A/N: Hey everybody. Sorry this took so long to come out but I've lost a bit of the spark for this story. DOn't worry, I will be finishing it but updates might be a bit infrequent. I'll try my hardest but for right now all my interest and energy has been going into my other story, SHEL and it seems that my readers seem to enjoy that more as it gets more feedback and I have more interaction over that story. But don't worry, I promise that you won't have to go more than a month (Sorry again about that) without an update (hopefully). Well... atleast until late june when I go on my travels and will be unable to write anything. Either way, enough rambling, please enjoy!

Chapter 14

The tale of two sisters

Darkness. Shadows snuffing out the light and enveloping every corner of the dank confines of the decrepit dungeon. The cold, damp air wrapped around her like a noose, choking out the hope and broadening the void inside her. The absence of the flickering flames of torches that usually lined the cobblestone walls gave the impression of twilight despite the sun blazing high in the sky above the crumbling, weather-warped castle exterior.

Water dripped from the roof, soaking the damp stones and the sound of the incessant water droplets echoed through the desolate dungeon. Moss clung to the walls like the shaggy beard of an old man, growing and snaking its way through the cracks in the stone. Fiona wrapped her hands around the iron bars, her knuckles white as she heaved to no avail. The sounds of footsteps descending the spiral staircase alerted her to the presence of another. After seeing or hearing nobody for days, the sudden intrusion startled her.

"Well, well. Looks like you're still alive after all," the snarky bat announced as she pushed a plate of food through the gap in the bars, watching in disgust as Fiona demolished the food in an instant. Fiona glanced up from her meal, barely acknowledging Rouge's existence before going back to her food, crouched over on the ground shoveling the rice into her mouth with her hands like a feral animal.

"So, now that you're all full, maybe you and I could have a little bit of a chat," Rouge began, leaning up against the bars. Fiona took her opportunity, lashing out with a guttural growl and grabbing at the jail keeper. Fiona's nails sunk into Rouge's soft skin, drawing blood. The crimson liquid oozed out of her cut, trickling down her arm. Rouge let out a howl, recoiling and stumbling backwards, cursing aloud.

"You bitch," Rouge growled, clutching at her scar. "To think I waisted food on you."

"Get away from me," Fiona warned darkly.

"Chaos-damn this. I don't need to deal with this," Rouge lamented to herself. "I was a school teacher for chaos sake. An educator, not a jailer. I taught kids, not take orders from one of my student's fathers with an inferiority complex."

"Seems to me you might be on the wrong side of this war," Fiona began, seizing the opportunity.

"Don't think that because I disagree with my Lord's methods, I'd betray Mobius," Rouge stood steadfast to her beliefs. "Chaos may have chosen a poor candidate to spread his word but Vector was chosen and so I shall follow, just as we did for his previous acolyte, Big and my ancestors did to Large before him," Rouge concluded. "He will lead us against the Solaris worshipers of the world. He will deliver us from evil, regardless of his methods."

"Great, you're just as crazy as the rest of them," Fiona rolled her eyes sardonically.

"You know, I pity you."

"Pity me? Ha, that's a laugh," Fiona snorted.

"No really, I do. You have this ill-conceived notion that you're the good guy. This idea that if you win the war then somehow that makes this all worth it. That if you slaughter and kill all of us, that will somehow be okay. But in reality, we are fighting for a cause. All the innocent, and not-so innocent lives that are being lost will all be judged by Chaos and the ones who remain will be able to build a new utopia in his image. Whereas you are running around without a cause. Killing for nothing. So really, what's the difference between what you are doing, and murder because last time I checked, even though you don't believe in Chaos' bounty, you don't believe in murder."

"I…I…" Fiona murmured, unable to think of a response.

"So, who really are the bad guys?" Rouge asked with a smirk.

"We didn't start this."

"Hmm?"

"Mobians crossed our boarders. Big killed our generals. Vector invaded our lands. We are retaliating, killing in self-defense. You are the authoritarian murderers. What kind of God would allow that?" Fiona challenged.

"The kind who sent a flood to cleanse the earth. The kind who rewards the faithful and punishes the sinners. You are the earth, and we are the flood. It just so happens that Vector is Noah," Rouge concluded.

"You're deranged. Wave will never give up. You haven't won yet," Fiona retaliated.

"So you think. By the way, I just want to inform you that Shadow has taken the capital. Aves has fallen and we now control two of the five communities."

"Hmph, Wave isn't defeated yet."

"If only that were true," Rouge tutted.

"What do you mean," Fiona raised an eyebrow, doubt evident in her voice.

"While it is true that your commander wasn't in the capital when we invaded, it wasn't hard to deduce where she went. Without an armed force or a capital, what would I do? As a wise man once said, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Razor or Earthia… I wonder."

"How… how did you know? Nobody knew of our last resort plan," Fiona growled.

"I didn't know. I had a theory, but it was only proven thanks to your response," Rouge said victoriously, a wide smirk crossing her face.

"But-"

"I was a school teacher before this. I know how to get the truth out of people, just like I knew how to get the truth out of my students. Don't flatter yourself Miss Fox, you aren't that hard to read. It's still not too late. Chaos' light shines on us all, just let it enter you and accept his bounty," Rouge urged. "Save your soul."

"My soul is beyond saving, but at least it's not as black as yours," Fiona said gravely.

"Suit yourself," Rouge lowered her gaze as she retreated up the stairs, leaving the frazzled fox to herself and her thoughts.

Blaze stared at her reflection in the murky waters. The face that looked back was almost unrecognizable. It was her face, for sure but something seemed off. Something was different. The usual spark in her eyes or the radiance of her skin were gone. Only sadness enveloped her features. She was torn and didn't know what to do. Ever since she saw Knuckles kiss Tikal everything seemed wrong. Sure, those two had dated for years back when they were all in school, before this world forced them all to grow up far too fast and mature beyond their years, but that was in a world long since gone. They had changed. She thought Knuckles had changed. She thought they had something, but it seemed Tikal had ignited the old spark and his love for her was snuffing out the love he felt for Blaze.

She couldn't fight it. She was done fighting. Fighting to keep Sonic and Tails' secret. Fighting off the crowds of her friends and family to save Sonic and Tails, watching the love of her life perish in the process. Fighting to build a new life, only to see it ripped apart by an apocalyptic typhoon. Fighting against the Leviathan. Fighting against Earthia and her troops. Fighting the whole war against Mobius and now fighting against Tikal and her advances on Knuckles. Her whole life was just one futile battle after another and it had taken a visible toll.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" A deep voice stirred beside her. Blaze whipped her head around to see Knuckles standing beside her. A smile was plastered on his lips but it was weak, lacking true emotion. He was smiling for her, not for himself.

"Sure, it's a free country," Blaze shrugged.

"If only that were true," he lamented aloud as he too stared at the water and not only at his own reflection, but Blaze's sitting next to him. For a few moments, they sat in silence until Knuckles finally spoke up. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Blaze asked, her mind drifting and eyes glazing at the still waters.

"Sorry about Tikal."

"Sorry for kissing her, or sorry that I had to see it," she replied somewhat bitterly.

"Blaze please, don't do this," Knuckles begged, his voice shaky. She wanted to hold a grudge, to stay bitter but she couldn't. She could see it on his face. The sleepless nights. It was taking its toll on him. Not just this war and not just him witnessing a suicide attempt but his decision to choose between Blaze or Tikal.

"Sorry," she exhaled loudly. "It's just… do you still love me? Did you ever really love me?"

"Blaze, are you serious?" Knuckles asked flabbergasted.

"You don't have to be so rude about it," she stood up to leave but was stopped by a muscled arm shooting out to grab her frail wrist. Knuckles held her in place, staring into her watering eyes. Blaze wanted to stay strong. She didn't want to appear weak but she couldn't help it. She couldn't help losing somebody she loved… again.

"No, that's not what I meant. I mean, are you serious that you thought I didn't love you?" Knuckles said sincerely.

"But you and Tikal…"

"Yes," Knuckles sighed. "I still have feelings for her. How could I not? She was my first love. She was always by my side, always stood up for me when the rest of you condemned me for my stupidity. Through all those years, she was the only one who looked past my intellect and saw the person I truly was. The person I've now become."

"Knuckles, you aren't stupid. You're one of the most mature and smart people I know. I saw it, on the island and-"

"Exactly, Blaze. On the island, where academics were meaningless. In a classroom, I was an idiot but in the real world I could handle myself. But Tikal saw that side of me from the beginning when everybody, even you, didn't."

"Well… if that's how you feel," Blaze sniffed, trying to keep her composure. "Then I hope you are happy with Tikal."

"Blaze… it's not that simple," Knuckles sighed again.

"Knuckles please… don't make this any harder than it has to be."

"But it is hard! I can't just leave you. Blaze… I… I l-"

"Don't," she interrupted him. He looked to her, hurt filling his eyes. "Don't say it unless you mean it. Just… please. Figure it out, Knuckles. Sort yourself out first before bringing me… or Tikal, into it. Until then, I'm going to go check on Tails. Chaos knows he needs us now more than you or I need each other." With that, Blaze stood and retreated into the large mess of branches and wood, leaving Knuckles to stare absently into his reflection. He let out a pained, frustrated moan as he slammed his fist into the water, waves rippling the image, distorting it until it wasn't visible any longer.

Blaze grew steadily more worried as she walked further and further into the house, stopping when she was just outside the room that she was first seen in when Earthia welcomed them into her private grotto.

"We need to do this now!" A younger voice urged, raspy and broken as if it pained the speaker to talk.

"I agree," a more controlled and composed yet equally angry voice added.

"Please, there is no time for this. Mother is dead, can we not take a day to mourn her death?" a third, weaker and more peaceful voice contradicted pleadingly. Blaze didn't want to intrude but curiosity got the better of her. She creaked the door open a slit, peering through to see the figures of three people standing around the circular table. Cosmo and Galaxia, the two sisters, at either end and Tails sitting between him.

Blaze had to stifle a gasp as she laid her eyes on him. His eyes were red, several black bags hung low underneath his eyelids like cement blocks, dragging his face downwards. His forehead was wrinkled and his face in a constant frown. His shoulders drooped forward and the only emotion that could be seen on his face was that of frustration.

"Cosmo, please, this needs to be done. Vector is the reason this all happened. The reason this war began. The reason Sonic is acting this way and the reason Earthia is-" Tails urged.

"Please don't say it. Just… please," Cosmo interrupted.

"Cosmo, you can't keep pretending this didn't happen," Galaxia countered angrily. "You can't shield yourself in this protective bubble."

"Why not," Cosmo crossed her arms over her chest childishly."

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

"Why do you have to be so controlling?"

"Why can't you see what's really going on? Why can't you see that this is what needs to be done."

"Violence is never the answer. Mother would have never allowed it," Cosmo protested, remaining stagnant to the issue.

"Mother is dead!" Galaxia shouted, raising her arms above her head. Galaxia threw her hands over her mouth after realizing how Cosmo cowered away. "I'm sorry," she lowered her voice. "But you can't let her protect you anymore. She can't. You and I are leaders now. We've lost almost our entire battalion but we still have thousands of innocent people who need our help. We can't give up on them now."

"I'm not giving up on them," Cosmo continued. "But we can't just send the rest of our men to their deaths."

"If we don't then the Mobians will just march right in here and take our land by force," Galaxia argued. "Tell her, Tails."

"Tails, please," Cosmo turned to the fox. The two had grown quite close before the eventful battle against Vapos and Cosmo had done a horrendous job at hiding her obvious feelings towards him. She stared into his eyes pleadingly. "My priority is to my people and keeping them safe. This is a suicide mission. We can't spare any more troops."

"Sorry Cosmo but I agree with Galaxia," Tails said dryly, emotionlessly.

"Tails I-"

"Peace can be achieved if we all head into the heart of Mobius and kill Vector," Tails said with determination. His heart ached, his chest was always tight and a dreary sadness had enveloped him. The only thing that kept him going was the thought of ending this war. The thought of killing Vector and showing Sonic that his thoughts were misplaced. He needed this, no matter what Cosmo thought. He couldn't let anything get in his way.

Cosmo's eyes flitted from Tails to Galaxia, darting between the two. She knew with her heart and her mind that an attack would only end in disaster. She knew that peace could still be achieved, despite what he sister and Tails thought. She had to show dominance and take authority like her mother always taught her. She couldn't be weak. Not now, when all her people are counting on her.

"No."

"What did you say," Galaxia asked, narrowing her eyes.

"No. This is not what mother would have wanted."

"Mother would want us to survive. To thrive!"

"And we can't do this if we just sit here and hide. Don't be spineless, Cosmo. This is why Earthia was going to put me in charge after she stepped down," Galaxia growled.

"Actually… she wasn't," Cosmo sighed.

"What are you getting at?"

"Mother told me to promise not to tell you and let her do it when the time was right but since she… she… anyway, she said she was going to make me the ruler."

"What? Why? That makes no sense. You are younger, less experienced and more fragile," Galaxia countered indignantly.

"Exactly. I'm more fragile, but I'm not fragile at all. You are just too explosive. You're rash, always doing first and thinking secondly. You are a brave general but that kind of behavior is poison for a community as a whole. One must think of everybody before making a decision, not just for themselves and mother thought I would be best for this."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing."

"And as such I am putting my foot down. Nobody is invading Mobius. We will go on the defense."

"Cosmo, please," Tails piped up, finally finding his voice after shrinking to the raging debate between the two sisters. "I can't stay here. I… I won't. Knuckles, Blaze, Tikal and I are going and you can't stop us."

"Tails I…" Cosmo began to argue but stopped herself, exhaling calmly. "I know. And I won't stop you. You are not my prisoner. I wish you would stay and let me protect you but I understand that this is important to you."

"Thank you," Tails nodded. "Thank you for everything you and your family have done for me and my friends. We won't forget this hospitality and helpfulness." With that, Tails turned and shuffled towards the door.

"Wait," Galaxia raised her voice, ignoring the stare she received. "Tails, I will go with you. I can't sit around and do nothing."

"Galaxia I-"

"You what, sis? You can't stop me. If what Tails says is true, mother would still be alive if it wasn't for Vector. If he is responsible for her death, I will avenge her."

"No, you won't," Cosmo challenged. "As your ruler, I forbid it!"

"You forbid it? What happened to you? What happened to my little sister who always had my back despite our arguments?"

"She had to grow up. As soon as the bombs dropped," Cosmo replied gravely.

"Well I guess my sister is gone."

"No, she is still here, just older and more mature. Galaxia, please… I can't do this alone."

"Seems you're doing fine on your own," Galaxia ignored her, storming towards the door brashly.

"Galaxia please. Don't do this, I'm your sister," Cosmo begged.

"You're not my sister anymore. She is gone. But by killing Vector and ending this war, I'll be able to get her back." Galaxia ignored any more pleas from Cosmo as she pushed open the door, ignoring the startled cat luring in the doorway and storming out of the house.

"Cosmo… I," Tails began but couldn't find the words.

"Looks like you got your wish," Cosmo sighed, avoiding eye contact. "You have some of my troops after all. Just go, Tails." Tails opened his mouth to speak but decided against it, dropping his head and shuffling towards the door. He placed his palm on the wood, pushing it as he looked back towards the saddened figure.

"I promise nothing will happen to her. She will return. We both will." With that, Tails let the door shut and shadows enveloped the once vibrant room that Cosmo, Galaxia and Earthia used to always inhabit.

"Hmmm, interesting," Vector mused. "That will be all, thank you, Rouge."

"Anything, sir," Rouge bowed as she turned to depart, leaving Vector to contemplate his next decision on his throne in the spacious room. The concrete evidence of Wave's plan was troubling. Vector knew that if she was able to unite the other communities together against his attack it could be the only thing to stop him. Although Vapos, Zuncon and Aves had lost the majority of their armies, he wouldn't risk the threat. He needed to snuff out the problem once and for all and accelerate his plans.

Vector called his two generals into his throne room. Shadow and Amy rushed in obediently, offering their assistance to his cause.

"Rouge has informed me that Wave is still out there and she is heading to either Vapos or Zuncon in a futile attempt to reunite nature, air and sea against us. We can't let this happen," Vector informed.

"Naturally. I will go take care of her," Shadow announced proudly. "Besides, Wave and I have some unfinished business," he added, stroking the ugly scar that Wave had left him in their last encounter.

"No."

"What?"

"I said no," Vector growled deeply. "Amy, you are to go to Vapos and make sure Wave and Razor never meet."

"Understood," Amy nodded, smirking cynically at the knowledge that she got the job Shadow desperately required.

"Lord Vector. I don't think this is wise. Amy is-" Shadow argued but was silenced by a slap across the face by the back of Vector's hand.

"I said no," Vector repeated. "I have chosen Amy for this job. I need you here, with me for now. This is what Chaos wants, unless you disagree?"

"No, lord Vector," Shadow mumbled as he took a knee graciously, pinching his skin to avoid another outburst as Amy waltzed out of the throne room. "But, my lord, if you don't mind me asking… what about if Wave heads to Zuncon and tries to talk with Earthia and her children instead of Razor?"

"Don't worry, I have somebody on the case," Vector sneered as the door to his throne room opened and a figure cloaked head to toe in black rags entered, their face shrouded in shadows.

"You require my services," the cloaked figure asked. Their presence sent shivers down Shadow's spine.

"I need you to head to Earthia's little grotto and eliminate her children before Wave can make it there to speak with them."

"Anything, my lord," the cloaked figure bowed before turning to sprint out of the room in a flash, intent on reaching its destination on time. Earthia's grotto.

A/N: There you have it. We get to see more of how Vector rose to power and just how enstilled their religion is. Rouge doesn't see herself as the bad guy. She truly believes what she is doing is right and what Fiona is doing is wrong. That was the way she raised. Vector just took that belief and is abusing it. Am I trying to show that religion is evil? Of course not (Even though I've had some angry people tell me I'm demonizing christianity.) I'm just showing how those who use religion to rise to power via fearmongering are evil (Big and Vector). I hope that dialogue between Rouge and Fiona was at least entertaining if not thought provoking :P

Knuckles and Blaze finally talk about the kiss with Tikal but it seems Blaze is finally done. She can't keep this up, and it's up to Knuckles to decide. I hope you understand more why Knuckles is having a hard choice. A lot of you hate Tikal but remember, she was Knuckles first love and they did care for eachother, even if she betrayed him and our two heroes.

And of course, the title is a parody of Dicken's famous book. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, except that none of this is 'the best' in this scenario. Sonic is absent, Tails has tried suicide, eveybody is a mess. Obviously its a tale between two sisters as the power devide between the two needs to be filled and they both have very different ideals. The shy, calculating Cosmo wants peace whilst the outspoken, rash Galaxia wants to get vengeance. They are both dealing with the loss but in very different ways. As it turns out, however, Galaxia will be joining Tails, Knuckles, Blaze and Tikal as they begin to make their way into the heart of Mobius to face Vector. However, will the mysterious cloaked figure stop them before they can leave? Yet, before that we need to go check up on everybody's favourite speedster, next time so don't forget to please leave a review to let me know what you thought.

Qotd: It's time to get the teams straight. Are you team Shadow or team Amy? Team Tikal or team Blaze? Team Cosmo or team Galaxia? Who should be Vector's #1, who should Knuckles choose and who should lead the Zuncons?

Next time on Sontails: War of Faith - Chapter 15: Murderous Mactons