This is the fourth collaboration between myself and The third isn't on here, beause Fanfiction doesn't allow script-style stories.
This is the first of three stories, collectively called the Uncivil Trilogy, the second of which is currently being written. Hope you all enjoy!
"So, remind me why we're following this guy up to Miles' castle again?"
"Because otherwise, he and the tail he's chasing won't come back with us." Simian was starting to get a little tired of explaining it to everyone. For some reason Finitevus thought it had been a smart idea to try and keep Scourge around, a loose cannon if he ever saw one, by any means necessary. They already had Frog covering the crazy stuff, they didn't need a second wild card who didn't listen to anyone unless he thought it was a good idea, even if he could tear things up as well as Lightning. "We sure as hell can't lose more team members."
"Whole thing just feels like another way to get ourselves stuck back in No-Zone if you ask me." Neither he nor Lightning were particularly enamoured with the idea, even if by now they were the only ones more interested in going in the other direction. Flying Frog was about as likely to scream everything being said at the top of his lungs as he was to assault the nearest tree, Scourge and Fiona had some vendetta against Miles and Predator Hawk was happy with going wherever as long as there was sufficient challenge, necessitating a certain amount of discretion in this conversation. Neither the lynx nor the ape were in a particularly good position to voice their concerns.
"Roll with it for now - if things go sideways on us then we can book out if we're fast enough. If you really need more of a reason, just picture the chance to gut one of Miles' underlings."
That couldn't be denied - there was a certain element of pride in it, to be able to say you toppled the Suppression Squad. Heck, it was even Hawk's whole reason for tagging along at this point; he wanted something worth his time. Scourge, on the other hand, wanted revenge. The hedgehog hadn't been able to take his mind off it from the moment they'd skipped prison - he wanted the fox's head on a spike and he wanted the throne back.
"Babes, listen, when we get in there, Miles is all mine." Who he was fighting didn't even factor in; this was his kill, and his alone. It didn't really bother Fiona all that much - she was just along for the ride by this point, the threats he'd been making the moment his inhibitor collar was off still fresh in her mind. He was just pissed off...he just needed to sort this out and he'd be fine.
"What about the rest of us?"
"You guys can screw around with the small-fry; keep 'em off my back."
"Is there a plan?" Lightning asked. The lynx didn't speak much, and he had soured since the team reformed, but he seemed to be the closest the team had to a voice of reason. "If we go in there half-cocked, they'll kill us. Let's be honest, the Freedom Fighters tend to beat us, and they hold back. If these are meant to be psychotic versions of them, they'll slaughter us and walk off laughing."
"They don't have me." Scourge replied. "They don't have a guy to counter Lightning, and they don't have a hope against me. We don't need a plan. We walk in, kill Miles, and beat the others into following us."
"And if that doesn't work?"
"Then we kill 'em. Stop fretting, Lightning; you're on the best team with the knock-out guy leading you. Chill."
The lynx motioned a reply as a hand landed on his shoulder, Simian's shadow once falling over him with a shake of the head. It wasn't worth wasting his breath trying to say it was a trap without being direct about it, and that would have about as much reaction as sticking your hand in a barrel of acid.
The charred remains of the Grand Forest quickly gave way to an empty plateau, the city lights blinking in the distance. On the hill above it loomed the onyx fortress they were aiming for, and in the centre of the plain, a colossal, golden statue of Alicia Acorn, Sally's counterpart, a sword hanging in one hand, a spear in the other. Her foot was rested on a skull, a hedgehog's skull, to be precise.
"Now this is the fuckin' problem." The team drew up short for a moment, Scourge staring at it in contempt. "Anyone else think the queen bitch is in the wrong position there?"
"What does it matter?" Rather abruptly Predator Hawk joined the conversation, until now having held onto his silence. "It's a statue - the real prize lies within the castle." He had no care for such displays of grandeur - the deed was the real monument.
"Alicia's an egotist." Fiona shrugged. "She likes trophies, whether they're golden, platinum, or flesh and blood. This isn't really anything to worry about."
"It's still just wrong." Scourge snapped. "Gold's a soft metal, right?"
"Well, yes, but-"
Fiona was cut off when Scourge leapt into the air, curling into a ball and cutting through the legs of the statue, toppling it, the rest of the team scattering to avoid the falling monument. As they picked themselves up, they shot angry glares at the hedgehog, but he was already strolling off, hands in his pockets. Fiona moved to follow him, but this time, it was her turn to feel Simian's massive paw on her shoulder.
"This was your idea, Boss. He's endangering everyone. If this goes sour, you'd better run." His voice was low, barely above a whisper.. The vixen paused, tensing slightly. Threats of violence from her own allies were a running trend for her these days: First, it was the members of the Suppression Squad, who wanted her dead for association with Scourge, now it was the Destructix, none of whom were pleased to be working with Scourge again. It almost made her nostalgic for the old days, when either threats were lessened by Nic shooting at anyone who tried to touch her protege, or when her team-mates, bar possibly Amy Rose, weren't unstable sociopaths. Almost.
"I promised you that this would all work out. When Scourge takes control of the Squad, we'll be able to curb-stomp the Freedom Fighters. And when we've done that, we can forget mercenary work and conquer Mobius itself." She said. Predator tapped Lightning on the shoulder, and whispered in his ear., his own views on the situation markedly different.
"She hasn't worked out that none of us want to rule the world, has she?"
"She doesn't even know what she wants." He replied. "What hope does she have of figuring us out?"
"Zip. I'm not sure of what you're planning to do, but Scourge can have this world if he wants, and this lady can stand there with him for as long as it takes for her to realise he's not Mr. Perfect. Once we're done here I'm heading out - there will be grander opponents rising from the shadows when Miles is flat on his face." It was not the most convenient situation, but he'd be damned if he didn't have a plan for how he wanted things to go.
"Got room for another?"
"By all means, you are welcome."
The hedgehog was still totally oblivious to their preparations, kicking angrily at pieces of fallen debris, waiting for the rest of them to get clear of the dirt to where he could see them. This was taking far too long - they could already be inside, wailing on chumps, if they weren't all so thick and slow. How hard was it to not get hit by a big rock? Just because it was falling on them was no excuse. Fiona quickly caught up, with the others trailing behind.
The rest of the journey was made in relative silence. They met no resistance, save for the massive stone wall of the castle itself, and, having been there before, Scourge easily bypassed it with a Warp Ring. Once inside the walls, the path to the throne room was effectively a straight line. Through the main atrium, then the Great Hall, and it was on the other side of that. And yet, there wasn't a soul to be seen. No maids, no butlers, just a few guards., dispatched without note.
Simian still wasn't fooled. "They're clearly planning something - this place is far too big for the amount of people we've seen."
"Someone probably saw us coming and everyone else pissed themselves and ran off. I'll be real sad if Miles ran away too." The green hedgehog was too absorbed in dreams of power and his own ego to notice anything amiss, even while both Simian and Hawk could feel the unsettling nature of the place.
"I must agree with the sergeant," Predator Hawk frowned, "This place is kept too well for such a lack of staff."
"The Freedom Fighters have that computer to run everything." Fiona shrugged. Guess Miles just stole the idea."
"I was in the Dominion when they held New Mobotropolis. The Freedom Fighters' city is constructed from trillions of nanoscopic machines." Lightning cut in. "This is brick. I don't think any AI will be responsible for the upkeep of this place."
"Then perhaps you would like to explain the lack of life here." Nothing was about to convince the ape.
"I think that's hardly necessary." The doors to the throne room swung wide with the voice, Miles' vulpine figure stepping through, flanked either side by a pair of figures. To his right, his queen Alicia and Buns Rabbot, encased with her armoured combat suit. To his left, Patch, pirate-turned honour-guard and Boomer, scientist with more than a few screws loose. The team struck an powerful sight, more so in Miles' case, the only one to have forgone armour or weapons. "Scourge - a...surprise, to see you back so soon, but you didn't have to do that to the walls; this would not be any different if you had just knocked like a civilised being."
"We saw you arrive through the cameras we planted in the forest. Ever since Kintobor used that place as a hideout, we've been monitoring it." Alicia smirked. "No element of surprise for you."
"I'd ask you what you want, but I think we know already." Miles sighed. "You intend to kill me and subjugate the others. You do realise that I'm not even the leader, correct?"
"Only 'cuz you're dumb." Scourge shrugged. "You're the strongest of these losers, right? Then why aren't you in charge?"
"Because a leader should be picked based on not just strength, but aptitude for leadership and ability to commit to the role. Oh, and Scourge, maybe you shouldn't criticize me for not assuming the leadership role when your allies call your girlfriend "boss". Just a thought."
Forgetting that he had a squad of his own with him Scourge broke away with a roar, making a bee-line for Miles and his revenge. Such was the size of the great hall that there was plenty of time for Alicia and Miles to exchange the same unimpressed, disinterested nod. At the gesture the Suppression Squad broke formation, parting round Scourge to engage the Destructix as the two adepts came together in a flurry of fists and spines.
Miles didn't even try to retaliate, his hands blurring to keep up with Scourge's hit and run style of hammer-blows, bright explosions of dust or shimmering discs of energy marking where each blow was turned aside with a flicked wrist or open palm. Still, Miles' most formidable physical weapons had yet to be employed. His twin tails arched behind him, tips sharpening.
Alicia, meanwhile, made a beeline for Fiona, aiming to close the gap. Technically, she was outnumbered, but she had yet to deploy her secret weapon. These idiots didn't even know what they'd walked into...or who. Her hand strayed instinctively to her sword for a brief moment before they pair stopped, moments from each other, squaring off across a few feet of ground. Carefully, a measured act, the queen withdrew her hand from the hilt of the blade, tightening her stance into the fluid combat style she knew well by this point. Holding a second longer, Fiona couldn't resist the contest and dove in, the squirrel's hand wrapping around her own and throwing her aside with a neat sidestep, scraping her against the floor.
"Come on, Red." She faked a groan of exasperation. "That was the most telegraphed attack I've ever seen from you. Put some effort in."
"Fuck you." Fiona growled, rolling back to her feet.
"In due time." The squirrel purred. Fiona balked, then glared at her rival, and lunged again. This time, she dodged past the hand and kicked her square in the stomach. The squirrel coughed with the sudden impact and clamped both hands around Fiona's foot, jerking it into the air and driving the tips of her fingers into the back of the knee. Fiona's nerves shrieked in protest and the leg locked up to leave her collapsing onto the ground once again, her opponent looming over her. "Maybe we're being too harsh on Scourge...you are a tasteful present, and a pet like you is so adorable."
"W-what the crap are you on about?" The vixen yelled. Alicia grinned down at her, putting her foot on her stomach and pressing down, pinning her to the floor even more surely. Finally this day was starting to get interesting.
"Are you really that dense?"She asked. "I hated you before because you were in my way, but now you aren't. You're a rival, and once I've beaten you, you'll be my slave. Miles really can be a darling when he wants to, but it gets so dull when he's tinkering and I'm sitting around with nothing to do. I need something to sate my appetite, and having someone like you as my obedient concubine for whenever I'm feeling... interested... sounds pretty good to me."
"Ugh!" Fiona yelled, grabbing the royal's ankle and rolling over, pitching her into the ground. She pounced on the prone squirrel, punching her in the nose in the process. "I'm nobody's concubine, you sick freak! Especially not yours!"
"You seem pretty okay with being Scourge's."
"It's not like that!"
"Isn't it?" She smiled knowingly. "Because that's what it looks like to us. I'm willing to bet that your team-mates will agree too. And I know you pull double-duty as a punching bag too. I can see the bruises."
Alicia was clearly having far too much fun, but then again everyone participating was slightly unhinged. Boomer himself was trying to count the number of ways he could dissect Flying Frog as the other debated the multitude of methods available for finger removal. The walrus was having to contend with the erratic behaviour of one opponent contrasting heavily with the calculated, martial prowess of the other as Hawk skilfully passed over and under each of his sonic blasts, apparently unperturbed by the danger he was in. Still, neither could find an effective means of attacking him. Neither could penetrate his defences, any attempt resulted in another blast, cutting them off before they arrived.
"I've always wondered what it would be like to splice bird DNA with a fly-trap!" All manner of thoughts were running through Boomer's head, none of them related to the fight. "You're not a perfect specimen, but you'll do! Flying insect killers, imagine that!"
"You have not the skill at arms to beat me." The only banter seemed to pass between Hawk and Boomer, however thin it may have been - Frog was good for little else other than gibbering wildly and spraying spit everywhere, launching himself around the room erratically on the end of his tongue. Seizing his chance, the walrus' metal fingers snapped out, closing around the sticky appendage. He turned, slamming the amphibian into the wall, dragging him closer, and punching him out.
"Oh no, no, I don't need this thing. Too many extra useless bits."
As he tossed the unconscious opponent aside and turned his attention solely to Predator Hawk, other battles were already starting to draw to a close. Simian's brute strength proved little match for equal power and superior technology present in Bun's battlesuit, high-voltage shock pads leaving him twitching and spasming on the floor.
"Y'all need to learn how ta treat a lady, and cut down on the 'roids." She grinned, activating a shoulder cannon. "Hey, yer maj! Ya want this one alive?"
"Oh, I'm sure we can find a use for these idiots when Boomer is done with them!" Alicia replied, her momentary distraction allowing Fiona to get the upper hand again.
"Ally, careful!"
"I'm fine, help Patch!"
Grinning from inside her armour she turned to locate the coyote, the only one who was faring worse against his opponent, trying to match steel against an adept. Speed and wild reflexes had already proven themselves a match and more for his swordsmanship, physically unable to keep pace with Lightning's movements and feeling the sting of more than one bruise welling up. As stealthily and gracefully as she could manage while wearing the massive mech, she made her way towards the lynx. Using the cannon was out of the question- She wasn't at all fond of Patch, he was little better than Scourge, especially once her illness had taken hold, but killing him as collateral wasn't going to go down well- so she would have to use the armour's fists.
Raising its arm, she waited for the two swordsmen to lock blades, then swung at the lynx. He saw the crushing blow coming an instant before it hit, enough for instinct to kick in and throw him away from the cracking stone. Shaken by the incoming blow he didn't catch Patch's repositioning, the pirate's sabre coming out of nowhere to his side and slicing into his palm, tearing at the nerves with his own blade slipping free and clattering to the ground. Stumbling away and clutching his injured hand, willing it to heal Buns once again took advantage of the distraction, backhanding him away across the head. He was hurled away, crashing into the wall, slumping to the ground in a daze.
"You're running out of companions, Scourge." Yet still Miles refused to counter or strike back as the hedgehog battered himself silly against the defence being mounted. "Are you sure you thought this through, or has your ego once again eclipsed what limited capacity you had for intelligent thought?"
"Shut up, freak!" Scourge roared, once again bouncing off Miles' tails and crashing through a pillar. "I'm more than strong enough to kick all of your asses!"
"You haven't even managed to break my guard yet, you incompetent plebian, but you'll never get anywhere if you can't keep calm about it - are you really going to start throwing around such vulgarities as 'freak' when you are the one coloured bright green?" Again, a flare of light blinding him as the fox deflected another blow, sending him away into the wall. "my genetics are a natural evolution, and yet yours is the result of a scientific reaction - of the two of us, you are the freak."
"Stop tryin' to confuse me with techno-crap and just fight me, idiot!" Scourge roared, rushing back in.
"Why fight you when you're doing such a brilliant job of fighting yourself? I've been enjoying the rest of the spectacle - oh dear, there goes Predator Hawk." Barely having to keep an eye on Scourge with his enhanced perception he is able to watch the rest of the struggles come to an end. "three-on-one seems a little excessive, though, but I think it's time we wrapped this up. Alicia my dear, would you do the honours?"
"Sure." Alicia grinned, shoving Fiona down for a moment, before grabbing a golden palmtop from her boot. Opening it, she pressed a button, causing the screen to illuminate in purple. A moment later, a new figure appeared, flashing into existence among the others, a lynx clad familiarly, her attire a dress of black and white swirls.
"Madam Alicia - oh my...what a mess. Should I clean this up?"
"Just...put them away for now." The squirrel smirked playfully, "and be gentle with this one." A gesture to Fiona. "I want her in good condition for later."
"Of course." Bowing low, the lynx's gesture had the whole castle shudder as it came alive, the brick and stone of the flooring adopting the texture of sand, rising up in long tendrils to envelop the unconscious Destructix, Scourge locked fast by the wall itself with Fiona lifted into the air with significantly more repose, hands and feed held fast.
"Perhaps I should have introduced Anima sooner...she really was looking forward to this." His guard dropped and Miles smiled wickedly, crossing his arms behind his back. "You truly are a master of underestimating others, Scourge."
"Who is she?" Scourge asked.
Shrugging emphatically towards Alicia, the hedgehog having clearly not noticed the palmtop, Miles felt obligated to explain even if to just raise the IQ of the room by a notch or two. "Anima is an Artificial Intelligence, though I would have hoped that would be clear without attention having been drawn to it. She was created to run things for us while we got on with our lives, but naturally, she has evolved beyond that. Her nanites infested the castle, and replaced the whole thing with themselves. Everything in here is part of her. Your team-mates will survive the transport, and so will you... But Fiona is going to be given a more comfortable trip, by the sound of things."
"She's the fun one." Alicia hummed. "I hope you don't mind dear."
"Of course not." Miles said. "She can at least be useful to both of us."
"I'd love to hear what you've got in mind for her, but later, in private. For now...Anima, would you move these...things...to somewhere more convenient?"
"As you command, my Queen." Anima tendrils dragged back into the walls, taking their captives through as well. Fiona, meanwhile was carefully taken off down the corridors, leaving the Squad alone in the corridor.
Dusting off his gloves and lowering the enchantments over himself the fox frowned to himself, passing out instructions as he went. "Boomer, see to Buns' suit and any injuries Patch may have collected, and I'll have any usable specimens transferred downstairs once I decide which ones are available." That would work. "Alicia, I'll be with you in a moment, but I have to talk to Anima first about some pressing matters. Until then, your majesty."
"Sure, you two have your chat. I'll be waiting. I think I might go down to the cells once everyone's awake, though..."
She certainly did; only a few minutes later she found herself wandering below the castle, through a long room originally given over to larders and conventional prison cells. Now with modern methods neither such device was necessary, food being stored somewhere else and the unfortunate Destructix fixed firmly in translucent spheres of nanites suspended from the ceiling, each of the squad members writhing within. Most of them weren't that interesting.
In one of the final two, however, Fiona sat, curled up, eyes wide, and shivering. Whatever she planned, Alicia had still had the courtesy to leave the fox-girl unrestrained if contained within the sphere.
"Now this won't do, will it Fifi?" Already the squirrel had ideas for her. "Maybe later we'll get you transferred to a nice cage upstairs in my room, but not until you've learned your lesson."
"W-what are you talking about?"
"Whatever do you mean; the cage or your lesson? It's really not hard to understand."
"B-but... What do you want with me?"
"Less than these thugs I assure you...Fifi, I'd like a pet. Not the kind that shits on the carpet and tears all the curtains, those ones are so dull and a chore to take care of. I'd like something a bit more...sophisticated? That's the word. You'll do nicely."
"Hey, back off, bitch-face, she's mine!" Scourge wasn't just about to have his girl snatched away. He'd worked hard for that, and he'd be damned if Alicia was just about to waltz off with it.
"Oh, Scourge... fourteen years, and aside from some colourful new words, your ability to hurl insults has not improved." Alicia sighed. She pulled something out of her pocket, and unrolled it. The object was a glove, a long one. She pulled it up her arm, and flexed her fingers for a moment, before pushing her hand through Fiona's bubble. "You never treated your toys with any sort of respect, hedgehog; that's why they all ended up broken. I'll keep this one in very good condition..." Her hand roved across Fiona, the fox unsure what to do, twitching and shuddering with each touch. "I can't say the same for you of course, but you're nothing more than a waste of good oxygen. Oh, speaking of, you know that if I so much as ask for it, Anima can make these bubbles airtight? I give the word, and Fiona will be the only one of you still breathing. Of course, asphyxiating your pet's friends isn't a good way to get into her good books, so you get live for a bit longer."
Sighing emphatically, her hand slipped free of the bubble once again and she peeled it off, stowing it back into the pocket. "Well, it's been fun you guys, but I've got other things to do. I'll see you later, Fifi."
"No, please! Let me out! I need to get out, I can't breathe!"
"Sorry hun, but not yet - not until you learn your lesson."
"No!" Fiona pleaded, pounding her fist against the inside of the bubble. "I'll do anything!"
The squirrel stopped in her tracks, glancing back over her shoulder with a wry expression etched on her features. "Anything? Beg me, hun. Tell me you want me."
Fiona stopped, and stared at her, tearful eyes widening. She looked across at her team-mates, most of them fixing her with disapproving stares. Her eyes flitted back to Alicia, who gave her an inviting smile.
"Please..."
"Little louder, pet. Need to hear it properly."
"Please, let me out... I'll be yours, anything's better than this..."
One finger against her lips she appeared to consider the offer, winking in response. "I'll think about it. Be back in a while, ciao!" Snapping away from her she strode away off down the room, her footsteps receding to leave the Destructix alone again. The vixen's mouth hung open, as she curled into herself again, burying her head between her knees.
Scourge broke the silence, just to make everything worse. "And here I was, thinking you could grow a fucking backbone."
"I'm sorry..." Her shoulders shook, her tail winding around herself.
"Don't give me that whiny 'sorry' crap. Couldn't even stick to your guns when it came to it - none of you could. Total bullshit...coulda done it better on my own."
"You couldn't even get a good hit on that kid." Simian spoke up. "How did you expect to take them all?"
"I got ways, sarge. Knock queenie down and put a knife to her throat before Miles knows what's happening? Easy."
"And what was stopping you from doing that this time?" Lightning asked. "You just attacked Miles, left us to our own devices, and that let them get the drop on us by individually taking the best matchups."
"Hey, that 'ain't my fault. You guys couldn't pick so you let 'em do it for ya. Don't start pinning it on me just 'cause you can't think fast enough."
"You didn't think at all, Scourge! I've seen more intelligence out of Frog!"
"We didn't know how the Suppression Squad differed from their counterparts. You didn't tell us that, neither of you did!" The ape had about had enough of things with Scourge. He'd brought nothing but trouble. "We always lose against the Freedom Fighters, we couldn't even beat half of them in a surprise attack! And you thought we could attack sociopathic versions of them who don't care who they hurt completely half-cocked?"
"Because you've got me!" Visibly shaking with rage and under the scrutiny of the entire team bar Fiona and disbelieving that any of the blame was his, his temper was coming up full-force. "You've got someone twice as good as blue right here, and maybe I was thinkin' you sons-of-bitches could handle an overweight walrus, a rabbit on life support, and a washed-up pirate!"
"And what about Anima?" Finally Predator Hawk spoke up, his voice measured and calm. "You failed to anticipate her, and for that you were at their mercy just as much as we were. Look at yourself - doesn't matter how angry you get, you're still trapped in here same as us."
"Not to mention that you couldn't land a hit yourself." Simian added. "He didn't do anything that his counterpart couldn't do. Is this the real you, Scourge? We've only really seen you fight Sonic, and you already know his moves, and a bunch of powerless goons in the Zone Jail. Judging by that performance, you could get your ass handed to you by Tails."
"Spiky can't play with the bi-ig boys!" Even Frog was happy to join in at this point.
"Shut up!" Scourge roared, but the other Destructix continued to smirk at the idea of Scourge getting kicked around by a younger, weaker, slower fighter. "We'll see who's laughing when I get outta here and you don't!"
"Feel free." Lightning smirked. "We would love to see how the escape artist gets out of this one."
"Says the ninja who got captured by a huge, noisy, slow-moving robot with a NIDS patient driving it."
"And yet I'm not the one preaching to the choir about escaping, after being caught by the analogue of a kid."
"Who is probably no stronger." Simian added.
"Laugh it up, why don't ya." Scourge was certainly stupid, but he wasn't, well, totally moronic. Capture certainly hadn't made him any less determined to pound Miles' face into the ground, and he'd be damned if some tech-freak was going to stop him. "See ya later, maybe." With that he forced power into himself, Anarchy energy rippling through his body with enough force to make his molecular structure shake. Well, that was the idea...