New Season series #3

A Fissure Among The Factions

Part II : The Escape

 

Morality would frown upon

Decency look down upon

The scapegoat fate's made of me

But I promise now, my judge and jurors

My intentions couldn't have been purer

My case is easy to see

I'm not looking for a clearer conscience

Peace of mind after what I've been through

And before we talk of any repentance

Try walking in my shoes

You'll stumble in my footsteps.

--Depeche Mode

 

A Fissure Among the Factions

Part II : the Escape

By MistressAli

 

Blue eyes blinked, then opened. It was black all around, but not like it was dark. The air itself was the color of night.

 

He saw faintly a ringlet of gold. It was hanging in the air, swaying slightly.

 

Snively stared at it, lower lip trembling. That *ring*. That was what had gotten him in trouble. Brought him death.

 

No, it wasn't the ring. It was temptation.

 

Temptation killed. He was tempted by power. A powerless man wanting strength.

 

He clenched his hands into fists. But they were weak. His vision focused suddenly.

 

It wasn't a power ring!

 

It was a noose. Braided out of golden cord, just like the tassels on King Acorn's shoulder boards. It was swinging back and forth like a beckoning finger.

 

"Kill the traitor..." A hissing voice seeped from the blackness around him.

 

He whirled around but saw nothing. "Uncle?"

 

It sounded so much like Julian, that rasping hissing voice, laced with impatient disdain.

 

"Kill the traitor..."

 

No, it wasn't Uncle. It was King Acorn.

 

"Kill..." No... It was Geoffrey. He recognized the accent.

 

The next voice made him stagger backwards.

 

"Kill the traitor. He betrayed all of us."

 

Bunnie.

 

"NO!" Bunnie was on his side. She was his *friend*.

 

The darkness suddenly turned to light and he could see. His arms hurt, each one grabbed by a Mobian, both who wore featureless white masks.

 

The rope hung suspended on a large tree near the gardens. Mobians stood around it, screaming. He heard his name and insults, all about him and his kind.

 

He whimpered, trying to struggle, but the Mobians were too strong. Their claws were bleeding his arms.

 

A rock hit his shoulder as they dragged him forward. Then another struck. He tried to break away an arm to shield his face. They wouldn't let him.

 

He caught sight of Tails. The child had a rock in his hand, and he drew back his arm. Their eyes met.

 

The rock struck him hard in the face, and he heard the distinct *crack* of his nose, and he wailed. Blood spilled onto his lips and down his chin.

 

He was suddenly there at the tree, and he felt tall, standing upon a wooden crate under the noose. King Acorn was grinning as he dropped the looped rope around Snively's slender neck. The rope tightened, gagging him... a prelude to the next event.

 

Bunnie stood among the crowd, a rock still in her hand. He tried to cry out to her, but she turned away.

 

King Acorn's voice was viciously triumphant, and he heard the villagers laughing.

 

"Die traitor."

 

The box was kicked out from under him and he fell, then was snapped back by the rope. Bunnie turned back, and as his vision flashed red, he saw her

 

Smiling...

 

**

 

His head cracked upon the stone wall as he jerked back, moaning. His eyes fluttered open.

 

He lay shivering on the cold cell floor, panting, his eyes wide and fixated on a patch of moss growing in the wall.

 

He pushed himself into a seated position. Despite the cold, his brow was beaded with sweat, and he wiped it away with his sleeve.

 

Something was making a tapping noise of metal against metal and he heard grunted laughter. He turned his head to peer over his shoulder, eyes narrowing in contempt. Geoffrey was there, with a long metal spoon gripped in one hand, and he was rapping it against the bars.

 

"What do you want?" Snively turned all the way around, but didn't stand. He remained seated on the cold floor, glaring. "It's not time already, is it?" His voice was surprisingly firm.

 

"No." Geoffrey grinned, clanking the spoon rapidly between two bars. The tattoo of metal on metal was not an unfamiliar sound to the small human. It got on his nerves, and he snarled.

 

"Leave me alone then..."

 

"I just wanted to ask you what you wanted to eat on your last day alive."

 

Snively settled back against the wall, giving Geoffrey a cold stare. "I'll eat your heart...after I rip it out of your chest... Mobian..."

 

"HAHAA!" Geoffrey had a grand ole laugh at that. "Oh, that's rich, Snively, real rich." He shook his head. "I hope King Acorn lets me kick over the box."

 

Snively closed his eyes, drawing his knees closer to his chest. He felt sick. His arms clasped around his legs, hugging, for the moment not caring about this display of vulnerability. The skunk couldn't ridicule him any more than this.

 

Geoffrey tucked the spoon in his belt, casting a sharp glance at his watch. "Allright. Now it's time."

 

As if on cue, two villagers who also doubled as Geoff's MPs stepped into the jail. They came to stand on each side of the skunk.

 

"Door," said Geoff.

 

One of the MPs, a cat, stepped up and produced a key from his back pocket. He unlocked the cell door, opened it, and stepped aside. "Door!"

 

"Good, Sig." Geoff gave a curt nod. Snively eyed the opening, but didn't run for it, much less stand. There was no way to get around all of them in here.

 

"Manacles," commanded Geoff, and the other MP snapped to attention. Snively narrowed his eyes. He looked to be one of the men who had beaten him up a late Knothole evening. He'd just been out for a walk.

 

"Manacles," said the MP, taking a jangling set of cuffs off his belt, and putting them in the skunk's outstretched paw.

 

"Good, Tory, very good..." A black finger beckoned. "Stand up, Snively." Geoff stepped into the cell, grinning down at Snively, who refused to move. Defiance shone in those blue eyes, but it was a thin cover. Geoff could see the fear clearly beneath it.

 

"I said stand up." He roughly dragged Snively to his feet.

 

Arms were yanked behind the slender back and the manacles tightly clasped.

 

Snively whimpered; this was highly reminiscent of his second day in Knothole. But he wasn't going to trial this time. No, sentencing would be firm and in favor of punishment. There'd be no arguments on his behalf.

 

They were pulling him out now. The early sunlight wasn't that bright but it still hurt his eyes. He dug his heels into the ground, trying to slow them down, but they just kept walking, dragging him. He stumbled, whimpering.

 

It didn't take long to reach the gardens. A podium was under the big red-berry tree, the same one they'd tried to lynch him on before.

 

Like he'd expected, there was a crowd. God, it seemed everyone in the damn village was there. He tried to fight back again, but his captors kept walking like it was nothing, and it was. The most he could manage was a few kicks and a couple jerks of his torso.

 

So head down, he was pulled before the podium. No one was behind it, and the air was filled with yelling. Someone threw a tomato. It splattered on Snively's shoes and he stared down at it.

 

"Overlander scum!"

 

"You traitor! How could you?! We let you live here!"

 

"Hang him! Hang him!"

 

Snively wanted to curl up. The MPs stood solidly. Geoffrey was grinning, standing behind him, and Snively could feel his breath hot on the back of his neck.

 

"Oh, Snively," Geoffrey chuckled low. "Doesn't sound too good for you..."

 

"Shut up, Geoffrey," He hissed. "Shut up." He felt heat in his eyes and blinked rapidly.

 

Then, like a beacon of hope, her voice came. "Ya'll stop it! He ain't evil! He didn't do nothing!"

 

He snapped his head up. Bunnie was fighting her way through the crowd, heading for the podium. She reached it, and it seemed she would take a stand behind it, screaming in his behalf. But there was a hush over the crowd and they parted.

 

King Acorn, wearing his crown and his robes, swept through the crowd. His regality hovered over him like thick perfume, and he took his place behind the podium. His eyes traveled over the crowd as the last few people silenced.

 

"Citizens...good citizens! I'm sure you're all aware of why you're here today. One of yours has betrayed. This man."

 

A finger lifted and aimed squarely at Snively's face. His shoulders cringed, feeling dozens of eyes on him. It felt like drills boring into his skin.

 

"As you all may know, this man was once an enemy of ours. He worked in close connection with both Robotnik and Nagus."

 

'A lie. I was never on Nagus's side...' Snively narrowed his eyes. A bit of tomato slid off his shoe and plopped onto the ground. A lip curled; filthy Mobians, throwing their shit... they didn't know the whole story.

 

They never would, either.

 

"However he decided to come to us. He was given a trial, allowed to live with us, and never once was he punished for his crimes. We were *generous* with him. We were utterly forgiving."

 

The crowd murmured. Some people nodded. Snively scowled, scuffing his shoe in the ground. So forgiving they'd shunned him, or teased him, or beaten him. 

 

But he deserved it...huh...well, some of it...

 

'But death?' I don't deserve to die...'

 

"But this wasn't enough for him. Unlike us, Overlanders are not capable of..." King Acorn paused, as if thinking. "living in harmony. They're a violent deceitful race."

 

There were no arguments. Snively wasn't surprised. All they knew of Overlanders were him and Julian and one-sided tales of the Great War.

 

"This man was not satisfied with our leniency and still craved destruction."

 

"No, he ain't like that!"

 

People were quiet, staring at Bunnie, frowning. But King Acorn plunged on without so much a look in her direction.

 

Snively noticed then, Antoine...standing far away from her, his head bowed and shaking. Something twisted inside. They were broken apart.

 

'But who cares...Ant was an asshole to me...'

 

Bunnie too had her head bowed but one fist was clenched.

 

'But she needs him...'

 

"So, he began to steal one of our most valuable resources, the power rings!"

 

The crowd made appropriate gasping noises and mutters of angry disbelief.

 

"Yes. He hid them away in Ms. Bunnie's hut. The poor girl was unsuspecting...she only was trying to *help* him." He shook his head. "Do not be angry at her for her naivety. Like all Overlanders, Snively was very capable of lying to gain trust...Overlanders have a keen knack for doing so."

 

'Only because Julian tricked you...you old coot...' Snively set his fiercest glare on the King, wishing the power of that stare could kill. But the king remained untouched.

 

"He ain't like Robotnik!" Bunnie yelled out again. "All them Overlanders ain't the same! That ain't right ta judge em all by Robotnik!"

 

The crowd gasped again and Sally grabbed hold of Bunnie's arm, shaking her head. "Sssh, Bunnie, please..."

 

King Acorn finally acknowledged her. "Ms Rabbot. I know you're upset, because this man was in your home for quite a while. You might've gotten to trust him, to even like him..." His voice seemed to suggest sheer disgust at that idea. "But this cunning snake was only earning your trust so he could plot against us."

 

Snively stared at the ground, seeing it blur before his eyes. He wasn't crying. But his chest was tight and his eyes stung, and King Acorn's voice blurred out just like the ground. Droning on and on about how evil he was, how he'd tricked Bunnie, how he'd stolen. On and on. He almost wished he'd just shut up and get to the killing.

 

And after the speech was over there was a horrible din. People yelling and cheering and *agreeing* with those false words their king said.

 

'But they can't help it, right?' Snively thought sadly, his eyes on Bunnie. She was the bright spot in the sea of sameness. Vouching for him. Deviant.

 

"Sentencing will be announced now, citizens."

 

But no, to Snively's awe, there was more brightness. It was in Rotor. Sally. Sonic! Rose-something-or-another. And Bunnie, of course, Bunnie.

 

"Your...your highness..." the Rose-gal said somewhat timidly. "Isn't this just..." she gave a short nervous laugh. "a tad unfair?"

 

"Yes, daddy." Sally's voice was much firmer. "We've never given sentencing without a trial; I don't care what the crime is!"

 

And the walrus, the shy walrus, he too spoke. "I think it's unfair too..."

 

"This is mondo uncool!" Sonic's brow was furrowed. "I think it really stinks that ole Snotley..." ('oh thanks, Sonic', thought the small human, sighing), "was stealing *my* rings! But dude, I still don't think you-"

 

"He laughs at our laws! I saw through that façade at his last trial; he thought it was a joke. Why should we be soft on this vile species?"

 

Snively inwardly cringed. It was true. He thought these animals and their ideals quaint. 'But why should I? They have morals straight out of the Bible.'

 

Maybe that was it then.

 

He had no more love for worn books written by ancients, coveted by a race nearly gone now. His race. The Mobians had their own Holy book anyway.

 

So yes, at his trial he had been smug, knowing if he played it right he would get through, carried by the animal's generous forgiving. And he had. But he hadn't been altogether confident. Fear had lurked in the back of his mind, and that fear had resurfaced, but ten-fold, because he knew he wouldn't get through this time.

 

Sonic shook his head in a helpless gesture. "I dunno, it just doesn't seem right to do that! Why can't we just lock him up?"

 

King Acorn raised a lecturing finger. "Containing evil never destroys it! Look at Nagus. We thought he was harmless and contained, but he has shown his evil nature. And Robotnik, who we thought had perished, has returned as well! If we only imprison this man, his evil will still exist to harm us one day."

 

"Shut up, you kids!" A boisterous voice came from somewhere in the crowd. "I want to hear the sentence!"

 

Others seemed to echo. "He's Overlander scum! He stole from us!"

 

"Spawn of Robotnik's!"

 

And to Snively's dismay, though he knew he was doomed, their shouts began to overpower that of the children and the elder Rose.

 

"Sentencing shall be harsh for this heinous man, and his stealing of our valuable resources."

 

"Yeah, tell us!"

 

"As punishment, I sentence this man, Snively Ivo..."

 

'My name is not Ivo', thought Snively bitterly, eyes narrowed in a glare of killing proportions. 'That's *uncle's* name, not mine...' As his thoughts ranted, his body shook. The crowd was holding its breath. He was too. It was making him dizzy.

 

The pause lasted only seconds in reality; in Snively's mind this was an eternity, but now eternity was over.

 

"...to death. This verdict will take place tomorrow, to allow him time to think about what he's done."

 

There was silence. Just total silence.

 

No way. There was a roar, a dull roar. People screaming or shouting or something. He felt something sharp hit his body. A stone, maybe.

 

But Snively's eyes had gone unfocused and if his arms had not been captive they would've been curled around his chest, clutching, feeling the dying mummers of a stopped heart. His breath didn't come in, and he felt woozy.

 

'But I knew it would be...'

 

He knew it was going to be death. The rope. The rope...and his neck burned like fire and the lack of breath became painful, seeming to wring his lungs into a twisted lump.

 

He drew in a great shuddering breath, and the shock of it made his vision go black for a moment. The noise blended into the foreground again, sudden, making his ears ring. They weren't all clamoring for his death; he could hear his small group of supporters shouting and arguing.

 

From behind him, Geoffrey's voice boomed, adding to the clamor. He wished he had an arm free; then he would arc a sharp elbow backwards, slamming that skunk in the stomach.

 

"Very good highness, but we should just get it over with now, eh?"

 

King Acorn shook his head over the din of the crowd, spoke something about punishment, and Snively's own voice finally rose.

 

"What do you think I've gone through?! Here? The city, everywhere, I've been punished my whole life!"

 

The crowd didn't seem to quiet; neither did he. "Even when I was a child, I was punished, for things I didn't even do... you don't understand what I've been through! You don't even know..." And then he cried out, for Geoffrey was yanking him away from Tory and Sig.

 

"Shut up, prick..." The skunk jerked him bodily around, starting to drag him away.

 

He tried to make them know. Make those damn Mobians know a story of suffering, of abuse, of hatred given and received. But Geoffrey would not let him, and so his words rang out, drowned out by the crowd who were so busy yelling they didn't notice he was being taken away. If only they knew...if only they knew the story of truth. Maybe they would forgive...?

 

He doubted it.

 

Back at the jail, Geoffrey was miraculously able to open the door, shove him in, and lock it, without the help of the illustrious Tory and Sig. 'Those bastards,' thought Snively. He glared hatred at the skunk who smiled at him through solid bars of steel.

 

"I'm surprised you can wait, Geoffrey, wait one more fucking day. Maybe your heart will give out from the anticipation."

 

"Oh, you can only hope, Snively..." Geoffrey shook his head, grinning wide. His sharp teeth shone dully in the muted light through the high tiny windows. 

 

True, he could only hope. He didn't pray anymore. He didn't really even hope anymore, either, but what a nice thought it was of Geoffrey falling down with glazed eyes and lolling tongue in death, maybe his last breath cursing Snively? How sweet it would be. But hopes, and prayers, and figments of his imagination never came true.

 

**

 

He could imagine it. The feel of Freedom. But what did Freedom feel like, anyway? Would it be like wind through his hair? Kisses from a warm lover? Would it be richer and fuller than a pocketful of money?

 

But he had no hair, and had never been kissed by a lover, or at least not one who loved him. And money... it had no meanings here. The feel of Freedom was something he had not experienced, for being free and breaking free were two different things. He had always had *freedom*. And now he was deprived.

 

'So the question is, how will it feel to be free again?'

 

That question was soon to be answered. Well, as soon as he had his plan ironed out and flawless in his mind. Robotnik didn't want to act until every detail had been carefully mulled over, every step taken in the right order.

 

'If I fail and Nagus finds out...'

 

It was a thought he didn't want to finish.

 

But still, he wanted to finish planning as soon as possible. Everyday here was like being with a time bomb, constantly fearing those times when Nagus would explode.                            

 

He scowled as he paced. His red boots squeaked a little as he turned on his heel; they seemed to be wearing out from standing so long. But he hadn't been standing that long really, had he? Nagus had only overtaken his city a few months ago.       

 

The time bomb. Well, he was his own bomb, one of the kinds with chemicals inside. His impatience was liquid, steadily building to combine with anger. Too much mixing of these and he would explode. He feared the damage would affect him far more than Nagus.

 

*Squeak* Went his boots again, and the sound seemed to echo metallically in the room. He realized it was footsteps coming upon the command room. He didn't flinch. They were a robot's. The footsteps he feared were rarely heard. Nagus, for all his clumsy appearance, could tred lighter than a cat.

 

"Sir," droned the SWATbot as it entered, "Repairs on SWAT factories #2 and 3 are at 100% completion."

 

"Good." Robotnik's voice came out as nearly monotone as the bot's. He was lacking interest in these petty matters lately. So, yes, they could churn out more brothers for this SWAT here, but they all ended up broken anyway.

 

Stronger bots would be a top priority when he regained control.

 

He watched the SWAT leave with a weary eye. Just getting control was a task he didn't know he could achieve.

 

No.

 

A fist clenched with the crinkling of leather around powerful knuckles. He *would* achieve it.

 

And soon. Very soon.

 

**

 

"But we have to have a trial!" Sally demanded, her voice loud over the crowd. It seemed to command attention like her father's.

 

"Why?" sneered a villager. "Overlander dirt don't deserve it!"

 

"Everyone deserves a fair trial," Sally shot back. "It's an important part of our laws. Our beliefs!"

 

"Well, we ain't got no proper laws with Robotnik in charge, eh? So who cares?!"

 

"Who...who cares?!" The insides of her ears were red, and had she been furless her face would've been bright with anger. "This is what we're fighting *for*! For our ways, our beliefs, our...our..." She sputtered off, her head shaking in disbelief. "I can't believe any of you would say something like that!"

 

"If he was a Mobian, yeah, I'd agree with ya, but he's an *Overlander*! They aren't part of OUR society!"

 

"No...no it doesn't mat-"

 

"It does! They aren't..."

 

"Quit talking, and let's kill him now..."

 

"Silence!" bellowed the king. "This decision is not up for debate. The Overlander will be punished tomorrow."

 

Geoffrey rejoined the crowd with a smirk. "I for one, stand by *my* King's decision. He knows what's right for us."

 

"It ain't right ta kill!" Her face was stony and voice stubborn; Bunnie refused to back down.

 

Someone interjected, quiet but still heard from his position apart from the rabbit. "*He* has killed so many."

 

Sally looked over at Antoine, and Sonic's brow crinkled in a frown.

 

"Antoine," Bunnie's voice came out shaky. "Ya'll can't..."

 

"He deserves to die." The fox's voice was flat, not rising in volume.

 

"Yeah," said Geoffrey, grinning wide; mean. "That's the spirit, Antoine!"

 

And even Sonic spoke, as Bunnie silently slipped away, her hands over her eyes, "I...I dunno...I mean, we did think Robotnik was dead. What are we gonna do with him and Nagus? Throw 'em in jail? Maybe we should just..." He gulped, "...get rid of 'em."

 

Geoffrey cackled. Antoine solemnly nodded. King Acorn cleared his throat.

 

"To some of you, this may not seem the justifiable action."

 

Bunnie's legs propelled her down to the pool. Her feet sank into the mud. She couldn't feel it, but it smelled warm and strong in the humid air. The heat had risen after last night's rain and by the water it felt almost jungle-like. She looked down at the mud. She knew what the King was saying. He was spreading his poor excuses...

 

..."But let me assure you, this is the right course of action. We have been lenient with this man to the point of absurdity."

 

...to kill. He would say Snively never did good, but he had helped them! Bunnie stared at the water and it blurred green and blue before her tears dropped.

 

"...Remember citizens, he committed treason, and yes, our punishment for treason is death. Yet we let it slide. We cannot let this blatant disdain for our laws and desire to harm us again go unpunished!"

 

'...he didn't want ta hurt us...' Bunnie's vision blurred again. She remembered him calling them dirty animals, she remembered the horrible insults flung between him and Geoffrey.

 

The waters stirred in the light wind. He had taken the rings. But so... She drew in a shaking breath. It didn't mean he wanted to hurt. He wasn't thinking of hurting.

 

He wouldn't hurt them, not when he loved her...

 

"...it is the best choice. For us and our future."

 

There were mummers in the crowd. There were no protests. At least not aloud. Sally looked torn; Sonic looked almost ashamed, his pointed ears laid back on his head.

 

They didn't want to kill, but their King deemed it right. And part of them agreed. The other part was soft, longing for things the war hadn't given them, mercy, forgiveness, life. Concepts they had kept strong in their group, tried to follow them... but now... they would be betraying those concepts.

 

But Sally couldn't move her mouth to say the words right. And Sonic; the noble hero, with those ears down, was shamed, but couldn't deny his agreement to kill. Just this once...

 

Well, it seemed the king had them in thrall.

 

"How can they listen ta him?' Bunnie's eyes traveled over the pool. It was green and blue, but there was a patch of red on the far shore. Ferns. She squinted and it blurred out of detail. Vivid vivid red, like blood. Or anger.

 

Opposing the king was wrong. She shouldn't do it... she loved the king, she loved the kingdom. And laws against treason were for a good reason...the punishment was fair...

 

No.

 

 'Ah just can't support this...'

 

**

 

The sunset in Robotropolis was stolen. It seemed a great hand had snatched away the colors before they could bloom.

 

Robotnik's mustache twitched.

 

Afternoon faded into evening, both a listless gray. There was no wind and the smog clouds adhered flat and unmoving to the pasty sky.

 

Uninspired, but determined to create, Robotnik sat in the empty throne room, flipping though files. Robots and hovercraft and maps flashed before him.

 

To hide. To get past Nagus. If he went on the street, Nagus had to know, had to track his every move. He grit his teeth.

 

'Permission to do this, do that! Absurd, it's absurd! Soon I will have to ask when to go to the bathroom!'

 

His fat lips twisted into a sneer, because, sometimes he did have to ask.

 

He turned his attention back to the holographic display. 'Therefore...'

 

He had to get on the street in disguise. A sheepskin Nagus's eyes would pass over, unbeknownst of the wolf fleeing underneath.

 

He looked at Swats, but they were too small, and not hollow. He looked at techbots, remembering how Sir Charles had fit so cleverly inside one. 'The old fool,' he scoffed, but it was not such a foolish idea, that. Using his own creations against him.

 

He ran a finger over the holographic image of one of the little techbots, its sides a shiny turquoise. He was much too large to squeeze into that.

 

He sighed. For once, he regretted his vanity, his insistence to grow into this shape of the divine, perfect circle.

 

'Even if I were skinny, I could not fit into that...' His sour eyes swept the bot. Height was against him here.

 

To hide. To Run. For killing was desired, but a botch on Nagus's life would mean pain beyond the limits of his body, and mind. 

 

So he'd do the safe thing then.

 

'Run. Run like hell.'

 

*

 

An hour later, the skies outside were black. The throne room was similarly dark. Only a few pools of gold glimmered from lights turned on the lowest setting.

 

Robotnik paced in the shadows. His eyes were two pinpoints of red in the gloom; his footsteps were loud and echoed. He let out a sigh, and the walls threw it back.

 

He tried a tentative 'Mobius is mine', and it cascaded around him, whispering like ghosts of his victims.

 

He shivered, pacing faster to ward off the chill. Voices could never haunt him; no amount of screaming Mobians could infuse him with regret or remorse.

 

No, he would not pity them, and he would not join them. He would kill Nagus, somehow. Sometime. But first...

 

'First I will escape and then...'

 

...Slave.

 

'I will escape and no longer be a...'

 

"Slave."

 

Lost in his grandiose thoughts, his ears barely heard that voice hissing, rancid like dead meat. He tried to block it out.

 

Slave. Slave. Slave. "Slave!"

 

'I will no longer be a...'

 

"SLAVE!" that voice rose to a roar. It seemed to tremble the floor, hurting in the marrow of his bones. He whirled around, seeing Nagus's face on the monitor, his ember-colored eyes smoldering.

 

"Yes..." Robotnik had to clear his throat, knock away the sudden fright. Disgusted, because he'd never been easily scared. Until now... "...master?"

 

The wizard regarded him silently. Robotnik fought back the urge to scowl. Nagus was always staring, staring, staring.

 

So he stared back. But meeting the wizard's eyes was something Robotnik couldn't do for very long. He eyed the room behind Nagus instead. It appeared to be his lab, the one by the bay, and it was disarrayed and full of crates. The wizard was vacating, apparently.

 

Nagus noticed his eyes flitting. "Yes, attentive one, I am moving to a different location."

 

"To where, Master?"

 

"Oh, *curious* as well!" said Nagus snidely. "To another place... a safe place where the beasties won't know."

 

'For now,' thought Robotnik, a sullen gleam in his eyes. The Freedom Fighters always found out secrets with their prying spies and mistress Luck who always seemed to be on their damn side.

 

But who cared. He was leaving anyway. Let Nagus deal with it. Maybe they would destroy him, make his job easier.

 

A slight smile touched his face. Nagus's eyes flared up, like snakes rearing to strike.

 

"You find something amusing, slave?!"

 

"N-no!"

 

"Nor do I..." The wizard smiled evilly. "Although I am a comedic person. I could show you something quite amusing if you'd like!"

 

"No...no, master." Robotnik began to shake. Nagus had a sense of humor alright, one that laughed mercilessly at Robotnik's suffering. Even now the wizard chuckled at his quivering. He tried to redirect the subject.

 

"When are you moving, master?"

 

"Tomorrow morning."

 

Robotnik closed his eyes. He wished Nagus wouldn't wait.

 

"I will want an escort of metal men. But discreetly escorting, slave, discreetly..."

 

If there was such a thing as a discreet escort.

 

The freedom fighters would notice. They would know. They would sabotage. And he...

 

"...and if you fail to protect my convoy, slave, I must say, I won't be amused by that."

 

The fat man gulped.

 

"It will be discreet and protected, master! I assure you..."

 

**

 

 

The stars twinkled like lights in mother's eyes.

 

They were stuck on the night, they were mated in a sense, such beauty paired with black as deep and frightening as...

 

'You're a failure, Snively...

 I wish I could be there to watch you die.'

 

...daddy....but why was he wasting thoughts on this?

 

Snively slouched against the wall, eyes half-closed and staring bleakly through the small jailhouse window.

 

'I am going to die tomorrow. Let me think of something good. Please. Please let me...'

 

From outside a warm breeze blew in the smell of lilacs. His eyelids slid closed, his head lolled onto his shoulder. Eyelashes were wet, his cheeks...he licked his tongue out, tasting the dripping salt.

 

The air smelled so good.

 

They would take it away from him tomorrow.

They would steal his air.

He wouldn't smell it again, he wouldn't feel the wind on his face, he wouldn't taste...

 

'But I won't hurt...' his mind offered feeble comfort.

 

 

Outside, standing guard but not particularly alert, were Antoine and one of Geoffrey's MPs, Tory.

 

Antoine had his sword in one hand; he was polishing it with a soft cloth. Tory was yawning. Antoine looked over.

 

"You are having something stuck in your teethes."

 

"Huh?" Tory stared at Antoine.

 

"In your teethes." Ant made a motion towards his mouth.

 

"Aw. Yeah." The badger picked at his pearly yellows with a claw.

 

The French fox sighed. "I am not knowing why eet ees necessary to be standing here."

 

"We're guarding, duh."

 

"He cannot escape."

 

"Yeah, maybe not..." The badger succeeded in getting the black speck off his teeth. "But it ain't gonna look good if no one guards him."

 

They were quiet for a while. Antoine put his sword away. Inside the jail they could hear the soft sound of feet pacing.

 

"I bet yer glad he's outta here," Tory said, giving Antoine a wicked grin. "Him living in Bunnie's house and all. He probably saw more of her 'tail' than you."

 

The sword was out like lightening, hovering near Tory's throat.

 

"Whoa, whoa man-"

 

"Do not speak of her like that!" A growl rumbled out of the fox's throat.

 

"Hey man, I didn't say nothing bout her, man." Tory chuckled nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing.

 

Ant moved the sword closer. Now it touched Tory's white throat-fur. "And Mademoiselle Bunnie is having no 'interest' in Snipley, if you are implying that's!"

 

"No, nah man, look...forget I said nothing, man, ok...it was just a joke."

 

"One I do not find funny." Ant kept the sword there a moment longer, then sheathed it.

 

Tory breathed in a loud breath.

 

 

Snively sat on the cold floor, staring at a crack there. It formed a shape somewhat like a bird...awkward and one wing looked broken. Outside, Tory and Antoine's voices grew loud suddenly like they were fighting. Tory sounded anxious; Ant angry.

 

He heard Bunnie's name. He heard his. Then he heard Bunnie from his dreams, whispering in his ear, her cold robotic fingers digging into his shoulder. "Kill the traitor. He betrayed all of us."

 

She really didn't have an interest. Antoine had just said that to Tory. It was true, though, it was true. He swallowed hard, remembering the kiss in her hut, how she'd let him do it the first time...

But then she'd pushed him away.

She had no interest.

 

'I knew that all along.'

 

She had no interest... and he fell upon the floor, his body covering the broken-winged bird's, his arms tucked under himself like they were ruined wings too. He curled up, shivering as the cool air swirled in. The floor felt like ice.

 

'Or maybe it's me, freezing the cell...' He felt like his insides were frozen. Cold and aching with needle-stabs of pain. Going numb.

 

He closed his eyes; he just wanted to sleep. 'I can't drag it out anymore. I need a last night, please, one last night, don't let me see Uncle there, don't let me see King Acorn. Don't let me see ropes.' He saw a flash of yellow fur. 'Let me see Bunnie. An interested Bunnie. A Bunnie who wants me. Let me dream this at least. Let me see that before I wake and die."

 

Maybe he'd get his wish. His eyelids were so heavy and his body was limp and his breathing slow. The blackness was closing in. It would be like this tomorrow. It would hurt like hell, and then be over, and he'd be lost in this black...

 

He drifted away into a light slumber.

 

 

 

The rustling leaves and warm night air were lulling Antoine to a similar lack of consciousness. He'd always been prone to falling asleep while on guard. Verbally thrashed by Sonic about it enough times, he tried to force his eyelids open, then decided against it. There was no need for guards here anyway.

 

So dream... He could hear Bunnie's voice. She sounded sweet. But no, she was angry with him. And her voice suddenly reflected that. She sounded irate. Then Tory's voice butted in and Antoine opened his eyes.

 

"Ain't letting you in, Bunnie, no way, no how."

 

"Ah jest want ta talk ta him! Talkin' ain't no crime!"

 

Bunnie was standing with her hands on her hips. Tory had moved in front of the door, standing solidly. He would've been hard to get by...if this hadn't been Bunnie. She could knock his head off with one punch.

 

"About what?" Tory scoffed.

 

"Ah don't know. It don't matter."

 

"That piece of shit'll only lie to you..."

 

"He ain't no piece a' shit!" Her voice rose. "Now ya'll let meh in! He was...he is...mah friend."

 

Tory shot Antoine an unbelieving look. "How can an Overlander be your friend?"

 

"He ain't all that different from us," Bunnie said heatedly. "Now let meh in!"

 

Antoine stepped up next to Tory. "He ees right, mon ami. We cannot let you in."

 

"Don't ya'll start, Ant." Bunnie looked as if she'd knock both their heads off. "Ah don't know what's gotten into ya, but Ah don't like it."

 

Antoine looked away. But he didn't move. Neither did Tory.

 

"Hey, it's King Acorn's orders. He doesn't want anyone going in there."

 

"Did he say that?" Bunnie said. "Ah bet not cause King Max can't believe anyone would like Snively. Well Ah do!"

 

"Acorn's got the right idea. He's filth."

 

Bunnie stepped forward. Her metallic toes nearly trod on Tory's paws.

 

"Ya'll say what ya want, but Ah'm goin' in and ya'll can't-"

 

"Mon ami. Please calm down." Antoine had his hand on his sword pommel. "You may go in, but only for a few minuets."

 

Tory shook his head savagely, but he moved. "Your chick is seriously whacked, Ant; she's got a few boards loose in the attic, if you know what I mean."

 

Antoine didn't, but Tory's tone was mean. He growled. "Be silent, fuel. A few minuets won't hurt."

 

Bunnie shot them both a withering look as she entered the jail.

 

 

The warmth from outside seemed to be restricted from entering. The interior of the jail was cool, in a damp creepy way, like the earth of burial grounds.

 

It was dimly lit from the moon through the tiny windows, illuminating the empty cells, their bars long and silver.

 

She heard a sound from the third and last cell down. A soft intake of breath.

 

 

Snively had heard the commotion outside. It had woken him...Bunnie's voice slicing through the dark of his dreams like a beautiful shaft of light. He heard the clink of metal on stone. She was coming.

 

She was there. Standing before his cell. The moonlight filtered through a window in the cell behind her, backlighting her, like a heavenly being.

 

She just stood there, looking at him, where he lay curled on the floor, his arm tucked under his head, his little body bruised and his clothes still dirty from the night before. Her eyes were so sad. They made him shiver and he sat up, trying to distance himself from the cold floor.

 

"How ya'll doin'?" she asked in a soft voice.

 

He didn't answer. He stood and approached the bars, his trembling hands clenching on them. "W-w-why did you come, Bunnie?"

 

He wished she hadn't. The sadness in her face made him hurt inside. It was like she was killing him before his execution. He stared at her face.

 

"Ah had ta see ya. Ah had ta..."

 

"Give a last goodbye?" He managed a smirk.

 

Her brightness seemed to dim. Her eyes lowered to the floor. "That ain't too funny, sugah," she said quietly.

 

He slumped back against the wall, eyeing her. Bitter cynicism was flooding over, tainting self-pity with anger. Anger was his steroid. Pumping up confidence and willpower that was normally weak.

 

"It's plenty funny, Ms Bunnie..." he didn't pause to laugh at the rhyme. "after all this time I'm finally getting what I deserve. Everyone else is laughing it up..."

 

"Half of them ain't wanting ta-"

 

"And you and Antoine'll finally have privacy, hmm? Maybe you can fuck on the couch now. Maybe you-"

 

"STOP IT!"

 

He glared, but this bitterness was not for her. She knew it. He dropped his gaze. His momentary strength was gone.

 

"Bunnie...I'm scared."

 

She reached through the bars and took his hand.

 

"Ah know, sugah."

 

"I...I wish...I just wish it didn't have to end now. I just feel...like I never..."

 

He knew in prison inmates could confess to a priest before they died. Repent for their god. He thought maybe he'd reject a priest. He didn't want to talk to any god. He didn't believe in gods.

 

Bunnie was better. Higher in his eyes.

 

"...got a chance. And I never gave anyone one...either..."

 

She looked ready to cry. "Ah wish ya'll hadn't taken those rings!" she blurted out.

 

"I'm sorry," he said softly, but she was talking over him. "They would've accepted ya...in time...they would've seen ya like Ah do..."

 

"How do you see me?" His voice was a whisper. He suddenly hurt very badly. It was like a bubble of hope had grown inside him. But it was like a pimple, it was painful and he knew it wasn't supposed to be there.

 

"As a good person..." she squeezed his hand. "Ah see ya as a person...a nice person who just don't know how ta show his goodness. Ah see someone scared ta be hurt so they built up a shield."

 

She popped it. He let go of her hand and turned away. Blood and pus burned his insides. "But not someone you could love," he choked out, focusing his gaze out the tiny window. The tops of the trees swayed and blurred.

 

She didn't answer. He leaned against the wall, running his fingers down the rough surface. He couldn't get over the fact he wouldn't feel it again.

 

"I didn't take the last ring," he said, just to take his mind off the pain inside.

 

"Ya'll didn't?" her voice was trembling.

 

"No...it was Geoffrey. He tried to catch it and lost it. He didn't want to look stupid. So he said it was stolen."

 

"Ah...Ah'm so sorry....Ah treated you so bad the other night...oh Snively...Ah'm so..."

 

He turned back, rushing to grab her hand. "No...Bunnie...don't. Don't be sorry." He gripped her hand hard. She was crying and he felt tears break from his own eyes. "Please Bunnie...you were the best thing I've had in my life for a long time."

 

It sounded so cliché. But it was true. Her brightness...even his anguish over her was sweeter than any feeling from Robotropolis.

 

"Bunnie..." This was getting more painful by the moment. "You made me love again. I might have died without remembering it." He neglected to say he still loved his mother. He neglected to say he would still die without love received. It mattered, but she didn't need to know. She only need know how very important she was.

 

She blurted out again. She felt so horrible inside...she wanted to comfort him, but her pain kept her from it. She could only make it worse...pondering moot points. "Ah wish ya'll never worked fer Robotnik! Or left earlier. Ya wouldn't be here..."

 

"I know!" His voice was starting to deteriorate. The tears had broken free and now he couldn't dam the river up again. "But I can't...can't change it..."

 

'I wish I could see you die...'

 

Daddy. Daddy had wanted to kill him when he was a child. He hated him. He hated him back. They hated each other. But child could only express hate screaming in his own mind, father could express it with words that bled, fists that broke.

 

'I don't care about you.' Snively's thoughts shot back to that phantom voice of daddy.

 

'I don't care about you.' Mimicking and cruel.

 

'I didn't need your love!' Desperate to deny.

 

'Couldn't have my love.'

 

Finality.

 

And a phantom voice whispered, edged with metal, "Come with me, nephew...and get away from HIM...'

 

Snively slumped his head against the bars. He was shaking and tried to keep a grip on the bars so he wouldn't fall down. For now his knees had gone weak. He began to collapse, held up barely by weakened hands. If he were on a cliff's edge he would've fallen.

 

"It was his fault," he growled out through tears. His knees touched the ground and he released the bars, clasping his arms around himself. "It was his it was his..."

 

Bunnie knelt down too. "Sugah..."

 

He couldn't quit shaking. "It was HIS FAULT!! He FUCKING DID..."

 

"Sugah..."

 

"HE FUCKING..." His cracked voice was rising to a scream.

 

"Ah know Robotnik..."

 

"DROVE ME TO THIS!"

 

"SUGAH!"

 

Snively snapped his head up, breathing harshly through his mouth. He felt weak and strong. He felt like he could kill

 

'I wish I could watch'

 

HIM. And Uncle. And Geoffrey and King Acorn and Antoine and HIM and Uncle and

 

"Sugah..."

 

...he saw Bunnie, wide-eyed, her shining legs in the dirt, her lips trembling.

 

And she sapped it away. She made him want to die while wanting to live and love her. She didn't love him.

 

So maybe he should die.

 

'What's so bad about it? I have nothing left.'

 

Just a pimple of hope, busted.

 

'I have nothing.'

 

Scabbing over.

 

'Maybe I could...have someday...have something...'

 

Just fuck it. Just DIE.

 

Her lime eyes blinked and dripped.

 

He took a deep shuddering breath and stared her in the eyes.

 

"I don't want to die."

 

**

 

Tory was standing against the door with his ear pressed to it.

 

"Heh. I can't believe she likes that goon."

 

Antoine was stationed near the wall, standing very straight. The perfect attentive guard he was; except his mind was miles away from this little prison.

 

Tory stepped away, fixing a mean gaze on the fox. "I wonder if she likes him more than you."

 

Antoine ignored him.

 

Tory snorted and slumped against the wall.

 

Antoine was snapped out of his rigid guard stance by yelling. Tory moved fast to open the door, but Antoine was even faster, charging past the badger and down the short hallway to Snively's cell.

 

Snively had Bunnie's hand, clutching it. She was crying.

 

"Snipley, be letting her go!" Antoine brandished his sword. Tory was right on his heels.

 

Snively let go. Bunnie turned to Antoine with her wide eyes; Tory shook his head and smirked.

 

And louder Snively proclaimed: "I don't want to die!"

 

He wanted to live. He wanted to exist just to spite them. Antoine and Daddy and King Acorn and his blasted uncle. Even if it were a life of agony, he'd endure it to spite them.

 

"Shut up, Snively," said Tory and Snively glared and opened his mouth to scream back and Antoine still had his sword out and glimmering and Bunnie looked back and forth between this all, and that sad bitter little voice echoed 'I don't want to die to die to die I don't want to die...'

 

And she moved with earlier resolutions resounding loud in her head. "Ah can't support this.'

 

Tory barely had time to throw his hands up. He barely had time to say anything, only a low grunt as Bunnie's metal arm connected with his head. The badger collapsed into a monochrome ball of fur.

 

Antoine stared at Bunnie with his jaw slack in shock. Then his expression changed, becoming a mask of determination, and he charged her, grabbing her by the arm. "MON AMI! What are you thinking!?"

 

"Don't get in mah way," she said. Her arm came around again but Antoine blocked it with his sword. The force of impact knocked him back against the wall.

 

"Mon AMI!" came one last cry and then silence, and Bunnie stood panting over him, watching a slow trickle of blood come from his head.

 

Snively peered out from the bars, watching Bunnie search Tory's pockets, her eyes leaking onto the floor, her mouth trembling uncontrollably. When she got to Antoine, she was gulping great sobs and she gave an anguished cry as she pulled his pockets out empty. She whirled to face the cells and Snively recoiled.

 

"Is...Is he de-"

 

She ran towards the cell, her leg flying out to strike.

 

"-ead!" He dove against the wall as the barred door clanged to the ground beside him.

 

She came in and grabbed his arm. Her grip hurt.

 

"Is he...?"

 

She pulled him down the hall and he looked back at Antoine. He thought he saw his chest moving.

 

"We gotta get outta here."

 

Still holding his arm, although he was walking quite willingly, she led him through the darkened village. Tree branches clicked overhead, their shadows cast over the ground like reaching hands. He shivered, wondering if anyone was glancing out their windows now...in this moonlight they would be able to see them. Even the typical sounds of the night seemed hushed.

 

They made no noise themselves until finally they reached the dark tangle of the forest. Then their feet cracked upon small sticks and rustled in the dead leaves. They walked for about two minutes before Snively spoke.

 

"Bunnie..." He looked over at her. Her limbs were dully lit by the filtered moonlight, but he could barely see her eyes. Her hair was over her downturned face.

 

She stepped over a fallen log. He almost tripped. She was walking fast and it took him effort to keep up.

 

"We ain't got no time ta lose. Ya gotta git far away."

 

"Bunnie." He grabbed her arm. His free hand moved to her face, pushing away her hair. Her eyes were wet and sad. "You didn't kill him, did you?"

 

'No." She said bluntly. "Ah would never kill no one. He's alraight, he'll just have a headache." 

 

"Alright..." He released her arm, even though he didn't want to...he wanted to hold onto her forever.

 

"Now come on, we gotta git..."

 

He shook his head. "You can't come with me."

 

"Ah'm already in trouble."

 

"Bunnie, they'll forgive *you*." He sighed and looked into the dark depths of the forest. He fought back shivers; the thought of walking deeper into this wilderness frightened him.

 

Besides, he knew she didn't want to come.

 

"I'll be ok," he said.

 

"But ya'll can't-"

 

"I have a place to go," he confided, though this was supposed to be a secret. "I'll be ok." Speaking this made him suddenly confident. He could get there. His watch had a compass, that was all he needed.

 

She stared at him for a long moment. He felt hot under her gaze, the shivers coming back, his fingers itching to grab her.

 

"Alright, sugah, but please be careful." Her organic hand came out and awkwardly patted his shoulder.

 

"I will." He clasped her hand upon his shoulder, loving the feel of that golden fur, so warm and soft. His eyes were locked on hers, wanting so badly to extend a finger forward and wipe it along her eyes, feeling silken eyelashes and taking away salty wetness.

 

He leaned forward suddenly, lips seeking hers, but she pulled her face back. Her eyes glimmered and spilled onto her cheeks. "Please...Snively..." Her hand left his shoulder and clenched across her chest. "Don't make it...worse..."

 

He gulped hard, feeling ill. He took a step back. Voice refused to go above a whisper now, shaking, "Ok...Bunnie...ummm..." He turned away. "Goodbye..."

 

He ran without looking back. Tears dripped off his chin, flying back in the wind, his shoes crunched on dead things underfoot, his lungs sobbed painfully in his chest. He didn't let his last words fly off his tongue. He kept them in, not wanting to hear them again, not wanting her to hear them.

 

'Forget her. Forget her now. This never happened...'

 

Onto his secret place, the place Robotnik had built into a cliff side. A secret fortress, a place of protection. He would go there, and he would build up power, and he would crush Nagus and Uncle and Knothole.

 

Towards the promise of power he went.

 

Swallowed down in his throat, burning his insides, were the words of love.

 

 

 

*Clink* went a fork into an empty bowl of rice pudding.

 

Geoffrey St. John stared out the window of his hut. He licked his lips, swallowing down the last traces of the dessert. Bunnie had made it a few days earlier and given him the leftovers.

 

Geoff couldn't cook worth a crap. He usually went to the café or took someone else's leftovers. With their permission...usually.

 

He was on the edge tonight. His legs urged him to jump up and roam around, but he wasn't really the pacing type. He sighed and turned his eyes to the empty porcelain bowl, thinking of Bunnie for a minute, and then thinking of what would happen tomorrow.

 

He grinned savagely.

O, what a joy to witness the death of sin.

The death of Snively.

 

Of course...he idly twirled the fork. Would it be that great? The guy could only die once. Then he was just a corpse, and corpses were no fun to torment.

 

Oh well. There were other things to do. And he wouldn't have to constantly be worrying where the little prick was, what kind of evil ideas he was plotting in that hairless head of his, no...Geoffrey would be free to attend to *other* matters.

 

He stared into the empty bowl, lost in thoughts of cheering crowds, but one little image nagged, marring the perfection of his envisioned execution. It was Bunnie, standing there off to the side, crying over that Overlander scum, bawling as his feet dangled and his strange eyes glazed.

 

She probably would cry, too. He snorted.

 

"How...disappointing.' He shook his head. But Bunnie had always been like that, anyway. Soft...

 

He pushed back from the table and left his hut, moving towards the jail with rapid steps. Something in him tugged and wouldn't stop, that little image of Bunnie, those faces who'd yelled this morning, saying Snively's death was unfair.

 

When he got there, he spoke to Tory and Antoine.

 

"Hey...mates...

 

"Are you alright?"

 

 

"Oof!"

 

Snively tripped over a fallen stick and fell to the ground. The dead leaves felt hot and warm under his hands; moist too. He grimaced as he heard something scuttling away from him. A bug or small rodent, maybe.

 

He got to his feet and looked around. He'd been traveling for maybe ten minutes now. Since he'd left Bunnie, the woods seemed to get blacker, the trees taller, their branches stretching out to blot out the sky.

 

He pushed on deeper into the forest. Each owl hoot, each rustle of leaves made his skin shiver. He paused by a tree, taking slow deep breaths.

 

It worked. He felt his heartbeat slow down, and the odd trembling feeling in his limbs subsided. He managed a dry smile. No problem. He could make it through this, easy.

 

Then all calmness fled at the cracking of sticks. This was no small animal. Someone was coming this way.

 

"Bunnie?" He called tentatively, and then immediately wished he hadn't spoken. From the noises, the person was moving faster now, and heading his way.

 

"Shit..." he hissed under his breath and broke into a run. He gritted his teeth, hating the noise he was making, a terrific smashing of leaves and breaking of sticks. 'You could hear me for miles away!' he thought disgustedly, but he supposed stealth wasn't important at the moment.

 

Something was off to his side. He could see it barely out of the corner of his eye. He whimpered, not wanting to look. It darted closer, taking the lead, moving in front of him. He gasped, his legs moving to dodge.

 

Too late. The figure dodged with him, moving forward and now they were only a few feet apart.

 

They both stopped moving. Silence fell down. Broken finally by the sound of crickets chirping.

 

Geoffrey snorted. "Well. Ain't this a familiar sight?"

 

Oh no...

 

"Not you," Snively groaned aloud. "Oh God...why you..."

 

The skunk moved closer. "I guess yer escape just ain't meant to be..."

 

Beads of sweat appeared on the human's forehead, and he was trembling again. "No...Geoffrey..." He took a few rapid steps backward. "Please, just let me go..."

 

Geoffrey laughed but didn't sound amused. His murky blues seemed darker, like clouds had crept over, shutting out highlights and condescending mirth. The skunk stood with his legs apart, leaning forward with fisted hands. He was aggressive tonight; he was a hunter.

 

Snively clenched his fists and matched the stance...he wasn't going to fall into his usual role... the helpless prey, the victimized boy.

 

"You won't take me anywhere."

 

Geoffrey took a step forward. "Really, mate? We'll see about that."

 

Eyes widened and nostrils flared as Snively planted his feet more firmly into the ground, taking in deep breaths. The skunk advanced, smiling cruelly, the murderous thoughts in his head shining plainly through his eyes.

 

'Well, not tonight', thought the small human firmly.

 

Geoffrey charged forward and threw his hand out, seeking a grip on Snively's throat. Snively ducked, darting to the left. Geoffrey whirled around and charged again, running low like a football player. His shoulder slammed into the fleeing human.

 

Snively was knocked to the ground. Dead leaves flew in the air as he kicked wildly, regaining his footing. He backed away from the oncoming skunk, gulping as his back hit a tree.

 

Geoffrey sprang forward...Snively sprang away. The skunk nearly collided with the trunk, but pushed himself away with his hands. Quick as lightning was he, and he was on Snively's running heels in seconds.

 

Snively ducked behind a tree, breath raspy in fear.

 

If Geoffrey got a hold of him, he was good as dead. Literally. It would take a while...the passing of this night, but then in the slow lazy morning...he would die.

 

Geoffrey made a grab for him around the tree. Snively dodged away. Circling the tree they went, each trying to be faster than the other. But this high speed hide-and-seek was too nerve-wracking for the small human.

 

He darted away from the tree, making a mad dash into the forest.

 

His feet hit a tree root and he went sprawling. His left hand slammed into something sharp and bled. He let out a cry, seeing the skunk approaching, turning his head to see what he'd struck.

 

A tree branch, thick. The offshooting branches were broken off, making sharp jagged points.

 

"Tsk, tsk, Snively." Geoffrey shook his head, leering down at the Overlander. "Too bad I can't charge you for escape. Maybe I'll just teach you a lesson before I bring you back, eh?" Pointed teeth shone and a black hand reached down.

 

Snively made a quick grab. The branch was in his hands. It felt good there. Geoffrey leaned down with that leering grin and he swung the branch, feeling the shock wave through his arms, hearing the thunk as it cracked against Geoffrey's head. One of the sharp points had barely missed going into Geoff's ear. He snarled and jerked back, a hand flying to clutch the side of his head, flowing bright red a contrast against dark fingers.

 

It was a beautiful sight. Teeth snarling, Snively swung again...suddenly wild...lusting for that crimson flow. Eager for Geoffrey's face to collapse in a mess of blood and spit. He swung and the branch struck Geoffrey's face again.

 

Sharp pieces dug into his cheek. Another came just shy of his eye. Blood oozed down his brow. He grunted, losing his footing to sprawl in the leaves, his hands clutching his face.

 

Snively stood, and now he was the one looming over, the one looking down. At that filth. He held the branch up like a club, teeth bared. He wanted the blood to fly, to taste it in his throat.

 

With a loud animal growl, he arced the stick viciously downwards.

 

Geoffrey kicked out. His foot struck Snively hard on the upper leg, knocking him off balance. The stick struck the ground next to Geoffrey's head. The skunk was up in seconds, throwing himself ungracefully on top of the small human.

 

He pinned Snively's wrists down over his head, and sneered down. "Nice try, you little prick!" He sprayed the human's face with spittle. "You know what?"

 

Snively glared up, struggling, his feet kicking futilely. "Let me go, Mobian dirt! Let me goooo!" He howled, thrashing under the skunk, but Geoffrey was unmoved.

 

His pointed teeth exposed in a smile. "I don't think they're gonna have an execution tomorrow. I think I'm gonna reschedule it for tonight!"

 

Large black hands left thin white wrists to clamp upon flesh equally slender, and much more delicate. His fingers curled violently around Snively's neck. And squeezed.

 

He couldn't make a sound. Eyes widened and mouth opened slightly, Snively squirmed his tiny body like mad, but it wasn't helping. Geoffrey's grip tightened, a sick smile on his lips.

 

'No. NO. Can't die like...

 

He weakly kicked, his hands going up to push at Geoff's face, whimpers trapped in his throat, begging with his eyes.

 

'Like this...'

 

He had to live! To spite them. To make them pay for the damage.

 

But he was weakening. Now Geoffrey's face leered through a haze of black...red flashes...and such agony in his lungs....his eyes burned like acid.

 

He felt one of his fingers hit something soft and yielding on Geoffrey's face. Wet. An...eye? He dug in but even then he knew it wouldn't be enough.

 

But the pressure was gone suddenly. He heard a faint grunt and the sound of a body falling upon leaves.

 

He tried to look but couldn't see; tried to breathe but he felt so weak... And then firm hands laid on his chest and pushed, and a breathy voice sang to him. Coaxing his weary lungs to draw in a breath... "Just one breath...please...please..."

 

And they did.

 

He coughed and gasped frantically. Fingers curled into his palms, digging nails in. The hands pressing on his chest turned to massaging, soothing him. Finally the panic slipped away, replaced by a sort of relieved weariness.

 

He opened his eyes and the haze had cleared.

 

She was there. But of course. Who else would've helped him...who else had been around? She shone like a light, her face wreathed in smiles to see his eyelids lift. He pushed himself up too quick, getting dizzy in the head.

 

Maybe it was intentional....an excuse for her touch. He fell forward, feeling her arms wrap around for support. Ah, it felt so good to be there, his head pressed against her soft bosom, the warmth and coldness of her different arms on his back...the gentle thump of her heart. Her breath was warm on his head.

 

"Are ya'll alraight, sugah?"

 

He was quiet for a moment. "Y...Yes..."

 

She stood up slowly, helping him up. Together they looked at Geoffrey's prone body.

 

He nudged the skunk with his foot. "I do hope you killed *him*."

 

"Ah do believe Ah'm in a spot o' trouble. Even if Ah didn't!"

 

Snively cringed, but her voice was warm. Her hand laid on his shoulder. "But Ah'll live...ya'll won't if ya don't git goin'!"  She smiled.

 

He awkwardly embraced her, still biting back the sacred words. Keeping his lips to himself this time, he allowed his hands to clutch her a bit harder. "Thank you Bunnie...for everything."

 

He stepped back and turned to leave.

 

Before he went, he stopped and took Geoffrey's crossbow glove. Then he headed off into the dark trees with a heart that was strangely light and yet weighted. His feet nonetheless seemed to move more easily over roots and leaves.

 

He wouldn't miss too much of it...

 

"Goodbye Knothole...

 

Goodbye Bunnie..."

 

**

 

The plan was flimsy as tinfoil.

 

'No.'

 

The plan was... strong...?

 

'Well...no.'

 

But it would work. It had to. After so many hours of deliberating, Robotnik had finally decided on the old Ocum's Razor theory. The simplest explanation is often the right one. Or in this case, the simplest, most obvious course of action was the way to go.

 

"I have just noticed..." Nagus suddenly spoke from the throne. Robotnik jumped on his aching feet, surprised as his train of thoughts derailed and crashed. He turned around slowly to eye the wizard. Nagus was staring into space, his rust colored eyes unfocused.

 

"There is a feeling of power beneath the city. Do you have a power source down there, slave?"

 

"There is a Stealthbot factory in the underground caves, master..."

 

"NO!" Nagus waved his crab claw and Robotnik gulped. "No...no..." He calmed, finally turning his gaze to Robotnik. "No...I have felt that...it feels the same as your other creations. Metal. Cold. Uninspiring."

 

Robotnik hid a sneer behind a raised hand. He feigned a cough. The wizard seemed unconcerned.

 

"This is a more natural sort of energy. Warm and clean. Soft..."

 

"Perhaps there is oil underground." Robotnik relished the idea. He loved oil... thick and dirty and the beautiful smog it threw into the air when used, O! He loved the greasy smell of it; the way it floated on water like an iridescent veil.

 

"No, slave, this is not a stagnant source, this is something being drawn from."

 

"Do you know what it is, master?"

 

Nagus's lip curled. "I would not muse about it if I knew, slave!" He sighed. "But it is not of the matter, now. I will investigate it later."

 

'You mean you'll have me investigate it...' the fat man thought sourly. He feigned another cough. 'But I won't be around, now will I...'

 

"I trust you are prepared for the escort tomorrow."

 

"Yes, master."

 

"Good!" Nagus rose from the throne, levitating to impress his slave's eyes.

 

Robotnik didn't bat an eye.

 

The wizard landed and lumbered towards the exit, thick tail dragging. "I will be off to rest then, slave. You will regret my being disturbed."

 

"Of course, master. Have a good night..."

 

**

 

Pale gray showed through the leaves. He squinted and blinked.

 

The leaves were swaying. There was something hard underneath his leg.

 

He groaned, spreading his arms out, feeling around him. He was lying on his back. Looking up. He lifted his leg with a groan and pulled out what was underneath him.

 

A stick. A sharp broken piece of it had been gouging into him.

 

He threw it away with a loud snort. Pushing himself up to a sitting position he grimaced and put a hand to his head. It was quite sore in the back and his neck hurt.

 

He rubbed it and squinted into the forest. Thick white fog snaked through the trees. He stood, his mouth drawn in a tight line.

 

Last night's events came flooding back in his mind. He HAD Snively. He was killing him!

 

And then he had been struck.

 

He snarled and batted his arm about, like he could chase the fog off. It didn't work. He began to walk, ears swiveling and nose twitching... with sight rendered useless he would have to use other means to get back home...

 

Finally he came upon the outskirts of the village. By this time his head was aching badly.

 

'I guess I'll have to pay ole Quack a visit.'

 

The door to the infirmary squeaked open. Geoffrey thought idly that maybe Rotor should come oil it sometime.

 

"My goodness, another one?" exclaimed Quack, running over to him. He was holding a tomato sandwich in one hand and a bloody bandage in the other.

 

The skunk made a face. "Another?"

 

Quack opened a miniature icebox. Rummaging past a vodka bottle and another tomato sandwich he grabbed an icepack. Geoff noticed he left the bandage inside as he closed the door and shook his head disgustedly.

 

The doc handed the pack to Geoffrey. "Put that on your head. You got a nasty bump."

 

"No shit, mate."

 

"Much like these two." He led the skunk over to two cots. Antoine sat on one, nursing a similar bump. In the other, Tory lay unconscious.

 

"Well I see yer alright."

 

Antoine raised his eyes to greet them. "My head eez sore."

 

"Yeah..." Geoffrey paused, looking at Antoine shrewdly. "How did Snively escape?"

 

There was silence. Quack bit into his sandwich, looking between the fox and skunk.

 

"Well how, mate?"

 

"You know he escape-ed?"

 

"Of course I know! I tracked the bloke last night. My question is how did he get out? C'mon Antoine!"

 

The fox shrugged. "I do not know."

 

Geoffrey rolled his eyes heavenward, letting out an annoyed snort. "Of course you don't, Ant. Nobody around here knows shit." He roughly pushed on Tory's shoulder. "Maybe this dipshit does."

 

"Well, wait till he wakes up." Quack nudged Geoff away from the cot. "I don't want you in here shoving on my patients." He held up his sandwich. "I have an extra, if you're hungry."

 

Geoffrey mumbled and snatched the sandwich from Quack's hand. "Yeah. Ok."

 

Quack pouted as the skunk downed his sandwich in one gulp.

 

**

Bunnie stood in her bathroom, gaze alternating between the mirror and out the window. She stared at her reflection, wiping a hand over her eyes, trying to smooth away that scared look. She knew, soon, there would be a ruckus outside that window.

 

News of the traitor's disappearance was going to hit hard. News of this morning's noose swinging empty was going to draw anger, most of all from King Acorn.

 

She wondered if they would march her to the noose instead. Substitute a Mobian neck for an Overlander's; use her as a martyr for his crimes.

 

She sighed and brushed back her headfur, eyeing herself critically.

 

"They won't be able ta tell... Ah still look innocent."

 

She only hoped the ruckus would occur *after* this morning's mission. They were going to break into Nagus's lab and free his test subjects. She wanted to be there. They might need her strength.

 

'And maybe they'll forgive me better...if Ah helped...'

 

**

 

So, King Acorn didn't know yet, eh?

 

Typical of them. Geoffrey's magenta boots hit the ground hard. Nostrils flared as he breathed in angry breaths. That shit Antoine hadn't informed anyone of the jailbreak. That stupid doctor didn't appear to even care.

 

"Hey, dealing death isn't my profession. If Snively gets out of his execution, more power to him."

 

"Stupid bird!" Geoffrey had slammed the door on his way out, waking up several sleeping patients.

 

He found the King sitting near the gardens on one of their shoddy wooden benches. He was smoking a cigar, looking contented. In the distance behind him, Geoffrey could see the execution site, raising its branches high above the village.

 

Nearby, there was a clamor as Sonic made a joke about chilidogs. Bunnie covered her mouth, trying not to laugh...or maybe hiding her lack of amusement. Sally was strapping Dulcy's harness around the dragon's belly.

 

Bunnie's eyes followed Geoffrey as he passed by, but he didn't notice her.

 

"Your highness." He came to a halt before the king.

 

"Ah, St. John. How goes it?" He nodded towards the group. "They may need you on a mission today. Although they plan to leave at the very time our punishment to the Overlander takes place."

 

'Typical,' thought Geoffrey sourly, casting a scoffing glance at them. They all had been protesting against Snively's death. Fighting so hard for freedom, and then blanching when it came time to ending the fight!

 

"I have bad news for you, my liege."

 

The King took a puff from his cigar, his carefree look gone to hard glaring. "What kind of problem?"

 

"Well..."

 

Sonic had turned around and was watching Geoffrey with a large smile on his face. The skunk snarled in his direction. "Snively...escaped."

 

King Acorn rose with a bellow. "WHAT?!"

 

Geoffrey didn't bother to repeat himself.

 

"How did he escape?"

 

The group stared at Geoffrey.

 

"How did he escape, St. John?!"

 

"I don't know, sire. Antoine and Tory were guarding the cell. And somehow Snively got out."

 

The king aimed his finger at the group. "Postpone the mission! I want everyone out looking for Snively. That traitor *must* be caught!"

 

"No, daddy!" A clod of dirt went flying as Sally stamped the ground. "This mission is *important*. People's lives are at stake! Nagus is torturing them...and we have to get them out!"

 

The king was silent for a moment, then nodded.

 

Geoffrey cleared his throat. "I'll find him, sire. He was initially my responsibility. He will be brought to justice."

 

"Perhaps, he should go with you." King Acorn's finger pointed to Sonic.

 

"No, daddy, we need him."

 

"Uh no...your highness...I don't think he'll be necessary..."

 

"Yeah, stinky'll do just great by himself." Sonic stuck out his tongue. "I hafta stick with Sal, Sir Max! Ya know how it is."

 

Logic and love dominated the vengeance in the King's mind. He nodded again. "You are right, Sonic. The well being of my daughter is much more important. As is the welfare of my citizens in Robotropolis."

 

Sonic did an awkward bow. "Thanks, Sir Max. Ya know I'll take care of her."

 

Sally shook her head and smiled. "We'll take care of each other...as usual."

 

"And you, St John, will take care of our traitor. He won't evade his punishment this time. He..."

 

He trailed off as Antoine came trudging up to the group. Following a distance behind was Tory.

 

King Acorn raised an eyebrow. "Mr. D'Coolette! Is it my understanding you were guarding Snively's cell last night?"

 

"Oui." Antoine forced his gaze to the ground so he wouldn't look at Bunnie. She had turned away at the sight of him, eyes stricken.

 

"How did he get out?"

 

The group didn't stare this time; they were busy making last preparations. Sally had taken out NICOLE and called up a holographic map, pointing out the tiny lab by the bay.

 

"I am not being sure, your highness." Antoine clasped his hands together.

 

"How can you not be sure!? You were there. What happened! At least tell me what happened!"

 

"I was hit your highness, I do not know who did eet." The statement came out mumbled. Sweat was beading under his fur.

 

"WHAT?! You liar!" Tory shoved past the group, holding an icepack to his head. The badger looked livid. "He knows who did it! I know who did it!"

 

Antoine snapped his head up. His eyes could kill. They were more lethal than the sword on his belt; his hand had gone there to clutch.

 

"Who, then, Tory?" asked the king.

 

"SHE DID!" The black finger came out. It leveled. The group followed its lead.

 

And Bunnie stared back with her ears drooping, but her eyes blazed defiance.

 

"Bunnie!?" Sally cried, and King Acorn's voice boomed out, overshadowing his daughter's.

 

"MS RABBOT?! You did this thing?!"

 

Antoine put his face in his hands.

 

Geoffrey rubbed the bump on his head, his mouth agape. "It was YOU in the forest?" He tried to close his mouth, it just gaped open again. "I SHOULD'VE KNOWN IT WAS YOU! YOU BLOODY OVERLANDER LOVER!"

 

"SHUT UP, GEOFFREY, leave her alone!"

 

"Ms Rabbot, why?"

 

"Where is he?" Geoffrey strode forward and his hands came forward as if to shake her. They hovered before her robotic shoulder, almost loathing to touch it. "Where the hell is he? You KNOW where he went!"

 

King Acorn stepped forward as well. "Tell us, where did he go?"

 

Sally's face was distressed. Sonic was holding her arm.

 

"Leave her alone!" He said. "Stop yelling at her!"

 

Sally's voice echoed. "Stop it, Geoffrey, let her explain. Stop yelling. Everyone STOP YELLING!"

 

There was silence. Bunnie bowed her head. "Yes, Ah let him out. Ah helped him get away from Geoffrey. But Ah let him go...inta the forest. Ah don't know where he's gone ta."

 

"You liar." Geoff's hand finally dared to touch her, shoving against her robotic shoulder.

 

Suddenly, Dulcy's head came down, knocking Geoff away with her snout. "Knock it off, stinky! Don't push her!"

 

The cigar left King Acorn's hand. It landed in the grass, still burning. Antoine stomped it out with his boot.

 

"This is a very shocking revelation, Ms Bunnie. One who would help the traitor escape is at serious fault."

 

"Ah..." she began.

 

"St John, this cannot go unnoticed." He shook his head, features grave. "So I order you now to arrest her."

 

Bunnie raised her head, eyes wide.

 

W-w-what?" Sonic's mouth was now the one opened in shock. Sally's arm trembled under his hand.

 

Antoine's mouth opened as Geoff reached into his belt. A small sound came from him.

 

Bunnie didn't look at him. Her eyes were on Geoffrey. He knew she heard him.

 

"Bunnie..." he whispered. And then fell silent.

 

Running feet distracted attention for a moment. Uncle Chuck came trotting up. His brow furrowed at the scene, not knowing what was occurring. "Hey Sonny-boy, everyone, we oughta get goin'. If we wait much longer, we'll be too late."

 

Geoff reached out and snagged Bunnie's flesh arm. In his other hand was a pair of manacles. She made no noise as he snapped them onto her wrists.

 

Uncle Chuck stared.

 

"No Geoffrey, you can't!" Sally lunged forward. But Bunnie sidestepped, blocking her from the skunk.

 

"Go and rescue dem people, Sally-girl! Ah'll be fine, hon!"

 

Tears streaked her friend's pale cheeks.

 

"Go on, now...they need ya..."

 

Geoffrey pushed in front of Bunnie, waving his hand at Sally. "We ain't gonna hurt her, luv."

 

King Acorn nodded stoically. "Of course not. No harm will come to her. But answers must be had."

 

Geoffrey tugged sharply on the chain between the manacles.

 

"What's going..." Uncle Chuck sputtered.

 

Sally sighed, her eyes narrowing as she watched Geoffrey smirk, tugging the chain. Bunnie turned and went without a struggle.

 

She couldn't stand the thought. That Bunnie would be locked up! Treated like a traitor!" Her head swiveled to her father, her lips pulled into a grim line. "All right. C'mon gang. Bunnie's right, we have to rescue the people."

 

King Acorn did not flinch as his daughter's fiery gaze settled on him. "We'll talk about this when I get back, daddy."

 

Geoffrey and Bunnie disappeared into the jail.

 

"Yes, Sally. We most certainly will."

 

**

 

"I want out..." A voice whimpered. "Why is he doing this?"

 

"Shut up." Someone cuffed the speaker in the mouth.

 

They cried out. "I'm s-s-soo s-s-scared..."

 

"I said shut up..."

 

"Sssssh! He's coming. He's..."

 

A shadow fell over the huddled group of Mobians. Then light came, emanating out of the newcomer's very form.

 

Red light. Black shadows pooled in the furrows of his face. Eyes blazed equally scarlet. And his teeth bared in a shark's smile, toothy and wide.

 

A laugh rang out. The prisoners pressed tighter together. Blood ran from a female's nose and onto another's hand, the very hand that had struck her.

 

"Hello, my lovelies." Nagus's voice was taunting. He sneered as he eyed them. They'd been deroboticized several days ago and experienced the glorious sensation of having feeling back in their bodies. They cowered as he stepped closer...of course...most of the sensations they'd been feeling lately was pain...

 

"I know you are tiring of this place, so today we're moving somewhere else. Somewhere where we can continue our tests...in peace..."

 

The female shivered. "Please, let us go!"

 

The male fox clasping her ground his claws into her arm hard. "Shut up!" He hissed under his breath.

 

'They are so pathetic...' Another smile touched Nagus's face. But useful they were; their bodies and vulnerable minds such a lovely thing to toy with.

 

This was research after all. They should be grateful! Knowing their lives were being put to good use; knowing they were contributing to the pool of knowledge; their pain leading to beautiful discoveries. Not only this, but they were free from their robotic bodies! 

 

The wizard figured it should be enough to satisfy them, but they were uncaring and ungrateful. Their lack of interest made them expendable in his eyes. Not that they had been seen any other way anyway...

 

"Now stand, my friends. I expect there to be no problems."

 

"I don't want to go," The female squealed. She remained on the floor as the others rose. The fox tried to pull her up but she cried and scratched at his arm. "NO. NO! Leave me alone!"

 

The crab claw lifted. The Mobians fell back, abandoning their companion. Even the fox let go of her, cowering back against the wall.

 

She was lifted into the air, surrounded by blue light. Her eyes were wide and terrified; her body stiff from the magic. Then she jerked suddenly. Her lips parted but no noise came.

 

Fur crackled with electricity.

 

Blood oozed over her lower lip, staining her chest fur.

 

Then she was dropped, curling into a shivering ball, arms clasped around her head. The others shivered at the sound of her whimpering.

 

Nagus laughed and turned away. He held out his wrist, tapping a few buttons on the COM device strapped there.

 

"Slave. Is everything ready?"

 

Robotnik's meek voice came crackling after a moment's hesitation. "Yes, master. Your supplies have already been transported to the new location. And I have hovercraft and robots ready to escort you..." He cleared his throat. "Discreetly."

 

"Good."

 

Nagus cut off the link abruptly and turned back to his captives. They flinched as their bodies were trapped in a leash spell.

 

Even the female was forced to her feet, standing unsteadily with her head lolling.

 

If one looked closely they could see a thin shimmering line in the air, leading from Nagus to the Mobians. Nagus turned sharply and moved towards the exit, and the line pulled. Reluctant, but unable to stop it, the others followed the wizard out onto the dirty streets.

 

**

 

Dirty.

 

This place smelled of it. Well, not dirt per say. But earth. That rich wet smell of decaying leaves, mingled with sweet and dried stuff, like pollen and bark and moss.

 

Snively was making better progress now, because the sun was higher in the sky, filtering through the leaves. His feet crunched upon the leaves in a steady rhythm, and around him, small birds chirped and flitted in the trees.

 

His voice rang out along with them. "Now...where to go..." He checked his compass. Still on the right track. He had to head north, going through the forest, through the dark swamp that lay beyond and all the way to the edge of the Great Unknown; that vast barren desert where the Void had first reappeared.

 

In the side of a cliff, Robotnik had built a small fortress there. They had stayed for a week, studying the Void's activities and looking for magical items, which was a hobby of Uncle's. Always looking for more power.

 

There he would go and stay, for now.

 

He grimaced, putting a hand to his stomach. It growled, demanding food. But he had none. He sighed, trying to put it from his mind, but it was such an empty ache.

 

"And it might take days to get there..."

 

Not might. Would. Especially when traversing areas like the swamp. He shuddered to think of the deep pools of water, the green slime, the slippery rocks. Surely nothing would be fit to eat there.

 

A few feet ahead of him, a squirrel ran across the path. It sat on its haunches, fixing beady eyes on him.

 

He stared back, scowling as it made chattering noises at him. Without thinking he raised his arm towards it, the arm with the pilfered crossbow.

 

The squirrel bolted.

 

He lowered his arm and sighed. "Gross. But I may have to resort to that..." He tried to remember if they'd kept any rations in the fortress.

 

His stomach growled again, loud.

 

"For your sake...I hope we did..." He patted his belly and continued walking.

 

After ten minutes, the ground became littered with rocks. Even more annoying than continuously tripping, were the hills that sprouted from nowhere.

 

He grumbled as he struggled up, using trees and protruding roots to slowly drag himself forward. His feet seemed to conveniently fall upon small pebbles or slippery leaves, and he fell several times before reaching the top.

 

"Now I know why I always hated the woods..." he panted, glaring at the trees. They should've torched them, he and Robotnik. They should've burnt this place down.

 

His ears caught a sound...well it had been there all along, but just now did they notice it was the gurgling sound of water. He swallowed, realizing that he was very thirsty indeed, and at the bottom of this wretched hill was a small stream.

 

He stumbled down hastily. His foot slipped into the hole of some animal and with a cry, he fell forward. There was nothing to grab! He went tumbling down the slope, until he lay sprawled on the streambed. He moaned and tried to stand, but only succeeded in getting a few feet farther, before falling again. It was soft under his knees; thick with plush green moss. Small bugs with long legs paddled the water, but he ignored them, cupping the cold liquid in his hands and drinking greedily.

 

"Ahhhh..." He breathed. The water seemed to wipe away some of the tiredness from his body. He leaned back against a small tree. His leg drawn up to his chest, he peeled back his sock to check his ankle.

 

There was skin scrapped away and blood staining the white fabric. He washed it away and pressed his hand to the stinging wound.

 

"It's nothing..." He snorted. But it would probably hurt to walk.

 

But it most certainly wasn't going to stop him.

 

**

 

They weren't going to stop.

 

Sally was staring straight ahead, eyes shocked but her mouth still set in that grim line. 

 

"I don't care if she did it!"

 

"I don't care either, Dulce, but she's in mondo trouble! But she couldn't have done it!"

 

"Who cares if she did? Needlenose is a wimp! He can't do anything to us!"

 

Sonic laughed. "True, true."

 

"They won't hang her will..."

 

"Stop talking about it!" Sally said loudly. Her eyes snapped back into focus, resting on the group as they stared back at her.

 

"But Sally, we're worried..."

 

"I know. I am too..." Sally's gaze shifted to the looming spires in the distance. They were the only part of the city visible from here. Thick morning fog and the perpetual smog lay thick as blankets.

 

"But look there..."

 

Her finger aimed at the highest spire, the immense antennae that crowned the top of the Death Egg, reaching up to pierce through the crowds. She imagined she would be able to see the whole planet from up there.

 

"That's where we got to focus our attention."

 

"But what if they hang Bunnie...?" Dulcy put a hand to her face.

 

"They won't do that, Dulcy, don't be silly." Sally frowned at that spire. From that building Snively had come, bringing the filth of the city with him. Somehow he'd dirtied Bunnie's mind too...

 

Sonic shook his head. "No way, Dulce!"

 

"Look, she's not going to get in trouble. For whatever reason she let-"

 

"No way did she do it, Sal!"

 

"I don't know..." Dulcy looked rather uncertain.

 

Uncle Chuck had been walking ahead silently, but he turned. "Bunnie has strong compassion, Sonny-boy. I don't know if she could let him die."

 

Dulcy nodded vigorously. "Yeah, she and Snively were friends!"

 

Sonic looked unconvinced.

 

"They were," the dragon insisted. "Whenever I saw them, Snively was always nice to her."

 

Sonic recalled words of Geoffrey's. Words he'd laughed at. That Snively had the 'hots' for Bunnie. The idea of the skinny pale Overlander lusting for Bunnie was so ludicrous in his mind. But now...

 

Further evidence came with Uncle Chuck's words. "When Bunnie got shot on the last mission, Snively was really worried about her. I saw the look on his face. He was *really* worried."

 

"Hmmmm..."

 

They were nearly across the wasteland now, getting to an area of large rocks, their surfaces black with grime, and piles of scrap metal and other garbage.

 

"Maybe they were more than friends."

 

Sally laughed dryly. "I don't think so, Sonic Hedgehog! Bunnie wouldn't give up Antoine!"

 

"HAHAHA!" The hedgehog feigned bending over in laughter. "Don't ask me why...the dork!"

 

"It was a one-sided romance, I'm sure." Uncle Chuck took a position behind one of the rocks, his robotic eyes scanning the city before them. They could see better now. The area before them was deserted.

 

"I wonder where they all are?" Sonic mused. The lack of guards was no concern to him, but Sally frowning, and biting her lip, thought differently.

 

"I don't like this..."

 

"I think maybe Robotnik has tightened security on the inner factories." Chuck said, his voice holding a rare note of uncertainty.

 

"But you'd think he'd have a few out here...at least..." Sonic peered out.

 

"Blast!" Chuck looked upset. "I should've stayed here..."

 

"Cool it, Unc, it's not your fault! Besides...nothing Robotnik can throw can hurt me! He's tried everything, and I'm still here."

 

"But Robotnik's not in charge..." Dulcy said. Sonic shot her an annoyed look.

 

"So I can still-"

 

"C'mon," said Chuck. "My bug is still in place in the lab. We'll go my hideout first and check it. See if Nagus leaked any vital information." 

 

"Let's hope that ole wizard spilled the beans."

 

"I think he's short a few beans."

 

Dulcy and Sonic laughed. Sally shook her head.

 

They crept out, darting behind rock and trash pile until they were walking the dark streets amidst the factories.

 

Finally, they came across guards, which were avoided by quiet stealth. They crept their way to a large pile of scrap near one of the abandoned buildings. It was piled against the wall and rust had spilled out onto the wall's surface in random patterns, like flat brown vines.

 

Chuck's hand pushed on a certain piece of scrap, his other hand pulled a pipe a few seconds later and the door to his hideout swung open.

 

They entered the pile.

 

"Ok..." Chuck sat down in his wheeled chair, moving it with his feet till he sat before a recording device. It picked up the signal from his bug, and recorded it. He put on a headset and rewound the tape a ways. For a moment he was silent listening.

 

Then he unplugged the headphones to let the recording be heard aloud. For a moment there was silence as he rewound it again.

 

Sally leaned forward onto the table.

 

"This is very recent. The bug picked this up maybe ten minutes ago..."

 

The recorder hissed...no...it was a voice.

 

"Hello, my lovelies..." 

 

Dulcy shivered.

 

"I know you are tiring of this place, so today we're moving somewhere else."

 

They listened intently for the next few moments; even Sonic was silent and still.

 

"Blast!" Chuck cried. "He didn't say where he's going!"

 

Sonic was at the door in seconds. "Well, let's go find them!"

 

"Yes," Sally said, "Before he gets inside and out of sight."

 

**

 

The smell of the bay drifted far out from the water's edge, making stomachs curl to breathe it. The stench was thick and pungent, not easily shaken from nostrils. Water once translucent and pure churned on the shores black. It hissed as it hit stones covered in brown and orange sludge. Flies swarmed over this decay.

 

Along the bayside streets they raced, coughing every now and then. The damp air seemed hard to breathe in. It was so thick...it seemed to clog their noses and mouths.

 

Sonic was grumbling as he run a few paces ahead of the others, panting. He didn't usually pant. That made him more annoyed. Sally didn't want to split up.

 

"I can find them faster by myself you know!" He coughed harshly.

 

"Sonic, no."

 

"Why not...?"

 

"Because..."

 

"Duck!" Chuck said, and they immediately dove for cover.

 

Swooping out of the clouds, a few hovercraft appeared.

 

"Good ears, Unc!"

 

His uncle ignored him, red eyes settled on the hovercraft. They were erratically spaced and seemingly unrelated in destination. But something about their formation, however loose, was a ringer. He pointed. "They're guarding something! Nagus and his prisoners, maybe."

 

"Of course," Sonic scoffed. "Cause he knows we'll bust up his little parade."

 

The airships were parallel to them, but some distance away. Sally sighed and began to stand.

 

A hovercraft swerved their way.

 

She quickly dropped to the ground, huddling next to her companions. The red and black aircraft screamed overhead.

 

But no lasers came. No voice yelling for surrender. No blinding lights. No, the hovercraft kept going, heading after the others.

 

 

"Do you think it saw us?"

 

"It must have."

 

"No...it's going..."

 

"I don't know. Seems fishy to me." Dulcy gulped. "What if it's a trap?" She shivered again. "I keep getting bad feelings."  

 

"Aw, don't worry." Sonic stood, watching the thick fog swallow up the aircraft. "It's already gonna be dangerous. Trap or no trap!" He jumped to his feet, grinning.

 

"Follow those hover-heads!"

 

**

 

Well, there they were. He'd known...oh, how he'd known they'd be there.

 

As tempting as it was, Robotnik had refrained from peppering the Freedom Fighter group with laser fire.

 

He had targeted them, put his finger on the trigger. And decided against it, leaning back in the hovercraft seat.

 

He'd almost laughed as he crept a fair distance behind the hovercraft before him. It had been too easy. Instead of trying to sneak out of the command center in robot guise, or crawl through air ducts...he'd stuck to his final plan. The Ocum's Razor. And it'd worked! He'd simply asked Nagus if he could monitor the convoy from the street.

 

"Whatever way is the most effective, slave." The wizard had barely glanced at him, too immersed in whatever 'grandiose' ideas that graced his thoughts this time.

 

Too easy. Robotnik shook his head. "I should be glad the old fool is losing his mind. The less attention he pays to me, the better..." He checked his rearview camera. The mangy furballs were left far behind, but they would waste no time getting to Nagus and his convoy of poor poor furry victims.

 

"Come my enemies..." He smiled bitterly. "Enemies of my enemy, does that make you my friends? Unknowing allies, perhaps."

 

No, they weren't even that much. He wouldn't give them that much honor. He spat, glaring at the streets below. How he hated their furred hides and dirty paws and their eyes flashing intelligence. They shouldn't have it. The animals. It should be limited to his race alone.

 

'And not even all of us deserve it, either.'

 

Oh well...not everything could be perfect.

 

**

 

Nagus smiled as he and his entourage moved down the street. They were going at a steady pace, tramping over the damp streets. It must have rained while he was getting his furry

friends ready for the trek across town.

 

Occasionally he caught the red glint of a SWATbot's visor. They were flanking his group on both sides, but a fair distance away from the prisoners.

 

He knew the SWATbots would only better alert the Freedom Fighters to his location. But so far, there was no sight of fur other than his group...who were slowing. The tug of the leash was like a hand gripped onto his mind, tugging insistently.

 

"Come along," he commanded. "You are moving much too slowly for my liking!"

 

"No..."

 

Nagus snarled.

 

"No, please..."

 

Her voice cut through the air. It was like an icepick to his brain.

 

"Please let us go..."

 

He whirled around, his teeth bared and claw glowing. "Insolent wench! If I hear another word from you, it will be your last!"

 

Her eyes went wide and her knees buckled, sending her to the ground. Her mouth opened and the group cringed. The male fox grabbed her shoulder, digging his claws in. Nagus glared at her for a harrowing moment and each member of that group felt their hearts stop, their bodies quivering and wet with perspiration.

 

The wizard turned away. His silver trimmed cape flared around like water, with a grace the wizard lacked, catching a rare ray of sun.

 

This ray reflected off the silver, piercing their eyes. Maybe it was just a trick of magic then. When the male fox glanced upwards, he could not see the sun...

 

When that bright light hit her eyes the female threw an arm up.

 

And cried out.

 

****

 

"Where *are* they?" Sally skirted across the dark road, fast and keeping to the darkness. They had run across a few SWATs here and there, but security did not seem up to par today.

 

'Like he's letting us in...' Sally could still remember her first encounter with Nagus in the Void; his gaping smile, the decay in his eyes. Even through a pretense of good, she could see the corruption beneath.

 

'How could I believe he was my father?'

 

Her group was quiet behind her as they followed her lead through the city. Overhead the smog clouds blew in a sudden breeze.

 

"The hover-heads were going this way."

 

A narrow road lay ahead of them, coursing through Robotropolis north.

 

Sonic revved up, but Sally leapt and grabbed his arm.

 

'He looked just like my father. Sounded just like him.'

 

"No Sonic...we're staying together."

 

Something in her voice made him slow and come to a standstill. They kept walking.

 

"Sal, don't be scared."

 

She glanced over, startled. "I'm not. I'm just worried."

 

Dulcy laughed. "Well, I'm not scared!" She put on a fierce face. "That old wizard can't beat-" Her eyes went wide and the pupils dilated. The large reptile froze in place.

 

The smog clouds parted for a brief moment, letting the sky show, and a shaft of light fell upon them. Nobody noticed.

 

"Dulcy!" Sally grabbed her hand. "What's wrong?"

 

"He's...casting something..." The dragon shivered and looked at the ground. Her feet shuffled, moving her backwards quickly, as if she'd nearly trod upon something dangerous. "We're definitely going the right way. I can *feel* him..." 

 

"Let's hurry."

 

The dragon shook her head, dashing away the strange feeling. It was like prickles of energy on her skin, like the feeling of static electricity lifting hair. She could feel his effects...his aura in the air, crackling. The others seemed so oblivious to it...

 

Sally could still see Nagus in her father's guise. He seemed so kindly...

 

'He let us in to use us.'

 

***

 

"That was a fatal slip, wench."

 

"No, Nagus...master, please forgive me!" She wailed, stretching her hands out pleading.

 

The wizard did not answer; the crab claw held before his face, shimmering a vile green. A tendril of green light crept from the claw to the woman's neck, and there it wrapped and coiled like a snake.

 

And became a snake.

 

She screamed, her hands flying to grab the serpent, trying to tug it off. It only coiled tighter, swaying out to hiss before her crying mouth.

 

The others stepped back, too afraid to touch her.

 

"NO MASTER PLEASE...GET IT OFF!" She tugged and tugged, her eyes locked on the slitted yellow pupils. A forked tongue flicked out, touching her lips.

 

"Quiet your tongue, wench!" The wizard commanded. The claw glowed brighter.

 

The snake hissed, and just as she opened her mouth to cry out again, it dove forward, cutting off her scream. Her cries muffled, eyes wide and bulging...her chest heaved to vomit. The snake uncoiled, thrusting more of its body down her throat.

 

Tears spilled over her cheeks. One of the prisoners turned away and began to sob.

 

The green coils were nearly gone now. Only the emerald tip of that tail showed, flickering back and forth from the corner of her mouth.

 

"Now silence." Nagus closed his eyes.

 

The tail spread across her lips, sealing them. And as the claw waved one last time, the tail and her lips became one, fused together as if melted.

 

She fell to her back, eyes wide and vacant. From her welded mouth no sound came.

 

"Now," snarled the wizard, "Stand and follow me. We're almost there."

 

**

 

"Hurry...hurry..."

 

Feet ran. Breath panted.

 

"There he is!"

 

 

Nagus stopped, only a mere twenty feet from his new lab. He was so close. Slowly he turned.

 

Not close enough. Too far away.

 

"I see Robotnik failed at this task as well."

 

His prisoners turned with him. Their eyes registered only dull surprise at the sight of four Mobians...a hedgehog, a squirrel, a workerbot and a dragon.

 

"You better let them go, Nagus!" The dragon yelled.

 

Nagus's hand moved to his wrist communicator. "Slave! Your escort has failed, much as I expected! Now take care of these beasts!"

 

He expected the SWATs to burst out at any minute, the hovercraft to arrive and shoot the rebels to pieces.

 

Meanwhile, his eyes darted back to the Mobians.

 

"You heard her, let 'em go!" The blue hedgehog ran forward, his fists clenched. "Or I'm gonna mess yer ugly face up even more!"

 

Sally bent and took NICOLE from her boot. "NICOLE: Ready laser!" She aimed it at the wizard, and a red dot appeared on his forehead.

 

Dulcy circled around from one side, steam puffing from her nostrils.

 

Chuck took the other side, his hard robotic hands curled, his body ready to tackle.

 

"Silly fools!" The wizard scoffed. He moved in front of his captives. "Resorting to stealing? They are my property."

 

"People aren't property." Sally took a few steps forward, her eyes dark, flashing menace. The small computer did not look like much a weapon, but NICOLE's laser could certainly do damage. "I suggest you hand them over."

 

Dulcy's chest puffed out. Chuck moved closer. Sonic's legs bent and he hunched over, preparing to curl into a spindash.

 

"Slave, attack now." The wizard growled into the communicator. His head swiveled, trying to keep the rebels in his sights, watching the sky for his guards.

 

They weren't coming...

 

Dulcy's mouth opened, her chest swelled, and nostrils smoking. Sonic's body hurtled forward in a cobalt blur...

 

**

 

The city blurred underneath him as the hovercraft reached its maximum speed. He watched the Death Egg go by; his eyes caressing its smooth sides.

 

'Someday I will command you again.'

 

He watched the spires below him, his heart swelling with something like...sadness.

 

This was his home, after all. And he was leaving it.

 

He heard Nagus growling over the COM Link and ignored him. Until finally, he was over the barren land at the outskirts of the city. SWATbot sentries looked up to watch him.

 

Only when Robotnik saw the first stunted tree on the edge of the forest, did he give the command to attack.

 

**

 

The claw glowed and Nagus lowered his head, his beard swaying in a phantom wind. He concentrated. This would be exerting, and he hadn't wanted exertion.

 

Then concentration was broken by the sound of laser fire and robots intoning "Priority One: Hedgehog."

 

He snapped his head up, eyes glowing enraged.

 

The SWATbots swarmed over the group. Sonic turned abruptly back; his deadly spindash sawing two in half. Dulcy turned her head to exhale, incinerating three more in her fiery breath.

 

Sally leapt in the air and kicked another down. Chuck was there to rip away the head and toss it, still trilling warnings, away into the street.

 

"Slave. Too late. Cease the attack. I have my own plans now..."

 

There was no answer.

 

SWATbots poured from the side streets, converging on the freedom fighters. Overhead, hovercraft circled like vultures over carrion, each picking a separate rebel in its laser sights... poised to kill.

 

"Slave, cease the attack!"

 

The wizard's voice was barely heard over the ruckus of the rebels and robots fighting. He growled, raising the claw high.

 

"ENOUGH!"

 

"WHOA!" Sonic jumped back as the SWATbot in front of him glowed a deep red, then exploded.

 

The entire troop of bots were suddenly flung high in the air, as if tossed by a hurricane wind. Breeze whipped back Sally's hair. She put her arms up as a shield, bracing herself against the wind.

 

"What's going-"

 

Their eyes were drawn to the bots. They were hovering in the air, like they had been glued there. Even now, they kept up the barrage of warnings, trying to maneuver their laser-equipped arms at the freedom fighters. Deep red enveloped them; they glowed brightly for a split second before exploding.

 

Nagus yelled something incoherent, the claw waving, glowing the same blood red. SWAT pieces rained down around them as the freedom fighters stared at Nagus, shocked.

 

Then the hovercraft were destroyed, lighting the sky in their dying brilliance. They slammed down; some crashing into buildings and sticking there, smoking. Others hit the ground in a terrific explosion, sending shrapnel flying and setting the ground afire.

 

"What is he doing?!" Sally covered her head, cringing as the thigh of a SWATbot hit the ground beside her. Gravel flew up to strike her leg, cutting through the fur.

 

"Watch out!"

 

Sally looked up. A falling piece of SWATbot. Big. A torso, maybe. It was coming at her... so fast, it was going to kill her. All she could do was close her eyes.

 

And she was swept away. Strong arms locked around her and she heard breathing against her cheek. Then she was standing again, staring at Sonic with her breath still hanging in the air where the robot part lay smashed and sparking.

 

"Thanks Sonic..." Her legs felt shaky.

 

"No prob." His green eyes stared shrewdly at the wizard. Nagus had his head tilted up, the claw still glowing, but only faintly now. His cape was blowing, but the breeze seemed to be waning.

 

"C'mon let's grab those people while he's playing around!"

 

"Yes!"

 

They darted forward, hands reaching to grab. The prisoners gazed at them blankly, mouths closed, huddled together. They did not cheer or react when their fellow Mobians were a mere few feet away, nor did they blink when Nagus snapped his head back down and glared.

 

"STOP!"

 

They halted.

 

"Let them go, Nagus!"

 

"C'mon," Dulcy said to the male fox, "Let's go. We're going to get you away from him."

 

The fox was quiet, then whispered. "We can't. He'll kill us."

 

"No, he won't! We won't let him!"

 

Nagus snarled, watching as Dulcy's hand reached out towards the fox's.

 

"STOP NOW, DRAGON!"

 

"Why should I?"

 

Nagus's hands came together. Hand clasping claw. He lowered his head. The breeze came back, blowing his cape around him.

 

"What's he doin'?"

 

"Sally..."

 

Tendrils of black snaked from the claw, wrapping around Nagus's body, clutching around the horn atop his head. Around his feet it spread like a pool of blood, dark and shiny, reflecting the poison clouds and smoke floating above.

 

Dulcy gasped and took a step back as it flowed inches from her clawed feet, seeping under the prisoner's feet. The fox made a whimpering sound, his hands clutching to his chest; the others did similar motions. The female was silent still, only her eyes screaming terrified.

 

"What's he-"

 

"He's casting something!" Dulcy took another step back, her nostrils flaring. "He's casting something...it's terrible!"

 

Sonic growled and moved forward. "Who cares, let's get these people out of here!"

 

"No!" Dulcy grabbed his arm tight, pulling him back. "Don't touch them!"

 

"Let go!"

 

"I don't know what it is...it's bad...Sonic..."

 

"I don't care!" Sonic wrenched free of Dulcy's grip.

 

Nagus laughed, a rolling dark sound, his gaze piercing through them. He moved in front of the prisoners, rust colored eyes gone onyx black. The arms stretched out, the claw oozing blackness.

 

"You can't have them, hedgehog, even if you take them."

 

**

Dulcy closed her eyes.

 

This was just a bad feeling.

 

She got those sometimes.

 

But she couldn't shake the feel of the air. The *aura* it emitted. It felt like death, somehow... or more like life on the edge of death, the last shard of light before the dark oblivion.

 

"Watch me!" Sonic responded, drawn by the wizard's taunt, or threat. Or whatever. Sonic could never resist a challenge.

 

In a blur of blue, Sonic rushed towards the nearest prisoner, a male rabbit.

 

"No!" Dulcy yelled.

 

The rabbit took a step back.

 

Too late. Sonic, smirking, had a hold now, grabbing the rabbit's arm. He thought it would be easy to pull away this man.

 

But something went wrong. Something *was* wrong. He tried to run, but something held him back.

 

His eyes shot to the man's hands; they held onto nothing.

 

"What the-?" The young hedgehog was baffled, but he didn't stop to ponder.

 

He revved up.

 

The man thrashed.

 

Dulcy cried, "NO! No Sonic! Let him go let-"

 

The wizard braced his feet apart, cackling, eyes gone onyx.

 

And Sonic pulled pulled pullllled away, breaking this invisible rope...barrier?...with a great burst of speed.

 

The wizard let out a loud grunt of effort, like he'd been punched. He shrank in on himself, and the black flowed like snot out his nostrils, smearing his teeth.

 

"NO SONIC!"

 

Dulcy was drowned out. Not by wizardly cackling. The man in Sonic's arms began to wail, his body jerking in horrid convulsions. The hedgehog held on, and then dropped him in repulsion and shock, staring down. Flopping like a fish, the man's eyes went dim. Mouth gaped. His last cry came gurgling through bubbles of black foaming from his mouth. It stained his fur, spread around like blood.

 

There was total silence.

 

Finally Sonic was jolted aside; Sally knelt down, feverously grabbing the man's wrist.

 

"He's...he's dead..." She sputtered.

 

A panting laugh rang through the air. "Y-y-yesss!" wheezed Nagus. "And you, hedgehog, you are the cause of his extinction!"

 

"What have you done, Nagus?!" Chuck shouted.

 

The wizard's breathing was labored, but he managed another mocking laugh. "I needed no restraints to bring my friends through the city, you see, they were bound to me by magic."

 

No one said a word. They stared at the body.

 

Nagus's words meant nothing to Sonic. He noticed black on his gloves. He shuddered and stripped them off. He threw them on the ground.

 

"I knew you would try to retrieve them, hedgehog." The wizard grinned. "So I bound more than their movement to this magical leash. I bound their lives." His crab claw aimed at the man. "When you broke the leash, you broke *him*!"

 

Sonic withdrew from the body, his eyes wide and lip trembling.

 

"NO!" Dulcy stepped forward, wings spread out. "*You* killed him, not Sonic!"

 

"You are a monster, Nagus..." Sally took Sonic's hand in her own.

 

"That I am."

 

"Why are you doing this?! What have they done to you?"

 

The wizard sighed. Tears had clouded her eyes. "You take it so personally, Princess. It's nothing personal."

 

The dragoness growled and stepped closer to him. "If it has to do with our friends it is!"

 

Chuckling, Nagus shook his head. His eyes had regained their normal rusty hue and the black liquid had vanished. Sally fancied it had seeped in with the rest of the poison in this tainted ground.

 

"You don't even know them. Friends indeed."

 

"So what..." Dulcy began, but Nagus continued.

 

"If you were not at war, you wouldn't even care for these people. You'd care nothing about knowing them. So why should you now?"

 

Sally frowned, gripping Sonic's hand tighter. "You're wrong, Nagus. I...we'd...always care."

 

Nagus's shark teeth glinted. "Oh fine then, Princess, you care. You care to recruit them. They're only to use as tools against me. You don't care to know *them*."

 

"You're so full of it, Nagus!" Sonic finally tore his eyes away from the man, snarling. He broke free from Sally's grip. "You don't know anything about us!"

 

Nagus ignored him, his gaze focused squarely on the princess. She fidgeted uncomfortably; meeting his eyes made her vision burn. "It's your duty to 'care', Princess. To keep up your regal image...yes, your father was the same way."

 

Her eyes burned in a different way now. Fierce and bright. Her mouth opened to scream words that reflected her eyes, words of anger and defense.

 

"But is it in your heart, Princess?"

 

To her it seemed his voice had taken on a rich undertone, something warm and giving, something so familiar it made her knees shake. She took a step back, closing her eyes hard.

 

'Is it in my heart? To care...? Of course!'

 

She thought he was Daddy in the Void. She thought Nagus was Daddy. How could she? How could she be led so easily by a lie? Was her heart that weak...that she couldn't see reality, that she only saw what she wanted to see?

 

Did she see people here she wanted to know, or people she wanted to use...?

 

'He let us in to use us.'

 

He was using Daddy's voice and the others couldn't hear it. Only she could.

 

He was using it to turn her. To hurt her.

 

She had believed it because she believed in hope. She had believed that Nagus was Daddy because she believed in life.

 

Her feet moved again, but this time she went forward. "You're right, Nagus. Maybe I don't care to know them."

 

Sonic looked over at her, startled.

 

"But I care that they live. That they have a chance. That they aren't *used*." She took a deep breath. "It's the least they deserve. It's what everyone deserves..."

 

The wizard drew in a snarling breath. His arms crossed over his chest and he seemed to draw in on himself again. The air around him shimmered like heat waves. "Touching, Princess, but life...and death are overrated. They don't matter. *Power* is what matters."

 

"What's he doin' this time, Dulcy?" Chuck had sidled closer to the dragon.

 

"I don't know..." The dragon squinted her eyes, but it did little good to discern what Nagus was up to this time. She could feel the magic alright; thick and dark, humming through the ground sinister. This was hurtful sorcery. "It's...it's some kind of attack spell."

 

Sally gasped as the pieces of broken SWAT and hovercraft around them glowed red again. Lifting off the ground, hovering a few feet above.

 

"Maybe we should..."

 

A piece of SWAT suddenly shot fast towards Sally. She sprang out of the way. Another piece nearly took her head off.

 

The shattered pieces danced in the air, arms and legs and broken windshield shards.

 

Chuck was bowled over by a sharp piece of glass. It stuck in the elbow of his arm, sending off sparks.

 

The wizard's raspy laugh rang out. "Don't you agree?! Had you power, you could avoid death, you could hold life! You could bring life, cause death, you could die and still exist!"

 

"Cut the chat, Nagus, why don't you fight us without your tricks!" Sonic growled and was suddenly barreling towards the wizard in a spindash.

 

A piece of hovercraft; a side panel of armor or a broken piece of door, came between Nagus and Sonic. The blur of blue slammed into it, hard, and then stumbled backwards.

 

Sonic collapsed to the ground, stunned. His blurred eyes took in his gloves, shining pure white, inches from his nose. He felt cold hands grab him under the arms, pulling him up.

 

"There, there, Sonny-boy, you alright?"

 

Head down, the hedgehog glared at the wizard. And then he was on the ground again, with his uncle on top, shielding him. A SWATbot torso had swooped down, slamming Chuck hard in the back. Sonic felt the impact, grinding him into the ground; his uncle made no sound voluntarily, but Sonic could hear the crackling of sparks.

 

"Unc?!"

 

"I'm ok, Sonic!" The robotic one pulled his nephew to his feet. Sally and Dulcy were flattened to the ground. Pieces of wreckage whipped through the air like gunfire, and in the middle of it all, Nagus cackled dark laughter, his terrified prisoners huddled close around him.

 

Sally rolled out of the way as a SWAT leg embedded itself into the ground where she'd been. She shivered. "We...We have to retreat!"

 

Dulcy nodded vigorously. "Yeah!"

 

Sonic made a face; then rolled to avoid similar impalement.

 

'Is it in my heart to care?'

 

Sally's eyes took in her group running ahead of her. They were running away from Nagus in defeat; they were leaving those people behind to be tortured.

They were leaving behind a dead man, and she knew Sonic thought this was his fault.

 

'Is it just my duty?'

 

It couldn't be.

 

She couldn't focus on the pain in her fatigued legs, the gasping of her breath and her laboring lungs.

 

The pain in her heart hurt too much.

 

**

 

'Run run run!!'

 

His ankle hurt.

 

'Why did I rest so long!? Idiot!'

 

*

 

"He's been through here."

 

Geoffrey tightened the bandage on his head. Two of his MP's, Tory and Sig, stood looking around the forest.

 

Sig's feline face was set in its usual expression. Slack-jawed and droopy-eyed. "How do you know, boss?"

 

"Look at the leaves, how they're all trampled!"

 

"So..."

 

"Yeah, really," Tory grumbled. His hand was permanently stuck to his head, cradling his injury. "It could be anyone who done that."

 

"It's HIM!" Geoffrey hissed and stomped further into the woods.

 

*

 

RUN!!

 

He couldn't explain the anxiety. Maybe it was the sticks cracking. The voices? Maybe it was just the damp dead air of the Dark Swamp. It was looming ahead on the path, he could feel the ground turning spongy underneath his aching feet. Vines draped between trees, dripping with strange moss.

 

*

 

"See?!"

 

"See what? Get your finger outta my face."

 

"Don't know where it's been."

 

"Up Sally's..."

 

"He wishes, Tory...Ha..."

 

"SHUT UP!" Geoffrey thrust his finger to the edge of Tory's nostril. "Smell that."

 

"Gross..." But the badger sniffed. "It's..."

 

Sig grinned.

 

"Blood."

 

"You hope."

 

"Oh, he's been through here, alright..." The skunk sent the wet rocks and gurgling water a beautiful smile. He glanced up the hill they'd just stumbled down, eyeing the jutting rocks. A person could get hurt running down there.

 

They could cut themselves, a leg or arm perhaps, and then sit on the moss by the stream, with their limbs spread over the flat rocks here.

 

They could leave evidence.

 

He stuck his finger into his mouth.

 

Evidence so beautifully copper-sweet...

 

*

 

'Damn this forest! Damn it, damn it, damn it, dammmmmmittt!'

 

Snively hadn't been aware of the blood loss. When he'd sat on the rock to peel back his sock, the blood had wept onto the sock and down his skin, leaving a puddle on the rock. He hadn't noticed...

 

The shoes he wore didn't handle travel as well as his boots, lying somewhere in Bunnie's hut. She'd probably throw them out.

 

'Maybe she'll keep them...to remember me.'

 

He grimaced. He'd already wrapped a piece of cloth, torn from his sleeve, around the injury. It wasn't a big deal.

 

The strange trees of the swamp were in sight. Their roots were above ground, tangled like wooden snakes. A few bugs landed on him and bit. He slapped at them, growling...they were sure to be worse deeper into that wretched place.

 

He imagined tainted water seeping into his injury, turning it black. Grimacing again, he shook his head to fling the thought away.

 

'It won't happen.'

 

It wouldn't be fair or right for him to die in this place.

 

'Shut up.' Because fate had never taken consideration for fair or right in his life. It loved to trip him up, strangle him with injustice, violate him with wrongness.

 

'Whatever happens happens. Just fight it harder. I have a new chance now. To be free...maybe.'

 

To take up this mat everyone had trodden on...to shake all their dirt off. To never let them lay their feet on him again.

 

He paused on the threshold of trees. It was a long pause. Maybe a falter. Maybe a leash of fear holding him back. He stood staring intro the streams of dangling moss and the spongy ground, the dragonflies with iridescent wings, the clusters of flowers splattered like yellow paint.

 

This was alien territory; this was a place darker than the Great Forest even, Nature's gardens, here. So far removed from his veins...he still weaned on smog and cold metal and thrumming electricity.

 

He still could not understand the pulse of nature and it frightened him to the bones.

 

And in him, gripping like a hand about his throat, was the anxiety, choking him. Behind him the ground was crackling. The cause of this crackling was feet falling upon leaves.

 

"He's gone this way."

 

A voice of familiarity.

 

'Does he ever give up?' The human knew he couldn't afford to stall anymore.

 

He took a deep breath and crossed the threshold into the swamp.

 

His feet sank into the ground. He feared he'd fall through, go sinking into some bottomless pit of mud and dank water. Liquid seeped into his shoes, wetting his socks, stinging his scrape.

 

He looked behind him. He couldn't see them, not yet.

 

'

'Let's *not* let them see me.'

 

*

 

"We're not going the right way."

 

"We are."

 

"He couldn't of gotten this far."

 

Geoffrey closed his eyes, his teeth bared. The filtered light glinted off his blunted fangs. The black nose wiggled. "This is the right way. I can smell him."

 

"What's he smell like, boss?"

 

"Shit," Tory said, and laughed.

 

"He smells like orange peels and cinnamon, from Bunnie's soap. He smells like skin...that Overlander smell. That oil from their skin...he smells like that."

 

"You're so poetic, boss."

 

The skunk's eyes opened slowly and he turned his head to look at Sig.

 

Tory snickered. "I bet he writes poems for Sally..."

 

"I think you'll be joining Ms. Bunnie in jail if you keep it up...both of you..." the skunk growled. "Or maybe a visit to Doctor Quack..."

 

Sig shut up, but Tory kept snickering. The skunk growled and strode forward. The air was getting moist, and the bugs becoming numerous. The two MPs followed their leader closer to the outskirts of the swamp.

 

Geoffrey stood stock still, looking down at the soggy ground. "Look at that."

 

"Yeah."

 

The skunk crouched down and thrust a finger into the ground. There was an impression there, sunk down and filled with brown water. These impressions continued into the swamp...footsteps. Small. And recent.

 

"Any doubts now, mates?"

 

The two MPs shook their head.

 

The skunk stared with narrowed eyes into the tangle of the swamp. "He can't have gotten far in there." He stared down at the footsteps and smiled. "At any rate, the little maggot will lead us right to him..."

 

*

 

His features seemed to be set in a permanent frown, but Snively was not having a particularly good time. His shoes were soaked through. And his pants, nearly up to the knees.

 

The ground had gotten wetter still, and the air was damp and hot. Bugs swarmed all about his head. He was nearly choking on the heady scent of moss and rotting things. Before him a large pool of water spread out, covered with floating lily pads and their large white flowers. A few frogs jumped. He wondered if there were alligators. He shivered.

 

"I hate these bugs!" a loud voice growled out, and he stiffened, turning his head slowly to look behind him. Still couldn't seem them. But they must be close.

 

He had to unlock his muscles, frozen as he was in the typical 'deer in the headlights' stance.

 

A man burst through a tangle of foliage, panting heavily. There were leaves in his hair and his pants were soaked. "EY!" He hollered and aimed a finger at Snively. "I found him! I FOUND HIM!!!"

 

He stood staring then, his arms dangling and his mouth spread in a dopey grin. From behind him, Snively could hear a great crashing of branches and cursing.

 

The small human didn't wait. He recognized that cussing voice; he couldn't fight him again. The leash of fear broken, he plunged forward into the water. It was warm and felt slimy, but he saved the shivering and disgusted looks for later.

 

The muddy ground dropped away under his feet and he was forced to swim...something he wasn't entirely good at, and he splashed rather loudly. But at least he was getting away.

 

Geoffrey broke through the foliage and shoved Sig. "What the hell, mate!? You're letting him get away!"

 

"I ain't going in there!" Sig protested.

 

"ARGH!" The skunk bodily threw the cat into the pool, and then dived in himself.

 

Sig sputtered and clambered back to shore, shaking off his paws with a sour look.

 

Tory, with a hand still on his head, came through the hole in the bushes. "Where are they?"

 

Sig pointed across the pool.

 

Tory crossed his arms. "I don't want to swim that."

 

"Me neither."

 

"Let's go around then, c'mon."

 

They began the fight through tangling plant life.

 

Snively reached the shore, dragging himself out on his hands and knees, for the time ignoring the mud smearing his attire. He stood, coughing, scared eyes peering over his shoulder. The skunk swam with sweeping powerful strokes, traversing the water at an alarming speed.

 

No time to regain breath. With his lungs protesting, he bolted into the depths of the swamp. Feet springing over moss-engulfed logs and squelching into the wet earth; he tried to picture a deer, or a rabbit, so nimble and comfortable here; he tried to make his feet act like theirs.

 

He tore through the foliage, ripped through low  hanging moss. It hung about his neck like a garland.

 

"Hold it, Hold it, mate!" Geoffrey screamed behind him...that big lug was moving fast judging from the noise he was making. "It'll hurt less if you do!"

 

"L-l-leave me alone!" Snively screeched back, then shut his mouth. Better to save his breath for-

 

-Falling.

 

He screamed obscenities aloud. WHY?! Always something there, something tripping him up. Even a stupid tree root delighted in his pain. This whole damn planet was poised against - he yelped.

 

His arm had landed on something hard. It hurt.

 

Then he drew in a breath. It was the crossbow glove. Still slid onto his hand. Still loaded.

 

He pushed himself to a crouching position and waited. Not a deer or rabbit, running scared now! Things had turned around. *He* was the hunter.

 

Geoffrey came crashing through a tangle of white berries, cursing profusely.

 

Behind his back Snively placed the crossbowed arm. His role reversal made him swell with confidence, perhaps foolishly, but he wanted to relish this moment.

 

Defeating Geoffrey would be the first step in pulling the mat of his life from under the feet of his abusers.

 

"Came to your senses, eh, Snively?" Geoffrey slowed to a walk. "But I lied, you little bitch. I AM going to hurt you."

 

"Not if I hurt you first."

 

"HA!" Geoffrey spat. "You don't have Ms. Rabbot this time!"

 

Snively's eyes widened "You...you knew it was her?"

 

"We found out, mate." The skunk smiled nastily, stepping closer. It would be wise for Snively to draw the weapon now, keep Geoff at bay. But he didn't. His muscles felt weak.

 

"She's gonna be the one swingin' now."

 

"No!"

 

"Heh. Yeah. King Acorn said it personally. No Overlander lover can live in Knothole. So she ain't gonna live at all."

 

"You're lying!" Snively could usually hold back his emotions, but lately, that carefully built dam of aloofness had grown weak, and his turmoil flowed through the cracks.

 

"Sorry mate, it ain't no lie. Now..." Geoffrey was nearly close enough to reach him. "Come along and you can join her. Let the two lovebirds die together."

 

Geoffrey was lying. He had to be. Even if he spoke truth, Snively couldn't save her. No. They'd both die then...and he'd never have a chance to make them pay.

To make them hurt.

To make them sorry they hurt him.

 

"After you, Geoffrey..." he jumped backwards, snarling, and whipped his arm around, aiming the bow.

 

"Cruiky!" Geoffrey retreated back a few steps, blue eyes wide. They looked like swamp water, Snively thought, so dark and murky.

 

"Lose something?"

 

"You wouldn't, mate." The skunk's feet sank into a puddle as he moved back another step. He grimaced.

 

"Why not?" A grin crossed Snively's face, small at first, then blooming into full sickness. "I have no remorse, remember? I'm a vicious killer, remember?" His eyes narrowed, blazing hatefully, and he hissed..."I roboticized *your* family, remember?"

 

The skunk's eyes bulged and he let out a screaming cry of fury. In a flash of black and white he lunged. Snively was knocked off balance by a swinging fist. But he wouldn't give in now. He fell against a tree, then arced his arm around and let the bolt fly. Geoffrey was taken down, screaming.

 

He collapsed onto his back, clutching at his leg. Below the knee the bolt had struck, shattering bone and sticking there amidst the torrent of blood.

 

Snively stood over him, aiming the bow down.

 

Geoffrey stared up at him, gasping, eyes wide and wild. "Do it then, Snively...kill me like you killed them!"

 

The small human gazed down. Heavy lids unblinking. There was nothing in his eyes. They might've been blue stones, cold in a frozen riverbed. He tightened his hand around the trigger on the underside of the bow.

 

Geoffrey stared back up, his breath coming in jagged with groans of pain. His eyes, those swampwater eyes...

 

'Kill him...'

 

He was less than centimeters away from killing the skunk. Just a little more pressure...

 

Geoffrey's eyes.

 

'He's a filthy Mobian...'

 

Geoffrey's eyes...it had to be from the pain, Snively thought, or guessed...

 

'Do it.'

 

'Could Bunnie forgive you?'

 

Those swampwater eyes had tears in them.

 

'Don't do it...'

 

The human dropped to one knee on the wet ground. It squelched under his pants. He leaned over; two small hands cradled the Mobian's face. He spoke low. "I didn't know your family, Geoffrey. If I hurt them, it wasn't to hurt you."

 

The skunk's voice was void of his usual bravado or mocking cruelness, or condescending hatred. "Why did you *do* it, Snively? Help him?"

 

Why did he help Robotnik? He could say so many things. In so many ways. But his answer was so simple, suddenly. "Because I needed something." He drew his hands away, clutched them to his chest. "And I still haven't gotten it."

 

Let Geoffrey mull it over. Because he would live. His MPs were coming closer; Snively could hear them yelling.

 

He put his hand on Geoffrey's knee, dangerously close to the wound. The skunk winced. "Bunnie...tell me the truth..."

 

Geoffrey flopped his head back onto the ground, his breath heavy. "They..." his voice sounded slightly slurred. "They won't hurt her, you stupid fool..."

 

Snively stood. "Are you going to tell me to run?"

 

Geoffrey closed his eyes. A painful laugh came from his lips. "Hell no. When I catch you again, Snively, I'll get what *I* need. Your life."

 

Snively shrugged, then smiled. "I guess this is goodbye then, St. John."

 

And he turned and loped off into the swamp; quick as a deer, quiet as a rabbit...

 

**

Sonic hoped there wouldn't be a crowd gathered awaiting their return. He couldn't raise his head. He wouldn't be able to meet their eyes.

 

Much to his relief, everyone was going about their normal tasks and paid no heed to the fighters as they stopped by the campfire pit and plopped onto the logs there.

 

Dulcy mumbled something about finding Tails, and left. Uncle Chuck put his arm around Sonic's shoulder and gave him a little shake.

 

"Sonny-boy, I know some of what you're feeling inside. You have to remember it wasn't your fault."

 

"I know..." said Sonic, but his tone convinced no one.

 

"Sonic..." said Sally, but then her voice trailed off and she stared at the trampled ash in the pit. "How are we going to...fight him...?" Her voice was nearly a whisper and she drew her knees closer together, her arms hugging herself, her head bowed and hair falling over her face.

 

Sonic shoved away his own self-pity and fell into his usual role; hero, protector. He rose and took steps towards her log, but before he could seat himself, there was the sound of people in commotion.

 

"Is he alright?"

 

"Out of the way!!" Tory's loud voice boomed as he and Sig strode side by side. Between them they carried Geoffrey. He was lying limp in their arms.

 

Sally gasped and ran towards them. Sonic and Charles followed.

 

"Wh-What happened?"

 

Geoffrey's eyes were closed. One arm lay draped over his body, the other dangled. And his leg, oh, his leg...Sally had to look away. Blood matted the fur and sticking out like an oversized dart was the bolt, lodged right below the right knee.

 

The two MPs did not answer, sweeping past her and into the infirmary.

 

Sally took a few steps after them, before faltering, legs trembling. Then they gave in and she sank down to her knees, legs sprawled out behind her. Her head fell into her hands and she sobbed.

 

Sonic dropped down beside her. "Sally, it's alright! He'll be ok!"

 

Sally looked up, weeping. "How do you know he'll be ok, Sonic? How do you know *anything* will be ok?!"

 

He stood with arms hanging helplessly. Chuck was deathly quiet. "I...I don't really know, Sally."

 

"Nothing will be..." and she trailed off and flopped her head back into her hands. Sonic stood awkwardly, then turned his eye towards King Acorn, who was striding rapidly their way.

 

He and a few villagers reached them and halted. "What's going on? What happened, Sally? Is she alright?"

 

Sally stood abruptly, brushing her hand roughly over her eyes. "We didn't save them..."

 

Tory came up to the group, addressing the princess. "The Doc says he'll be fine. He'll hafta use crutches for a while." He looked at King Acorn, cringing slightly. "Uh...Max, don't know if you know already, but we didn't catch Snively."

 

The king frowned and drew his daughter to him in a hug. "I figured as much."

 

"We saw him. But he got Geoff's crossbow somehow and shot him. Little bastard."

 

King Acorn's frown deepened. "Is St. John seriously hurt?"

 

"I was just telling Sally he'll be fine." Tory did an awkward bow, almost falling over. Nobody laughed. "Uh...don't be worried, Max, we're gonna get back out there and look for him again."

 

Sally snuggled her head against her father's chest, her eyes still lowered. She looked suddenly frail. "He's not important..."

 

"Sure he is, Princess, Snively's a danger... but..." Tory shrugged. "He ain't gonna survive out there. He ain't got no skills. The way we found 'im was some blood he left behind...so he's hurt somehow."

 

He didn't mention that Snively hadn't looked injured in the slightest; that it was probably a minor scrap that had left the smear of blood on the rock by the streambed. They didn't need to know the details, especially King Acorn with his piercing eyes.

 

"You may start another search party, Tory, but concern me no more with it. I have to update myself with the situation in Robotropolis."

 

"Yes Sir Max." Tory hurried away into the village.

 

King Acorn released his embrace on Sally and stepped away. "So what did happen in the city, Sally? You're very upset."

 

"It's Nagus...he..." and then Sally turned away rapidly, her hand going to her face. "I...I'll tell you later, daddy...I'll tell everyone...a meeting..."

 

And she too was hurrying away, heading in the direction of her hut.

 

King Acorn sighed and looked at Sonic and his uncle. "I don't suppose I could get the story from either of you?"

 

"Nagus beat us... he has magic we didn't know about, man! Really bad stuff, too..." The hedgehog's voice trailed off and his green eyes lowered. "It just really freaked us out, Sir Max, ya know?"

 

The King nodded solemnly. "I suppose we'll know the details at the next meeting... for now just rest...we'll think of something to stop him..."

 

Sonic nodded.

 

Uncle Chuck raised a finger. "If I may inquire, I'm a bit curious to know what happened to Bunnie?"

 

"She helped Snively escape....she's in a holding cell at the moment." 

 

"That's mondo uncool!"

 

"What she did is also uncool, young Hedgehog."

 

Chuck blinked. "Yes...I heard that she helped Snively, but she's *still* in jail?"

 

"She'll remain there until trial. That's what the law dictates."

 

"It's not like she's dangerous," Sonic protested.

 

"She aided a man guilty of treason; that normally would be a most serious crime. But I will be lenient, as I'm sure we all will, with her, but she still must be punished."

 

Sonic looked like he would disagree, but for once he kept his opinions silent. His uncle however, did not. "She's not a criminal. She's just a young girl with mercy in her heart. She wasn't trying to hurt anybody."

 

The king sighed. "I've no doubt her intentions were good, but when it comes to that *scum* I just can't turn my eye. He *is* dangerous. And she assisted him."

 

They all were silent for a minute.

 

"Can we see her?" Sonic asked finally.

 

The king nodded slightly then strode towards the jail. They followed.

 

 

Inside, it was cold and slightly damp. Sonic scowled. He rarely went in here. No wonder.

 

Bunnie had either demanded comfort or it had been given to her. Sonic wondered which it was. It pained him to think someone could throw her in jail and treat her like a common criminal. Maybe Snively deserved to be imprisoned in this dank dark stone cave, but surely she did not.

 

She had a thick comforter in place of the thin ratty blanket, and a large ceramic pitcher of water, along with a glass. There was even a rug on the floor. She was sitting on the cot reading a book, but looked up as they approached.

 

"Hey Bunnie, you alright?"

 

She nodded from the bed. "As alraight as Ah can be in here, sugah-hog!"

She slid off the cot and stepped towards the bars. "Ah know all that worryin' on yer face ain't for me, sugah, what happened?"

 

"The mission went bad," Chuck said, for Sonic had hung his head and averted his mossy eyes away.

 

"Oh dear...did any of ya'll get hurt?" Her hand fluttered to her mouth, eyes wide in anxiety.

 

"No...none of us did."

 

She reached through the bars and patted Sonic's shoulder. "Tell me about it later, hon, when yer ready."

 

Sonic nodded, clasping her hand in relief. "I'm glad to see you're ok, at least."

 

King Acorn coughed. "Yes, she's fine, Sonic, as I said."

 

She pushed a chunk of her golden hair out of her eyes. "Ah heard yellin' out there before, ya'll didn't catch Sn...him, did ya?"

 

King Acorn looked grim. "He got away."

 

"Ah'm glad."

 

He scowled. "That is traitorous talk."

 

She leaned her forehead onto the bars, giving him a harsh stare. "Ah'm a traitor cause Ah don't believe in killin?"

 

The monarch looked miffed. "He shot Geoffrey."

 

Her eyes widened again. "He...he shot him?"

 

"Yes."

 

She looked at Sonic and Chuck. "He ain't..."

 

The hedgehog clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Nah, he's still alive...too bad, eh?"

 

"So much for your claims of his innocence, Ms. Rabbot. I know you don't believe in killing, nor do I wholly, but there are exceptions to the rule. Eliminating him is the only sure way to ensure OUR safety. You don't see his true nature, child. He is wicked through and through."

 

She turned away, her shoulders stiff, staring out the window.

 

There was a long silence, and Sonic shifted uncomfortably. Finally she pivoted around on a metal heel and leaned against the bars, looking down the short hallway. "What is gonna happen to me?" she asked in a low voice. She shot a snide glance at the King. "Ah know Ah ain't gonna have no trial..."

 

He ignored her sarcasm. "Yes, you will have a trial. We will question your intentions, Ms. Rabbot." He eyed Charles. "You know as well as I do about Julian, and his trickery. He seemed to be on our side but then turned."

 

Bunnie's eyes flared and she growled. Her robotic hand clenched on the bars; Sonic's eyes shot wide to see the metal crumple under that grip. What a joke to think this cell could contain her. She could get out in an instant. The fact that she stayed indicated her innocence. He knew that. He wished their monarch would see it too.

 

"Yer comparing meh ta...ta...Robotnik?!" She spat. "Ah can't believe that!"

 

The monarch's face was set into a solemn stare, his mouth a stern line. "Perhaps an unfair comparison, but it has to be done. We have lost so much, and it seems our cause is swiftly going downhill. I have to ensure there is no corruption on our side, Ms. Rabbot, we can't afford to lose any more."

 

"Ah ain't like Robotnik," she turned away swiftly; Sonic saw her eyes shining with moisture. "Do yer silly trial, Ah don't care...Ah know Ah did the right thing...Ah don't care what y'all say."

 

The King said nothing more. He turned and left the hedgehog kin. They watched him go; his shoulders slumped and his cape dragging.

 

"It'll be ok, Bunnie..."

 

Chuck put his hand on Sonic's shoulder. "Yes, dear, you'll be fine. This will all blow over."

 

"Ah wanna see Antoine. Git him in here, will ya, sugah-hog?" She turned back, smiling weakly. "Ah got some thangs ta say to that boy."

 

"Sure thing, Bunnie."

 

 

**

 

"Now where is that dufus hiding?" Sonic muttered as he stood surveying the garden. A few villagers milled there, including Rosie, but there was no sign of the fox, who also liked to engage in gardening.

 

"Not here..." the training area with the hay-stuffed punching bag that somewhat resembled Robotnik swung neglected on its rope.

 

"Maybe here?"

 

The fox's hut was in its usual neat state. Months back, Antoine had moved the painting of Princess Sally that had hung over his bed, and replaced it with one of Bunnie. Sally hung smiling in the small living room, but a sheet had been draped over Bunnie's sunny face.

 

Antoine was not there.

 

The hedgehog tramped around, leaving dirt prints that the fox would most likely faint over when he saw them. After searching every corner of the hut and not finding the French fox anywhere, he left.

 

He trekked over to Bunnie's hut. The silence inside was thick. Bunnie liked to sing, and her warm accented voice would grace the air.

 

No music today...

 

He eyed the couch, the bathroom. Eyebrows hitched upwards at the mess in her bedroom; clothes strewn everywhere...apparently Bunnie was less immaculate then Antoine, or she hadn't yet picked up the results of Geoffrey's search for the rings pilfered by Snively.

 

Outside he pondered briefly the thought of Antoine having gone to the city on some dumb heroic (and pointless) task, but dismissed it.

 

There was really only one more place to check.

 

Well, two, actually.

 

Leaves scattered as he halted before the guard tower, and peering up he heard none of the familiar snoring sounds that usually accompanied Antoine on watch duty. Nah, he wasn't there.

So that left one other area...and he was there in moments.

 

"Hey Ant!" he called. He heard the distinct 'plop plop plop' sound of a stone skipping over water. He gazed out over the pool. Another stone went dashing over the tranquil surface.

 

Antoine stood with a handful of small pebbles. He didn't look at Sonic when the hedgehog came closer, seating himself on the log.

 

"Hey Ant, whatcha doin?"

 

"Notheeng."

 

"I can see that."

 

"Then why did you ask?" the fox sighed and let another pebble fly. It skipped once then sank.

 

"Hey man, you haven't been in to see Bunnie yet? She wants to talk to you."

 

"Not right now."

 

"Why not? You just said you ain't doing nothing else."

 

Antoine savagely flung another rock. It sank as soon as it contacted the water. He huffed and let the handful drop to the ground. "I said not now, Son-eek!" He glared over at the hedgehog. "Can you not be understanding that?"

 

Sonic frowned. "What's your problem, Ant?"

 

The fox turned away and stared over the water.

 

"I know if Sally was in jail I wouldn't act like such a jerk..." Sonic stood up. "I guess I'll go tell her you don't want to see her, then."

 

He waited. But the fox didn't turn back around.

 

He sighed and went back to the jail.

 

"So where is he?"

 

"He's...sleeping..."

 

**

 

Ah. He was in a fine mood. Yes indeed.

 

Despite his slave's incompetence, it had proven amusing to dash the rebel's hopes. To see the look of despair in their eyes, the realization of their futility.

 

That made it all worth it.

 

Nagus left the prisoners in their cages. The sweet perfume of fear hovered over them and he had stood for long moments breathing it in. The impertinent female he left in her silenced state; he liked her better that way.

 

He ascended to the command center at the tippity top of the Death Egg. Maybe he should rename it, he mused. Something more fitting. Discovery Tower. Power Tower? He smiled at the cheesy rhyme.

 

Eh, let the old name stay. His being was not defined by this building, this pathetic city. He was defined by what lay inside him; power so great and terrible.

 

He entered the command room without a sound. It was time to extract some of his great power and set it onto his incompetent slave. The man was a living insult to Nagus's greatness.

 

He'd kill him, but keeping him alive was all the more fun.

 

Slave had really screwed up today. He would be punished and a smile fit snugly onto the wizard's lips; how he loved to dish out the pain.

 

He stood in the middle of the vast silver room. The lights were dimmed and his shadow was cast before him, huge and menacing.

 

But there was no slave to cringe at the sight, for Robotnik was not here.

 

Ah, so the slave had yet to come back in. After his disobedience, Nagus imagined Robotnik was a simpering mess, terrified to face the wizard and his dazzling punishments.

 

'Maybe I'll let it slide...'

 

The thought made him cackle madly.

 

No, Robotnik would be greeted by fireworks for sure.

 

The fat man was bound to be walking in any minute now.

 

Five minutes later:

 

The wizard was sitting in his chair staring holes into the place where Robotnik usually stood working. If the fat man had been there, his body would probably be on fire, or maybe acid, just for a little change from the usual electricity. Nagus was feeling quite fiery at the moment.

 

Six.

 

Seven.

 

Ten.

 

Nagus stood angrily. A blue glow was emanating from his horn, his tail was lashing behind him like a thick serpent.

 

His normal hand reached out and rested upon the COM link built into the arm of the black throne. He didn't use it much. Nagus was not much interested in technology through machines. He preferred advancing the mind.

 

Still, there was no easier way to contact the troops. He patched in to Robotnik's hovercraft.

 

"SLAVE! Your joyride is over! Report home at once."

 

He knew the link was activated. He could hear the static and beyond that an intake of breath. Then static. The breathing had evened out into a normal rhythm, blending into the white noise. But he knew he was heard.

 

"Slave, do not toy with me."

 

White noise and breathing.

 

"SLAVE!"

 

And then nothing.

The hovercraft had closed the COM link.

 

An outrage. This was an outrage.

 

He opened the link again but before his barrage of screaming threats could be issued, the connection was severed.

 

He gaped. And tried again. This time the hovercraft was blocking his signal.

 

There was probably some way to override it and get through, but Nagus didn't know how. "Computer," he growled testily. "Locate the position of that hovercraft."

 

He blinked at the response. "The hovercraft is traveling over the Great Forest."

 

Eh? He snarled. Maybe Robotnik was pursuing the fleeing Freedom Fighters, hoping they'd lead him to Knothole.

 

But why would he go in secrecy? Maybe it was to be a surprise for his master?

 

But Robotnik wouldn't do that. No, he hated Nagus, and the only surprises he would give would be negative. And even if it was some kind of gift, to spare more pain perhaps, Robotnik still wouldn't do it. He knew Nagus's tastes too well. The wizard preferred them to be free, ensnared in hopelessness. Eyes once fiery clouded and forlorn.

 

"Computer, keep tracking the position."

 

He'd drag Robotnik back, kicking and screaming. The slave wasn't going to break his chains today, oh no.

 

He contacted the command bot at hovercraft barracks number 1...

 

**

 

When the voice crackled over the intercom he nearly died.

 

His heart stopped beating in his chest and he gasped for several seconds, his hand clutched to his chest.

 

But wait, he was safe now.

 

And he needn't hear that voice anymore, well not until the day he heard it cursing his name, dying, when he stood over the crumpled wizard, victorious. But that day was a long day coming.

 

Robotnik blocked the signal from Robotropolis. There, let Nagus fret about that for a while. He laughed.

 

Then a light on the console beeped.

 

"What? He's tracking me?"

 

The fat man shook his head grimly, but the situation was easy to take care of.

 

"Computer. Disable tracking."

 

"-You will not be able to track others-."

 

"Nor *be* tracked. Disable it."

 

"-Affirmative-."

 

The light died, and he flew on.

 

Free.

 

****

The first pursuit hovercraft hadn't even lifted off when the squadron leader contacted Nagus back with bad news.

 

"Master, we've lost the signal. Pursuit cannot be carried out."

 

"WHAT?!"

 

But there was nothing Nagus could do. He could think of no way to track the hovercraft. They would never be able to find it over the vast reaches of the Forest. No way to know where it was going.

 

He tried to get a picture of Robotnik in his mind. He focused. But it wouldn't come. He could imagine Robotnik sitting there and smirking at his newfound freedom, but he couldn't actually see it.

 

There were definitely some drawbacks from being out of the Void. His power wasn't limitless here. He couldn't just imagine something and have it materialize in front of him. He couldn't picture a person and see them in real time right before him. It wasn't that simple out here...

 

His slave had gone astray and he had no way to bring him back.

 

One of the huge monitors on the wall exploded in a craze of spider web cracks. The glass shattered and flew outwards, littering the room in sparkling pieces. Harmlessly they glanced off Nagus who sat with his claw raised, dripping red light like blood.

 

He would find a way. Robotnik would be brought back.

 

**

The bread rolls at dinner were soft and sweet. Sally held hers between a delicate thumb and forefinger, staring down at it.

 

Sonic sat down across from her. "Hey Sal, you gonna eat that?"

 

"Huh?" She looked up, blinking.

 

He lowered his eyes to stir his bowl of soup, steaming, and thick with garden-grown vegetables. He didn't want her to see the concern in his face, and the pain. Burned into his memory was the image of the man convulsing and dying because of him.

He knew she saw it too, that it played out over and over. But it wasn't her fault!

He'd always laughed when she'd say don't rush in, but now he damned his recklessness.

 

He'd be alive now, that man.

 

He ate a spoonful, letting the burning pain down his throat cloud his mind. Then looked up. Sally was nibbling on the roll. She held it so gently and her face was a thin mask of strength just barely covering the fragile vulnerability. He needed to be strong, for her. She was doing it for him.

 

"Hey, Sal, we're gonna find a way. We *always* do. We didn't think we could beat Doomsday, remember? And we did." He reached out and touched her, his grip steadying her arm.

 

She looked at his hand for a moment. He smiled. Her hand clasped upon his, and squeezed.

 

"And you're always right, right Sonic?"

 

He laughed. "You betcha."

 

They took their hands away, both smiling. Then eating resumed.

 

Rotor came juggling his bowl of soup, plate of rolls and drink. He sat with a sloshing of soup onto the table. "Oops!"

 

Sonic chuckled. "There goes half your dinner."

 

Rotor mopped it up with his napkin. "Err..where is everyone?" He blushed. "Well, I know about Bunnie, but..."

 

Sonic looked around. "Looks like T2 is with Dulce...and Stinkbomb is in Doctor Quack's. And Ant...he ain't around."

 

"Where is he?" Sally asked. "With Bunnie? I have to see her after dinner, she's probably wondering where I am."

 

Sonic nodded. "Yeah, she wants to see you. And Ant. But he wouldn't go see her."

 

Rotor chewed on a roll. "They must've got in a fight or sumthin'."

 

"Well Ant and Geoffrey were the ones who turned in Snively. I guess that made Bunnie mad."

 

"Ant's such a dork," said Sonic suddenly, vehemently. Sally was staring at her half-eaten roll again. "He should be there for Bunnie."

 

Sally looked up. He took a bite of his soup, trying to look nonchalant.

 

"They should stick together," she said, biting the roll.

 

"I'm gonna talk to him again after dinner," said the hedgehog resolvedly. "You wanna come?"

 

Rotor shook his head. He always tried to avoid confrontations. Sally looked spacey again, finally giving a slight shake of her head.

 

"He probably just needs to work some things out in his head."

 

"Yeah, like why he's such an idiot."

 

"Maybe we should just leave him alone."

 

"Why? Ant's really blowing it with Bunnie!"

 

Rotor looked away. "But it's their problem, Sonic."

 

"What's with you, Rote?"

 

"Nothing..."

 

"Let it drop, Sonic. Everyone's upset. We all need to calm down."

 

"Whatever."

 

Tails and Dulcy joined the table. The dragon's eyes were still haunted, disturbed by the things her young eyes had seen. Since she was larger than them, sometimes the others forgot she was younger, only a few years older than Tails. Still she tried to maintain a light attitude, talking to them with Tails, about swimming and the gardens and how Tails was teaching her how to land better.

 

"Way to go, Dulce," praised Sonic.

 

"Yeah I know."

 

After the meal was finished, Sonic looked over at the two still remaining at the table. "It's still pretty warm out, eh, big guy? You up for another swim?"

 

"Not really," said Tails, a little sleepily. He had his head curled into his arms. "But I'll go down there with ya."

 

 

The three made their way lazily down the path. Sunset was approaching and the water was lit with fiery colors when they arrived.

 

Antoine was seated under the tree with a book in one hand. Sonic had seen it lying on the mossy ground during their earlier conversation.

 

"Hey Ant, you plannin' to be down here all night?"

 

"Oui. It is my night to guard." The fox didn't offer so much as a smile.

 

"Probably don't need guards now that Snively is gone."

 

The fox buried his nose in the book, his brow furrowed. "Do not be talking about that fuel! I do not want to be hearing his name."

 

"Ok, fine." Sonic looked shrewdly at the fox, while Tails flopped down onto a mossy patch. Dulcy stretched out on the cool mud by the pool. She would wash off later.

 

"How bout a different name? Like Bunnie?"

 

"Non." Antoine raised the book up further to hide his eyes from Sonic, a little growl coming from him.

 

"You can't just ignore her!"

 

Antoine chose to ignore her. And Sonic. Not a peep came from him at Sonic's outburst, he simply turned the page and continued reading, or at least feigning it.

 

"Why don't you want to see Bunnie?" Tails asked.

 

Antoine stood in a huff, tucking the book under his arm. "Cannot a man read in peace around here?"  He proceeded to stamp past the hedgehog and started up the path. Then he 'eeped' and backed up; Sonic was suddenly there, leaning into his face.

 

"Hey, Ant, c'mon, we're not trying to be mean!"

 

"You are bothering me, Sonique, and I am not liking it!"

 

"C'mon, can't we just talk?"

 

Antoine gave Sonic a long stare. The hedgehog's green eyes were open and honest, his mouth not twisted into the smirk or teasing smile that Antoine was so familiar with receiving. He rested a hand on Antoine's shoulder, and there was something comforting in it. He sighed and went back to the log, sitting stiffly there while Sonic relaxed on the other end.

 

"Ok Ant, what the heck is going on? Did you and Bunnie have a fight?"

 

"Oui..." Antoine stared at the ground.

 

"Look Ant, not talking to her's gonna make it worse. I remember back when Geoffrey and Sal looked like they were getting close, and it really ticked me off. We got in a big fight and didn't talk for two days. It...it was kind of scary..."

 

Tails looked rather interested, seeing his idol at a vulnerable moment. Antoine looked up.

 

"Sonique, you do not usually talk like this."

 

Sonic nodded. "But you know who got us back together? Bunnie."

 

Antoine looked away.

 

"Look man, we probably would've talked anyway, eventually. But Bunnie really helped us. It might not have been the same without her. I want to help you and Bunnie because she helped me and Sal."

 

Antoine muttered. "It was my fault. I was angry at Snipley and got him into the big troubles. Bunnie is not being happy about that."

 

"But she wants to see you."

 

Antoine clenched the book under his arm again and stood. "I will be seeing her, but laters. But I will see her."

 

"You better, Ant," Sonic called as the fox strode away. "Cuz a dufus like you ain't gonna get another gal like Bunnie, that's for sure!"

 

Tails laughed.

 

**

 

When night fell, it fell hard, laying waste to the light. It brought comfort to some reading in their comfy chairs or beds, sleep to the weary and for others it only added to the darkness already clouding their minds.

 

Sonic usually fell asleep fast, drifting into fast-paced dreams of victory. Sometime he was haunted by nightmares of ones he loved being taken away. Tonight he lay staring at his ceiling. He wouldn't tell anyone of them; the tears that sneaked from his eyes and trickled down his fur. No one was there to hear, when he finally drifted, the sleeping whimpers as he witnessed the man's death over and over in a twisted dreamland.

 

*

 

Sally peered out her window. She felt utterly alone, with her cheek pressed to the glass. She thought perhaps she'd get up and see Sonic; maybe they could lay together in bed and just hold each other.

 

But no... she was afraid that in their states of neediness such closeness would lead them to actions she didn't want to engage in. Not yet. Life was already complicated enough without adding that dash of fevered romance to it.

 

So she curled on the chair by the window and closed her eyes, trying to satisfy the loneliness with her own arms holding her.

 

*

 

Bunnie pulled the covers of her blanket up to her chin. She knew it was warm and muggy outside, but the only traces of outside climate that seeped in here was the moisture. It made her fur feel heavy and damp. She wrinkled her nose and rolled over on the hard cot, determined to get at least a little shut-eye.

 

Hopefully they'd have her out of here tomorrow.

 

Hopefully before then, Antoine would come visit.

 

**

Moonlight made monsters out of the trees.

 

Hell wasn't fire and brimstone. It was this swamp.

 

Snively's wound was burning from the tainted water getting in there. He was knee-deep in the dark green liquid, and when he finally stepped onto spongy land, his legs were polka-dotted with algae.

 

Darkness had settled and the trees around him were a tangle of shadows. He swore he saw strange creatures in their branches, but then blinked and they were gone. Somewhere in the darkness a birdcall started up, echoing and haunting. Another answered from the tangle of thickets near him. He jumped and moved away, his feet sinking into the deep mud at the water's edge. There was little dry land here.

 

A few pitiful whimpers escaped him; he was tired and every sound, every owl hoot and splash of frog into the water, every birdcall and screech of swaying twigs made him jump. His hands were shaking, his legs trembling.

 

"I should've brought a damn flashlight..." he muttered, trying to keep his footing in the slick mud. He slipped, going to his knees in the slimy warm water. "Ugh..."

 

Not like he wasn't soaked through anyway. Despite the warmth of the air, his skin felt cold and clammy. He moved away from the water, going back to the thickets that edged the water. He took up a loose branch and tried to beat the undergrowth down.

 

Finally he succeeded in making a sort of nest among the tangling bushes and their sharp pointed branches. He curled in like a mouse in a nest of grass, but this was nowhere near as soft, and although drier than the spongy ground, it was still damp. He shivered.

 

After lying on the scratchy nest for a minute, he sat back up and stripped off his shirt, using it to pad the branches underneath him. He curled back up, trying to ignore the mosquitoes and the noises and the rushing of blood through his veins. This was going to be a long long night...

 

*

 

Full noon. At the pool. The sun was shining straight down through the leaves, illuminating them in baby green light. Her eyes were filled with it too, smiling as she looked out at the water sparkling like treasure.

 

Snively was sitting on the log by the pool. His eyes were illuminated too, making them nearly translucent, and glowing with more that just sunlight. He was watching Bunnie as she stood with her metallic toes in the water, staring over at the red ferns on the opposite shore.

 

"Bunnie..."

 

"Yes?" She didn't turn to look at him.

 

"I...I don't know how to say this."

 

"Ah know what yer thinking, sugah." She turned, a gentle smile on her lips. "Ah've known it all along."

 

"Really..." He looked at the ground, his pale cheeks flaring red. "You...you don't think I'm stupid...?"

 

"No..." She continued to smile, approaching the log. He stood up as she neared him and they stood toe to toe, gazing at each other's light filled eyes, blue to green, and she leaned forward...

 

...her pink button nose brushing his for a moment before she tilted her head and let the sweetness of her mouth envelope his... he reeled back, eyes squeezing shut, and his arms shakily grasping around her back.

 

She finally ended the kiss, pushing him gently away and grinning at his shocked expression. He raised his fingers to his lips in disbelief, blinking at her.

 

She looked around craftily. "Ah do hope we're alone."

 

He pressed a finger into the softness of his lower lip, still feeling her touch there, the wetness of her spit. "I wonder what they would say..."

 

"Ah don't care. But it's better if they don't know."

 

He reached out, locking his fingers upon her wrists, pulling her closer to him. "I...I love you Bunnie." He looked down shyly, the blush on his cheeks deepening.

 

"Ah know..." she said softly, her mouth against the oddly curled flesh that was an Overlander ear; her own ear, so very different, was brushing his scarlet cheek. He reached a hand up to stroke it, feeling the silken fur. She smelled so good; natural-like, and so pure. "Ya don't have to be afraid, Snively...Ah..."

 

He drew back to see her eyes, his brimming with liquid, hers with adoration. She smiled. "Ah love ya'll too."

 

He made a little sniffling sound and then suddenly, almost roughly, caught her lips with his and drew her to him tightly, her bosom pressed to his bony chest. Her hands drifted around to his rear, squeezing, and he growled into her mouth. They parted lips; she gave a breathy giggle.

 

He certainly did not have the strength to move her, and so it was very willingly she was brought to lay upon the soft moss, still giggling, with his wispy body on hers. They kissed again, this time tasting more deeply, entangling tongues.

 

He panted a little, his hands wedged up between their two chests, cradling her breasts. "What about Antoine?"

 

She was silent, staring into his face.

 

"Don't you love him?" he prompted. His voice trembled at the end. "Bunnie don't..."

 

"Ah don't love him anymore..."

 

She smoothed her organic hand over his head, then nuzzled her nose into his neck. "Ah don't love him. Ah love you..."

 

The tiny Overlander looked uncertain. And then he smiled, radiantly...evilly. He had her now. He had her...

 

..."NON!"

 

Antoine bolted upright in bed, clutching the sheets to his chest, his breath coming in great gulps. "Ahh...ahh mon chere...tell me this is not true!! You are not loving Snipley more than moi!!"

 

He brushed back the errant blond bangs that had fallen into his face, furiously, trying to regain his breath and discard the shreds of the horrible dream. It had all seemed so *real*, from the leaves swaying, to her eyelashes fluttering as his mouth had locked upon hers.

 

"Non. It isn't being real!"

 

Maybe it had happened already. Maybe Bunnie and Snively were more than friends. He had lived in her hut. He had been alone with her at *night*! Antoine remembered the day he'd gone to her house and she had been there in the bathroom, while the wretched Overlander had been up to his chin in bubbly water in the tub. Maybe she'd been about to join him, if Antoine hadn't walked in...

 

"Non, it cannot be true!" He buried his head into his hands, moaning. "She would not be doing that with him..."

 

He couldn't stop wondering why then, why did the dream look so vivid, so real. Like a memory displaced, or perhaps erased, or repressed, more likely. Had he seen that? Heard it? And tried to forget?

 

Had Bunnie tainted her lips and then later kissed Antoine with that treacherous mouth?

 

He put a hand to his mouth and curled up, feeling sick inside.

 

**

 

"Too bad we don't have Mr. Poetic with us," said Tory sneeringly. He waved his hand around in irritation; little mosquitoes seemed to enjoy buzzing around his ears.

 

"Mr. Poetic?" asked a raccoon. He was wearing galoshes that seemed ridiculously big for his feet. But now that the four Mobians were nearing the swamp the others looked jealously at his footwear.

 

"Geoffrey. He was sprouting all this crap about being able to feel Snively out there."

 

The raccoon snorted. "Ok."

 

"And that he smelled like orange peels," Sig threw in. "Don't forget that."

 

The group laughed.

 

"I think Geoff has the hots for Snively." The raccoon grinned.

 

More laughter.

 

"Sick..."

 

"Heheheh, yeah it sure is."

 

"Damn bugs!!"

 

"Ok, so he's in the swamp somewhere. Probably. But where?"

 

Sig sniffed the air but could smell nothing besides wet vegetation and the murky water. There was no trace of fresh Overlander scent to be found.

 

Four hours earlier Snively had gotten up, tired and stiff, but determined to make progress out of the wetlands.

 

His stomach was growling loudly. He swore it could be heard for miles. He smirked; a bird singing peacefully in a tree suddenly took flight.

 

He looked around suspiciously. But no one was there. He sighed, peering through the tangle of trees. Did it ever end... He growled, slapping at a mosquito. He had probably hundreds of bites on him by now, it sure felt like it at least. He was muddy, wet, smelly and itchy. And hungry. And tired.

 

But at least he was free. He was too far ahead for them to find.

 

Geoffrey's MPs gave up the search and went back to Knothole two hours later with nothing but mosquito bites and wet feet as their reward.

 

**

 

When Robotnik turned on the lights they flickered.

 

He held his breath as the corridor went dark. Then with a hum, the lights brightened until they glowed white.

 

He let out his breath. The generator running this place hadn't lost its power yet. Well it shouldn't, not for years, or until some of the furry menaces discovered his hidey-hole. It was just one of his small research fortresses. He had dismantled most of them after his researches, usually looking for objects of power, were ended. He was glad that he hadn't done so with this one.

 

Robotnik now rested his feet in the small command center of the fortress, a sort of mock-up of the one back in Robotropolis, except there was only one monitor on the wall and the throne was not really throne-like (but still large, it had to accommodate Robotnik's bulk, after all).

 

He stood in front of the monitor, his fingers tapping upon the keys. The screen blinked then flickered to life, a bright white that hurt his artificial eyes. He growled, squinting as the screen relived him by changing to a flat black color.

 

"Computer, scan the fortress. Has there been any disturbances here?"

 

"None, Dr Robotnik."

 

He sighed. "Good."

 

He went to the chair and threw himself into it, leaning his head back. It was a vast relief to be able to relax finally, without worrying about being tortured for it. He growled at the thought of Nagus, trying to banish the wizard's horrendous face from his mind.

 

He couldn't sit still for long. He hopped up again, going to the computer.

 

"Computer, I want to be alerted instantly should there be ANY disturbance."

 

"Yes Doctor."

 

He sat once more, trying to relax, but it was hard.

 

'He might be looking...'

 

He bared his teeth. Bah! He was FREE from Nagus. The wizard was not all powerful. He couldn't find Robotnik here. He didn't have a special sight, or a premonition of knowing.

 

But still, it would be wise not to get too comfortable. He had to be ready to flee. He was. The hovercraft was parked outside behind a boulder and the gas tank was still nearly full.

 

At any rate, he felt a bit safer with the computers monitoring the place. After a few minutes he stood again, exiting the room. It was not a very big place.  The command center, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a laboratory, all connected by a circular hallway.

 

He went to the master bedroom; smirking at the term 'master'. He would be soon, the Master once more.

 

It was nowhere near as luxurious as his bedroom back home. But it would do. He halted in front of the full-length mirror, his mustache twitching as he stared at his reflection. He was still an enormous man, but he had lost so much weight. Possibly a hundred pounds.  Most people would say that was a good thing, a healthy thing. 

He scowled, resting his hands on the sphere of his stomach. It wasn't good. He looked...sickly. Weak...or...it was like his grandiose was gone.

 

He turned away from the mirror, eyeing the bed. Yes...sleep sounded so good. A long long sleep. Maybe days long. But first...the bathroom.

 

He exited, starting to head for the bathroom, then paused. There was one more bedroom and he went towards it, almost tentatively.

 

It was a tiny room, with a chair and a small cot and a shabby rug on the floor. He went to the bed, frowning as he laid his hand upon the lumpy pillow. He could...almost smell him... or see him sitting in the chair, with his feet curled up like he liked to do, a book in his hands, his eyes scanning it intently until with a start he would jump like a frightened bird, gaze lifting to see...

 

His uncle standing there glaring.

 

"Why am I thinking of you?" He growled, clenching his fist hard around the pillow.

 

He let go of the pathetic object, looking at it. Such a small cot and a small pillow and blanket, for a small person. His fist had connected with that person many times. A fist nearly the size of that person's head.

 

He recalled suddenly, a conversation, back when Snively was still living with he and Nagus, but maddeningly, the small lackey seemed to escape Nagus's wrath.

His own voice rang out. "He treats me...like some...some peon, Snively. Like some slave that exists to work only for him!"

 

His nephew had locked him with a hard stare, his tone sneering and disdainful. "Oh really...now why does that sound familiar?"

 

That tone. It had enraged Robotnik so much back then, the outright disrespect, the horrible leering, the hateful mockery in his nephew's eyes. Yeah, he'd enjoyed his uncle's suffering. And Robotnik had lunged, intents only to strangle that look, and those words, away.

 

Even though Snively was right. And he had a right to mock.

 

But ah! No, he and Snively weren't alike, dammit! He found himself stroking the mangled pillow back into shape. "No. He's an incompetent. He needed punishment to guide...to guide him in the right direction."

 

"I am not an incompetent..."

 

Nagus said he was.

 

Nagus was wrong!

 

But...Robotnik...he had said Snively was an incompetent.

 

Maybe he was wrong.

 

He growled and turned away from the bed. It didn't matter. He wasn't going to see his nephew again, anyway. No, the little wretch was with the enemy now. He was probably best friends with them. He could see him, sprawled out with a circle of them around him, laughing as he told stories mocking Robotnik.

 

He closed the door angrily, then stamped down to the bathroom.

 

**

She was not brought out like Snively. No chains, no shackles. No fear either. Two MPs flanked her and two more walked behind, but she could easily escape them all if she wished.

 

Bunnie did not falter on her trek to the meeting hall. The room was quiet when she entered. She took a seat behind the podium of the accused.

 

Eyes fell on her and stared. There were a few nervous coughs. Bunnie let her gaze focus on the wooden top of the podium.

 

Sonic and Sally sat in the front row of chairs. Both looked wearily displeased.

 

Neither had slept well.

 

When King Acorn had announced Bunnie would be brought out to stand trial, Sonic had stood silent, feeling a fleeting sense of guilt. He couldn't seem to dredge up anything but a dull hollow anger. Like it wasn't anger at all, it was a weak attempt. A fake.

He felt empty inside. Not able to feel anything for Bunnie.

 

That wasn't right. She was one of his best friends.

 

"I feel drained," Sally had said as they walked into the meeting hall. "I feel...like I don't care what happens."

 

Sonic looked over at her, startled, his guilt dissipating. She felt the same. She looked at him.

 

"She'll be ok, Sonic. It's ok that we aren't worried. There's nothing to worry *about*."

 

"Where is the King?" Rosie asked. "What is this all about?"

 

"Bunnie got arrested," Rotor said.

 

"For what?"

 

"What did she do?"

 

"Huh??"

 

"Did her robot parts finally make her snap?"

 

"Hey!" Bunnie stood up behind the podium. "Why ya'll talking like Ah ain't here?! Ah'm here! An' Ah didn't do nothing that would warrant any arrestin'!"

 

"Well, what did you do then?"

 

**

 

"Sonic isn't going to be happy!"

 

"Don't worry. I'm not staying permanently."

 

Dulcy and Tails stared at Chuck. Tails looked only mildly anxious but Dulcy's normally smiling face was afraid.

 

"But if he catches you..."

 

"Someone needs to check the bugs. Find out what Nagus is doing..."

 

"But we can't beat him..." Dulcy said flatly.

 

"Why would you say that?" Tails asked, glaring. "Sonic can beat anyone!"

 

The big dragon seemed to shrink in on herself. "I don't know if he can..."

 

"He can so!" Tails eyes were alit with childish rage for his idol...the idol his friend was doubting.

 

 "But he didn't-" Dulcy started, but the approach of King Max and an entourage of villagers behind him, including Antoine - who looked like he was going to be sick - turned Tails' attention away and her comment faded into the air.

 

Max gestured for the group to go in ahead. They did. Antoine faltered at the door, peering in...and saw Bunnie sitting there stoically and her eyes empty of their usual endearing cheerfulness. They seemed cold today. Like she was disappointed in everybody.

 

'But we should be disappointed in you, mon ami...' Antoine tried to turn his thoughts towards justice. She'd done wrong. She deserved this. She'd helped HIM. He saw snippets of the dream again...him bringing her to lay on the ground, their lips...their....

 

Dulcy gave him a light push to the back. "Hey Tony, are you going to go in, or what?"

 

"Uh...I am not being..."

 

"You hafta go in," growled Tails, still irritated from the doubt of Sonic. "Bunnie's your girlfriend!"

 

He stood there still, but had little choice but to move as Dulcy moved her bulk forward, shoving him through the doorway. He sidestepped out of the way as she entered, followed by Tails. They took a seat up front by Sonic and Sally.

 

Bunnie did not turn her head. But he saw her emerald eyes flicker...flitting in his direction.

 

He stared at the floor, stepping over outstretched legs and nearly stumbling into a few laps but managed, clumsily, to get into a chair in the back row. Quack looked over at him and shook his head. Nurse Bessie was clinging to his arm.

 

"Oh dearie," she was blabbering, "this is serious, isn't it Quacky? Is she in big trouble? They won't hang her, will they?"

 

"I don't believe so," Quack said. "I certainly hope not. Like I always say, death isn't my specialty. He and I are sort of arch nemesises, if you know what I mean."

 

"Oh yes, Quacky!"

 

Antoine sighed while Bessie cooed and rubbed Quack's arm. The doctor winked at Antoine and then turned his attention to the nurse.

 

Very soon his attention was detracted from the buxom vixen as King Acorn swept into the courtroom with royal aplomb. He took a seat behind the main podium. Bunnie seated on his right, looked over at him.  The courtroom was filled with mummers. 

 

The door swung open again, and two MPs stood on either side of Geoffrey St John, his leg in a cast and crutches under his arms. He gave a snort as they tried to help him walk, hobbling up to stand in front of Bunnie's podium.

 

"I'm here, your Majesty."

 

Bunnie eyed Geoffrey's leg, her nose wrinkling. "Geoffrey...ya'll ain't hurt real bad, are you?"

 

The skunk shot her a hard look. "This ain't the breakfast table, Ms Rabbot. You happen to be on trial. I'm here to question you, not for small talk."

 

Bunnie's eyes widened. "Why are ya'll treatin' meh like this, Geoffrey? We're friends, ain't we?"

 

"I can't be friends with someone who sides with HIM."

 

She gave him a withering glare. "Ya'll never could see the bigger picture. Ya'll are so focused on yerself..."

 

He ground his teeth, eyes furious and opened his mouth to yell, but King Acorn banged his gavel in warning. "This is not a shouting match, it is a trial! I want this to be as painless as possible."

 

"He shouldn't have arrested her then," muttered Sonic to Sally.

 

"Well technically she did break the law...." Sally said, unconvinced. "No...it isn't right. But nothing is right anymore."

 

"Hey..." He touched her arm. "It will get right, Sal. Sometime."

 

"In our lifetime, though? Do you really-"

 

But King Acorn was pounding the gavel for silence. Geoffrey procured a Mobian Holy book and held it before Bunnie. She put her hand on it, as unconvinced in its factuality as Snively had been, but adhering to tradition anyway. She would rather have sworn her oath to truth on her mother's grave, or Sally's hand, or whispering onto Antoine's lips. She could never bring forth lies after swearing on those things...

 

King Acorn spoke to the room. "We have gathered here today for the trial of Miss Bunnie Rabbot. She was arrested on the crime of releasing a criminal, namely Snively Ivo, from our prison, pending his execution."

 

"Hopefully this'll end up better than that!" One villager commented loudly. "I wanted to see that little puke swing-"

 

King Acorn banged his gavel, looking aggravated.

 

The man shut up.

 

"She is also charged with harboring a criminal," Geoffrey threw in before the King could continue.  The monarch raised an eyebrow. "I'll get to it, your highness."

 

"Perhaps you will, Sir John, but for now the charges stand as stated."

 

"He ain't a-"

 

"Miss Rabbot, please, stay quiet for now. You will get to speak your piece. Geoffrey, as the main accuser and arresting party, please tell the courtroom of the events surrounding this crime."

 

"He sees it twisted. He won't tell the truth!"

 

The gavel banged and King Acorn gave Bunnie a warning look. "You will have a chance to contest his view, when it's *your* turn."

 

She sighed angrily. "Yes, Yer Honor."

 

Geoffrey turned around awkwardly with his crutches, grinning at the room. "Alright, blokes, yer gonna hear the account of Bunnie Rabbot. Decide for yourself whether she's the nice gal you thought."

 

Sonic scowled. "It's like he wants her to be in trouble..."

 

"Sssh," said Sally.

 

Bunnie didn't look nice at the moment; she seemed trying hard to restrain herself from bashing the skunk's skull in. Geoffrey, with his back turned, was oblivious to her fists clenching on top of the podium she sat behind.

 

"As you know from Snively's trial, I was appointed to watch over the bloke. Right away the little creep took advantage of Bunnie's kindness."

 

"But I thought she wasn't nice," Sonic said.

 

"Now now...no comments till after the trial," said Geoffrey snidely. King Acorn nodded.

 

Sonic sneered.

 

"He asked if he could stay in her hut. I couldn't very well move in, but I visited every morning. Bunnie would always tell me everything was fine. But after awhile, it was plain to see she liked him, for whatever crazy reason." The skunk sounded disgusted.

 

"Because he-" Bunnie started, but the gavel banged.

 

"Miss Rabbot, please control yourself."

 

"But he's makin' it sound-"

 

"Miss Rabbot!"

 

She lowered her head, shoulders shaking with anger.

 

"Anyway, so I kept visiting and they kept getting closer and closer. It was obvious to me that Snively either had the hots for Bunnie or he was using her because he knew she'd keep her mouth shut. Now if Bunnie liked him too...well...it's kind of nasty. And if she kept her mouth shut that's against the laws, my friend. Because you know what Snively was doing?"

 

Nobody said anything.

 

"He was stealing power rings, our power rings. Stealing them to use them against us, mostly likely!" He waved towards the crowd. "I have a witness...Antoine! You can back up what I'm saying, right?"

 

The fox nervously stood, his eyes cast to the ground. People twisted in their seats to stare at him.

 

"Uh Yes...Bunnie did..." he choked, "...like Mr. Snipley. She would not be wanting him to get into the big troubles."

 

"That's right, she would've stayed quiet, and endangered us!"

 

"Non, she was not knowing of the rings, Geoffrey!"

 

"I think she was. In fact, I know she was."

 

Sonic stood up. "You're full of it, St. Shit!"

 

"SIT DOWN!" Geoffrey waved a crutch at Sonic, and nearly fell over. He caught himself, but not without hitting his injured knee on the crutch and yelling quite loudly. A few people jumped in their seats. Sonic laughed meanly.

 

Panting, the skunk straightened up and aimed a glare at the hedgehog. "No more comments, or I'll have you removed, you maggot!"

 

King Acorn pounded the gavel. "Calm down, both of you! Now Geoffrey, please, finish telling us your side."

 

"Well, like I was saying, she KNEW about the rings. Know why? Because Antoine knew! She told him, you see, and then he just couldn't hold back the secret for very long. I see, he wanted to protect her, but his sense of duty for Knothole was too strong to let it go! Which is what Bunnie should have done. She should have turned Snively in, but no, she chose to harbor the dangerous villain even when he was hiding the rings in her *own* bedroom!"

 

Sonic stood up again. "Geoffrey, you lying son-"

 

"He...He ees telling the truth..." Antoine said in a low shaking voice. "She was knowing of the rings." He sat again, his head facing downwards. "I told her she should be telling."

 

Sonic fumbled for words, and then finally, just sat back down. Geoffrey smirked again. 

 

King Acorn looked over at Bunnie, his head shaking. "Miss Rabbot...that was perhaps not the wisest decision you could have made."

 

"Turn him in? So ya'll could kill him!? Ya'll wouldn't even give him a chance to explain, ya would've just strung 'im up."

 

Geoffrey shook his head. "So what? He doesn't deserve anything more."

 

Bunnie banged her metallic fist on the podium, threatening to break through the wood. It made a horrific noise. Antoine cringed and Bessie squealed. "YA'LL ARE A HORRIBLE BIGOT, GEOFF-"

 

The gavel struck the wood hard, several times, threatening to drown out her voice. "ENOUGH, MISS RABBOT!!"

 

She trailed off, and put her head into her hands. "Ah can't take this hate..." she said through her fingers, her voice shaking. "Ah can't stand ya'll saying thangs about him when ya'll didn't know him..."

 

King Acorn spoke in a gentler tone. "Geoffrey, finish your questioning. Then, Ms Rabbot, you may clarify your side of the story, if you wish."

 

She nodded, sitting up straight again. "Ah do wish..."

 

**

 

A frog hopped out of the way of his boot as it squelched down into the spongy ground. Snively followed its hopping path with his eyes, wondering how it would taste. The image of the frog smashed under his boot in a pile of slimy green made him nearly gag. He couldn't stand things like that; things crushed and broken and oozing their insides out.

 

He let out a heavy sigh as he eyed the line of trees before him. It seemed, however, the ground was getting less spongy as he went forward, and the trees were changing from cypress and mangrove to the more familiar oak and birch, pine and maple.

 

Perhaps he was getting to the end of this miserable place. Or maybe this was merely a sandbar, a blessed strip of dry land before dropping again into cold ocean water. He certainly hoped not.

 

With water-wrinkled fingers he checked the compass on his watch. Yes, he was still headed in the right direction.

 

His feet were aching horribly. There was a burning spot on the back of each ankle. They were close to breaking out into full blisters.

 

He was on the right course, though, he mused, dropping his arm back down to his side, then fluttering in the air as he nearly lost his balance in a pool of knee-deep water.

 

Days, yes, days of torturous walking must still lie ahead.

 

His stomach growled loudly and he wished now, that he had smashed that frog to a pulp under his boot.

 

***

"So, you two lived together?"

 

"Yes, Geoffrey, ya'll know that, the whole room knows that."

 

"Yeah, just getting the facts out, luv."

 

She cocked an eyebrow. "Ah don't think ya'll care about facts, or truth, Geof-"

 

"Your Honor! Can't I ask simple questions without her constantly berating me?! Maybe we need to gag her!"

 

Bunnie rose out of her seat but King Acorn quickly calmed them and soon they were back to business, Geoffrey looking snide and Bunnie sulking in her seat.

 

He then shot off questions like a shotgun, each one edged with nastiness, determined to make Snively look like a fiend hellbent on revenge and herself...a coconspirator.

 

She answered them all in weary tone, trying to curb her impatience and disapproval of Geoffrey's hate...the hate he was trying to instill in the rest of the room.

 

"Did he try to turn you against us, Ms Rabbot?"

 

"No."

 

"He must have. He hated Mobians. Look what he did to them."

 

"It don't mean he can't change. It don't even mean he hated them. What he did in the past don't matter."

 

"Yeah, tell that to anyone here who has family that was roboticized! Or killed!"

 

She was silent. He continued with a nasty grin, because the crowd had responded with angry mummers at his previous statement.  "What things did he tell you about us? What was he whispering behind our backs?"

 

Bunnie sighed. "He wasn't a gossipy thang. He didn't talk much about nobody. A few times he said he didn't like ta go out, because the way some people treated him. Ah said if he didn't go out, nobody would get ta know him, and realize he wasn't so bad."

 

"That's enough, Ms Rabbot." Geoffrey rolled his eyes at the room, making a few of the males laugh. Bunnie eyed them coolly, wondering if they were the ones who had jumped and beaten up the Overlander a while ago. Snively had never told her, but she had heard him come in that night, whimpering, and she had seen a smear of blood on her sink that he had forgotten to wash away.

 

"People beat him up and he never complained ta meh."

 

Geoffrey shook his head. "How do you know anyone beat him up?"

 

"Because Ah heard him come in...and he was all bloody and beat up, Geoffrey! Ah bet it was yer rotten bunch a' friends that did it too!"

 

"Hey now!" Geoffrey lifted one hand in a 'Stop' motion. "None of this matters, Ms Bunnie." He cleared his throat. "Now, next question..."

 

He paused, throwing a meaningful look at Sonic. The hedgehog glared, his tongue poking out slightly between his lips. "What did he say he was gonna use the rings for, Ms Bunnie?"

 

"He never said anythang about the rings." That was true, sort of. Bunnie admitted she was probably omitting the truth. But when she had discovered Snively's secret stash she had demanded answers of him, and his response to 'WHY?' and 'What for?!' had been 'I don't know. I don't know why I took them.'

 

She knew why. It was power. And he craved power. Not the power Geoffrey thought, not power like Julian's, although that would suffice if he could get it. He wanted power over those who would hurt him; he wanted to be strong enough to beat them back.

 

"Yeah. Cuz he was gonna use them against us."

 

"He was not!"

 

"How do you know, you said you don't know why he was taking them!"

 

"It wasn't for that! Ah know it wasn't!"

 

"Yeah, because you're all buddy buddy with the Overlander now, eh? You're just a regular expert on them, ain't ya? I bet you're an expert on their anatomy too, eh?"

 

Antoine put his head in his hands.

 

"What the hell are ya'll saying?!" She stood up, so furiously that the podium teetered, threatening to fall over. "Ah'm gonna whack yer head off yer shoulders in a minute, sugah, and Ah guess y'all really hafta hang me then!"

 

Geoffrey merely picked at his teeth, then calmly spoke again. "Why didn't you come forward about the rings?"

 

Bunnie was still standing, her fists clenched.

 

"Would you sit down?" Geoffrey said, one claw intent on scraping his incisor. She did, slowly, her eyes trying to burn holes in him.

 

Sonic had only seen Bunnie lose her temper a few times. He lost his far more often and could recognize the signs of an upcoming blow-up, oh yes. There was bound to be a losing of Bunnie's temper today if things kept going as they were.

 

"She's gonna blow a gasket," he whispered to Sally.

 

She nodded.

 

"I hope she does take his head off."

 

"Answer the question," Geoffrey prompted.

 

"Ah already told ya'll why." Bunnie seemed tired. Indeed, the trial, or 'sham' as Sonic had commented, had been going on for about three hours now.

 

"If Ah turned him in, no one would hear his side of the story. Ya'll would've just said 'oh he's evil' and hanged him without even wantin' ta bother with the truth. Ah knew..." and she looked at King Acorn with apprehension, "Yer Honor wanted him dead too."

 

Geoffrey eyed her for a moment. "Was that all your idea, Bunnie? Did you really think we'd kill him, or did he convince you?"

 

She opened her mouth, then closed it, and then finally spoke again. "He begged meh not ta turn him in. He said ya'll would kill him. He said King Acorn would kill him fer shore. An' he said he would stop takin' them an' he did!"

 

"So, Snively's the one who said we'd kill him. And you listened to him."

 

"Well it's true!" Her voice got louder, frustrated. "When he got caught, ya'll weren't even gonna give him a trial! Ya'll went right ta execution! He was right an' Ah knew he would be right! He didn't hafta convince meh, Geoffrey, because Ah knew it would happen too!"

 

King Acorn spoke. "From your point of view, Ms Rabbot, I sound quite bloodthirsty. The truth is, Snively was *not* an ordinary citizen. He was a man with a very serious criminal record.  He didn't have full rights as a law-abiding citizen would! That is why Geoffrey was assigned to watch him and at the slightest step out of line, Snively was to be reprimanded most severely. He knew this. And he chose to do wrong anyway. I can't afford to give multiple chances to a man who is very dangerous to us. We gave him a chance and he blew it, Ms Rabbot, that's all there is to it."

 

Geoffrey nodded. "Snively knew he was walkin' on thin ice. The little bastard just didn't care. Ya know what? He probably figured if he got caught you'd bail him out."

 

"He didn't. He didn't think of us as bein' soft."

 

Geoffrey rolled his eyes. "Yeah, luv, like you could read his mind." He turned to face the crowd. "I never did tell all of ya about the rest that happened. You might think, 'Awww, he's bein' so mean to Bunnie!' But look here, you all knew Snively escaped. But how did he escape? Because she helped him!"

 

"Good for her," said Doctor Quack to Bessie. "Anyone who fights against death is ok with me." Today the pin on his white lab coat read: "Quack never says DIE!"

Antoine put his head in his hands again.

 

Geoffrey continued. "Bunnie broke into the jail that night. Tory and Antoine were guarding, right, mates?"

 

"Yeah, I was guardin'," said Tory.

Antoine didn't take his head out of his hands, nodding only slightly.

 

"She knocked em out with her robotic arm. She could've killed them! She hit Antoine, her own *boyfriend*!!"

 

Bessie squealed. Doctor Quack raised his eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't known about that.

 

"Then she broke Snively out and helped him escape into the woods. I had a bad feelin', and went to the jail, an' when I found Tory and Ant there, I knew something wasn't right. I did find Snively and I was gonna bring him in again when I was hit too!"

 

He motioned towards the bandage on his head. "I didn't wake up till the next day. That's how hard she hit me, yeah, it was Bunnie that did it."

 

The crowd was mumbling. Sonic suddenly stood and jeered. "Too bad she *didn't* kill you, St Dick! We wouldn't have to listen to your bullcrap!"

 

King Acorn pounded his gavel. "Sonic...no more outbursts, you understand?"

 

He sat down.

 

"It ain't bullcrap, pincushion, it's the truth. She risked the lives of US, her friends, for Snively! She was willin to hurt us for him!"

 

"He was mah friend *too*!" She cried. "Don't ya'll GIT that, Geoffrey?!"

 

"Some friend," Geoffrey scoffed. "He goes around hurting all your other friends, but you don't care about them? Do you know he shot me!? That's why I've got these bloody crutches!"

 

"YA'LL TRIED TA KILL HIM!"

 

Geoffrey opened his mouth.

 

"When ya'll found Snively in the woods, ya tried ta kill him! When Ah," she looked at the crowd, "When Ah came up behind him he was stranglin' Snively. Why is it a surprise that Snively would be afraid of him next time?! Afraid enough ta shoot?!"

 

"It shows how violent he is. Your friend."

 

Bunnie leaned forward, locking her leaf-green eyes with Geoff's. "Why didn't he jest kill ya, Geoffrey?"

 

For a moment Geoffrey seemed at a loss for words.

 

"Why didn't he finish the job? If he's such a killa! He hurt ya'll enough so he could get away! But he could've easily killed ya!"

 

"He tried to," Geoffrey finally retorted. "I caught up with him in the swamp, mind you, I'm traveling with a head wound. From you!"

 

Bunnie's expression bore a 'poor baby' sort of expression; completely sarcastic, of course.

 

"Tory and Sig were with me, laggin' a little behind."

 

Tory nodded from the second row of seats, Sig beside him looked bored.

 

"Anyway, I catch up with the bloke, an' the thing is, he stole my crossbow off me when Bunnie knocked me out the night before. A thing Bunnie didn't even try to stop, knowing Snively is a killer." He sighed heavily. "I'm surprised he didn't shoot you." He shook his head at her.

 

"Snively wouldn't have done that, because-"

 

He cut her off quickly. "I'm not finished. The little bastard shot me in the leg. I wasn't even expecting it, the bloke just whips the thing out and shoots. No warnin', no mercy or nothin'. I fall down and he starts laughin' and goin' on about how he wished he had the 'bow earlier so he could've just shot everyone."

 

Bunnie gritted her teeth.

 

" 'I'd especially love to shoot those dirty Mobian children...so uh...so they can't grow up to make more filth'...yeah, he said that. While he's gloatin' I got up and tried to wrest the bow away, but he gets free and says 'I'll start with you...and I'll get the others later' and he goes to shoot to kill this time."

 

Antoine had raised his head from his hands and was staring at Geoffrey intently, taking in each word raptly, and playing this like a movie in his head. He could see it.

 

Bunnie couldn't. But she could hear it, and she wanted to raise her hands to block his words. She could hear it again, when she and Snively were standing by the pool, and he had said...and his voice had gone so twisted and sharp with hatred for that second... 'I don't deserve it...only filthy *animals* deserve it...'

 

'No...he's lyin'. He IS lyin'.'

 

"I was about to end up deader than dead, when along comes Sig and Tory and Sig knocks the bastard off balance! He drops the crossbow and takes off like the bloody coward he is-"

 

Sig, still looking incredibly bored, showed his slow nature by blurting out; all the while Tory was nodding prettily, confirming Geoffrey's damaging words... "But boss...Snively wasn't even there when we found you....er...." And he trailed off, because Tory's elbow was planting itself sharply into his side, and Geoffrey's gaze was ripping him to shreds in its unbridled fury.

 

Bunnie straightened up, slamming her fist into the podium's wooden top with a resounding "HA!" She beamed widely. "I knew ya'll were LYIN! He wasn't even there?! He didn't try an' kill ya AT ALL, just like AH said!!"

 

Geoffrey whirled around to face her, one of his crutches clattering to the ground. "IT DOSEN'T MATTER!! HE STILL FUCKING SHOT ME!!"

 

King Acorn pounded his gavel, while Tails and Dulcy gasped. "Mr. St. John!! That sort of language is NOT tolerated here! Now I suggest you calm yourself down!"

 

Geoffrey was shaking, his teeth grinding audibly. "He tried to kill me. He ran when he heard them coming. He DID try to kill me."

 

"Yer a liar."

 

Geoffrey smiled suddenly, a cruel edge to the curl of his lips. "Yeah, well, I got another question for you, Ms Bunnie. One I think will clear up *everything*..." He suddenly shot his gaze to Antoine, who stiffened in his chair. "And someone out there wants to know... so I'm asking for him too..."

 

She crossed her arms over her bosom, her gaze fluttering to Antoine. "...Oh yeah, well...'shoot', sugah."

 

"How many times did you and Snively have SEX!?"

 

It was like Geoffrey had thrown a bomb. King Acorn's gavel became a furious tattoo of wood against wood as Bessie squealed. Sally, along with half the room, gasped. Some people burst out laughing, while others grimaced in disgust.

 

Sonic stood up, tipping over his chair in his haste and began shouting at the skunk; Tails and Dulcy looked shocked at the mention of the 'S' word.

 

"That's it, stinkbomb, I've had enough of your-!" And Sonic leapt over the table, heading for the skunk.

 

"QUIET, QUIET EVERBODY!!"

 

"Oh my goodness, she and him...they actually did-"

 

Antoine put his head into his hands again, rocking back and forth in his seat, a painful moan emitting from his shivering body.

 

Geoffrey swung his crutch around, tripping Sonic, but everyone stood still, awed into silence when his words finally detonated... in the form of Bunnie.

 

She stood with a wordless cry of rage, her powerful arm grabbing the podium and slamming it to the floor between Geoffrey and Sonic. The sturdy wooden frame was dashed into pieces, and she stood with her twin fists clenched, the one bigger than the other, her chest heaving as she drew in heavy breaths. She reached out and grabbed ahold of Geoffrey by the chest fur, getting a huge handful of it, and he squealed in surprise and pain.

 

Sally crouched down by Sonic, both of them staring up at her.

 

She drew her fist back - the robotic one - and Geoffrey winced.

 

The room was dead silent. Even King Acorn halted the gavel, and all eyes fell upon the rabbit and skunk.

 

"Zero times." Her voice was low, choked with anger. "Zero times, Geoffrey." She let him go and went back to her seat.

 

Geoffrey rubbed his chest, the cocky look, that, for nearly three and half hours had been burned into his face, gone. He spoke with a tremor. "You two seemed *close* to me."

 

"We were friends." She leaned her head against the back of the chair. "Ah was his friend...."

 

"People think there was more...."

 

Antoine stared at Bunnie with his lower lip trembling. She didn't look at him. "Mon ami..." he whispered, finally, lowly. He stood up, his legs shaking. "Mon ami...you are being honest? Please, tell moi..."

 

She turned her spring-colored eyes on him; face impassive, but the green depths revealed the hurt underneath, the wounded heart, stabbed by his mistrust and neglect. "Ya'll shouldn't even ask that, Antoine, if ya'll truly love meh. Ya'll should KNOW Ah wouldn't do that. Even if Ah had wanted to, which Ah didn't. Ah wouldn't."

 

Antoine sank back into his seat.

 

She looked back at Geoffrey, anger seemingly fully dissipated, and there was great weariness in her voice now. "Snively was a very needy person, ya'll see. He craved love, an' he fell in love with meh... That's what ya'll saw, Geoffrey. Ah gave him mah friendship, but Ah told him...before ya'll dragged him away...Ah told him Ah could not give him any more than that."

 

Geoffrey seemed out of snide comments at the moment. He stood there, then finally mumbled. "No further questions, Your Honor."

 

The monarch stood up, letting the gavel clatter onto the podium. "I think it's time to take a break. We will recess for an hour...no...make that an hour and a half. After that, we'll continue." He squinted out the window; it had to be around 5:00. "Hopefully, we'll wrap this up today."

 

There was mummering as everybody rose and moved towards the door.

 

"Let's hope," said Bunnie ruefully. "Ah miss mah bed..." She eyed the king. "What should Ah do...Ah reckon Ah shouldn't be walkin' free, since Ah'm so evil and all."

 

"I suppose we should stick with the laws." He shrugged almost apologetically. "Take her back to the jail, please, St John."

 

Geoffrey nodded at Sig and Tory. "You heard him." He turned and hobbled out of the courtroom with the rest of the crowd.

 

**

 

Snively shielded his eyes with one hand. Sunlight was filtering in through a clearing, insistent in seeking out his eyes to blind.

 

He didn't mind too much, because of the change of environment. These clearings had become more abundant; the trees were thinning, the ground becoming firmer and sandier, and the air dryer.

 

He was getting quite close to Mobius's most prominent desert...the Great Unknown.

 

He smirked. Finally, he'd be able to dry out. He imagined he would regret leaving all the moisture from the swamp behind before long, but now he wanted nothing more than to have dry ground under his feet and dry clothing against his skin.

 

An hour later the trees broke completely and he got a glorious sweeping view of the desert shimmering in the evening sunlight.

 

It reminded him of the wasteland between the Great Forest and Robotropolis suddenly, though in reality they were hardly alike. This was natural, that was not. This, even with its harsh climate, still bore life, the other could not even support weeds in its poisoned soil.

 

He found it odd...or more like pathetic...that he was so far away from that blasted city and still fear for it lingered in his mind.

 

Or rather, fear of one of its occupants...

 

"But Julian's not so tough anymore," he said aloud in a clear strong voice. A voice that normally quavered when speaking to that man...it did not quaver to speak of him.

Maybe his fear was not so insatiable, after all.

 

"Julian is nothing now. Like he made me. He can go through it now, all of it!" He spat, trudging down a small hill. The gentle slope lead him to the threshold of the desert.

 

He wavered between the straggling trees and the vast stretch of sand before him. It felt like a big decision; like a chance to take or forfeit. When he stepped forward he was going to be embattled against them again. He couldn't go back to Bunnie.

 

He raised his foot.

 

God...the desert stretched for miles. He was so small on the brink of it. He was so utterly alone in this barren desolate place...

 

He stepped forward onto the sand.

 

He had always been alone.

And he could never go back.

 

**

 

No one interrupted Bunnie during her recap of the events leading up to her incarceration. 

 

She started from the beginning, like all stories should, telling how Snively had lived in her home, been polite and helping her with chores. She told them of the animosity between Snively and Geoffrey; she told of the mission and his trembling hands, his kiss of relief on her forehead.

 

The rings were spoken of. How she'd found out, and how she'd seen how torn and frightened he was, she could not bring herself to believe he gathered them for evil. It was a pathetic grab for control in a powerless life, an attempt for protection, that he could not even understand.

She told of his discovery by Geoffrey and the lack of a trial for him. An announcement of execution was his only justice.

 

Geoffrey opened his mouth but seemed either out of comments or intimidated by her withering glare - he shut it quickly without a word.

 

She explained his escape. "Ah didn't want ta hurt them, but they would've never let him go. Ah know it was wrong, but killin' Snively seemed even wronger to mah."

 

When she reached the part where she had come upon Geoffrey strangling Snively in those dark woods, Sonic nodded vigorously.

 

"Sounds like something Stinkbomb would do."

 

Sally couldn't exactly disagree. She'd seen Geoffrey's violent behavior towards the tiny Overlander as well; a lot of them had seen it.

 

But a lot of them thought he deserved it, and a lot of them didn't know Snively that well...they avoided him, only noticing him when he complained in outbursts, fighting Geoffrey or Sally or skulking around the pool like he tended to do.

 

"Then Ah was arrested." She ended there, and sat back in the chair.

 

Geoffrey sniffed. "You finished?"

 

"Yeah, Ah reckon Ah am."

 

Geoffrey looked questioningly at King Acorn, who seemed to be deep in thought.

 

"Yer Honor?"

 

"Eh?" The elder squirrel blinked. "Ah yes. Ms Rabbot, you've finished with your side of the story?"

 

She nodded.

 

"Very well. Both of you, do a closing, so we can make this official, and then you..." He motioned towards the room, "May have your time to decide Ms Bunnie's fate."

 

Geoffrey cleared his throat, then looked at Bunnie. "You go first."

 

She gave him a cold look, then stood up. "Ah'm not gonna beg ya'll ta let me go, or forgive meh. Ah only ask ya'll to think about what was right...not lawfully right but right in yer minds, like Ah did. Do with meh what ya'll will, but Ah'll stand by what Ah did."

 

She sat down.

 

Geoffrey threw out his arms melodramatically. "Clearly, Miss Bunnie doesn't have any remorse for her criminal act. I normally would want to kill anybody who helped out Robotnik's side, but I don't think that's the right thing to do here." He put his arms back down after almost toppling over, steadying himself with his crutches.

 

"However with her brazen actions, I don't think she deserves total freedom. I think she should be watched constantly. Assigned someone to watch her, like Snively was."

 

Bunnie sat expressionless; Geoffrey continued.

 

"I think she should be barred from missions, as well. She isn't trustworthy." He nodded as if assuring himself. "It's up to you all to decide what will be done, but I'm asking you to not to let this criminal act be unpunished and overlooked."

 

The gavel banged once and King Acorn stood behind his podium. "I will take a short recess, along with Miss Rabbot, and leave you to decide the outcome."

 

The monarch moved out from behind the podium and gestured for Bunnie to follow him. She stood, picking her way over the scraps of wood from the podium she'd formerly sat behind, and took one more glance at the room's inhabitants before exiting before the king.

 

"Geoffrey, when you've all come up with a unanimous decision, come out and tell me."

 

He nodded.

 

He let the door close, and he and Bunnie silently went to the campfire pit, sitting on the logs there.

 

She wearily rubbed her eyes. "That shore was a long trial..."

 

He nodded, his pale blue eyes sweeping over her, searching. She put her hands down and returned the gaze. His eyes, while being almost the same shade as Snively's...were not so haunted, not so turbulent and cold. Like icy oceans, Snively's eyes were. Acorn's eyes were like milk...with droplets of blue dye...yes, smooth and calm, and soothing as well. 

 

"It was long." He nodded again. "And now...I'm afraid to say..."

 

She watched him even more closely.

 

"Unnecessary. It should have never come to this. I don't know what came over me."

 

She shifted on the log. "Ah don't quite agree with it mahself, but Ah guess it is the law."

 

"That sounds awfully hypocritical. You've broken several laws."

 

She frowned. "Ah AM law-abiding. But the law wasn't used in Snively's case. He wasn't given a trial. He was gonna be killed with no fairness at all."

 

The elder squirrel sighed heavily. "I won't hesitate to admit I don't like Snively. I don't trust him, and I can't bring myself to forgive his actions. If he is as good as you claim surely he would try to change for the better."

 

"He was tryin'." She felt sad suddenly. A tightness was in her chest and she drew in a quick breath. "He was tryin' but it was so hard for him. He was just..." She saw him on her floor, crying after he'd confessed his love to her. She saw how pathetically needy he was...when all his fronts were dropped and he was revealed in front of her as someone so painfully fragile that she was almost afraid to breathe... "He was just hurt...so hurt inside, King Max. He might've done bad things but he wasn't all bad. Ah just wish people would understand..."

 

The King stared at the ashes in the pit, then finally, after a long tense silence, spoke. "Listening to you in there I did come to a conclusion. It wasn't a pleasant one for me to accept." He looked over at her with resolve of one bound to a task. This task: the truth. "I was wrong in my treatment of him. It was all wrong. He did deserve a trial, you are right. Whether the outcome would've been the same or not, he deserved one."

 

Her sudden melancholy had flooded her eyes and spilt over her cheeks. But it was silly. She shouldn't be sad. Snively wasn't dead...he hadn't been executed. If he had, she wouldn't be here right now.

 

"But I was afraid. I know you believe he's good, and perhaps some part of him is, but you don't see the dark half. You're trying so hard to see the light in him that your eyes look past the shadows. And those shadows have dangerous things in them! I wanted him gone...because the threat from him would be gone."

 

Bunnie stared at the ground. Maybe she *was* just a naïve little girl. But no. She did see the shadows. She saw how they tried to smother the light. But the light was still *there* nonetheless.

 

Her tears dried. There was always light. She had to believe that. She DID believe that! Because of Robotnik this was a life of darkness surrounding a pool of light. But that light could not be snuffed out!

 

She lifted her head to smile at the king. "Ah know what yer saying, King Max. But he did have light. There's always a light."

 

Loud voices were heard from the meeting hall. They sounded like Geoffrey's and Sonic's, but from this distance they couldn't make out the words.

 

King Acorn just shook his head, and Bunnie laughed.

 

**

 

"Geoffrey, stop acting like a jerk!" Sally said, thrusting her slender arm between the yelling hedgehog and skunk. "And Sonic, cool down!"

 

They both fell back, grumbling.

 

"He started it, luv. He has to always call me those childish names. Stinkbomb this, stinkbomb that. He's the one who smells like a stinkin' chilidog all the damn time."

 

Quack stood up, Bessie clinging to his arm. "Now now, we're here for a reason. We're supposed to be deciding what to do with Ms Bunnie."

 

"Yes yes!" quipped Bessie alongside him. "Quacky's right! We shouldn't be fighting!"

 

Antoine looked at them both through his fingers, which seemed permanently clasped over his face.

 

Sonic sat down in a huff. "Well what's there to talk about? Bunnie should be let go, duh!"

 

Geoffrey hobbled over to an empty chair and sat down. "It ain't that easy, mate. Ya can't just overlook what she did."

 

"Yeah I can." Sonic furrowed his brow at the skunk.

 

Sally stood up again. "Let's look at this rationally. What Bunnie did was wrong, yes. Maybe. Snively really shouldn't have been in that cell in the first place. He didn't have a fair trial."

 

"Who cares..." Antoine mumbled into his hands.

 

"Now let's think about this. Is Bunnie going to do something like that again? Is she going to hurt any of us? Is she going to suddenly go join up with Nagus and Robotnik?"

 

"No way!" said Sonic.

"Uh uh," said Tails.

Dulcy shook her head. There were mixed mumbles throughout the room. Most people nodded but some looked skeptical. 

 

Geoffrey reluctantly shook his head. "I doubt she will, but it don't seem fair to let her git away with it."

 

"Well 'git' over it," Sonic sneered.

 

"You just watch, pincushion, that little punk's gonna come back to haunt us, you just watch!"

 

Sonic peered at his gloves unconcernedly. "Snittly ain't gonna do anything. He doesn't have any power. Even when he did we didn't have much problem beatin' him, did we?"

 

"Forget him," Sally said. "This isn't about him, it's about Bunnie."

 

"Let her go!" Tails said.

 

Rosie spoke from her chair. "From all the years I've known Bunnie, I've known her to be nothing but a sweet thoughtful girl. Very sensitive. She would never try to hurt someone intentionally...not without a very good cause!"

 

Dulcy smiled. "Bunnie is so sweet. And we need her on missions."

 

Geoffrey snorted.

 

"Bunnie's way past cool. She really kicks butt on our missions. She can't help us if she's locked up or being 'watched' like Stinkbomb over there said."

 

Geoffrey shook one of his crutches at Sonic. "Who knows, maybe she'll start feelin' sorry for Robotnik next, eh? Maybe she'll bring home ole fat boy and pamper *him*!" He aimed his crutch, this time pointing the wooden object at Antoine. "Antoine! What do ya think? You know her best, after all..."

 

Antoine slowly uncovered his face to find all eyes on him. He shivered.

 

"I am not thinking I should be saying anything about Mademoiselle Bunnie."

 

"C'mon Ant." Sonic shook his head, looking disgusted.

 

Antoine stood up quickly, nearly knocking over his chair. "Silence, you hedgehog fuel! I do not want to be saying anything!"

 

"She should be watched," Tory said. "At least! She whacked me and him," The badger aimed his finger at Antoine, "on the head!" He tugged at the bandage still looped lopsidedly around his ears. "You didn't see her in the jail. She was nuts!"

 

Antoine didn't say anything.

 

"Look even he doesn't trust her," Tory accused. "And he's her boyfriend! He knows her best like Geoffrey said!"

 

Antoine mumbled something, turning back to his chair.

 

"What was that?" The badger demanded sharply, stepping closer to the fox.

 

Antoine sniffled. His turquoise eyes were watery. "Eet ees true, I am not trusting Mademoiselle Bunnie."

 

Sonic exploded. "Aww what the HELL, Ant?!"

 

"SHUT UP!" Antoine kicked his chair out of the way, whirling around. He lunged at Sonic, pressing his nose against the hedgehog's. They glared eye to eye. "Were you trusting zee Princess when she was making zee eyes at Geoffrey!?"

 

Sonic sputtered.

 

Sally growled. "That was just a fling, Antoine!"

 

Geoffrey looked away, the muscle in his jaw clenched.

 

"But eet was being serious then, wasn't it? How was Sonique, or that fuel," he didn't look at Geoffrey, "to know it would be a toss?!"

 

"Fling," Sally corrected quietly.

 

"How am I to be knowing Bunnie and Snipley are not more than a fling!?"

 

"They aren't anything, you IDIOT!" Sonic grabbed Antoine by the collar. "You heard what she said up there. She wasn't in love with him! You are so stupid!"

 

"I do not know..." Antoine went  limp in Sonic's grip. The hedgehog released him.

 

"Come on, Ant," he said in a low voice. "Don't cop out on Bunnie now. She needs you. She *loves* you, man!"

 

Geoffrey brushed some errant hair out of his eyes. "Maybe it should be Ant's decision. What to do with Bunnie. It's not like her not going on missions or being watched is that big of a deal."

 

"It is so!" Dulcy said. "That makes Bunnie look like a bad person!"

 

"She's an Overlander-lover," Geoffrey sneered. "That's bad enough for me."

 

"Enough!" said Sally. "Look, this is serious! Enough with the arguing, we have to come up with a decision, alright?"

 

Antoine cleared his throat, and moved away from Sonic. His booted feet stopped not far from Geoffrey. "Fine. I will be telling what I really am thinking of Mademoiselle Bunnie..."

 

**

 

Bunnie had slumped her head into her palm, her free hand, the robotic one, spinning a leftover piece of wood in the firepit.

 

The wood twirled around on a larger piece of kindling beneath it, setting it alit. She smiled a little. "Too bad we don't have any corn to roast," she said. "Ah'm awfully hungry."

 

"Didn't you eat during the break?"

 

"Ah was too nervous." She watched the small flame spread to the pieces of unburnt wood.

 

"You're not nervous now?" The monarch's eyes were focused on the fire as well.

 

She shrugged. "Whatever happens, happens Ah guess." She sighed and looked towards the meeting hall, one ear pricking up. King Acorn turned to see Geoffrey approaching them.

 

The skunk did an awkward bow. "Yer Majesty, we've come up with a decision."

 

King Acorn turned to look at Bunnie and she nodded. The trio made their way back to the meeting hall.

 

**

 

Bunnie took her seat amidst the ruins of the podium she'd smashed, uneasily aware of the silence. The creaking of the chair beneath her was like a gun blast; unbearably loud.  She looked at the ground, her hands clasped tight in her lap.

 

Sally stood up. "Antoine would like to deliver the verdict."

 

The French fox made his way up to the main podium. King Acorn moved aside to allow him access.

 

Antoine stood behind the podium, his eyes darting nervously around the room. He gulped, then smoothed down his hair.

 

Bunnie waited silently, her eyes downcast.

 

"B...bee...before I am saying our decision, I want to give a speech." Antoine's voice squeaked as he spoke, but strangely no one, not even Sonic or Geoffrey, snickered.

 

"You will believe I hated Snipley. And I did."

 

Antoine could see the man's face in his head now. The insolent eyes, the way he sneered. And the way he smiled when Bunnie said something...

 

"I did because I was being jealous...and I was being..." he drew in a shaky breath, seeing his dream...Snively and Bunnie...their mouths locked. So real. So damn real. He swore it was a memory and not a figment of imagination. "...afraid."

 

The room was quiet; it unnerved him, but he continued. "I was being disappointed when Bunnie told me about Snipley and the rings. But she said she would not turn him in. I was afraid for her to be getting in big troubles. But I honored her wishes. Because I was...am...knowing Bunnie could not do *evil*."

 

She raised her eyes, looking over at him. He met her gaze, gulping again.

 

She hadn't kissed him, really, had she? Snively smirked from his dream. But he hadn't won in real life. He hadn't really won Bunnie's heart... "I was afraid, mon ami. I thought Snipley would take you away from me. You cared so much about him. I thought you would stop caring for me...." He looked away, his lower lip trembling.

 

Bunnie frowned; only because she was getting teary-eyed and the expression seemed to help hold them back.

 

"I was being such a fuel! You are having..." Antoine suddenly moved from behind the podium. A dramatic show followed; him falling to his knees before her and taking her hand.

 

Sonic quirked an eyebrow. Geoffrey shook his head.

 

Antoine was a master of melodrama, but the emotion here was not an act. "I should be knowing you have room in your heart for everyone. And you can still be loving me and being friends with him!"

 

Bunnie sat up straight, a weary smile touching her face. "Of course Ah love ya'll. Ah don't like what ya did, Antoine, don't get meh wrong. But Ah love ya anyways."

 

Antoine rose and stood behind the podium again, his face slipping into a solemn mask. "Now I will be giving our decision. Bunnie Rabbot, we have conclud-ed you have done wrong by freeing Snipley."

 

Bunnie looked at the floor again.

 

"By law wrong." Antoine cleared his throat. "But maybe it was being right in other ways. We have looked at you, mon ami. And we are knowing we are *needing* you. You are a freedom fighter, and you will always be doing what is good."

 

He turned to look at her staunchly. "You are being no criminal, mon ami. So your decision is being you are free to go."

 

"No watchin'? No parole?" She smiled slightly.

 

"Non."

 

Sally smiled and King Acorn nodded.

 

Bunnie slumped in her chair with a hefty sigh, leaning her head back. "Aw, shucks," she chuckled. "Ah wasn't worried at all!"

 

Then she sprang up. "Now, c'mon, let's git outta here! Ah'm starving and my toushie has about gone numb sittin' in that there chair."

 

Sonic grinned. "Welcome back, Bunnie."

 

She and Sally linked one arm, Antoine on the other, and they strode from the room, ears abuzz with the happy babble of voices.

 

**

 

Two days passed and on the night of that second day, Sonic watched with a frown as through the trees came Sir Charles hedgehog, his robotic face sheepish as he caught sight of his nephew.

 

"Ya know, Unc, I didn't notice you were gone after Bunnie's trial, but yesterday I was wondering where you juiced off to!" He set a disapproving glare on his uncle. "Tails and Dulcy spilled the beans. You went to Nagus-ville during the trial!"

 

"Yes, yes I did, Sonny-boy. I thought I'd leave while everyone was preoccupied. I see Bunnie made it through." He chuckled. "Well I knew she would but-" He trailed off as Sonic's frown deepened.

 

"You can't do that again, Unc!"

 

"You sound quite like Sally." Charles smiled.

 

"Hey, I'm serious! Don't go there alone..." He put a hand on Chuck's shoulder. "You had me worried, man!"

 

"I know... and I'm sorry, Sonic. But I might have to go there again. Someone has to watch Nagus."

 

"We can go together. To check the bug, ok? You don't hafta stay there."

 

"We'll talk about it more, later." Chuck nodded. "But I did get some  news, and I think you all might want to hear."

 

"Ok. I'll get Sal." Sonic revved up. "And don't run off while I'm gone!"

 

****

 

"I know this is a desert...but why does it have to be so blasted hot?" Snively grumbled to himself. His complaints were not unfounded, although the air was starting to cool off as night set in.

 

He breathed in the dry air, scanning the horizon with one hand over his eyes.

 

"That isn't a mirage...is it?" He whimpered a little as he eyed the rocky cliff wall he'd been heading towards for the last few hours. No, the image appeared to be real. At the bottom of the cliff was the entrance to one of Robotnik's old research labs.

 

He swallowed the spit in his mouth, wishing he had a tall glass of water. He would, soon. He'd be inside. Relief for his poor blistered feet.

 

*

 

It was dark by the time he reached the stone walls. The moonlight seemed amplified out here in the Great Unknown, spilling cool white light onto the sands. His pale skin seemed to glow under it. He was bare-chested, having taken his shirt to wrap it around his bald head to block the sun's rays. As it was, his shoulders were lobster-red and painful.

 

"Ahhh..." He looked at the fortress door with a smile, pulling the shirt off his head and tossing it onto the sand. it was a piece of trash, now, anyway. Bloody and swampy-smelling and sandy and ugh...he kicked some sand over it with a wrinkle of his nose.

 

Then he turned his attention to the door. After entering in the code - thankfully it was unchanged- he watched them slide open with a satisfied smirk. He stepped inside.

 

And blinked....as his eyes adjusted to light.

 

The corridor was lit up. He frowned, and stepped tentatively down the metal floors, his shoes trailing sand.

 

In the command center an alarm had gone off. "-Intruder. Intruder.-

 

He gulped, the fine hairs on the back of his neck raising. *Someone* was here. He checked Geoffrey's crossbow gun on his arm, his fingers shaking as he slid a bolt into place. There weren't many left. He had 2 besides the one in the chamber.

 

Not enough, he figured. This was probably a group of Freedom Fighters that had found the fortress. Maybe the wolves that lived out here. He doubted they'd take kindness to an intruder, especially an Overlander, especially Snively, former second in Command of their arch enemy.

 

He took a few more steps forward. The hallway took a corner before him and he stopped, peering nervously over his shoulder. A sound came from in front of him. He froze. It was a sort of strangled gasp, and he heard the subtle whine of a laser pistol powering up. An ominous shadow was thrown onto the wall.

 

He let out a squeal, firing a bolt in his panic. He heard it strike the wall and took off running in the opposite direction, hearing the thundering footsteps as the unseen figure ran as well.

 

He fumbled with the second bolt as he ran, screeching as it slipped his fingers. He grabbed for the last, panting, clumsily sliding it into the firing chamber.

 

There, he was armed.

 

But what to shoot at? The hallway screwed up sound; the mystery person's footsteps amplified and bouncing around the walls. They were coming in front of him? No...behind no...

 

They were getting louder and the someone gave a loud moaning yell. Incoherent.

 

A squeal escaped his lips and he ran in a panic, turning the corner and-

 

*Slam*

 

His body collided with another. Both of them seemed to have forgotten this hallway was circular in shape. They'd run a direct course into each other.

 

He kicked and tried to scramble away. A hand grabbed him, squeezing his burnt shoulder and he screamed. Hot breath blasted him.

 

"No, Nagus, you can't-"

 

Snively gave a hard kick, breaking free, and fell against the wall. He scrunched close to it, his widened eyes finally falling on the mystery figure.

 

Red on black eyes stared back at him. A mouth gaped, then sputtered. "S-S-S-SNIVELY?!?"

 

"JULIAN!?!" Snively sprang to his feet, his knees feeling weak. He wasn't sure he could run. "What are you doing here?!"

 

"What are *you* doing here?!"

 

Robotnik had pressed himself against the opposite wall, and for a minute the two kin stared, panting, at each other.

 

Then Robotnik's eyes lit up red and he roared "C'mere!", lunging forward.

 

Snively tripped over his own feet, stumbling backwards. He threw his arm forward. "No, stop - I'll shoot!"

 

"With that?" Robotnik laughed. "Oh Snively, your idiocy hasn't changed!"

 

"And neither has yours!" Snively growled and let the bolt fly. Robotnik's reflexes were startlingly quick; his robotic arm whipped around and deflected the bolt.

 

A grin touched his uncle's face. "A worthy try, Snively, but not good enough." Then he lunged again. The smaller man leapt away from the wall and took off down the hallway. He could outrun Uncle. Easily.

 

Or not. He heard the footsteps behind him; right on his heels; he could feel those fingers grasping the air inches behind his neck. Oh God, his legs were weak from the long travel, the lack of food, the shock of seeing...

 

Julian threw himself in a tackle, grabbing Snively around the midsection. They both crashed onto the floor again.

 

"Nooo..." Snively wiggled and tried to bite his uncle's hands. "Get off me!"

 

"STOP IT!" Robotnik growled and grabbed his nephew's face in one hand, glaring down at him. "Now what are you doing here, you wretch? Are there Freedom Fighters with you?"

 

Snively's pale eyes widened. "Y...Yes! A whole g-group of them."

 

"You lie..." Robotnik squeezed his nephew's face tighter, smirking as the smaller man's lips were pushed together in a fish-like way.

 

His nephew kicked, wrenching his face away. "There are!" He cried shrilly. "They have...they have guns!"

 

The fat man chuckled and suddenly released the smaller man. He rose from the floor, leaning back against the wall.

 

Snively pushed himself to a sitting position, his arms clasped over his chest. He narrowed his eyes at the larger man. Then his head tilted and his brows knit in a frown. "What happened to you, Julian? You look..."

 

Uncle had shed weight. Oh, he was still an enormous man.  But the loss was apparent to an eye who had seen him so many times. "...sick..."

 

And his Uncle's mustache, twitching at the comment, was shortened. A cruel laugh burst from Snively's lips as he realized; it was burnt at each end, most likely from Nagus's torture. Fire, probably.

 

"Ohhh...I see," he cooed. "You ran away from Nagus, didn't you?"

 

Robotnik scowled. "That fool is unworthy of *my* city. He will pay, soon enough. When I build up power here..." He aimed an accusing finger at Snively. "And what of you, *traitor*?! Did the furballs get tired of your incompetence and banish you!?"

 

"No..." Snively stuck his lip out in a pout. "I'm on a mission. I thought there'd be some things here we could use."

 

Robotnik eyed him keenly. "I don't think that's the truth..."

 

The smaller man was silent; finally standing to lean against the wall, eyeing the other warily. This was too strange; he and Robotnik carrying on a conversation like this. Like they weren't master and slave anymore; like they had things in common.

 

'But we do....'

 

"I don't care what *you* think, Julian." He sneered. This was probably treading on dangerous ground. But Uncle looked so pathetic now; with at least two hundred pounds gone and his mustache reduced to half its size, and his body clothed in an ugly red shirt, which was frayed at the bottom and ripped on the right shoulder. Hilarious.

 

Snively knew he probably didn't look much better. He was shirtless, his bare chest bony and pale as ever, the scars on his stomach as always standing out against the white skin. His shoulders and the back of his neck however were as red as Robotnik's shirt. He was skinnier than usual, bones protruding from the skin, and his pants were torn to shit and stunk too. He had tied his shoes up by the laces and hung them from his belt, because they were hurting his feet. His socks were therefore, filthy, and starting to rip apart.

Pathetic.

 

Robotnik snarled. "I may not be in prime condition," he could read his nephew's sneering thoughts, "but I am still your *superior* and you'd do well to remember that!" His hand shot out, grabbing the smaller man 'round the throat and sliding his frail body up the wall. The other hand clenched into a fist and drew back.

 

Snively squeaked and cringed, squeezing his eyes closed. Well, here he was again, about to feel the familiar pain of Julian's fist. He thought he'd gotten away from that, finally. "N-N-No, Julian, please don't!"

 

There was a grunt from Robotnik and the fist slammed down...onto the wall by Snively's head.

 

The sound made him jump and his eyes flew open to see Robotnik staring at him, chest heaving, crazy-eyed.

 

What came from Snively's mouth was akin to his old groveling, but different. It wasn't as desperate, or as fake. These were statements of truth instead of gibbering compliments to lessen the pain. "J-Julian...you *are*...you are stronger than me...more ambitious...more *evil*...but..."

 

The fat man kept staring.

 

"But it doesn't..." he swallowed hard, "Doesn't mean you should've treated me like you did! I came to you *willingly*."

 

His uncle's grip loosened and he let Snively drop to the floor.

 

"I called you an incompetent, Snively. Are you an incompetent?"

 

What an odd question. Uncle was as unpredictable as ever.

 

He paused. And then said firmly, "No. No , I am not."

 

"Nagus called me one. Am I?"

 

Snively lifted an eyebrow. "Self doubt isn't like you." Another pause. "You...you aren't." Then saucily he added, "But you have a lot to learn."

 

"From who?" Robotnik sneered back. "From you?" He gave Snively his scrutinizing stare, the one he'd always use on Snively, trying to see what treachery he was hiding. But what he was searching for this time was different.

 

Snively didn't know what Julian wanted. He wanted to avert his eyes, to hide like he always did. 'But what for? Who cares. I'm not his slave anymore. I can leave here if I want...' So he held the other man's eye, neutrally, neither challenging, nor submissive.

 

His eyes locked on Uncle's quivering mustache; it only twitched like that when Julian was under emotional stress. Usually anger. But Uncle didn't look angry.

 

"I think you've already learned...some things..." He took a step towards his statue-still uncle. "...You have some of my 'sacred' knowledge now, Julian..." He grinned suddenly, sadistically, eyes slitted and icy. "How does it feel to feel like *me*?"

 

Robotnik was quiet, then finally he took a step back, his red on black eyes gazing over the tiny and weary form of his nephew.

 

"It's knowledge I would gladly forfeit."

 

"Yes," said Snively. "Me too."

 

**

 

Uncle Chuck chose to gather the group outside, around the ash of the previous campfire. Bunnie was relieved; most meetings were called into the meeting hall, and she was a bit tired of that place at the moment.

 

She and Antoine arrived last, linked arm and arm, but it seemed for appearance's purposes only. Sally could see it. Bunnie was still hurting inside, and Antoine, despite his reassurances of Bunnie's monogamy, seemed still uneasy. She sighed, but said nothing. Bunnie and Antoine would have to work out the more intimate details of their relationship on their own.

 

They sat around on the logs; only the main group of fighters had been gathered for now, the news would trickle down to the others later. Chuck stood by the firepit.  Around him sat Rotor, Bunnie and Antoine, Sally and Sonic, Dulcy, Tails, Geoffrey (who sat apart from the others, looking sour), and Max Acorn.

 

"So what's the news, Unc?"

 

"Well..." began his Uncle slowly, holding his hands out slightly, "As you know, Nagus is our main enemy. We've discovered that he has magic beyond what we thought."

 

The remainder of Nagus's deathcraft made Sonic's face fall into an atypical hopeless state. Geoffrey scowled at him.

 

"Buck up, mate, we ain't gonna beat him mopin'."

 

"You weren't..." Sonic trailed off. "...there..."

 

"Robotnik was nasty too, mate. An' his arse was kicked. No one said it was gonna be easy. But we'll do it."

 

Sonic nodded slowly. "Yeah. I guess you're right..." A smirk quirked one corner of his lip. "...Stinkbomb."

 

Chuck cleared his throat with a  scratching robotic sound; the hedgehog and skunk were silent. "Nagus will indeed prove to be a worthy foe. We'll have to lie low, study him a bit. I think our attacks will have to be swifter, more stealthy. Robots won't be our main adversaries anymore. Nagus doesn't much use them to his advantage. That's one weakness of his, you see. His disdain for Robotnik's technology."

 

"Yes, we'll have to use that against him, somehow," Sally mused.

 

Dulcy stretched out a wing. "And...And I can maybe help teach people about magic?"

 

"That would be great, Dulcy."

 

"I don't know much..." she said sheepishly, "But I guess it's better than nothing."

 

"Of course it is."

 

She nodded her head, cheeks flushed. Tails smiled over at her.

 

Sonic seemed annoyed suddenly. "Ok, Unc, don't tell me you went all the way to Nagusville for that?"

 

"Well..." the robotic hedgehog paused. "As we all know, Snively is also out there somewhere." He looked at Bunnie. "I don't know if he's a threat or not."

 

"He ain't," she said, as expected.

 

"But we have to be cautious. He still could have evil motives."

 

Bunnie stuck her lip out stubbornly; Chuck treaded lightly.

 

"Or he could regain them. Once he's away from us..."

 

She looked away suddenly, as if that thought had struck her too, and she didn't like it. The fact that, once away from them, and her, Snively could lose any goodness he had scraped up, and turn to the darkness again.

 

"We have to consider him a possibility, that's all," Chuck said.

 

They all nodded; Bunnie only slightly. Geoffrey shook his head with his lip curled in disgust.

 

"Unc, that isn't all-"

 

"No, there is one more thing." The robotic hedgehog looked grim. "We have one more threat, and this one is a bit more assured than Snively..."

 

**

 

Stare.

 

Stare back.

 

Stare back harder.

 

"Quit staring, Julian."

 

Robotnik leaned back in his 'throne' in the small command center of the fortress. It was not much of a center. His bedroom back home had been bigger.

 

"What do you want me to do," Snively said, his arms crossed over his chest. "Watch monitors all day and call you 'sir'?"

 

"That sounds delightful, Snively, get to it."

 

His nephew snickered and then collapsed against the console. "I need water...get me water."

 

"You've only been out in the desert for two days," his Uncle grumbled but actually obeyed. He brought the brimming glass to his nephew, slipping it into the man's small hand.

 

Snively looked at it suspiciously, probably expecting poison, but he didn't look long. He was mighty thirsty and didn't stop drinking until the entire glass was drained. He inhaled nosily after swallowing the last of it.

 

Robotnik returned to the chair, slumping into it. Once again his eyes locked on his skinny nephew, sitting sprawled on the floor. "So, now what?"

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Are you going to work for me again, Snively?"

 

His nephew spun the empty glass idly on the floor. "No."

 

"Now, what do *you* mean?! Are you going to work against me?!"

 

Snively raised only his eyes, his mouth curled in a nasty sneer. Robotnik wasn't sure he liked this change in Snively. Insolent and acidic, Nephew was quite the little bastard.

 

"Wouldn't be the first time, 'dear' Uncle."

 

Robotnik growled loudly, half rising from the chair. He was tempted to beat Snively to a pulp. Oh, it would feel so good to thrash that little punk again, and it was long overdue. Yes, he'd do it.

 

Snively didn't seem worried, but inwardly he slapped himself. It wasn't good to reveal too much to Julian! Like how he'd plotted against him in the years before Doomsday. Uncle really really shouldn't know about that. Robotnik was still stronger than him, after all. There was nothing stopping him from just breaking Snively's neck.

 

 "..I was a Freedom Fighter, remember..."

 

"Horrendous. You should be ashamed." Robotnik's considerably smaller bulk sank back into the chair. "I will make you regret that, Snively, one of these days. But for now, the question stands. Are you against Nagus?"

 

Snively continued spinning the glass. "Yes. Of course."

 

"So you will work for me."

 

"I said no." Snively halted the glass's spinning with his hand and rose to his feet with it in hand. He left momentarily to refill it and then came back, standing in front of the fat man's chair. "I won't work *for* you, Julian." He took a long sip of the cool liquid. "I will however, work *with* you."

 

Robotnik raised an eyebrow.

 

Snively aimed an accusing finger. "I won't tolerate slavery again. You escaped it. You know what it's like, now. If you treat me like that again, Julian, I'll leave you in a heartbeat. And I'll tell Nagus where you are."

 

Robotnik's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare!"

 

"I would." The small man smirked and slurped nosily from the glass. "And I'm sure he'll be soooo glad to have his little pet back."

 

Robotnik growled. "Fine, Snively. We will work together." He seemed to shudder.

 

"It won't be so bad, Uncle," Snively was actually enjoying himself, "You'll find we make a much better team when you actually *listen* to me. You aren't the only one who inherited the brains."

 

Robotnik laughed. "You apparently have quite a warped sense of humor, Nephew."

 

"Call it what you want, Julian." Snively focused on drinking the rest of the water; ah, it was so good. He'd been parched. Now all he had to do was get some new clothing and slather some lotion onto his sunburn, and sleep, yes, get some sleep! Knothole already seemed like a distant memory. He wasn't sure of one of its occupants. She still occupied a large space in his mind.

 

Maybe that would fade away too. He sighed and lowered the glass.

 

Robotnik was staring at him again.

 

"Snively, I do ask one thing."

 

"Hmm?"

 

"Call me 'sir'."

 

Hahahah! Snively snickered. "Only if you do."

 

Robotnik growled and rolled his eyes.

 

Yeah. Robotnik wouldn't hesitate to enslave him when Nagus was defeated and the fat man took power again. He'd changed, surely, from Nagus's torture. He understood better what Snively's pain was like. But it didn't matter. When the power rushed to his head, and the city was his once again, Snively would be reduced to a peon. Even worse, Robotnik might just roboticize him for his impertinent ways.

 

It didn't matter right now, Snively thought, leaving the room to find something to eat. That was all in the future. He'd deal with it then.

 

Maybe it wouldn't even happen. Maybe Robotnik had actually changed for good...?

 

Hahhahaha.

 

He really did have a warped sense of humor.

 

**

 

"Robotnik."

 

"What?!"

 

"I'm afraid so."

 

"You're saying Robo-butt is somewhere out there? Not working for Nagus?"

 

"That's right."

 

"Shit mate, this ain't good."

 

"Three enemies to deal with," Sally mummered, looking faint. "Robotnik is as much a threat as Nagus."

 

"He might not have power-"

 

"Oh, he will Unc. Buttnik always had some stupid backup, or somethin'! I wouldn't be surprised if he had another Robotropolis lying around." Sonic kicked the ash in the firepit bitterly.

 

King Acorn stood up. "This is bad news, indeed." He looked over the village, the sparse huts and people strolling about, unknowing of their increased peril.

 

The groups had split. Cracked in the middle.

 

"It isn't just us and Nagus anymore."

 

They would conquer, though. Didn't they always?

 

They would revise their plans.

 

The groups had split, and the players were uncertain, but all were certain in their one goal. Bring the other groups down and claim ultimate power.

 

The Freedom Fighters. Shaken in their confidence. But still unyielding. They would stand tall in the wind until they broke. And even then they would hold on.

 

Snively. Somewhere he plotted great plans in his small mind. Narrow worldview had widened, seen things he'd been numb to. Friendship and love. But persecution from Mobians and reunion with Robotnik could smother all that. He was at his crossroads now, torn between light and darkness, and right now daylight was fading.

 

Robotnik. The former tyrant had escaped and surely would seek to regain his title. Dictator and Tormentor of Mobius. His attempts at vengeance would be brutal. First he would have to dispatch his former master. And then Mobius would feel his wrath.

 

Nagus. The wizard sat in his black throne, claw clasped in hand contemplatively, his eyes closed. He could see the future in his head. His ideal future. They would call it sick. Twisted. But it would happen.

 

The factions had split and all were aligned against him.

 

But he didn't care.

 

He'd slaughter them all.

 

*

The end...for now...