Sonic and The Chaos Kingdom
Ch.16
By: Cutegirlmayra (Sorry it's been a while! I was updating new things, getting used to new classes, and doing hw! Plus, hanging out with new friends :) It's getting to the crunch-time in this story, not the final countdown just yet, but crunch-time. I hope you all will stick around for the finale! But until then, I hope you enjoy just a little longer the fun and surprises waiting in store! As always, stay tuned~)
"Mommy." Eggman whimpered, and quickly dashed in a very exaggerated, speedy jog towards the only machine that wasn't run by Chaos Energy.
"Where are you going?" Wave called, turning around, but not really caring that much, only more so freaking out about the fact that their old tyrant had returned.
"Oh, heh heh, you know, the villain has to escape somehow!" He smiled nervously through his sweat which ran profusely down his egg-shaped head. Giving a slight shrug, he then turned back to his machine and grumbled, "A man has to pick and choose his battles…" he suddenly swiped two levers at the same time, reaching for the second a bit on one leg's tippy toe before stepping back.
The machine unfolded into what looked like a primitive tank.
"splendid! It works!" he cried out, before seeing another flash of Chaos pulsation in the air, and dragged his frown even further, bringing the slight wrinkles of worry he had even further stretched out upon his face. "Gotta go! Ta-ta!" he waved and jumped onto his open tank, before a shield rolled over him, forcing him to lean down. It was almost as if riding a low, widened motorcycle with a tank's canon in its front, which is why the driver had to bend down to avoid being hit.
He blasted through the wall, still having Shadow's crown and robe, and took off.
Before he got very far though, the roads were littered with his now disloyal robots, who were under Shadow's command, and they shot at him to try and knock him out from escaping.
"Grr… traitors! Lousy, ungrateful… I created you!" he blasted a few by clicking down on his joystick buttons that also helped him drive. A few exploded, which caught Shadow's attention.
"Heh… I have you now Doctor…" he grinned only a moment, before fury and hatred filled his eyes. He leaned his head back, powering up the uncontrollably powerful essence inside him, his imitators vibrating from the amount they were trying to hold back, before he lifted an arm, holding it with the other.
"CHAOS-" he seemed to command, "CONTROL!" he blasted forth a powerful wave, as the roads began to ripple up like a blanket being lifted and shook down, as Eggman skidded his machine car around, before using the tactic of riding the wave on the side, having the car 'hop' so to speak from building to building till the ripple went past him, and then landed down again, his tires screeching in dust as he did so.
"Well, he doesn't seem too happy to see me." Eggman sarcastically stated, and kept driving at maximum velocity.
Now Shadow's anger was full. "Not only did you lie to me… but your kind have been lying to us from the start! Starting with your grandfather!" he held up his hands again, once again summoning large amounts of the Master Emerald's chaos power, since the Emeralds were in the hands of Sonic.
"CHAOS… SPEAR!" he swiped his hand down, as a massive ball split into spears, which hurled himself downward and made Eggman swivel in his machine car.
"Grr…! Dratt!" he saw a wheel go out, and then the shield get hit, and start getting melted through.
"NOOO!" he cried out, before being flung out of the machine car by a 'safety launch' feature. "Oh no.. AHHH!" he rolled on the ground, the crown coming off and his robe flying in the wind.
Shadow's speedy dive towards Eggman made him land with a huge crater in his wake, before he slowly lifted his glowing, gloriously intimidating being from the ground, and walked towards the dent crown.
Picking it up, he bent it back into shape, something no mortal hands could achieve without a lot of power behind it, and this power move done in front of Eggman made him lean up from the ground, and gape at his new found strength.
"Doctor… I believe we have unfinished business…" after fully restoring the crown's edges and sides, he placed it on the opposite ear from the Chaos Kingdom's crown, where it belonged, and reached out into the wind, miraculously, the robe just naturally seemed to fly by, as Shadow had judged the wind in that swift moment to perform the action.
He put the robe on and tied it, as if this was all fated to be. As if the very land was still recognizing him as it's true royalty…
But perhaps, not quite it's king.
"Hehehe, hooo~ Shadow! Your highness! I can explain." Eggman straightened his back, still on his knees as he rubbed his hands together, beginning to beg. "I was only looking after your best interest!"
Shadow glared even fiercer.
"By deluding me into assuming that Maria's last wish was never-ending war?! So you could use me as your puppet king to then take down the Chaos Kingdom… and shortly after that… my own kingdom!?"
Eggman gasped in horror, seeing him lean forward in complete, utter rage.
He bowed before Shadow, groveling almost in his shaking fear, and holding his hands up in a 'prayer' look above his head. "Oh, ple-e-e-ease!"
"Humph. No amount of your pathetic attempts at repentance is going to save you now." Shadow raised his arm back across his chest before-
"he…hehe…hehehehehe." Eggman started to chuckle.
Shadow's eyes grew wide, "W-what!?"
"WHAHAHAAH!" Eggman leaned up, hands on his belly, laughing hysterically. "I destroyed Maria's wish? Look at what you've done to your own kingdom, Shadow!" he spread his arms out, as Shadow took a moment to look around.
The spears… the rippled waves of Chaos had created destruction even worse from before…
There was barely anything left that was salvageable…
His eyes suddenly held realization, and regret filled his being, turning around to look at everything.
Eggman smirked, seeing he could still influence the emotional prince…
He got up, slowly walking with a slight limp to his machine car. "You've taken down your own kingdom, Shadow… solely by your own strength and unfailing determination…" he seemed to grumble out the last part… seeing as Shadow would just die.
Shadow's eyes twitched and joggled in their sockets, looking around at all his destruction.
"How will the people follow you now…, Shadow? How do you expect them to love a thoughtless king?"
"Grrugggh!" He gripped his head, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "No! I will rebuild! I will take down the Chaos Kingdom once and for all, I will unending peace to my people! This entire land will be mine! Will be envisioned after Maria's own design! A design of peace… a design of hope and tranquility… they don't need to love me…" his hands shook, bending his head down further.
"They only need to OBEY ME!" he shot himself back up, powering up as the chaos showed it's aura all around him. "Staring with your defeat!" he turned around, but suddenly…
"No…"
Eggman, and his machine, were long gone.
"He tricked me… again… using Maria…" his whole being twitched with such profound rage, his emotions so off check, that even Chaos started to fade from platinum, to a lighter yellow, to a dark grey…
"RAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he burst out a huge pulse of Chaos that leveled anything left standing for miles, before taking off like a comet close to the earth, dashing by robots.
"FIND HIM!" he shouted out, "FIIINDDDD HIIIMMMM!" He arched his back, crying out in a painful and loud, thundering agony mixed with lividity.
-Sonic and friends! :D-
Hearing a cry in the distance, the solders and men all looked up to the night sky, towards the Ark Kingdom, and narrowed their eyes.
Suddenly a large blast of another Chaos pulse stained the air green for a moment, before fading as the wind picked up, and the army stood their ground, defending against the powerful wind current.
Tails looked up from having held his arms over his face, glaring slightly… "There getting stronger by the hour…" he stated.
"…Shadow." Sonic got up, walking towards where he could see fire and destruction far into the distance, but they were still too far away…
"That's right." Knuckles poked the fire, which had been put out slightly by the pulsation. "Nothing on earth could create that without the Master Emearld's aid…"
Sonic flipped around, "But how!?" He stomped up to Knuckles, still confused on that matter. He gestured a waving hand out to him, "The power of Chaos alone only can be wielded by a man of change! Shadow hasn't changed at all! Are you sure you saw him turn Super?"
"With my own eyes! Hot shot…" Knuckles leaned up, pointing to one of his eyes, showing how offended he was that Sonic was questioning what he saw, and then sat back down, grumbling about Sonic's attitude.
"We still have a few days… and it's been months since we've checked on the Master Emerald at all… come to think of it." Tails looked off behind him in the distance. "I wonder if the land bridge has held up with all these pulsations…"
"If you ask me, Shadow's been in super form for too long. According to legend- it's dangerous to use the Master Emerald's purification for longer than a few hours." Knuckles warned, and shook his head. "At least… that's what I've heard."
"No, I've heard that too." Tails nodded. "He chased Eggman out over a few months back… if these pulsations and cries are still being heard, than maybe he's slowly losing power over the Chaos inside him."
The team looked to Tails, and nodded in his conclusions.
"Maybe…" Sonic looked up to the night sky, "…If only we had moved sooner…"
-Back to Flashback of Shadow! :D-
The forsaken king slowly hovered down to his throne room, as Wave had revived her friends and they all now huddled by the throne, shaking in fright.
"…You three…" he narrowed his eyes, as they jolted in fright.
"W-we had nothing to do with Eggman!" Jet cried out.
"Yeah! He enslaved us too!" Wave leaned forward.
"I just want to live!" Storm cried out, billowing deep cries before Shadow shouted out-
"SILENCE!" and flipped his robe back, before stepping slowly in an crescent circle around the three at his throne. "You… I remember you three… the lone inventors who were meant to create my weapons of war…"
They all gulped, shivering as they continued to remain huddled together.
"….You're ancestors made this." He walked over to the wall and withdrew his gun-blade, the venom still barely used…
He examined it, and looked to the three.
He swung the sword in their direction, "You shall find a remedy for your robotized comrades… you shall do this by taking these robots…" he used his chaos control, lifting a hand, and brought forth 3 robots storming up into the room, obeying his will. "Take them apart, and learn how to reverse their effects." He then turned back to Jet, and walked forward, swiping his sword to the tip of his beak.
"Yikes!" Jet's eyes shut as his lower lip trembled.
"…Do I make myself clear..? Knave…" he lowered his sword.
"B-b-bu-but… we've never been allowed to examine Eggman's-"
"You can now." He glared with a smirk, "And while you're at it… don't insult me with your pathetic excuses!" he flicked a finger towards them, sending them flying with a chaos pulse. "Get to work!" he ordered, and turned as a robotized Rouge flew in, landing and still looking as though she wasn't there…
"You're first victim cured will be her…" he motioned his hand to her arm, before pulling it away and looking at her face, standing facing the opposite direction of her.
"Once she is cured… bring her to me. Then heal the others." He walked on, "I'll be in my chambers… don't get me unless your tasks have been successfully completed." The two doors slammed at another chaos rippled pull he used, as the three took a breather and slumped down.
"We'll do it." Wave finally stated through loose breath.
"WHAT!?" Jet leaped up, and glared down at her. "Traitor! He's the tyrannical prince we took down last time! Don't you remember?!"
"SONIC didn't even see him! We didn't take anyone down! We just helped the invasion to try and start a rebellion! We would have never gotten away with this if he was still here! And another thing-!" she suddenly started moving and speaking like a fast-forward tape, as Jet rolled his eyes and folded his arms, tapping his feet and waiting for her to resume 'play' again.
After a bit of babbling, Storm looking to Jet and then Wave, seeing him waiting with a look of impatience before Wave suddenly spoke normally and moved at the right speed again.
"-So in conclusion, you knuckle-headed, wannabe, phony king! In order to throw a rebellion again you have to have people! People required to think and act for themselves! Which these bucket of lousy, good for nothing bolts can't do yet!" She gestured to Rouge. "They're trapped! And in order to free them, we need to play nice with the prince and get him to trust us… then, we snatch his crown." He smirked at that last line, though it seemed pretty unlikely at the moment…
"Catch my drift?"
"Heh, everyone catches MY drift, cause everyone always follows behind the true king of speed!" Jet took her hand, as if making a deal.
"Hold on." Wave took her hand out of his, and then spat in it, "All for one?" she held her hand up again.
Jet and Storm looked elated, and then spat in their own hands and clasped them together, making a oath to bind them together in the same cause once more.
"And all for us!" they snickered, before getting to work and disassembling the chaotic fueled robot.
-several hours in the past later~-
"URRRK! Ha…haa… GRRRR! Ha….haaaa… oohhh, this is pointless!"
Jet jumped from trying to rip a panel off the robot, and stretched out his lower back, arching it back before rubbing it and leaning forward, keeping a hand lingering on where it hurt as he walked over to Wave, looking exhausted and complaining. "We've been trying to crack this all night. Even WORST, is that Storm's hands are tried from ripping it apart. And let's be practical, my hands are for holding jewels of unspeakable wealth!" he held his hands out, knowing truly that his ancestors only played the 'good inventors' but were secretly a band of thieves in disguise.
He seemed to drool over his imaginings as he stared down into his hands, before looking back, furious at Wave, and throwing a slight tantrum by banging his foot to the side on the ground. "Not for discombobulating, unbreakable robots!"
"Cool it, Jet. Man up for once and quit your squawking." Wave looked over her shoulder, having a wrench in her hand, and going through a robot already ripped down to it's wiring.
She climbed down the latter and moved over to Jet, taking her gloves off. "This thing has a metallic casing that's meant to be held together by polarized, magnetic fields. I told you to cut off the head, reach in, and pull out the main-central circuit before you tried to take the armored shielding off!" she gestured her thumb back to the robot, before going near it again and whacking the object inside the already taking apart one.
"There cores are strange though… I've never seen craftsmanship like it… not since our family stole from the Prower's inventions deep in the castle through those tunnels…" she put a hand up to her chin, and tilted it back and forth, examining the core and design through all the wires around it. "But how'd that Advisor get any of this junk?" she then bent down, looking at its underbelly.
"Either he's just as much a thief as our ancestors… or he's been cheating off someone!" she hit the leg a few times, before grumbling at not knowing the answer, something she hated, and then leaning up again.
The whole time she bent down, Jet just stared at her butt, but then looked away, and turned to see Storm had taken a nap to rest for a bit.
His eyes showed mischief at the opportunity presented, and he looked back to Wave.
"Yeah, crying shame."
"I'll say. It's gonna take me months to figure these mechanics out! Not to mention the hours of reassembling a 'cure' as the prince ordered for his girlfriend or whatnot. Ugh… I already feel the headache coming on!" Wave rubbed her head, getting frustrated at all the research and tinkering she was going to have to do for the next several months. "Where's that lousy Chaos King when we need him!?"
"Speaking of girlfriend's and kings…"
Wave raised an eyebrow, hearing a strange tone from Jet, before turning around to see him putting his arms around her.
"W-wha-what do you think you're doing?" she gave him such a deadpan look of disapproval, but he just smiled through it, looking unfazed by her reaction.
She lifted her arms up to avoid his, and then changed her look when she saw he didn't care how she was reacting to him. "I thought your prissy hands were only for holding unspeakable jewels of wealth?" she retorted.
"Well,… you're basically that… minus the unspeakable." He drooped his eyes and poked a jab at her.
"HEY!" she tried to spin around and slam him with her wrench but he zipped around to stay at her back, before pulling her more towards him, and whispering to the side of her head in her rage.
"Urk!" her face tightened up, and she looked pretty upset as she turned to look back at him again.
"Even our land's rules state that in order to be a full-fledge king… you need a queen."
"And what? I'm the only available dame you've set your gross little eyes on?" she bit down on every word, and but then loosened her tension when he moved his beak in closer to her neck.
"I would say that you're the only woman I can think of that would look great and sexy in more than just your usual getup." He pulled away and tugged on a piece of dirty fabric she was wearing, before letting it go and smirking to her, being flirty.
"…" she eyed his fingers and then his face, looking unbelieving of that line. "Right." She slightly nodded her head, but clearly didn't mean to agree with him, "Cause you're all about my body." She pfft'ed and moved away, back to her work.
"What's not to like?" he eyed her up and down, before spreading his arms out, clearly just wanting to do something other than work… more than bored though,… he probably just had an inch he wanted to satisfy.
"Quit tryin' and just get back to work. I swear…" she shook her head, and then turned back to him again, "I'm just the only woman left that COULD wear something like in your head. Unless you have a robot fetish you haven't told me about." She then shook her head again, trying to get back to work before being too flustered about his actions and words too, and so instead, she slammed her tools down and spun around again.
"And one more thing! I'm the only one that could put up with your ridiculous-!"
He stopped her with his own beak pressed up against hers, having snuck up while she was turned away from him, as he didn't shy away from going all at it.
For a moment, she barely fought back against him, before just letting him do as he pleased.
After having her up against the table for a while, he finally broke the kiss and gave her a sly look, "I know a better way to ease a headache…" he suggested.
She scoffed, "I bet you do." She pushed him away and turned again, getting back to work. "Thanks for the grand ol'time, your highness. But I have my life to preserve and your future to plan." She picked up a screw-driver, smirking at her own sick joke, before moving back to the robot.
He jerked an arm out towards her exposed stomach and stopped her in her tracks.
"Ugh!" she groaned, turning to him again. "What now!?"
"…" he just stared at her a moment, before removing the arm. "Nevermind! Sheesh! You're such a shrew!" He threw his arms up, complaining again, before going back to the still chaos controlled Robot, and rubbed his skull, having a few feathers fall off.
"Huh? ACK! I'm molting! This stupid thing is going to make me bald! What about radiation!? We're gonna die whether we finish this dumb job or not!" he kicked the robot's foot, "OOWWW!" he hoped up and down, gripping his hurt foot.
She shook her head with a smile at him, before pulling down a mask over her to start drilling through the core.
Chaos energy leaked out and was let out into the atmosphere, she assumed it went back to the Master whatever-you-want-to-call-it and kept working.
'He may be perverted…' she thought to herself, 'but I'm still gonna try and make him king… after all, if he likes me, and I'm not too disgusted by him either, then why not take the power, glory, wealth, and fame? Sure. I'd probably live just fine and dandy as a perverted king's queen.' She mused over the thought of ever accepting such a gig, but eh.
"WAVVVEEE!" Jet accidentally turned the robot on, as it didn't have its head on anymore, and ran after him like a decapitated chicken, as Wave pulled the mask off and turned around, before laughing so hard she fell to the ground.
"NOT FUNNY! HELLP!" he cried out, as it started shooting randomly, not sure where to aim without it's sight-sensors.
Shadow… up in his chambers, stared at a portrait of Maria, Eggman's Grandfather, and his own father, and slowly floated up towards the images.
Skimming a hand over Maria's face, he clenched his fists and held it over her own. "I'm not done yet." His voice held a rasp as he spoke out the words. "I shall avenge you… and then… I shall become King and rule as you would have me… with this power…" he opened his hand up, examining the change of color in it. "I shall not fail you again." He looked straight up.
-Present time, Chaos Kingdom-
"Ugh…"
"Amy? Are you alright, child?"
"Bleah!"
"Oh, heavens! You're as a sick as a dog!"
"Hey!" A maid, holding Amy's hair up, looked insulted.
"Oh, my apologies."
"Hmph!" she held her head in a swiped upward motion, showing she was offended, as she was a dog.
"Uhhh…." Amy groaned, the morning sickness getting worst, and now her full stomach showing through.
"Oh, my dear… dear girl.." Vanilla walked over and stroked her head.
"Ugh… Why won't it stop?" She groaned again.
"Heh… the pain lasts for but a moment. You soon forget all the hardships and discomforts when your holding your little one at last." She looked up, thinking of Cream.
"Em…bahh… He better look like Sonic." She felt another wave coming on.
"Haha, what if it's a girl, mistress?" The maid smiled, musing over the fact. "You'd have a manly looking daughter?"
Amy barfed again, as Vanilla shook her head at the ridicious notion, "Some girls are called handsome. It's the same as being beautiful." Vanilla explained.
"Right, in the old way." The girl laughed, and then looked down to Amy. "I wish I was pregnant~" she mused.
"Ughh… so did I." Amy swung her head back, and then took a towel and cleaned herself up.
"I want more meat.." she complained, looking to Vanilla.
"I'm surprised. Your cravings are the same as Sonic's mother." Amy liked hearing that, and smiled.
"But I'm afraid too much meat would be bad for you… let's get you some fruit instead." Vanilla helped her up.
"B-but my lady just puked!"
"Yeah… now I can eat more." Amy's logic was only because she felt the craving for ribs.
Vanilla sighed, "You'll have fruit."
"Noooo…."
"Fruit. But first, let's get some… ehem, perfume on you…" Vanilla coughed slightly at the stink.
After some breakfast, Amy flipped through the Book of the Chaos Kingdom, doting on the history stories that were actually quite engaging, and even reading the rules were fun too!
Everything was deep in culture, and explained a lot of why the rules were set in place, since most traditions did start with the royal family.
She learned why Sonic put the ring on the doorknob, and gasped and plugged her mouth when she did, holding in her laughter.
Learning Shadow's past was interesting to her, but what really made her stop and stare was the part about the heir…
"A king, in order to be-yadda yadda- at the age of- yadda yadda- the first born child! Here we go!" Amy began to read.
According to the code of Kings, the first born son must be trained in all the arts, crafts, and duties that are becoming of his rank. Furthermore, it is strictly forbidden to ever leave the realm of his kingdom, for the Master Emerald's influence strives within the child, and the child and the Emeralds are inseparably connected.
"Inseparably..?" Amy held her stomach, worried. "What does that mean..? Wait! Is this why Sonic couldn't venture out of the castle without his parents?" She kept reading.
A few lines down, it went further on…
The royal bloodline is not the only one to hold the secrets of Chaos. Long ago, the two kings rivaled for the emeralds powers. One king, learned to blessings of the Master Emerald, and wielded it's seven servers to take down the wicked king. In his rage, the other king swore vengeance, and that he too, would raise a child that could wield the secret of the Emeralds.
The first king, spawned a daughter of immense connection to the Emeralds, and so it has it been. Whoever discovers the power of the emeralds, thus will carry in him the essence of chaos, which will bless… or destroy.
"Our wedding day…" Amy wondered, and looked down again at her stomach.
Stroking it lightly, she thought about it a moment.
"If… If Sonic is connected to the Emeralds… wait, wait…. His a few times great grandfather used the secret of the Master Emerald, meaning that chaos then flowed through him and became a part of his essence… which means… that that connection could be passed down… so Chaos is absorbed and then can be inherited!" she struck a eureka, and continued. "Which means-! When the Master Emerald sanctified our marriage… it was reacting to Sonic's future… which means that now… Ohh!" she looked down.
"Haha! Are you kicking out of excitement that mommy is so smart?" she spoke to the little rambunctious child within her.
It continued to move and kick, which hurt her sides a little, but made her smile and laugh slightly. "Hehe, stay in there a little longer, okay?" she held her hand over the kicks. "…I… I don't want Sonic thinking I lied to him… and so I want him to see me before seeing you in my arms… I… I don't want to rob him of all this…" she put the book down, and forgot her whole train of thought, before getting up with some effort, holding her hands under her stomach, and walking to the study room's window.
"Sonic's still at war… and I know it will still be a while before he comes back…" she stroked it lightly, as the movement of her getting up seemed to quiet the child down.
"But… I want him to be here… I want… him to… to… be apart of… all … this…" she felt the weight on her body give, and she quickly reached back for the table, clinging to it and leaning on it, before reaching for the chair and sitting back down in it.
"Phew." She let some air out, and then took more deep ones in. "You sure are gonna be a big one!" she laughed, and wondered a moment. 'Sonic… be safe.'
-Present time Sonic, and some several days later-
Upon horseback, the three lead the army behind them, having fought off some loose robots, and were finally able to get a clear look at the countryside of the Ark kingdom…
Ruined… completely stained black on each article of wood or whatever was left in the rubble.
"What kind of king allows this kind of destruction? To his own people?" Tails commented, looking so sorrow for the poor souls who inhabited here…
"These people were worse off than we thought…" Knuckles admitted, thinking of the poor people in the underground stadium, and turning away, closing his eyes in respect for the assumed dead.
"…My king!"
Sonic turned around, pulling Wind Rider back, as he stepped lively and with a little yank of protest from the sudden movement.
"What news, scouts?" his horse stepped back and forth for a moment, leaning forward and back in place.
"The Master Emerald is acting off, sir." The man stated, and bowed his head, putting a hand over his chest. "I swear it. I believe it gave one of my men a vision of the future."
"The future?" Sonic looked to the younger man, probably just graduated as a knight, looking down humbly to the ground, seeming afraid. "…Speak up, boy. State your vision." Sonic encouraged, but kept trying to act the part of a good king.
The boy rose his head, and nodded.
He moved his horse forward to the king, "What I am about to say… please it fall light upon your ears… I swear, I am not crazy. I truly believe that the priestess in my vision spoke as true to me as I speak before you."
"Priestess?" Sonic raised an eyebrow.
"In my vision, I believe Chaos spoke through her form." He replied.
Sonic remained silent, being slightly skeptical, and looked to Tails and Knuckles.
"I… don't believe any mention of a Priestess was known in olden times… but maidens did attend the Master Emerald, and most were slaves from the uncharted lands…" Tails explained, as Knuckles suddenly looked back to him.
"Wait! I know of that! My people, before they became known as barbarians, were once men of slaves. We know are people spoke of slavery, and how we escaped from the order of a just king." Knuckles turned to Sonic, "You're great, great, something or other, great grandfathers did that." He smiled to him, showing once more he had respect for Sonic's genealogy.
Sonic turned to the boy, "Go on then. I'll hear your vision." Sonic nodded.
The boy nodded, and began.
"I at first thought I saw Eggman, the prince's royal advisor, taking advantage of a young and innocent prince, and changing his thoughts to his own use. The Priestess then stated that the prince had lost a someone important, but would not change his bloodlusting heart for her killers. He has now, gone through a most extraordinary change. He wishes to avenge his good-hearted friend, after learning of Eggman's deceit through the graces of the Master Emerald… however…" he looked down.
"…Go on." Tails nodded to the boy, but wasn't sure what to think of all he was saying.
"…The power of the Master Emerald did not pierce his heart with understanding… only with truth." His face looked of one who had sorrow for the prince. "I'm sorry. My countenance betrays me. For then the Priestess told me that he seeks the life of my king, to rule in peace through destruction. That it is by the king's hand, you my liege, that peace can come to the land, and only you… and the child that will be born of your descent, will forever wield the power to do so. The Prince, Shadow, is already misusing the Master Emerald's blessing, which the Priestess stated was done to try and fully purify the prince to see the good over his wicked thinking… but the prince was ignorant to the promptings, and so, he has fallen yet again, but now, his blood holds the power to consume the essence of chaos. He… he must be stopped at all cost, and shown the evil of his ways. Only you my king… can perform this task."
"My descent?" Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Don't you mean, 'or my descent'?"
"The Priestess must have been referring to Amy…" Knuckles looked down, holding his hand to his chin.
"Amy? What about Amy?" Sonic turned back to them, looking upset he wasn't on the same page as everyone else.
"My king… I believe the Priestess meant your unborn child." He explained. "At least… from her status so far… I would assume your child is due any day now. Or…" he looked to his superior next to him, "Are the rumors misinforming?"
"Unborn child!?"
"Sonic… you mean… you didn't know?" Tails leaned forward, surprised and a little dumbfounded he hadn't known.
Sonic jumped to the side of his horse, and glared to Tails, "Are you telling me that Amy wouldn't tell me about an 'unborn child'!? Who else is following this here?!"
"…Sonic… Amy IS pregnant."
Sonic's face shifted, turning back to Tails.
He hung a little of his mouth out.
Knuckles, looking to Tails and Sonic, suddenly realized Sonic didn't know, and burst out laughing, completely showing ignorance to the fact of how inappropriate that action was just then…
"HAHAHAHA! You mean to tell me, you haven't noticed her getting bigger?!" he held his hands out on his stomach. " HAHAAH! Sonic! Come on! Did you think she was just getting FAT!? WHOOHOHOHHOOO, HAAA! That's the funniest thing I've ever heard." He wiped a tear from his eyes.
"Knuckles…" Tails scolded in a whisper, leaning forward to try and give Knuckles a hint to be more sensitive about this subject…
"Yeah, she's been bloated with that fat kid of yours for some time now. Come to think of it. I think she really should be showing pretty heavily about now." Knuckles looked up, trying to judge how long they'd been gone.
Sonic looked mortified, his mouth hanging more open and his arms out stretched before him.
He shook them violently and turned to Tails, "WHHHEEEN!? When was this!? How could none of you tell me!? I still had a year before I .. I … I'm gonna be a…" He was at first shouting in shock, before the real heavy duty awareness sank in.
"I'm…" he slowly leaned back on his horse.
"SONIC!" Tails reached a hand out, moving forward and flying with his tails, before stopping and flinching at the impact Sonic's face made with the ground.
He was like a spear sticking straight out of the ground, before slowly falling down and hitting the surface of the ground with his whole body.
"Amy… my Amy… pregnant." He squished his face up towards his horse, who shook it's head at him, as if mocking him from above.
"…What night was it?" his face shifted again, as Tails flew down to his side, slightly chuckling.
"I'm sorry, Sonic! I assumed you knew." He helped him up, as Sonic couldn't quite get his footing right.
"I'm gonna be a dada…" he looked like he was in la la land. "The fat she gained wasn't from food, it was from me." His eyes rolled up into his skull a moment. "Haaaa…." He seemed to lean back and almost faint for a second.
"Sonic! Oh… I'm having a hard time pitying you at this point." Tails snickered, unable to help but laugh at his reaction.
"A son… or a girl… oh, Chaos, not a girl. Scratch that, not a boy. Or either. Chaos either/or I'm still gonna look like an uncool dad!" he put his hands to his face, kicking his legs out and moaning in what seemed to be internal pain.
He then turned to his stomach, "Why didn't she tell me?" he looked a little deranged, crawling along the ground, his eyes wide and his pupils shrunk, his eye twitching slightly. "She took all those fat jokes like they were nothing." He continued to crawl past the horses of the two men who came to him, as Tails fanned them off.
"Go… uh… tell the others to take a breather." He followed Sonic, bending every now and then to try and keep up and also to get him up again, but he wasn't letting him help him. "Sonic…"
Knuckles just kept laughing.
Sonic suddenly about-faced on the ground, shifting to his back and then leaning up, pointing accusingly at Knuckles, "YOU KNEW!" he turned to Tails, "YOU KNEW!" Tails held up his hands, guilty as charged with a sweatdrop, "DOES THE WHOLE KINGDOM KNOW!?" he spun his pointer finger around, encompassing what looked like the whole world to Sonic.
"…Yes?" Tails shrugged, unable to really hold the truth back, and squinted an eye slightly. "We just assumed you did too!"
"….That girl…PAH!" he still looked like he was taking the news hard, and flopped forward again, this time, his legs spread out and his head face-planting between them.
"I'm never going to forgive her for this." He mumbled, skidding his face up again. "I can't believe she would keep that from me… was she afraid? I couldn't see her being that aware of how I would react to feel worried about it…"
"Actually, I could see her WAY thinking that." Tails held out a hand, showing he had absolute confidence that was why. "Or… ah! I got it!" Tails leaned down, putting a sympathetic hand on his friend's flat back.
Sonic blinked slowly on the ground, looking miserable as he listened to Tails's attempt at a comfort.
"Maybe she wanted to tell you, but when the whole war thing came up, she didn't want you feeling obliged to stay home. You know? Maybe she cared too much to have you stay by her side?"
Sonic's eyes slowly widened, and he rose himself up off the ground.
"Yes… that would make sense…" he looked down and around at the ground, and then hit it. "HA! She's not afraid of me!" He felt relieved, leaning his head back and putting a hand to stroke back his hair.. before getting up and looking confused again.
"Wait a minute… she could of told me before that! Oh no.. she really is afraid I'll revert back to my old self.. I'll panic, or overreact, and she'll feel bad about having a kid and I'll say something horrible to make her feel like that even though I don't meanitandthenherwholeworldwillcrashdownanditwillbeallmyfaultand-"
Tails threw a hand up and slugged him right across the face.
"Whoho! Woah. Ble-er-er-er-er! Thanks, Tails." Sonic shook his head, then shook it more violently, letting his lips flap around, before looking thankful towards Tails.
"Anytime." He smiled, rocking on his shoes as if he was innocent of any hit. "But you have to admit… if Amy did see you react like this… she would be heartbroken that you aren't thrilled." He lowered his ears, and looked up at him, as if suggesting he needed to be real honest about how he just acted.
Sonic took a few breaths, and looked away, feeling guilty, and rubbed his shoulder a moment. "Yeah… she wouldn't have liked that." He took another deep breath, "I guess… even if Amy had told me… I would still have acted somewhat like that." He concluded, and turned his mouth to the side, looking rightfully aware of it now.
"I suggest-" Tails winked to him, and held up a finger, walking around to face him, and put both hands out to his shoulders, patting them. "That when you get home, you react as though that baby is the greatest thing you've ever laid eyes on… and that you're happy to have a family with her." He dusted Sonic's shoulder's off of any remaining dirt on them, as Sonic gave off a goofy grin.
"Yeah.. right… a family… A FAMILY!" his legs collapsed on him again, as Tails was quick this time to grab him and raise him up again.
He patted his chest, "Hang in there, daddy." He teased.
"I'm gonna have to work!"
Knuckles, a little ways off, broke off into another billowing chorus of laughter, leaning forward and barely able to keep on his horse, as it farted beneath him, making his body bounce once or twice.
"…Sonic." Tails had stared off towards Knuckles unamusingly, before turning back to Sonic, a deadpan stare in his drooped eyelids. "You're a filthy rich king. You're gonna provide just fine… in those regards." Tails patted his back in support, before looking down and away, and scurrying off.
"Wait, in those regards, hold it!" Sonic stopped his friend, grabbing one of his tails, which was a no-no for anyone who knew Tails, and pulled him back.
"H-hey!" Tails felt the sensation of touch and pain all at once and quickly was pulled back to Sonic, as he swiped his tail out of his grasp. "What have I said about no touchy!" he wagged his hand with his tail's tip at Sonic, before cradling it and stroking it, gasping when he saw Sonic's dirty hand had left dirt on it, and pouted his way.
"What do you mean, 'in those regards'?!" Sonic put his hands on his hips, leaning forward, angry at the accusation.
"Hmph." Tails dropped his hurt tail and mimicked Sonic's look, but his face showed a pout instead. "Maybe providing for a family will be just given to you based on your rank, Sonic… but on the emotional aspect? Will you really be able to handle a crying baby without giving up?" he seemed slightly serious.
He then leaned up and folded his arms, "It took you half your life to realize you loved Amy, and even more so HALF A YYEEEEARRR to actually love her right, and now you're about to tackle a baby that requires nothing BUT love and affection… obviously care too, but again, you have that covered along with Amy, so you have to admit there's a slight dilemma on your hands in the near future… heheh… did you … heh… did you get the pun?" Tails pointed a finger out to him, but Sonic was too consumed in his thoughts to realize it.
"Like.. a baby… in your hands… dilemma…? Oh come on!" Tails leaned up and shouted into the air. "That was a good tension breaker!"
"You're right… I'm still a horrible person whose trying to recover from being a total jerk… I'm gonna be a horrible dad…" slowly, ever so slowly, Sonic dropped down to his knees, and held himself there a moment. "Heh… my old man.. he was never able to be around… but he wanted to be. And every time he got the chance? He would show with every bit of his being how much he cared about me and my mother… he never let one ounce of annoyance, or pain, or frustration show through his face at being absent from my life so much… he just laughed, and played with me, and taught me everything he could before he was pulled away from me again… I don't want… I don't want to my kid to have to be apart from me… only to see his old man cold-faced when he had a second to be with him… I can't do this." He dropped his hands to the ground.
Repeating the same thing he once told Amy, brought an ominous feeling to his heart.
Tails shook his head, "That's awful, Sonic! You can't say that!" he fell to his knees too, holding Sonic's shoulders, trying to get him to look up from the ground. "You'd never be cold as stone! You're too kind for that! You'd be a fun, dad! And… and I'm sure with Shadow gone, you can have a time of peace with your kid! You can take him-, o-or her,- outside the castle to explore, just like you've always wanted too! A-and Amy can help you with being sensitive, it's not like you're not, you just have a hard time showing it! It'll be okay, Sonic. It was wonderful when you married Amy- Well, I-I mean, the second time around when you got the hang of it… heheh. But you learned that that wasn't so bad… in fact! It was great! So… so a kid will be even BETTER because you won't make the same mistake again… right, Sonic?"
Sonic slowly rose his head to his best friend. "You really think… I could be a good… cool dad?"
"On my life and honor, Sonic. I'll do everything in my power to help you be everything cool and more for that little tike." He smiled.
Sonic nodded.
Tails then hugged Sonic, and Sonic patted his back. "Thanks, little buddy."
"Haha! Better not call your kid that!" He teased, and pulled away. "That's my nick-name!" he laughed.
"While you two are having your moment…" Knuckles, with his arms folded, looked at the two like he was mentally shaking his head at their behavior. "We've got a war to win." He pulled out his axe, and looked to his men behind them. "We'll continue the march!" he called out, "By this time in a week… we'll have you face the Right of Kings against the immortal Prince… And then… you can go home to tell Amy she'll be having her child in an eternal time of peace."
Those words, pierced through Sonic's heart, as his eyes narrowed, and his smile stretched.
He nodded to Knuckles, regaining a will to continue on and bring that future to light!
He jumped on his horse, swinging a leg over, and drew forth his Chaos Blade. "To arms! For our children, our wives, our freedoms, and our God! Let's bring about peeeacccceee!"
The men shouted their approvals, as Tails flew to his own horse, whose motherly love had kept her close to Tails anyway, which made him smile down and pat her for trotting along side him while he comforted his friend.
The men all reeled their horses back and then took off, charging towards the Ark Kingdom.
-A few days later, Ark Kingdom-
*Knock knock knock*
"Ehem… your lordship?"
"Say it properly!"
"Pahh! Fine. But if he kills me, I'm holding you responsible!"
"Right. I'll have your perverted ghost hanging over me in my sleep."
"Perverted what now?"
"Nothing, Storm." The two rolled their eyes, and entered the King's Chambers.
Shadow stood at the balcony window, his super form still intact.
"Geez, how long is he going to wear that color?" Jet leaned over to whisper his side-remark to Wave from the corner of his beak, keeping the front part tightly shut.
She jabbed him on the side.
"ACK!"
"Quiet you! Or you really will get us all killed." She scolded, harshly toning it, and then looking back to Shadow.
"We've done as you asked, you're friend is revived, and so is half the village. We're starting on the town and getting the ones already de-robotized to search for any survivors or unobtained robotized citizens." She gestured her arm out to him, before folding her own, and then flicking her head to Storm.
"Go on, get the girl."
Storm looked jittery, and quickly held up a pointer finger as if saying, 'wait one moment', and left.
"…My specific orders were to bring her here first… then take care of the others."
The two widened their eyes.
"EHEM!" Jet coughed out, and pushed Wave, stepping up beside her. "Yeah, Wave! Didn't I tell you it was the other way around!"
"Why you-!"
"Silence!"
With the turn of Shadow's royal cape, the two clung to each other, shivering again.
"You don't have to act so peeved about everything!" she lightly let out.
"Shut up, Wave! He's staring! And standing! Right! There!" Jet shook beside her, before thrusting his head down to gesture to Shadow being right in front of her, but sometimes, she couldn't keep her mouth shut as much as Jet couldn't zip his big, fat beak!
"I got the lady, da-hah." He blushed, seeing Rouge had taken his hand, then flew up and kissed his cheek, patting his head.
"That'll do, big boy." She cooed, and flew over to the other two, standing in front of them as Storm blushed and held his cheek, a bit of his tongue sticking out.
"My, my… look whose taking on a new color palette." She teased, folding her arms and seeming to indirectly defend the three behind her.
He seemed to calm down slightly in his annoyance, and just narrowed his eyes at her. "You're late." He turned his robe again to flow behind him, and walked towards the balcony. "I'm glad you're back to your usual help. Now, I need you to scout how far that mass of men is from us." He held his head up high, seeing the army approaching in the distance.
"Hmm? An army already? What have I missed~" in curiosity that slowly turned a playful sense of interest, she walked over to him and then turned to angle herself from the balcony, standing next to him.
"If you ask me, they look like ants from here."
"You know what I meant."
"Hmmhmm, yes. I do." She turned to the three. "What are you three bobble-headed dimwits doing gawking and staring like scared little cats for!? Get out there and find more people to save!" she pointed a finger full of attitude and then swiped her hand to the door, as the three immediately scrambled about and took off for the exit, even pushing the others down and having to slightly run on all fours a moment to get out.
"Some way to thank her heroes!"
"Bobble-headed?!"
"She was so pertty when she wasn't yelling!"
"Yeah, much like Wave!"
"SHUT YOUR BEAK YOU SPINELESS PIGEON!"
Jet let out a gasp and tackled her, as Storm thought maybe she meant him.
"Who you callin' spineless, huh!?" he jumped in and the three rolled out in a clouded ball of brawling, being then flung down the stairs shouting, "OHHH NOOOOO!" and letting out grunts of pain all the way down.
Rouge shook her head, putting her hand up to it. "Ohh… you have no idea how senseless those birdbrains are… but if they brought me back, I have to admit, they must have some merit to themselves." She shrugged, and turned to Shadow.
"…You okay?"
"Once Sonic is dead, Maria will be able to rest in peace… at long last…" he closed his eyes, still looking pretty tense.
"…Still as intense as when I had left…" she looked a bit sorry for him, but let it go a moment later. "You're still bent on seeking Sonic's bloodline executed?"
"It will mean the end of war… and a time of Maria's peace." He lowered his head.
"….Do you really believe killing will bring about a new world order..?" she stated this genuinely, and reached a hand out to him. "Shadow…"
"Enough." He moved away from her touch, moving his robe more in front of him, having it hang now over just one shoulder. "I've waited long enough. Examine his forces. I'll take Sonic on.. alone." He glared towards the mass of men approaching.
"…You don't even have an army to fight them." She sighed.
He suddenly smiled, chuckling to himself.
He flicked out his wrist, contorting it a moment in an unnatural way.
The deactivated robots suddenly felt their chaos energy surge them to life, and they leaned up, blinking to life in their eye-scanners, as the Babylon Rogues freaked out and held each other once more. Storm scooped them all up and ran back to the basement, eyes closed in tearful fright.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nevermind your questions." Shadow rose his head up slightly.
"Get me the king… alone."
-Sonic's point of view :D-
"The Ark kingdom isn't far now, just a little longer… we'll be there before day break." Tails stated, seeing the kingdom up ahead, and looking out over his map.
Tornado shifted a little under him, and he quickly moved his hands back down, crinkling the map up slightly. "Wo-o-oah! Easy girl… it's not like I'm taking you into battle again." He smiled kindly, closing his eyes and sweat dropping.
As strategist, he wasn't meant to be in the head of battle anyway, but tailing behind, sending messages to Knuckles on battle formations he could try.
"This is taking too long… I could bolt right up there on my two feet alone and-!"
As Sonic narrowed his eyes, holding the reins up and ready for anything, he suddenly looked back to see Tails and Knuckles's expressions…
"….You're right. Never without you two again." He assured them, and they smiled.
However…
"Something's coming! Battle stations!"
"Huh?" Knuckles heard his second in command call out, and looked up to the sky.
"Archers! To your stations!"
The men fell into their rose, and pulled back their bows.
"Hmm…" Tails narrowed his eyes, and was ready to pull back too.
"That doesn't look like a robot…" Sonic put a hand up to block the sun, trying to see what the object was in the distance. "Doesn't look fast enough to be a missle…"
"…Ah! Hold your fire!" Knuckles threw a hand back, rearing his horse up on it's two back legs before thumping down and racing out.
"H-hey!"
"It's Lady Rouge!" he called, as she looked weary from flying.
"Ohh…ohhhh…" she looked wobblily in the air, and then flew down. 'That knuckle-head…' she smirked as she closed her eyes and purposefully glided to where he could catch her.
"Offph!"
"Heh. My lady never fails to surprise me." Knuckles smirked, before seeing her look so weak. "Woah, Rouge… are you alright?"
"I… just escaped.. the Prince… Shadow he's… gone wild in rage." She lifted a hand, shakily up to him. "Ugh…" she let it drop, along with her head.
"Ah! Someone! Quick! Bring her water!" he called from behind him.
'My lady… huh?' she smiled and peeked an eye up, before going back to her act.
"Oh, you are too kind." She was placed down to sit on a rock, and took the drink, sipping it.
She crossed her legs and then looked seductively to the three main heroes.
"My… so you're suppose to be the heroes that will save our kingdom?"
"Your kingdom? Beh! You know you're a nomad by trade!" Knuckles, his arms folded, called her out on that one, making her 'tsk' before shifting her legs to the side and under her again.
"Would you quit interrupting me. A lady with news has the right to speak, you know." She scolded, and shook out her hair. "I'm here to state that it's no use. You three and your little excuse for an army stand no chance against Eggman's enhanced robots, filled with your very own Master Emerald's Chaos powers, mind you."
The three looked to each other, showing their concern at her words.
"You might as well give up. Or you know…" she took another sip, before looking up at Sonic.
"Take the Right of Kings…"
"Rouge!"
"I'm only saying, is all. Isn't that your only hope? Don't you remember what happened the last time your little possewent against regular Eggman machines? You didn't stand a winning chance without Sonic and your little strategist here."
She winked to Tails, as Knuckles stepped forward, lifting a fist up.
"it's not your right to state anything! Thanks for the warning, but Sonic's sticking to his team this time!"
Sonic looked down.
"Heh, even your own king knows what's best."
She took another sip.
Tails looked to Sonic, seeing his face looking conflicted.
"Sonic..?"
He closed his eyes.
"…She's right, Tails.. Knuckles… it's me that Shadow's after. If I take all of you with me, it could only mean more bloodshed."
"Right on it."
She winked at his thinking.
"Enough!" Knuckles swiped an arm out at her, and then turned to Sonic, "What about your transformation! You said you changed! You weren't gonna play the hero anymore, remember?! You were gonna BE the hero!"
"My, my… so loud." She looked annoyed at him, lowering her eyelids and taking another sip, nonchalantly.
"WHY YOU-!"
"Stop! Knuckles! I know what I have to do! This feels right. I don't want any of you to get hurt."
"You're insulting my men!" Knuckles removed Sonic's hand that was placed to stop him from yelling at Rouge.
"I thought you finally learned something for a change!"
"What!? You want to just come in, prancing your swords and spears around, while I'm up in the sky duking it out with Shadow throwing Chaos spears and killing our men!? They're my people too, Knuckles!"
"That's exactly what we'll do. And with any luck, we'll even weaken his robotic forces while we're at it."
Rouge cocked an eyebrow up, hearing that plan, and closed her eyes. "My… what bravery." She looked up to Knuckles, "Not only my hero… but also a true warrior of valor. Shame you're a general… they usually live such lonely lives." She looked away, stating her suggestive hint and then sipping more of her drink.
"W-wha?" Knuckles turned back to her, blinking and blushing slightly, before glaring her down and growling out another insult. "Quiet, bat girl! You don't know the first think about honor!"
"There's honor in my line of work." She winked, "But just not among others not of our… how should I say… kind…"
"What.. what does that mean?"
She was, of course, referring to her being a theif, but knew he thought her work was different.
Oh, if he only knew…
"I'll let you two talk about it, but for now,-" she jumped up and put her hands over Knuckles's broad chest. "I've gotta do my duty and thank my savior… the brave general Knuckles~"
"I-ah-bah-h-huh?" Knuckles looked flustered, as she winked to him and pulled him away into a tent.
"H-hey-hey!" Knuckles struggled but her giddy expression showed she wasn't going to let him get away so easily.
She peeked out of the tent, "Oh, don't worry. I don't mean any harm by him. He'll be ready for battle, if he goes that is, but until then I hope you don't mind if I ask for some privacy now… do you? Hmmhmm." She winked her hint again and closed the tent. "Ta-ta."
Sonic and Tails blinked a moment, not sure how to react, before looking to each other awkwardly and shrugging.
"Seems like he knew her." Sonic admitted.
"Y-yeah… hey! You don't think…"
"What is it, Tails?"
"When he said he'd never touched a woman… but a woman touched him… hmmm.." He held a hand up to his chin, thinking… "Ah, nevermind. I shouldn't investigate that hard into Knuckles's love life." Tails looked apologetic and scratched the back of his head, before looking concerningly up to Sonic.
"Are you really going to try and go it alone, Sonic? We could really help you from below…"
"I don't know, Tails." He shook his head, turning away. "One minute, I'm totally right there with ya on that one… but then I hear about my kid on the way… and then what Rouge just said… it's all… making it harder and harder to see where the right decision is!" he put his hands to his head, before leaning back and sighing.
"I bet Amy would say something really good right now." He closed his eyes.
"…You've been thinking an awful lot about her… haven't you?" Tails walked up behind him.
"… I can't help it… I don't just miss her now… I worry about her." He scratched the front of his head, leaning it down. "I thought she was safe before… well, … you know. Now that I know she's expanding,… I mean, I wouldn't have been much help to her there either I guess." He put his hands behind his head, and looked up again, letting a leg lean up and the back of it rest on the ground.
"But now… I feel obligated too. I… want to keep my promise to her no matter what… she may have relieved me of it for now… but that doesn't change the way I feel."
Tails smiled, hearing him truly caring about Amy made him happy to see how much Sonic had truly changed.
"Before, I would have said you were crazy and to shapin' up!" Tails leaned forward, his hands on his hips, as Sonic turned around to face him.
"..But now…" Tails dropped the act, "I truly know that you're not trying to act rash or selfishly… you truly are thinking things through. I'm proud of you, Sonic!" Tails beamed, having his two tails whip out behind him. "I'll only say this, whether you go it alone or not, we're going to make our own decisions too. We're fighting! Whether you want us to, or not! E-even though you're king and could command us not too… I-I know you're not that kind of king and would never do such a thing!" he held his hands up in fist towards his face, and Sonic chuckled.
"Of course not, buddy! I can't stop you from doing what you feel is right. But please understand… My main priority is Shadow. I've got to take him down and protect my world's future! As that one kid said, it's up to me." Sonic nodded.
"Yeah!" Tails also nodded. "Or your unborn child's mysterious link to the Master Emerald! Whatever that means!" Tails acted like that didn't matter as he walked off, but Sonic froze for a second, really contemplating what that meant.
"Uhhh…Tails? That kinda seems important."
"It's not."
"But-but, I think you might find that it is..?"
"But it's not! He's not even born yet! And besides, even if he was, he's a BABY. What could he do?"
"Why are you calling it a 'he'! We don't even know if it's a boy or girl!"
"Either way, SHE or HE isn't going to be a player in the war. Don't sweat it!"
"I SWEAT THAT A PRIESTESS MENTIONED HIM. I'm pretty sure that's something to sweat about, Tails!"
"Now you're just getting daddy feels again."
"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE A DAD!"
-Chaos Kingdom-
"Ohh…ughh…" Amy clenched her stomach.
"My lady!" A few girls came to her side.
"Is it time, my queen?"
"No..n-no, it can't be… Sonic's still away." Amy tried to move again, and felt the pain levitate a little.
"Oh good…" she sighed, little tears falling slightly from her face.
'Hold on… please… please don't come out before he gets back home…'
Vanilla walked into the bedroom, seeing Amy reading the Book of the Chaos Kingdom, and looking concerned.
"You really should walk around." She stated, bringing some warm milk to her side.
"No, that's okay. I'm tried." Amy reached up and put the book down on her belly, having it look greatly elevated as she reached for the milk and started to drink it.
"…It could help with contractions. It stimulates the baby to drop." She sat down, looking at her dodging her suggestions.
"Emm-mm." Amy shook her head. "She's not ready to come out yet." Amy smiled, and continuing drinking.
"She?"
"I change my mind from time to time." Amy giggled, and put a gentle hand to her stomach. "Whatever this little guy is, they're going to be a runner! Just like Sonic! Haha! He's been bruising up my sides all day!"
"….Amy…."
"You can't wait forever."
Amy's happy expression left her.
Her eyes covered in shadows.
"…He has to wait." She started to tear up. "Sonic's still not here yet… I haven't told him yet…"
"…Amy…"
"The baby's alright. I take good care of her. I know it can wait just a little longer…" she leaned her head up, smiling.
"…That's not wise." Vanilla cautioned. "When the time comes, you must push." She explained, putting her hands on the bed.
"…Just a little longer…" Amy patted the belly. "Hehe, good baby…"
"…eh-heh." Vanilla looked away, her mouth clenching on her teeth.
She walked out of the room and closed the door, the royal physician behind her.
"Has she showed you the signs of postponing the inevitable as she did myself?" the kind doctor stated, blinking in worry through his glasses.
"….Yes." Vanilla admitted, looking heartbroken over it.
"…Hmm… I see. She must exercise." He folded his arms, and then looked seriously up to Vanilla. "She must also take in plenty of nutrients. And also-"
She took his hands when he parted them from their fold.
"I know. I had you deliver my own child, do you recall? I know what must be done. I promise. I won't let her act this irrationally anymore." She nodded to show her determination in that statement. "I will take care of my queen."
"Queen? You speak as if she's your own little girl." He smiled, "You were a wonderful mother. I almost longed to help you in future births. I'm sorry about your husband." He looked to her kindly. "Has there not been another who has seemed worthy of your hand, my dear?"
She looked away.
"I see. Love's arrow may shoot a thousand times, but we only truly let it in once." He nodded, closing his eyes and then smiling, raising her head up. "Beautiful, Vanilla. Do not my words offend you. I'm so proud of you for sticking by the King's son, and now his wife's side. You have always served the royal family to your fullest capabilities. Your late husband would be so proud of you. I'm sure he offers prayers to Chaos for your eternal blessings." He bowed, and then took his doctor's bag out from under his arms, and tipped his hat.
"I must be off. As a renowned medical physicist, there's always high demand for my specialties. But as always, I'll take the good queen first. When the time comes." He bowed again, showing deep respect, and then took off down the long outdoor hallway.
Vanilla bowed back, and looked sorrowfully after him. "Thank you… Good sir."
"AHHH!"
Vanilla's whole body felt like a lightning bolt had traveled from her head down to her feet.
She immediately ran back in, using the energy pulsing through her veins, back to Amy's side.
"What's wrong!?" she panicked, flinging the door open. "My darling!" she fell to the side of the bed, seeing Amy turned over in pain.
"He… he hits too hard to be a girl.." she smiled through her pain.
"My… you scared me." She sighed in relief, and then held Amy's head, since her hands were tightly around herself.
"Did.. Did Sonic's mom have this issue?" she looked up, hopeful towards her mother-figure.
"…Yes…" Vanilla breathed out, seeing the resemblance and remembering those times all at once. "Actually… Sonic broke a rib."
"Oh… delightful." She joked through her strained voice.
"Vanilla?"
"Yes, my dear, what is it? Medicine to quiet the pain?" she was scooting ever closer, moving her ears out of her face to try and be as close as possible to Amy, ready and willing to help with whatever she may need.
"…I think… he wants to come out."
That painful realization broke out on Amy's face, but she seemed to already have accepted that.
"No matter how much I will him to stay… he fights against me… I think he needs to come out soon."
Vanilla's eyes widened, before her own head fell with light tears to match Amy's earlier ones.
She then looked up.
"Yes, my dear."
She smiled.
"It's almost time."
-Sonic! :D-
Sonic paced in the night. He had dreams of Amy calling his name, and even while he was awake, he couldn't help but feel like she was still calling to him.
"Amy…" he clenched his fists and teeth.
"Amy…"
"Well, aren't you just as hopeless as she."
"…!"
Sonic turned around, seeing Rouge leaning up against a tree.
"R-Rouge?" he took a stance, as if he was being caught.
"Cool your horses. Knuckles fell asleep." She motioned a hand out, and walked over to Sonic.
"I saw you pacing now… calling your lover's name." she walked around him, looking to the moon. "Missing her terribly?"
"…Amy's… with child." Sonic looked away.
Rouge's back straightened, and she turned immediately to Sonic, looking shocked. "No…" she started breathing deeply and looking around the ground, seeing as this could ruin everything Shadow hoped to accomplish.
"She's almost due any time now… well, according to the rumors. I just can't… I can't bring myself to run back to her.. I'd be abandoning the kingdom… but I can't stand not knowing how she's doing… I hear childbearing can be…Well…"
"A drag." She scowled.
Sonic turned around to face her.
"I-I meant childbearing! Terrible. So I hear. Never would care for it. Haha…" she tried to brush the last comment away, and moved a fake strand of hair out of her face, trying to not have Sonic see her true expression.
'When Shadow finds out… this could get ugly. I'm no murderer to an infant child…' She conflicted with her feelings, folding her arms and looking up, her back towards Sonic.
"…heh. You really care about old Knuckles, don't you?" He kicked the ground, as she flinched a little at his words.
"…What are you talking about? The king asking me about my feelings? Hahah! Who are you again?"
"Don't avoid it. That's all I'll say." Sonic kicked a pebble into a ditch, and watched it roll down. "Don't you have lakes around here? This place is like a desert waste land with trees growing for some unknown reason." Sonic looked around, seeing no real charm in this land.
"…The Master Emerald doesn't bless unnatural sons." She looked away.
Sonic turned back, looking over his shoulder at her. "…You mean… Shadow's creation." He looked forward.
"…He was born a regular old hedgehog. Just like your spunky little self was…. But then his father and Eggman's grandfather got a hold of him… his poor mother couldn't stop the tragedy from happening… she ended up falling because of defiance. Not to death. But into an empty state, where no one could communicate with her anymore. Shadow never saw her. He barely knew the woman." She fixed her hair slightly, thinking about his sad upbringing. "Maria was his only friend. A mother figure. A true angel to his poor demonic fate. He was created to win all wars, to destroy all enemies in his path… but Maria treated him as he always longed to be treated… like a normal little boy."
"Then she was killed… right?"
"…An unfortunate turn of events… but yes. She stepped in to save his life."
"…I think I heard about her before. But not in detail." Sonic turned away.
"… then… you don't know about the promise?"
"Promise? Don't you mean the oath to kill the entire Chaos Kingdom?" Sonic, in a bit of anger, turned around to show his disdain at that. "Pfft. Some angel."
"Don't say that!"
Sonic flinched back, facing her directly and this time, not turning away from her again.
"…You have no idea… how much that girl taught him."
"…What do you mean?"
"…Her true promise was distorted by Eggman. What she really wanted was for him to end this war. He interpreted that as he must kill you, bringing peace through the ending of this war in more bloodshed. He… he doesn't understand."
Rouge put a hand to her heart, looking away and sorrowfully at that situation. "He never understood love… nor that peace never comes of destruction. Amy, I hear, tried to show him some chivalry, even after he tried to strangle her life."
"….Grrah…" Sonic looked down, remembering Amy telling him that…
After a lot of persuasion….
His fists tightened, seeing the mental image,…
It only made him want to take down Shadow even more.
"He's not… necessarily evil. He's been fooled. Played a puppet king all these years…."
"Wait… a… puppet king?"
"Yes. He never wanted the wars or killing. He was forced too by Eggman's lying deceit. He was the real ring master. The person you should treat as your enemy, is Eggman!"
Took a firm stance, showing her conviction in that statement.
"Please… I don't know if it's already too late for Shadow but… if you can, use the Master Emerald's power inside your royal veins to tell him the truth! That Maria's true wish is to stop Eggman from continuing this careless war! And taking over the world!"
"The world!?" Sonic had never heard this before. "The legend states that Eggman has always been the secret power behind Shadow's strength.. but not that he's the one calling the shots!"
"Please. If you can… when you face Shadow in the Right of Kings… you must tell him the truth. The truth about Maria… and about what she meant. Explain it to him, no matter how much he'll fight against you. Someone has to tell him… and it can't be me." She looked away.
"…This whole time… you've been defending him."
"Ah!" she saw her cover being blown, and quickly tried to reverse her blunder. "O-oh no! That legend's been t-told in the Ark Kingdom for generations!"
"You've never lived there."
"Urk." She stopped waving her hands around, and sweatdropped, looking upset she was caught.
"Alright. You got me." She folded her arms, looking more serious as she lifted her head up. "Currently… I am a mercenary, hired by Prince Shadow to carry out some things… Spy… things."
"A spy!?"
"Hold your sword!" she held her hand out to stop him, seeing him reach for it.
"I'm trying to help him!"
"Yes, you made that clear."
"No, I mean… ugh! I care about him, alright!?"
"Two timing too? Wow, you really are a double agent."
"WHAT!? No! You-! Grahh… I mean, I won't tell him anything! But when you fight him, help him to realize the truth!"
She leaned forward, showing her determination in this matter.
"…So… in other words…" Sonic put his sword fully into it's sheath, having it only slightly out. "Get him to surrender… on my terms?" he raised an eyebrow.
"No. He'll never surrender to you." She glared.
"Well, then I don't see your point." Sonic folded his arms.
"….Get him to surrender to Maria."
He blinked his eyes, before seeing the sincerity in her eyes, and the seriousness in her face.
"…He'll loose. He'll allow himself to be subjected under anyone's will… if he thinks they're an ally to Maria's wishes."
"…Like Eggman." Sonic narrowed his eyes.
"….Like Eggman." She concluded, nodding to his deductions.
Sonic looked away, thinking…
"You promise not to tell him about Amy… and I'll promise to do everything in my power to stop him. Even if I have to use Maria's soul to do it." He nodded, "But you must know. My people usually leave the dead to their peace. To pray blessings from the Master Emerald to their family and friends."
"….Then pray she's been pleading for his cause too… all these millennium."
"…I'll do what I can." Sonic extended his hand.
"As will I." she took it, and they shook on it.
(What will Shadow's future hold? And Sonic's child? And where has Eggman run off too!? Find out, in the following Chapters of Sonic and the Chaos Kingdom! As always, Stay Tuned~)