^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ [Warning, extremly graphic depictions of acts unsutiable for minors is ] [ contained within this text... you have been forewarned ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mach Speed: the Fight for Sonya's Heart- By FullThrottler/ DemonKlaw ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stuff for Lawers: Sonic The Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prowers, Dr. Robotnik and all other related characters are based on the characters created by SEGA, Archie Comic publication, DIC's Sonic The Hedgehog Old Saturday Cartoon, and SEGA of AMERICA. Mach the Porcupine is my creation. This file is not to be placed upon a Web site or On-line Service without written approval from the author. Sonya appears with the permission of Kefka the Dark One aka MetalSonic@aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mach Speed: the Fight for Sonya's Heart..................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- <> The lake seemed peaceful enough. The suroundings did too. Nevertheless, who was to know that a dreaded battle was to take place in the most serene of places. "Oh Knuckles! It's just beautiful!" Sonya Sho Eiji declared. She turned away from the lake to face the red warrior behind her. "Yes, it is," aggreed Knuckles, his ever- cold eyes turned skyward, "but this is not what I brought you to see." "Oh really, darling?" she said in that playful way that always made him smile. "Never lake is serene, yes," Knuckles began," but every so often, there is a little more added to it." "Oh," Sonya raced beside him as he began a slow jog down to the edge of the lake. "Is this one of those Mobian secrets about the planet that I don't know yet?" "9...8...7..." Knuckles counted, "...6...you will know in a minute darling...3...2...1..." At the one, a flash of light illuminated the sky. Sonya jumped, then felt Knuckles' calming touch on her hand. He looked at her as she took in the spectacle in the sky. One of her quills was stray across her face, and he brushed it away, causing her to look at him. She kissed him on his cheek and looked back up at the sky. Now the planet, known only as Little Planet, hovered over the lake, as if held there by an unseen force. She looked back at him, with a small smile that seemed to say 'thank you for this, Knux.' Without another word, he took her upon his back and glided towards the planet on his Echidna quills, telling her the story of the Time Stones. * * * [chapter t2o] Sally looked out of the window of her hut. There, in the clearing, Sonic T. Hedgehog was running up and down trees at blinding speeds, much to the delight of little Amy Rose. He screeched to a halt and struck up conversation with the little hedgehog gi rl. Sally then looked down, and saw little Miles "Tails" Powers sitting below her windowsill. He was looking into the clearing too, twirling his two tails in his hands, looking intently at the scene before him, with a wistful, forlorn look in his eyes. "Hey Tails, what's wrong?" she said. Snapping out of it, the fox looked up at her, his expression unchanged. "Hi Aunt Sally," he said. With a sudden look of inspiration, he sprang up and spoke face- to- face. "Aunt Sally, umm, how did you let Uncle Sonic know that you liked him?" "Well, we just kind of, er, uh, that is to say..." Sally blushed, not knowing exactly how to explain love to Tails. Looking for an answer, she glanced ahead, into the clearing. Sonic was gone now, and Amy was sitting on a log, reading one of her astron omy books. Then it hit her. "Tails, do you have a crush on Amy?" Now it was Tails who was blushing. "Aww, Aunt Sally, I don't know. I just, uhh, I think about her a lot, and well..." he began to stammer. "Tell you what Tails," Sally said, "try talking to her." "But Aunt Sall-ll-yy," he whined,"she likes Uncle Sonic so much. How could she ever like mee-eee?" "That's something you'll have to figure out for yourself, kiddo..." Miles looked back at Amy with that wistful look again. Then, mustering up all the courage he had, he began to march over to the clearing. Before he had taken his fourth step, Sonic rocketed out of the forest and presented Amy with a boquet of Movairian Lilys. Amy squealed with joy and flung her arms around Sonic. Sally could do naught but watch as the life drained away from Miles. She felt his pain as she watched his eyes fill with tears. She felt his heartbreak when he spin- dashed past her hut, letting out a wail of anguish. He nearly crashed into Bunny as sh e went into Sally's hut. "Land sakes, what's gotten into that child?" Bunny Rabot inquired of Sally. "Remember what unrequited love feels like, Bunny?" Bunny gasped. "Oh my stars child! You mean the poor little darling just had his heart broken?!" Sally nodded. * * * Sonya moaned in passion when Knuckles had finished. He completed his task by lightly kissing her naked buttocks and laying down on the ground beside her. The moonlight of Tidal Tempest played over her thin, sexy figure as she rolled over to face Knuckl es. "I'm glad we came here Knux... god, It's been so long since we last had the privacy to make love in peace." She got up and dove into a nearby pool, letting the water tickle her in her most divine of areas. But Knuckles was not the only one to admire and desire her. Cold eyes watched from Mount Splash as she stepped back out of the pool and dried herself on her lover's body. Goddess, he wanted her to do that to him! The metal flashed on his head. He was t he only one to defeat Metal Sonic, the only one to ever complete StarDust Speedway and the only one brave enough to truly despise Sonic. But now, he despised Knuckles even more. He had lusted for many women in his time, but for this one, it was another fe eling, more than lust and twice as intoxicating. "As the Goddess my witness, I will make this girl mine. Whatever spell she has cast on me... I, I think that I'm in...love. I will make her mine! She will belong to Mach!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF PART ONE... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by FullThrottler/ DemonKlaw ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- §§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§==CAST==§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§ SONIC- will Sonic realize what feelings Tails has been hiding for Amy? MILES "TAILS" POWER- will Tails find the courage to voice his desire for Amy? AMY- does she harbour any love for Miles? SONYA SHO EIJI- will Sonic's sister find peace with her lover on little planet (this one is doubtful)? KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA- will Knuckles find out about the force of Mach? SALLY BUNNY RABOT MACH THE PORCUPINE- who is this guy? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mach Speed: the Fight for Sonya's Heart..................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- <> Knuckles awoke to the crashing of the waves of Tidal Tempest. He rose from his slumber and reached over to wake Sonya. She was gone... Sonya had awakened as well. She felt herself being carried along at high speeds. She felt hands under her neck and knees. She only remembered this sensation once before... when Knuckles had carried her in his arms back to Knothole. When the movement ha d stopped she felt herself being lowered onto a most exqisite surface. She lay there, eyes shut, waiting for Knuckles to kiss her. It was when she heard a sigh, she realized that Knuckles didn't sound like that. She sprang up and glanced around. She was o n a very comfortable silk bed, in a small hut like the ones in Knothole. "I did not mean to wake you," came the stranger's voice. He stepped from the shadows. A young porcupine, about 15, with black qills. He sported two quills curving back and pointing foward from the sides of his head, and one that drooped over his should er like a ponytail in a human. But what was most bizzare, was that metal quill, running down the center of his head. Sonya looked more carefully, and noticed that, like Sonic, he wore shoes, gloves and nothing else. However, unlike Sonic, he aroused her. She felt the want need to touch herself, had she been nude, and have him fondle her... but that was fantasy. "Who the frag are you?!?" she demanded, now more frightened than horny. "I'm sorry, my name is Mach Porcupine, and this is my home." He bowed elegantly, arousing Sonya to the point of insanity. "W-what did you bring me here for?" half hoping that the answer was for non-wholesome purposes.He hesitated for a moment. Sonya thought . "It may seem strange but," ,"I had to see you for myself." He leaned on the bed and raised her face to his with a finger, "I had to see how lovely you really were...I...you make me feel... I...uh..." Sonya could stand it no longer, she pulled him to her and kissed him. She rolled back onto the bed and kissed him more passionately. He reached for the button on her skirt... * * * "Tails, sugah? You here, darlin'?" Bunny called as softly as she could when she entered Tails' room. She heard the soft sobbing from the corner. Turning around, she spied a vulnerable-looking Miles, curled up on the floor, in the corner. "Aww, sugah-fox ..." "Why, B-Bunny? W-w-why does Sonic always have to be the best?" This statment both shocked and puzzled Bunny. "But Sugah-fox, I thought you were Sonic's biggest fan, darlin'?" "NO!" Miles leapt to his feet at that statement, "he always makes himself so superior to me!!!" Bunny knelt in front of him. "This is about Amy, Isn't it, precious?" she put her normal hand on his shoulder. He nodded limply, his rage subsided. "Listen, Amy only admires Sonic..." "NO! You should see the way he treats her! Like a plaything! Just because he's older, he thinks that it's OK to treat her like a friend when she has so much more feelings for him! It...it..." Miles stopped. "It what darlin'?" "It should be me, not him, me," Miles whispered. "And I'm gonna make sure it's me..." with that, Miles stormed off leaving a bewilderd Bunny behind. * * * Knuckles, half frantic, half enraged, glided over Collision Chaos, the third continent of Little Planet. His thoughts were only of her. How he had lost her before, when she left to be with Tails. How they loved each other so deeply. Suddenly, glancing down, he spotted her, giggling naked on the beach of Palmtree Panic, looking out into the water. He gilded down to her. She seemed almost shocked to see him. "Sonya, darling, I thought I had lost you..." she flinched from his embrace. He drew back. "What's wrong?" "Knuckles, I..." "...Found someone else." said Mach from behind Knuckles, just emerging from the water. "Who the frag are you?" * * * Sonya got dressed and took a walk with Knuckles through Quartz Quadrant to sort things out with him. "What do you mean you're in love, I thought we were in love, darling..." "I mean, uhh... he's... he's... attractive, um, not that you aren't love, but, uh..." she could see that a change was taking place with the Echidna warrior. His eyes narrowed and his massive fists clenched. "YOU BITCH! FIRST TAILS, A FRAGGING 5-YEAR OLD, NOW, A FRAGGING METAL-HEAD! YOU WERE NEVER IN LOVE WITH ME WERE YOU?!?! ANSWER ME, YOU SLUT!" Knuckles stopped when he saw the hurt he had caused. She said nothing else, just ran, crying. "Sonya! Wait! I didn't mean it!" he paused, "did I?" * * * Tails ripped into the library of Knothole. He didn't greet everyone in the normal way, a few grunts sufficed. He stormed off to the Magic section and ripped down a large hardcover entitled "Rage and Magic." He had always seen the book, but now, he had the cause to use it... * * * Mach knew that Sonya would clear this thing up with the Echidna. He would find it painful to have her leave. He found it strange that she was the only thing that he couldn't hate, in spite of the rage and cynisism which had infested his soul since the day that happened to his head... A frantic knocking wailed at the door. He leapt up and opened it, to see a bewildered looking Sonya there. She was shivering, tears in her eyes. She stood there for a moment, thinking if what she was doing was right. Then she thought of what Knux had s aid and decided to say it. She looked into Mach's eyes and saw the compassion he had for her. A boy who had known nothing but hate, and he showed such care for her. That is when she said it. "I love you, Mach," her tears came freely now. "I have loved you forever, darling Sonya..." she collapsed into his arms. They both felt so secure, so loved. He held her and cradeled her in his arms and she looked up at him... and kissed him. This time, not in mad, lustful throes of passion from the burning of her loins, but a love she had never known with Knuckles. * * * Knuckles sped into StarDust Speedway. The only person who could help him bring Sonya back, was the evil image of his freindly foe... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF PART TWO... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by FullThrottler/ DemonKlaw ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- §§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§==CAST==§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§ SONIC- Is Sonic safe from Miles' wrath? MILES "TAILS" POWER- to what end is he willing to go for Amy? AMY- can her love stop Miles in time? SONYA SHO EIJI- has she truly found happiness with Mach? KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA- who is Knuckles looking for? SALLY- can she talk some sense into the furious fox? BUNNY RABOT MACH THE PORCUPINE- what caused his strange metallic quill? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mach Speed: the Fight for Sonya's Heart..................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- <> Knuckles hated the Wacky Workbench continent of Little Planet. He hated not being able to keep control of his footing. He hated the little annoying creatures who would dive into his path and protrude spikes from their bodies. But he did not hate the fact that he was doing this for Sonya. He had to find someway to best that Mach... bastard. * * * Sonic ran like the wind back to Knothole. That last attack on Robtnik's fortress had really juiced him up and he needed to calm down. Yeah, rrriiiggghhhttt! He thought of how Sally was gonna give him a nice reward for this mission... that was a nice th ought... BOOM! Sonic was thrown off of his feet, and launched into the air, rings flying, upon his entrance to Knothole by a large explosion which rocked the ground below him. He stood, thoroughly dazed and swaying, he dusted himself off and shook his head as if tryi ng to rattle his scrambled brain back into place. He looked around to see who his powerful assailant was. "Tails?!?" Sonic whispered in disbelief. There, right before him, stood an armour clad Miles Powers. Miles had put traditional Mobian war- paint on his face and dressed himself in bamboo war-armour which was supposed to show genuine hatred for an adver sary. He stood there, his eyebrows angled down in anger. Sonic came to a conclusion. He laughed. "Good one Tails, ol' buddy---" Tails raised his arm and sent another blast of lightning. This one hit dead-on, frying Sonic's quills and turning him a dark blue. "Dammit Sonic, why won't you fracking DIE?!?!?!" Miles shreiked at the dazed hedgehog. He went hysterical. "DIE DAMN YOU, SONIC!!! DIE!!!" "Arrgh!" Sonic grunted in pain as the third and fourth bolts peirced his flesh. Blood began to leak from his nose and mouth."Tails... uhh... please ...HHRRRGGHHH!!!! For the love of God Tails...s-stop.." "DIE!!!" "For the love of God Tails! NO- AHHH!!" Sonic pleaded, but Miles poured out his rage on Sonic without mercy. A rush began to fill Miles. His head spun, he felt giddy with power. He found that he enjoyed seeing his mentor's pain. Suddenly he was aware o f other presences. "OH MY GOD! TAILS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?" came Sally's voice. "Stop it sugah! Don't do this!" Bunny shrieked, her high-pitched, husky voice was cracked with emotion. Emotion for Sonic, Miles guessed, something he had no longer. "Tails..." this voice stopped Miles. It was Amy. He turned to her and looked, the hate in his eyes replaced by a desire. The glow around his hands ceased. "Tails, why are you doing this?" He didn't answer, just turned away, a new anger filling him. Thi s time, it was because of frustration. Because he couldn't answer her. He turned to find that Sonic was trying to stand. Blood soaked and dirty, he rose to his feet shakily. Miles let out another blast, this one Sonic was able to aviod, and he started to run. Miles started to blast with wild abandon, cackling hideously. S onic, even in present condition, could still outrun most blasts, a few stray, weak ones managed to graze him though. No-one had any idea what to do, because they did not want to hurt Tails, or incur his anger. Amy could watch no longer, she ran up to Mile s. "Dammit, Tails," she said, "stop this!" She ran up to him and held his arm back. Infuriated, Miles let a storm of lightning run through his body. Amy flew back from the blast and hit a tree. She fell, unmoving. Miles stopped and turned. He saw Amy's limp form under the tree. His mind filled with terror. "Oh, no...oh God... NO!!!" he ran to her and picked up her head gently. He rested her on his lap and stroked her quills. Tears ran down his cheek when he saw that her eyes would not open. Sonic stopped running and came up beside Sally, who was glaring at Miles. Miles sobbed, he didn't want THIS to happen... "Tails...what have you done?" Sally asked. Miles looked at her with innocent eyes. Eyes that belonged to him. "I, I did this for her." He turned back to Amy, his tears fell on her pretty face. "I...I love you Amy." Sonic's eyes widened. He had no idea. Miles turned to him, face filled with scorn. "You didn't want her, why the hell did you keep her from me?!?" Sonic couldn't answer. Miles bent and kissed Amy on the forehead, sniffing back the urge to tell her how much he really did love her. Finally, the sight of her limp form became too much for Miles to bear. He rested her on the grass and hovered off to Knot hole falls, with a tear in his eye and terror in his heart. * * * Starlight danced over Knuckles' damaged body. He suffered from many bruises due to his overwhelming urges to earn his way to Stardust Speedway, rather than glide on upcurrents. He needed to work off some stress. The result had almost killed him, with a ll the running and fighting off Robotnik's mean machines. He approached the entrance to Stardust Speedway. He was now aware that he stood high above a massive city. The roadway he stood on was narrow and took many twists and turns to form the complex netw ork of Speedways. Knux counld take no more. He collapsed. He came to in the same position that he passed out in, still groggy. He saw a pair of shoes before him. Red, with white stripes. It occured to him that only two people in all of Mobius wore those shoes, and only one lived here. If "lived," was the corr ect term. He craned his aching neck too get a good look at the owner of the shoes. The Starlight blotted out the face, Knux saw only shadows. He didn't care. He knew who it was. It was the only person who could help him recapture Sonya's heart. Red eyes f lashed from the shadow, and Knuckles knew that if he remained silent much longer, this monstrosity of a savior would do un-savior-like things. "Help me...Mecha Sonic..." then silence. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF PART THREE... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Written by FullThrottler/ DemonKlaw ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- §§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§==CAST==§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§ SONIC- Will Sonic give up Amy? MILES "TAILS" POWER- Will Amy forgive him for what he has done? AMY- Is she alive? SONYA SHO EIJI- What happens between her and Mach now? KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA- Will Mecha Sonic help him, or kill him? SALLY- Can she help Tails sort out his feelings? BUNNY RABOT MACH THE PORCUPINE- what caused his strange metallic quill? MECHA SONIC- Will Mecha help Knuckles? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mach Speed: the Fight for Sonya's Heart..................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- <> Knuckles had been coming around for a while when he started to wonder what was waking him up... "WHAP!" ...that was it. Knuckles was thrown back at the force of that blow. He shook his head violently, knowing full well that he would be sorley bruised (at least) if he didn't act quickly. A familiar, yet somewhat distorted voice came from the darkness. "Hey, |fritz|, ya fraggin' |szap!| over-fisted freak, |ker-zap|, get the hell up!" Mecha Sonic's voice seemed angry and unfocused. When Knuckles opened his eyes, he saw why. Mecha Sonic was badly in need of repair, his left arm was badly severed and on e of his eyes was not illuminated. "My God, Mecha, what happened?" Knuckles asked, his concern not wholly genuine. "Some |fritz| blasted Porcupine |short| beat me in a race... beat ME IN A FRAGGIN' |ker-pop| RACE!!!" "My friend, does the word 'revenge' hold any meaning for ya'?" * * * It was almost dark when Sally heard the knock at her door. She had been tending to Amy who was lying down on the spare bed in Sally's hut. Sally stood up from the chair where she had been reading to Amy before she fell alseep. She slowly moved towards the door, the longer she took, however, the more frantic and wanting the knocking came. Sally opened the door and before her stood the most innocent looking Miles Powers she had ever seen. She stood there, regarding him for a few minutes, when he flung hi s arms around her and sobbed. "Aunt Sally," he gasped, in between sobs, "I'm sorry I hurt Amy...I-I thought that I was doing her a favour and~" Sally let him say no more. She motioned that he could go in and see her. He approched the bed sollemnly and looked at Amy even more tentatively. Suddenly, Amy stirred. Seeing Miles' face, she flinched at first, then smiled, which puzzled Miles. "Hey...Tails," she struggled with the words, "I... heard... why you... attacked Sonic..." she smiled warmly now. "I... uhm... *koff*... I~" Miles put his hand on hers, she looked into his sincere blue eyes and continued. "I ...love...you...Miles." The shock of hearing his real name was nothing compared to the effect that the whole sentence had on him. "And... I heard that you kissed me...after..." Miles blushed now. Amy strained to rise from the bed, Miles tried to get her to sit down, but he could do nothing when she held onto him for balance... and kissed him. * * * Mach the Porcupine raced through Palmtree Panic Zone at blazing speeds. He was possibly Sonic's only living equal. He spied what he had come for. Without stopping, he used the metal quill on his head to cut a bunch of flowers off of a bush and grabbed them in the same motion. Sonya sat on the porch of Mach's hut. She wondered about what pain she had caused Knuckles in their breakup...and what pain he had caused her. Mach came without warning, zipping past everything in sight, running up to Sonya and holding his outstreched hand to her, the flowers glinting of early-morning dew. Now, when she looked into those eyes, she knew that she had made the right decision. * * * Later, when they were lounging comfortably in bed, Sonya dared to ask... "Mach?" "Yes, darling?" "Umm...about the quill..." she said slowly, trying to read his emotion. "I knew I would have to explain sooner or later..." Mach sighed and began, as if it were a story he had told too many times. "When I was ten, a change happened on this planet. A force too tremendous to be imagined. And I was caught in it. I was fortuna te... others, this happened to their whole bodies. It was only after five years of fighting, a savior came...God how I despised him!" "Darling," she said, drawing closer, "this force...?" "A human... named Ivo Robotnik." "And the savior," inquired Sonya, cautiously. "Sonic the fragging Hedgehog." "I see... I knew that something like this might happen." She rose from the bed, the sheet drooped over her breasts and dissapeared into the warmth of her crotch. Mach eyed her, wantingly, even though they had just exausted each other. "Mach," she began "how much do you hate Robotnik?" "For what he did to me? Infinately! And Sonic more! I should have saved this planet." "Mach...Robotnik is my father... and Sonic is..my brother... I'm sorry." Nothing could match the torment in Mach's eyes. He cried. * * * "Amy," Miles began, as they walked along the shore of the Power Ring Pool, "what happened to Sonic?" "Erm...I'm afraid ya fried 'im pretty badly, Tails," she said, "he won't be up for another week or so..." "I'm really sorry about the whole thing Amy, I should have talked to you first..." Miles looked at her. She was balancing herself on a log on the edge of the Ring Pool. He came across and rested his elbows on the log and looked up into her eyes. She li ght-stepped over to him and cracked a smile as she bent down to kiss him. BOOM!!! "AAHHH!!!" Amy shrieked as she was thrown off balance. She waited for the cold splash of the water with her hands over her eyes. She was relived to hear the whirring of twin rotors above her head as she looked up into Miles' caring eyes while he carrie d her back to shore. Once on shore they scampered towards the source of the blast... Never Lake. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mach Speed: the Fight for Sonya's Heart..................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- <> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- §Chapter One : What We Do for Love...§ Mach sat up in bed. He looked at the lover he had stolen. Sonya slept on the other side of the bed, her exposed breasts rose and fell with her breath. He reached across and covered them, kissed her and walked into thee next room. He found his feelings for her were... unexplainable. He loved her, yet it was her father,Dr. Robotnik who had "gifted" him with the metal head-blade and her brother, Sonic, was his arch rival. Yet, his love for her ran deep. It was the way she carried herself, the way she look ed at him with such caring eyes. No-one, not even his own parents had shown him such love... Suddenly, memories flooded back... * * * He grew up with the nuns of the church. They worked him like a slave "in the name of the Goddess." He hated them. One girl had shown him kindness... Jessica... they _loved_ each other. They would walk through Mobotropolis whenever he could get away from the church. Then he found her one day, at her home... with another boy... He killed them right there. He was hunted as a common criminal... King Acorn's militia captured him and threw him in jail for murder. He hated them. He hated the King. He eventually escaped, ran to the wilderness... and found a home on Little Planet. He found ways to calm his rage, but not his hate. On the day Robotnik took over Little Planet, he escaped with his head-quill roboticised. He attacked Robotnik... he was blasted into a cave after rushing Robotnik. There, his life changed. He found the Black Chaos Emrald. * * * "Tails, wait!" Amy called. "Where are we going?" Miles turned to her and grinned that boyish grin she admired him for. Only the day before he had tried to kill Sonic for her affection, hurting her in the process. She had forgiven him, of course, but sh e had done something with him that she had only wanted to do with Sonic before. She had fallen in love with him. "We've got to find out where that blast came from, it could be important!" Miles looked back and saw Amy struggling to keep up with him, after all, he had been with Sonic longer and had learned how to juice from the Master of Faster. He got an idea. He slowed down, hopping up over Amy, he twirled his twin tails in a tornado of twisting terror. "Gimme your hand!" he called. Still racing down the hillside, Amy streched her hands to reach Miles. He grabbed her by both hands and began to carry her like he did Sonic so many times before. Suddenly, he got another idea. Amy, being lighter than Sonic, was pulled up close enough to Miles. She looked up at him... and they kissed in mid-flight. It was when she looked up, she shuddered. They were headed toward Never Lake... and Little Planet. * * * When Mach had touched the Emrald of Darkness, it could not control him because he had been infected by Robotnik's evil creation. Instead, it fueled his hate and gave him power and speed. * * * "BOOM!" The explosion rocked the hut and Mach steadied himself against the wall. Running to the door, Mach frantically glanced around for some cause of that impact. Then his eyes settled on two, not-too-welcome guests. Knuckles was there,angered beyond belief, and at his side stood a completely revamped Mecha Sonic. Mecha's iron quills gleamed in the sunlight as he re-configured his new rocket launcher which Knuckles had so *generously* donated. The dark barrel of th e Rocket launcher stared Mach in the face at no less than twenty paces. The laser sights locked onto his head... Throwing Mach aside, Sonya appeared in the doorway, her nightgown swaying, luciouly revealing desireable areas of her feminine anatomy. Her gaze locked with Knuckles'. It was a pleading gaze which brought a cracking emotion to Knuckles eyes. He heard M echa's targeting mechanism lock, he turned on him. "THAT'S ENOUGH, YOU SICK, BLOOD LUSTING BASTARD!" he grabbed Mecha by the neck, shook him violently and deposited a barbed knuckle into his facial area. Mecha looked up, dazed and confused as Knuckles ran to Sonya. "Knuckles, w-why..." she was half asleep and acceppted Knuckles embrace catationically. She looked at him with glazed eyes. "I can't live without you, darling. Mach took you from me and," he looked frustrated now, "and I couldn't bear losing you to another man again." "Love, Tails was hardly a man. He needed a mother, and I felt best to take the job." When Mecha Sonic rose, he was greeted with the peircing gaze of Mach's inner hate. They stared at each other. After Robotnik had been run off from Little Planet last time, Mecha Sonic had stayed behind. Mach, hating Sonic to the core for stealing his gl ory, he took out his angers on Mecha Sonic, scrapping him with his head-quill after humiliating him in a race. A violent feud had ensued. With the Black Chaos Emrald fueling his hate, Mach beat Mecha Sonic to a pulp. But now, Mecha had no desire to fight Mach, knowing what the outcome would be, he turned and strode off, without a word. He went off to find some lucious little teenaged girl. He loved to hear them scream with revulsion when he raped them, metal finger s groping them. He took off, boosters flaring. Now Mach turned to Knuckles...and Sonya. * * * §Chapter Two: New Memories§ Miles stopped short of Little Planet when he saw it hovering over Never Lake. He had just about tired out from carrying Amy Rose. He rested her on the ground and landed near her. When he turned to her, she was staring at the Planet, stifling visible te ars. "Amy...what's wrong?" Miles reached out to her. She broke her gaze on the floating globe and looked at Miles, her eyes glistened. "Tails...h-hold me..." With that she collapsed into Miles' arms, sobbing. Then he remembered...she had once been kidnapped and taken to this planet... And Sonic had saved her. * * * Mach stared at Knuckles and Sonya, they looked much as they had when they first arrived. Happy with each other. The breeze blew gently among his quills as they all looked at one another. * * * Miles had flown Amy to the surface of the planet, comforting her all the way. They had calmed somewhat now and she had ceased to all but sniffle. He rested her on the ground and took her head in his lap. She looked up at the warm sunshine which reflected off of the receding tears in her eyes. "It's OK Amy, I'm here..." "I know, Tails," she said, looking at him now, " please don't leave me..." "Amy, I know what happened here last time was painful for you, but you have to help me. I can't do this on my own." "Yes you can, you're strong, like S-Soni~" "No, I'm not," he broke in. "Well, sometimes, I don't know about S-s, er, him," Miles stammered. He reailized that to bring up any thoughts of Sonic would only add to Amy's angst... and his jelousy. "I don't know about him," Miles continued, "but I'm o nly 'strong' because I know that I have people who love me to help me." He smiled at her, as she rose and knelt with him. "And now you have someone who loves you." "I love you too, Miles..." They were not sure what to do now. The akwardness of the moment caused Amy to shyly giggle and turn away from Miles. His face drew closer to hers, and as she turned back to face him, they closed their eyes... ...and they kissed in the warm sunlight, with the breeze gently blowing the grass at their knees. * * * Sonya looked at Mach from Knuckles' arms. She pulled away from him, wanting to go to Mach, yet, not wanting to leave Knuckles. "Mach, please..." He looked at her and broke the gaze almost immediately, snapping his attention back to Knuckles. Suddenly Knuckles swooned, as if hit by a power he couldn't control... now he knew what bothered him about Mach. "You..." Knuckles began, "you have one of them!" Mach looked defensive. "One of what?!" "By the God Chaos," Knuckles spat out the words hatefully, "you are the possesor of one of the crystals I have given my life to protect... you have a Chaos Emrald!" Mach's eyes narrowed and he reached into an unseen pouch in his waist. He fumbled in it for a while, closed his eyes, and drew out a Black Chaos Emrald. Knuckles' lower lip trembled, he staggered, he wanted to kill this bastard. "Is this what you want?" Mach inqired. Knuckles nodded dumbly. He was astounded, he had never seen a Black Emrald before and the power that it was emitting was unmatched... if evil. "Then it's her, or the gem." Mach smiled smugly. He had forced Knuckles to make the most important choice anyone ever has to make... love or duty. Knuckles quaked with rage. He wanted to attck Mach, but he knew that possesor of an Emrald could will it to do anything... including destroy itself. He dropped his fists and went into a stance that showed utter surrender. "Knux..." Sonya reached out to him. He took her hand, and looked from her to the gem. He repeated this a few times and then looked into Sonya's eyes, which were now wild with fright. She knew that if he chose the Emrald, he would give up his one true love. However, if he chose her, the E mrald would never find a home on The Floating Island, and thus throw Chaos into Chaos. Knuckles had a look of finality to him now as he turned to Sonya. Mach smiled,he would either keep his power, or the woman he had fallen in love with. "Sonya... forgive me..." Knuckles began. "Sonya! Knuckles!" Everyone turned to the voice of little Miles "Tails" Powers. Sonya jumped and ran to him, throwing her arms around him. She was then astounded to see a little pink hedgehog girl standing behind Miles, tapping her foot angrily. "Tails! Who is she?!?!" Amy exploded. * * * §Chapter Three: Showdown§ Miles had managed to gather everyone inside. There, Sonya explained what had happened- minus the parts that his youthful mind might be sensitive to. Mach and Knuckles had been locked into separate rooms to prevent any *disaster*. Miles had finished listening to the explanation, then offered one of his own, seeing as Amy was none too comfortable around Sonya. Now she knew how Miles had felt before, whe n he tried to kill Sonic because of the schoolgirl crush Amy had on him that prevented Miles from showing his true affection for her. Now it was time to settle differances. Mach and Knuckles were led into the room. They said nothing to each other. They only glared at one another, constantly. Sonya buried her face in her hands, she felt the pain of indecisiveness. The pain that only comes when you have to choose, but eithe r way, you will hurt someone you love... Amy put her hand on Sonya's shoulder. Sonya looked up at Amy Rose's comforting smile. She smiled back thinking that if she ever had a female kit, she would want her to be this loving. "I know it hurts," Amy said, "but someone once told me that to be strong, you need people to care about you." "Thanks," Sonya replied, "it's good to know that I'm so strong." Amy went on taking Sonya's mind off of the impending struggle while Miles sat at the table with the two rivals, they had come to a decision. "Stardust Speedway!" Mach demanded as he slammed his fist onto the table, "it's the only challenge tough enough to decide who gets both the emrald and the girl." "What is she to you?! A toy?!" Knuckles retorted, slamming his own fist into the table, with quite a difference in impact than Mach's, Miles noted. "She can't just be won like a prize!" "But this can," replied Mach. This time, he didn't even show the Emrald, just let it give off an energy field that struck Knuckles like a hard left hook. "Besides," he continued, "she means more to me than she ever will to you!" "That's enough you two!" Miles shot at them. "It's settled. We have you two hold a race on Stardust Speedway. Winner keeps the Emrald and, well..." he flustered, "Sonya will have to decide on her own." Mach and Knuckles looked at each other. Each pulled an identical smirk as if each knew that he had the upper hand. Mach held out his hand. "To hell?" Knuckles returned the gesture, shaking hands firmly. "Swell." * * * Miles, Sonya and Amy stood on a hilltop just overlooking the speed way of Stardust Speedway. Music and light danced everywhere, spotlights glinted off of the gold of the roadway trim. The porcupine and the echidna stood at the start line. At Miles' com mand, they took the line and crouched, ready. "ONE!" yelled Miles. They dug their heels into the ground. "TWO!" They stared intensly. "THREE!" They revved their legs into figure eight motions, sneakers blurring. "GO!" They started just as the restraining gate went up. They shot off at the same moment, neck and neck. They ran through loops, tumbled through twists and spun up hills. Neck and neck they were. Miles and Amy watched, straining to keep a good sight of the racers, even at their vantage point. Sonya watched it all as if it were just a bad movie that had a twisted ending that she hadn't seen yet. Spike sprang up from the track as quickly as a suprized look sprang up on the faces of Mach and Knuckles. Knuckles smashed the spikes into metal dust and iron filings with his tough knuckles. Mach went into a lateral spin, his head blade sawed through the spikes neatly. He broke the spin and started to run again. The specators gasped. Mach had fallen behind. Mach sweated to keep up to the blazing echidna. The finish line could now be seen not too far off in the distance. Mach was now genuinely worried. He didn't care about the Emrald. Now all he wanted was Sonya's love, not the ... The Emrald. It struck him now. This was perfect. Summoning all the power of the Emrald, he channeled it all into one final speed boost. Amy collapsed. Being very spiritual, the shock from the Astal power of the Emrald drawing power from the stardust affected her strong Psychic sense. Sonya and Miles rushed to help her. "Amy, what~" Sonya stopped right there. Now she could see clearly. She put her hand on Amy, channeling the force through her. <> Sonya drew back in shock. She was the splitting image of Jessica. §Chapter Four: Redepmtion§ Mach collapsed at the finish line. Unfortunately, he had come just after Knuckles had blazed through the finish line. His head rose, eyes struggling, scarcely half open. He saw Sonya with her arms around Knuckles, Knuckles, with the Emrald in his hands . It is over, he thought. Sonya saw him struggling, she rushed to him and put her hand on his cheek. "I saw your pain," she said, "no one should have had to suffer so much." "I suffer... for those... who would give... their lives," Mach strained, "that they...*uhh*...would not have died in vain." "What do you mean?" "I fight for freedom." "Then," Knuckles spoke up, "I know just who to turn to now." The last thing he saw before he blacked out, was Knuckles reaching for him. * * * The first thing he saw when he awoke, however, was a smiling Raccon. "Well, glad to see our newest Freedom Fighter prospect is alive and kicking!" Bookshire smiled. Mach sprang up and grabbed Bookshire violently. "I'll do some kicking if you don't tell me where I am!" "*Uhkk* You're in..*gulp*... Knothole..." Bookshire croaked hoarsley. Mach threw him against the door, whereupon he ran out emphatically to spread the word that the new boy was stark raving mad. Mach got up and limped, drainedly, to the window and looked out onto the most peaceful sight he had ever seen in his life. "Knothole," he murmured to himself. The name itself was peaceful. Later, Sonya came to see him. Everyone else stayed out until Sonya had calmed him down enough so that everyone else could enter. At first, the shock of seeing so many people in one place at one time made him nervous, but the feeling passed when Sonya p ut her hand on his. All of the premier Freedom Fighters were there, except for Sonic, who was still recooperating from Miles' attack^. (^see Mach Speed, part three) "Mach, this is Princess Sally Acorn, " Sonya introduced. Mach eyed her carefully, then stepped towards her and shook her hand. "I never liked you father..." Mach began, " but I'll do anything to get at Robotnik for what he did to me." Sally looked puzzled. "Umm, at least your heart is in the right place." Sonya spoke again, "and this is Bookshire Draftwood." Bookshire trembled as Mach shot him an unsavory look. "We've m-met." "...Dulcea Dragon." Mach looked at her with some degree of neck pain. "Remind me never to piss you off, Ms. Dragon..." "No Problem," Dulcy said, not quite understanding the term 'piss off.' "... Antione D'Coolette." Mach eyed the trembling Frenchman with a badboy's eyes. "What are you, some kind of wimp?!?" he shouted at Antione. "Wimp, er, oui, I am what you would be callink a wimp!" Mach threw his eyes at the ceiling. "Bunnie Rabbot..." Mach went up to her. Quite taken, he grasped her metallic arm before she could react...and kissed it quite gently. "Such an exquisite example of womanhood... I do belive we have something in common Ms. Rabbot," Mach said in his most suave voice, indicating his head quill. "Oh my stars..." Bunnie swooned. "...and Rotor Walrus." Sonya finished, tapping her foot impatiently. Rotor thrust out his hand, his face beaming all over. "Hi!" Mach shook his hand, quite at a loss for words for the (over) friendly walrus. * * * Mach had finished the examination for Freedom Fighter entry, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Sally was staring at the birthmark on his left arm during the interrogation. While conversing with Rotor quite well, Mach's attention was turned to Princess Sally when she called him to come to the council hall in five minutes. * * * Mach was greeted by a rather large crowd when he took the head seat at the table. Sally rose and began to speak. "Fellow Freedom Fighters, I wish to welcome to our ranks today, Mach Porcupine, who has successfully completed his examination." Mach stared at the apllauding crowd darkly. There had to be more. "However," Sally began," while researching all known porcupine families, I came across one of importance." The hall was still now. "The Shi'Na'Kai family. They were the protecting family of the island of Maga, the second floating island." Knuckles' jaw dropped, a SECOND floating island?!?! "Fifteen years ago," Sally continued,"the protector of Maga, lord Kiahka, had a son. This son was said to have been sent to the church of Mobotropolis to grow, to learn, and that at the age of ten, he would be brought back to the island and taught of h is heritage. Sadly, Lord Kiahka died when his son was five, never bringing him back to Maga." Sally looked at Mach. "Give me your left hand," she said soothingly. Mach had no quarrel. In the short time he knew her, this Princess' calm demeanor came to overpower him...like...a mother. Sally exposed the birthmark on his left hand, just below the opening of the glove. "This is the seal of Maga," she decleared," Mach is the rightful protector of Maga and the black Chaos Emrald!" * * * §Epilouge One§ Mach slipped away that night. But he left a note for Sally. <> * * * §Epilouge Two§ Amy Rose stared out into the Power Ring Pool. "Hi Tails," she said without looking up at Miles who had just crept up behind her. He shook it off as just coincidence. "I came to thank you, Amy. I couldn't have pulled through today without you." Amy looked at him, her eyes grew bright and she flung her arms around him, and hee returned the gesture. From some way off, a bandaged Sonic the Hedgejog looked on with Sally at the two kits. "Son-of-a-gun," muttered Sonic," who'd of thought." "They're almost the age we were," Sally said, coyly,"when we first admitted our feelings." "Yeah," Sonic aggreed, accepting a kiss," I wonder if they'll turn out like we did?" "And that brings up an interesting topic..." "Oh *really?*" "*Yes*" "Being?" "When are going to talk to Tails about sex? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- END......................................................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To all of you who enjoyed my story, please E-MAIL ME!!! Let me know if I'm a good fanfic author. If I recive enough encouragement, I'll get my team of friends on the case and we'll come up with the best fanfics ever!!! ********************** send all mail to:*cybermohd@trinidad.net* ********************** Till next time... Chaos be with you!