Tails the Fox
Chapter 23 - Fox Fight
Boss 16 - Tails Vs Copter

Note: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and 
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?

Tails entered the chamber to see Copter on the pedestal in the center, a pair of golden rings circling around him. The very same rings from his nightmares! Tails gasped in shock at the realization that this was what his nightmares were about! If Copter was allowed to use the rings, there was no telling what power would be unleashed through him! Tails had to act fast...

Without thinking, Tails simply shouted at Copter, "Don't touch those!" Copter scowled at him. "You don't tell me what to do!" Tails, thinking fast, ran over to the pedestal and grabbed one of the rings before Copter could. However, Copter grabbed the other one. "Fast thinking, but I still got one!" Copter growled. Tails gazed at the patterns etched in the ring. "What exactly are these things, anyway?" he wondered aloud. Copter was shocked. "You mean to tell me you don't even know what they are!? These are the Tailbands of Chaos! Only a creature with two tails can wield all of their awesome power! And that creature is me!"

Tails glanced back at his twin tails. He had never thought much of them before, but now they had such meaning. He could use the tailbands with them! 

"Don't get any ideas about keeping that!" Copter shouted. "It's MINE!"
Tails mind was racing. He suddenly had so many questions. He asked the one foremost in his mind. "Copter, are you an experiment?"
Copter looked annoyed. "Not that it's really your business, but I'm Experiment 2!"
"Then, who created you?" Tails asked.
"That's enough!" Copter snarled. "You're just stalling! Give me that tailband! Right now!!"

Tails shook his head defiantly. "No way!"
Copter jumped down from the pedestal. "That wasn't a question! Do you really want me to hurt you? No more games! Hand it over!"
Tails glanced at the tailband, then at Copter. He had no choice now. Copter had to be stopped. Tails slipped the tailband onto his left tail. "You'll just have to take it from me!" he shouted. Now, Copter was angrier than he'd ever been. He thrust his tailband onto his left tail as well, and the two foxes felt their bodies surge with a new power. Copter felt he could face an army now, and he couldn't help laughing. "You don't seriously think you can beat me, do you!? Even with that tailband, I'll still beat you!" He charged at Tails, swinging his tails in a fury. Tails dodged, and Copter continued until he hit the stone door. With the power of the tailband, the door that was previously heavy for Copter to push snapped out of the wall, crashing to the ground and shattering to pieces! The black fox turned around and grinned. "I bet you couldn't do that!"
Tails looked at the other door that covered the other half of the doorway. Feeling a desire to prove something to himself, Tails ran at the door and pounded it with his tails. The door crashed to the ground, just like the other one. Copter clapped his hands. "Bravo, good for you. Still, this proves little. And my patience has run out!"

Copter quickly jumped at Tails and whipped him hard, knocking him across the room and into the wall. Tails fell to the floor, and landed on his feet, activating the Spring Shoes unintentionally. "Whoa-aaaaaaaaa!!" He was launched into the air and toward Copter, falling into him and knocking him down. "I hate you..." Copter grumbled as he rose to his feet. Tails stood up dizzily. "Looks like that invention needs more work..." he muttered. Copter let out a low growl. "Great. You're just as much a tech head as Eggman! You just keep finding new ways to annoy me!" Copter attempted to kick Tails, but he dodged quickly and retaliated with his own tail whip attack. Copter was launched across the room, just as Tails had been, but instead of just hitting the wall, Copter used his hands and feet to launch himself back off the wall in order to counterattack. However, Tails saw this coming. The two both launched a simultaneous tail whip attack, both hitting at the same time with extreme force! A small explosion resulted, hurling them both back into the walls. Tails struggled back to his feet, and Copter was standing a bit shakily himself. "That does it! No more holding back!" he said to himself.

Copter charged at Tails in a fury, but Tails simply jumped into the air and flew out of the way, landing on the pedestal. "That's enough, Copter!"
"It won't be enough until I have both tailbands!" Copter shouted back. He charged at the pedestal and smacked it hard with his tails, causing it to crumble to pieces, with Tails still on it! The young fox fell to the ground and landed on his back. Copter stood over him triumphantly. "Surrender!" he ordered. Tails reached for his tailband. "That's it." Copter said. "Just give it to me, and this will all be over." Tails stopped moving before touching the tailband. "What am I doing!?" he thought. "I can't give in to one of Eggman's supporters! I can't give up!" Copter realized that Tails wasn't going to give it up. "What in the world can possibly drive you to defy me so? Must I kill you in order to get that? If you value your life, give me that tailband!"
"I can't!" Tails said.
"What?!" Copter snarled.
"I can't give in! I won't let my friends down! If I let you take this tailband, you'll use it to help Eggman hurt my friends!" The tailband began to glow brightly. Tails rose to his feet using the power of the tailband, and it seemed as though fire was in his eyes! "I won't let you win!"

Tails charged at Copter and tackled him hard, sending the black fox hurtling into the wall! The impact damaged the wall badly, but when the dust settled, Copter was still standing, his tailband glowing as well. However, the glow faded with the dust, and Copter panted with exhaustion. "Curse you!" he yelled. "I guess I've underestimated your power!" he walked toward Tails, hatred burning in his eyes. "No, not your power. The power of the tailband!" The last attack had left Tails exhausted as well. "We're equally matched!" he pointed out. Copter chuckled. "Ha! I'm powerful enough with just one tailband, and my time is running out! You can keep that for now, but I'll be back for it later!" He then turned and ran out of the chamber. Tails was puzzled. "His time is running out? What does he mean by that?"

Copter ran down the hall, his mind racing. "How could this be? How could that pathetic child stand up to me!?" he thought. Soon, he found himself running toward a ball of pinkish light. "What the heck?!" Copter stopped a few feet from it, and it flashed brightly, forcing Copter to shield his eyes. Standing before him once the light faded was an orange echidna in an old tribal outfit. It was Tikal, the daughter of the ancient echidna tribe's chief. She looked over the black fox in front of her. "I can't believe it!" she said. "You defeated Shadow Chaos!"
Copter gave her a look of utter confusion. "Who are you, and how did you get there?" he questioned hurriedly. Tikal ignored his questions. "No one's supposed to be able to defeat Shadow Chaos except..." her eyes went wide as she realized something. "Could it be..." she said quietly. With another flash of light, Tikal vanished. "Wait!" Copter shouted. He looked around for a moment, then heard Tikal's voice in the air. "When darkness and light become one, The Chosen One will bring hope from doom..."

Copter began walking toward the exit of the shrine again. His thoughts were filled with questions. However, he didn't have time to ponder them. He checked the time keeping device on his wrist. "I have only a few hours left! I must complete my mission! Before it's too late..."

Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming his way. Copter flew up high so as not to be noticed, and a small robotic dog ran past him down the hall. It was SPOT! However, that wasn't who Copter had heard coming. Shortly afterward, Sonic the Hedgehog walked by as well, apparently following SPOT. Neither noticed Copter hovering near the roof. Once they were out of the way, Copter landed. "I better get out of here, and I better not forget the Chaos Emeralds." As Copter neared the exit to the shrine, he turned around and said, "Tails, stay out of my way. I don't want to hurt you..."

Meanwhile, Tails had taken notice of the mural on the wall of the chamber. Tails could not recognize the ancient text on the wall either. While he was studying it, pondering its meaning, SPOT and Sonic walked in. "Hey, Tails! What's up, pal?" Sonic said. Tails turned around, but not before Sonic noticed the tailband. "What's with the new accessory?" he asked. Tails took off the tailband. "I stopped Copter from stealing this. Hey, where's Amy and Cream?"
Sonic's eyes widened. "Weren't they with you!?"
An alarm chimed from SPOT. Tails checked SPOT's monitor. The text read, "Tails has 1 message(s)." Tails pushed a button, and SPOT stepped back, projecting a light from his mouth. The light took shape, and emerged as a hologram of...
"Eggman!" Sonic and Tails shouted at the same time.
Eggman cleared his throat and spoke. "Is this thing on? Good. All right, Sonic! I think you may want to stop in Station Square, and bring your Chaos Emeralds. That is, if you ever want to see Amy and Cream again! Mua ha ha ha! I'm sending my coordinates in a little while. Stick with the robo-puppy to recieve them, suckers!" With that, Eggman broke out with sinister laughter until he noticed the hologram was still on. "Turn it off already, Terra!"

The hologram vanished, and SPOT's monitor read "End communication."

Tails took on a look of horror at these developments. "No! I should never have left them alone!"
Sonic put his hand on the young fox's shoulder. "Don't worry pal. We'll get them back."
Tails looked thoughtful for a moment. "You're right, Sonic. And I already have a plan!"
Sonic smiled. "That's what I like to hear! Let's go, buddy!"
Sonic, Tails, and SPOT discussed the plan on the way out of the shrine. Sonic and SPOT agreed to set out for Station Square, while Tails left for his Workshop to obtain some supplies. "Time to bring the fight to Eggman!" Tails thought, before heading off to set his plan in motion. Eggman had caused enough trouble that day. Now, it was time to start setting things right!

To be continued...