Glitched

Chapter Nine

Alright Sonic. I thought. This is it.

I stood on top of one of the many black buildings in the city, looking down at the not-so-impressive sight. A few tiny, black squares flew passed me, as if they were caught in the wind, glinting slightly. I watched them pass. What was I waitimg for? I had no clue.

After another minute I jumped off the building, startling a Digitalized. I formed my sword while slowly walking down the road. The few Digitalized that were actually on the streets turned to look at me with scared, confused faces, a few even glitching. I couldn't help but feel guilty.

This world needs help, needs to be freed. And yet, I'm only running away. I guess it's not my fault, since there's really nothing I can do at the moment. But Mobius... Mobius is going to be destroyed. And like here, I can't do anything about it. All because we don't have any clue on how to stop Glitch.

A sudden flash of green a few feet away made me stop in my tracks. The Digitalized who were watching quickly slunk away. There stood Glitch, with a slight, triumphant smirk. Behind him floated two black Pixels, carrying the limp body of Tails.

"Did you bring it?"

"Give me who I want first. I don't trust that you'd let us go if I gave it to you first." I replied, voice as hard as stone as I quickly glanced at my best friends' head. "I want my friend back."

He chuckled, then glitched for a second. "Smart. Had a feeling you'd say that." He snapped his fingers.

The Pixels carried Tails by the arms and laid him on the ground between Glitch and I roughly. My heart hurt when I saw how tired he looked, the small bruises and scratches he had, and was his arm swelling at his elbow? His fur was also ruffled in places. I quickly ran over to him, dropping to one knee and unforming my sword. Thank goodness he was breathing, and awake.

"Oh chaos Tails.." I whispered guiltily. "What did they do to you..?"

"Enough.." Tails coughed back quietly. He then opened his eyes a bit and looked away from me. I looked up at Glitch, who had walked closer and now held out a hand to me.

"The Chip."

With a scowl, I slowly rose my wrist and picked out the Chip in the center of my weapon band. As I took it out, I felt a sharp prick of pain up my arm. I stood slowly from Tails and held it out to him, grimancing slightly as the pain traveled up and down my arm.

Glitch nodded with approval as he took it. "Wise choice, hedgehog. Glad we could get along well."

"This isn't getting along," I growled back, watching him turn the Chip in his hands. "It's making sure my best friend doesn't die."

"What's the point of that?" He looked away from it and at me with a small smile. "Your world is going to end soon enough. I would not have bothered."

"We're two different people, from different worlds." I bent down and picked Tails up slowly. I heard him whimper with pain as I shifted his arm. "We are nothing alike."

I turned to leave, walking slowly enough to keep from hurting Tails any more.

"You'd be surprised, hero." Glitch called after me. "We're all connected in some way."

I turned just my head to him with a glare that could kill. "I'll be back to stop you. You might think I'm hiding, but you should know one thing about me." I turned to him fully. "I don't ever hide from a fight."

Glitch still had that grin on his face. "Then I'll be expecting you soon." With that, a flash of green followed, and he was no longer there.

Something told me I had to get back. Quickly.