SONIC HEROES: THE SERIES
Rodrigo © Kiba Sniper
Chapter Seventy-Seven: Relative Consequence
The scene opens to the wide-open plains of Africa. Untouched by the restrictions and technology of the bustling cities, the native wildlife could roam free to hunt and graze. From the prowling cheetahs crouching in the tall grass to the ever watching birds perches in the distant trees, they seem oblivious to the outside world. And who better to destroy the days of peace than Rodrigo the Crow, traitor of Babylon and founder of the Lunar Tribe. Earlier that day, Rodrigo had been commended by his new master to retrieve a Chaos Emerald. Now unlike Corrupt, Rodrigo was loyal, but there was one problem...
"Where the hell am I?!" Rodrigo screamed – he couldn't read a map. He ruffled the parchment, which was four thousand years out of date. "Ok, I'm supposed to take a right at Atlantis, fly straight past the Pit of Despair, and take another right on Mount Olympus." He glanced back and forth across the plains. "Ok, so where am I exactly?"
As he shifted his gaze to the dusty parchment again, he was unaware of the prowling gazes. A pack of leopards were crouching across the ground to keep themselves hidden from their prey's gaze, despite their ignorance of their opponent. As Rodrigo moved his beak closer to the paper, the ferocious felines pounced. But just as they were a few inches from the prey, the air suddenly thickened and the leopards were slammed into the ground, their bones smashed to dust. Rodrigo took no notice of the occurring incident and crushed the map into his fists.
"Damn it all!" Rodrigo cursed. "I knew I should have spent more time learning to read instead of performed experiments on those shadow invaders! What I need is someone intelligent, but frightfully weak." He noticed a shadow pass over the ground and looked up to spot the Tornado III. "That's convenient."
Meanwhile, another story takes places in the skies. Tails was tracing the clouds in his specially designed vehicle – which was redesigned after his previous two were destroyed. The half-demon kitsune was using the onboard computer to remain in contact with his rival/partner, Wave the Swallow.
"How are systems on your side, shorty?" Wave asked.
"Perfect!" Tails cheered, flipping a few switches. "After four months of planning and search, I think were finally made and economical breakthrough! An engine that doesn't run on gas, sunlight, electricity, or wind! A unique and clean energy source!"
"Calm down before you wet yourself." Wave chuckled.
"Sorry." Tails scratched his head sheepishly. "But Hybrid really deserves most of the credit. We probably wouldn't have figured it out if it wasn't for his universal polarity theory."
"We'll mention him in our acceptance speech." Wave said shortly. "Now head back so we can do one final scan."
"You got it." Tails grinned.
"Sweet ride." The half-demon kitsune jumped in his seat and stared to the right; Rodrigo was sitting on the wing. "Mind if I borrow it? Just don't expect me to return it."
"Not happening!" Tails growled.
Quickly grabbing the controls, Tails commanded the Tornado III to spin into a loop, throwing the menacing crow into the clouds. Unfortunately, Rodrigo used the power of gravity to make himself weightless, allowing him to fly freely through the air. Off to the distance, he spotted Tails and his plane attempting to make a breakaway. The dark avian pushed out his palm to the distant aircraft and released a pulse of concentrated gravity. The wings of the Tornado II were consequently crushed by the increased pressure and forced the main body to make a strong dive towards the ground. Though caught off guard by the unexpected assault, Tails forced himself to steer the nose of the Tornado II upwards to avoid any terminal damage. By skill and luck, Tails managed to land his plane with only a few scratches and dents – the animals fled on the spot.
"Whew, that was a close one." Tails sighed.
"Now that wasn't very nice." Rodrigo said playfully upon landing. "All I did was stop to ask for directions."
"You really expect me to believe that?" Tails glared.
"Not really." Rodrigo shrugged. "But you would be doing me a favor by telling me where to find the Chaos Emeralds."
"Like I would help you!" Tails growled.
"All right, have it your way." Rodrigo grinned wickedly.
And before he could realize what had occurred, Tails was send flying across the plains, snapping through a deserted tree. The half-demon kitsune groaned while carefully groping the confines of the backpack he carried. As Rodrigo made the mistake of slowly approaching his opponent, the genius fox suddenly whipped his hand around to toss and handful of golden rings. Having never battled Tails before, the Babylonian crow merely swatted them away. He quickly realized his mistake when the rings exploded on contact, sending Rodrigo stumbled into a nearby watering hole. The Lunar Rogue emerged from the pond with a malevolent stare – the right side of his face was burning red.
"Ok, so the kid has a few tricks up his sleeves." Rodrigo commented nonchalantly while shaking his feathers free of moisture. "But I learn from my mistakes. I would be so easy to be fooled twice."
"Then how come you lost to Rakis?" Tails taunted.
"A wise guy, eh?" Rodrigo grimaced, thrusting out his hand. "I think it's time you learn some manners."
As one could expect, the Babylonian traitor unleashed a wave of gravity to crush the kitsune into the ground, forming a twenty meter crater. Being physically challenged, the two-tailed fox was forced into the crust of the Earth –his bone rattling from the shattering blow. Judging by the force exerted from the attack, it was a miracle that he wasn't dead.
"Can't...move..." Tails groaned.
"I'm guessing you had experience in this sort of thing." Rodrigo commented interestingly. "A lot of first timers are killed when faced with the full power of Gravity Control. Of course, you surviving from firsthand experience is amazing alone."
"Why...are you still...talking?" Tails grunted; he was somehow pushing himself to his knees. "I thought...you were going...to finish...me off."
""I would love to do that, but I love watching people squirm." Rodrigo stated pleasurably, increasing the pressure on the kitsune. "I'm not in any hurry. I can stand here all day and wait for you to die."
If there was one thing Tails had gained from the years with Sonic, its his stubbornness. Tails had so many dreams to live for: finding his family, creating his own, and creating a world safe for his friends to live in. The two-tailed kitsune was not about to allow this avian freak to ruin all his hard-earned work. And using his thirst for survival, Tails' adrenaline began pumping at an alarming rate, unintentionally activating his secret powers. Even by Rodrigo's standards, the transformation was equally as interesting as it was frightening. Tails' fur had transformed from sunny yellow to burning orange with his pupils vanishing, leaving only pool of crimson-red. The demonic fox effortlessly pushed against Rodrigo's gravity control and shattered the technique entirely with a vicious roar.
"Ok, if I wasn't scared senseless, that would be kinda cool." Rodrigo stated bluntly.
The enraged demon snapped its head at Rodrigo's voice and caught the dark avian in his sight. Sensing the danger for them the beast's gaze, Rodrigo clapped his hands together and formed a thin within his beak. But due to enhanced speed, Demon Tails effortlessly avoided the shot and raced across the plain – the beam fractured the ground. The demonic two-tails swiped his hand – his claws exposed through his ripped gloves – but Rodrigo released a pulse of gravity to push him away. The tactic would have worked against a normal opponent, but Demon Tails stabbed his namesakes into the ground, keeping him in place. In an unexpected twist, the enraged demon used his contained energies to rebound the attack and send Rodrigo flying. The Babylonian crow caught himself in midair, but was slammed to the ground when Tails appeared and smashed both fists against his skull.
"Ow, I'm going to be feeling that in a week." Rodrigo groaned. And hand gripped his neck and forced him backwards into the ground; Tails snarled menacingly. "You know, there's a great invention called mouthwash. You might want to look into it."
"Raugh!!" Tails roared.
The twin-tailed demon snapped his teeth close to the crow's head, but Rodrigo stopped him by punching the kit in the throat. Even when in demon form, the young kitsune still had his weak point. Demon Tails moved to the side and gave a coughing fit, intentionally releasing his captured prey. And before he could make up for his temporary weakness, the Babylonian traitor pressed his palm into the demon's back and released a pulse of gravity. Tails smashed through a pair of boulders and toppled into the rock fragments – his demon powers fading.
"Eh, you're not so tough." Rodrigo sniggered, picking up the children by the scruff of his neck. "Maybe if I figure out what give you those powers, I can figure out what went wrong with my experiments."
But while the battle had ended in the physical world, a new one was taking place within Tails' mind.
With soft groan, the two-tailed fox slowly sat up, rubbing the sore spot on his forehead. His first shock upon awakening was learning that he was no longer in the African plain. He was lying in a dark and cold room that appeared to have a floor flooded by a foot of water. Apprehensive, the young kitsune moved to his feet.
"Hello..." Tails called shakily; his voice echoed. "Is anyone here?"
"I am here, child."
Tails whirled around and fell backwards in fright. This was perhaps the most terrifying experience in his entire life. Crouched low to the floor with a horrifyingly malevolent grin was a massive fox with razor-sharp teeth and blood-red fur. If Tails wasn't so scared of the beast, he would have noticed the nine lashing tails in the background.
"W-who are you?" Tails stammered.
"There is no reason to be fearful, child." The fox said lowly. "I am Kyuubi no Kitsune, the father to your mother."
"My mother?" Tails repeated, sounding hopeful. "Does that mean you know where she is?"
"That all depends." Kyuubi growled.
"Depends on what?" Tails asked cautiously.
"I am calling to you from a distant land." Kyuubi explained. "I have been hindered by the humans, rendering me unable to search for my family. I have been sealed inside the body of a human child because my appearance frightened them."
"What can I do?" Tails asked hopefully.
"I have discovered that I can transfer my essence to another of my bloodline." Kyuubi stated, sounding unusually malicious. "I have been unable to make contact with your mother until I noticed your powers leaking. If I transfer my essence to you to track your mother and I will be free to roam the mountains as I did in days long past."
"I don't know." Tails said uncertainly.
"I cannot only find your mother, but I can save you." Kyuubi tempted. "I have noticed you struggling to defeat your opponent. Give your spirit to me and I can protect your loved ones. Allow me into your heart and I will save you from your pain."
"I...I...uh..." Tails murmured unconsciously.
The longer Tails stared into his grandfather's eyes, the more he began to realize the truth in his words. With the power of the legendary Nine-Tailed Fox, he was becomes something even Nazo feared: a god. But as the naïve kitsune reached out to touch the demon, he was suddenly pulled back by the scruff of his neck. Kyuubi snarled furiously – his eye narrowed in rage.
"YOU!!" Kyuubi roared.
"I think we've had enough of you." An elderly voice said softly.
Out of the corner of his eye, Tails could see a grey hand covered in a fingerless black glove being raised to the fox demon. A moment later, Kyuubi was forcefully expelled from Tails' in a wisp of red energy. As he was placed back onto the wet floor, the young kitsune quickly turned backwards on his heels. He was confronted by a youthful grey fox that seemed surprisingly familiar to Tails, but his eyes revealed intelligence far beyond his age. While the half-demon fox staggered in fright, the elder man placed a gentle hand on his shoulder – all fear disappeared completely.
"You know, I always feared something like this would happen." The man stated calmly. "After meeting him the first time, I had hoped I would never see Kyuubi again." He placed a hand on Tails' head. "But there is one benefit to his return: I got to see how my son had grown up."
"Your son?!" Tails exclaimed in surprise. "But then you are..."
"That's right." The man nodded happily. "I am your father: Master Nyrox. I am pleased to see that you are well, Kyuta."
"Kyuta?" Tails repeated.
"That was the name you were born with." Nyrox smiled, ruffling his son's bangs. "It was your mother, Kyira, who named you. She knew you would eventually carry on the legacy of the Kitsunes. Of course, I had hoped your would gain control of it."
"Then that thing really was my grandpa." Tails said sadly. "Then that means I'm..."
"You're only half-demon." Nyrox answered. "While your mother was pure-blooded, I was a mortal. Naturally, your grandfather was very upset by Kyira's choice in a mate. But my power and knowledge was too great for him and he had no choice but to accept me as a member of his clan." He chuckled lightly. "Of course, I did stand out because of my lack of tails."
"You mean these things are natural." Tails asked, showing off his namesake.
"It is for the demon clan." Nyrox nodded. "As a fox demon grows, he inherits more tails as his strength increases. But at your age, there is a sign of concern. Under natural circumstances, a kitsune should have three tails at your age."
"I kinda use my brain instead of my brawn." Tails said sheepishly. Suddenly, he turned serious as a thought occurred in his mind. "But I do want to know one thing: where have you and mom been all this time?"
"It hasn't been an easy time, Kyuta." Nyrox said mournfully. "People were prejudice against the demons and forced them back into the Myoto Mountains, their only sanctuary. They only feared the nine Tailed-Demons. The people hated your mother for being the daughter of Kyuubi. And by the time you were born, they finally took action."
"What happened?" Tails asked sorrowfully.
"The humans called in their military to attack our home." Nyrox continued. "Your mother and I were easily able to repel them, but one small mistake ended up in the loss of our home. We searched the wreckage, but we found no trace of you. My only guess is that you somehow activated your demonic powers to escape. Naturally, Kyira was furious and slaughtered the soldiers without remorse. After realizing the danger, Kyira thought it was best if we went our separate ways."
"All this time..." Tails chocked; tears escaping from his eyes. "I wanted to know who my family was and no one ever told me that they were forced apart because of something we have no control over."
"It isn't over just yet, Kyuta." Nyrox said softly. "Kyira is looking for you and I am also search with your sibling. One day, we shall be reunited again." He embraced his child. "I will not rest until I meet you in the physical world."
"Promise?" Tails asked childishly.
"With all my heart." Nyrox answered.
Tails couldn't resist smiling at his father and wiped away the tears from his eyes. As the room began to fade, Tails called out to his father one last time.
"One question: is this real or is it all in my head?"
"Of course it's in your head." Nyrox laughed. "But that doesn't make it any less real."
The scene returns to the African plain, only a few seconds after Rodrigo's apparent victory over the kitsune. The Babylonian crow was tracing the fox's throat with his fingers when he noticed something unusual about the child. The same aura from the previous fight had returned, but it was no longer forcing its way into Tails' body. Instead, it formed a protective coat within his fur, transforming it into a scarlet-red color. Just from the touch of the half-demon kitsune, Rodrigo could feel his hand burning and reluctantly withdrew it. Big mistake. Before he even touched the ground, Tails snapped his head up and drilled a powerful jab into Rodrigo's cheek. The Lunar Rogue skidded backwards on his feet, wiping away the blood leaking from his maw.
"What the hell?!" Rodrigo exclaimed. "I had you, brat! Who the hell do you think you are?!"
"Wow, and you're supposed to be a genius." Tails chuckled menacingly.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Rodrigo growled.
"Perhaps I should refresh your memory." Tails grinned deviously. "I am Kyuta Kitsune, Heir of the Nine-Tailed Fox!!"
Rodrigo's eyes nearly bugled out of their socket, but not from Tails' proclamation. Like a cell, something began to separate from one of the child's tails until ripping apart with a nasty squelch. Against all logic, Tails had inherited a third tail.
"Ok, now that's just wrong." Rodrigo commented.
Of course, that proved to be the last statement he could make in a while. The demonic kitsune, now in full possession of his powers, crawled on all fours and scampered towards the dark avian. Rodrigo released a pulse wave of gravity to crush the fox, but the energies around his body easily shattered the attack. He jumped into the air as Tails swung one of his menacing claws, but was shortly followed behind and felt a sickening crack in his leg. He looked down to find Tails strangling the blood out of his leg and fired a beam from his mouth aimed directly for the demon's forehead. The beam was not able to pierce Tails' skull, but it did manage free Rodrigo's legs. The half-demon kitsune landed on the ground with a thunderous thud, glaring into the sky.
"Ok, no one said anything about demons." Rodrigo complained.
"What's the matter?!" Tails called tauntingly. "The little birdy scared?!"
"That might work on someone like Tomo and Nack." Rodrigo stated pointedly. "But I am not s easily fooled."
"I guess you have a point." Tails nodded. "You would have to be pretty stupid to fall for insults."
"Exactly." Rodrigo agreed.
"But you are stupid enough to stand still!" Tails grinned.
"Say wha?" Rodrigo questioned confused.
The demonic kitsune reeled back his hand, gathered a large amount of energy, and thrusted it forward. This only proved his demonic relation as the energy reshaped itself in the form of a menacing claw. Rodrigo was caught off guard by this unusual entity and was grappled in midair before being forced to the ground. The Babylonian traitor crashed into the Earth with a large mound of dust forming in his wake. Because of his enhanced vision, Tails could see a few wisps of darkness escaping – Rodrigo had escaped. With the threat passed, the three-tailed fox returned to his regular color and fell backwards in exhaustion, smiling happily.
"Sonic is never going to believe this." Tails whispered.
He fell to sleep.
Meanwhile, the scene alternates to a far-off region somewhere in the mountains of Russia. Xenot as seated against the makeshift fire, trying to stave off the brutal cold. He may have worn a protective suit, but that did not stop the atmosphere from affecting him. A few short moments later, Nyrox returned and took a seat next to his apprentice – the fire crackled lively in his presence.
"What took you so long?" Xenot asked shakily.
"I could feel the Nine-Tailed Fox making another chance to escape." Nyrox explained. "He tried to free himself by using your brother as a vessel. With Kyuta in his possession, he would be able to regain his true form."
"Is Kyuta all right?" Xenot asked apprehensively.
"There is no need to worry." Nyrox waved. "I managed to form a barrier around your brother's mind before leaving. I don't think Kyuubi will make another attempt anytime soon."
"Do you think we will ever see each other?" Xenot asked hopefully.
"We will, my child." Nyrox stated certainly. "You just need to have faith."
The bond between loved ones can never be broken. Will Tails learn to master his newfound powers? Will the Kyuubi make another attempt for freedom? And will the broken family be reunited? Find out on the next Sonic Heroes!
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