Chapter 10

"Sonic?" The doctor had noticed he quickly awoke from the impact on the wall. But the scene he was witnessing right before him was awe-striking. He had thought Sonic was dead just a few minutes ago. Hadn't he been lying in his own pool of blood? And how did he wake up so quickly? What the hell was going on?! Everything just seemed to freeze.

Nega and Fleetway and Sonic- they were in a frozen like state. No one moved and the box remained still. Eggman was going through one of those slow motion life moments and he could tell because sadly when his eyes looked over to the wall, Ivo had stopped moving. The little one looked cold, his body curled up with his little tail lying to the side, limp. His eyes were closed and his face was blank.

He was dead.

Then everything went back into motion. The box slammed down on the floor next to Sonic, missing him by a quill. Eggman gasped and tried to yell out to him, only to notice he couldn't talk. The doctor was stunned, only able to watch the blue hedgehog struggle for his dear life.

I will make sure you suffer, hedgehog. I will make sure you regret the choices you made and I WILL kill everyone you ever loved, even if it kills the BOTH of us!

"W-Why?" Sonic whispered. "What c-compels you t-to do this? I did n-nothing to you- nothing." But the evil golden hedgehog wasn't listening.

Are you really that stupid? These children of yours should be MINE! I should be alive- not you! I should be the hero! I should be the one who is KING! But I guess we should both be satisfied considering you never got that chance- eh?

Sonic's heart filled with guilt and pain. Fleetway was right, he should've been king if Sally wouldn't have been killed. Yet, he let it all slip away. To think about it, he hadn't even really thought about his friends and how they might be. Hell, he didn't even have the decency to at least let Tails know he was alright. He was a terrible person, but the pain he was currently going through had to be making up for it.

"Dear Fleetway, I do believe it's time for us to fix it. I say we kill them both. Then we can claim their places, right? We could be together like them and keep their k-"

Shut your mouth.

"W-what?"

You heard me! I said to shut it!

Sonic saw this as his opportunity to get away, but the closest thing was the couch that was now wrecked up a bit. Hiding under it might give some shelter, but not for long. Then again, it was all he had. Probably regretting it later, Sonic leaned down and twisted his back a bit to squeeze under. He got under but it was tight on his back and sides. That's when he finally realized that more pains were hitting him and if he wanted to make it out alive, he was going to need to be quiet and allow Nega and Fleetway to fight. Gathering up all the strength he ever had he bit his tongue and pushed.

"But Fleetway I thought you l-"

What? You thought I loved you!? YOU! HAHAHAHA! How silly, you thought I actually respected you.

"You said that you did! What about the whole tricking them and making me come here just to-"

I hate Eggman and Sonic, so what gives you the idea I'd want to be with you! You're just like the wretched doctor except more screwed up in the head and more easier to trick. You think you're so cunning and brave- oh wait. YOU'RE NOT. Wake up call buddy, now either you keep your mouth shut and help me, or die!

Nega's expression clearly had said it all. He wasn't going to give in or let Fleetway get his way. If Fleetway lied to him, who knows what else he was planning.

"I trusted you, but then again I never really trusted anyone. I'm not going to continue in this any longer!"

Oh? Then what about Silver? You kill Sonic- you kill the whole generation. No more Silver means no more helping Blaze which means- those emeralds will be yours. Isn't that what you want? We both want the same things- power. Now stop whining and join me you fat bastard.

"How does no sound? I'm sick of dealing with you! I don't care about Silver anymore or Blaze or those damned emeralds! That's what I'm there for- to fight- to balance out the future and if you can't accept that then it's your fault! Sure someday I'll get those Sol Emeralds, but not with YOUR help!" That was it, Fleetway lost it and turned on his own accomplice. He lashed out with his claws and started ripping the gray-mustached doctor to shreds.

"Y-You're nothing but a lost demon without a b-body! You can't hurt me!''

NO! STOP IT!

"You aren't real. You're only the hellish thoughts from the back of my mind taking control. I bet that's how you got here- simply by slipping out of Sonic's bad side of the mind."

NO! I am Sonic- No my own person! I don't need Sonic!

"Then why not leave Sonic? Hmm? Oh yes that's right, you CAN'T. You don't realize that if you kill Sonic, you kill yourself. You'll die with him you useless fool! You really are dumb. Fleetway, you might've mislead me and Sonic and maybe Eggman- but there's one person who you haven't mislead."

And who might that be?!

Me.

That voice- oh no. Oh god no please no-

Hello there, Fleetway. Remember me?

Super Sonic! No get away!

Super Sonic simply grinned and pinned the evil hedgehog to the wall by his neck. The glowing golden hedgehog growled as the red puzzle-eyed hedgehog shrank back in fear.

I fought you for too long, it's time I rid of you for once and all!

You could always try, but you will never truly rid of me. You know I'll be back-

I'd rather try then fail like you. You're a failed demon who wanted your own body to do Aurora-only-knows what. But I'm not going to stand by to watch you hurt anyone else. You've already claimed one innocent life- you won't have another. With that, Super Sonic squeezed Fleetway's neck, ignoring his screams of agony. But Fleetway was persistent and kicked the other away, slipping away from his grasp.

You can't kill me! You'll never kill me! I'll be back!

Just try it and I'll destroy you.

Sonic, you better watch yourself…every step you make I'll be there, right behind you watching. I won't let you go and I won't let you and your bastardly-children go. I'll make sure you suffer and when I do- you'll regret it. You'll regret ever being born- you hear me hedgehog? I'll make sure you HAVE a reason to fear every move you make. Just you wait-

Just you wait.

Fleetway had disappeared in an instant along with Super Sonic. Nega stood there staring at the doctor.

"You have fought well Eggman. It's just a shame you haven't fought well enough," he trailed off as he looked at the little bundle of deceased fur. "You know something? I was tricked by Sonic himself- well his evil self rather. But it's strange, you know? I mean I never expected any of this. You having someone to call your own, a family, even you just being…good. It's all too odd. It's not you. But oh well, I must be returning home. How? The same way I came…with these." Nega slowly slid out two odd looking colorful stones from his pocket, rubbing his thumb across them.

"Farewell and I do hope we get to meet again- it was quite the show you see. I know you're probably just confused as anyone else, but you see…I never loved that demonic being. I played along all because it's part of the show. You know, a staged play perhaps. But then again I'm just rambling on. But truly as the sly person I am, I do not wish you better, I do not wish you good health, and I certainly do not wish you a good future. But I do wish you this- understanding. You simply got too attached and never understood why. Maybe the second time around you won't make the same mistakes. Now get up and act like a man." Eggman was still in shock, but somehow he managed to get to his feet. Should he fight him? Was Nega even insulting him?!

"Ah yes just as handsome as ever I see. Then again I guess I must admit I don't get my looks from nowhere."

"What do you mean?" Eggman managed to croak out.

"Ah as much as I enjoy your….company…eck…I must be going! Ta ta for now you foolish man!" Eggman looked at him puzzlingly, only for the man to completely vanish right before his eyes. All of his problems were gone. Just like that.

"Not all of them," he whispered to himself as he looked over to Ivo's body. He could already notice a decent amount of quills had fallen off. An odd sensation filled his body. Was this what death was really like? The longing to bring back someone who could never return?

"It's too bad you're not a robot I could repair," the doctor spoke to the non-responsive young hedgehog. Eggman was too shocked to cry and too tired to react. The wind was knocked out of him just before and even though he was lying on the ground, nothing helped relive him.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you, but you would've died soon either way. I knew you were suffering from that infection you got, and I apologize I ever created you." Little to no compassion really showed from the doctor. He couldn't let this get to him like everything else had. But no matter how much he prepared beforehand, Sonic started to scream,

"They're dead! Eggman they're dead!"