SONIC HEROES: THE SERIES
Sonic © Sega/Sonic Team
DBZ © Toei
Chapter Forty-Four: The Fated Battle
The story begins at a far-off mountain range close to Espio's home country. Deep inside the mountains were cavernous passages to a hidden base. The hallways would stretch for mile, all branching off into random directions. If you lost your way, you would never find you way back alive. But right now, that was the least of everyone's concerns. There were two men, wrapped in purple clothing, slowly pacing down the hall. They stopped at the end of the hall to face a black door etched with silver snakes. The last thing they would want to do is walk through, but they had no choice. One of the men raised his hand to knock when...
"Enter." A small hiss commanded.
The men were fearful, but hesitantly walked in. Once inside, you could understand why. Naga the Snake sat at the handmade stone throne opposite the door; his face made more menacing by the flickering candlelight. The men approached him and kneeled. The men stiffened when the felt something slither between them, but did not dare to move. Nagini slowly crawled up the throne and watched protectively over her beloved master.
"What is it?" Naga hissed.
"My lord..." The man trembled. "W-we've brought the report l-like you asked.
"And?" Naga edged.
"W-we've watched Sonic's movements like you asked." The man continued. "We studied him, watched for his strengths and weaknesses."
"And what have you found?" Naga questioned. Nagini gazed hungrily.
"He's reached the ability to break the sound barrier." The other man stated. "And he has also been known to manipulate chaos energy. He mostly prefers it for his singular technique, Sonic Wind. He also has some slight control over chaos control.
"And his weaknesses?" Naga questioned.
"He is very afraid of water." The man continued. "Apparently, he can't swim and sinks like a rock in water. We have also received word that he harbors feeling for a girl named Amy Rose. He also fears her brother, Rector Rose."
"The water phobia is one he most certainly can overcome." Naga said thoughtful. "But the girl and her brother could be just the thing I'm looking for. I'll look into it later. Now, what is the report on my other target, Rai?"
"O-other target." The men looked shaken; they scattered the paperwork they were holding. "We didn't know you wanted us to watch him, my lord. Please, provide us a moment to..."
But he would never have the chance to finish. Barely a moment went by when Naga lengthened his arm and gripped one of the men by his chest.
"By the way," Naga sniggered. "It was a rhetorical question."
Naga tightened his hand and recalled his arm back to its proper size. The man that was just assaulted slowly stared down to his chest. There was a big gaping hole left; Naga literally ripped out his heart. Naga dropped the man's heart on the ground and stomped it only second before he hit the ground. Nagini looked stared with hungry eyes at the man slumping against the wall.
"M-my lord." The other man said frighteningly. "My lord...why?"
"I already know where Rai is lurking." Naga hissed malevolently. "I had sent Kai to keep a close eye on him. The boy is searching valiantly for his father. But I cannot let that happen. Kai shall be informed on his next mission."
"But my lord..." The man said, pointing to his partner. "...Why?"
"Sheer entertainment." Naga replied cruelly. "I do not believe Nagini has had her chance for fun." The next time Naga spoke, his voice was completely hissing in a different language. "اذهب تقوم به ،"
The remaining man tried fruitlessly to reach the door, but Nagini's serpentine body slithered past him before he could even reach the handle. The last moments of his life were spent watching as Nagini's fangs stabbed his chest.
The scene changes to a mountain range in Midwestern China. It was a land filled with strange creatures no one would see anywhere else. The creatures also included real living dinosaurs. Tails would have a field day in this place. But somewhere in the center of the mountain range stood a lone house. Why anyone would live there is beyond me. But all in all, things were quiet. Boring.
"OUT! OUT! OUT!!" A woman screamed.
Now that's more like it! There was a ruckus coming from inside the house. From the looks of things, it seemed that the residents of the house had an unwanted guest. Three guesses who?
"Mom, I'm sure he didn't mean it." A boy called to the woman.
"I don't care!" The woman screeched. "I want him out of this house now!"
Next thing they knew, there was the sound of shattering glass and tableware bursting inside the house. The front door open and our spiky redhead, Rai, slammed in shut behind him. Not long after, several knives and forks found their way through the door, one of them nearly hitting Rai between the legs.
"Later, Gohan!" Rai called. "I would stay longer, but I want to stay a man!"
Rai broke into a run seconds before he burst off the ground. Similar to when he faced Violet, Chaos' colored clone, Rai found himself with the ability to fly. But this time, he was flying at over seventy miles per hour. I guess this would be a good time to explain a little about Rai. When he was ten, Rai met a brave man named Goku. Fascinated with his abilities, Rai asked if he could become his apprentice; he accepted. And after five years of vigorous hard work, Rai mastered his abilities to their fullest. He had returned today to visit Goku, only to find out he died a few months ago.
"I can't believe Goku married that shrew." Rai muttered. "All I did was break every dish in the house. That's nothing to get upset about."
Rai continued to mumble to himself that he barely had time to realize he nearly hit a mountain. He swerved past the mountain, barely scarping himself. Unknown to him, someone was already waiting for next to that very mountain. Kai, the heartless assassin and Naga's loyal follower, was sitting on a cliffside with a pair of binoculars to his eyes. He watched Rai fly through the range until he was out of sight. He dropped the binocular; his piercing gold eyes sharp as a hawks.
"My lord, Rai has just left mountains." Kai said to no one. "Shall I continue to follow him?"
"You are done following, Kai." Naga's voice hissed from nowhere. "The boy is getting nosy for his own good. Kai, you know what to do."
"As you wish, my lord." Kai said.
Rai landed in a clearing away from the mountain and near a vast lake. Rai did find it strange that there was a small modernized moon resting over the lake, but didn't feel all to concerned about it. He splashed water in his face to clear his senses.
"Man, this search things is not going too well." Rai moaned to himself as he fell back on the leafy ground. "I've looked everywhere and I still can't find a single thing on my dad." He pulled off his backpack, which was given to him by the Sonic Heroes, and pulled out the communicator. It remained idly. "You would at least think they would have called me. They're sure to have seen my dad by now."
He sighed heavily and put the communicator away. He rummaged his backpack and pulled a photograph he added himself. It was a picture that was taken sixteen years ago on the day of his birth. He stared at his mother, a raven-haired beauty who smiled down proudly at her child. Rai felt sad when he learned his mother died shortly after naming him. He turned to his father, a large man with thick red hair, which Rai inherited from.
"Where are you, dad." Rai sighed. "I miss you."
As Rai held the picture up to the sunlight, he noticed something he missed before. In the background was a shadowed figure, his skin looked a skinning green. He was also holding a new born child with blue hair.
"What in the world is that?" Rai questioned, examining the picture closely. "Who is that?"
"You won't live long enough to find out."
Before he realized what happened, a dagger flew out of nowhere and stabbed the picture to the ground. A moment later, Rai was caught in a shower of daggers. He quickly reached for his backpack and flipped backwards as the daggers started swarming around him. He landed promptly back on his feet the moment the showers ended. But it was then he noticed a new figure in the field. It was the long-haired figure known as Kai.
"Who are you?" Rai asked immediately.
"I am Kai, Lord Naga's faithful follower." Kai introduced.
"You're Naga's lackey, huh?" Rai smirked. "Thought I smelled something foul in the air."
"You would be wise not to insult your master, Rai." Kai said coolly.
"How do you know my name?" Rai asked surprised.
"You would be amazed at how much Lord Naga knows." Kai said indifferent. "It's only been fifteen years since you and he last met. All those time when your father and he worked together to revolutionize the world. He certainly hasn't changed."
"You know where my dad is?" Rai asked eagerly. "Tell me!"
"If you somehow stay alive," Kai said. "I might be persuaded to tell."
Rai looked confused for a moment, but only a moment. With a swish of his bloodstained scarf, Kai reached into his jacket and launched a barrage of daggers. Rai jumped behind a boulder to avoid them, but only got off with near misses when they sliced through the boulder. When the barrage stopped, Rai jumped out from behind the boulder with his palms held out. He formed orbs of blue energy in his palms and threw them at Kai. But the heartless killer didn't seem troubled. He reached into his jacket and drew a three-pronged dagger. He raised to the orbs of energy, which were surprisingly absorbed by the strange dagger.
"What was that?" Rai questioned.
"In expectation of this bout, I forged this special weapon." Kai explained. "It is forged from adamantium; the core made from crystalline chaos. It can absorb any type of energy and render it useless."
"Then we'll have to settle this the old fashion way." Rai smirked.
Rai charged forward, dodging left and right to avoid Kai's daggers. Knowing he was too close for the daggers, Kai pocketed them. Kai jumped away when Rai threw a punch to him. But when he missed, Kai observed his attacker smashing the boulder behind him to rubble.
"He is far stronger then I predicted." Kai thought. "I must watch myself around him."
Rai swung around with his leg outstretched. Kai raised his arms to block, but that didn't stop the impact from sending Kai skipping across the lake. Kai swerved back to his feet and just in time as Rai was already over him. Rai brought his fist down to the ground, which formed a massive crater in his wake. Kai jumped back as the crater was formed below him. While still in the air, Kai observed Rai cup his hands, gathering a massive amount of energy to a single point.
"There's too much energy." Kai stated to himself. "My weapon can't absorb that much power."
"Let's see you try to get out of this one!" Rai exclaimed. "KA-ME-HA-ME-HA!"
Rai thrust his palms forward, expelling a stream of blue energy. Kai, being unable to move in midair, was hit full force by the blast. But unfortunately, also in the blasts path was the small moon hanging over the lake. Rai's blast made contact with the floating moon, which erupted into a miniaturized nuclear explosion. The after shock forced Rai to fall back and bang his head against a boulder. Lucky his head is hard. When the sky became clear, the moon was gone, but so was Kai.
"At least that's over." Rai said in relief. He stared at the spot where the moon formally rested. "Why do I get a feeling I shouldn't have destroyed that?"
"That's because you weren't." Rai twisted around in shock. Kai was leaning against a tree, perfectly unharmed. "That was a special sanctuary known as Little Planet. Consider yourself lucky the Time Stones have long disappeared from this timeline."
"How did you got over there?" Rai stammered. "You were there and now you're there."
"You're not the only one who has been granted gifts." Kai said monotone. "But since you were willing to show me yours, I shall return the favor."
Rai prepared himself for Kai's attack, but it was pointless. Before Rai had a chance to blink, Kai's fist was already smashed into his stomach. Rai doubled over in pain, but barely had time to take it in full. Kai swung his leg back and kicked his opponent backwards off the ground. Rai was hovering a few feet off the ground, but that didn't matter to Kai. The long-haired loomed over Rai like a vulture to its prey. Kai started off with a knee to his back and an elbow to his gut. He swung his fist to Rai's face, sending him flying for over a mile. Rai didn't know what happened next, but it was very painful. Kai was all over him like a swarm of wasps and jabbing at Rai in every direction. And it all happened in under a minute. Rai collapsed to the ground in a crumpled heap.
"No way." Rai groaned; he coughed up blood. "He's just as fast as Sonic."
"You're wrong." Kai said. He grabbed Rai by his spiky hair. "I'm faster."
He lifted Rai up off the ground by his hair, Rai hissed from the pain. Kai reeled back his fist and lodged it into Rai's back. He pulled back and attacked in the same place. Kai performed the same thing over and over again; Rai cried out from every hit. Our spiky haired hero was ready to pass out any second now. And the moment he did, he knew it would be the last time he ever opened his eyes. But Rai persevered. Knowing his tactics weren't working, Kai switched. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a particularly sharp knife. He hadn't used it since he killed Raine's mother.
"I am sorry to say our little game ends here." Kai said. "But don't fret; you will be honored by having your blood added to my scarf."
"You're a sick freak." Rai groaned.
"This is where words fail." Kai said indifferently. "And so does your life."
Kai raised his knife and swung it around to Rai's back. But inches before it hit, Kai's hand stopped. Rai could feel his grip slowly releasing. Once he was free, Rai turned back at Kai with a bewildered expression. Kai looked to be in a trance, his face giving a faraway look. But inside his head, Kai could hear voices, voice that didn't belong to either of them.
"Someone from the dark."
"All I'm trying to tell you, traitor..."
"Shine your pale light on this empty realm."
"Where is my heart?"
Kai finally snapped out of his trance. What was it that he just experience? Who did those four voices belong to? They sounded familiar.
"Hey, pal!" Rai called. "You awake! I'm sure you would want to miss this!"
Kai was suddenly brought back into the fight against Rai. How could he have been so stupid to be distracted in the middle of a battle? While he was out of it, Rai had once again cupped his hands and formed the same attack from earlier. Kai tried to moved, but he felt that his legs were suddenly weighed down. When he looked down, he found that Rai had tied his legs into the ground, preventing him from moving. Struggle as he might, Kai was trapped. Just then, Rai unleashed his attack.
"KA-ME-HA-ME-HA!" Rai roared.
With only a distance of five feet apart, there was no way Kai would have enough time to duck out of the way. The air was lit up by a flash of blue light that came from Rai's attack. A large dust cloud was formed from Kai's spot, Rai panted from the lack of energy. But when the dust cloud disappeared, not a single trace was left of Kai. He had somehow got away.
"You have got to be kidding me." Rai groaned as he fell back in the grass. "What was up with that guy?"
It was a strange day. He was kicked out of his teacher's house, fought against a sadistic psychopath, blew up a world famous place, and now was too tired to even move. Maybe he could find his father tomorrow?
The scene returns to the hidden mountain base of Naga the Snake. Naga was roaming down the corridors with his faithful pet, Nagini, at his side. All the servants' coward against the wall as their master passed by. Nagini stared at them with a hungry look.
"Now, now, Nagini." Naga said malevolently. "We need to keep a few of them alive. How else are we going to get anything done around here?"
Nagini hissed in a language that only Naga could understand. Whatever she had said, Naga laughed. Just then, Kai materialized out of nowhere in front of his master. He looked weak and frightened; Sweat was dripping down his face.
"Kai, what are you doing here?" Naga questioned irritably.
"I'm sorry, my lord." Kai gasped. "But I was unable to complete my mission."
"That is unlike you, Kai." Naga said in disgust. He walked past the human with Nagini slithering at his side. "Don't fail me again unless you wish to feel the wrath of Lord Naga!"
"My lord, they falling." Kai said suddenly. "The Organization is close to its end."
Naga stopped in his track and turned to Kai with a look of interest. Naga hissed something to Nagini and she slithered away. There were bloodcurdling screams coming from down the dark corridors, but neither Kai nor Naga paid any mind.
"How can you be so sure?" Naga said apprehensively.
"I heard them." Kai said. "The Organization underestimated the boy. They are slowly dying away."
"If what you say is true," Naga said, suddenly cheerful. "Then this could be the opportunity we've been looking for. Kai, I have a new mission for you. Keep an eye on the Organization. Wait until the last of them is gone."
"But what about Rai?" Kai asked.
"Forget about him!" Naga screeched impatiently. "Let me worry about the boy! You just do as you are told!"
"As you wish, my lord." Kai bowed
He gave one last look to Naga before vanishing into the darkness. Naga had not been this pleased since the day he kidnapped the newborn Sonic. He didn't care that he was standing in a pool of blood. Earlier, Naga told Nagini to "have fun" and resulted in the massacre of nearly every servant in the corridor. But Naga didn't care if all his servants were dead. The Organization was falling; his plan was one step closer to completion. No one could ruin this. No one except...
"Rai..." Naga hissed. "He could ruin everything. If he comes in contact with his father, they could reveal my secrets to Sonic. If that happens, my plans will be ruined." He slams his fist into the wall as Nagini drapes herself over his shoulders. "Your son has become a great annoyance to me, Eggman."
WTF?! Eggman is Rai's father! How will this new developement change the face of the war? How did Kai come to obtain his abilities? And what is this Organization they speak of? Find out on the next Sonic Heroes!
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