Chapter 12- The Undertow

Something's wrong. Very wrong. Spinning out of control. HOLD ON! To what? There's nothing there! Spinning! Round and around and around and around and around and around and around and-

I sat up, breathing heavily and gasping for breath. I'd fallen asleep at the window seat in my room, and the little sliver of moonlight that fell through the tiny crack between the open windows

The cool air of my bedroom caused me to shiver, and I swiftly ran over to my bed and jumped into the warm swaths of cloth, covering them around me and enveloping myself in their comfort.

It was too damn cold in that room for someone who didn't have fur to cover her body.

I tried to relaxed myself, all my muscles, and lay still on the bed. I barely felt the material that was supposed to keep me warm.

It wasn't enough. Nothing was enough anymore.

Not food, not sleep, not any amount of tangible substance was enough for me anymore.

I was so hungry. Hungry for an appetite that I could never seem to fill. Every time I went to the Casino I came back to the castle wanting more. I'd sing to myself until I physically felt I couldn't anymore, only to wake up feeling better than before. I could care less as to why it was happening…all I knew is that I wanted more.

Yes, I wanted more.

And there was only one person who could give it to me.

I sat up, letting the blanket fall off me and allowing the cold air to wash over me. Even uthat/u wasn't enough…

I slid off the bed, to feel the cool stones on my bare feet and quickly walked over to the mirror. An object that had recently become a constant fascination to me. To look into it and to be able to see oneself is truly a remarkable thing. I cringed in knowing how taken for granted it was back on Earth.

Now if only we could see what we looked like inside… what thoughts went through our minds and made us the way we were…and if that alone determined how we looked.

Would a person who lived a good life eternally be a beautiful being to all who lays eyes upon them because it's God's will to give them something so wonderful? And inversely, would someone who has lived their life full of sin look repulsive to whomever happens to even glance at them?

I thought of this as I looked at myself.

Still gold in its color my once shoulder length hair had grown to go be halfway down my back.

I had initially blamed its excessive growth on my lack of a hair dresser. Next on the food I ate. Finally on my new diet concerning the Chaos energy

I patted my scalp, and pulled my mass of hair over to one side.

iNo… back on Earth my mother wouldn't have allowed my hair to become this disheveled. /i

Earth. Something promised to me that I still had not received.

I gave myself one final glance in the mirror before walking down to the laboratory.

"Finitevus!" I said, kicking open the door, not even bothering myself with something as tribal as a handle. I was above dirtying my hands on something disgusting as that.

Inside the dank hole the albino echidna inhabited, he stood in the center, his eyes trained right at me. His arms were crossed, and there was a smile on his face that suggested he expected my presence.

"Couldn't you sleep?" He grinned.

"As a matter of fact I couldn't." I said, walking up to him. "And there's no doubt in my mind you knew of this."

"A simple side effect to your fusion with the Emerald is all, there really is no need for worry."

"A 'simple side effect' is a rash. A 'simple side effect' is cramps. Continuous insomnia and hair growth are not! This has been going on for weeks, Finitevus, WEEKS! And you've done nothing to stop it or even study it! I haven't been one of your experiments for months, and although I think of it as a wonderful reprise, I want to know what the uHELL/u is going on." I growled, my face ending inches from his own.

Finitevus' glasses shielded his beady little eyes with the glare from a computer monitor on the opposite side of the room. His brows lifted and he bared his teeth at me.

"If you must know, Charolette, I have still been watching you-" He said, slowly turning around, his black cape trailing like an infectious plume of smog behind him. "And might I say that I applaud you at your impressive strides. Not only have you been able to absorb the energy of your targets, but make them do what you wish of them while doing it."

"But have you figured out how to get one of the Emeralds into Scourge?"

That was the question.

THAT was the reason for my being here.

Finitevus reached into the recesses of his robe and sat down in front of the computer monitor.

In his hand he held up what appeared to be a Chaos Emerald. One that had gone through any and all amounts of pollution to get it to that particular shade of smoking purple.

"What is it?" I asked in disgust.

"This, is what's know in Moebius as the Anarchy Beryl. The 'anti' to the Chaos Emerald."

"So? Big freaking deal."

"Yes, it is. You see, the Anarchy Beryl are much more common than the Emeralds. The one you have residing inside you is only one of seven while this is perhaps one of hundreds."

"All right. Big whoop. It's more common. It doesn't mean that it makes it more powerful seeing as it's in bulk."

"Ah, but even one Anarchy Beryl is a match for a Chaos Emerald. For example…"

He held out the polluted crystal and from nowhere, I felt the tendrils of the smoking purple essence wrap around me and start to take away the energy supply I'd slowly been collecting from victim to victim.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" I shouted. Immediately, the tendril receded back to the Anarchy Beryl and Finitevus.

I could see the glow emitting from my body clashing with the blue from the monitor. Finitevus dropped the Anarchy Beryl as though he had been burnt.

"Little swine!" He muttered under his breath.

"What can I say? I've learned from the best."

"Maybe a little too much." He agreed, slowly bending down to grab the crystal in the folds of his robes where it then disappeared.

"But, it's not as though it will matter much now. Your time with us is coming to an end."

I stopped breathing.

Was this it? Was this creep actually going to send me home? After nigh sixteen weeks of keeping me here, he might actually send me home early?

I could hardly suppress a smile at the thought of going back home. Wouldn't my friends be surprised with me?

"Wonderful. Now, when do you send me back, Doc?" I asked, walking over next to the stone tablet which held the instructions for the fusion. I brushed my fingers along the edge of it. "I mean, I know I'm getting sick of me being here, let alone the rest of ya."

"Funny thing about the whole situation, Charolette." Finitevus grinned from his chair. "You won't be returning home."

I whirled, my hair spinning after me.

"What?" I asked flatly. Darkly.

"You heard me. You will not be returning to Earth. Instead you'll be going to stay with Mogul at the Casino. He's offered a handsome fee for us allowing him to keep you."

"I never consented to this. And I'm NOT a piece of property for you to make deals with!" I shrieked. I felt myself willing the Chaos energy inside me to go to him and take what he had to offer me. I couldn't get it though. Something was blocking me from getting my energy.

"No, it wasn't. But, I've learned all I can from you and you've served your purpose. You are now dispensable."

I took a step towards him. He who seemed so at ease. Not that I could say I didn't expect it. Finitevus wasn't the sort of person who would be too bothered at the thought of throwing off a prior agreement for his own gain.

"No. I'm not." I said.

"Oh? And how do you figure this?"

"Because I can still fight. I've developed my power to be able to do near anything imaginable. And even if you could get one of those Anarchy Beryls inside of Scourge, it could not match the power compared to that of a true and pure Chaos Emerald."

Finitevus laughed.

"I ulove/u how you think you know so much about the ancient crystals from your short time with us, Charolette. It's truly amusing!"

"I'm not a child, Finitevus. DO NOT DOUBT ME!"

I held my hand out in front of me, facing the echidna. I was still trying to reach his slimy little neck. But I couldn't… What was in my way?

"It's not that I doubt you, Charolette. I no longer wish to babysit a stubborn little child and entertain her with the promise of going home. For, you see, we can't possibly send you back."

"And why not?"

"We don't have enough energy, time, or need to send you back. You serve a much better purpose here than on Earth anyway. What would you be there, hmmm? A part time waitress at a fast food restaurant? That's not a life you should be living with this power I've given you. The potential you have right now is better be utilized here where no one is going to question what you wield and where you would be respected for it. Where your government wouldn't poke or prod you to find out the secrets of this power. The Emerald is a part of you. Now and forever. There's no changing that, Charolette, so please don't look so put out. There are many here who would love to have you on their side to fight for them."

"Then why don't you keep me here instead of giving me to Mogul?" I asked, wishing so desperately that I could ring his skinny little neck as to completely eradicate the source of my torture.

"As I told you before, he's offered us a great bargain for you." Finitevus said, leaning forward to rest his chin on the palms of his hands. "And what use would I have for one person like you when I've successfully created an entire fighting force?"

He snapped his fingers, and from the doors on either side of the room calmly entered Scourge, Fiona, Boomer, Patches, Miles, and even Alicia; three of whom were giving me malicious smiles, and three of whom looked too ashamed to look me in the eye.

Guess that answered my question.

I looked at all of them, and back to Finitevus.

"But, ho-,"

"Did he do it? Simple, sweet pea." Fiona said, walking towards me, her orange fox tail swishing back and forth. "You see, while you were out at the Casino, the Doctor took the time to implant all of us with our own Anarchy Beryl."

"And thanks to all the hard work you did, we were able to learn pretty quickly." Scourge added, stepping up behind me and putting his arm around my shoulder. He gave me a playful squeeze.

Alicia, who still looked as though she retained some of her wild stature, looked at me –again—as though I was Sunday lunch.

"It really was quite simple to learn what to do because of you, Charolette. And it was easier still to teach them what to do and how to use their powers." Spoke Finitevus.

I looked over to the three who hadn't yet spoken.

"Is it true?" I asked. "Is what they've said true?"

Patches, fiddled with the sword along his waist. Boomer adjusted his metal eye. Miles looked up at me and solemnly nodded.

I blinked in response, and promptly removed myself from Scourge's wrap.

"This won't work you know. The Anarchy Beryl is only made of darkness while the Emerald inside me is made of light. And light always overpowers the darkness."

"Ah, but light can be so easily extinguished." Finitevus grinned.

"And harnessed." Scourge added. "Darkness has a will of its own, Babe."

"Oh yeah? Well, so do I!" I said, turning and bolting towards the door. A step in, and I felt a wave of wind rush past me to see Scourge standing in between me and the door.

i"Cause I'm flat on the floor

With my head down low

Where the sky can't rain on me anymore."/i I sang to myself as I neared Scourge. A step away and I dived right between his legs, tucked my head into my arms and landed out the hallway. As I turned around Scourge turned, ready to grab for me.

i"STOP! Hammer time./i I spoke willing the energy to wrap around Scourge. I smiled to myself as I stood up and patted his frozen green body.

"Sorry. I've had a blast, but I gotta boogie." I said, bolting down the hallway.

It wasn't until I was around the corner to the stairs I heard Scourge yell.

i"GET HER!"/i

I heard the force in his voice. The command. He'd used his Anarchy Beryl just as I had used my Chaos Emerald. And now, they'd be coming after me.

"Yum." I said to myself, taking the stairs three at a time, my hair flying back behind me.

I was going to be as methodical as possible about this… this sick "Adrenaline game" as possible. What have I learned through all these weeks?

Scourge found me out to always be in the most obvious spots. The places with the best hidey holes that were most familiar to me. I'd have to count out my sound proof room and my own due to the familiarity of them. The lab was out, Finitevus would probably still be hiding there and… wait!

The new plan of mine hit me like a ton of bricks due to the simplicity of it.

Finitevus wouldn't be coming after me. He's too old, not to mention he lacks the physical strength to fight me. But if I could get him without his body guards I could kill him myself and get away while they're occupied with his remains. All I'd have to do was fool the others.

Easier said than done upon occasion.

I ran out of the stairwell into the third floor hallway where some of their rooms were. If I recalled correctly, Fiona's room was on this floor as was Patches. Fiona might have more perfume scents to hide me, though Patches presumed 'sweat' smell might be stronger.

I opted for Fiona's room if not for the fact that there was the chance that I could ruin some of her belongings in the process.

And sure enough, there was her room with the door wide open. I ran in, knowing full well I had the advantage of a head start to ensure her not waiting for me.

And she wasn't waiting for me. Her lack of a hiding place room was. I'd never been inside her room before, so I didn't know what to expect. Clothes if nothing else, but it looked like no one lived in the room. It was just decorated to look fancy. At the very least, I wouldn't have to worry about tripping over anything in the dark.

But there was her closet and her bed. In the event someone was to find me, the closet would be the preferred choice, so I quickly ran over to it, flung open the door and scrambled inside. Her nicely folded clothes got crushed and wrinkled under me as I adjusted my back against the back board and closed the door, trapping me in the dark.

i"Let the rain fall down

And wake my dreams.

Let it wash away my sanity.

Cause I wanna feel the thunder

I wanna scream

Let the rain fall down

I'm coming clean."/i I whispered to myself. From inside the closet I couldn't make out the effects of my handiwork, though I knew what the outcome would be. Hopefully the rain would take away a little bit of my scent if they were searching for me that way, and if I could wait here until they were in one of the other parts of the castle I could easily get out and go back down to the basement. Or, I could always jump out the window to escape should things get too hairy.

I smiled to myself.

iToo hairy. Hah! That's great./i

I heard voices from outside. The hallway. They were too far away to be inside the room and I couldn't make out who they were.

Their footsteps came close. I could hear the 'clacks' of their boots as they walked in front of the door… and continued walking on.

Just as I thought. No one would check in Fiona's room.

The footsteps came back.

Except these morons I suppose.

I pulled my knees into my chest preparing to release the springs as soon as the closet door opened as the footsteps entered the room. I heard some deep mumbling as they began to walk around.

It had to be Boomer. None of the other guys had a voice that deep.

"C'mon Charolette. Where are ya?" He asked as he walked past the closet. I saw the gleam of his metallic head as he passed by the crack in between the doors. My heart was pounding in my chest. If Boomer opened the door I'd have to take care of him quickly less he made a noise.

"Did you find anyzing?"

Patches.

"Nothing. And I don't want to be held responsible for going through her stuff." Boomer said walking back towards the door.

"Oui. I completely agree weeth you."

"But, where do you suppose she is?"

Patches response was inaudible as they walked down the hall.

I heard nothing else for five minutes, and I decided to move my position. Cautiously, I opened the door to peek out – no one was there – and quietly land on the ground. Just as I was going to turn away I grabbed some of Fiona's tops and ripped them with my bare hands.

There was just something so satisfying to feel the seams splitting underneath my fingers. I smiled, letting the tattered remains fall to the ground.

I army crawled across the floor, less someone pass by and saw me standing, and stopped at the door.

I couldn't hear or see anyone in the area, and the stairwell looked to be abandoned.

"Perfect." I whispered to myself, bolting across the hallway to complete it with a James Bond roll to land me in the doorway right in front of the stair well.

Swiftly, I flew down the stairs, doing my best not to make any sort of noise which I succeeded in even as I landed on the basement floor. I halted there, and listened. Nothing. Not even a breath.

I knew what they were all capable of.

Scourge of messing around with me like a toy.

Fiona of causing me 'emotional' turmoil.

Boomer of completely crushing my skull between his hands.

Patches of cutting me to pieces.

Miles of…. Of….

I sighed. They could all hurt me. And more so since Scourge ordered them to. But why protect Finitevus? And why couldn't I hurt him with my Chaos energy?

Oh well, I'd have to solve that myself… unless he was using his own Anarchy Beryl to control them AND protect himself… That wasn't too entirely impossible and it was something he would do to completely take over the situation for himself. If that was the case then I might not be able to battle him unless I physically attack him.

That was were I lacked advantage. I had no idea if Finitevus could fight me despite his apparent old age. Even if he couldn't he could still try to use the Anarchy Beryl against me and then the stuff that was actually in the lab.

All I could do would be to take a chance and kill him as quickly as possible. After that I could find my way back home.

I smiled and stood.

This will be easy.

I ran around the entrance to the stairwell and stalked slowly towards the lab entrance. All the torches that lit the hall were out leaving me with the cover of darkness. No doubt a trick to give them an advantage since I couldn't see in the dark. And if I sung they'd know I was down here.

Damn it.

Even if I could get to the lab there was probably someone there waiting for me who'd sound the alarm and get me caught.

There was no way for me to get to Finitevus if that was the case.

Damn it.

I ran quickly down the hall. It was a now or never chance that I'd have to take. Take by surprise anyone who was down here and finish what should've been finished as soon as I could use the Chaos power.

I ran straight into the lab screaming. And there, waiting for me was Finitevus.

"DIE!" I yelled, reaching my hand back behind me, channeling all the energy I could muster into my fist, and throwing it right at his face.

The Energy didn't do any good, but his smug grin got crushed under my fist.

He fell to the ground, his cape flayed out around him like demonic wings.

I jumped on him and began to pound him. His soft skin bruised easily, and oh how good it felt.

"Die you no-good two-faced son of a rat!" I screamed, pile driving my elbow into the soft part of his belly.

His eyes opened wide and blood jumped out of his mouth.

I smiled wildly and then placed my hands around his neck. His soft white neck.

I started pressing my thumbs just under his Adam's apple.

He chuckled hoarsely as I did so.

"SHUT UP!" I screeched. "You lied to me the entire time I've been here!"

"Charolette…." He said, the voice not belonging to Finitevus. "It's me- Miles."

Immediately, I stopped, for the voice was his. I put my hands over my mouth and sat back as the shadowy form of Finitevus dissolved into the two-tailed fox. He put his own hand over his mouth and began to cough uncontrollably.

I smelled blood on my hands and dropped them instantly.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"Wha-?" He coughed. "Who?"

"Finitevus. The no good twit who is my intended target, where IS HE?" I asked, grabbing Miles by the lapel of his blood covered jacket.

He winced, his ears flattening against his head.

"I don't know." He hacked. "I was told to stay here to wait for you."

"Wait for me? On who's orders? Scourge?"

"No." He started, coughing out more blood onto his pure white gloves.

"Mine."

I turned quickly to see Finitevus and Scourge towering over me. Once again I felt like a lady bug about to be stepped on.

"YOU!" I shrieked, releasing my hold on Miles and springing up to go for the Doctor's face.

Scourge grabbed my shoulder and threw me against the swivel chair in the corner. I landed in it and was sent flying against the far wall, bashing my head against the dank brick.

"Sorry, babe. It's just business." He spoke.

I saw, through blurry eyes, dark energy coming from the three of them. The Anarchy Beryl. I couldn't touch them with my Chaos Energy if they had the Anarchy Beryl. Why hadn't it occurred to me before?

"Curse you to Hell." I spat.

"We'll meet you there." I heard him say as I fell into unconsciousness.