at one another, "That's the place…" Mr. Rose said with confirmation.
Cream positioned her arms into a thinking position, "So beyond those doors lies Redd Mamba…how strong is he?"
"Very…in fact, it would help if I gave you some important pointers about who you're going up against."
But before Mr. Rose could begin, he heard a girl's familiar voice- "Dad...! Amy…! Cream…!"
The trio turned around, seeing Lily running towards them. Lily jumped into her father's arms, and cried tears of joy. Just soon after, Amy and Cream heard another familiar voice; Sonic arrived a moment later. Mr. Rose was taken back by Sonic's arrival; he recognized the famous blue blur.
"I took down Lycoris!" Sonic said with boastfulness.
"We handled Ailio…" Cream beamed giving a thumb's up and a wink.
"The twins won't be an issue any longer…and the others are dealing with the grunts."
"Then I'd say this going smoothly…all that's left is Redd Mamba." Sonic decided, cracking his knuckles.
"So, there's five of us now…I'd say these numbers are good, but I must warn you about Redd."-he held up a finger- "Redd Mamba is a user of telepathic abilities. His power is the ability to control the minds of those who possess any kind of extremely unstable thoughts or emotions. Second, he has a cane that he likes to use as a walker-but don't be fooled, that cane is a two-in-one weapon: Gun and Sword. The sheath serves as the gun, made from very high technology from countries of in the western hemisphere. His sword is underneath and is very devastating. His sword can project its power at an incredible range, and what he uses as a projectile is a type of stun liquid that paralyzes you long enough for him to kill you."
"Hmm…that's what we're dealing with? Seems pretty easy with the lineup we got!" Sonic said arrogantly, winking at Mr. Rose; but Mr. Rose wasn't amused, instead he was disturbed by how confident Sonic was in defeating an enemy he'd never met.
The five of them move forward and barge in the room, breaking down the door with a powerful kick from Mr. Rose; to their sights, they see a large room-all the way at the back of the room sat a ton of TV monitors that displayed camera footage. They saw cameras that were displaying some of the rooms that they were in earlier-even the one they were in just now. Across the long conference table sat a huge chair turned around, upon closer look they spotted a hand gripping a cane.
"Ah…so this is what comes to me: the prized item that'd make me millions, the daughters of that accursed man, the hedgehog defeated who my son…"-the chair turns around slightly, and Redd's eyes focus on Mr. Rose- "the accursed man himself: Suhn Rose. I'll wipe the floor with all of you and make you pay for ruining my plans!"
"Too bad, we already know what kind of person you are! This will be over in an instant!" Cream yelled boastfully; Redd grinned.
"Oh? So that means you're aware of my powers?"
"Yeah…after our battle from last time, I knew that I'd face you again…and it definitely helps if my allies were well informed before joining me in battle. Don't expect to brainwash anyone here; we're prepared for your tricks!"
Redd's eyes sharpened and his irises solidified to a scarlet red; he looked around at the opponents in front of him, his eyebrows slanting the closer he got to making eye contact with Suhn. Redd balled his fist and grinned, "It seems despite what warnings you've given them, someone on your side will fall to my control!" Redd guffawed with his tongue sticking out, with drips of saliva dropping as he hissed audibly after the long laugh.
Everyone stood still as stone once they heard him speak the unthinkable; no one dared to move a muscle, fearing the possibility of falling into his trap. They knew of what he could do by brainwash, but they didn't know how he'd brainwash them; for all they know, anything could be possible if he found a target capable. They all had the same idea to stay cautious and observe any suspicious actions, but instead they heard Lily wince in pain.
Lily covered her ears, shut her eyes tightly, and crouched down on the floor-as if to block something out; from the other's point of view, it was as if she was in serious pain. "Get out!" she yelled with terrifying emotion!
You know the truth…don't you? Your mind and heart are completely different! -a voice in Lily's head echoed, no matter how hard you try to deny it; you can't! quick, succumb to your desires and unlock your full potential!
"Shut up!" Lily yelled, pressing harder as veins began to sprout from her head; the sight rattled Amy, seeing this sight from her younger sister. Amy came closer, holding out her hand in concern.
"Lily…don't tell me…"
Tears fell down her face as she slowly began to give in, her lips quivering while she began easing her hands from her head and looking down at the floor in defeat. The voices disgraceful words continued to echo in her ears, ringing louder and louder as more was added to the message, Envy! Your heart is filled with envy! You claim to have no envy for your older sister, but the truth is that it's the very thing that's eating away at your life. The reason why you never leave Gordana…the reason why your practices as a swordsman and future heiress were hindered…the reason you've been alone…it's all because of her! Face her! Strike down the root of your problems!
A dark aura emitted Lily, and she stood up-sill looking down; the air was different, it felt corrupted, it felt lonely, but most of all, it didn't feel right. Amy had chills just seeing what had happened to her sister, disturbed by the darkness that radiated from someone she shared such close ties to.
"You…this is all your fault…" Lily shouted angrily, gritting her teeth-looking at her elder sister with the evilest of intentions.
Amy felt hurt, "W-what do you mean…?"
"You just had to leave us to go pursue some hedgehog. You rarely ever contacted us, so everyone would just worry for your safety, and in return become overprotected of me. I never ever got the chance to really taste what the outside world is like because of you! I was forced to stay in this poverty-stricken land! Because of you, I had to wield a blade instead of the bow, because you were already taking lessons from uncle before you up n' left, making him resign from teaching anyone else. Even when I began my practices as a swordsman, my constant reminder of you slowed down my growth, and knowing I could never inherit the family because of your existence only made it worse! Because of you…"-she began to huff and puff- "Because of you, I had to grow up in this world without the guidance of a big sister! You abandoned me!"-she stared down Amy-"I…I wish you were never born!" she screamed; Amy didn't react, she only stood there in acceptance of the cruel words her little sister had for her.
Amy's face darkened, "Are you finished…" she said in a harsh tone, tying up her long hair in a long loose ponytail; the others were shocked by the insensitivity coming from her.
Amy's green eyes were lifeless. She had no feeling whatsoever to the things Lily had been building up. Lily was more enraged by the lack of remorse shown from Amy, and she began teeter between laughing and crying as tears fell down her face while her body shook with frustrated laughter amplifying the more she recalled what her sister said.
"I knew it…you're a no-good waste of an older sister!" Lily said, readying her sword; Amy raised her head a little.
"And you're a spoiled little rat for a sister. It's about time I taught you a lesson in speaking to your elders!" Amy snapped, summoning her hammer.
Inside the room was tense as the two sisters had every intention of fighting-especially to the death by the deadly glares they each displayed in the expressions; Cream tried to step in, but Sonic stopped her before she could get involved.
"It's better to leave this between sisters…We have someone else we must focus on…"
Cream was disturbed by Sonic's comment, "But she's about to fight her sister!? Siblings shouldn't fight like this…"
Sonic gave Cream a look that she'd never seen before-a terrifying one, "Don't you think she already knows that? Look, it's in these types of situations to leave it between the two-people involved…"-he turned to Redd's direction- "We just have to take him down and that should be enough to revert Lily back to normal anyways…"
"FOOL!" Redd snarled. "All I did was let out the dark emotions that she was keeping locked up! Everything she said is from her own heart!"
Amy's glare sharpened as her face darkened, to such a point that the only thing Lily could see on her sister's face was the piercing green eyes that appeared to see right through her. Amy saw nothing but same image from her sister, an angry soul ready to unleash her wrath on the root of her frustration.
Amy tightened her grip on her hammer, Lily tightened her grip on her blade; they both stared each other down with their weapons ready. They charge at each other, yelling loudly with vicious intent, the weapons collide-creating an unpleasant sound from the impact. The recoil from the impact shook their hands a little, but they refused to give in.
Suhn signed, "We can't lose focus of what we came to do…those two will have to figure it out; C'mon, we'll stop Redd."
"I'll show you hell!" Lily screamed, backing away and then projecting a dozen of slashes; Amy batted them away and rolled out the way of the final slash for it was too powerful. Lily sprinted toward Amy with her sword turned away from her, then she took a huge hop to right and then unleashed another projectile slash attack, quickly running at Amy afterwards to pressure her in having to block one attack but accept the other; Amy quickly summoned her bow and summoned a concussion arrow-aiming downward and firing-using the momentum to launch in the air and avoid Lily's lethal strike, and then quickly use the hammer again to bat away the slashes, and then landing on the floor; some of her long hair began to escape from the ponytail.
"Impressive!" Redd applauded, admiring the quick wit of Amy- "I hope you three will be as satisfying to watch as she is."
Sonic charged at Redd with incredible speed, throwing a right jab at his gut and then a powerful kick to the back, sending Redd into the wall. "shut your mouth!"
Redd was angered, to be swiftly handed to blows like that in almost the blink of an eye, it was incredible! Redd got to his feet and grabbed his cane, he unsheathed it-preferring not to use the gun function; his eyes with even redder than before, but that wasn't the terrifying part.
"T-that bloodlust…" Cream said, getting chills.
"He's serious now…" Suhn commented, knowing that Sonic's actions were the exact trigger.
"You damned hedgehog!" Redd yelled with a scary tone as scales begin to cover his body like armor.
Sonic smirked and then tried to do the same thing as before, but before he could get close enough, he back off and regrouped-feeling the dangerous presence from Redd. Sonic eyed that sword, feeling the danger mostly radiate from the blade.
"His sword will be our primary concern…" Sonic said with conviction; Cream and Suhn nodded.
"That blade is too dangerous to engage in battle with; it was a long range for projectile attack, and the longer we let him keep that thing out, the stronger it'll get." Suhn commented.
"We'll need to come up with a plan…" Cream added.
"It looks like for now, we'll have to feel him out and get adjusted to his style of fighting…" Sonic said, dashing towards Redd; Cream gave him some support, firing a round at Redd as she encircled him.
I see…they're planning on testing his limits by surrounding and attacking. Sonic will do close range and test Redd's might, while Cream will be firing from a distance to test how well he can react, giving us an indication on what kind of attack we'll use when it gets to crunch time…-Suhn smiled-these are some promising ones!
Suhn joins in to assist Sonic in close combat against Redd; Redd's dodged every attack possible, but once Suhn joined, Redd backed out and kept a distance. He didn't have a quick time to assess everything since the trio kept pressure on him, forcing him to engage in combat before he could catch his breath. Redd began using his sword for defense, forcing Sonic and Suhn back; Cream kept firing, but Suhn reflected the bullets at her-making her dodge them.
"You all are irritating…" Redd said with clear annoyance, he readied his sword and then charged at them, "I'll show you my power!" he yelled, leaping in the air-preparing to release a powerful strike at Cream; Cream froze in fear of what was about to happen, knowing she couldn't get away fast enough to avoid the attack. Redd crashes into the area Cream was in and a puff of clouds cover that area of the room. Suhn was concerned for Cream's safety, since it appeared like a direct hit; unfortunately, he couldn't go in there and look for Cream since the clouds of dust were thick.
Hang in there, Cream… Amy thought, glancing over for a moment.