Chapter 17: Countdown to Doomsday.

Knothole City Castle. 4:45 pm.

To say Sonic was mad beyond reason would be an understatement. He was standing on the outside balcony he and Sally were talking on earlier that day, and he was DESPERATELY trying not to lose his mind.

Sadly, his curse wasn't making it easy. He had his eyes shut, his fists clenched, and his fur was darkened to an unnatural dark blue color. He could hear HIM whispering in the back of his mind…

???: Let it out…

Sonic says nothing. He just stays there, silently raging, but not wanting to give in. If he did, he would go after the Chaos Emeralds, and disaster would follow.

He swore to never let that happen ever again. He used his old method of relaxing, trying to visualize happy memories with Amy and the rest of his friends.

It worked for the most part. There was one part of himself that stopped him from fully calming down, but that was of his own accord, not his other self.

Scourge was going to die for this. Once he calmed down enough, he exhaled, and opened his eyes as his fur returned to its normal blue.

Sonic: … First Chuck, now what would have been my nephew… Nust great.

Wait, nephew? Sonic realized he said it, but he wasn't appalled by it. In fact, it sounded kind of nice. Or… It would have. He sighs, then he walks back inside, checking on Sally, who was just as mad, but was better at hiding it.

Sonic: … Are you good?

Sally: … No. But… Thanks for asking.

Sonic: … I'm really sorry. I–

Sally: Sonic, don't. This isn't your fault…

Sonic: Yes it is, I could have been faster! I could have stopped this!

Sally: That may be so, but blaming yourself isn't going to bring Francis back!

Sonic: Sally–

Sally: Sonic, listen to me! Don't blame yourself. Blame Scourge. Focus yoyr fury on him, and him alone. HE is responsible for this. Not you.

Sonic: … Why aren't you blaming ME?

Sally: Think about it like this. What would you realistically do? And I mean REALISTICALLY? Not metaphorically, not poetically, none of that. What would you realistically do?

Sonic: … I'd bring Scourge down for good.

Sally: Exactly. So do that. And Sonic? When you do? I want his head.

Sonic was a tiny bit shocked at that last bit, but he wasn't going to object. Sally had more reason to be furious in this instance, and as such deserves whatever justice she can get.

Sonic nodded in agreement, his face as serious as it can get.

Sonic: You got it, Sal. You know… You're being unbelievably rational.

Sally: Being a queen tends to make you think more rationally. Make no mistake, I am FURIOUS. But I'm not going to blame you, or anyone else but Scourge for this.

Sonic: … Alright. Do me a favor? Call the party off until Scourge is dealt with. And Chuck's funeral.

Sally nodded, then handed Sonic a small badge.

Sonic: Huh? What's this?

Sally: By my right as Queen of the Acorn Kingdom, Sonic the Hedgehog, I hereby knight thee Sir Sonic. Any resources you need are yours. Same applies to your friends.

Sonic smiles instantly at this, and kneels. Sally had grabbed a ceremonial blade and tapped his shoulders with it.

Sally: You have your objective, Sir Sonic. Fulfill it.

Sonic: … So, am I legally binded to you?

Sally just laughs, then shakes her head.

Sally: No. This is an unofficial knighthood. If it was public, then technically yes. That being said, even if it was a public matter, I'd let you have the freedom you want.

Sonic: Well, when you put it that way, kinda makes me wish this was public but I'll take what I can get, your majesty.

Sally: Don't get formal with me, Sonic.

Sonic: Sorry.

Sonic stood back up and he smiled.

Sonic: Where are the others?

Sally: Their heading to the Tornado, likely waiting on you. Don't keep them waiting.

Sonic nods, and before he leaves, he and Sally share one last hug before Sonic zips through the halls, heading to the Tornado. Once there, he sees Tails working furiously on some last minute touches to the Tornado.

Sonic: Hey guys.

Tails: We know about the Knighthood, Sally did that with us earlier.

Sonic: Tails? Are you–

Tails: No. I'm not. Sally didn't deserve what Scourge did, he bit the head off a 2 year old baby! If he had done that to my son…

Sonic: Tails. We'll bring him down. I promise.

Amy: We better.

Knuckles: Sonic? You're gonna kill him, aren't you?

Sonic: There's nothing that can be said that will justify sparing him. Not for this. He crossed the damn line, and he's gonna pay with his life. I'm not debating this either.

Knuckles: I wasn't going to. I actually agree with you.

Amy: Same here…

Sonic nods, then hops onto the Tornado, looking at Tails.

Sonic: We're gonna pull out all the stops to bring Scourge down.

Tails: Damn right we are.

Sonic: Now let's get home and get ready. We're gonna have a long road ahead of us.

Metropolis G.U.N. Headquarters, 5:00 pm.

Shadow was standing in front of the holographic projector that he had made to try and piece together the tie in what he had been finding across his investigation. He was trying to figure out where Scourge could be stashing Anarchy Beryl, and how he could be bringing it over from Moebius. While he was at it, he was also trying to find a pattern for when Scourge attacked and killed people.

So far, no pattern had emerged: each attack was erratic, spontaneous. The only thing in common was that each attack left the body or bodies mutilated, with entire limbs missing.

Some even had some organs ripped out.

Further deduction concluded that Scourge was steadily being driven to madness by the Anarchy Beryl, or rather when they revived him, as Shadow noticed from each crime scene in the last day had shown much more violence based on the blood stains he found at each one.

He sighs in annoyance, trying to figure out what was going on in Scourge's head. Even tried to THINK like Scourge himself.

Only thing he found was nothing but absolute insanity.

There may be an upside however. Shadow found a shard of an Anarchy Beryl at the most recent crime scene, implying Scourge had been shot and killed there. He sent it to forensics to see if there was something that he could be missing.

He shuts off the projector, sighing angrily. Nothing about this makes sense. What was Scourge looking to gain by doing this?

His train of thought was interrupted by a knock on his office door.

Shadow: Intrude!

Shen the Peacock enters and shuts the door behind him.

Shen: I have grave news, Surge has been outfitting her goons with weapons and armor, she's preparing for all out war.

Shadow: What?! Where has she been getting them?

Shen: She's behind all the missing shipments. She and her crew hijacked each one off the radar and took it, killing all personnel.

Shadow: … How do you know this?

Shen: She told me straight up. You know how she trusts me, and how good I am at playing Liar's Handshake.

Shadow: Right… How long until their combat ready?

Shen: Four days, maximum.

Shadow: And minimum?

Shen: Two.

Shadow punches his desk, nearly breaking it. He stood up straight, then looks at Shen.

Shadow: Initiate Operation Gemini Jester. Sabotage them from within but leave no traces that it was you. I don't expect you to stop them fully, but I want you to slow down their progress.

Shen nodded, and he spun his cane in his hand, tapping it on the floor.

Shen: At once.

Shen leaves in a flash. Shadow then gets on the base intercoms.

Shadow: Attention all active G.U.N. Forces, I am hereby placing a warrant on Surge the Tenrec, she is wanted for theft of valuable G.UN. assets and the murder of fellow members of our organization. I am authorizing use of all equipment for this task as Surge has proven to be dangerous. Capture her, dead or alive.

Shadow turns the intercom off and he gets his coat on. He was going to visit Valkyr next and make her an offer.

He was hoping she wouldn't refuse…

/Background music bits will make a return in future chapters, just bear with me everyone.