Silver felt himself and Sonic hit the ground, he dropped the Emerald Cup the moment he landed. The had appeared on the Soleanna Grounds just outside of the Sky Chase pitch. The crowd had been waiting them to see who had the Cup. The moment they appeared there was a huge cheer, a band started playing music. Silver neither noticed nor cared about them. He just held onto Sonic's body crying. His head was swimming so badly he felt as though the ground beneath him were swaying like the deck of a ship. At the front of the crowd the O'Hedges, Coral, Jules and Bernadett were all cheering. Bernadette and Mari-An both looked close to tears. Mighty and Ray were the first to begin moving forward to greet the two winners. Near Silver Mina Mongoose was being tended to by a Windermere from her injuries. She apparently was waiting to be a gracious loser but instead it allowed her to see Sonic. She approached the two Hedgehogs and then let out a deafening scream. Big stood nearby, his applause slowly died and his face fell as he realised. "Silver!" a voice said and then two hands grabbed Silver by the shoulder "NO!" "Silver!" "NO!". He held onto Sonic's body, he had to. He felt as though he would slide away into the blackness gathering at the edges of his brain if he let go. Locke moved around and kneeled in front of Silver. "For god sakes, Locke, what's happened!?" Max yelled approaching them.
The cheers from the crowd finally died as they realised something was wrong. Locke gently made Silver look at him "Silver" "He's back! Finitevus is back! Sonic…He asked me to bring his body back! I couldn't leave him! Not there!" Silver cried. Locke looked him straight in the eyes "It's okay. It's alright, Silver. He's home. You both are". Max addressed the Ministry officials "Keep everybody in their seats". Echo and Infinite approached wanting answers, "A boy's just been killed" he whispered to them. Echo stood frozen in place, but Infinite ran over to Locke and examined the body. Max then came back "The body must be moved, Locke. Too many people" he said obviously not prepared to handle this situation. Silver then heard a terrible voice "Let us through! Let us through!". Jules pushed passed Max and dropped down horrified "THAT'S MY SON!". He cupped Sonic's face "MY BOY!" he cried. Bernadette didn't even make it, the moment she caught sight of Sonic's body she fell to her knees in the grass and sobbed uncontrollably into her hands, Echo kneeled down to try and help her. Now that Jules was with his son Silver finally felt like he could let go. Locke put an arm on Jules' shoulder as he continued to cry "NO!". Silver stayed kneeling on the grass when a pair of hands gently touched his arm "Si-Silver, come on. You should go to the Hospital Wing" it was Mari-An. Silver weakly shook his head "No. I can't-I can't…" "This isn't where you want to be right now". Mighty kneeled down on his other side and took his other arm "It's okay, buddy, we got you".
They both helped Silver to his feet and began taking him away when "I'll take him, Marie. I need to ask him some questions". Silver didn't care to look up and see who it was. Mari-An sounded surprised "What? Now? But surely-" "Mari, a boy's just been killed. I need to know what happened". Very slowly Mari-An and Mighty both released Silver and an arm roughly went around him and pulled him away. Silver was taken through the panicking crowd, he thought he heard Razor and Coral's voice but then "You can see him later! Stay here!" the voice said to them. The journey was a blur to Silver but he eventually realised he had been brought into the castle. Then a door opened, and Silver was put down on a stool. He looked around, he was in Striker's office. Striker was standing over him looking very white "What happened, Silver" "Someone tampered with the Warp Gate. Made it take us somewhere else. He killed Sonic…Made a Potion…Got his body back". Striker's eyes widened and he kneeled down, so he was eye level with Silver "The Dark Lord got his body back? Were their others when it happened?". But Silver realised, he should have told Locke the moment he came back "Striker, there's a Nocturnus at Soleanna. It's Benedict. He put my name in the Flame of Solaris".
He moved to get up, but Striker pushed him back down impatiently "Benedict's gone. He fled tonight, when he felt the Dark Mark burn upon his palm. He betrayed too many faithful supporters of the Dark Lord to wish to meet them. But I doubt he will get far. The Dark Lord has ways of tracking his enemies. Now tell me, were there others in the graveyard?". Silver opened his mouth to speak but then paused "I…I don't think I said anything about a graveyard, Professor". Striker's face slowly frowned "No, you didn't". Silver narrowed his eyes and slowly began to comprehend "You?" "Me. Now!". He painfully grabbed Silver's arm "Tell me! Did he forgive them? Did he forgive the scum who never even went to look for him. Those treacherous cowards who wouldn't even brave Prison Island for him. The faithless, worthless bits of filth who were brave enough to cavort in masks at the Sky Chase World Cup, but fled at the sight of the Dark Mark when I fired it into the sky". Silver tried to free himself from his grasp "You fired? What're you talking about?" "I told you, Silver. If there's one thing I hate more than any other, it's a Nocturnus who walked free. They turned their backs on my master when he needed them most. I expected him to punish them. I expected him to torture them. Tell me he did, Silver. Tell me he told them that I, I alone remained faithful, prepared to risk everything to deliver to him the one thing he wanted above all, you". Silver's eyes widened in terror "It can't be?" "Who put your name in Flame of Solaris? I did! Who frightened off every person I thought might try to hurt you or prevent you from winning the tournament? I did. Do you think that foolish oaf wouldn't have shown you the Dragons if I hadn't suggested it? Who helped you see the only way you could beat the dragon? I did!".
He released Silver and paced around the room "It hasn't been easy. guiding you through these tasks without arousing suspicion. I have had to use every ounce of cunning I possess, so that my hand would not be detectable in your success. Locke would have been very suspicious if you had managed everything too easily. As long as you got into that maze, preferably with a decent head start, then, I knew, I would have a chance of getting rid of the other champions and leaving your way clear. But I also had to contend with your stupidity. The second task, that was when I was most afraid we would fail. I was keeping watch on you, Silver. I knew you hadn't worked out the egg's clue, so I had to give you another hint". Silver tried to get up, to escape but Striker raised his trident forcing him to sit "And you gave me the perfect way. I knew if I told Sonic how to figure out the clue, he would pass it onto you. To repay you for helping him with the Dragons. But even then, you still could have failed. All those hours in the library and you never realised that the book was in your dormitory. I gave it to that stupid boy, the cayote. It would have told you all you needed to know about Air Charms. I expected you to ask everyone and anyone you could for help. He would have told you in an instant. But you didn't ask". He pushed the trident against Silver's chest "You have a streak of pride and independence that might have ruined everything. But then I watched you". He tapped his eye patch "I saw you go into the kitchens and talk to one of the Marmolims. So I called him to the staffroom to do some work and then when he was their I conveniently said I was surprised none of the Champions have borrowed Air Charms from Infinite". He grinned "And then when you came out of that lake I thought you lost but Locke took your idiocy for nobility". Silver then remembered in the Maze, Mina screaming and Reynard attacking Sonic "You! You put the Imperious curse on Reynard" "Yes. You won today because I made so, Hedgehog!". Silver just couldn't understand it, Striker, Locke's friend, the famous Diamond Cutter who caught so many Nocturnus, it made no sense. Striker looked quite deranged now "I brought you before the Dark Lord. I will be rewarded above all others. He and I have much in common. Both of us, for instance, had very disappointing fathers. Very disappointing indeed. Both of us suffered the indignity, Silver, of being named after those fathers. Both of us defied our fathers by choosing new names. And both of us had the pleasure, the very great pleasure, of killing our fathers to ensure the continued rise of the Dark Order!".
Silver couldn't help himself, this was insane "You're mad!" "Am I? We'll see? Just think…Think of how the Dark Lord will reward me. I've not only brought him back to power but now I've silenced the great Silver the Hedgehog!". Before he could utter a spell the door of the office burst open, a spell hit Striker in the chest launching him back into a chair. Silver watched the door, Locke, Echo and Infinite all armed with their Talismans were standing at it. It was at this moment did Silver fully understand why Locke was the only man Finitevus ever feared. The look upon Locke's face as he stared down at Striker was more terrible than Silver could have ever imagined. There was no benign smile upon Locke's face, no twinkle in the eyes. There was cold fury in every line of the ancient face; a sense of power radiated from Locke as though he were giving off burning heat. Locke kept his hand raised preventing Striker from moving from the chair. Infinite stood behind him doing the same, but Echo went straight for Silver "Come along, Silver". Her face was twitching as if she were about to cry "Come along. Hospital Wing" "No" Locke ordered. Echo was surprised "Locke, look at him. He's been through enough" "He will stay, Echo. Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. He needs to know who has put him through the ordeal he has suffered tonight, and why". Silver continued to stare at Striker in complete disbelief "Striker? How can it be Striker?" "This is not Striker. You have never met Striker the Mantis Shrimp. The real Striker wouldn't have taken you from my sight after what happened. The moment I realised you were gone I knew something was wrong". Locke stared down at the imposter "Infinite, fetch some UT serum and then go down to the kitchens and bring up a Marmolim called Momo. Echo kindly go down to Big's cabin, you will find a large red Mobani lizard. Take him up to my office and tell him I will be with him shortly. Then bring Vanilla up here".
If Infinite or Echo found these instructions peculiar, they hid their confusion well. They both turned and left at once. Locke stared down at the imposter "Where is Striker?". The imposter held his gaze but then his eyes twitched towards a trunk in the corner of the room with multiple locks on it. Locke moved towards the trunk but kept one eye on the imposter. He turned one key on the lock and opened it, it was full of books. He closed it and turned the second lock; potions were now inside. The third lock, a Chaos Emerald. It wasn't until the sixth lock did they find something. The trunk contained a pit ten feet deep. At the bottom, starved and a hand over his missing eye was the real Striker the Mantis Shrimp "You alright, Striker?" Locke said. Striker looked up and said in a pained voice "I'm sorry, Locke" "It's okay, old friend. We'll get you out in a minute". Silver looked over the imposter in the chair who was now begin to breath heavily like he was in pain. Locke took his hip flask and sniffed it "Metamorphia Potion. Brilliant. The imposter would have to keep Striker alive for skin samples. And Striker only drinks from his flask". Echo returned with Vanilla "Locke" "Vanilla, I want you take Striker to Hospital Wing" "Yes, Headmaster". Vanilla glanced fearfully at the strange sight of the room but then got to work. She easily lifted Striker out of the trunk with a spell and led him out of the room. Silver, Echo and Locke all watched the fake Striker begin to shake "I think in the excitement of tonight the imposter has forgotten to take his hourly dose" Locke said. As the imposter shook more violently, Silver remembered one of the warnings from two years ago, the longer a person uses the potion the harder it is for the body to accept its original form. The imposter started to scream as his face appeared to be melting. He grabbed onto the eye patch and pulled it off his head. Silver then saw the horrible sight of the imposter's right eye growing back into its socket.
The antennas disappeared; the eyes turned black with white pupils. The skin turned from red to violet. The imposter screamed and convulsed as his head morphed and grew and then out of the back his head sprouted long tentacles. The imposter with one last gasp threw his head forward. Silver recognised this person, he's seen him before. He without thinking moved forward to get a better look. The Imposter suddenly jumped forward screaming trying to grab him. "Silver!" Locke pulled Silver back and Echo raised her bident and forced the man to sit back down. Locke stared down at him "Mimic?". Mimic laughed "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" he opened his palm revealing the Dark Mark. Locke watched wondering what he meant when Silver suddenly held out his bloodied arm. Mimic grinned "So it's true, then? He got your blood" "I'm sorry, sir, I couldn't stop him" Silver said in a broken voice. "Master Mimic?" Momo was at the door with Infinite. She was staring at Mimic with a look of confusion "Master Mimic, what is you doing here?". She ran forward and hugged the octopus around the chest. Mimic looked down at her "You shouldn't be here, Momo" "But why is you here?". Locke stepped forward "We're just about to find that out, Momo. Now please, stand aside. Infinite, give him the serum". Infinite moved behind Striker's chair, forced him to open his mouth and made him drink. Momo looked like she was about to protest but Locke gently pulled her back "Momo, this is the only way we'll find out what happened to Master Puff. Do you understand? We're trying to help Master Puff".
Momo paused and then stepped away from Mimic. Once he swallowed the potion he angrily looked at Locke who said "What is your name?" "Mimic the Octopus…Formally…". He looked like he was trying to resist the potion "Formally…Puff the Octopus" "I want to know how came to be here. How did you escape Prison Island". Mimic made no effort to resist the potion now. He looked quite proud "My mother saved me. She knew she was dying. She persuaded my father to rescue me as a last favour to her. He loved her as he had never loved me. He agreed. They came to visit me. They gave me a draft of Metamorphia Potion containing a piece of my mother's skin. She took a draft of the Potion containing one of my scales. We took on each other's appearance". Momo was shaking her head, trembling but said nothing. Mimic continued "The Prelates are blind. They sensed one healthy, one dying person entering Prison Island. They sensed one healthy, one dying person leaving it. My father smuggled me out, disguised as my mother, in case any prisoners were watching through their doors. My mother died a short while afterward on Prison Island. She was careful to drink the Potion until the end. She was buried under my name and bearing my appearance. Everyone believed her to be me". Locke nodded "And what did your father do with you, when he had got you home?" "Staged my mother's death. A quiet, private funeral. That grave is empty. Momo nursed me back to health. Then I had to be concealed. I had to be controlled. My father had to use a number of spells to subdue me. When I had recovered my strength, I thought only of finding my master, of returning to his service. He used the Imperius Curse. I was under my father's control. I was forced to use a Chaos Emerald day and night. I was always with Momo. She was my keeper and caretaker. She pitied me. She persuaded my father to give me occasional treats. Rewards for my good behaviour".
Momo cried "Master Mimic was a good boy" "Did anybody ever discover that you were still alive?" said Locke softly. Mimic nodded "A human witch in my father's office. Agnes Hopkins. She came to the house with papers for my father's signature. He was not at home. Momo showed her inside and returned to the kitchen, to me. But Agnes heard Momo talking to me. She came to investigate. She heard enough to guess who was hiding with a Chaos Emerald. My father arrived home. She confronted him. He put a very powerful Memory Charm on her to make her forget what she'd found out. Too powerful. He said it damaged her memory permanently". Momo hit herself over the head "Momo should have stopped her. Momo shouldn't have let it happen". Locke ignored her for now "Tell me about the Sky Chase Cup" "Momo talked my father into it. She spent months persuading him. I had not left the house for years. I had loved Sky Chase when I was a boy. Let him go, she said. He will be in his Chaos Emerald. He can watch. Let him smell fresh air for once. She said my mother would have wanted it. She told my father that my mother had died to give me freedom. She had not saved me for a life of imprisonment. He agreed in the end".
He gave Momo a soft look before glaring back at Locke "It was carefully planned. My father led me and Momo up to the Top Box early in the day. Momo was to say that she was saving a seat for my father. I was to sit there, invisible. When everyone had left the box, we would emerge. Momo would appear to be alone. Nobody would ever know. But Momo didn't know that I was growing stronger. I was starting to fight my father's Imperius Curse. There were times when I was almost myself again. There were brief periods when I seemed outside his control. It happened, there, in the Top Box. It was like waking from a deep sleep. I found myself out in public, in the middle of the match, and I saw the box of Talismans nearby. Momo didn't know. Momo is frightened of heights. She had her face hidden. I got up from my seat and took a pair of gloves from the box" "Master Mimic, how could you!?" whispered Momo, tears trickling between her fingers. Mimic was forced to continue "We went back to the tent. Then we heard them. We heard the Nocturnus. The ones who had never been to Prison Island. The ones who had never suffered for my master. They had turned their backs on him. They were not enslaved, as I was. They were free to seek him, but they did not. They were merely making sport of Muggles. The sound of their voices awoke me. My mind was clearer than it had been in years. I was angry. I had Talismans. I wanted to attack them for their disloyalty to my master. My father had left the tent; he had gone to free the Muggles. Momo was afraid to see me so angry. She used her own brand of magic to bind me to her. She pulled me from the tent, pulled me into the forest, away from the Nocturnus. I tried to hold her back. I wanted to return to the campsite. I wanted to show those cowards what loyalty to the Dark Lord meant, and to punish them for their lack of it. I used the stolen Talismans to cast the Dark Mark into the sky. Ministry wizards arrived. They shot Stunning Spells everywhere. One of the spells came through the trees where Momo and I stood. The bond connecting us was broken. We were both Stunned. When Momo was discovered, my father knew I must be nearby. He searched the bushes where she had been found and felt me lying there. He waited until the other Ministry members had left the forest. He put me back under the Imperius Curse and took me home. He dismissed Momo. The only friend I had left. She had failed him. She had let me acquire a Talisman. She had almost let me escape".
Momo let out a wail of despair "Momo should have been there for Mimic. Shouldn't have let this happen" "Now it was just Father and I, alone in the house. And then…and then…". An insane grin spread over his face "My master came for me. He arrived at our house late one night in the arms of his servant Mordred. My master had found out that I was still alive. He had captured Agnes in Poloy Forest. He had tortured her. She told him a great deal. She told him about the Emerald Championship. She told him the old Diamond Cutter, Striker, was going to teach at Soleanna. He tortured her until he broke through the Memory Charm my father had placed upon her. She told him I had escaped from Prison Island. She told him my father kept me imprisoned to prevent me from seeking my master. And so, my master knew that I was still his faithful servant, perhaps the most faithful of all. My master conceived a plan, based upon the information Agnes had given him. He needed me. He arrived at our house near midnight. My father answered the door". The smile spread wider over Mimic's face, as though recalling the sweetest memory of his life. Momo's petrified brown eyes were visible through her fingers. She seemed too appalled to speak. Mimic continued "It was very quick. My father was placed under the Imperius Curse by my master. Now my father was the one imprisoned, controlled. My master forced him to go about his business as usual, to act as though nothing was wrong. And I was released. I awoke. I was myself again, alive as I hadn't been in years".
Locke's glare was terrifying "And what did Finitevus ask you to do?" "He asked me whether I was ready to risk everything for him. I was ready. It was my dream, my greatest ambition, to serve him, to prove myself to him. He told me he needed to place a faithful servant at Soleanna. A servant who would guide Silver the Hedgehog through the Emerald Championship without appearing to do so. A servant who would watch over Silver. Ensure he reached the Emerald Cup. Add a destination to the Warp Gate, which would take the first person to touch it to my master. But first-" "You needed Striker" said Locke. His blue eyes were blazing, though his voice remained calm. Mimic nodded "Mordred and I did it. We had prepared the Metamorphia Potion beforehand. We journeyed to his house. Striker put up a struggle. There was a commotion. We managed to subdue him just in time. Forced him into a compartment of his own magical trunk. Took some of his skin and added it to the potion. I drank it; I became Striker's double. I took his eye patch. I was ready to face Rob O'Hedge when he arrived to sort out the Muggles who had heard a disturbance. I made the dustbins move around the yard. I told him I had heard intruders in my yard, who had set off the dustbins. Then I packed up Striker's things, put them in the trunk with Striker, and set off for Soleanna. I kept him alive, under the Imperius Curse. I wanted to be able to question him. To find out about his past, learn his habits, so that I could fool even Locke. I also needed his skin samples to make the Potion. The other ingredients were easy. I stole Shifter skin from the dungeons. When the Potions master found me in his office, I said I was under orders to search it" "And what became of Mordred after you attacked Moody?" said Locke, "Mordred returned to care for my master, in my father's house, and to keep watch over my father" "But your father escaped" said Locke.
Mimic nodded "Yes. After a while he began to fight the Imperius Curse just as I had done. There were periods when he knew what was happening. My master decided it was no longer safe for my father to leave the house. He forced him to send letters to the Ministry instead. He made him write and say he was ill. But Mordred neglected his duty. He was not watchful enough. My father escaped. My master guessed that he was heading for Soleanna. My father was going to tell Locke everything, to confess. He was going to admit that he had smuggled me from Prison Island. My master sent me word of my father's escape. He told me to stop him at all costs. So, I waited and watched. I used the map I had taken from Silver. The map that had almost ruined everything" "Map? What map is this?" Locke said. Mimic looked at Silver "His map of Soleanna. Silver saw me on it. He saw me stealing more ingredients for the Metamorphia Potion from Infinite's office one night. He thought I was my father. We had the same first name. I took the map from Silver that night. I told him my father hated Dark wizards. Silver believed my father was after Infinite. For a week I waited for my father to arrive at Soleanna. At last, one evening, the map showed my father entering the grounds. I used my Chaos Emerald and went down to meet him. He was walking around the edge of the forest. Then Silver came, and Reynard. I waited. I could not hurt Silver; my master needed him. Silver ran to get Locke. I Stunned Reynard. I killed my father" he started to laugh. Momo was horrified "Master Mimic? Master Mimic, what is you saying?" "You killed your father" Locke said, in the same soft voice "What did you do with the body?" "Carried it into the forest. Made it hold the Chaos Emerald. I had the map with me. I watched Silver run into the castle. He met Infinite. Locke joined them. I watched Silver bringing Locke out of the castle. I walked back out of the forest, doubled around behind them, went to meet them. I told Locke Infinite had told me where to come. Locke told me to go and look for my father. I went back to my father's body. Watched the map. When everyone was gone, I Transfigured my father's body. He became a bone; I buried in the freshly dug earth in front of Big's cabin". There was complete silence now, except for Momo's continued sobs. Then Locke said "And tonight?" "I offered to carry the Emerald Cup into the maze before dinner. Added the extra destination to it. My master's plan worked. He is returned to power". The insane smile lit his features once more Momo wailed and sobbed at his side.