Chapter 99 - Fear, the Greatest Weakness

Ekyt sat down, tired from…nothing. No threats to the city. Then he remembered: Tikal! His shoulders slumped as he realized that he couldn’t do that. His place was here. Much as he didn’t WANT it to be. If someone else could watch the city, he’d be gone in a heartbeat. Since he didn’t HAVE a heart anymore, this wasn’t a problem.

Anthony sighed. “I fear we have a short trip coming up darling. You may wish to hold on to something.” Linda nodded, gripping the leg of a desk. Anthony braced himself in a doorway. Somehow, Chaos Control had happened again, and they were all bound for Station Square.

BLAST!!!! Ekyt was shot backward. He landed on his feet and rolled around the corner. He knew that disturbance. The blinding light, the blast…chaos control. “Great, they’re back. Well, I’m not going anywhere. This is MY turf now, and they’re stuck here against my will and their’s.”

Sonic. Shadow. Tails. Knuckles. Amy. Klein. Flash. Tiffany. Cream. Cheese. And the rest. Everyone spilled out into the street. Then Anthony and Linda landed. Everyone was too dazed to fight. Even Anthony seemed slightly off-balance from the impromptu trip. “Everyone alright? I’ll ask what happened when it’s obvious all of you can stand up.” Ekyt asked dryly. Then he saw Anthony. He strode over to the panther and grabbed him.

“Don’t wrinkle my suit, you peasant.” Anthony spat. “Give me one reason I don’t knock every fang out of your mouth…” Ekyt snarled, still holding him. “Because Linda would be SO disappointed in your conduct.” Anthony smirked. “And if I didn’t give a damn…” He saw Linda shaking her head. He dropped Anthony. “I DO give a damn. You’re lucky. I’m tempted to kill you, but it’s not what she wants.” Anthony straightened his suit out. “Disgusting vermin touching my clothes. I DO hope you manage to take some manners away from all this.” “And I hope to take away your ability to stand up.” Ekyt shot back. He left, leaving the others to sort out what was going to happen next.

Ekyt felt something snap inside him. He found an abandonded parking garage and sat up against one of the support beams. He curled his legs up into his chest, looking around savagely. He felt like he had lost touch with reality.

“We’ve got to go find him!” Sonic exclaimed. “I can go in the X-Tornado.” Tails offered. “I’m going to keep an eye on the rest of them. They’re helpless.” Shadow said with a look over his shoulder. “Hey! I resemble that remark!” Flash called. Shadow smacked himself in the forehead.

Is THIS what it feels like? Everyone out to get you? I got lazy…It can’t happen again…would it really be so bad if Eggman took over? Why do I care? I don’t…I don’t care. Ekyt walked to one of the brick walls and felt along the darkness, finding a door handle. He turned it, finding that it opened into a stairwell. He climbed up it after locking the door, finding it empty. This was as good a spot as any. He trudged up the stairs, ducking below the windows. He hit the floor when he heard the X-Tornado whiz by. His coat had camoflagued him, so Tails hadn’t found him. Good. He continued the climb up the stairs, hiding.

“I say, he positively fled!” Anthony chuckled with delight. “Well darling, before I was rudely interrupted, THIS” he forced a box into her hand, “is for you.” Inside lay the most beautiful bracelet Linda had ever seen (Right Alchemest?). “It’s beautiful Anthony! Thank you!”

Ekyt curled up again at the top, willing himself to go to sleep. But he didn’t feel safe, despite the fact anything short of a nuclear explosion couldn’t hurt him in this concrete bunker of a stairwell. I’ve got to get a grip! one voice told him. Why? Doesn’t this hurt less? Another voice answered. The first voice piped up again. You’ve got to be tough! The second voice returned. You owe it to yourself…haven’t you had enough pain? Wouldn’t you like to forget, at least for a little while? Let her go, but make the panther suffer… Ekyt smiled. He had found a new reason for living.

Anthony lazily pointed at bottles in the liquor store. “That one. That one…no, you rube, up a shelf! I wouldn’t give THAT to my worst enemy!” Anthony looked at the bottle in disgust. He leapt back suddenly. He SWORE he say Ekyt’s face on the bottle, smiling at him. When he looked again, the face was gone. “That boy was a formidable foe…no doubt he’s cowering somewhere.” Anthony laughed, slightly nervous.

Eggman paced on top of the Master Emerald Altar. “Where is she?” he said aloud. “Hold your horses, lard ball. Here I am.” Rouge was floating above him, holding shards of the Master Emerald. “Ah, yes, yes, YES!” He reached for them. “Uh uh uh.” Rouge snatched them away. “I want my fee up front. Sorry Doc, but anyone in the business this long knows how it works.”

Anthony went across the street to the hotel he was staying at. Linda had the room next to his. Both suites. He walked into the bathroom and rubbed some water on his face. When he left the bathroom, he saw something on his chair. “What is this?” He held it up. “Linda, a moment please!” he called. She opened the door between the rooms, her concerned face in the doorway. “What’s the matter?” “Is this yours?” he asked, holding up something black and red. “No…That’s Ekyt’s mask.” Anthony dropped it suddenly, shaking his head. “How did it get here?” he wondered aloud. But he didn’t think any more of it.

Sonic spotted Ekyt. “Hey! Ekyt!” Ekyt ignored the call, continuing his walk. “C’mon pal, what’s up?” Sonic ran after him. He saw Ekyt dart into a narrow alley. Sonic raced in after him, finding the alley empty. He looked up, not seeing him either. “Huh! I must be imagining things.” Sonic zipped off.

Ekyt sat down in the stair case again, running a hand through his hair, a borderline insane smile on his face. “I warned you not to screw with me. That I had nothing to lose.” He muttered to himself. He got up again, stretching his neck. He decided to take another walk.

This time, Tails spotted him. “Hey! Ekyt!” Ekyt took off. Tails flew after him, looking down in the crowd. It was no good, Ekyt was moving too fast. Tails reached for his headset. “Amy, he’s headed toward you and Klein! Cut him off!”

Ekyt saw Amy and Klein. He made a sharp turn down an alleyway, causing Tails to lose sight of him. He heard Amy and Klein coming toward him, but he ran for it, zipping into an old motel room that had long been abandoned. He heard Amy run by. He gave himself a small pat on the back for getting away yet again. He would reveal himself when the time was right.

Anthony decided to have some wine to calm his nerves. He reached for his favorite bottle, but found it empty, save for something at the bottom. “What is this now?” He up-ended the bottle. A note fell out. In an untidy scrawl, it asked a question: “A Coffin or A Casket?” He turned the note over, finding one other chilling sentence. “My flame can’t be doused, this is what pain’s about…” Anthony sat down hard, not understanding. “No, someone’s playing games with me. They will learn not to trifle in my affairs, WHOEVER it is.”

Chris was the next to have an “Ekyt sighting.” “Hey, wait up!” he called. Ekyt walked on, unconcerned. Chris caught up. “Ekyt, are you okay?” An insane-sounding laugh met Chris’ ears. “Kids. A tisket, a tasket…” Ekyt turned around, as Chris looked on in horror, “A coffin or a casket?” Chris ran for it. Ekyt pulled off his black mask, hoping he got his point across to “leave me alone.”

“Perhaps a game of tennis today?” Anthony asked Linda, tickling her under the chin. “Sure!” she said happily. Anthony turned to go get ready. He gasped and fell backward. “Look!” he pointed at the TV. He SWORE he saw Ekyt’s face, laughing at him…taunting him. “Anthony, you should relax a little. Stay here, you’ll be alright in my room. I’m going to get some water.” Anthony shook his head. “You’re right. It must be the late nights catching up with me. Besides, he’s no threat.” “Oh, I’m not?” Anthony whipped around. He heard Ekyt’s voice, but didn’t see him. “Please, your games are growing old!” Anthony called out. “To YOU perhaps…watch your back, old boy!”

Eggman stared gleefully at the pieces of emerald. He ordered his robots to get Anthony, his touch was needed to initiate the project. “I’m looking forward to seeing them all suffer!”

Sonic and friends were stunned to see Ekyt walk in. “Don’t touch me.” He snarled before they could move. “Eggman is up to something. And I think I’ve got that stupid panther right where I want him. So, I’m here to help. BUT. If you try to restrain me, I’ll attack. I’ll tell you the same thing I told Anthony: You’re messing with someone who has nothing to lose.”

“I give you, the Egg-cannon!” Eggman shouted with a laugh. “Impressive…powered by the shards of the Master Emerald?” Anthony asked. “Indeed. And it will mutilate any pathetic attempt at resistance.” “Don’t count on it lord lard!” Sonic was tapping his foot impatiently. “GET HIM!” Eggman yelled to his robots.

Anthony couldn’t help but chuckle. “Linda, isn’t it marvelous?” he asked. “No. It’s horrible. I want no part of this Anthony.” Linda had come to her senses. “You ungrateful wench! After all I’ve done for you…” Linda suddenly broke into a smile. Anthony turned to see what she was smiling at. “Hi Ant.” Ekyt was standing right there. “You! You were stalking me!” Ekyt laughed. “So I was…but I think it got my point across…Now, if you were to touch her, THAT would be a mistake.” Anthony let his claws out to their full extention. “You have made a horrible mistake. Your attempts to frighten me have only made me wish to make you suffer even more.” Ekyt grabbed him around the neck and threw him off the altar. Anthony landed on his feet. “It will take more than your petty parlor tricks to ambush me!” Ekyt raced down after him.

All around them, the fight was in full swing. Sonic and friends vs. Eggman and Anthony. If that canon was fired, it was all over. It was up to the them, the last line of defense, to hold Eggman off. Ekyt, however, had his sights set on Anthony…

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment