Chapter 3: Eternal Pain and Suffering "I don’t care if your wounded! At least get it so I can capture them!" Robotnik shouted furiously over the comm. "Yes…master. I mean Robotnik!" Sotsu said sternly. Holy sweet mother of God another Legato bit! Sotsu dashed out of the room and down the hallway. While making it down the hallway he conjured Snivley’s black long coat and black bowler’s hat. He opened the door to see the Freedom Fighters trashing the lab. They all looked up to see the echidna again and readied themselves. Kevin just remembered what had happened and meant to tell the group. "Hold on! He let me go! He’s going to…" Kevin was cut off by Sotsu. "No I am sorry my friend. He wants me to capture you all," Sotsu said quietly. Sonic had already spun dashed in Sotsu’s direction. Sotsu barely managed to avoid him, being caught off guard. "And be sure to torture them too!" Robotnik shouted though the ear-piece. Sotsu waved his hand and the psychic hold came down hard on everyone except for Kevin and Nikki. "You b*stard!" Kevin shouted. "I told you I have no choice! Now to show you how much emotions weaken one," Sotsu exclaimed as he waved his hand sending Kevin to a wall. Kevin felt himself pressed on it and stuck. "Oh Kevin!" Nikki yelled. "Leave her alone!" Kevin shouted. He felt the pressure amount on him. Sotsu did this so Kevin wouldn’t be able to focus. "Oh leave her alone? I was going to torture you not her," Sotsu said calmly. Nikki ran at Sotsu intended to beat him. He merely watched her run at him. "I don’t get you people. You know that resisting will only result in more pain. Yet you keep trying," Sotsu said, dodging the first of Nikki’s attacks. "Nikki get away from him!" Kevin shouted. But it was useless, she wouldn’t listen. Sotsu waved a hand toward her and she felt herself being lifted off the ground. The invisible force pushed her on the opposite wall of Kevin. "That’s right the pain between you to can already be felt. It is almost a tangible thing. I can use the physical sensation of pain to power my attacks," Sotsu said, his cold gold eyes looking over his handiwork. Now it’s time for some Millions Knives. Sotsu conjured some shadow material and rolled it between his open hands. It eventually began to grow to double it’s size. Black bolts began to crackle around it as it gained more energy. Sotsu then hurled the ball at Kevin. It sank over his chest and he began to scream in agony. "Imagine the place between life and death," Sotsu began, he was quoting Millions Knives from episode 24 of TRIGUN. "Yes, the pain you feel is your very essence," he said evilly. "Kevin!" Nikki shouted at her love. Sotsu chuckled a little watching the dark energy stick to Kevin. Sotsu had to monitor the energy so it wouldn’t slip over Kevin and erase him. "Let him go!" Nikki screamed. She began to sob uncontrollably. "This is why I have no emotions. They weaken people," Sotsu said in his normal soft voice, which was hardly audible over Kevin’s agony. "You…. Lie….you do have fef….feelings!" Kevin managed to say. Sotsu let the energy slip a little, just enough to renew the pain. The dark crackling energy slipped to Kevin’s neck. He felt his air being lessened and staled the second he retrieves it, he felt his heart slow down, his blood felt cold. He wasn’t going to die, he was actually being kept alive by it to, as it was the only thing that prevented his body from completely shutting down due to the shock of shadow energy. "Kevin no! Please stop it please!" Nikki screamed. Then she felt herself shut up, not under her will. She was forced to watch Kevin wither in agony while both of them were helpless to the echidna’s powers. "Believe me I’m sorry for having to do this but I’m under Robotnik’s orders," Sotsu said sadly. "Don’t be my boy!" Robotnik shouted. Sotsu turned to see the man standing in the door way, a wide grin spread across his face. The Freedom Fighters managed to say a series of threats, curses and such but their voices were strained from pain. Robotnik walked over to Sonic, who looked up at the man with his head unable to turn. "Ah Sonic the Hedgehog, my long time adversary, how is everything?" Robotnik asked in a mocking tone. "I’ll get you for this Robut-nik," Sonic said, his body was twisted and bent. "Captivate all of them!" Robotnik shouted at the oncoming squad of SWATbots. Later, Sotsu was called up to Robotnik’s office. All of the Freedom Fighters were in prison. Kevin, Why Kit, and Zhi Wei were held in special cages (much like the one Kevin was held in the first time he was caught). Sotsu felt even more horrible. He has become a feared super villain. Heck he might as well be another Robotnik. It was getting worse and worse for him to bear that fact. Sotsu finally made it to the office. It had elaborate furniture and design. Robotnik sat behind his desk in a big red chair. Sotsu settled in the wooden chair in front of the desk. "Well Sotsu. I am greatly appreciated of your service," Robotnik began, he reached inside a drawer and pulled out a small black case. "I hereby honor you with this Robotnik Medal of Exquisite Service," he said opening the case you reveal a silver medal that’s shaped like Robotnik’s head, even has the face on it. "Thank you very much," Sotsu said, this is the first time he smiled in a while. He took up the open case and held it closely to look at the medal that rested on the red padding. "Well go ahead, try it on!" Robotnik said enthusiastically. "Well what about…." Sotsu began indicating Snivley’s coat that he was still wearing. "Bah forget about it, it’s not like he needs it," Robotnik said waving one hand around. Sotsu carefully picked up the medal and released the pin on the back. He pressed it though the over-lapping collar of the coat and let it hang there. He straightened the collar to make it even, because the medal added weight to one side. "Congratulations Sotsu you’re a wish come true," Robotnik said happily as he stuck out his hand offering a shake. Sotsu excepted shaking Robotnik’s hand, trying to be careful not to run it thought with one of the spikes. "Now if you’ll join me… I think we’ll check on our captives," Robotnik said, gesturing toward the exit of his office. Sotsu followed a proud looking Dr. Robotnik down several corridors to end up in the jail cell area. Several Mobian prisoners gave Robotnik glares and threats. And the Freedom Fighters gave not only Robotnik a hard time as he entered the perimeter of the cell, but Sotsu as well. "Hey look it’s Robuttnik and his evil lackey boy," Sonic criticized. "Where’s Kevin at?" Alex demanded. "He’s being treated to our special cells," Robotnik replied with a slight chuckle. "Why are you doing this! Help us out of here?" Sally begged toward Sotsu, who stood there with his cold and emotionless look. Sotsu didn’t even bother looking at Sally, he simply said," I can’t, I have no choice. Besides, here I’m recognized as a hero. I’m already a worse villain then Robotnik to you guys." "He’s right Sal," Sonic cut in," look he’s been given the official Robuttnik Medal of Super Lackeys. He’s not gonna side with us." "That’s right he’s under my complete control!" Robotnik gloated. "Now come on Sotsu, let’s head down to check on the earthlings," Robotnik said beginning to head down the hall. Sotsu hesitated for a minute. He gave the Freedom Fighters a saddened look then headed off. "I know he’s good. I can see it in him," Sally said watching the echidna exit the room. The two headed down to the "high security" chambers underground. Inside one of the cells were Kevin, Zhi Wei and Why Kit, held against the wall by some metal tentacles. "This is the cyber-jail," Robotnik announced to Sotsu as they entered the room. Sotsu shivered at cold, lifelessness of the area. No one around except the three prisoners, and the several life-less guards, then there the "living" metal tentacles of the cyber-jail. The earthlings looked up at Sotsu and Robotnik, each gave them glares, mostly at Sotsu though. They felt betrayed that another ex-earthling would do something like this. Though they did understand that Robotnik had him under control. "Why are you doing this?" Kevin asked. Sotsu felt bad about what he did back in the lab. He forced Nikki watching Kevin tortured beyond normal standards. But in a war, what standards held? It wasn’t right to take a man’s life’s work away from him. But the man has no right to be using his life’s work to try and dominate. So then… who exactly is right? "I’m sorry I had to, I had no choice," Sotsu said calmly. His sharp gold eyes staring blankly into the cell. He felt that he was overusing that excuse. "And now I shall put this device on all of you!" Robotnik exclaimed. "Shut up you fat bastard!" Zhi Wei shouted. A slight laughter briefly overcame the three. "Sotsu?" Robotnik quietly hinted. "Yes I understand," Sotsu replied with his usual emotionless tone. Robotnik made it so the bars wouldn’t activate when reading the psychic energy from Sotsu’s certain brain waves, it was another thing that was worked from the experiments. Sotsu began to develop small shadow needles. He held all of them in one hand, then threw them at the three. When they hit imbedded themselves into the three, it caused no physical damage, instead if caused a nerve reaction that induced the sensation of pain. Sotsu felt himself being able to draw off of the pain. It felt good to be energized again, but horrible knowing that was gaining though other’s suffering. He and Dr. Robotnik watched in silence as the three struggled and moaned from the pain. Robotnik began to laugh wildly as this display continued for another few minutes, until Robotnik said that he thought they learnt their lesson. "You see. There is pain in resisting. Pledge allegiance to the Robotnik Empire," Sotsu said. "Good my boy! Perhaps I might let you take over some day," Robotnik said with enthusiasm. "I shall always try my best," Sotsu replied. "Go to hell!" Why Kit shouted. He was angry at the echidna for everything he represented. Sotsu was used to this as back on Earth, he was always siding with teachers and parents. Most of the time he was right to side with them, but most of the teens and kids were blind to see the apparent truth in the situation. Sotsu figured it was common in most immature beings. Kevin on the other hand wasn’t immature, he saw what Sotsu was forced to do and almost felt sympathy for him, almost. He still hated him for what he did. "I lived there for fifteen years my friend," Sotsu began, he was referring to the place that was used to be his home, "Robotnik gave me a way out. We should I wish to return?" Though the rest of the day Sotsu practiced his martial arts until he grew tired. He slept easy that day having drained a sufficient amount of energy though all of the fighting. Droids had already almost completely repaired the damage that the Freedom Fighter had done, aside from the research that was a good as gone. Robotnik began to create the three other collars, which would be ready by late tomorrow. Sotsu was hoping the Freedom Fighters would escape by then. He wasn’t sure whether that would happen though. In the course of two days has he changed the face of Mobius forever? Has he really done so much as to completely defeat the Freedom Fighters leading a path of glory for the Robotnik Empire? When the hell am I gonna be able to meet Knuckles? Wait… forgot this is suppose to still be the part about how screwed up I made things... ahem…. Will the Freedom Fighters be able to break free, fight their way into the underground cells and rescue the ex-earthlings? Will this chapter ever actually end? Find out on the next exciting episode of Dragon Ball Z! I mean…ah heck with it! (Screen fades out with the preview music from Dragon Ball Z) Damnit, I even screwed up the format of this thing!