*** Darkness Gathers ***
 A AAA "Sidebar" Tale by Oni

       Oni perched on the ledge of a building, looking down upon the Bird
 Studio Bar and Grill. People walked in and out of the building, smiling and
 laughing with each other.  Some had come to celebrate the crowning of the new
 AAA Champion; others had come out of simple curiosity at the myriad of super-
 powered and anthropomorphic competitors.  As he watched, a group of men, led
 by a swaggering African/Italian man clutching a large belt, walked in.  There
 were sounds of a conflict, and then they emerged, the leader no longer
 swaggering and bearing four other men in tow.  They seemed less than happy at
 their condition.  Oni almost pitied them--almost.
       Folding his massive wings against his back, he transformed back into his
 human form, which he wore less and less nowadays.  He had heard that Samantha
 Jones had competed in this tournament, and he had come to see if it
 were true.  Crouching in the shadows, he patiently watched, and waited.
       There.  The object of all his hatred walked out. Her creator, Jamie
 Jeans, walked beside her, drinking a bottle of Jolt Cola.  His eyes burned
 with rage as he prepared to strike-but no.  Now was not the time.  Somehow he
 knew.  When the time came for him to destroy her, he would sense it ... and he
 would strike without mercy.
       "Soon, Samantha," he whispered. "Soon, I shall dance upon your corpse ..."
       "Perhaps sooner than you think," said a voice from behind him.  Oni
 whirled as he transformed into his demon form, claws ready to tear whatever
 had dared to interrupt his thoughts to bloody shreds.  At first he saw no one
 ... but then, the speaker emerged from the shadows.  He blinked in surprise as
 a four-foot-tall hedgehog walked towards him, jet-black spines forming a
 cascade of daggers down his back.  Blood-red eyes flashed dangerously in their
 sockets.  He was followed by a massive (by furry standards) white wolf,
 clothed in black and crimson.
        "My name is Dark Sonic, demon," the hedgehog said.  His lupine
 companion hovered behind him, staring at Oni with dead eyes.  "I have come to
 crush this world, just as I have Mobius."
        "What's that to me?" Oni replied, not relaxing an iota.  The hedgehog
 may have been diminutive, but he certainly seemed dangerous.
        "We require warriors with which to conquer this world," Dark Sonic
 replied.  "You suit our purposes nicely.  You wield considerable powers, and
 the fire of hatred burns brighter within you than any person I've ever met ...
 excluding me, of course."
        Oni snorted with disdain.  "I serve no man ... or hedgehog.  Now leave
 me.  I have my own mission."
        "Of course; I know of your quest to annihilate Samantha Jones.
 Certainly you wouldn't need any of my help to do so.  However ..." he flashed
 a predatory grin, full of sharp teeth. "Do you think her friends would stand
 idly by and watch as you eviscerate her?  They would swarm over you like fire
 ants; individually, you could crush them, but as one, they would destroy even
 you."
        Oni nodded; the hedgehog was obviously evil, but he had a point.  Such
 it usually was when dealing with demons and their ilk.  "And you would provide
 me with protection so that doesn't happen?"
        "Yes."
        "What's the catch?"
        "No catch.  All you need do is join me and my associate, here," He
 indicated the massive wolf beside him with a sweep of his hand. "And we will
 provide you with all the muscle you need to bring her down.  Though," he said,
 an evil grin stretched across his face, "Why should you limit her agony to
 death at your claws?  With our forces to back you up, you could tear down
 everything she cherishes, everyone she ever cared about.  By the time you
 finish with her, she will BEG you for death's release!"  With that, he began
 to cackle madly, his dark cape swirling around him wildly.
        "And if I refuse?"
        Dark Sonic stopped laughing abruptly, and shrugged.  "Then I and
 Kefkain shall leave you here, and continue our search elsewhere.  When we have
 sufficient forces to conquer this world, we shall strike, crushing it under
 our heel and remaking it in my image.  As for you ... you will most likely
 continue to stalk Samantha Jones, until finally you decide to attack.  And
 after that?  Samantha may yet taste death at your claws, she may not.  One
 thing is certain--you will not be allowed to live.  They will hunt you to the
 ends of the multiverse.  No matter how many you kill, eventually one of them
 will get lucky, or they will overcome you through sheer strength of numbers,
 and you shall die."
        Oni nodded thoughtfully.  "It seems I have little choice.  Very well,
 hedgehog.  I will join you ... at least until I kill Samantha.  Then ... we
 shall see."
        Dark Sonic smiled, his most disturbing one yet.  His eyes flashed with
 a bestial light.  "Yes ... we shall."
 _________________________________________________________________

 LEGAL BRUHAHA:
 Basically, nothing in the above story is my property, except for Oni, who is my
 character.  Everything else is the property of whoever owns it, and they're
 welcome to it.  Can I go now?