"Get outta the way before I make you." Sonic snapped, taking a step towards the armoured Moebian. "Fiona's coming back with us. Either you let her go, or I stomp you into the ground and we take her back ourselves. What's it gonna be?"
"You're welcome to try, hedgehog. You outnumber me, but you're still outmatched." Miles didn't move, a feral grin crossing his features.
Tails stepped up beside his friend. "We came to kill Scourge and take back Fiona, but you're getting in our way. Move and no-one else will be hurt." His hand came up a few inches and snapped open, revealing the pale green orb of chaos energy resting there.
"Then you'd better make that shot count, brother. You won't get a second try."
"Your funeral." Tails sighed, and lobbed the chaos spear towards Miles. For a moment, no-one moved, as the spear lengthened and flared with power, crossing the distance between the Freedom Fighters and the armoured kitsune.
Then he surged into motion, breaking into a run and slashing the blade across in front of him in a vertical slice, meeting the chaos spear edge-on. There was a bright flash and the spear exploded against the dark metal, and Miles disappeared into the blazing light...and charged out of the other side, the blade completing the arc, twisting and coming back across in a reverse stroke, stopping dead against Tails' namesakes, brought up in an instinctive reaction.
But even they weren't foolproof. He felt his own defences wavering unexpectedly and jumped, planting both feet against Miles' chest plate and kicking off, placing a few feet between the two of them.
"Morganite." Tails spat. "Nice touch." He could almost laugh. So close; he wouldn't be stopped now.
"I thought you might like it. Want to try again?"
"I don't exactly have a choice, do I?"
"Well, you could always just turn around and give up your futile quest."
"We both know that I'm not going to do that."
"In that case, en guarde, brother."
"Hang on." Sally cut in. "We can handle this fight. Tails, go and rescue Fiona."
"You sure? He's not Scourge." Tails shook his head. Fiona was important, but he couldn't let his friends get hurt for him.
"Just go. There's six of us and one of him. We can handle this."
"Just don't get anyone killed." He sighed, taking to the sky with a quick jump, his namesakes taking over and lifting him higher. "Oh, almost forgot." He whispered to himself, stretching his hand outwards to the ground below him. As if reacting to his presence and need, the synthetics laying discarded by Scourge lighting up brightly and lifting from the ground, taking off towards him, honing in and disappearing into him. He was prepared.
In reaction to this, Miles rolled his eyes, and jumped upwards. As he did so, a pair of rocket engines on the backs of his legs activated, and began to carry him after his counterpart. Unfortunately for him, something slammed heavily into his back, and sent him spinning into the dirt. Instinctively, he killed the engines, before standing up, to see Sonic landing in front of him.
"Look, I'd love to stay and grind all of your heads into the forest floor, but frankly, this battle just became not only time-consuming, but also senseless." The fox said, brushing himself off. "If you're lucky, you might see my brother again. If not, my apologies in advance."
Miles' body began to glow, but Sonic rushed forward, and knocked him down again. As he tried to stand, he was hit by a blast of energy, not Chaos, but something else, and then something heavy and blunt thudded against his chest-plate, sending him flying into a tree.
"It would appear that you are as stubborn as he is... I will have to enlighten you on the futility of this situation. I have spent my life among your counterparts, I know exactly how you fight. Sonic, you are reliant on your powers to deal any damage. Princess, while you don't use your sword as much as Alicia, nor do you use a whip at all, but I know that you have spent a lot of time cooped up in your palace, unable to keep yourself as finely-honed as your friends. Rabbot, your cannon might not use Chaos Energy, but it is still an energy weapon, and so my blade still nullifies it. D'Coolette, I have had as much training with sword as to defeat your counterpart in single combat, you stand no chance. Walrus, you rely and your muscle mass and weight to do damage. I am too agile, and, as will also apply to Miss Rose, my armour renders blunt force ineffective."
"Sorry pal, but you can't deflect anything you can't see coming." Sonic grinned. "And you've only got two eyes, for six of us."
Miles brought himself slowly to his feet, his neck clicking painfully. "Well well, I'll give you that; good hit, you might have chipped my collarbone. Now, I do apologise for my brother's sake, but this is going to hurt." And he charged again, the sword trailing behind him, still gripped but almost as if forgotten.
Sonic disappeared in a blur, Sally and Bunnie moving to fill the gap, Antoine and Amy flanking him on either side. Rotor moved up behind the two ladies, to provide support as needed, support that looked all-too necessary as Miles closed the gap.
An instant before they clashed he stopped on one foot, his continued momentum pivoting on the spot. The sword lashed out as he turned, drawing a thin shower of sparks his blade met Antoine's, the force of impact shoving the veteran swordsman back as Miles completed the turn. He locked blades with Sally, staring into her eyes over the struggle between them. Bunnie stepped into help, her augmented strength in her metal arm more than a match for his own muscle. Manipulating his own tails masterfully they twisted around his side, meeting her outstretched fist with a heavy thump, anarchy-hardened appendages vying for control against a mechanical one.
Without turning to look he lifted one leg, kicking it backwards and firing the jet housed there. A plume of blue fire jetted out, shoving him forward past the two girls, the fire lashing across Sonic's face and sending him staggering sideways past his comrades. Rotor barred his path and met his charge with force, blunt and brutal. The force of the impact flagged up several stress fractures within Miles' armour, and left the unfortunate kitsune in a bear-hug.
Until a foot-long shard of concentrated anarchy energy burst from his armour and through Rotor's arm. The walrus growled in pain and released Miles, clamping his good paw over the wound, trying to stem the flow.
"No, I can't see where you all are, Sonic. That's what proximity detectors are for." Miles snarled as the hedgehog finally recovered from the burn, an angry red mark across his face marking where the flames had scorched the skin. "You can't win." He added, pivoting almost lazily and clashing blades with Antoine once again. They came apart and struck again, Miles leading with long, driving slashes, sidestepping Antoine's fencing thrusts. He had to admit, Antoine was fast, but against someone wearing a suit that enhanced his own reflexes, that amounted to very little.
Moments later the coyote overstretched himself and lunged a little too far, and a swift riposte from the kitsune seared a line of blood across the back of his sword hand. Antoine swore expertly and released the blade, and Miles kicked it from the ground into his own hand before smacking the back of his foe's cranium with the pommel of his own blade. The impact would not kill him, but it stunned him enough to put him out of the fight.
His proximity alarm whistled again and he threw the morganite up to parry Sally's strike as she came in to protect Antoine, and he simply kept his blade moving, up and to the side, placing her blade out of the way for him to crack his gauntlet against her temples, dazing her and leaving her head ringing with pain, her likeness to Alicia having saved her life at that moment.
The only one he hadn't fought was…Amy.
That moment of prescience game him enough time to roll aside as the hammer slammed into the ground, a low-skill but powerful weapon that could potentially cause severe damage to his armour. Thankfully, he reminded himself, that the wielder only possessed just about enough skill to use it with any sort of effectiveness.
Before the hedgehog-girl could lift the cumbersome weapon again he spun round the giant head and brought his foot down on the handle, his additional weight giving her no power with the weapon. Seconds later his arm came round her neck and lifted her off the ground, the morganite blade pressed to her throat.
"Now, forgive me if I'm wrong, but you don't sacrifice your team members, correct?" Miles grinned, baring his fangs at the terrified girl he held. "I must admit, this little tarry has been enjoyable, but I have engagements elsewhere, so I must excuse myself. I apologise, I really do."
The jets on his legs fired, lifting him into the air above the group, and then he dropped Amy to the ground gracelessly. "I suggest you tend to those two." He muttered, gesturing to the dazed Sally and Antoine. "The squirrel will live, though that headache will stay for some time, but I may have dislocated some of the coyote's vertebrae."
With that, Miles vanished in a flash of purple, as Sonic ran over to his injured friends.
"Okay, I'm not too skilled with Chaos Heal... but I can manage these." He said. "Hang on, Sal, Ant." He said, cerulean fire surrounding his hands. He placed them over the injured areas, and, after a few seconds, stopped, the bruises fading away. That done, he picked Sally up, and Bunnie did the same with Antoine.
"I see that what Tails said about you still pining was true." Amy mused, rubbing her throat.
"A little, but first, we should focus on catching up with Tails, before Miles can do that to him as well."
"Yeah, that li'l varmint packed a punch. Hopefully he won't be so lucky against his own moves."
"Tails doesn't have a sword. Rotor pointed out, pulling out a needle, and sticking it into his injured arm. A few seconds later, the flesh around his wound began to knit back together. "And even if he did, he doesn't have any experience using one in actual combat. He's a quick learner, but Miles is playing for keeps, literally."
"True." Amy said. "And if Tails is this determined to rescue Fiona, he'll get himself killed before he gives up."
"Which is exactly why we have to go." Sonic said, as they began to move in the direction they had seen Miles go. "By the way, Rote, what was in that syringe?"
"Nanites taken from the Nanite City that ADAM created. We've been doing experiments on them, since they were so useful for him."
"Comfy?" Alicia whispered into Fiona's ear. They were now back in the throne room, and Fiona's clothes had been replaced- she was now clad in a dress that looked a lot like one of Anima's, but it was shorter, and her boots had been replaced with white pumps. Apparently, the change was because her other clothes were sweaty, since she had been 'so stressed out by Scourge.' For some reason, she didn't quite believe that.
"Yeah." She nodded. She had to admit to herself that the dress was very soft, and the shoes weren't as hot as her boots were.
"Good."
"Where did Miles go? Shouldn't he have been back by now?"
"I should imagine that he took the opportunity to kill Scourge. More wine?"
"No thanks. I shouldn't really be drinking yet."
"I'm queen, and I say you can drink what you like, no matter the age."
"Still, I've had alcohol before, and I can't really hold my drink at all. If I have another glass, it won't do me any good."
"Suit yourself." Alicia shrugged, and began to gently stroke her back.
However, soon, the sounds of battle began to echo through the corridors, and the doors exploded inwards, ripped off their hinges. Two Moebian guards came flying through the open entrance, and crashed to the ground near the throne, unconscious. Then he appeared, floating through the gap, crimson flames blazing around his body. He walked unflinchingly towards both girls, allowing his aura to fade once he realised that there were no more guards inside the throne room. Fiona smiled slightly, but felt Alicia tense up, and saw her reach towards her black-bladed sword.
"Hold on." Tails said. "I don't want to fight you."
"So you made a mess of my castle, blew up my doors and flattened my guards because...?"
"Let me finish." His voice was sharper, firmer this time. "I'm tired of all this bloodshed. I just came for Fiona. To take her home."
"I'm afraid that won't be happening." Alicia said. Fiona's eyes widened slightly, and she looked up at the queen. "Maybe Miles didn't tell you this, but here, Fiona Fox does not exist. No birth certificate, no records, nothing. She's just lucky that she fell into the lap of someone who will take care of her. We will keep her safe, we will trust her, more than your little team will, and maybe we'll let you visit from time to time, but she is staying with me."
"I think you misheard me." Tails growled, the aura reappearing. "I said I didn't want to fight you, not that I wouldn't. Furthermore, you surprised her when you said that. Fiona, what do you want?"
"I... I-I w-want to... to..."
Fiona was cut off by the sound of Miles warping in, a pair of blades in his outstretched hands, standing between Tails and the throne. She gasped, as he stood up to his full height, and looked over his shoulder. Alicia gave him a reassuring nod and a smile, and he turned back to face Tails.
"How did you beat all of the others?" Tails demanded.
"I didn't. I knocked out Alicia and Patch's counterparts, and may have damaged the hand of Boomer's, but they'll live. However, I had to teleport back here, or you would have gotten too far. Here, take this." Miles explained, throwing the sword into the ground at Tails' feet. "There's no satisfaction in defeating or killing you on an uneven standing."
"You didn't offer the same to Scourge, you just stabbed him in the back."
Miles laughed.
"The difference there, brother, is that you are a worthy opponent. Scourge was a worthless peon, a hateful, pathetic excuse for a life form. That was not the slaying of a worthy for. That was a mercy killing of a sick feral."
"So your idea of a fair battle with a worthy opponent is a form of combat that said opponent has no experience with, with a weapon he has no defence against, while you wear power armour and he doesn't?" Tails prodded, picking up the sword, testing it in one hand. It was familiar.
"I've deactivated all of this suit's systems aside from the ones that allow me to move while wearing it. No motion sensors or strength enhancers. And besides, if you're playing hero, then I get to play villain a little."
"Taking hostages, hurting two of my teammates and wounding a third, and stealing. You're already playing the villain suitably well without lying."
"Would you prefer the same treatment as Scourge? This is the fairest you will get." Miles growled – he was growing tired of this jibing.
"Then I guess I'll take my chances." Tails snapped out, stepping forward and breaking the impasse. His namesakes spun and he charged, swinging the blade up, over his head, and down towards the Moebian kitsune. There was little to no method in his attack, simply striking with brute force and hoping to pick up a few tricks along the way.
Miles didn't even tense as he reacted, flicking his own blade up. He knew the strength behind the attack and made no attempt to parry, rather as he felt the keening whistle of metal on metal he sidestepped, twisting the morganite blade in the opposite direction.
It did what he wanted. Tails, still adapting to his new body and a blade he had never used, stumbled to the side as his own momentum and the offset from being pushed away caught up with him.
Tails was no master of blades, but his skill in hand-to-hand combat saved him, battle-honed instinct spinning him on his heels the moment he passed Miles, his blade clashing loudly with that of his opponent, who had gone on the offensive. Swift jabs and cuts followed, Tails' skin spared only by supernatural reflexes and more than a little effort.
A thin, brief smirk passed the kitsune's lips as he saw his first advantage just a moment later. A barely-noticeable line of sweat cresting Miles' brow. He was tired, or at least a little fatigued. True to his word he had disengaged the suit's extra functions, but he had only moments ago fought the Freedom Fighters, and despite his continued use of the suit's servos to move, it still weighed upon him – gravity still took its toll. Tails was out of his comfort zone, but he was unencumbered and had been relying on his chaos powers to get him through the palace, so was relatively fresh.
Eventually through this seemingly-endless tirade of blows they came to a halt, blades locked and twisting, the two watching the eyes of the other, seeing who would break first.
Tails faltered first, apparently, twisting sideways in what appeared to be an attempt to break off from the contest of strengths, and Miles followed after him…and collapsed on the floor. He searched for a moment and found the culprit – a jagged spike of chaos energy jammed into the ground inches from his foot. He almost laughed at the irony, pulling himself to his feet.
"You've forgotten one thing about me, Miles." Tails taunted his foe from the relative safety of a few feet away.
"And what is that?"
"Before we came to Moebius, I ripped the chaos energy out of Scourge, and was set to torture him brutally to death. I have to admit, I was enjoying it, and I know you would have too. We're the same, as you well know, so if you're going to play the villain, don't expect me to play fair as well. I'm all for law and order, but I don't always play by the rules." Then he disappeared.
Miles felt a flicker in his stomach, the inkling of an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time. Was Tails playing with him?
Instinct took over and spun him, cutting the morganite sword out in a lethal arc, bisecting the shimmering chaos doppelganger in half, the image exploding as if built of glass fragments. A trick. An illusion, to set him on edge. To get him jumping at shadows…where was he…
"Miles!" Alicia's cry of warning to him, her attempt at aiding him in this already unfair battle, came a split second too late. He saw her eyes widen and begun to turn, but without the reflex booster active in his suit he moved just a little too slowly and white light and pain suddenly fogged his vision, the nerves of his arm on fire with agony. The lower half of his arm went numb, and he heard something splash onto the ground through the sudden pain fogging his vision.
"No…" He snarled, realising his error. He saw his mistake. He'd underestimated his opponent.
Now he didn't have an arm.