Chapter 15- Meet in of the assassin

"What were you doing out there?" Mighty asked Sotsu.

It was a bit later. Sotsu had taken a short nap and now he found himself talking to Mighty out in the living room.

"I dunno. Guess curiosity got the best of me," Sotsu said scratching his head as he advanced toward the balcony.

"Oh… well maybe tomorrow we can show you around," Mighty offered.

"Thanks. I just wanted to know what the city was like," Sotsu said as he rested his hands on the railing.

"That’s fine. Just watch your back while you’re out there, that’s all."

"Yeah. I’ve learned that know," Sotsu replied as Mighty took off down the hall toward his bedroom.

"Stupid truck, providing cover for the bad guys," Sotsu grumbled as he rubbed at the small knot that remained on his head.

"Ah well. I guess stuff happens regardless of if you’re looking for it or not."

"Well it seems I have a whole city to see tomorrow… though I doubt I’ll actually be entertained. It’d still be best if I retired early," Sotsu noted to himself as his eyes fell to the streets below.

Despite having lights everywhere in the city, the stars still managed to show brighter. Perhaps it was due to the fact that they were elevated higher… then again maybe it was just because on Mobius they showed better. It wasn’t something Sotsu cared for enough to find the answer. He just enjoyed looking at them. 

They always represented something higher to him. Maybe it was that each represented the idealistic view of a goal… something to be obtained or reached. And how when one is achieved, there are always higher ones to be obtained. Perhaps it was symbolistic of this. To Sotsu that how it was.

He remembered back on Earth sometimes he would open his shutters and look at the stars out of his window. He had grownup in a decent sized town, not too big but not too small. There weren’t enough lights to completely deplete the view of the stars. Most people had taken such a thing for granted. Sotsu having been to large cities many times, had seen that the stars hardly shown. Only on the clearest of nights, and on the slight chance you’re in a poorly lit area… you might see them, but not as near as the clarity of what it was like in his home-town.

Sotsu had based his whole life on achieving things. From time to time he almost considered himself a perfectionist. But the concept behind trying to achieve perfection Sotsu found to be ridiculous. He always tried to better himself, but not to try and actually achieve perfection.

One thing he did want to try was to make himself more open to other people. He had always been a strict loner. He wouldn’t give out his name unless he absolutely had to. People had always considered him a loser because he didn’t hang around his friends every second he had a chance to. Most people didn’t understand Sotsu’s persona, most of the time it was because he hid it. In fact he hid it so much that he soon found that he had become mostly an emotionless person. Not even his parents knew much of what he was like. They could only guess, but they always thought their guesses were right, they were at times almost arrogant.

Sotsu felt that deep inside of him there was something… missing. Perhaps it was his personality. He had hid it so long that it practically left. At times he could use his personality, but that was only when he was in a really good mood, even then he tried to hide it. He didn’t feel comfortable if someone actually knew him. His best friend didn’t even know what Sotsu was actually like, he always took what Sotsu showed to be his personality; totally disregarding the possibility of him being anything beyond that.

But the only thing that gave Sotsu any type of self-reassurance or confidence is that no one could give a real opinion based on him because it’d be based on something that’s most likely a lie. But does that mean that his friends are that because of his lie… or can they truly see who Sotsu is on the inside. Sotsu had never really given the thought that his friends may actually be perceptive enough to signify such a thing. It was possible… but very hard to believe.

Sotsu slept a little earlier that night, knowing that tomorrow was going to be long and agonizing. Had he declined Mighty’s offer he wouldn’t have had to worry. Yet it was the fact that Sotsu was a natural follower when it came to his friends. He couldn’t decline nice offers that his friends gave him… as long as they were reasonable still. 

Sotsu had said that he was curious about the city so Mighty had offered him a tour. Declining would seem rude in such a case, so Sotsu was forced under all conditional morale, that it’d only be right to accept. Seemingly like and unlike the "Sally" event that occurred back in Knothole. Luckily though Mighty wasn’t looking into that… if he had been, Sotsu would have made a hasty retreat, most likely not to return. 

The Sun rose, and Sotsu awoke to a new day. He prepared for his day on the streets as he placed his sunglasses on. He regarded taking up the hat but found that it made him seem a little too fancy to just be roaming the streets. His suit wasn’t really fancy. It was mostly just a nice looking long-sleeve black coat over a white shirt, then the black slacks. 

Sotsu eat a quick breakfast that consisted of a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice… though through all of this he hasn’t realized that not one of the Chaotix were awake. He had prepared himself early… but now had to wait for the others.

Mighty and Espio they all waited for Vector. Espio regarded waking the lazy croc but Mighty insisted that Vector probably needed the sleep after staying up all night playing video games. Once he did awake though he took his time getting ready. It had almost been a full three hours since Sotsu had awoken before everyone was finally ready.

They took to the streets. The place was teeming with different life, more so then Sotsu would have guessed. Knuckles and Julie-Su weren’t accompanying them. Sotsu figured that Knuckles thought it’d be best for him to get to know the Chaotix better since he was living with them. 

Vector first wanted to stop into the Echidnapolois Mall, while Mighty insisted on showing Sotsu the various gyms. Espio didn’t really care where they went as long as they’d stop arguing and go somewhere.

They ended up going to the mall after Vector won a coin toss. Sotsu remembered the fairly boring mall back in his hometown. Sure it was big and had a lot of stuff, but mostly just junky clothes shops that attracted teens that wished to spend $50 on pair of cargo shorts. The whole idea of the teen society seemed to be that you were a better person if you spent more money on your clothes. The stores and companies capitalized on the teen’s barbaric concepts by greatly raising the prices, mostly on name brands.

It seemed though that most teens here weren’t so blind to the market’s game. Sotsu could only judge that teens here were at the least decent because he had yet to see one as stupid as the smarter ones back at home. The black echidna figured that they were raised decently.

"This is really an impressive place," Sotsu admitted as he examined the superb architect of the structure.

"Yeah they’ve got some nice stores here to," Espio said as they walked down the area.

"Hey let’s check out this music shop!" Vector announced as he already diverted his course to go into the store.

"Uh oh… Vector could be in here for hours sampling the CD’s," Might said quietly as the three others followed Vector in.

After almost half and hour the group finally managed to drag Vector out of the store. They continued around the place until they got hungry and stopped by a fast food place to grab some burgers.

The four sat and eat in silence until Vector once again began.

"Hey wanna…" Vector began but was cut off by Sotsu.

"If you say what I think you’re going to I already say no. I can’t stand the idea of socializing nor do I wish to begin doing such an act now. If you remember I hold the great burden of being a Guardian, and at that I’m a different Guardian, therefore my responsibilities lie in my capability to spend the most part of my time training. This just being a simple visit to the mall… is only a minor thing. You my friend are more then welcome to go out and start a relation with whomever you feel necessary. I shall hold to my moral standards… and keep my dignity. Also one other thing… I don’t care what your opinions are… keep them to yourself."

Vector just gave him a confused look while the other two minded their own business and continued eating.

"Man your whack!" Vector shot, then minded to his food.

Sotsu gave the croc a slight smirk then went back to his food as well. 


The three eventually began to head back out of the mall. But before they could make it half-way out their path was interrupted.

A loud crash was heard from above as glass rained down on the group. They all looked up to see a black humanoid form descending from one of the glass-sections of the roof.

If came down quickly and swiftly with the grace of a cat. It zipped down a hanging black rope and stopped in front of the group. It loomed over them, it’s shining metal armor of a black color. It’s six and a half feet tall figure armed with a large black machine gun. The figures black visor glinted off the sunlight. People panicked as they saw the figure was armed.

"Guys I think we’d better jet!" Vector said as he began to head off.

The head of the figure slowly tilted down, then in a swift blink of an eye it’s machine gun was at Sotsu’s forehead.

"He’d here for me. I’ll take this one alone," Sotsu said as he stood there looking straight ahead.

"But Sotsu…" Might pleaded.

"Go! Now! This thing is more the capable of killing all of you!" Sotsu shouted.

The three headed off amongst the panicking crowd.

Sotsu slowly lifted his head and starred into the black abyss that is the guns barrel. The figure tightened his finger on the trigger unleashing a wild barrage of bullets into where Sotsu was standing.

But the black echidna had already jumped up and pulled two black pistols from his sleeves. Both were trained on the assassin. The figure only had time to look up before Sotsu had already unleashed a vicious flurry of shots, all finding home in the figures torso.

To Sotsu’s surprise it was to no avail. The bullets merely hit with a metallic ring as the opponent was actually a robot. He backed a few steps as the bullet hit, then with the same amazing speed he hefted his gun up and blasted away at Sotsu.

The echidna hit the ground as the robot lifted his arm and began a hail of projectiles. Sotsu dived to his side popping off a few shots aimed toward the robot’s head. The bullets line that made it’s path across the floor followed Sotsu as the echidna steadied himself.

"Persistent are we?" Sotsu grumbled to the robot as he dived behind a support column. The bullets danced about the column for a minute then it was silent.

Sotsu took up both pistols into his hand and dived out of the column and prepared to open fire… only to find that no one was there.

A hard boot found it’s path into Sotsu’s chest as it made it’s presence known out from the other side of the column. Sotsu hit the ground hard as the figure opened fire with no hesitation. Sotsu decided that that his move had to be made now.

Before the first round of bullets could leave the chamber Sotsu focused on the clip. The bullets heated and exploded right as they left the chamber, the whole gun erupted with a loud bang.

The figure didn’t even look down… both of the front sections of his arms flipped back to reveal two small machine guns that already began to blaze. 

Sotsu quickly leveled himself and opened fire. He dived back as the bullet line followed to where he was. Sotsu popped off more and more shots as he eventually hit the ground and slid back a few feet.

All of the shots were aimed at the robots newly shown gun-arms. They pelted the strong metal, but to effect. The bullets found home into the gun arm’s and jammed the chambers… all that came from them was a few puffs of smoke.

Sotsu stood up and charged a strong shadow attack. The robot flipped back it’s two guns arms and reached one arm toward his back where he drew a blue laser-saber.

Sotsu brought up his guns and fired two large shadow beams from them. Sotsu produced the shadow energy to make the bullets more apt to pierce the strong armor of the robot.

The two bullets zipper past where the robot was… he had disappeared somewhere. Sotsu looked around, panic-stricken. He looked for any telltale signs of his opponent. Sotsu brought up his guns and began to charge the shadow energy about them. A ring of black and white shadow energy crackled about the barrel of the akimbo.

Finally a tall shadow faded over Sotsu. The black echidna somersaulted forward and turned himself about while firing the guns in the general direction of the robot at once. Several clinking and clanking were heard but the robot kept his swift movement flowing as he brought his saber up ready to strike.

Sotsu leveled himself in time to see the blue flash of the saber coming down on him. He jumped toward the robot and over the saber. Within the very short time span that it took the black echidna to leap forward the few feet needed, he already had his bo in place of his guns… yet the robot was equally as fast to react. 


The bo took aim toward the robot’s head, only to be blocked as the robot lifted his saber to the side. Sotsu made it to the robot’s back and quickly spun his bo around once, it turning from a bo into a shadow sword, then stabbing the robot in the back with one fluid movement.

The sword peeked out of the robot’s chest. A little bit of yellow sparks flew from both ends. Sotsu stepped back a little leaving his sword impaled into the robot. The robot merely sat frozen in a slightly crouched stance as if before it was trying to spin and bring it’s blade around.

The laser blade dissipated with a slight low hum. Then the figure slunk to the floor, dead. Sotsu relaxed only slightly… something was still amiss. 

Sotsu was answered as the whole section of the mall erupted when the explosive set inside the assassin went off. The deafening roar of the blast shattered all of the windows within a block’s radius. The Chaotix all feel as the ground shook horribly. They saw the bright flash as one sixth of the whole mall collapsed onto itself. 

"Sotsu!" Might shouted as he began to rush forward toward the lingering destruction. 

Huge clouds of smoke and dust rose into the sky. Was Sotsu caught in the blast? Who sent the assassin? What new enemies waited ahead?

-Nicholas D. Wolfwood-