[DC] Sonic Forces: Dark Future Legacy

Chapter 2 ~ Deception

This monster of a jackal. He had taken not only the freedom of Mobius, not only the lives of many fighters during this endless war, but most importantly the life of the planet's hero and Tails's best friend: Sonic the Hedgehog. And the small fox couldn't stand it any longer. Here he stood in front of a killer, the masked menace that started this all, intending to end it here and now. Tails clenched his fists. This was it. His first, most important battle in the war.

With a huge leap in the air, Tails sent himself flying at Infinite, fist aimed straight at his chest in an attempt to shatter the ruby. It was going to hurt, but if it would save many lives, it was worth the pain.
Infinite, with his supercharged ruby, saw the attack coming and countered it with a Phantom Cube right in the path of Tails's punch, sending him into an illusion. Adjusting to the illusion environment, Tails looked around for Infinite only to find he was nowhere to be seen. He was probably hiding behind something in the illusion, Tails thought.
"Alright, come out and fight, you coward! I've stopped hiding, now it's your turn!"

Infinite, hearing this insult, disabled the illusion angrily. Tails looked around to see him right behind him, and was handed a punch to the chest. He had no time to counter or dodge the attack, and ended up taking a massive blow that sent him flying into the ground.
"Me? A coward? How dare you call me by such a term!?" Infinite shouted, furious. He was never a coward... right? No, he wasn't. He never backed down from a battle, no, he even attempted to convince the Doctor to call off many retreats he ordered. He was not a coward, and he wasn't going to let this small, puny fox say otherwise. In retaliation, Infinite sent a barrage of cubes towards Tails. However, because of the fury raging inside him, he focused them all on one spot, not noticing Tails dodging at the last minute. This gave Tails an opening and an opportunity to strike a damaging blow.
With Infinite somewhat hyperfocused on that one spot, Tails flew around behind him, and struck him in the back with a fist full of anger. It wasn't the ruby that he hit, but at least he managed to land a blow at all and weaken him somewhat, Tails thought.
Recovering from the blow, Infinite knew this wasn't going to be an easy fight for him.
"So... it seems as if you have a bit of fight in you. I believe that can be fixed," He said, preparing something that would break the scared, small fox. He held out his hand and a small, purple glow started emanating from it.

It was right then that the unimaginable happened. Sonic's body started to move. First his arms, then his legs, then his entire body. He started to get up, head down. He was hunched over, most likely due to the pain he had suffered. Tails noticed Sonic get up out of the corner of his eye.
"S- Sonic?" The hedgehog turned towards the very confused but super relieved fox. "Sonic! Thank goodness you're okay!" He exclaimed in relief. He felt much better that his best friend was back, although he was confused as to how he came back to life. Either way, he was glad he was back...
... until Sonic came rushing at him as if he were attacking him. Tails, now both suddenly scared and confused, dodged Sonic's attack, albeit just barely. The hedgehog's speed had somehow returned completely, and Tails couldn't figure out how before he was dealt a spindash that sent him flying into a nearby wall. Tails, slamming into it, was dazed for a moment, giving Sonic a chance to pin him against it. What in the world happened to his best friend?

Tails felt overpowered and betrayed. Sonic had turned on him for no apparent reason and his attacks along with Infinite's were more than he could handle.
"S- Sonic?" He asked as he opened his eyes. "What's wrong? You okay?" It was just then that he could see something unusual about his best friend. Sonic's eyes... they were... pink? Why?
It was just then that Sonic threw a fist aimed to Tails's face. Breaking out of thought, Tails tilted his head to the side to just barely dodge the blow. Why was his best friend doing this? And why were his eyes pink? There was so many questions and so little answers.
In an attempt to try to calm down Sonic and get some answers, Tails asked Sonic:
"Why are you doing this, Sonic? What's made you turn against me? I never did anything to you. So why are you doing this to me?"
It was just then that Infinite loomed over the both of them, holding out his glowing hand.
"It seems as if your friend has betrayed you. A wise choice on his part," He said. "What will you do with your final minutes, Fox? Struggle to no avail? Or submit to the Phantom Ruby's power?"

The Phantom Ruby... Sonic's betrayal... those two things somehow seemed to connect, but Tails couldn't put his finger on it. Sonic's eyes glowed pink... the same colour as the ruby. That was it.
Sonic was being puppeteered by Infinite!

"Nice try fooling me, Infinite, but I know you're controlling Sonic! He would never turn on me naturally, and I know that for a fact!"
Infinite started laughing maniacally on hearing this "fact".
"You're close... but incorrect." He said after calming down. He waved his hand and Sonic... started glitching? Tails was confused and was starting to worry about Sonic when the blue hedgehog disappeared into thin air. Tails was dropped onto the floor and Infinite's hand stopped glowing.
"Wh- where's Sonic?" Tails asked, worried. Infinite gestured towards Sonic who laid back on the steel floor of the fortress road, lifeless like before.
"But... Sonic..." Tails couldn't get a sentence out, he was so confused. "That can't be him... it's gotta be another illusion!" He yelled angrily, turning towards Infinite.
"It is no illusion, fox. Your beloved hero has indeed been taken out of the picture. I'll even let you see for yourself," Infinite said with a slightly mocking tone. Tails rushed over to Sonic and felt his heartbeat, or rather, no beat at all.
No. This couldn't be happening. The Jackal had tricked him. Led him into a false sense of security. Tails was manipulated, implanted with the idea that his best friend turned on him... only to be shown that he was never resurrected to begin with. That was the breaking point for the enraged fox.
He turned to Infinite, ready to take him down once and for all.
"You crossed the line, Infinite, and that was a big mistake. You're going down," Tails said with a furious look on his face as he slowly approached Infinite.
He was ready to take him down for good. And nothing was going to stop him.

- - -

To be continued in "Fury".