1Well I decided to repost my first fanfiction ever. Go me. This was posted almost a year ago and it seems like a decade. I've written so much in the way of poems and literature that I sometimes like to go back and read this piece just ro think about when I started writing. I wrote this two and a half years ago and I've developed a lot as a writer. I have made some changes to The Last Day but other than a few things it is still the original work. I enjoy doing fanfiction that gives you a glimpse into the past from a minor character's point of view and I hope you guys do to.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the fallowing characters. They are the property of SEGA Corporation of Archie comics. As this is a fan fiction I do not intend to sell the fallowing work for profit. Without further adieu, please enjoy the story.
The Last Day
By: Greg Durland
It seamed like just another day on the planet of Mobius and everything was just as it should have been. All of Mobius was outside enjoying the bright summer sun and the sweet sounds of birds chirping their light songs; but more importantly in the city park of Mobiotropolis (The biggest city in all the land, and the city where the royal family of Acorn took up residence) An old Squirrel basked in the sunlight as a slight breeze blew through her short summer coat. Rosie was the royal nanny to King Max's toddler daughter Princes Sally Alicia Acorn. Rosie watched as Sally played with her friends in the sand and just let a smile spread across her face as she thought about how that these were the days that no matter how abundant they were she treasured the most.
Life in the castle wasn't always this peaceful though. She tried not to dwell on the politics and activities of the rest of the castle, which due to the minister of defense, Julian Kintobor, had become very complicated and fierce as of late. Instead she just concerned herself with the small group of children she was watching. She was in fact only charged with the care of young princess Sally, but watching over her friends as well was no problem. The children were well behaved and polite, all except Sir Charles Hedgehog's Nephew Sonic. He was always too impatient, but Rosie saw it as a personal challenge to keep him in line.
"Rosie, Rosie come look a this!" Sally squealed in her jumbled toddler language. Rosie reluctantly got up from the cozy bench and went to the corner of the sandbox the five children were huddled around. As Rosie approached Sally's head shot up, spotting her nanny she ran out in front of the old squirrel. Beaming in delight she told her best friend about their discovery.
"Look Bunnie found a birdie!"
"One second darling, let me have a look." the Rosie replied, trying to sound as interested as they were.
Sure enough there was a wounded bird lying on the ground in the center of the circle of children. Its wing seemed to be broken.
"What's em'atter with 'er? Why aint she flying?" asked Bunnie Rabbit, sally's newest and closest friend from the southern provinces. She had just moved to Mobiotropolis about 4 months ago. Rotor, a rather large walrus boy, continually poked at it with a stick while Antoine, a young coyote and General Décolleté son, protested.
"You should not be doing ze touching of ze poor birds." He argued. Antoine's family was from the French part of Mobius and so Antoine spoke with a rather heavy French accent.
"Aw, come on Ant" said Rotor
"Yhea, come on Ant." Sonic mocked and fell on his back laughing hysterically. Glancing over to Rotor and the immobilized hedgehog Rosie quickly waved her finger at the two.
"Rotor it is not polite to poke fun at either this poor bird of young Antoine, its not polite and young men should not act that way is that understood".
"Yes ma'am" they groaned. Seeing that their fun was over Sonic got up and Rotor threw away the stick.
"Now, This bird is wounded and needs help. As young mobians what is your responsibility to this bird since it was you five who found it?" Rosie asked as she looked into the eyes of all the children hoping that they had learned something in their time under her care.
"Lets throw it up and watch it fly!" Sonic blurted out as if he was the smartest animal in the world.
"No Sonic!" the group shouted in unison and giggled as Sonic shot them an angry look then bowed his head, finding the ground was a very interesting thing to look at. This had become a game that the children played whenever the blue hedgehog said something stupid, which was often.
Looking at the children laughing at the defeated youngster Rosie decided to be gentler with her choice of words. "That was incorrect. Now who else would like to give it a try." Sally of course was the first to react. She threw her hand above her head and began to wave it around.
"Princess"
"We have to take it home and feed it, and care for it, and help it get better so it will go fly on its own." She said and squinted toward sonic and stuck out her tongue toward the brash hedgehog.
"Correct Sally, but that is no reason to rub it in Now, gather her up and lets take everyone home"- "But ma'am" Bunnie interrupted "we want to stay at the castle tonight. 'ar mommies said it was okay."
" Daddy said it was Okay as long as we stay in the play room"
"Okay, Okay lets go." Rosie said defeated. The children squealed in joy and ran toward the looming castle leaving Rosie to pick up their belongings and the wounded bird. As she was leaving she noticed Bunnie was still beside her.
"Can eye carry her?" she asked sheepishly.
"Of course" Rosie said using the gentlest tone she could manage and carefully handed the bird to the young rabbit. Bunnie and Rosie walked back to the castle in silence as Bunnie watched the bird with intent and caring eyes. Rosie knew the young doe would make a great mother when she grew up. As they walked down Main Street she was alone with her thoughts. The sun started to go down, painting the sky a beautiful array of reds and oranges. Watching the sky she was amaze the children had been able to set this up without her knowing. "They'll be just to smart for me soon."
Midnight
Rosie had gotten the children to bed only and hour ago and had just fallen into a peaceful sleep herself when she was yanked out of her slumber by the sound of the palace alarms. The high-pitched screaming on the alarms made her jump out of her skin and almost out of her bed.
Confused and disoriented it took her eyes a second to adjust to the ruby red light filling her room. "We must be running on reserve power," she thought to herself. "But that only happens when someone has attacked the main generator,"
"The Children!"
She darted to her door and poked her head out to get a better look at the severity of the situation. Mobians were running up and down the halls. As they ran by she was able to catch some pieces of their conversations before they disappeared behind the darkness of the hallway, the emergency lights didn't do a very god job of illuminating a hall.
"Did you hear it, they say he just snapped!"
"No, I think he's been planning this all along!"
"The king said to find shelter."
"But where,"
"In the city bunkers! Where else."
"Where did the King go?"
"Last I saw he was still in the throne room. Something about being the last to leave."
"But he'll be killed."
"He said he has nothing left now that the last of the royal family is gone."
The last comment hit Rosie like a ton of bricks. She knew that the king was still horribly upset about the loss of Queen Alicia and prince Eliece a few years ago, but what about young Sally. Could it be that what ever is happening to the castle has taken Sally as well. She had failed to protect her from harm like she promised the king when she was appointed royal nanny. Falling to her knees she started to weep for the lost family.
No, she had to see for herself. She had locked the children in the playroom only and hour ago and she was the only one that she knew of who had the key. She had to rush over and either find the small grave like room housing the children or take them to the king and show him hope, hope enough to live and fight.
She sprinted down the halls for about 10 minutes, gasping for every precious breath and barely paying attention to her nightgown that was dangerously close to tripping her. She finally stopped outside the door to the playroom. She couldn't hear any noise from the inside. "Oh my god, I'm to late!" she said as a tear fell from her eye. In rage she slammed her fist against the door.
Resting her head against the door she could feel fists banging against the opposite side of the door and the faint screaming and terrified pleads for held of children. Placing the keycard into the doors entrance reader the door unlocked and slid open causing Sonic and Rotor topple on top of each other
"Miss Rosie, where have you been? They were so scared," sonic said as he climbed to his feet trying to rub the tear streaks off of his face.
"I know child, now, where are the others?"
"In the room," Rotor said as he managed to get to his feet.
Rosie looked into the red-lit room to see Bunnie, Sally, and Antoine huddled together trembling violently as tears fell freely from the three young children.
"Aunt Rosie!" Sally screamed as she ran toward the aging squirrel and jumped in to the air toward her. Rosie fell to 1 knee to catch the young princess in midair.
"It's okay now young one," she whispered into the small princess's ear.
"Okay children, we have to go. This place is not safe anymore"
"But Misz Rosie where'll we go to"
"To see the king first Antoine"
"Daddy!"
"That's right Sally, now lets go"
"When will they shut those noises off already?" Sonic complained.
"Don't worry about that now and hurry up."
"Way ahead of ya lady!" He said as the group left the playroom in search of the throne room. The children fallowed Rosie through the labyrinth of the palace, weaving in and out of passing mobians running for their lives. They entered a vast dark chamber near the entrance to the castle and in the darkness they could barley make out the figure of King Acorn sitting by himself except for Julia, his mentor and now Sally's since he was full grown and she was in need of teaching. Julia was a very respected person in the kingdom and her renown was well known to everyone ion the castle.
"Sire, it's me Rosie," she shouted at the dark figure.
"Rosie," was all he was able to mumble back
"Yes sire, I'm here with Sally, the royal family lives on."
"Sally's alive," he asked, his powerful voice returning to him
"Yes sire."
"Then it is fitting that the bean and I are together at the end like her mother and brother were"
Bean was the king's nickname for Sally because when she was borne she was able to fit in his hand and he had never seen anyone that small. Even her twin brother Elise was of normal dimensions but Sally was born slightly misshapen. Her head was almost as big as the rest of her body. She had grown since then but she was still small, even for her age.
Just the Julia spoke up. "But sire you cannot stay here. Retreat and regroup, it is not a cowards move. Think of the children, and all of Mobius they will need a leader in the dark times ahead to take back the kingdom" she protested
"You are right Julia, you will lead Rosie and the children to the fallout bunker of …… Knothole-"
"But Sire"
"-you know the place do you not?"
"Yes sire"
"Then you will do this for me. I will tell everyone who is evacuating to head that way. General Décolleté, Sir Charles and myself will join you there soon."
"But Sire!"
"NOW!"
"Yes sir…. Rosie lets go," Julia said what she knew would be the last thing she ever said to the great king she had known since he was a child. Rosie fallowed Julia to the palace entrance with the kids in toe. When they pulled open the giant swinging double doors they were shocked in awe as the dark night sky was being pushed back up to the heavens by the chaotic yet dazzling fire running freely through the city streets.
The small group of frightened children and worried adults ran from one hiding place to another running for their lives as search lights and scared creatures of all kinds passed by them.
They made it to the city walls and Julia raced through, never looking back like a true leader should. She knew what had to be done and for the sake of the group she left behind her world for the future. But Rosie looked back at the city she had grown up in, had wanted to grow old in, and raise her family in being destroyed before her very eyes.
It couldn't have been only a few hours ago that she was just a nanny looking after small children in a park. Now, what would her life hold for her and these little children?
She felt a tug on her nightgown. Sally was looking up at her confused. " When will daddy be coming to find us?" she asked
"Soon child," she said with a tear in her eyes "But first we must get to Knothole."
"Its time to go then Aunt Rosie," the innocent little girl reasoned with the only family she had left.
"Then we should go."
They left the city barrier behind to start the nightlong journey through The Great Forest and to their new lives. It would eventually be a life of hardship, battle, and constant fear but as she ran from the city to the forest the old squirrel had only one thing on her mind
"Don't look back,"
Epilogue
Rosie awoke after having the dream she had on a regular basis. It no longer scared her, but inspired her. The events of 10 years ago had indeed changed her life and the lives the now hundreds of refugees living in Knothole village. She thought of the five year olds she was taking care of that day who were near the end of growing up. Though not yet physically mature, they had become adults a long time ago. Well all except Sonic.
She knew that today they were going to the desolate city of Robotropolis to complete a mission. They went on these kinds of raids so the others in the village could have fresh supplies. The small refugee camp was for the most part self sufficient but some things needed to be stolen from their once beautiful home. It wasn't fair that they should be the ones that have to live during this time and had to become leaders and fighters at such a young age, but If anyone could have thrived in that role, it was those five. Their numbers had increased in the last 10 years, they even got a younger brother who had never even know life before this war. Their adopted family was strong for each other because that's all they had.
She walked out of her hut to see the teenage Freedom Fighters huddled together. Princess Sally's head shot up as she heard her foster mother approach. "Rosie come look at her,"
As Rosie came over she saw the young adults huddled around a wounded bird. "Well now, what are you going to do for her?"
In unison they repeated a lesson they had come to learn all to well. "We should help her, care for her, and feed her but never smother her so she can rejoin her family, stronger than before."
Never more proud of the only family she ever knew she bid them good day and returned to her hut to fall into a deep sleep. This time her dreams didn't focus on the past but on the future she knew those kids could bring for their people.
The End.