CHAOS RISINGPART FIVEAll SEGA characters copyrighted by SEGA of America, Inc.Davey Crocket created by D. GontermanSonia da Hedgehog created by E. SmithWildfyre, Hunter of Souls, Agamemnon, and Talos Shou'm created byC. Gast; Mecha Sonic remade by C. Gast.Wildfyre stood at the bars of her prison cell, waiting for hercaptors to arrive. Knuckles watched her shift weight from one legto another impatiently, her hips swaying slightly with eachchange. (I wonder where she went after she left Mobius,) hethought to himself. (She's very different from the Wildfyre Iused to know.  For one thing, she's not the bubbly, happy-go-lucky little girl I proposed to. She's so....grown up.) Shelooked back at him, her now gold eyes seemingly lighting theroom. A dark smile crept across her face.(One thing's for sure; this new maturity truly becomes her.)"Well, well, well.  What have we here?""Get me out of here before I tear your horn off and put it wherethe sun don't shine!"The cell door slowly creaked open and Wildfyre stepped out intothe company of Sonic and Espio."Mmmm, you look good dark," Sonic grinned wickedly. "I especiallylike the thighs.""All the better to CRUSH you with, my dear," Wildfyre retorted."I knocked, and I knocked, but you wouldn't let me in," Espiopurred.  'Maybe now you'll reconsider?....""Don't count on it, little man--and believe me I know what I meanwhen I say 'little'."Knuckles could barely keep from laughing.***************************************Davey and Mecha Sonic stood at the entrance of the cave. Therewas no visible light emanating from the entrance; it looked likea dark dank hole to hell."You ready, Crocket?""Ready as it gets, Mech."*****************************************Sonia awoke and began to rise groggily. She was surprised to seethat she was not in a dungeon of any kind; it looked like a roomfit for a princess. She got up off the bed she awoke on and gaveherself a quick look over. Nothing bruised or wounded in anyway;her clothing was untouched; the only thing missing was--her soulcatcher!!  She began to search the room frantically, but to noavail.  It was gone.She jumped as she heard the door to her room begin to open. Shegrabbed a heavy statue nearby, ready to bash out Hunter's brainsif necessary. "Sonia!  Don't be afraid!  It's me, Wildfyre! And don't be afraidof what I look like--I changed color to fool the others!"Sonia put down the statue and breathed a sigh of relief."What are you doing here, Wild?" she asked, a little taken abackas she got her first glimpse of Wildfyre's new colors."I've got to get Knuckles and you out of here before Hunter useshis blood to permanently corrupt you!" she whispered.  "In a fewminutes, he's going to take you to the great hall, slit Knuckles'throat and cover you with his blood; then he'll be able tocompletely darken you," Wildfyre explained."Oh no! Knuckles!" Sonia lamented. "How...How is Hunter going totry to corrupt me?  With one of those tentacle-things?""Are you sure you want to know?" Wildfyre asked."Yes! How else can I defend myself?" Sonia said, her voicedemanding truth."By taking your virginity."Sonia's blood ran cold with that image. She felt a paralyzingfear grip her mind and body with an unshakable power. Tears beganto fall from her frightened eyes. Wildfyre saw her begin tofreeze, and held her, a deep protective instinct awakening as shebegan trying to give solace and strength to a fellow female.  Thevoices of a thousand generations of Reverend Mothers began toflood her mind with words of solace for the terrified hedgehog. "It may not be my place, Sonia, but I offer you the experiencesof ten thousand years of womanhood!"Wildfyre held Sonia's head as a rush of life energy and memoriesbegan to crash into Sonia's brain like a tidalwave. Lovingmotherly comfort, strength, courage, power, wisdom, knowledge andfighting spirit began to take root in Sonia's heart. She openedher eyes (now just a bit bluer?) and Wildfyre could see peacereflecting in them."I-I don't know how to thank you--I'm--I'm not afraidanymore....of anything!" said Sonia, now with tears of joypouring from her eyes."It was the least I could do for you," Wildfyre smiled.****************************************A few pieces of rock came loose from the side of the cave walland smacked Mecha Sonic in the face."Hey, watch it, hairball!" Mecha Sonic snarled.Davey purposely kicked a few more down with a mischievous grin."Oops, sorry."They dropped to the ground, just a few feet below them.  Itwasn't any brighter now than when they first began climbing down.Mecha Sonic pulsed his rocket pack, creating an eerie red lightin the cavern."There--up ahead. I see a door." Davey stated. He watched inamazement as three long cylindrical tubes began to grow out ofMecha Sonic's forearms."Get your weapons ready, Crocket. There's an enormous source ofChaos energy behind those doors."*****************************************Espio closed the holding braces around Knuckles' wrists,completely restraining him from movement. He could only liehelpless on the sacrificial table. Sonia pretended to struggleunder the "evil" Wildfyre's grasp."Today marks the end of the old order of Mobius," Hunter began."When I have slit the guardian's throat and corrupted thisHedgehog mage, I will possess the power to destroy Destinyherself. I will set up Sonia as my dark goddess, and will haveyou, dear daughter Wildfyre, as my concubine!"Those words set Wildfyre's brain on fire with shock. Her fatherHAD left DREAMTIME--to become this?!"NO, NO THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT!!!" Wildfyre cried out in supremedisbelief, changing back to her original crimson."Oh yes it can!" Hunter laughed. "You may be the daughter of thisflesh, but you will be a slave to this soul!"Hunter raised the ceremonial dagger to end Knuckles' life. Thedagger fell....And missed! Hunter was thrown against the wall as the templedoors blasted open. Davey and Mecha Sonic stood in the entrance."LET'S PARTY!" Davey said, breaking the silence.Wildfyre released Sonia as they both rushed over to Knuckles tofree him. "I can't free him!" Sonia said, pulling at the shackles with allher might. Wildfyre ripped them off altogether, and Knucklesleapt up off the table. Talos grabbed Mecha Sonic by his leg and threw him into a wall,which left a crumbling stone impression. Mecha Sonic shook hishead, then got up an into a fighting stance. Talos swung at himwith his tail; though dizzied,Mecha Sonic leapt over it.Sonic sped up to Sonia and shoved her down onto the floor.Knuckles landed a solid blow to Sonic's face, dizzying him. Espiodashed across the floor, becoming invisible; he slashedWildfyre's leg, drawing blood. She focused her second vision onthe distortion she saw moving on the floor and saw Espio. Shegrabbed him by his horn and tossed him into the air; he screeched like something straight from hell.Davey lowered his gunsights on Hunter, who snarled at him,bearing his gleaming white fangs."Do you actually think that pitiful weapon is going to harm ME?"he laughed."YOU TELL ME!" Davey said, opening fire on Hunter. The energyblasts were to no avail; Hunter seemingly absorbed them all."NOW I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT *REAL* PAIN IS!" Hunter roared. He shotout six tentacles, three from each hand. They quickly wrappedaround Davey's arms, neck and legs.  His body's mechanicalstructures frantically began to compensate for Hunter's crushinggrip. Davey gasped for air; Hunter yanked him onto the floor andbegan reeling him in. Mecha Sonic ducked as a claw passed over his head, only to have asecond smash into his face. He crashed into the floor, bleedingred metallic blood from his mouth. Talos grabbed both of his legsand began to pull them, trying to tear him in two. Mecha Soniccried out in pain as his structural integrity began to weaken."I don't want to do this but I WILL!" Mecha Sonic groaned. Takingaim, he fired a lightning shot into Talos' chest. The giantscorpion bellowed in agony as electric ribbons seared him allover; he fell to the ground unconscious.Knuckles fell back into a tight group with Sonia and Wildfyre,all of them now having several slashes due to Sonic and Espio. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!" Wildfyre announced angrily. Sonicbuzz-sawed his way straight to Wildfyre; with an almostimperceptible movement she reached in and grabbed Sonic by thethroat. A wave of white-hot energy flowed through her arm intoSonic; he cried out and went limp in her grasp, his colorbeginning to fade back to blue. "Sonia! Knuckles! Get him over to some place safe! If you cankeep Hunter away from him, I'll deal with Espio!" Wildfyre urged.The two complied with her wishes; Espio materialized in front ofher."Just you and me now, baby," he grinned evilly...::yyoouu wwiillll ssttaanndd ssttiillll aanndd nnoott ssaayy aawwoorrdd::.. Wildfyre's echoing voice commanded.Espio stood there blankly, his mind unable to move him.Hunter wrapped his clawed hands around Davey's throat and liftedhim off of his feet. Davey became light headed, his body not ableto compensate for Hunter's strength. Hunter slashed off thespirit catcher with his dagger; his eyes began to glow andflame. He tore off Davey's shirt and began to push his hand intoDavey's chest as if it were phased."*YOUR SOUL BELONGS TO ME*!!" He snarled, his voice booming andshaking the room.Davey cried out in ultimate agony as Hunter began to pull hishand out, tearing Davey's glowing soul from its bodilyfoundation. "NNOOOOO!!" Sonia screamed.Wildfyre leapt into the air, aiming herself for her father, Timeseemed to slow down in her flight...Closer....Davey's soul was one-fourth out....Closer....Now one-third......Closer....One-half.......Closer....Two-thirds.......Closer....Three-fourths......At the moment when Davey's soul was almost completely outside,Wildfyre struck Hunter hard, knocking him over.  He released hisgrip on Davey's life essence; it snapped back into him like arubber band and he dropped to ground in a state of near-exhaustion. Wildfyre straddled Hunter, who was still trying toregain his senses after her blow."I don't care if it kills me--what ever you are that has taken myfather's body--YOU'RE COMING OUT *NOW*!!!!" She screamed. Sheplunged her hand into Hunter's body and began ripping out theevil in him. He roared as the glowing, spark-tentacled energy wasbeing pulled from him. It let out a shrieking unearthly screamand pulled hard to regain its footing in Hunter's body.*YoU wIlL nOt TaKe Me FrOm My HoSt BoDy!!!*"In God's name I will!" Wildfyre yelled back at it. With one lasthard pull, it tore loose and changed into a black Chaos Gem.It fell out of her hands and skittered across the floor, fallinginto a deep crack.Hunter of Souls began to fade into a deep crimson."daughter?.....where am I?""Back with us, daddy," Wildfyre smiled, beginning to cry."The last thing I remember was...looking for Chaos Gems....Ifound this cave on the other side of DREAMTIME....cut my hand ona sharp rock...when I touched the Chaos gem....it changed me," Hesaid, he speech slowed by weakness. "Oh, God, if only I couldhave stopped it! I knew what was happening.....but I couldn'tstop myself...."Sonia and Knuckles went over to Mecha Sonic, who still hadn'tgotten up."Wildfyre--Mecha Sonic's DYING!" Sonia called out in horror."Quickly, Go to him, Wildfyre!" her father urged. As she got to him, she felt her heart stick in throat. He smiledat her weakly, metallic blood still trickling from his mouth, andnow his nose. "I saw what Talos did to him," Knuckles said sadly. "From what Ican tell, his skull's been cracked, and he got some heavyinternal bleeding....I don't know if he's going to make it.""at least ::koff:: I got to live a little while..." he said,taking Wildfyre's hand. "I'll miss you...""I'm not letting you go!" she cried. She laid her body over his,and began to glow; Mecha Sonic's wounds seemingly began toreverse themselves, as if time were running backwards. She beganto grow limp; she sighed and the last breath of her life releasedinto the air.Mecha Sonic sat up; to his shock and horror, Wildfyre fell off ofhim; she had given her life for his.  He picked her up and heldher lifeless body against him."No! No! No! Oh, Wildfyre, why did you do it!" he sobbed, wettingher soft red hair with his tears. Davey stumbled over and plopped down next to Sonia, who was intears."Her father's gone too," he coughed. "Pulling that thing out ofhim was too much for him." Suddenly the dark room was illuminated with an angelic light.Agamemnon stepped over to Mecha Sonic, who refused to releaseWildfyre's body at anyone's request. <She gave up her life energy to heal you, but her soul stilllives .  All that needs to be done is to find another source ofenergy.> Agamemnon explained. He reached down and touched her,and her body began to change slightly, becoming shiny andmetallic, just like Mecha Sonic's. She jerked and gasped like shehad just taken the first breath of her life. <Wildfyre? Are you OK?> Agamemnon gently asked."I was....was with my father...and there was so much love andpeace...like I was home...." she stammered.<You're back here now, Wildfyre.  You still have some things todo down here before you go home,> Agamemnon smiled."My father's gone, isn't he?" She asked, a little sad.Agamemnon called in a shiny grey timber wolf.  It trotted up toWildfyre and sat down in front of her and Mecha Sonic.<This is Cyrix,> he explained. <I gave him your father'spersonality and memories.  It's a way of having him with you eventhough he's gone.>(Kind of like my computer, Jullien,) Davey thought.Talos began to stir, his copper armor looking a little scorched.Sonic and Espio both began to awaken, getting up on shaky legsand pulling the sticky black crud off of their bodies. <Good luck to you, Wildfyre, Mecha Sonic,> Agamemnon said,beginning to fade away."We did it people," Davey smiled.**************************************EPILOGUE:Wildfyre laid flowers over her father's grave."Good bye, Daddy," she sighed. "Until next we meet."Davey kick-started his hover bike and Sonia and Sonic jumped onback.  There would be stories (and therapy) in Knothole tonight!Knuckles was talking to Espio, who looked like he had committedthe ultimate sin. Mecha Sonic put his arm on Wildfyre's shoulder."Why did you do that for me?" he asked quiet enough that theothers didn't hear."I don't know....I just couldn't bear to think of you being goneforever," she replied. Cyrix barked and whined at Wildfyre."I know, Cyrix, I know!" she said, trying to hush what she thougheveryone heard."You love me, don't you?" he grinned impishly."I don't have to answer that," she said with a haughty smile."OK, then, but that just means I'm right," he said triumphantly.Sonia spoke up."Wildfyre, you're welcome in Knothole anytime!""What about me?" Mecha Sonic said with mock sorrow."You'll have to get past me first, metal-head!" Davey said with achallenging smile."You got it, hair-ball!" Mecha Sonic returned. With that, Davey and company jetted off for Knothole.Talos walked up to Mecha Sonic, head hanging low."What I did was unforgivable, Mecha-san," he said, almostgroveling."Look Talos," Mecha Sonic comforted, "you didn't have controlover yourself. You can't expect to be held to what you did.""I know, but I still feel dishonorable." he sighed."Well don't.  If anything, you taught me never to get you mad atme!" Mecha Sonic laughed.Talos' countenance brightened."Well everyone," Wildfyre said, taking out her sword (which shehad found in her father's chambers), "shall we be getting toMobi-Nihon?""YES MA'AM!" Mecha Sonic said with a salute. "So where are wegoing to stay before we go?""I have an underground home big enough for all of us," sheanswered. "You're welcome to call it home from now on, if youwish...""Couldn't have come at a better time!" Mecha Sonic smiled,gratefully. "Seeing as how I don't have a home anyway.""I'll need your help though....I haven't been back there in twoyears, and I think I left dirty dishes in the sink.""Aww, man! I *knew* there was a catch!"*********************************Espio turned to Knuckles. "You're letting her go?"Knuckles sighed."I knew I would be all along."*************************************..::DaMn ThEm! ThEy HaVe RuInEd My PlAnS! nO mAtTeR. i WiLlDiSpOsE oF tHeM iN mY oWn FaShIoN::...........                              ..................EnD????