Ancient Secret, Inner Emerald

"There you are, coward."

The silence that follows is so intense Tails can feel each and every one of his muscles tighten.

There's a long pause where ragged breathing fills the space, there's a pair of white eyes that cut through the haze with such intensity he can feel the hate emanating from them.

The heavy clouds lightened enough for him to see the silhouette of the hedgehog inside. His legs wobbled and buckled as he forced himself to stand. Once he had he keeled over and another coughing fit overtook the deafening silence.

His ears flicked when he heard a faint metallic hum and suddenly six glowing gems floated up into a circle surrounding the ancient. There was another crystalline TING and with a flash the smoke and sediment vanished.

He could feel the others around him bristle as that white-eyed gaze turned on them.

"Hand it over." He growled, shoving his hand out. "Now."

Every ounce of sweetness had fled his voice and Tails became acutely aware that even up until now, the other had been holding back during their interactions. His tone was cold, like ice that was jagged and heavy, each word, crawling out of his throat. The only thing he had to compare this voice to was when there had been that sudden rage as he found out Chaos was alive.

His eyes flickered over to Shadow for a moment, and then the emerald he was still holding.

"So it is you," he growled, voice dripping with rage, "I should've known. Hello Shadow, long time no see."

"Have we met?" Shadow shot back defensively.

Havoc stared at him for a long time. "No, I don't believe you have."

"Then it should have stayed that way."

The ancient hedgehog narrowed its eyes at the other. "I don't want to do any of this." He said with a shake of his head and his voice gained a tired quality to it. Then he turned to look at Tikal "I'm exhausted, this day has been far too long and I'm done being patient. Please just give me the emerald." He said and with the way his lungs retched out the word Tails believed him.

Tikal responded to his plea with an abounding silence and while the ancient hedgehog did look disappointed, he didn't seem surprised.

"Fine then," he released, turning back to shadow and regaining that sharpness in his eyes that only seemed to soften for the echidna.

"Give it." He spat, and it took longer than Tails would like to admit to realize he was talking about the emerald.

No one moved, it felt like all the air had been stolen from the area.

"GIVE IT TO ME!" He yelled again, Tails could feel himself shaking. Something was very, very wrong here.

At their resounding silence the hedgehog's quills bristled in agitation. Then, from beside Tails, Shadow stepped forward.

"Why don't you try and take it from me." The black and red hedgehog pried.

"This is no matter of trying, this is a matter of when." He snarled.

"I am going to live. And I am going to do it regardless of whether you step aside... or not."

Still the group remained locked in a standstill. The ancient's body shook violently. "Don't you get it? You don't have the upper hand here. You don't have any leverage in this situation. I know your tactics far better than you know."

For a moment the ancient's eyes flickered to Tails, and then to the cannon, and they widened by a fraction. So small, so unnoticeable he didn't even pick it up. But Shadow did.