Silver: Whew! Dark! Scary! Dramatic! I can't wait! Right PoC?
Metal: …
Silver: PoC? C'mon, say something! By the way PenFullofChaos819 is the owner of this story but not Sonic!
Metal: …Don't you mean Metal?
Silver: Oh don't let that slip-up bring you down. I know it won't stop you from making a good chap!
Metal: Y-You mean it?
Silver: Of course I do! Now get out there and write!
Metal: Oh don't you worry Silver, I will. Ha-ha I WILL! Mwahahahaha!
Silver: Wait a sec! Are you the real Metal?
Metal: Ha-ha! Another chapter sabotaged!
Silver: Hold it right there!
Metal: Urrgh! Release me!
PoC: I owe you one Silv! On with my story!
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The Devil's Warning
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A chill air filled a rather cluttered bedroom. From underneath a bundle of blankets, a pair of fuzzy yellow tails fought each other to find greater warmth. Exasperated, the owner of the appendages rose up with shaky breaths.
"I-It s-shouldn't be this c-c-cold!" Tails fussed, holding the blanket with one hand, and reaching for his shoes with the other "W-With this t-temperature, you'd think w-we'd be in the d-dead of winter!"
Wrapping his bushy tails over his chest, the vulpine carried his shivering frame over to his window. Outside, the normally cheery sun was enveloped by the smoky grey clouds of overcast.
"P-Pretty bad weather for emerald h-hunting." the fox noted, taking the now high-chance of rain and poor visibility into account "N-Not much we can d-do about it, I s-suppose."
Having shut the blinds and slung his pack over his shoulder, Tails drug his half-frozen body over his front door. As his fingertips touched the handle, a sudden knocking caused the fox gasp in surprise. Reputation or not, it wasn't common for him to get any visitors, friends or otherwise. Peeking out the small hole, he saw a pair of bright green eyes staring back. Tails undid the latch and the door swung open, with two jacket-wearing people piling inside. The vulpine saw one of 'guests' eagerly rubbing their arms upon entering.
"Oh come on, it's not that bad out there." the black-coated person, who was obviously Sonic, stated "Why'd you force me to wear this, when you're the one that really needs it?"
"W-Well excuse me, prickle-pig!" the purple-suited Amethyst snapped "I-I was only being c-courteous!"
"Um, guys?" Tails flashed an evasive smile "What are you doing over here so…unexpectedly?" he said, paying them a hint to his…less-than-presentable living quarters. Secretly, the intellectual vulpine hated his poor house-keeping habits.
Amethyst pulled her hood back, while pushing down some frilled hairs "Sorry about that. A lot of stuff came up. I hope you don't mind."
"That's an understatement." the hedgehog said, removing his coat "Freaky low temperatures aren't the only nutty happening out there."
"Not that you would know." the vixen mumbled something else "I don't get it. I have the thicker coat, yet I'm the one freezing my butt off? Are blue hedgehogs immune to cold or what?" the hero shrugged and smiled nervously.
Tails was stupefied. It hadn't even been a full eight hours since the three of them last spoke. What manner disaster could've developed in such a short span of time eluded him "Start from the top, I want to hear everything."
Tossing him a coat of his own, Amethyst twisted the door handle "Best to show rather than tell." she opened the door wide. The trio walked to a remarkably dry complex, which was certainly odd enough given the extreme climate change. Pointing towards the sky, Tails met a peculiar sight. The clouds were flowing like a torrent; shifting and colliding at various spots. More and more, Tails was convinced this sort of thing couldn't have happened overnight.
"Trippy, huh?" Sonic used his finger to trace the fluxing clouds "It'd be like riding the rapids up there. I wonder if Rotundo has run into any trouble." he hated worrying about a former enemy, but it was in the hedgehog's blood to care about his allies, trustworthy or not.
"I d-don't think so." Tails caught some areas where the strange phenomena ended "I-It's effects h-haven't spread v-very far, and that m-makes it really c-creepy."
Creepy was the word. One corner of the sky was lined with erratic swirling sacs of moisture, and the other with placid packs of cumulus, that could only threaten light showers. Moving clouds or not, this still didn't explain the abnormally frigid air. What was more unnerving than that was the overall lack of oxygen. No one could tell if this was the result of the cold or what, but regardless, each breath troublesome to take.
"I bet people are freaking out about this by now." Sonic voiced cleanly, as if he hadn't noticed the atmospheric alterations "This could get ugly if we don't find out what's causing it."
Tails and Amethyst blinked and stared at the hero. It was hard for Sonic to ignore the gawking pair for long, so he asked "Okay, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Sonic…" the vixen went first "Are you c-completely unaffected?" her intense gaze made the hedgehog feel more on the spot than he already was. It didn't help when Tails gave him the same look.
"Look guys, does it really matter?" the blue hero tried changing the subject "We've still got a job to do, right? I mean, we're not getting any closer to helping Rouge like this."
Tails folded his gloved hands tightly together. Now warm enough to speak clearly, he said "That's true, but we first need to worry about something else." the fox brought the looming sky back into the picture "I don't think it's safe to leave someone behind anymore." the vulpine cast Amethyst a concerned look, almost fearing she would disagree.
Thankfully, the vixen offered a gracious nod "No argument there, but what about the fake and real emeralds? Where would they be safe?" she brought up a good point, if not at their apartments, then where could they be kept?
"It looks like we'll have to scratch making anymore fakes for now." Tails advised "But we still need someone to go back and collect the ones we have." as if on cue, four eyes cornered the cocky hero.
Grasping their indirect request, the blue-hog sighed "Yeah yeah I'll go, but Tails, take this for me would you?" he handed off his backpack and stretched out "This'll be an in and out kind of job for me, but guys," Sonic winked and gave a thumbs up "Don't wait for me. Get your butts outside the complex, and I'll contact you when I've got the gems, cool?"
Not needing to give the idea much thought, Tails replied "Alright, but don't hesitate to call if something goes wrong."
Sonic grinned knowing that was this Tails' way of admitting that he was worried about him "Will do. You take care of yourself and Amethyst too." giving a two-fingered salute, the hero blasted off.
Tails locked his own door, and turned to lead the way out. In doing so, he couldn't help looking over his shoulder in worry.
"Sonic…You'll come back this time…right?"
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*With Sonic*
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Speeding as fast as he could might've not been the brightest idea, as the hyper hero managed to blow by his destination completely. Because of this, he was quite grateful, but a little surprised, to find the streets so empty.
"I figured I'd be dodging a bunch of civilians or thugs on the way over." he mused and questioned what had happened to them. Deciding now wasn't the time to worry; Sonic sped down last corner leading to Amethyst's place.
"This'll be a piece of-Whoa! Road block!" he exclaimed, while skidding to avoid crashing into the only person he'd seen, besides Tails and Amethyst, all day. The person in question was much like a black outline instead of an actual being. Upon closer investigation, the hero saw three vibrant lights in the figure's hands.
"Searching for these?" the dark shadow revealed itself to be the last person Sonic wanted to see: Maasawd. To complicate matters, he was holding the three crafted emeralds.
Playing his distressed role well, Sonic demanded in a convincing tone "That wasn't part of the deal, Maasawd! I won't let you have those until I see Rouge is safe!" sending his full strength into a fist, Sonic aimed for the dark figure's head. To his shock, Maasawd had held one of the emeralds up to shield himself. Too late to stop his attack, Sonic shattered the fake into several pieces. As a counter, Maasawd jolted the hedgehog with a blast of unknown energy.
"You thought a fake could trick me? How quaint." Maasawd took both fakes in his hands and squeezed. At first a crack, then a snap, and soon the emeralds fell to pieces "I haven't told you this, but I cannot come in direct contact with the emeralds' powers. You are fortunate that I learned the truth now, before we made the trade."
Getting up, Sonic bore a face full of disdain "If that's true, then guess you can't use them either. So, I could ask why you want 'em, but I bet you'll just keep that detail to yourself."
"How can I keep answers I never had?" Maasawd riddled. Ignoring Sonic's quizzical stare, he continued "Either way, it seems I no longer need you alive. One pawn should be more than sufficient to find the emeralds for me."
Grinning proudly, the hero started some pre-fight stretching and said "That a fact? Well, I guess if I'm going to die anyway there's no harm in giving me some answers." breaking his pose, Sonic nailed the dark figure with a sharp kick to the abdomen "What did you do to the sky? And the people around here; did you kill them?"
"To answer your first question," here Maasawd chose to forgo using his powers. Delivering a hard punch to the cheek, Sonic was sent spiraling to the ground "I haven't done a thing to the sky. It's merely a result of this world's imbalance." Maasawd had to defend quickly, as the blue hero had gotten up faster than expected. Trying to end the fight now, Maasawd bludgeoned the hedgehog with a roundhouse to his cranium "As for the people, I merely placed them all in the cold of slumber. I am, frankly, amazed it failed to affect the fox-brat and the girl."
Sonic whirled in with his signature attack, scoring good hit in on his foe's mask. His attempt to follow up with a homing attack was thwarted by the figure raising a shield of light in the nick of time. Undaunted, Sonic curled back into a super-sonic ball. Noting the hero's spinning, Maasawd readied himself for a frontal assault. But instead of the forward thrust he was expecting, the figure saw the hero slice open the paved streets and burrow deep into the earth. Letting his guard down, Maasawd examined the great hole.
"Fleeing from me? Disappointing I must say." his mocking didn't last, as the once-stable ground gave way, and crumbled upwards like a volcano. In a flash of blue light, Sonic knocked the dark figure into the air, and, for good measure, finished with an artful homing strike the back of his head. The dark figure seemed to really feel some pain that time, as he was struggling to stand.
Stepping up boldly to his enemy Sonic spoke "One last question for you ugly, why am I unaffected by your hocus-pocus? Did you only target them so you could kill me without interruptions?" to Sonic's disgust, Maasawd broke into amused laughter.
"No, I can't always choose who my powers effect. That being said, I knew it wouldn't harm you." Sonic could swear the sick figure was grinning as he finished "I had originally intended to kill the fox-brat, not you, in his sleep. It would've been a simple, painless invite to the afterlife."
For a momentary lapse in composure, Sonic socked the figure while he was defenseless "You ever…I mean ever, lay a finger on Tails or Amethyst, and swear I won't hesitate ripping you limb from limb," grabbing the figure in a violent rage, Sonic pulled him closer "GOT THAT?"
Through the mask, Sonic saw a single red eye glaring back at him "Such a strong loyalty, to faces you hardly know." releasing his contained strength, Maasawd repulsed the hedgehog to the ground "Yet for all your heroics, none of it will have mattered once you vanish."
"There you go again…" the cobalt hero picked his body up to a kneeling position "Talking in all those stupid riddles and nonsense. Why the heck would I vanish? And what proof do you have?"
Maasawd raised his palms skyward "Proof? Look to the sky! What more proof do you require? Witness an unbalanced world opening it's maw to swallow the source of discord!" pointing down to the hedgehog, the figure went on "Hear me Sonic, no matter where you go, or where you hide, you cannot escape your fate. One day, you shall be erased from existence."
Sonic stared up at the sky too "You mean…it's like this because of me?" the figure gave a silent 'yes' in response "What happens if I leave?"
"As I said, it doesn't matter." Maasawd emphasized "This place will remain chaotic until the source of imbalance is removed from this world." to give his point meaning he added "And that imbalance is you."
Sonic put up his classical 'T' sign "Okay, time out! I'm totally lost! I sort of do and don't get the whole 'I don't belong here' thing, but where does that leave you?" the dark figure didn't answer "You want the emeralds, but you don't say why. You seem to want me dead, but you don't really have a motive. So, I'm asking; what's your game Maasawd? Are you even acting alone?"
"I…" Maasawd, for the first time, seemed at a loss for words.
"What's the deal? Do you really know what you're doing? Or is there something else you're not telling me?" Sonic pressed harder.
"I have nothing else to say." fleeting though it might've been, Sonic could sense a conflict inside the figure "You can keep your life today, but do not dismiss my warning, nor forget that I still hold the bat hostage." Sonic seethed at the reminder
"Due to your stupidity, I want to see the real emeralds in three days time." Maasawd tightened the demand "Try to pull a stunt on me again, and her life is forfeit." with those words; his body bled away into a mist and disappeared.
Sonic didn't even try to stop him. He was still too muddled up with his new concerns. Overhead, the sky looked so sickly and distorted, but was it really due to his presence? It made the distressed hero's worries mount again, just when he had almost settled down.
Scraping up some shards of the broken emeralds, Sonic prepared himself for another long talk with Tails and Amethyst. All he could think about, despite the deep trouble he was in, was their safety.
"By working together am I…putting them in danger?" he wondered sadly.
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End of Chapter Seventeen
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Update a day after my birthday! (Coincidentally, the chapter is the same as my birth-date). This was tough corner to turn, but if it worked out, I'm pleased! This one is a hard pill to swallow, so I understand if some of you want/need clarification (drop me a pm).
DanceDream: Although uncommon, I've always seen Sonic as the listening type (I imagine he had to do this a lot with his Tails). Sure, he's "like the wind", but that doesn't mean he never stops to lend a helping ear. I don't know, I think complexity should be expected in some relationships (in T and A's case, it's a classic miscommunication), but yeah Tails and Ame have a few issues. Ah but as you said, Sonic is always here in case things go far south! You almost have all the whispering down, but here's a clue: There is more than one name (Sonic) mentioned in the whisper. You're right, Shadow and Maria have depth, and I hope to give it to them (if only a little) in this story. P.S. Ahh…You flatter me! I simply take a good guess as to where my story is going to go, and work around it! It's rather like building something while having the end result in mind. Thank you again for the great compliment :D.
Ghostkid33: The voice isn't present here, but, as you might guess, it will be getting involved very soon. P.S. Sometimes, to be a good counselor, all you have to do is listen. I get the feeling that while Sonic may be a fast-paced kind of guy, he still can "slow down" when his buddies need a friendly ear. This chap may be bizarre, but it moves the plot forward.
Serenity: Thanks! I'm glad it pleased you! :) What can I say? Sonic is an all-round a swell fellow that cares about his friends (I, frankly, always thought of Sonic as a good listener).
Infamousplot: Yup, Amethyst needed some screen-time (or the equivalent thereof XD), especially so she and Tails can have more to work with later! It's a bit rough for those two right now, but as Tails would say in SADX "All's well that ends well, right?".
KoTwz10z: No worries man, or ma'am? I'm just glad you liked it! This chap may be a little left of center, but it should provide sufficient momentum (for story progress that is). I'm also pleased to hear you like this story so much (gives me a warm fuzzy, it does) :D ! P.S. My nephew is the same way. He hides and even deletes my stuff on occasion (this happened to several storys/chapters before), so I totally hear you there.
Kindra Mckleen: If you think you could, then you probably did! XD The question is, are the speaking emeralds on Sonic's side? Or are they (insert dramatic sound effect here) going to be his UNDOING? Mwahahaha! Haha! Just kidding, hope you liked the chapter!
Sierra Zanimalini14: Not much has been revealed, but this should provide some crucial hints to him. P.S. I'm hoping everyone will catch my not-so subtle clues!
jakeroo123: Neutral eh? Well that's better than dislike! I haven't the slightest clue what you'll think of this chapter, so please let me know.
TehGoatGoesBahh: I was hoping that would be noticed! Good guess! Glad to have another person that enjoys this work! Like everyone else, I'll be speaking to you through these reviewer notes! Welcome aboard!
Until next time!