Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Miles 'Foxy' Prower! ❯ A Change of Heart ( Chapter 15 )

YiffyOne here, back to cop out yet another chapter, exclusively for my public at mediaminer.org. Now, as much as I love each and every reviewer I had from fanfiction.net, I've noticed not a single person from mediaminer has reviewed… and I KNOW there are some newbies out there, reading the story, getting their sick kicks, and NOT commenting! This makes me unhappy…

 

And if I'm not happy, the story will suffer, so if you want the writing to be at it's best, then all you have to do is type out what you think… It's not like I don't read them or anything, you know! As a matter of fact, I used to give a reply to every review, and, on occasion, I still do, so for God's sake, folks, review the dang story, and stop taking advantage of the privilege of reading it!

 

And yes, I'm quite aware that that's just a tiny bit pretentious… I'm also aware that my writing's not God's gift to the world, but seriously, it's free, and I put a lot of effort into it, so the least you can do is gimme a little feedback, alright?

 

Don't forget, I've got a story, and I'm NOT afraid to abuse it! Anyway, I'd, before I start this chapter, like to give a special thanks to all those out there whom have JOINED THE DARK ARMY OF DESTRUCTION! Yes,we will crush fanfiction.net's tyranny in one fell swoop at the rate we are collecting followers! But one can never have enough allies! By all means, keep the cadets coming! Oh, and a special thanks goes out to Watch For Stars for enlisting THREE members into our ranks! Private, you've officially been promoted to Captain! Congratulations, and keep up the good work! There just may be more promotions in store for you in the near future!

 

Anyway, enough talk of mayhem and chaos (for now), on with the story.

 

 

Miles `Foxy' Prower! Chapter 15: “A Change of Heart”

 

 

The young-looking immortal gulped hard, in a pathetic attempt to rid himself of the horrible lump forming in his throat. Why was he, one with so heavy a conscience, destined to tread such a dreary, not to mention sinful path…?

 

He felt the already-accumulating guilt well up in him, as he tried to prepare himself for what he must do. The feeling grew, and mixed with a noticeable fear, as the sun began to tint the sky with a brilliant array of colors. He looked at it, and his face hardened, though only a bit. It seemed as though nature was mocking him with such a happy display of dawn.

 

What had he to be happy about… he had gifts, but none of them fell onto the list of things which he desired. All he had was… power. Power wrongly given to him… the power of Chaos.

 

Chaos is power… but was the chant of the ancient Echidna tribe true…? Was that power truly enriched by… the heart, of all things?

 

Little Armic walked onward, silently, aimlessly, following only his intuition. He used the staff, loosely held within his left hand to serve as a walking stick, as the metal gave off a dull, low clink with each contact it made with the ground. At a glance, the boy was quite cute… innocent even. His face was generally wore an unsure, stressful expression… Of the kind no human of this mortal coil could comprehend. He seemed to be the human incarnation of anxiety, worry, and hesitation. Just glancing upon the fragile-looking youth would make a person concerned for him.

 

However, despite his child-like features, the spirit of the yellow Chaos Emerald was certainly not defenseless. The boy was just as strong as any of his brothers or sisters… with the exception of maybe Artimus… but strength was one of the few blessings he'd never had want, much less need for… He was a misfit, to the point where his very existence was almost a paradox within itself.

 

His baby-like features faded into a sharp look of worry, lined with deep hesitation. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he felt their presence slowly fading away… his siblings, were they… dying?

 

“…Impossible…?” He muttered, staring off into the fiery horizon. His dazzling, amber eyes seemed to be ignited by the light they reflected.

 

A long moment passed, but he didn't notice… he'd lived so long it seemed the flow of time was… almost invisible to him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd openly felt the passage of it…

 

He shook his head, steeling himself, poorly, but enough to press onward, as he suddenly felt very, very alone. Even more alone than normal.

 

“Mustn't… hesitate… Have to… kill…” He trailed, the final word leaving a disgusting taste in his mouth, as he trudged forward, entering a familiar city…

 

====+++++++_________---------_______

 

 

Camouflaged perfectly within a sea of her own interior decorations, all the same shade of pepto-bismol pink, the head of quills finally raised from the floor, on which it had rested for many hours.

 

The majority of Amy's quills sprawled out onto her face, giving her a `Frankenstein's Bride' sort of look. The migraine within her tiny head was evident, as she staggered to her feet, groaning in an irritated, unearthly manner. It was possible she wasn't entirely conscious, as she, almost drunkly, felt the floor to locate her trademark burette, which matched her signature red dress and boots perfectly. After who knows how many moments, her braced glove fell upon the plastic item.

 

Grumbling, the vision of (though presently diminished) hedgehog beauty scooped the accessory up, and placed it on her head, all the while moving her frazzled, but well-groomed quills aside, so she could see. Her teal eyes were noticeably, and uncharacteristically glum, half lidded, possibly even less of a percentage awake.

 

She shuffled across the apartment, instinctively knowing her way around the place, with the exception of the occasional bump into a doorway, which she'd miscalculated the exact location of. The searing pain in her skull eventually coaxed her into a fully conscious state, as she gazed into her bathroom mirror. She let out a shrill gasp as she saw the bump, which was doubtlessly the source of her current headache.

 

She touched it lightly, and hissed when the injury seemed to translate the soft palm into many stabbing needles of pain.

 

“Yowch! How in the world did I do that, I wonder…?” She questioned aloud.

 

She took a brief moment to comb her mind for answers, but found nothing… She shook her head, in a sassy, frivolous manner. Whether due to the minor concussion to the head, or her usual absent-mindedness, Amy Rose simply couldn't remember.

 

However, not being one to EVER dwell upon things, the bizarre incident was quickly forgotten. Yes, it was an admirable, though strange faculty of hers… She could get over any emotional or personal issue faster than Sonic could clear a mile, it seemed.

 

Thoughts flooding with images of Sonic (her general state of mind), the pink hedgehog hummed to herself, whilst she preened her quills, using the mirror as a guide to make her quills look at least half-way presentable, before walking out of her bathroom, toward her apartment door.

 

 

===---___=+++--_________

Rouge dusted herself off and scoffed. She was profoundly miffed, for varying reasons. One, her body ached all over. Two, she had no idea why she was were she was, next to Amy's apartment, not to mention on the ground, the FILTHY ground, for who knows how long. And of coarse, three, the fact that somebody, though she couldn't bring herself to remember who, SOMEBODY attacked her.

 

The bat's sex appeal would have proved to work in her favor, were any watching, even as she paced about angrily, her hips swinging as she walked. Vengeance was easy enough for her to achieve, what with her… talents for torture, whether emotional or physical, but how was she supposed to get revenge on somebody she didn't even see?

 

For a moment the thieving lover of jewels became a living, walking, and quite frightening form of sheer irritation, as her motion finally stopped, and she tapped her foot, rather stomped, the ground impatiently.

 

“FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!” She screamed, at the top of her (obviously healthy) lungs. This roused many people from their sleep, even caused some of the dwellers of the apartments to stick their heads timidly out their doors in search of the source of the commotion, only to yank them back inside before being spotted by the fuming bat.

 

One in particular walked out her door, mallet held above her head, in preparation to strike down some imaginary profanity-using foe, but her features calmed a little upon seeing her friend.

 

“Rouge? What are you doing he-…” Amy started, but Rouge wouldn't let her finish.

 

“I don't KNOW. That's just the problem. I just… woke up here…” The sexy bat interrupted, her normally silky voice cracking a bit, as she folded her arms in a rather unladylike frustration. The pink hedgehog frowned.

 

“What? What do you think happened…?” She gently prodded. Rouge didn't seem to become any more stable, despite the soothing tone Amy implemented on her.

 

“I said I don't know, sheesh. I feel like my head's been used as a soccer ball, I can't even think straight…” The upset thief announced, rubbing her cranium. Amy's flashing jade eyes lost their glint for a moment, as she warily felt the back of her head, identifying a very peculiar similarity in Rouge's predicament to her own.

 

“That's strange… I woke up with a headache, too… here, look!” Amy said, turning around and showing her the fresh bump on her head. Rouge's aquamarine eyes shrunk, as she examined the minor injury.

 

“Owch… Where'd you get that?” She asked, finally calming down a bit, for the moment. Amy turned around and did her best not to look like an airhead.

 

“Uh… I dunno.” She stated, simply. The bat shook her head, sweatdropping. “No, really, I just woke up on the ground like this…” She said, feeling dumb, though she certainly had more intellect than she was ever given credit for.

 

“Huh… Same here… that's just… huh.” Rouge mused, trailing, unable to think of the words to describe such an odd coincidence.

A moment passed, as both girls looked rather pensive, and just a tidbit curious. Neither dared to speak on their suspicions, as most were fairly ridiculous. After a longer moment passed, they both sighed, virtually at the same time, as they were both drawing blanks.

 

“Oh… this is stupid. Normally we leave the thinking to fox-boy… How does he handle it?” Rouge muttered, shrugging, shunning all hopes of ever unraveling the mystery. Amy smiled, but sweatdropped at her manner. She couldn't be more right, though.

 

“I dunno… I guess out of all of us, SOMEBODY'S gotta be the brains.” Amy answered, despite the question being rhetorical. Rouge grinned a little, as Amy's presence always had a way of cheering her up, even if she wasn't trying to.

 

“Well, we may as well…!!” All the sudden, Rouge snapped to attention, and took a defensive stance, eyes whipping across the doors and focusing on something behind Amy.

 

Amy turned around, and gasped a little, her hammer at the ready…

 

 

“How unfortunate… I've found you…” The young boy said to them.

 

Amy and Rouge scanned the youth, and his attire. He looked young… not a day over 13… maybe even less. He wore yellow and orange robes that matched the hues of the sun… his look completed with a large orange ribbon tied at his waist, making him quite cute, actually. His golden eyes flashed in the coming morning light, though the light did not come from within, like a normal child's would, but bounced off of them. His face, despite it's youthful charm, looked sickeningly grim. His skin was pale, and his features frozen into a stone-like glare. He stood, perfectly balanced on the rail lining the edge of the upper level of the apartment building… something no normal person could do. Within his small left hand he held an ornate rod, which looked heavier than it probably was. The young boy was left-handed.

 

Rouge's posture melted from a fighting stance, into her normal manner of standing, legs apart and a hand on her hip, the side of her body facing the little boy. He was a human… a strange-looking one, but certainly no threat to her. Amy also relaxed, but not as much as Rouge… her eyes told her that he was just a harmless little boy… but her heart… her heart told her that he was… she couldn't even describe the mixed and matched emotions she felt from him, but it wasn't good. He seemed torn.

 

“What do you want, child?” Rouge asked, easily. Armic grinned faintly.

 

“That… Is a question I've never known the answer to.” The young one stated, leaping from the railing to the ground with ease, taking a few steps toward them, stopping at about 3 yards from them. “…All I know is what must take…” He told them, somehow achieving a smile that reeked of despair.

 

Rouge cocked her head. She didn't understand his meaning at all. What kind of boy talks like that? Amy just frowned, feeling the sadness resonating from him thicken as he drew nearer.

 

“…That doesn't make any sense.” The bat stated, bluntly. The emerald spirit laughed weakly, in spite of himself.

 

“Hehehe… I assure you, madam, if everything made sense, then there'd be no impurities in this world.” He told her, making his little grin seem like a deep frown. Rouge didn't get this kid at all… he talked in a very strange manner.

 

“…Wait, why is it unfortunate that you've found us…?” Amy said, seeming off topic, mentioning the first statement that the boy had said. She simply had to know what he meant by that… it was making her noticeably concerned. Armic looked at her, and pointed at her with his right finger, smiling still, though it didn't have the same properties of a normal smile…

 

“Beware, miss, what questions you ask.” He told her. She looked at him, perplexed, as he continued, “…For each question you ask… shows what you do not know… or in this case, shouldn't need to know.” He explained. Rouge was getting irritated now, not knowing what to make of what he was telling them.

 

The bat's wings flared up, and she walked toward the boy, looking at him expectantly. He didn't seem at all intimidated, but his look lightened just a bit. He nodded.

 

“Very well, if you must know, I was referring to myself. It is unfortunate that I've found you… because now there's no turning back. I must do… what I was sent to do…” As he said this, he turned around, showing them his back, as he hopped back onto the rail he initially appeared on.

 

“Wait, who are you… and what were you sent to do…?” Amy asked, very serious. Rouge glanced at her, her look silently asking the girl why she was making such a big deal out of this.

 

Armic slowly turned his head back to look at them.

 

“If you must know… then follow me. But be forewarned… if you should follow…” He said, seeming more sad than ever, as a brief moment passed. He regained his senses, and managed to look back once more, his eyes harsh, and deadly. “You will die.” He said, words tipped with an uncharacteristic venom, as he leapt below, leaving them.

 

Both girls immediately flinched, and ran to the railing. It was at least a 30 foot drop to the sidewalk down below! How could this little boy just jump off like that?! Through their own gasps, the women saw the mysterious, philosophical boy, down below, perfectly unharmed, slowly walking away from them, toward the bustling highway, where oncoming traffic impended.

 

“My God!” Amy shrieked, as she flinched, covering her eyes, not wishing to see such a young, handsome human smeared across the pavement. It was miraculous enough that he didn't break his legs in that jump, but…

 

Suddenly Rouge tapped her shoulder, and pointed in his direction, her eyes showing disbelief, and urgency. Amy looked, to see the small boy nimbly leaping into the air, and, with the utmost grace and accuracy, landing atop the oncoming vehicle, and leaping off of it, landing onto a dairy truck heading in the opposite direction, the one he was originally going. It was early morning, so the traffic wasn't that busy… but still.

 

Amy's eyes shrunk to dots as the young boy turned around, atop the moving truck, and glancing at her, eyes beckoning her to follow, as he disappeared behind a building, the truck rounding a corner.

 

Rouge shook her head, flustered and confused, but visibly more stable than Amy was.

 

“He's definitely no normal human…” The bat proclaimed, bluntly, her voice calm, yet on edge… the way she always was before a big battle.

 

“…He's not human.” Ms. Rose said, still staring in the direction he'd departed. Rouge felt a deep seriousness in the pink girl's voice, and, though she didn't know whether to agree, she nodded.

 

A moment passed, and nothing notable happened, Amy still looked to be in shock, and the kleptomaniac bat kept the same look she always had. Rouge gave it some thought, and came to a definite conclusion. She jumped up onto the rail, and spread her powerful wings. The pink hedgehog looked at her, puzzled. Rouge didn't bother to glance at her.

 

“Well, I'm going. That boy has something that belongs to me.” She said. Amy cocked her head, but not the normal sassy way.

 

“What? What could he possibly have that belongs to you…?” She asked the leather clad thief. Rouge still didn't look at her, but answered.

 

“A Chaos Emerald.” She told her friend.

 

“A Chaos…Emerald?” Amy echoed, climbing up onto the rail, leveling with the bat. Rouge finally looked at her.

 

“…Don't tell me you couldn't feel it…? I've been around them enough to recognize that feeling… He's got one, I just know it.” She said, turning her head straight ahead. Amy thought about it for a second… she felt something… but didn't recall the energy of a Chaos Emerald… making her emotions fluctuate like this.

 

Amy didn't like being around that boy… she'd always had a special knack for knowing what other people feel, just from being around them. She knew, because when she felt emotions like that, strong ones, they made her feel that way as well. Though she saw him frown only once… that boy's very existence seemed to give off the deepest despair she'd ever felt. It made her heart droop in her chest, and she didn't like it one bit.

 

“You're going to go…? I don't think he… was kidding when he said we'd… (gulp) regret following him…” Amy trailed. The sadness and guilt wasn't the only thing she'd felt of Armic… she'd also sensed a deep reservoir of power, unlike anything she'd felt in a long time. Rouge seemed surprised that she was actually afraid.

 

“…You can't be serious? Are you actually afraid? Sure, the Emerald seems to give him superhuman agility, but he wouldn't last 3 minutes against either of us… a single Emerald's only so powerful, honey.” She said, letting out a silky, though abnormally nerve-rending laugh.

 

A long moment passed, and Amy's face clenched in anger, and frustration at her own indecisiveness. She gritted her teeth, and groaned in that way she did when she was upset with her own emotions.

 

“Fine! I'll show YOU who's afraid!” She shouted, leaving Rouge to watch the pink hedgehog girl leap off of the rails, just as Armic had, only she landed on the elastic, decorative awning of the apartment, bouncing off of it, and running down the road in his direction, hammer extended.

 

Without a second thought, Rouge flapped her mighty wings, lifting herself into the air, as she used her altitude to glide in that direction, following Amy, who seemed to know where she was going.

 

-------__________=====++++++-________

 

 

The wind blew the silent, tranquil form. His eyes turned to the now blue sky, where he could still see the moon. The moon… in a blue, daylit sky? It looked so strange up there… so out of place… and yet he related to it so much…

 

He took his hand and raised it up to the moon, seeming to caress it.

 

“…You were created for darkness… and yet each day you find it harder and harder to hide yourself from the light you so wish to be a part of…” He spoke, words falling upon none but his own ears, as he found nature again, mocking him… all but the misfit moon.

 

“…No… You… we cannot embrace the light. I'm sorry… but it's simply not our destiny. I know. I'm afraid of the dark too… but we must face our darkness… accept it… if we don't… the light will only be tainted by our darkness, and suffer with us…” The young boy told the spherical object. And though it was millions of miles away from him, it seemed as though the moon understood, as it became less visible, disappearing within the morning sky.

 

The peaceful, ill-fated spirit felt another wind blow upon his back, and his face sank into an intense anxiety, as he felt them upon him…

 

++++======+____---________

 

 

Amy held her hammer at the ready, as she watched the young one turn around. A strong breeze blew his blonde hair, which shimmered, as he looked at them, his face in a stern expression, though one could easily detect the regret hidden within it.

 

“I see… So you've decided to come…” He trailed, as his robes blew wildly to the side, making him look dynamic, as he stood in the middle of the Station City National Park, in the middle of a field of daisies. Amy had no words, so she just nodded. Rouge landed next to her, and said nothing, wanting to let Amy make the first move.

 

The wind picked up again, and the petals of the flowers glided through the wind, circling him, a beautiful, and yet violent display, before flying into the air, seeming to disappear within the infinite vacuum that was the sky. The boy… he looked so solemn, so peaceful, and so rightly placed in the beautiful display… and yet… his emotion, his aura was in a different place… a much darker, drearier place, and it made the air that the two girls inhaled thick, and fat.

 

“Who are you…?” Amy finally asked, unsettled by the horrible silence. The mystery boy's expression did not change.

 

“…I am called Armic… though, for what I'm about to do, you won't wish to hold this title with any respect… as I deserve none, nay, less than none!” He shouted, looking up, and getting slightly emotional. Amy frowned.

 

Rouge, however, was fed up with this dramatic, horribly tragic attitude of his… and she showed this by stepping forth, and folding her arms disdainfully. Armic looked at her. (Armic's about Chris's height, by the way… by that I mean the younger, Sonic X Chris, so he's about level with Rouge.)

 

“…I don't understand you at all. If you're so ashamed of what you haven't even done yet, then why bother doing it?” The bat asked him, voice tinted with a righteous sort of irritation. Armic actually smiled a little bit… this time it seemed like a real one, even.

 

“…You, I like, m'lady. But, sadly, I must commit this horrible crime, and I cannot leave without your lives… or I shall be punished, brutally… beyond anything you could ever comprehend.” He told her. Rouge didn't know how to respond… she was thrown off by the contradiction in the statement… first he compliments her, then he proclaims her demise? She looked at Amy, though it was futile to think that she'd have any answers… or was it?

 

“…Armic…” Amy said, gaining his attention. “…That's your name, right?” She asked him. He nodded, silently. She stepped forward, looking… unsure, insecure… and yet resonating an emotion that could move mountains.

 

“…You're not bad… I can feel it, you're not a bad person…” She was cut short.

 

“With all due respect, Ms. Rose, I beg to differ. Even if, at heart, I were truly the purest of the pure, that can never change my destiny… As much as I regret speaking this truth, it remains clear to me… it is our destinies that shape us, our actions, our choices, and our lives. And my destiny… is a cruel one. Therefore, I must be ruthless, just as it has been to me.” He said, making a gesture with his staff. Amy shook her head, strongly disagreeing.

 

“No, you're the one who's wrong! It may not be my place to say this since I don't know who you are, where you came from, but you're not that selfish… there's something more to this, I can see it…” She said, eyes lit with passion, a passion that seemed to intimidate the boy, as he visibly took a step back.

 

“…You say you're here to kill us… and you say that you must, or face punishment… but I can tell… you're not that selfish.” Amy repeated, taking another step towards him, “… You're the kind of person who'd easily give his life to save someone you didn't even know… and I know that's not your purpose for facing us here! You're not here to sacrifice us… you're here…” Amy trailed, before pointing her hammer right at him. He was visibly sweating now. “…You're here to sacrifice yourself!” She proclaimed, seeming to shatter the very earth with her passionate voice.

 

Rouge just looked at her, flabbergasted. How could Amy, of all people unearth so much of a person she'd never seen before in her life….? Her eyes then trailed to Armic, whom, at first, looked at the ground, ashamed. He then looked up, and smiled oh-so weakly.

 

“…Amazing. You have… you've seen right through me, haven't you…?” He said, walking to the side, slowly, away from them, but at a hesitant, lingering pace.

 

“…It's easy. You're a horrible liar… and I know there's no such thing as destiny.” Amy told him. He looked over at her, and stopped, smiling a little.

 

“Thank you.” He told her. The pink hedgehog looked wary, and furrowed her brow, in a questioning manner.

 

“…For what…?” She asked him. He stretched a little, and whirled his weapon around with expertise.

 

“You just taught me a little more about… myself.” He said. Rouge looked ready to fight, noticing that the boy was in a fighting stance now. “…Although, I'm sad to say, I'm not going to hold back… for such power as to unveil the mysteries of an individual one does not even know…” as he said that, he surprised both, as he leaped into the air, and made a horizontal pass at them, hitting both, knocking them back, “…Should be more than enough to deal with the likes of me!” He shouted, as both girls recovered from the blow quickly, ready this time.

 

Rouge looked in Amy's direction, and spoke to her.

 

“He's fast, but not that powerful…” The bat told the hedgehog. Amy rolled to the side to dodge another oncoming attack.

 

“Ow… Speak for yourself! That hurt…” The girl whined. Rouge scoffed, and took to the air…

 

…but before she could get any leverage, she found Armic upon her, twirling his weapon about his body quickly and confusingly, before skillfully leaping and swatting her from the air, landing gracefully, as the petals of the daisies upon which they fought fluttered up around his kneeling form, blown from the impact. Seeing what she thought was an opening, Amy finally unleashed an attack with her hammer, but the blow was swiftly, and forcefully parried by the stave, knocking not only the hammer, but the girl wielding it horribly off balance, leaving her dead open for a swift blow by the other end of the staff. Armic executed a perfect move, spinning on his heels, rotating his rod skillfully through his fingers, and brought the least expected end of it behind him, to strike her, causing her to fall down.

 

By this time the boy had an angry bat upon him, and, as he dodged a few kicks, he could almost feel the power behind each one just by the way they seemed to cut the air around him, as he narrowly dodged as many as he could, before he had to resort to blocking, which he succeeded, but, he was still hit by the turbulence of the attack, making him stumble backwards, and fall to his back.

 

Before Rouge could land a hard axe-kick to his skull, he flipped backwards to his feet, as far away from her as possible. She kept advancing, so he ceased this with a well placed sweep, easily knocking the single foot out from under her. She seemed to use only her legs as weapons… he'd take advantage of that, seeing as using them to fight left one's footing rather diminished.

 

The bat temporarily thwarted, Armic again found himself narrowly dodging the bizarre mallet, as he side flipped away. Amy was upon him quick, but her weapon was massive, leaving her only with the option of swinging it vertically, or horizontally, and she seemed to prefer vertical. The assassin guessed right, and hooked the head of the Piko Piko Hammer with his staff, and brought it upwards. Amy didn't want to let the weapon go, so he had to kick her off of it in order to disarm her. The hammer was sent flying, leaving her defenseless. The boy looked around him, but couldn't locate the bat, whom he expected to be attacking him by now…

 

He couldn't find her, not fast enough anyway, as the foot connected with his skull, sending him straight into a tree trunk. He let out a muffled oof, and slumped to the ground. He made his first mistake in neglecting her ability of flight… He was hoping not to take a hit like that… much less on a vital. He literally saw stars, and his vision shook, taking it's sweet time in refocusing itself.

 

Armic was, by far, the most skilled of his brothers and sisters. Even when it came to Artimus, he exceeded all of them when it came to how effectively he wielded his weapon. He was also quick to react, and quite the strategist, his strongest areas being identifying enemy's weaknesses, and utilizing any and all advantages in battle. He used his staff as if it were part of his own body, and he could manipulate it to easily disarm any enemy.

 

This was why he had no problem with Amy, but had difficulty with Rouge, who's weapons were attatched to her own body. This would also explain why Alfador intimidated him the most of all his siblings…

 

Armic wasn't the perfect warrior, though. Despite having superlative range, speed, and skill, his attacks weren't very powerful, and his weapon was blunt, and not meant for one-hit kills as blades or guns were. Also, he was small, and possibly the frailest of all his kin, and he could only afford so many hits.

 

He regained his senses, and narrowly ducked a kick that would have surely crushed his skull, as he rolled away from it. The tree crackled, and fell to the ground, with a loud thud, making the field of flowers spew their petals into the air. Armic's head ached horribly, and he had been knocked a bit off his normal balance, but he managed to whirl his weapon, before locking it under his arm, in a defensive stance.

 

Rouge, not relenting for a second, attacked again, this being a mistake, as Armic had prepared. As soon as he saw the foot lift from the ground, he ducked under it, and swiftly caught her leg at it's joint with the staff, and he heaved upwards with all his might, causing her to do a full on backflip, as the limb was torn from under her. She somersaulted, and landed upon the ground, face first, with a resounding thud.

 

By this time, Armic knew the other would have recovered her weapon, so he dashed swiftly away from the floored, but still deadly bat, noting that keeping distance from her would be key in winning this battle. He also had to stay on the move, so as not to be taken surprise by the pink hedgehog.

 

He located her, dashing at him, hammer at the ready. He halted, and prepared. Surprisingly, she flung the weapon at him, and it whirled toward him, but, by some undeserved miracle, his reflex managed to shoot his staff up at just the right angle to deflect it, and again, the mallet soared through the air, far away from it's wielder. He saw Amy run to fetch it, and Rouge was still trying to get up. He had a moment to consider his next tactic.

 

He gave the battle some thought. He was being too defensive, he thought. He had to attack… but…

 

…He felt himself being held back by his emotions… his compassion… his greatest weakness. He froze, looking at the pain he'd inflicted, imagining the bruises he'd left, the bones he'd cracked… and he felt each and every blow, two-fold. He couldn't do it.

 

The thought of hurting somebody had never sat well with him… and, long ago, it had earned him the nickname `Armic the Merciful'… He shook his head, seeming to be in a state of shock at what he was doing… he was no better than Armic the Murderer…

 

Before that thought could be completed, his weapon was kicked from his hand, and the rod made a whistling noise, as it soared through the air, and stuck in the ground far away, leaving him defenseless. Before he even knew what was going on, he was tripped, and had a white boot grinding against his skull threateningly…

 

“…You little…” She said, pressing with her boot harder, making Armic wail, as his skull threatened giving away under the pressure.

 

“Rouge, DON'T!” A familiar voice shouted, making the boot's intensity lessen a bit… The young one looked around, and spotted the pink hedgehog, whom set her weapon on the ground… the fight was over.

 

Rouge took her boot off his head, and stepped back. Armic pushed himself to his knees, looking up at her. Her anger faded when she saw the look in his eyes… The bat couldn't bare to look at them, and one could tell, by her turning her head and looking in a different direction.

 

“…You wouldn't have lost if you hadn't hesitated.” She stated, simply, announcing her victory over them. Amy gave her a glare, but she only shrugged.

 

Amy knelt down next to Armic and looked him right in the eyes. He looked back, and seemed confused, almost scared. For a long moment none of them dared to break the silence. Armic's tiny hand rubbed his sore head, where he'd been kicked, and nearly crushed under a certain bat's feet. He might not have survived hadn't Amy stopped her.

 

“…Why won't you let me have peace…?” He said, voice wavering. Amy frowned, and, to both his, and Rouge's surprise, embraced the boy.

 

“Don't… don't be stupid… there's no peace in death… only finality.” She told him. He looked up, eyes showing small, forming tears, that he was struggling to hold back.

 

“How can you know that…? Death… is eternal rest… is it not…?” He asked her. She shook her head.

 

Rouge, however, merely rolled her eyes, and folded her arms.

 

“Enough drama, kid… hand over the Chaos Emerald you have…” She told him. Before he could respond, Amy rose and gave the bat what was quite possibly the most intimidating look she'd ever given anyone.

 

“Save it, Rouge… You're my friend, and I respect you, but you can't call something like death `dramatic'. There's nothing more final than death… this is a very serious matter… your jewel can wait.” She said, bowling her over with her insight… It seemed like a new Amy emerged every time… every time she was needed. The bat, surprised at this behavior, backed down. Armic stood, shakily, and leaned on Amy a bit.

 

“…That… is true. Spoken like a true philosopher, madam Rose…” He told her. Amy still didn't know why he was sent to kill her, or how he knew her name… or who it was who sent him, but these questions could wait.

 

“My name is Amy. Just call me that… I can't stand formal titles, little Armic.” She told him, speaking softly. He looked into her eyes and shook his head.

 

“Impossible, that would be rude… and besides, you've…” He trailed and knelt to the ground, having a head rush from standing up, and it hurt. “Urh… I've no right to even address you. You've won, and I have lost. And now… you must finish this.” He told her. Amy looked angry and shook her head.

 

Amy, at that moment changed. She reverted from the caring, concerned Amy, to the demanding, stronger Amy, as this situation seemed to bring her out. She let out a deep sigh, and looked at him.

 

“…No, I refuse to kill you. I told you already, death isn't what you seek.” She said to him, almost like a scolding mother, “Now, stop being so pathetic, and degrading yourself so much. I don't care what you deserve, you'll live, and you'll live…” Amy started, moving around him, making sure to look him right in the eyes. “…As one of the good guys.” She told him, with a grin. He was silent, and he sat, looking at her, unable to do anything else.

 

“That's what you want, isn't it?” The pink hedgehog continued. Rouge grinned, glad to see the girl taking control of the situation so well. Again, Armic didn't speak… his desires seemed to fight with some sort self inferiority issues.

 

“…Ok. If you don't want to cooperate, then let me remind you, you lost… you're at our mercy.” Amy started again, pointing at his staff, which was far out of his reach. “…And I say… Until you come around to see that you're capable of good, and worthy… you're our hostage!” She announced, loudly, with a large, Amy-like grin. Armic's eyes shrunk and he sweatdropped, as did Rouge, neither knowing what to think.

 

“…You're taking me… prisoner…?” The boy asked, seeming a little freaked out, but this was a welcome change from his general despair. Amy winked, and nodded.

 

“That's right! And, as our prisoner, you have to obey ME! Got it?” She yelled, actually intimidating him a bit. Armic nodded, still a bit uneasy about the strange situation. Amy knelt again, leveling with him, and her face melted back to a grim seriousness.

 

“Ok… now, take us to the person who sent you to kill us.” She ordered. His face made a terrorized look, and he shook his head, slowly.

 

“…I… I can't. He would…” He began fearing for more than his own life. Rouge grinned at him, and spoke in that normal, silky-sly voice of hers:

 

“I don't think it's up to you, prisoner.” She informed him, seeming amused. Armic was taken off guard by that, and he looked at the ground, with nothing to respond with. He stumbled back to his feet, and looked at them…

 

A moment passed, and… surprisingly, he seemed to make some sort of inward revelation, as he let his face show a very care-free smile. “As you wish… my new Masters.” He told them, with a formal bow.

 

 

End Chapter

 

Man, am I evil, or what? Ok, this is the first REAL update published EXCLUSIVELY on mediaminer.org! You want me to continue? Well, for the love of Christ, REVIEW! I'm not joking, you guys… dangit, just DO it. Okay?

 

If you don't then I'm not giving you any story… so HAH. And yes… I know it seems like I can't live without writing… and you'd be right, I really can't. But I CAN work on a different project and leave this one alone, and UNFINISHED as long as necessary to keep you guys from thinking YOU'RE in charge here.

 

Now, since no chapter would be complete without a little fanfiction.net bashing, I've written all my lovely privates, cadets, captains and generals of the DARK ARMY OF DESTRUCTION a little song…

 

This song goes out ESPECIALLY to the person who deleted my story on Fanfiction.net!!

 

Ahem. (sings in tune with Jingle Bells)

 

Jingle bells, BURN IN HELL, I'll kill you all fucking dayyyyy…. oh what fun, it is to say, “YOU'RE JUST SO FUCKING GAAAAAAAAAY!” Jingle die, wait till I, find you, you dickheaaad… You shall see, just how angry, I was when I reaaaaaaaaad:

 

Bot@fanfiction.net: Story removal, Miles `Foxy' Prower!

reason: I'm fucking SATAN!!!

 

Dear YiffyOne,…..

 

In tune with (Dashing through the Snow)

 

 

Miles `foxy' is gone…

and I just banged yer mom…

Hope you have a FUCKED UP LIFE

Now beat it, little prong!

 

 

OHHHHHH!!!

 

Jingle PAIN, You shall be SLAIN, You're blood will STAIN the walllllllls….

 

(Acapulco) Fanfiction.net… For this…*grins* You can bet…

 

I'll take a cheese grater to your BAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLS!

 

(audience of fanfiction.net haters claps, and YiffyOne bows.)

 

Thank you , thank you… you're beautiful! Now, if you leave me a good review, I just MIGHT do something ELSE entertaining for ya, next chapter… but it aaaaaaaalllll depends on you. So get to reviewin', pal!

 

~YiffyOne