The editor of this chapter is Shadow Sonic, who came up with his screenname years before the 'Dark Sonic' preview pictures for SA2 came around, making HIM the original. Also, he wrote the one paragraph idea for which this entire story was born from, so it's to him that you owe your thanks for this story existing.

Note to readers: this is a relatively independent storyline to Archie and SatAM. What follows are things in this story line that differ from the comic and TV series from when it was originally written:

-The Dark Legion (here simply called The Legion) while defeated by the second guardian were not thrown into the twilight zone and now occupy different parts of Angel Island than the people of Echidnaopolis.

-The king was not sent to The Void but spent years hiding in exile from Robotnik's assassins until the Eggman began to focus on the rebel groups pecking at his empire.

-Sonic saw all of his family roboticized in front of him.

-Knuckles still doesn't know about his father.

-Elias and his mother didn't disappear in flight from Robotropolis during the Great War and weren't wards of the Guardians.

-The ages in this story are –slightly- tweaked from those in the comics and games.

-Robotnik never transferred himself into an android body.

-Lupe in this time line was not roboticized.

-Sonic didn't meet Tails until right during the coup.

- There is no functional de-robotocizer at this time.

-Also due to an error on my part, some of the much distant members of Knuckles guardian family tree have been shuffled around, but this has no bearing on the story itself.

- Finally, GIVE THIS STORY A CHANCE. You won't know you like or hate it until you read it.

Planet Mobius is an ecologically stable world; the third of a five-planet system circling a type H star slightly hotter than Earth's sun. Mobius is home to rare and unseen marvels. One of them is that although the planet's technology is extremely advanced, the world has never developed space travel beyond orbiting platforms. Of all planets, Mobius is home to more diverse humanoid species than any other in the galaxy, most of which refer to themselves generically as Mobians and resemble humanoid Earth animals. The two exceptions are the Echidnas and a human parallel species, though the first assumption for this exception was isolation; in fact it was due to arrogance in both parties seeing the other species of Mobius as inferior.

In recent times, Mobius was engulfed in a planet wide civil war due to one dictator who managed to gain control of the totally robotic military of the planet's strongest nation. The way of this war has shifted back and forth, and seems to have ended falsely several times since its beginning.

A very unique technology native to Mobius is the roboticization process, the ability to turn living tissue into its technological twin. A lack of free will is actually a glitch rather than an intention: thus this technology, and desperate attempts to find a way to reverse it, has been the cornerstone in the war.

The Chaos Emeralds are another mystery of Mobius. These multi-colored crystals contain huge amounts of power, but are little more than gemstones without a conscious mind or power-tapping device to control them. Heavy exposure to emerald radiation has proved to induce incredible but temporary energy-based transformations.

Echidnas have used the Chaos Emeralds for centuries, both as a power source and as a means of levitation. Their entire civilization has come to rest on a single small continent fittingly referred to as Angel Island, or 'the Floating Island.'

Finally and perhaps most intriguing is the fact that Mobius is an

interdimensional hot spot. The fabric between realities on Mobius is less than paper-thin and as a result more than one Mobian has met their alternate counterparts. This is by far the reason Mobius should continue to be under constant study as dimensional rifts seem to open on a monthly basis, though most, some speculate, rarely by accident.

--Excerpt from survey of planet Mobius, 3345, January 18.

…

Anti-Mobius: First dimensional rift encountered. White is black, black is white is the best way to describe this world tormented by a terrorist group lead by an alternate Sally Acorn.

Side-Mobius: Second reality rift encountered: Similar yet different, as different as dawn is from dusk, most notable is the existence of Prince Sonic.

Side notes: Because of their thick hides or fur coats, Mobian clothing is either decorative or functional. Only females have ever on occasion been known to wear clothes in the name of modesty.

Kitsune: A fox with more than one tail, ranging from either two to nine or even twelve. While some say that Kitsune grow more tails as they age, this has yet to be proven or documented.

Ancient Walkers: A trio of super natural entities worshiped by a tribe of nomad Echidnas, ones that live on the Mobian surface. They appear as three floating, decorative masks that are different for each person who sees them. Island Echidnas scoff at these entities. The only non-Echidna ever to have a 'vision' of these walkers has been Miles 'Tails' Prower, while under the brief care of Athair, son of Janelle-Li.

Guardian: The one true Soldier of the Echidnas; their police force limited to exactly that. The position is transferred from father to son or closest living relative. The Guardian is raised from early childhood to manhood either in isolation or under extreme training and supervision to posses a perfect body and extreme mental discipline. The first Guardian was ironically the uncle of the leader of the cyborg cult known as the Legion -Dark

Legion to non-members- that formed after Echidnas began forbidding technological progress. Some members of their society quickly turned bitter over this resulting the birth of the violent cult.

…

PROLOGUE: A USELESS WARNING

How old was he? The sage had lost track; certainly there were many older than he upon Mobius. But age had simply lost its meaning to him long ago.

'I am Athair: sage to the Ancient Walkers. That is enough' and it was, for now.

Athair considered this and other intriguing trivialities as he meditated in the roughly-cut stone chamber, empty save for three stone figures cloaked in shadow, his thoughts drifted as without direction as a butterfly in a storm. His race had always agreed 'the ends justify the means', but there were many Echidnas who would sympathize with the Legion, a group of technological fanatics so hell-bent on restoring the advanced status of their race that they even 'upgraded' body parts with visible cybernetics: if only the actions it used were not so bloody; that, and that power hungry despot who sat at its head.

His society said they had given up their endeavors to increase their level of technology after a nuclear strike and the reckless experiments of a scientist on the Emeralds (whose son had formed the Legion following his father's 'death') had almost ended their civilization. But still, like spoiled children they kept their playthings in a toy box called the Grand Conservatory. "Preserved for future generations."

Hypocrisy seemed to have become intertwined in Echidna culture. Not that he was one to judge, for he had played the self-serving hypocrite many times. He had abandoned the position of Guardian to follow the will of the Ancient Walkers, to protect a group of nomads instead of the island, forcing his ailing mother to reassume the mantle.

Now here he was, lifetimes later, keeping an eye on his great grandson, making sure Knuckles didn't deviate from the path Athair had felt so self-righteous in leaving. Athair would have gone on like this for hours, if he had not sensed IT. The words to strike his mind when he detected IT were foreign, alien and dangerous.

Reversing his major senses from inward to outward, Athair opened his mind, seeking the force his consciousness had caught a glimpse of. Its power was immense but still held back like a dammed river. It was as dark as a collection of shattered dreams, but it was also disturbingly familiar . . . .

In his mind's eye, the sage reached out to touch the invisible mass, to speak to it, to understand it. Athair came out of his meditation as if from a cobra's strike. He had felt a condescending hatred, an unquenchable lust for power and it had threatened to poison him with its mindset. Athair had also seen thoughts and images, intentions and plans; it was like looking at one's own reflection in a shattered mirror. Except this mirror's image had sneered at him, mocked him, and threatened him.

The sage recognized this thing for what it was now and he damned himself. He knew he could not block or confront this thing. Not for lack of strength, which made it worse, but for laws that dictated he could not interfere as it was not yet his concern. And by the time it was, he doubted his aid would be totally sufficient for what was to come. He could do nothing. NOTHING!

To no one, to everyone, to his dead mother, to his great grandson Knuckles, the sage cried out.

"Forgive me . . ."

…

Chapter One

…

The Great Forest, the name sounded over simplistic and primitive when in reality it was merely a bad translation between Mobian and Terran-English. That is not to say the name was not undeserving for it was the densest woodlands on Mobius: a fact that had allowed Knothole Base to exist less than a hundred miles from the renamed capital Robotropolis.

It was this same thick foliage that protected Knothole from detection that now changed the predawn light into a kaleidoscope of red and yellow patterns, blanketing its structures in the silent morning. Anyone who just happened to walk into Knothole would think at first they had stumbled on a lost tribe, with the rows of huts around a number of central ones appearing to be made from only natural materials. But this would be an incorrect statement; the floors were made from carefully hammered wood planks, the walls and ceiling were held by support beams, not mud and straw. The smell was also not one would expect from a group of tribesmen for an ingenious sanitary system had thankfully been installed with Knothole's construction. The insides were as well furbished as one could expect and were divided into a bathroom, bedroom/living room, and a kitchen. With all that said, the huts themselves were designed for camouflage and not defense.

As the light entered one hut in particular, it came across an unusual sight of finding the user sitting on the bed instead of in it. The hut's occupant was infamous for sleeping in, but this morning he had found he was unable to sleep. The time for the mission drew near.

The warm light reflected off his cobalt blue fur as the sun continued to rise but he didn't notice. His eyes once upon a time had been brown, but a chance encounter with the power of the Emeralds had forever left them marked with same ominous green as the Master Emerald that rested at the heart of Angel Island. His long sharp quills that ran along the rear of his head and back created a crisscross shadow pattern on the wooden floor.

He didn't appear muscular but woe to any fools that thought he was a weakling in a fight.

Sonikku Takeshi Hedgehog, known to most as Sonic, had been thinking long before dawn had arrived. A few in Knothole namely King Maximilian Acorn and his unofficial errand boy the skunk Geoffrey St. John would have given a snide remark on the statement. They would have said the only thing Sonic ever thought of was ways to "show off his speed, skill and prowess to lesser mortals". Sonic would've let it slide. However, to most people he was a hero and to others something more.

'It might finally end today,' he thought. After over a decade, it might finally end. Sonic's mind went back to the briefing the night before.

…

Sonic sat down with the rest of Sally Acorn's immediate group and Geoffrey's commandos. Sally hadn't told Sonic anything of what this upcoming mission was. From the worried looks of those seated next to him, he was not alone.

"I'll save the pleasantries for another day. To get straight to the point we've developed a plan that could end the war." She ignored the shocked muttering that broke out. "With our hit and run missions we've found a gap in the defenses in the airport at Robotropolis' bay. We can use the Special to get a group inside the main defenses, break into Robotnik's command center, kill him, and leave before his robots carry out whatever death switch instructions he's given them."

"I went over this with you earlier today Princess," said Geoffrey, "And I still don't see why he would leave a hole like that in his defenses. It doesn't make sense, and have you forgotten how many troops he always keeps in the central city?" He was going to add potential traps to his list of objections when Sally broke in.

"Robotnik might be brilliant but he's also sloppy and arrogant. Once he's finished a project, you know he NEVER bothers to check for flaws. Apparently he thinks anything he designs is perfect on the first try. Since he repelled all of our attacks recently with his new defenses, he's dispatched most of his personal troops to fight in other regions."

"In other words, I only get to dismantle a few robots this trip instead of the usual five dozen," Sonic joked.

He wasn't trying to trivialize the situation; he just felt too much tension was bad for anything, especially this. Geoffrey didn't interpret it so.

"With you and your lapdog along, I'd be bloody surprised if any of us came back from this thing alive."

Tails' head shot up at this, but Sonic beat him to the punch.

"Tails is NOT a lapdog!" Sonic rose up.

"Sonic, St. John, calm down! I don't want this meeting to turn into a damn circus!" Sally snapped. She took in a deep breath, and continued.

"St. John is right, for the wrong reasons. Even with such a small number of his forces at home this mission will be incredibly dangerous. This isn't a storage house we're raiding, or a robot factory were placing bombs in, this is Robotnik's own fortress you'll be walking into. You know where the door is. If any of you want to use it, I'll be looking the other way."

No one left the room.

"You know me Sal, I don't back down from a challenge," Sonic replied, breaking the silence.

The ground squirrel smiled and nodded. There wasn't a single soul in the room that wasn't scared, but they hadn't gotten as far as they had by hiding in corners. Without another word on the subject Sally began to go over blueprints of Robotnik's headquarters.

Sonic had immediately volunteered to take point. No one wondered where Sonic got his incentive to fight Robotnik's forces. Like most of Sally's Freedom Fighters Sonic's family had fallen prey to roboticization within days of the war's beginning. The only difference was that Sonic had seen it happen right in front of his eyes when he was just a kid. Seeing them pound futility against the chamber's plastic door, hearing them scream in agony as their flesh turned into metal and Watching as their expressions became blank as their free will and emotions died.

It was the only solid memory Sonic had from that time besides his friendship with Sally. The feeling Sonic felt that day could easily have turned into obsession, but thankfully because of Sally and others it had instead become determination. Determination to make sure it never happened to anyone again. EVER.

…

Sonic's mind returned to the present. He went through his morning routine in a blue blur. He tightened the straps on his red cleats, pulled on his white wrist-length gloves and went out the door. He really didn't need to get Tails as the Kitsune was capable of finding the air pad on his own. It was only out of a habit Sonic had developed with him that he did what he did. Sonic and Sally had been brother, sister, mother and everything in between to the young fox, which was why probably Tails had developed his nickname 'Aunt Sally' for the princess. Running at a casual pace, Sonic made his way to Tails' hut.

…

Miles 'Tails' Prower awoke as the sunlight found its way underneath his eyelids and made contact with his pure blue eyes. The white fur covering the tips of his tails, chest and muzzle were the only changes in his otherwise spotless orange fur.

Turning his head, he carefully eyed another mass hidden by blankets in a bed opposite his. Getting up as stealthily as he could, he slipped into the bathroom and closed the door without a sound. With the speed and caution of a cat burglar he went through the task of his daily hygiene and the putting on of his gloves and sneakers.

Opening the door, he looked again to make sure the occupant of the second bed hadn't stirred. Satisfied, he took three steps toward the door and knew then all attempts to leave without having to tell her good-bye had been in vain.

"Tails please . . . don't go." She said in a slow tired voice as she pulled the sheets away from her very awake and frowning face. Tails' face had an undeniable cute factor about it in the flow and length of his face fur which made it impossible for most to get into a test of wills with him. That defense crumbled like dust against this opponent.

"Amy, I don't want to go through this right now."

"But I do Tails."

"You've never tried to stop me before."

This seemed to snap something in Amy. She flung the blankets off the bed and came to face to face with the Kitsune forgetting her modesty.

"It was never suicide before!" she growled. "I'm no older than you and I don't have to go on this death trip!"

"Age has nothing to do with it. I'm one of the best fighters that we have and they're going to need me. I just can't abandon everyone."

Amy turned her head from her friend.

"Tails I'm, I'm sorry, it's just if everything you told me is true, and if this mission succeeds and this war ends…I just don't want to lose you when it's almost over."

"Don't worry Amy! Sonic will be right there with me. Nothing is going to happen."

"That's what makes this worse. I don't want everyone close to me to vanish again."

"Again? When did everyon-"

Tails stopped in mid sentence. He knew EXACTLY what Amy was talking about and he cursed his own slow wit for making her remember more: When everyone close to her had vanished, when everyone close to her had died.

"Amy I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dig that up." Tails apologized. "Then don't go."

"You know I can't do that."

Amy turned herself around completely and put her face in her folded arms, her young body a painting in the morning light.

"Please come back alive. Please . . . just come back alive." Amy said, not wanting to see him go, or for him to see her cry.

"I promise I will."

Not turning his back to her, Tails opened the door and stepped out.

******************************************************************

Amy's settlement was one of the few initially looked over by Robotnik's campaign, but it didn't stay that way for long. Little Amy had woken up hearing the sounds of screams and breaking glass.

Reacting on instinct alone she rushed out of her window and thankfully her small size had made her a minor target. Her mind did not try to take in what was happening around her. All she knew was that she had to hide.

She somehow made her way to a hollow tree she always played by. She scurried inside and curled into a ball, her arms and legs locked around her tiny body. At this point her mind simply switched off. She never knew how lucky she was her hiding place was not blown away by stray fire.

Robotnik had no need for extra workers at the time, so his forces didn't bother with capturing anyone. Amy didn't know any of this when her mind clicked back on. All she knew was that it was completely silent. It was the silence of the dead.

Sonic had been on a long-range scouting mission when he found the ruins. Though he knew looking for survivors was futile, he felt it was his responsibility to the fallen.

As he dug the new graveyard, he heard a high-pitched whimper. He followed the sounds to their source; an old oak tree. Inside there was a small pink quivering cub.

After some effort he managed to wrench the young hedgehog out of her hiding place. Between sobs he found out the girl's name was Amy Thorn Rose and after telling her that his name was Sonic, her eyes lit up and her tears dried in less than a second.

She latched onto Sonic with a yelp of joy, almost cutting off his oxygen, saying there was no way anything could hurt her since Sonic the Hedgehog was there.

'THE Sonic,' she thought. The hero, the blue blur, the fastest thing alive, and all the other nicknames the people had for him. Amy knew them all. While her friends had played with dolls and then later began to slowly turn their heads toward boys, she had spent every minute of her free time learning everything she could about Sonic. She never could remember what made her interested in him as her hobby; not that it mattered much to her.

Actually, there was one hint. All Mobian hedgehogs were known for having unnatural speed compared to their wild ancestors, but Sonic was one of the few whose speed defied physical limitations. Amy was one of these too, but in the opposite manner. Her speed was normal for most Mobians, but below average for a Hedgehog. No one in her family ever teased her about it, but she felt as if she had been denied something that was her birthright.

But instead of feeling disdain, when she thought about Sonic she felt peace, as if he was a gatekeeper to a dream she longed for.

The nightmare faded for Amy; only Sonic remained. Sonic managed to pry Amy off himself easily but he had no idea how much Amy Rose had latched onto him emotionally. On the long days back to base at Knothole, Sonic made fast friends with her. The little girl, on the other hand, had secretly vowed her undying love to the teenage hedgehog. Sonic was clueless as to why she keep looking at him like she was in a dream every night.

Ironically, there was one factor Amy hadn't known about her hero, and that factor was Sally. Amy made that fact very clear when she saw the two kiss when they arrived in Knothole. Both Sonic and Sally tried to be subtle and soft about whom Sonic loved at first for the sake of Amy's mental health.

But Amy didn't take the hints, or to be more accurate, refused to accept the obvious. Finally, after over six months, a tired and frustrated Sonic said it straight to Amy's face.

"But Sonic . . ." Amy said, as she slowly moved her hand to caress

Sonic.

Sonic slapped Amy so hard it left a mark. She fell to her knees.

"Amy, it's time you learned that the world doesn't revolve around you. Everything and everyone isn't going to just fall in line just because you want them to!"

Amy looked at him through tears. She tried to stand up and reached out a hand to have Sonic help her.

"Sonic, please."

"Sonic is what my FRIENDS call me. It's Sonikku to you." Sonic turned his back to her and blazed out of the hut. "And don't you forget it!"

Sonic regretted his decision instantly. He knew he had hurt Amy. He knew he could have shot her in the leg and it would have scarred her less. Amy was just a little girl with misplaced feelings, and he had struck her, as if she was an ENEMY! Amy had to learn. But Sonic had never meant to us that method of teaching.

For Amy, the world crumbled into dust. Her only support was gone. Her mind almost reverted back to the place Sonic had found her, inert matter, nothingness.

Sally knew any attempt by her or Sonic to help would only make things worse. That was when he came into the picture.

Tails had always been the softhearted, sentimental type and he could do nothing but feel sympathy for Amy. Tails proved to be more help than he could have imagined. He was the first person Amy responded to except Sonic since being in Knothole. Whether this had to do with his reputation as Sonic's sidekick,that he was closer to Amy's age than Sonic or his kind nature the fox could never figure out. Time passed and Tails helped pull Amy out of her depression.

The one problem with being close to someone is that you don't want to move that far away from them. Tails felt this too.

He fought it, of course. He even tried to start a relationship with an attractive young silver fox he couldn't remember the name of now, just so he could find a reason not to be with Amy always. But he was, in the end, defeated. Whenever he went on a walk, he would find his way to Amy's place. When he tried his best to avoid her, he ran into her even more.

Finally one day, the orange Kitsune said to the world, "Okay, I give up, you win."

At the next social gathering, he found Amy in a moment, he sat next to her and without a word he kissed her. Amy hugged him so hard that he was afraid that he would suffocate, but then she loosened up seeing Tails' bluish expression.

Most who watched what happened were not surprised as Amy hadn't kept her growing feelings a secret, and Tails' attempts at hiding his had only resulted in them being more than apparent.

That kiss was followed by a few more than most thought was appropriate for a couple of kids.

******************************************************************

Tails hadn't walked ten paces when Sonic blasted in front of him.

"Hey, little bro, you ready to rock and roll?" Sonic asked as he put his arm around the shorter Tails' shoulder.

Tails didn't give Sonic a response.

Sonic frowned, sensing something wrong with his friend. "Anything wrong?"

"Amy. She asked me to come back alive."

"Dontcha worry Tails. As long as I'm around that's EXACTLY what's gonna happen."

…

Back in their hut, Amy listened as the pair took off toward the Special.

'I know what you and Sonic think of me, Tails. I'm still just the damsel in distress, while Sally is the warrior princess. But I'm not a kid anymore. Everyone has accepted that about you, why not me? I would go on this mission with you if I could. Believe me I would.'

Putting on her red headband and dress which were both designed to take punishment, she looked at herself in a full body mirror.

Her quills didn't stand back in a smooth curve like Sonic's, they hung about her head almost like Terran hair. Like Tails, a small tuft of fur protruded from her forehead, adding an air of pseudo sweetness about her.

The dress was far from her old white and green ruffles. Its' bright red color was evident even in the dim morning light. The dress, in spite of having no sleeves, very little back and having the bottom half open ended left quite a bit to the imagination. After a few years of trying go-go boots she had gone back to using her green sneakers.

Her eyes were green like Sonic's. She wished indeed she were there with him now, right there on the battle field.

For a few seconds the sounds of the past stormed into her mind. All thoughts of heroism vanished.

Amy fearfully looked into the mirror. It was not fear of what had entered her mind just then; it was of the person staring back at her.

…

Sally Alicia Acorn had not found it hard to sleep: she hadn't tried.

She went over every mission detail for the hundredth time since she had finished the briefing and when Bunnie had suggested she go to her room Sally had only taken her notes with her.

Finally at three in the morning she had taken a catnap at Bunnie's urging. Now she was up again looking no worse for her insomnia, her lean and trim figure moving with the same ease as if she had gotten a full night's sleep. Blue eyes went from this aspect of the attack to that. Though her brown fur betrayed no signs of having gone a day and a half without being groomed, the beige fur on her chest and lower face showed every sign of lack of care.

"Ya all know dat lack of sleep can lead ta health problems?" Bunnie asked, leaning against the wall, her light brown fur standing out against the wood.

"Stop being a mother hen, Bunnie. I can handle myself, no sweat."

"If you say so, SONIC." Bunny sniggered, her sparkling plant green eyes laced with that humor she had managed to hang onto all her life.

Sally turned and gave her friend a look of mock annoyance, and turned back to her preparation.

She checked her blaster again, as she had countless times before. Some of her group complained about how much trouble it was to keep the hand weapons in working order; Sally was just glad to have them. Weapon taboos having gone to the wind. She could still remember when Sonic's, and later Tails', special abilities had been the only real weapons they had, save for a few handmade explosives. When they had begun to pirate lasers from fallen robots, it had seemed like a gift from heaven, being able to at last shoot back.

No, there had always been one other weapon available to them.

"Bunny. About you not being on this mission, it's just that a lot of people have . . . been thinking that."

"That I'm as much a resource as a possible threat, because I'm halfway over to the other side?"

Bunnie Rabbot. How ironically fitting her name had become, so fitting that on some lonely nights she wanted to take a welder and torch off her metal limbs.

Panic had gripped Bunnie's mind when she had heard the Roboticizer turn on and the matter energy cycle systematically turned her body into metal. Then confusion as the device suddenly shock and died, and finally surprise at seeing a blue hedgehog and a brown squirrel open the plastic door. After her initial shock had worn off she tried to climb out but she stumbled, as her legs seemed suddenly clumsier. Her left arm shot out to brace her, then she screamed.

It was the arm of a robot.

Sally had later said that Bunnie was lucky they came across her when they did. Bunny had been given incredible strength by the process and her endurance in her limbs had been increased. But every time she encountered a new person, it always began with that startled look at her metal parts. 'Bunnie Rabbot', she thought, 'what a sick joke.'

Lucky, she unknowingly caressed her metal limb with her last remaining flesh one.

Yeah…lucky…

"Bunny, are you listening?"

"Sure girl, ya know I always am." Bunny answered with her ever-present smile that had gathered her so many suitors, most of whom she only dated once. After they had gotten a full look at her or had felt her embrace, they simply avoided her the day after. Her figure was indeed attractive and caught many an eye, at least what was left of it. The process had stopped right before the spot between her legs, another thing she could be thankful for. Though it wouldn't matter to most men if all her limbs including her head had suffered the same fate, what THEY paid attention to was below her neck and that spot between her legs, which she covered with utmost care.

"I was just saying that I really wish you were on this mission, but not all those involved are from our group, and you know how newcomers treat you," She said cautiously.

"Sally-gal, I understand. You don't have to be soft about it, I've been living with this for eight years and I can handle it. I stopped letting thick-headed, closed-minded ding-bats like St. John bother me a long time ago."

Sally nodded, and slipped the gun into its holster. Taking her palmtop computer off the table, she slipped it into a thong on her blue rubber boots. Walking toward the door, Sally turned one last time to her friend.

"Don't worry Bunnie I-"

"Heh, just go already! Or ya'll be at the launch pad just in time ta welcome Sugah-Hog home!" Bunnie said, smiling cheek to cheek.

Smiling back, Sally nodded and left toward the transport's launch pad.

…

Though most of Sally's Freedom Fighters and Geoff's Platoon would have given their right molar for Maximilian Acorn's quarters the monarch simply felt they were inadequate for a head of state. This told you all you need to know about him.

His face and body were like that of a delicately crafted statue now succumbing to the ravages of time, losing its perfection day by day. Though the rest of his fur was still the same light brown as it had been in his youth his moustache and head fur had turned grey, his blue eyes staring into nothingness. He never wore his crown, stating that it was getting heavy. His coat was finely designed and well kept but like the rest of him time was showing its wear.

Sitting in the plush chair, Max was deep in thought. He had no doubt in his mind that this battle would be the final bout, and if indeed it was steps had to be taken. His daughter had played soldier long enough, he was sick of his daughter going off like some fool into battle. She had acted like a headstrong brat ever since she took command; she had to remember that an Acorn's place is on the throne not on the battlefield.

There was a knock on the intricately carved door.

"Enter." Maximilian said in his normal commanding and well-groomed voice anticipating the identity of the visitor.

Geoffrey St. John was a normal skunk with black fur, white belly, striped tail, dark eyes, and a young serious face of someone who didn't take to humor. One utility belt came across his chest while another came in tight around his lower half, the same strange violet color as his boots and gloves. Though he carried a pistol he always had a small wrist crossbow on his forearm. He carried it more out of some unknown tradition than anything else.

He had always been loyal to the House of Acorn, just like his father before him during the Terran/Mobian War and his father before him when a certain family of hedgehogs led by Aleena Hedgehog had challenged the Acorn's right to the throne.

And right now Maximilian wanted that loyalty more than anything.

Nearly Sally's entire group seemed to be far more obedient to her than to her father. Geoff's Platoon was a mixed bag, but Geoff himself was loyal beyond question.

"You wanted to see me, your Highness?"

"St. John, who are you loyal to? Your Princess or your King?"

Geoff was completely surprised by this question but responded just the same.

"You sire, and no one else."

"I ask because I know you have feelings for my daughter."

Geoffrey's head picked up at this. Geoff had first encountered Sally when the independent missions of both had crossed over. Sonic had been out of the picture at the time, off on a personal mission. The two had aided each other on a number of missions afterwards. Geoff admired the Princess: her leadership and her abilities to survive. At the same time he could not believe the way she so often disregarded both her family's traditions and her father's orders. Her brother Elias was little better but at least he kept in line and respected the orders of his father. In the end Geoff had become the king's eyes and ears, and often his hands among the forces.

"They are not something that I would let interfere with my decisions, sir."

"Give this to my daughter."

The king gave Geoff an envelope, branded with the marking of a emergency communication from another resistance group, addressed directly to Sally.

Another soldier would question the reason for being asked his loyalty and then being given the task of a mailman. But it was another thing that inspired Geoff to speak; these kinds of messages were given directly to him, his second in command Hershey, Sonikku, or Sally, as each letter was encoded with a personal scrambler system only that particular person knew. There was no point in anyone else being given it for any amount of time beforehand. And Geoff said as much to his leader.

"I asked for your loyalty because I need it. The letter itself is gibberish, using a variation of the Princess' personal code." The king smiled. "The point is she will be trying to decode it for hours and by the time she realizes it is a fake, it will be too late to recall the transport."

"Sir . . . why?"

"Because with all proper respect, Captain St. John, this so-called 'mission' equals death. The Princess' participation in such a situation is unacceptable…I can't lose her like I lost her mother."

"Why not just order her to stay, sir? You are her father."

"Have you ever known that to hold any weight with her?" Replied the king coldly.

"No sir, I have not. On that subject, you can't be sure that she will stay behind even after being given this. You know how dedicated she can be to a mission."

The king's reply was instant and vicious.

"You are authorized to use ANY means necessary to prevent her from leaving Knothole this day. Do you understand?!" Max's eyes narrowed. "Any means whatsoever." His voice was like ice.

"Yes sir," Geoff said completely steady in his voice, not letting any of the emotions he was feeling show through it, or his face.

"You may go." Making the appropriate bow, Geoff St. John left the king to his own thoughts with utmost haste, wanting to get his task over with as soon as possible.

…

Prince Elias Acorn was pacing back and forth in his chamber. While

Sally had, debatably, been granted relative freedom of actions HE had been kept from any real fighting. This frustrated him greatly; it left him feeling like a pampered weakling spending half his time in Knothole and the other half on missions that a green recruit could handle. He had been denied real tasks in this war save the figurehead position he now held. His sister sympathized but the leash their father put on him was far tighter then the one he had placed on his daughter.

If Maximilian had his initial way all three of them would spend this entire war hiding behind a resistance group that would not even EXIST without Sally. Thankfully, that had been one decision that he had made differently than his original intent.

Elias himself was the spitting image of his father, especially with his blue eyes and cerulean royal coat. He was a couple of years older than his sister, with bright red hair matching Sally's that they had both gotten from their mother.

Up until a few years ago, Sally hadn't even known her brother had existed. Though Elias had known about her they had been kept completely separate from the other during their childhood on orders from their father; to "protect" them, whatever the hell that meant.

All Elias knew was that he had been denied watching his little sister grow up. Even after the fall of Mobotropolis their father had hoped she would not learn of Elias for as long as possible.

Elias had this terrible vision of himself several years in the future when he was a gibbering twit with no use in the real world beyond his father's court. The image was not too pleasant, and now with this desperate attempt to end this war in one swift move here he was again, watching from the sidelines His only ability to wait and hope that things turned out for the best. At least Sally was denied the smothering embrace of Maximilian Acorn. Thus far, anyway.

…

Like a bird of prey, The Special was prepared to take off into the air with the intention to kill. Its metal wings spread long and proud into the coming battle and its engines already beginning to produce a whine that would soon become a roar.

…

The Special was the Freedom Fighters' only aircraft, except for a heavily modified biplane tinkered on and off by Tails that he called "The Tornado". No one in their right mind dared pilot that biplane except that fox.

Geoffrey leaned against the opened side hatch to The Special, waiting. Hershey Feline, a black cat with a white underbelly and striking violet eyes waited with him. Her hair stood up on its own accord, creating a crest. Like Sally and unlike Bunny, she wore token clothing at best. Her only covering, save her boots and weapon holster, was a red piece of cloth tied around her neck and Geoffrey often found his head drifting in her direction. He often sensed her stealing glances at him but he ignored them. Emotions with those under your rank could only lead to making simple decisions more complex than they were. His observations of Sally and Sonic had shown him that much.

Hershey had originally been just a soldier for hire until she joined Geoffrey's commandos for lack of better things to do. Geoffrey never understood why she didn't leave for better work afterwards. Other places that paid higher certainly had sprung up since then, but as long as she did her job he didn't care.

"Jeff," She called him as she always did, "Everyone's here except for Prower, Hedgehog, and Her Highness."

At the sound of an approaching sonic boom, the skunk looked around with contempt. A blue streak of light and an orange blur came toward him. And with only a mutual look of disgust at Geoff, Sonic and Tails entered.

"Correction," Hershey said. "Everyone except for her Highness."

"Get back into the cockpit and make final preparations."

"Without her, Jeff?"

"I gave you an order, carry it out."

A little unprepared for his tone, the black cat complied.

Sally didn't waste energy she was going to need on the mission getting to the transport. She had learned to conserve all resources during her time as a guerrilla leader.

Coming to the launch pad and The Special's side door Sally saw that Geoffrey was leaning against the side. He was looking at her with that expression of mixed emotions he often showed her when they were alone: one part still admiring her, the other bitter towards her for Sally's rejection of him.

The squirrel decided to let it pass coming to the conclusion it was not the time to talk to the skunk about his misplaced emotions toward her. The reason for his current expression however was for a different reason.

He was going to have to lie to her. His King had given him an order. It was that simple, and his heart hardened.

Sally was going to simply walk past him when the royal agent put his arm in her path.

Before Sally could say anything, Geoff spoke in his rehearsed calm tone.

"Princess, I just received this. I didn't want to waste time looking for you when I knew you would come to transport." Geoff almost shoved the letter into Sally's hands. Sally saw what it was and was slightly annoyed.

"So instead of working yourself, you just waited with a major communiqué for me to come to you?"

"I didn't want to miss you, and you might have left without me."

"Geoff, you know me better than that. I don't leave just because someone's a fraction of a second late; once I do they begin to think I consider them expendable. And that breaks the trust they have for me."

"That is hardly the way to run an army."

"Who ever said we were an army? I believe freedom fighters fit us better. As for the letter, no harm done, I'll look it over when I get back."

'Please don't follow through,' Geoff begged silently though he betrayed no anxiousness.

"I do not believe that is wise," he said. "If you're killed, heaven forbid, we would have no way of decoding the message except to request they send it again in another code. And it may be of extreme importance."

Sally knew that was true. She wouldn't be able to tell who the message was from until it was decoded, and it could indeed be anything. There were only about a half dozen other groups like Sally's that had grown to depend on each other for support.

"If this mission is successful then I'll take full responsibility.

I can answer mail later."

"Please Sally!" Geoff said, daring to use her first name for the first time in half a year. "You want your troops to have faith in you. Have faith in THEM. Sonic and Miles will be fine without you." He assured, putting on his best face. "Hershey and I will be able to handle things, trust me. Trust Sonic."

''Princess you have believed the lies of your father before and now please believe mine'', he thought.

Sally breathed in deep. "For everything I know you to be Geoffrey, untrustworthy isn't one of them."

It was a knife in the gut.

"Good luck. Tell Sonic as much." Geoff entered The Special, closing the door behind him.

Sally backed away from The Special as the engines roared. She didn't want to hurt Sonic with a good-bye that would only convince both that death was waiting for him. It was better this way; Sally had thought she was going to be fighting side by side with Sonic, now she was only going to be waiting for him to come home. She knew he would come home.

He always did.

The flying machine took off into the air becoming a silver speck in the morning sky until nothing remained.

Sally remained at the launch pad for some time.

…

Thank you to my brother and to Charles RB for editing this chapter.

Flames, comments, good or bad reviews, suggestions, reactions, occasional constructive criticism all welcome. Spelling and grammar corrections also welcome as long as you tell what you think of the story itself too. Oh yeah and you too Ri2.