DISCLAIMER: "Sonic the Hedgehog" and most other characters and situations in the following story are copyrighted trademarks of Sega Incorporated, Archie Comics and/or DIC Productions. Permission to reproduce this specific material may be granted by the author so long as you email first. (c)2007 native_pangean@fsmail.net. Bookshire Draftwood (c) David Pitstone.

Chapter 5: The Rift

Rotor stood opposite Velvet, still stunned by her news. The butterflies in his stomach dropped like lead weights: she wasn't interested in him. Rotor felt miserable - this is how he'd thought it would be with any girl he liked. He should have played safe, he told himself.

He felt like he'd always be doomed to fail. He considered himself ugly, he felt clumsy and inadequate, he knew he was fat... He sighed and looked at the ground; his shoulders slumped. He felt embarassed and unsure of what to do next, so he looked back at Velvet to gauge her thoughts. The young coyote couldn't look him in the eye and turned the other way, ruffling her hair.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't want you to think I was leading you on."

Then he realised: although he felt disappointed, rejected, she looked even more miserable than he did. Actually, scared, he thought. She looked scared. Rotor looked from this oblique angle at the expression on her face as she leant on the worktop. She looked so upset, he realised. He knew then that he couldn't let her deal with his misery as well. He walked over to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay," he soothed. She looked up at him.

"You're not angry?" she asked. Rotor shook his head, feeling better already for comforting her. "So we're still friends?"

"Totally," he answered, smiling. He noticed her look of relief and realised that, although he had wanted to be with Velvet, he didn't mind that she would never want him, too. She hadn't rejected him personally, he realised. He thought about the fact they were firm friends and realised that it was actually okay that way.

She smiled. "Well, in that case, there's only one thing I can do next..."

A thick blanket of grey fog covered the Great Forest as Rotor wished Velvet good luck. She'd chosen to come out to her brother on her own, although he had offered to be there. He had asked if that was a good idea, knowing how much of a stiff Antoine was, but Velvet had reminded him that Antoine held a high, official position in the House of Acorn and would be far better informed of this piece of family gossip as soon as possible. Rotor had agreed, but he wondered, as he stood on the porch and watched her trapise off into the gloom, just how Antoine would react.

Sonic, Sally and Bookshire each smiled a 'good morning' to Velvet as she walked past. Sonic carried on talking, but Sally saw the worry on Velvet's face and wondered what was wrong. She watched out of the corner of her eye; saw the young dog knock on Antoine's front door; visibly steel herself as she waited for the door to open. The sound of the coyotes' voices were flattened by the damp atmosphere. Antoine looked worried when she spoke to him and invited her in. Velvet went inside and the door closed.

"I don't know, Sonic," Sally continued, turning her attention back to the hedgehog and raccoon. "it was like they couldn't think for themselves. They just agreed to everything. Both of them-"

The three animals' heads whipped around as they heard Antoine shouting in his hut, and Velvet shriek a response. None of them had any idea what was being said: the argument was conducted in French.

"Tu ne pouvez pas etre ! C'est anormal!" They heard Antoine lament.

"Tony, se calmer." Velvet replied. "S'il vous plait. Je vous dis juste-"

"Tu anormal pique une crise! Pour qu'etes-tu venu ici? Partir, je ne tu veux pas!"

"Tony, l'arreter! Ne pas m'appeler cela!"

"Sortir de ma maison!" Antoine shrieked. He stormed outside as if to leave, then turned around and launched a tirade against his older sister, his hand held in front of his face as if to indicate a distance. "Tu venez dans ma maison, tu venez cette fin a moi, et tu me dites tu etes..."

"Vous dire je suis ce que, Tony?"

"Tu etes... Je ne peux pas le croire! Vous degoutez!"

"Tony, je suis-" She started, then glanced at the trio and tried to guide Antoine back indoors. "Allumer. Allons à l'interieur."

He flinched from her. "Partir!"

"DANS!" She snarled, then slapped him hard on the shoulder in the direction of his front door. They both stormed back inside and the screaming continued.

Sonic and Sally were both rooted to the spot, slack-jawed, but managed to exchange a glance, as if either of them might know what the fuss was about. Suddenly, Velvet launched herself out of the front door and stormed off in the direction of Rotor's house. Sally watched her go for a moment, wondering if she should follow, or perhaps speak to Antoine, and then decided to let both cool down a little first. She cleared her throat.

"Okay, um... Bookshire," she addressed the doctor. "What was wrong with Bunnie and Rotor?"

"Well," the raccoon rumbled, still looking a little confused by the drama that had just unfolded in front of them. "both of them were under a temporary hypnosis which didn't go away when I tried to bring them out of it - it appears that it was achieved by chemical means." He took in a breath and looked at Sonic and Sally meaningfully. "Bunnie and Rotor were drugged."

Sonic and Sally gasped and looked at eachother. "How'd this happen?" asked Sonic. He was already growing visibly angry.

"I have a theory. Part of the roboticization process involves the use of a serum, a medication that induces the state you saw both of them in, Sonic." Bookshire began. "That serum is administered by touch - a Mobian only has to have some on their skin and it gets straight into the bloodstream. Extra strong effect if they ingest any. Have Bunnie and Rotor touched anything lately, perhaps on a mission?"

Sally seethed. "The roboticizer! They both went to pick up a capsule, doctor."

Bookshire nodded. "Where is it now, princess?"

Sally huffed and shook her head. "Rotor's house. He's keeping it to study. It must have been old serum from since it was last used."

Bookshire shook his head. "Sally, the serum has a limited shelf life and it's hard to make. You don't waste a drop of it once you've made it, at least, not if you can help it. The serum they both touched wouldn't be left over. The capsule was just the bait. It was a trap."

Sonic locked eyes with Bookshire. "Butt-nik needs his ass kicked," he growled. "You got any new counter-attacks in mind, Sal?" But Sally shook her head.

"Sonic, we need to be careful when we next go there. Robotropolis is so damp - he could put that serum anywhere." She looked sad and continued: "Rotor said he thought it was strange where they'd found it. It was right at the entrance of the heap. It's so obvious!" she snapped, and stamped her foot.

"Sally, if it's any help," Bookshire suggested, "the serum can only be produced using a rare element found in the upper atmosphere of Mobius as a catalyst. I've no doubt Robotnik has a special robot he uses to gather it."

"Then that's it," she determined, and turned to Sonic. "We go to Robotropolis, find the robot and destroy it! Let's call a meeting - noon at Rotor's place."

Sonic was as confused by what he had seen that morning as Sally had been, and was looking for Rotor to ask if he knew what had happened. He heard hammering and looked up to see his old friend repairing a look-out post, and climbed up to speak to him.

"Hey, Rote," he greeted.

"Hi, Sonic," the walrus greeted, tossing his hammer and catching it's head end before tucking it under his belt.

"D'you know if there's something wrong with Velvet?" he asked. Rotor's face fell.

"Like what?"

Right there. That was the tone, the facial expression that Sonic saw that first made him suspicious. Rotor was usually cheerful and easy, but today something was different. Sonic replied:

"Sally and me saw her go to Antoine's place, and she went in, and they had a mondo bust-up. Then she came back to your place. I kind of wondered if you knew anything about it."

Despite Sally's frequent laments about Sonic's rashness, he had a certain skill with interrogation. It could be seen as nothing, but Sonic asked precisely this question because if there was anything going on, a flicker of guilt would show on Rotor's face. Sometimes the information you gathered in the blink of an eye was the most useful.

There it was.

"Uh, no," Rotor answered. "I don't know what's up with those two. She came back upset, but I don't know exactly what was wrong. Just that they'd been fighting."

Sonic forced his face to say open and concerned. "Okay," he concluded. "I guess it's just a brother-sister thing."

"Uh, maybe," Rotor laughed and shrugged. Just a little too emphatically. He was hiding something. Sonic got up and made to leave.

"Yeah," he said, the comment intended to sound like he'd forgotten the incident already. "Well, bye, Rote!" and he slid down the ladder and off in search of Antoine.

He found him sitting on a log by the river, hurling pebbles into the water. For once, Sonic eschewed his usual jokey greeting for what he hoped would be interpreted as a friendly one.

"Hey Ant," he greeted. The coyote turned his head in Sonic's direction, scowled and looked back out into the delta. He threw in another stone. Sonic sat down beside him.

"What was all that about this morning?" Sonic asked.

"Eet eez not of your businezz, hodgeheg!" Antoine snapped.

"Ah, come on," Sonic replied, ignoring Antoine's wrong pronounciation. "We all saw it."

Antoine tried to remain silent, apparently hoping that Sonic would go away. Sonic refused to move. Before long Antoine's impatience got the better of him and he lamented: "Velvet... she iz... Ze Princess is not safe about 'er." And with that he flung the remainder of his stones into the water and stormed off.

Sally? Thought Sonic. Sonic let Antoine go, deciding to try again another time. He looked around for a moment before setting off to see if he could get any more information out of Velvet.

Velvet was at the other end of the village, trying to take her mind off the drama of that morning. She did not want to cross paths with Antoine again quite yet so had gone to the edge of the Forest to be alone. She had three apples with which she was trying to juggle. A flash of blue moved in the corner of her eye and she looked around. It was Sonic.

"How's it goin'?" he asked with a half-smile.

Please don't let this be about this morning, she thought to herself. He looked amiable enough but it did indeed appear that he had something to say. "Just trying to teach myself something new," she laughed. But she knew he hadn't come to talk about juggling and her mind was racing.

"What happened this morning?" he asked, clearly taking the direct route.

SHIT! Velvet panicked inwardly. "An argument - sibling stuff," she said nonchalantly, trying to pass it off as nothing.

"Yeah, but what?"

No such luck, evidently. She struggled to find an answer for a moment before grasping at the first feasible reply that came into her head. "I met someone in a club a few days ago and he doesn't like it." Aarrghh! her thoughts screeched back at her. What are you doing?!

"You've got a boyfriend?" Sonic asked with amusement. Velvet siezed the chance and shrugged.

"Something like that." That's enough questioning. You don't need to know any more. Please...

"So what's Sally got to do with it?"

Velvet felt her jaw almost hit the ground. FUCK! He was so ashamed of me being gay! He can't have told him! I didn't even say I fancy her! "Who said she did?" she asked, only too aware of the panicky tone to her voice.

Sonic looked less than happy and lowered his tone, jabbing her in the chest with his finger. "I'm watching ya, Vel. And if I catch ya up to anything, you're out of this village." and with that he turned and walked away, looking over his shoulder to repeat, "Remember. I'm watching you."

Velvet sighed and looked at the sky. Bollocks, bollocks, BOLLOCKS...

It was mid-day, and the Knothole Freedom Fighters had gathered around Rotor's workstation on the sheltered porch. Sonic sat at the table, Sally at his side. Beside the Princess Bunnie Rabbott was perched. She had gotten her confidence back, but her recent drugging had brought her, if anything, closer to the Princess.

Rotor stood on the other side of the table, facing Sonic and Sally and considering what Sally had just suggested. At the end of the table sat Antoine, sullenly staring at the table, reacting to nothing. He was evidently listening though, as his ears twitched at the conversation. And at the background noise of Velvet. Nobody said anything about the commotion earlier that day.

"It's a good idea, Sally," Rotor said slowly, considering the problem as he talked, "but there's one problem - Robotnik can make another one. I think it would be a bad idea for us to keep on coming back to Robotropolis just to keep destroying these things. It would be too predictable."

"You're right, Rotor," she admitted. "But we have to stop him somehow."

Rotor glanced over his shoulder at the roboticizer, wondering what could be done. The room fell silent, except for the quiet swish of hot water as Velvet washed up in the kitchen area. Then Rotor stood up straight. When he looked back at the other Freedom Fighters he had a mischievous smile on his face. "You know what we could do?" He watched Sally shake her head with confusion. "Change the blueprint!" Her face fell - of course!

"That's all you need to do? Get at the blueprints?" Sonic asked. Sonic had decided to give Rotor the benefit of the doubt just for now and not ask any more questions. Rotor was a good guy and he couldn't see Rotor hiding anything from him for long. He decided to wait for the walrus to speak to him. He'd probably talk later today.

"That's all, Sonic! Then he can make as many as he likes - they won't work!"

Bunnie, Rotor and Sally looked positive, but Sonic noticed that Antoine was still glowering.

Antoine hadn't cheered up one bit since his argument this morning with Velvet. He was even more waspish than normal. He and Antoine didn't really get along, but there had been something else in that conversation over and above the coyote's jealousy. Antoine really was angry about something. Sonic wondered what. Whatever it was, Antoine could hardly bear to look in the direction of his sister. Sonic shared a glance with Sally, who seemed almost as confused about the situation as he was.

"Velvet," Sally suddenly called and looked over to the kitchen. "I'd like to you come along."

Velvet looked back at Princess Acorn blankly. "On a mission?" she asked after a pause, a half-dry plate between her hands.

"Yes," Sally said encouragingly. Velvet glanced at Sonic, who shrugged, clearly not giving away their earlier conversation, and then at Antoine, who looked quickly back at the table top.

"Well, I'd, err... Alright," she said uncertainly, but seemed happy to go along with the plan.

"Princess, you cannot to be seriouz..." Antoine objected, but his sentence fizzled to nothing as he saw the look on Sally's face: she wasn't going to be argued with. Velvet was going with them. That was that.

"Sal, I'm telling you," Sonic said emphatically, "Velvet's up to something. And she's got Rotor in on it, too!"

"Sonic, calm down," she soothed. Sonic just crossed his arms and scowled at her.

Sally knew as well as Sonic did that something was wrong, but she couldn't in her heart believe that it was anything sinister. Velvet had indeed been a little secretive since she had come here, and although she didn't know why, it was clear that she needed to level it with her brother first.

"Maybe Rotor does know more than he's saying, but he wouldn't put us in danger. And Velvet's not dangerous, she's just arguing with Antoine. It's not our business. Let them get on with it. They'll open up eventually."

Sonic uncrossed his arms and looked at his feet. "Yeah, maybe, Sal. I just got a feeling that... I dunno."

Sally approached him with a seductive smile and put her hands on his shoulders. "Rotor will come back to you soon, I promise," she said quietly and gave him a kiss on the nose. He smiled back at her, but the smile left his face as she turned away.

Sonic knew Sally well enough to trust her. She was seldom wrong about anything, but there was something at the back of his mind. Rotor had been affected by this serum and, since then, he had been evasive, not as willing to talk to Sonic as he had been before. Velvet lived with him so had plenty of time to work trouble if she wanted to. Sonic and Rotor been friends for years and Rotor was known for his easy and light way with people. But that had changed, and Sonic wondered if he should watch both of them very carefully...

The other Freedom Fighters had gradually disbanded after the meeting, leaving one by one. As Bunnie walked out the door and in the direction of her home Velvet counted to 10 before closing and locking the door behind her. She rested her back against the door and put her head in her hands.

"What a day!" she lamented, her words muffled against her palms. Rotor smiled sympathetically and walked over to her.

"Been a tough one for you, huh?"

"No shit," she replied. "I need to chill out. Are you sure you won't come out dancing with me?"

TO BE CONTINUED...