Chapter 106 - Carpe Diem

Anthony looked viciously at Ekyt. “You do realize how foolish this is…romantic, perhaps, dying for your loved one…I should write a novel. Perhaps I could title it ‘An Infidel I once Knew’.” Ekyt didn’t respond. Under his breath, he muttered the phrase Tikal had given him to get to the past with her help. With as Crack, he disappeared, landing in the past.

“Ekyt? What’s happened?” Tikal, Linda, and Ray were all sitting in a makeshift hut. “You’ve all got to hide! He’s coming here! “ “Kid, we can help!” Ray tried to reason with him. “No. This is between him and I. Enough innocent lives have fallen casualty to his cruelty. It must be me that does this. No matter what happens, no one interfere! This is where fate will take it’s course.”

Anthony made sure to destroy the Thorndyke house, in case he could blame it on Ekyt later. Then he departed for the past, having obtained a prisoner who could help him. “I’m only doing this so Ekyt can kill you…and I’ll destroy whatever’s left over.” Shadow muttered “Chaos Control” and Anthony way on his way to the past.

“There isn’t time! He’s coming right now! GO!” Ekyt gave them a push in the direction of a cave.

Anthony came bounding toward Ekyt. This time they minced no words. It was the rich, pompous, however talented and cunning panther, against the street-wise, scrawny kid, who had nothing to lose anymore. Anthony, in his arrogance forgot the cardinal rule of fighting. You never take your eyes off your opponent. Ekyt took the opportunity to strike with his left hand; his weaker hand, to see how distracted the panther truly was. Anthony dodged to the side and whipped his tail around. Ekyt leapt deftly over the tail, landing on it and kicking low, landing a critical strike.

Anthony sneered at the development and gave the human a hard shove away. In the same motion, he followed through with a straight right hand that forced Ekyt to turn away from, exposing his back for a hard shot on the shoulder. Ekyt fell and rolled as Anthony’s paws slashed into the ground where he had been milliseconds earlier. Ekyt rolled onto his feet, stepping to the side again as more strikes followed. Ekyt blocked low with his forearm, then brought his elbow down across the nerves in Anthony’s arm.

“Enough of these fool games! I have let you live too long child…” Anthony leapt forward so quickly that Ekyt didn’t have time to react. In a split second, he had a hypodermic needle injected in Ekyt’s arm. “You have an hour to live!” Anthony declared. Ekyt swore, running a worried hand through his hair. “Afraid to face death?” Anthony taunted. “No…My time was coming, I knew it…I worry for those who are living…” Ekyt felt his chest tighten as the time counted down. “Surrender the others...Admit I was the better of us…and I will give you the antidote.” Anthony held out his paw. Ekyt swatted it away. “I’d sooner die than bow to you, you son a dog. You’ll rot in hell someday.” Anthony laughed again. “Fruitless taunts, you are simply wasting the time you have left. You’ll find that I am sporting, rather unlike your species.” Anthony said smoothly. “You may use your remaining time to be with your loved ones.” Ekyt opened his mouth to argue, but could not.

“Fine. Leave them be for the 50 minutes I have left.”

Linda, Ray, and Tikal were forming a desperate plan when Ekyt came in, looking pale and gaunt. “What happened?!” Linda asked the question first. For the first time since she met him, Ekyt, her “tower of strength,” didn’t look all that strong. She had seen him survive countless injuries, and knew something bad must have happened.

”Listen, quickly. I’m going to die in 45 minutes. I’m only here to say goodbye and to tell you what to do to escape.” Ekyt spoke in such a low tone that it was impossible for even Anthony to hear. He told them the story. “Give yourself up! Save your life!” Linda exclaimed. Ekyt shook his head. “I can’t do it. I can’t bow to him. He’s got his followers, by power or fear. I will never be among them.” Linda sat down hard on a slightly moist rock in the cave they were hiding in. Ray and Tikal both bowed their heads, wondering what you say to someone who has chosen death.

“Kid…I don’t care what anyone says, myself included: You’re the toughest SOB I’ve ever met. And, ya know, I hope I was some help to you…” Ray and Ekyt shook hands, thought that turned into a hug, both emotional despite their usually stoic appearances. “Ray, you were the first human to accept me. And the last, it seems. Your advice brought me and Linda together, and helped me get her back, and to help shape me as a person. I could never thank you enough.” Ray backed off, letting Tikal say goodbye.

“I’m so sorry things had to be this way! I never knew!” she exclaimed, sobbing onto his shoulder. “It’s okay, you couldn’t have known. You’ve saved me more times than I can count, this time it’s my turn. You were there for me in my hour of need. That’s not something I’ll ever forget.” Ekyt took his chao out of his pocket. “If you won’t mind taking care of him again…” Tikal nodded. She walked away suddenly. Ekyt couldn’t hear her cry anymore.

But that was pushed out of his mind when Linda got up. “I-I’m sor” “Don’t be. How could you be expected to like me when I didn’t like myself?” Ekyt said with a smile, a hand under her chin. “How can you smile? You’re dying…” She couldn’t help saying it. “Because I know I’m saving lives in the process. You know me too well Linda. I’m going to do as much damage as I can. You and the others escape.” The two embraced, neither one having any real words to say. She held him tight for ten minutes, no one speaking. “I-I…I love you!” she blurted out, burying her head in his neck. “I love you too.” He said, strangely calm. With his death impending, he had no fear of anything anymore. What was pain in the large scale of things? What mattered was who you were and what you did with the time you had, not how long you lived.

With time running out, Ekyt said his final goodbyes. His body was already protesting, but he wasn’t going to die cowering in a cave. “I can only give you protection for a few seconds…run for it. Get to the master emerald.”

Ekyt stepped outside and immediately charged the waiting Anthony, throwing his coat over his eyes and jumping on his shoulders to hold it in place. He scissored his legs around Anthony’s neck while holding his coat in place. Tikal ran for the emerald, when it hit her. “I’ve got it!” she exclaimed. “Ekyt! Follow us!”

Ekyt ran after them, not knowing why, dodging between trees and rocks. Anthony leapt over the rocks, catching up. “What am I running to?” Ekyt shouted. “The chao pool! Drink the water! It has restorative powers!” Ekyt and Anthony exchanged glances. “You won’t make it lad.” Anthony said calmly. Ekyt reached into his pocket. “I think I will.” He was holding up the shard of the Master Emerald from his time. With 30 seconds left for him to make it, Ekyt TOOK OFF.

Linda and Ray turned around and nodded to each other once, firmly. They each grabbed the end of a tree limb lying on the ground. As Anthony ran by, they picked it up, tripping him, giving Ekyt crucial seconds.

Ekyt dove into the chao pool, lapping up the water. When he surfaced, his cuts had healed, his bruises had faded, and his head felt clear. He saw Anthony slash at Ray, who got aside just in time. Linda punched Anthony square in the face, then swore as her knuckles broke. Ekyt bolted over, ramming Anthony into a tree with his shoulder.

“Shadow! Assist me if you will!” Anthony called. “I think I won’t. You don’t have a hostage anymore. So I’ll do what I like. CHAOS BLAST!” Anthony was thrown backward violently.

“Back off.” Ekyt said simply. Everyone looked questioning at him. He strode over to Anthony. “You’ve lost Anthony. You’ve got a chance to escape with your life, live to fight another day.” Ekyt pulled the panther to his feet. “Can you send this prick home?” He asked Shadow. Shadow raised a questioning eyebrow, but muttered “Chaos Control,” sending the stunned panther back to Station Square.

“We should stay the night here.” Ekyt announced. Everyone was too tired to argue. Ekyt made sure they were all comfortable before he sat up on a hill that overlooked them.

Linda watched, thinking how nicely the moon outlined him. The inquisitive expression, the protective nature…she felt like she could trust him with anything. Her deepest desires, her darkest ambitions (Not that she had any). She trudged up the hill, intending to talk to him.

Ekyt heard the stranger coming. He didn’t move immediately; he tried to guess the appearance. Moved lightly, young male or female. Slight rustle of fabric, probably jeans. No evidence of sneaking. Ekyt kept his expression stoic, as though he had heard nothing.

Linda tossed his coat in front of him. “You’ve really gotta take care of yourself, you know.” She said, grinning slightly. “Yeah, no more poison for me.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “Ugh, you’re all wet!” Ekyt raised an eyebrow. “Good thing I brought your coat. Why don’t you go get out of those wet clothes, and wrap yourself up in your coat?” At Ekyt’s quizzical look, she rolled her eyes. “I’m not gonna watch!” Ekyt ducked behind an outcropping of rock, tossing his wet clothes over them. With his coat firmly in place, he walked (carefully) back out.

Linda couldn’t help but smile at the shyness. “Here…I thought you might like to have this…” Looking him in the eyes, she put a chain around his neck. The chain itself was warm, gold, like a power ring. On the end there was a tooth. “Taken from a rare species- Pantherous Pompous Assess. To us, Anthony.” Ekyt gave her a rare smile. “Did you mean what you said? About loving me?” Ekyt nodded silently, continuing his vigilante staring. “It’s funny…we’re both rebels…I was a police officer, you were a vigilante…I guess opposites attract. I meant it too.” She moved closer to him. “I don’t know why you’re attracted to me. I mean, you’re out of my league. We’re not even playing the same game, I guess.” Ekyt muttered, his eyes closed. “I’m not exactly the easiest person to get close to…but you managed it…how did you do it?”

Linda wished she had an answer. “Magic, I guess. For now, you’d better get some rest.” Ekyt laid on his back, the cool grass on the back of his head beckoning sleep. “I guess…” Linda gave him a hug. “Good. If anyone deserves rest, it’s you.” She proceeded to curl up next to him. Whether she knew it or not, that was sure to keep him awake.

“I hope they’re all right.” Sonic muttered. “I can feel it…they’re near the master emerald in the past…there doesn’t seem to be any sadness…” Knuckles returned. “There will be! Sonic, Klein, look!” Amy shouted. The TV had gone fuzzy, and then it was replaced with Eggman and Anthony.

“Greetings Station Square. I am Dr. Eggman, your new, benevolent ruler! I have here the president, hostage, and he has agreed to give control of the city over to me. Any attempts at resistance will be crushed! Anyone found revolting will be destroyed! You have twenty-four hours to deliver to me your precious heros…then the town is yours again. Once I have them, I can bend them to my will! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!”

So while Linda was curled up near Ekyt, trying to force herself to rest, Sonic was being restrained by his friends.

Something had to give.

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