"That was too easy," Sonic commented, sitting on the couch. "Also probably because you're not Mogul. Where is he?" The figure said nothing, its blue eyes boring into him. "Fine. If you don't wanna talk I can just leave you on the floor stuck in that webbing until the spell wears off in a few days."
"I serve where my master cannot tread," the figure said with a feminine voice. "What makes you think that you can trick him so easily?" Sonic leaned down until he was only a few inches from her face.
"I'm the guy Arias sent to retrieve him," he said simply and her eyes widened. "I take it that means I have your attention now. Where is he?"
"I don't know. And even if I did I couldn't tell you," she said.
"Couldn't? What do you mean?"
"I'm spellbound. I can't reveal anything my master doesn't want revealed. If Arias really did send you then you should have already known that."
"Yeah, you'd think that," Sonic muttered. "So who are you?"
"I'm unimportant, expendable in my master's grand design," she said, her voice tinged with worry. "Who I was no longer matters."
"Well I'll be damned," Eric said, walking up the staircase. "That's a voice I'd know anywhere. Fiona Marseilles, also known as 'Fiona the Fox'." The woman's silence seemed to confirm what Eric said. "While it's not Mogul it's still one helluva catch, son. And in more ways than one."
"Son?" Fiona asked staring at Sonic. "Then does that mean you're Sonic Hedgehog?" Sonic nodded, unsure where she was going. "The same who died and came back in a giant ball of fire?"
"How would you know if I did any of that?" Sonic asked, trying not to give anything away.
"My master told me that I might run into you and if I did to subdue you and bring you to him," she explained. "Please believe me when I say that it is not what I want to do. My master is..." She closed her eyes in obvious pain. Curious, Sonic gave the mental command to the webbing to free her upper body.
"Your master is what?" Sonic asked as she pulled away the cloth from her face and neck, leaving him breathless. Her chestnut fur stood in contrast to her red hair. Around her neck was a green choker with two large emeralds on either side of her neck.
"I'll be damned again," Eric said with a low whistle. "An Emerald Choker." When Sonic asked he explained, "It's basically a slave collar that's controlled with sorcery. We've run into them a few times and the only way to undo it is to get the sorcerer who put it on to reverse the spell. Well, the only way we've found I should say."
"As I said, I can only tell you what my master wants me to tell you," Fiona explained. "By now he already knows that the Staff was a fake and that I was captured."
"So he's expecting us, huh?" Eric said, leaning against the couch. "So much for the element of surprise."
"Does that collar have any other link back to him?" Sonic asked, scratching his chin. Fiona shook her head. "Then I think we can still do this." Both Fiona and his father stared at him. "I won't go into a lot of detail now but I say we go with her."
"He's not expecting me until morning," Fiona explained. "Meeting with him now would only make him suspicious."
"She has a point," Eric agreed. "I'll take her back to the base and get her set up."
"Shouldn't we give her the option of where to stay?" Sonic offered as he looked over at her. "I've got an extra room she can sleep in and a shower."
"I'll take the shower any day," Fiona said immediately and Eric rolled his eyes. He waved as he walked out the door leaving the two of them alone. Sonic released the last of the webs and Fiona stood up. It was the first time that Sonic actually got a decent look at her figure and it left him short of breath. His father hadn't been kidding about her being a catch. "Thank you," she thanked him as she picked up the Staff again. "You really went all out making this thing. Do you think it could have trapped my master?"
"It was the impression that I was given," Sonic admitted. "Anyway, I don't have much in the way of women's clothing for obvious reasons but I can offer you some of my stuff."
"Thanks," she said, brushing her hair out of her face. Sonic noticed that the Choker was cracked on one side and pointed it out to her. "That shouldn't be possible," Fiona said with barely contained joy. She felt the left side of the Choker, the crack widening as her fingers brushed it. "That means that he can't exert as much control over me as he used to." She pulled Sonic into a tight embrace, nearly knocking the wind out of him. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"No prob," he replied when she finally let go. "I'll get some stuff ready for you to change into when you're done." She went upstairs and after a moment Sonic heard a door close and the water start running. He sat down on the couch, trying to slow his racing heart. "What the hell was that?"
"She's cute," Volcarras said, sitting next to him. "And very thankful to you for saving her. I think she likes you."
"What gives you that idea?"
"It's all in the way she moves, the inflection in her voice and the way she looks at you. You really have no idea how to read people, do you?" Sonic stared at the Magan for a moment, seeing him in a completely new light. "What?"
"You were either a ladies' man or a pervert when you were alive, weren't you?" Sonic asked bluntly, causing Volcarras to snort.
"Idiot one-tail," he muttered. With that the Magan vanished and Sonic got a change of clothes for Fiona who had just turned the water off. Before Sonic got back to his room she had already changed, his t-shirt hanging off her shoulder.
"Are you sure you don't have anything smaller?" she asked as she adjusted it.
Sonic swore under his breath telling himself to remain calm and not do anything rash. "Um...yeah, sorry. Like I said, no women's clothing."
"Really? How does someone like you stay single?" Sonic swore again not sure if she was trying to seduce him or just curious.
"By choice," he said simply. "Well, I'm gonna call it a day. Good night."
"Good night," she replied and headed into the guest room. As Sonic lied down on his bed his mind wandered back to him and Sally. The more he thought on it the less he saw that they had in common. Now he couldn't even recall what it was they had seen in each other.
"This is not what I need right now," he muttered before dozing off.
Morning came and Sonic stirred to feel something furry cuddled into his chest. He smiled and slowly opened his eyes. There was Fiona under the covers with him with the loose t-shirt still on. Instinct kicked in and Sonic leapt off the bed with a "What the hell?!", taking the blanket with him and tripping over it.
"Are you okay?" Fiona asked as Sonic gave a thumbs up from underneath the pile he was under. "You didn't have to do that you know. I just...It's just been so long since anyone's treated me like another person rather than just a piece of property. I'd forgotten what it feels like and I just wanted to be close to you."
"A little warning next time," Sonic said, not fully realized what he had said as a sly grin spread across Fiona's face. "That, uh, didn't come out like I meant."
"We should get ready," Fiona said, clearing her throat. "My master is expecting me soon."
By the time they were both ready Eric was already waiting for them outside where the sun was just coming over the horizon. "We ready to do this?" Eric asked and they both nodded. "So, what's the plan?"
"I have to follow my orders," Fiona said pulling two small pouches out of her belt and throwing them into the ground, sending up a cloud of smoke that engulfed Sonic and Eric. They coughed for a few moments before slumping to the ground unconscious.
When they finally came to they were tied back-to-back and seated on the ground. "Definitely should have seen this coming," Eric admitted as he strained against the ropes. "Good one, son. You just had to go and sleep with the woman who just handed Mogul two living batteries."
"We did NOT sleep together," Sonic defended himself, "and what are you talking about?"
"Mogul plans to use us as conduits to fuel his powers," his father explained. "At least he's not as bad as Nepta. He'll probably put the Emerald Chokers on us and use the bond to drain our powers. Other than that I don't think he has anything weird planned for us."
"Why are you trying to loosen the rope?" Sonic asked his father who was still struggling against their bindings. "You just said Mogul plans to use us as batteries. Do you honestly think that she'd use ordinary knots to tie us up with?" Eric muttered an agreement as Sonic started using the wind to saw through the rope gradually. "So, you wanna know the gameplan?"
"What I'd like to know is where we are and how long we were out," Eric said as he looked around. They were in the middle of the forest in the dead of night but that was all either of them could tell. "Somehow this feels like something out of a bad horror movie."
"No idea what that means but you're probably right," Sonic agreed. "You still have your bow?"
"No, she must have taken it when she knocked us out. You have your sword?"
"Yeah but I can't reach it," Sonic said as he pushed against the ropes. "What the hell kind of rope did she tie us up with? Any ideas, old man?"
"Yeah, to hell with this," Eric growled as lightning arced through the rope, breaking apart the spell holding the rope together. They brushed the strands off as they stood up and looked around. "Well now what?"
"We have to find Mogul," Sonic reminded his father. "It'd be convenient if he just showed up on his own." As if on cue a blast of lightning slammed into the ground near them. Sonic barely dodged another blast but his father wasn't as fortunate. A third blast hit Ericin the chest, throwing him across the ground and into a tree, knocking him out. "I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut."
"I'm only slightly impressed," a booming voice said from the shadows. A massive mammoth in a violet pin-striped business suit stepped into the moonlight. In his right hand was an ordinary looking cane with a small gem on top and a matching ring on the same hand. "I suppose that being a Guardian has its perks."
"You must be Mammoth Mogul," Sonic said. "I was hoping to run into you."
"Yes, Fiona told me that you're one of Arias' dogs," Mogul said with a laugh. He tapped the cane on the ground and Fiona appeared next to him, her face again covered in cloth. "Fiona has done me a great service in not only thwarting your trap but delivering both you and your father to me." Sonic said nothing, wanting to believe that Fiona was still on their side. "Not only two Guardians but two Magans as well."
"The hell are you talking about?" Sonic asked as he placed his hand in the small of his back. He could feel Kaiyō Mujō's power flow through him as he began to focus their energies.
"You don't know," Mogul said with a smirk. "I suppose that's to be expected seeing as how you were raised as a Mobian. I'm also glad to see that you're ready to go. I've waited a long time to taste the powers of a Guardian again." He swung his cane, sending out an arc of lightning towards Sonic. He drew Kaiyō Mujō and cut the wave in half. "How did you...?" Sonic sprinted towards Mogul, jumped into the air and swung downward. Mogul blocked it with a barrier, throwing Sonic back. "No sword can withstand my sorcery. What is that blade made from?"
"How about I show you?" Sonic said as he held the flat of the blade towards Mogul. "Fuzen, Kaiyō Mujō!" The wakizashi glowed and extended into her release. Mogul's eyes widened before sending a wall of energy at Sonic. "Ryūkai tsume!" he yelled as he swung, sending a wave of aqua into Mogul's attack. The two slammed into each other before dissipating and Sonic charged through the resulting steam. He swung again, sending another wave into Mogul's barrier. The sheer force of the attack was enough to bring Mogul to one knee. A long blade formed at the end of his cane, piercing through Sonic's chest. Sonic was perfectly still as Mogul smiled and twisted the blade into Sonic's lungs. At that moment Sonic's body disintegrated into mist, leaving Mogul staring at him in shock.
"Up here," he heard above him and looked up. There were three Sonic's charging another attack and they all unleashed it at the same time, finally overloading Mogul's barrier. It exploded, disintegrating the three Sonics. Mogul smirked but it was quickly wiped off his face by another wave hitting him in his side. He looked over and saw the Sonic he had stabbed without any wounds and aqua energy wrapped around his sword. When Mogul came to a stop he threw up a barrier that all four Sonics easily shattered. As he prepared another one Sonic slashed at the crystal at the top of cane. It erupted in shower of light and energy, vaporizing all but one Sonic and throwing both Sonic and Mogul backwards. Sonic recovered first and began to cast the sealing spell he'd used for the Staff.
"I don't think so," Mogul said as his chest began to glow. Wisps of black and violet energy tore through his shirt and Sonic could see why Mogul was one of the most talented sorcerers on the planet: In the middle of his chest was a violet Chaos Emerald.
"To borrow my father's words, I'll be damned," Sonic muttered. "That explains a lot."
"The very thing that gave me life will now take yours!" Mogul roared as the tendrils reached for Sonic. He slashed them away before jumping back as several more came after him. He kept jumping, watching the tendrils rip away parts of the forest with ease.
I can't keep this up for much longer, Sonic thought as the tendrils just missed him. Any suggestions, Syl?
[I may not be Sylvanix but I'll be more help,] Shada replied. [He has the Shadow Emerald embedded in his chest. Sonic, there is NO way to beat him at this point, if ever.]
Speak for yourself, Kuroc said. Sonic, my power should be able to hold that thing back long enough for you to get a direct hit.
And let me guess: you need full control of my body to do that.
Kuroc chuckled. It'd be nice, but no. I promised you my help and now I'm giving it. Consider this my repayment for letting me finish my fight with Kinos. Sonic was glad that the hoshoku-sha hadn't changed his mind and agreed to his help. He landed on the ground as his eyes turned emerald green and white stripes appeared across his body. He swatted the tendrils away with ease, shattering them in the process.
"My turn," Sonic said. With a single leap he was in Mogul's face and grabbed his trunk. With a heave he threw Mogul across the ground. "C'mon, is that the best you've got?" Mogul hopped to his feet, charging a sphere of energy between his hands. He threw it at Sonic with a grin that quickly vanished as Sonic slashed the sphere in half.
"That's...not possible," Mogul said as he slowly stepped away. Sonic felt his body stinging from the disintegrating energy eating away at him and then his power regenerating his wounds. He needed to end this and now. Mogul charged another attack holding it above his head. "This time I'll turn you into nothing but a memory!" An aqua wave slammed into Mogul's chest and the Emerald, causing his body to spark and convulse. "No, this...isn't possible!" At the last moment Sonic cast the sealing spell, binding Mogul and sending a wave of black energy erupted from his body and bringing the sorcerer to the ground in a smoking heap
"Not bad," a voice said from the shadows. Arias stepped out as Sonic returned to normal. "I wasn't sure you'd actually be able to stop him once he used the Emerald."
"You son of a bitch," Sonic muttered, gasping for breath. "You knew he had that thing in his chest and you didn't say anything about it."
"I thought it wouldn't make a difference," the human admitted rolling Mogul onto his back with his foot. "Apparently I was right." He pulled a small envelope and tossed it to Sonic. "That's your bonus for Mogul's bounty. I'm sure the Senate will handle the actual payment." The sigils on his hands glowed briefly and Mogul was bound in yellow chains. He picked up Mogul by the binding and they both vanished in a flash of yellow light.
"What'd I miss?" Eric groaned from behind Sonic. He looked around to see the newly-formed clearing. "Damn. Looks like it was one helluva fight."
"To say the least," Sonic said sheathing Kaiyō Mujō. "How're you doing?"
"I feel like I've just had a night of drinking but without all the fun," Eric replied as he rubbed his temples. "Let's just get home, okay?" A groan from a hedge caught their attention and they went over, pulling Fiona out. The cloth around her neck had burnt away and was still smoking. "What about her?"
"I'm not just gonna leave her here," Sonic said as he picked her up. "We'll let her recover first and then you can decide whether to arrest her or let her go." With that the three of them vanished in a torrent of wind.
The next morning Fiona woke up in Sonic's bed, still in her clothes from the night before. On instinct she felt her neck and for the first time in years felt only fur. A shudder of joy ran through her body. She got up and changed into a spare set of clothing someone had set aside, surprised when they actually fit her. She walked downstairs to see Sonic and Eric talking.
"What happened after you broke Mogul's cane?" she asked Sonic while sitting down at the table. "I remember this bright flash of light and then everything going black."
"The short version is that I whooped on Mogul and handed him over to Arias," Sonic explained pushing a mug of coffee towards her. "By the way, any idea where my father's bow is at? He's been lost without it." Fiona nodded and drew a series of symbols on the coffee table. A small vortex opened over the table and out fell Sagittarius which Eric quickly scooped up.
"Using a dimensional pocket to keep spoils in, not bad," Eric admitted. "Now how about all the other things Mogul stole, or rather you stole?"
"He has them in his hideout," Fiona answered. "I have an idea of where it might be but I have no way of actually breaking in."
"Take what you get, I suppose," Eric muttered before standing to leave. "I need to go debrief the Senate on what happened. You need to be there too, Sonic, since I was out for most of it." He walked to the door and waved on his way out, leaving Sonic and Fiona on their own.
"So, what'll you do from here?" he asked.
"I...I honestly don't know," she admitted after a few moments. "I've never really been given that option. I know of a few of Mogul's caches that I can turn in for the finder's fee. If they'll have me I might be able to help the A.R.C. in finding some new dig sites."
"It's as good a start as any," Sonic commented. "You're welcome to crash here until you get settled." Fiona blushed but nodded, giving Sonic a quick kiss on the cheek before heading back upstairs. Sonic felt the same fluttering in his stomach as before and did his best to suppress it. "What the hell am I thinking?" he asked himself as he shook his head. He rifled through his jacket and pulled out the envelope Arias had given him. He opened it and stared, his jaw dropping in utter shock. It was all the necessary paperwork he needed to complete his citizenship requirements. With these it would only take him a couple months rather than a couple more years.
In Azosarria, Arias hummed a tune as he walked down into the catacombs. The lights gave off a blood-red hue that seemed appropriate in this place. He finally reached his destination: the dungeons where he kept his personal prisoners. He hadn't used it in years and as a result had to do some last minute repairs before its new tenant moved in. He walked up to the cell where Mammoth Mogul was chained to a wall. Around the Shadow Emerald in his chest was a yellow barrier that contained its energy. "And here you said that you would never be my prisoner again," he mocked the powerless sorcerer. "How does it feel to be wrong once again, Mogul? To have your immortal life in the hands of a 'mere mortal'?"
"You will pay dearly for your insolence, maggot," Mogul spat weakly. Arias chuckled unafraid.
"I've heard that before," he said. "But I'm not the one that wants you this time." Mogul seemed to calm down. "You see in my line of work I make several questionable alliances. Part of this is so that Azosarria can benefit from their knowledge and experience. The other reason is that this gives me a way to control the damage they do." A child walked into the dungeon just then, his ice-blue hair and eyes standing in sharp contrast to the red around them. In his right hand was a staff with a blue orb at the top, the inside of it visibly swirling. The air in the dungeon became noticeably colder causing Mogul's eyes to widen.
"Hello, Apprentice," Ixis Nepta said smiling. "It's been some time hasn't it?
"You!" Mogul yelled, pulling against his restraints. "I watched you die! You cannot still be alive."
"You should know better than anyone that it takes more than a silly little thing like death to kill a sorcerer," Nepta said. "Lucky for you I'm not sore about that little incident. In fact, this body has served me quite well over the last thousand years." Mogul pulled against his restraints again in an attempt to take the wall with him.
"That's a futile gesture, by the way," Arias informed him. "I planned on you being here. Besides, from what I've seen all your power is channeled from that Emerald. And at the moment it's more concerned about its escape than with helping you." As if to answer the Shadow Emerald sent out a blast of energy against the barrier. "Nepta, I assume that our business is concluded?"
"Of course, Arias," the 'young' sorcerer replied. "Or would you prefer I called you by your name and not the body you're using?" Arias glared at the sorcerer before turning on his heel and to leave the two of them alone. Mogul was obviously terrified, throwing his body against the wall as Nepta walked through the bars as if they weren't even there. The child smiled as two spears of ice formed by his shoulders and then fired them into Mogul's shoulders.
"I will never tell you," the mammoth said blood filling his mouth. "I will never tell you how to harness the power of the Void."
"I see that you stay well informed," Nepta admitted as two more spears formed. "But don't worry. We have all the time in the world here. Sooner or later you'll tell me everything that I want to know. Now, you were going to tell me how to open the portal." Mogul spat in Nepta's eyes, the spit freezing before it hit and bouncing harmlessly off him. "I like how you think." The spears shattered and Mogul watched in horror as the slivers came towards him.
Even seated comfortably in his command center Arias could still hear Mogul's screams of pain. This was the reason he hated sorcerers. He tried to ignore it by watching Eric and Sonic's report to the Senate. It had taken little effort to convince Senator Kinsey to push Sonic's citizenship paperwork through. He needed pawns he could rely on and he had no doubt Sonic would be one of them.
The click of heels behind him caught his attention. "I've always wondered just where that Eye of yours can see," Venusia said, walking up to stand next to him. "Why are you so obsessed with that boy?"
"How many times have you seen someone come back from the dead?" Arias pointed out and Venusia scoffed. The sigil on his hand glowed briefly and the image disappeared. "Add that to the fact that he was able to nullify the Shadow Emerald's power like it was nothing and that he wiped a city off the map and you have a recipe for a very powerful individual."
"Are you worried that he might become a threat?" Arias chuckled.
"No, I think he learned his lesson well enough the last time he challenged me," he told her. "Sonic isn't the kind of person to fight a hopeless battle unless he's sure that he can win one way or the other. Now, was there something in particular you wanted?" Venusia nodded.
"The representatives from Orsallia, Riel, and Dragoras are waiting for you in the boardroom," she said. "Xenodome's should be here before too long." She turned to leave but stopped and turned her head. "Oh and our mole in the Freedom Fighters has done as you asked and quietly slipped away."
"What did she decide to do?"
"She didn't say," Venusia answered, "but she did say that the Mobians are using nanotechnology to rebuild the city." Arias couldn't help but smile at that. The technology that Robotnik had conquered them for was now being used to reclaim their home.
"Thank you, Venusia," he said, standing up. "Please let the representatives know I will be in soon." She nodded and left the room. When he was sure she had left Arias reactivated the sigil and a large airborne structure appeared in the air. He recognized it as the Highwind, one of Cidana's research labs. He knew of her plans and she knew he knew but didn't care that he did. The image disappeared and Arias returned to his normal duties as leader, still trying to ignore Mogul's screams from the depths of the city.