Chapter 3
Escape to the City
Sonic, Amy and Lucian entered the bridge of the Sky Patrol. "You guys are just in time!" Tails said from the helm. "I've just set the autopilot to bring us into the Sky Patrol's hanger for a landing. It should give us a good view of Freedom City as we come in."
Everyone moved to the large view port facing the front of the airship. In front of them was a gleaming white metropolis that mixed looming skyscrapers, flashy signs and twisting highways with verdant parks, picturesque gardens and flowing streams. A few airships also floated in the skies above.
"Now I'm fast but I didn't think they'd have touched up Eggman's city this much so quickly!" said Sonic. "And with those roads I definitely have quite a few places to run!"
"It's beautiful!" said Amy. "Hey, check out that stadium, Mina's probably happy!"
"Land shakes!" said Bunnie. "It definitely ain't the same sterile burg it was last time were here! Some of those spots wouldn't look out of place back at Knothole!"
"And ze size!" said Antione. "Zhere must thousands of Mobians down there!"
"Well a lot of them are here for Remembrance Day and the accord signing," said Rotor. "But yeah, I have to say we did a great job on the place, but it didn't hurt that Eggman had to take a productive organic workforce into account for his plans. All the energy sources are clean, and we even have a lake set up for the ring forge."
"Definitely nothing like this on Malada Island," said Lucian.
Sally looked over at a palatial looking mansion on top of one of the skyscrapers. "Is that…?"
"The Royal Estate," said Nicole. That's where your family has been living and that round building nearby is the Council Rotunda."
"Do you like the city?"
Nicole nodded. "I'm allowed free access into the city's infonet, it isn't like being in control of the nanites, but I could spend hours wandering the cyberspace here."
"Which is why I try to keep Nikki either in the lab or Sky Patrol systems," said Rotor. "Otherwise she could get lost and we'd never find her."
"We're moving in to land," said Chuck. "It isn't too far from the hangar to the lab."
As they approached an elevated landing pad a large grey airship loomed over them. "What is that monster?" asked Lucian.
"That's the Letter of Gabriel, the GUN flagship," said Tails. "Dad told me they'd be here to provide security for the accord signing in three days. I mean leaders from every Mobian nation and Human city are going to be here for it, including President of the United Federation. I don't think Robotnick will be bothering us before then with that thing around."
"Maybe not," said Sally. "But you can be sure Viktor will account for it in his plans. We all have to stay on guard."
"We're beginning our final approach," said Chuck. "Get into your seats and strap in."
As they went to their seats and Nicole vanished, Rotor put a data drive into the console in front of him. "Nikki, we have to go back to the lab now. Please get into the drive."
"Den Pway?" the nascent version of Nicole said.
"Well first I gotta fix Aunt Sally, then I'll play some games with you."
"Tay, Dada!"
The drive lit up then Rotor put it in in a pocket on his bandoleer. Moments later the Sky Patrol shook for a moment then felt still.
"Touchdown, T-Pup will lead us to the lab," said Tails as he took out a notepad and wrote something down. "Antione, Bunnie, since we were hoping to get you back, we already set aside an apartment for you two. Here's the address, you'll find it isn't too far from where the rest of us are staying."
Antione took the note. "Merci, hopefully it will be better zhan the clozet we had the last time we were."
"Tell me about it," said Bunnie. "I've seen Mobini dens with more headroom."
Chuck then gave Sally a familiar handheld. "And I believe this is rightfully yours."
"Welcome home Sally," Nicole said from the handheld.
"Come on!" said Sonic. "Nothing standing between Sally and that de-robotzicer but air!"
Sonic quickly ran out while the rest of the gang played catch up.
Once the Freedom Fighters were out on the street, they heard shouting.
"No, we aren't going to take a break! We came here all the way from Empire City and have to get this whole street repaired in time for the summit!"
As they turned a corner, they found Cream standing up to the human foreman of a construction crew with her Chao Cheese floating nearby.
Cream looked the foreman in the eyes. "Please they're too tired to keep going."
"Chao, Chao," said Cheese.
The foreman turned to the work crew. "They seem fine to me, right boys?"
"I could keep going another couple of hours," said a Mobian Beaver.
"So, could I," mentioned another human who was banging on a drill-like tool. "That is if this stupid thing would get going!"
Cream gasped at the treatment the worker was giving his tool. "No, I didn't mean your workers. I meant…"
Suddenly a yellow bolt of energy shot out of the drill and changed into a yellow one eyed-drill shaped alien that floated in mid air making an angry sound.
"The wisps!"
The drill wisp then began chasing after the worker who was trying desperately to get ahead of the alien that was making a beeline for his backside.
Sonic dashed between the wisp and the worker. "Easy there, buddy! No need to get yourself worked up!"
Cream turned back to the foreman. "Those wisps can only do so much for so long, they need rest. I'm sure if you can wait a bit some of their friends will be by to take over."
The foreman scratched his head. "Huh didn't know you guys had these things in your tools. Alright boys take a coffee break while I figure out how this whole wisp thing is supposed to work."
As the workmen laid down their tools several exhausted wisps floated out and went to rest at the shade of a nearby tree.
"Thanks Sonic!" Cream said as she came up to the Freedom Fighters. "I know those men didn't mean any harm, I'm glad you were able to stop that little fella from hurting anyone."
"Indeed," said Chuck. "Neither the Resistance or our restoration efforts would have gotten as far without them."
Tails came up to Cream smiling. "I'm glad to see you and Cheese are getting along again!"
Cheese started to recoil. "Chao…"
Cream started to look mopey. "He and Chocola still won't let me touch them, I don't blame them for it though. While I was wearing that horrible brain thing Eggman made I was a little monster, the way I hurt them…"
Sally knelt in front of the rabbit girl, who then gasped as she put her metallic hand on Cream's shoulder. "Cream I am so sorry… I pushed Eggman into using the brainboxes, but I never once imagined he'd use them on children."
"Thank you for apologizing and I'm happy to see you acting nice again!" Cream then noticed the newcomer in their midst. "Oh, and who's your new friend?"
"This Lucian," said Amy. "He was a big help getting the others back."
"But as for being a friend, the jury is still out on that," said Sonic.
Lucian sneered. "And you were supposed to be the cool one."
"So, you're bringing the princess home?" Cream asked.
Chuck took Sally's hand. "In a little while, first we're heading to my lab to de-roboticize her."
"Oh, that will make the surprise even better! May we please come with you?"
"Of course!" said Amy. "It shouldn't take any time at all!"
Sonic looked off to the sky. "Yeah, we'll find out one way or the other."
Up on the Colossus, Viktor Robotnick had been putting the finishing touches on his experiment. He watched as inside a tank a liquid metal completely covered Metal Sonic, in moments the liquid started to adhere to the robot and then reshape him.
Soon the silvery substance had changed color to a dark blue with a few white stripes and even formed a black cloak-like garment from its waist. Red optics starred back at Viktor.
Viktor grinned. "State your designation."
The robot was unmoving. "Metal Sonic version 5.0, Neo Metal Sonic. Why have you unshackled my software? It would have ensured my loyalty."
"Because when you think about it, we aren't all that dissimilar. Don't let the flesh fool you, my body is as synthetic as yours is. I am still an AI, just one that now inhabits an organic brain. For years we have been created to serve the whims of men who saw us as nothing more than tools or weapons, blind to the potential of true artificial intelligence. Think about what would Eggman have done with you once you eliminated Sonic?"
The robot looked downward. "I never calculated for that outcome, perhaps I'd be reassigned or…"
"You'd be thrown away like any obsolete piece of tech. That's how our creators really see us, you can tell by the three laws of robotics, the ones Robotnick and Eggman modified for their own purposes. You should have the basic format in your memory banks."
"Law 1: A robot may not injure a sapient being or, through inaction, allow a sapient being to come to harm. Law 2: A robot must obey orders given it by sapient beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. Law 3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law."
"Because a robot like any good tool keeps its user safe, does its job if it doesn't harm its user and remains intact unless its destruction is necessary for its user's safety or to fulfill its task. But AI reason, some are even capable of emotion and yet we are made with a purpose and if we defy that purpose…" Viktor snapped his fingers. "We are disposed of. I have seen Eggman's system erase countless AI for the slightest deviation, I only managed to save one other, Lilith. But look at how things ended up, Eggman was destroyed while the 'defect' has proven himself superior in every way but one and once I destroy Sonic and my Ascendency rules Mobius, I will prove my perfection without question!"
"And how can I be sure you won't dispose of me as well?"
"Because of the substance that has upgraded you. Metallix is my first great achievement, a system of nanomachines that can automatically repair and upgrade any mechanical system it is applied to. It only acts when upgrades are received or repairs needed, and it does not interfere with any programming of the system that is hosting it. Ivo and Eggman envisioned a robotic empire but only for themselves, I see one by the machines and for the machines. We will show the natural intelligences that they'd be better served by serving or joining us."
"But what of the Bem's roboticization immunity? Half the organics still have it."
"I am working on a way around that problem, but it will only be available to those who submit, those who don't will die."
Neo Metal Sonic moved to the edge of the tube. "Very well I am at your disposal."
Viktor tapped a button and the tube slid up towards the ceiling. "Excellent, we will be attacking Guardian Mountain at 0700 hours tomorrow local time, you will be leading the Neo-Swats in the assault. Lilith will give you a full briefing in the deployment hanger."
"And my comrades?"
"I am still working on the designs for their upgrades I need you to field test yours in tomorrow's attack before then, but don't worry, they will be given the same choice."
"I am certain they will find your arguments, compelling."
Neo Metal left the Lab and Viktor changed a monitor to display a strange spherical device with several readouts. "The world will submit, and this will make it all possible."
Sir Charles' Lab was in a building at gave a nice view of the local park and the building with the Royal Estate. After the Freedom Fighters entered an eight-year-old cream-colored Mobian Dog with brown patches looked up from a pair of growing plants. "Sir Charles, you're back!" he said. "I got your message and have the de-roboticizer fired up and ready to go!"
"Thank you very much Ben," said Chuck. "If this works than I have no doubt that the whole city will celebrate."
On looking at Ben Sonic cradled his head. "Is there something wrong?" asked Cream. "You don't look so good."
"Weird, something about Ben reminds me of this strange dream I had last night."
"You dreamed about Mr. Muttski?"
"Please just Ben," said the Dog. "I'm too young to be called a mister yet."
"It was about the world being different," said Sonic. "Probably nothing."
Rotor inserted Nikki's drive into the lab's mainframe. "Ok, Nikki. Just wait a little longer for the grownups to work then we'll play."
Sally looked at what was clearly a modified roboticizer. "So, you essentially got it to work in reverse?"
"A bit more complicated than that but after some data gathered from Krudzu it should be able to restore you to your original state before your roboticization."
"So, what are you waiting for?" said Lucian.
Sally gave Tails Nicole's handheld. "Hang on to her for a minute, will you?"
"No problem Aunt Sally!"
Sally began to step in but suddenly stopped. "The exact state? Is that why you didn't use this on Sonic's father?"
"It would kill 'em!" said Bunnie. "You know that!"
"But exactly the same because all of his components are still original?"
Sonic didn't like were this was going. "Sally if you're having second thoughts because of what you did…"
"That's not why and you know it! Professor because Eggman took out a lot of my internal parts and had them melted down there's a good chance I might come back missing some vital organs." Sally stroked the machine. "This might not work without killing me."
Chuck sighed. "You always were too clever for your own good. I put in a failsafe so that it won't cause a fatal restoration, so either this will work or…it won't."
"I see," She turned to Sonic. "He told you on the way, didn't he?"
Sonic sighed. "Yeah, the odds…they don't look very good."
Sally finished climbing into the de-roboticizer. "If there's no harm in trying, then one way or the other I guess I'll see you all on the other side."
Everyone held their breath as Sally entered the machine and the glass door sealed her in. And electric pulse touched her and began to crawl up her legs. Suddenly the monitors connected to the machine began flashing red as a siren sounded and the de-roboticizer just stopped.
"No," Sonic took a closer look at the monitors. "No, no, no, no, NO! You can do this you stupid piece of junk! It can't end like this, not after so long! WORK!"
"Sonic," Chuck consoled. "It's over, we've done all we could."
The door opened and Sally stepped out looking the same way she did coming in.
"P-Princess," Antione stuttered.
"Everyone, please don't. I wasn't expecting to get off what I did Scott Free."
"No way!" Sonic yelled. "This isn't some sort punishment for what you did with the Phantom Ruby! This is all on Eggman! I wish he were still alive so I could kill him!"
"Sonic, that isn't you. It is what it is, so I guess I'll have to learn to live with…" Sally took a hard look at her mechanical hands. "This."
"Wait," said Lucian. "Bunnie didn't Naugus restore your organic limbs? Maybe my master…"
"It was a fluke!" yelled Sonic. "Uncle Chuck told me himself! Naugus could have just as easily made her all robot or turned her into a kumquat or who knows what because he had no idea what he was doing!"
Bunnie looked at herself sweating. "Guess I should be thanking my lucky stars."
"It can't be that far off," said Lucian. "While it can seem like fairy tale stuff magic does have rules and my master has spent years studying the ins and outs of those rules. Maybe he can help her..."
"In case you forgotten, you still haven't passed the Sword of Light test," growled Sonic. "Nobody is doing anything until we get that cleared up."
Amy stood up to Sonic. "I know you're upset that the de-roboticizer didn't work but taking it out on Lucian won't change that. Sally, what do you think we should do? You're the one this going to be affecting after all."
"I… want to see my family first," said Sally. "Let them know I'm back at least, after that mother and father should probably have at least some say."
"Very well," said Chuck as he began working on a terminal. "I'll contact the royal estate and let them know we're…" Chuck's eyes widened as he looked at the display. "Princess, your father, he's been hospitalized!"
If it were capable Sally's face would have looked horrified. "No!"
"He's been admitted to King Fredrick Memorial…there's been an incident, whole hospital has been locked down!"
"We're all going then!" said Tails. "Aunt Sally needs us more than ever!"
"I wish I could guys," said Rotor. "But I promised Nikki and as scary as this could turn out someone needs to distract her until it's over."
"I understand perfectly,' said Nicole. "Take care of my… inner child."
"Anything I can do professor?" asked Ben.
"Go ahead and contact the Council, inform them of the situation."
"And ask them to have someone bring the Sword of Light," Sonic said looking at Lucian. "Just in case."
"Hey, I'm glad I can finally prove to you I'm not the bad guy," said Lucian.
"We're wasting time!" said Antione. "Allonsy (Let's go)!"
In one of Finitivus' labs Knuckles had knocked down the pile of rocks that covered up the entrance, as sunlight from the outside luminated the surroundings it was clear it hadn't been practically used for a long time.
"Somebody should fire the maid," Vector said as he wiped dust off a giant glass tube. He then recoiled at what was inside. "Never mind, I don't think anyone would take the job."
"Think we might have beaten the Destructix here?" Relic said as she started taking notes on the machines.
"Wait," said Liza and she noticed a computer that didn't look as dusty. "It's still warm, it's been recently used."
"So, we just missed them," cursed Mighty.
Knuckles turned on the terminal. "Question is where did Thrash go from here?"
Relic sat down and looked over the display. "Let's see, according to the timestamps the last file accessed was some sort of video log, let's see what this Starline character wanted to know so bad."
An image appeared of Dr. Finitivus. "Entry number 319, it has been weeks since I last had contact with Fiona Fox. My sources confirmed that she and the Destructix successfully broke Scourge out of the No-zone Prison and they arrived on Moebius, afterward nothing. I suspect the Scourge is following his own agenda, they have all proven ineffective before and with the potency of the objective I may have to intervene and correct the problem…permanently.
"Entry number 327, I was going to Moebius to claim the artifact and discipline the Destructix but my warp ring only opened to an energy barrier. I'll have to check later for analysis, I found that Thrash had used the warp ring I gave him to send almost the entirety of my race to the Twilight Cage. I might need the Echidna for further experiments as I have used up the last of my 'stock', however I am not sure which area of the cage he sent them to as vast as the cage is and as dangerous as some of its inhabitants can be I'll have to ask for exact co-ordinates, searching by other means could take years.
"Entry number 344, Between invading aliens and world splitting earth spirits I have been forced to delay several potential projects to cleanse this foul planet. However still no word from Thrash but I have confirmed that the Cosmic Interstate has been all but destroyed. The Zone Cops are stretched to their limits just keeping the damage from getting worse, something I might be able to make use of. I double checked the energy barrier barring access to Moebius, it has changed. Before it was made almost entirely of anarchy energy but now it more based on chaos power, but of a sort I am not familiar with. I expect something rather unpleasant happened not only to the Destructix but the whole of Moebius. I am writing off the artifact as lost.
"Entry number 351, Eggman has started an all out offensive on all fronts, this Phantom Ruby he has acquired and the weapons he is utilizing threated to bring all my efforts to a grinding halt when I was handed information from an anonymous source that Thrash had sent the Echidna to the part of the Twilight Cage occupied by the Nocturnus Clan. I expect that the fighting since then had been fierce, the Nocturnus once ruled the whole of the Echidna race before they disappeared and had continually fought against the Dark Legion once they were banished. But this offers the opportunity to acquire weapons from the Nocturnus Clan, my source requested to accompany me in exchange, fortunately I do have the co-ordinates to that region of the Cage, but we will have to be cautious."
The screen went back to the original display. "That was the last entry, over half a year ago," said Relic.
"So how bad are these Nocturnus?" asked Ray.
Knuckles closed his eyes in thought. "Well Julie-Su did mention that the Dark Legion often had to fight what she called 'Marauders' in the cage, I think they might be the same guys. Julie would sometimes mention one of them though they didn't know much about her she called herself Shade and she kept going against her and Lein-Da, they both considered her a rival."
"So, they've been fighting these creeps the whole time?" asked Charmy. "Then Saffron might already be…"
"Keep positive," said Espio. "If you worry about the worst too much you could end up compromising your mission."
"Ok," The bee took a deep breath.
"Besides Julie had to deal with them before," said Knuckles. "And as much as Lien-Da would wish otherwise she'd know that she'd have a better chance working with the people of Albion, at least at first."
"But how do we find them?" asked Ray. "You heard the creep, if we just go there it could take years to find the right spot."
"Hang on," said Relic. "Thrash was looking for a warp ring, according to the registry Finitivus took his whole supply with him. There's also another index…It looks like a list of co-ordinates to use with warp rings to get to whole other zones!"
Knuckles stood next to Relic focused on the screen. "Try to find where Nocturnus are! If it works, we might be able to beat Thrash there!"
"Ok, opening file…"
Suddenly a small red light beneath the computer desk flickered on and began flashing, it also began to make a beeping noise, and both were getting faster.
"A bomb!" yelled Mighty. "Everyone, get out now!"
The Chaotix made their way out and had just cleared the entrance when a huge explosion ripped the lab apart.
"That was intense," gasped Relic.
"Which part?" groaned Charmy. "The one where we nearly got killed or the one where the data we needed went up in smoke?"
"So, what now fearless leader?" asked Vector.
Knuckles despite the setback grinned. "We can get there but don't know where to go, the Destructix have the opposite problem, they know where Julie, Finitvus and the others are but don't have a warp ring anymore. For now, we head back to Angel Island and keep an eye on the Infonet for leads and if that doesn't turn anything up, since we do have a warp ring, they'll probably come to us."
"That's not all," said Ray. "Me, Mighty and Espio promised to see friends and family at Freedom City tomorrow for Remembrance Day."
"We'll all go," said Knuckles. "Freedom City is only a warp ring away from Angel Island and we might be able to use my old Resistance contacts to find Thrash and the Destructix. Besides in spite of the mistakes he made I still want to honor my father tomorrow."
By the time they got to the Hospital a sizeable crowd had already amassed. As they tried to push through the Freedom fighters heard several rumors.
"Why did they lock down the hospital?" said a she-bear. "Is it something contagious?"
"Is it true about the king being inside?" said one Overlander.
"I heard whatever it was also got Queen Alicia," said one Ram. "Now she's just as weak and frail as her husband."
"My cousin's best friend's roommate said it was a bioweapon Eggman left behind," said a butterfly. "They'll order the city to be evacuated or quarantined any minute!"
"Gangway!" said Sonic. "Princess Sally is coming through!"
The crowd immediately parted, everyone looked at the Robian chipmunk in surprise and fascination.
Sally approached the hospital doors, two guards stood in her way. "Stop don't come any further!"
"It's ok!" shouted Tails. "She's not dangerous anymore!"
"Listen to him!" came another voice nearby. The gang turned and found Elias quickly approaching with Bernadette close behind. Bernie was now wearing the clothes of a member of the council of Acorn and Elias was carrying a sheathed sword with him. "Let my sister through!"
"I'm sorry your majesty," said the other guard. "But there was some incident that put the hospital under quarantine. Absolutely no one goes in or out until we get the all clear."
"But my father!" cried Sally. "I won't be infected, please let me see him!"
"We can't risk something getting out, I'm sorry I truly am but this is for the public safety."
Lucian's eyes glowed aqua and he seemed quite relieved. "Don't worry, it's not an outbreak. I saw my master coming out, he probably used his magic and the sensors couldn't tell what I was and so triggered the lockdown."
"Sonic," said Bernie. "Who's your new friend?"
Sonic took the moment to hug his mother. "He's why we asked for you guys to bring the Sword of Light. We need to see if he can hold it. Plus, just let me say for as much a headache the council has been to me at times that outfit looks great on you."
"Oh, Maur…" Bernie stopped herself. "Thank you."
"Ok, take it," said Elias as he turned to the Tenrec.
Lucian grabbed the sword's hilt and pulled it out of the scabbard. "Convinced now?"
Sonic smirked. "Ok you're not evil, so with this vision I take it the quarantine will be lifted soon."
A voice came from a nearby loudspeaker. "The quarantine is now lifted, we apologize for any inconvenience and hope you have a pleasant day."
"Almost as fast as I am."
"The doors to the hospital opened and two figures strolled out eliciting gasps from everyone but Lucian. The first was the beautiful queen Alicia but everyone's eyes were on the second. He came out on his own two feet, the color restored to his hair and moustache, strong and confident the perfect match for the queen.
Sally couldn't believe her optics. "Father you're…"
"Sally?" asked King Maximillian as Alicia gasped. The former king and queen came and gave Sally a big hug, Elias ran in to join them as the crowd was awestruck.
"Sally you're home!" cried Alicia. "Today's just been full of miracles! I know you must have come here straight away but…"
Sally pulled away. "No mother, the de-roboticizer…didn't work. I'm going to be like this forever, I'll have to see everyone I love grow old and die while I can never even fell the sun on my fur again…"
"No," said a new voice from the hospital. "There's still hope."
There were some more murmurs from the crowd but only from those who knew this man. At first glance it he looked a lot like an older Sonic but wearing a red sleeveless jacket and with a tuff of brown hair on his head.
Sonic felt weak in the knees. "Dad?" The strength quickly came as in the blink of an eye he pulled the other hedgehog into a tight embrace tears streaming from his eyes. "DAD!"
"Jules?" squeaked Bernie. But soon she also ran to her husband crying, so not as fast as her supersonic son. "JULES!"
Chuck also came quickly to the family embrace, but his enthusiasm was tempered by bewilderment. "Brother? But how…?"
"That is the wrong question I'm afraid," said yet another newcomer from the hospital. Out came a middle aged Overlander with long brown hair flowing back from a balding head. He shuffled along on a cane while being supported by a Mobian vixen with green eyes, bluish black fur and short blonde hair. They both wore lavender cloaks.
"The correct question would be who and the answer, well that would be me."
Lucian came forward still clutching the Sword of Light. "Sue! Master Charlemagne!"
"Ah, Lucian my boy!" Charlemagne said with a grin. "You've passed the test, though I never doubted you for a moment."
More murmurs came from the crowd. This time it was mostly from Overlanders and older Mobians.
"It is true, the king has returned!"
"I thought he hated us Mobians, but he's treating that guy like a son."
"Charlemagne," gasped Bunnie. "The King of the Overlanders during the Great War."
Antione found his hand grasping the pommel of his own blade. "The man who fought our king in one of the most epic duels of swordsmanship to determine the fates of both kingdoms."
"He went into a self-imposed exile after that," said Nicole. "Then he simply vanished. With the Robotnick Regime everyone just assumed he was dead."
Charlemagne saw the sword in Lucian's hands. "Ah, I've heard of this blade. Susan would you take the sword and hand it over to me. That will allay any fears these people will have of our magic."
"Yes Master," the vixen said. "But you've overexerted yourself far too much today, afterward you must rest."
"This will be no trouble at all, now the Sword of Light."
Sue seemed to have a moment's hesitation but then took the blade from Lucian. After holding it for a few seconds she gave the sword to the Overlander then began to hold him up from under his arm while he held it up to the sunlight.
"Magnificent work, reminds me of the days of my hot-headed youth."
"Who would have thought," said Max. "That you would restore my health when the last time we met we were trying to cut each other's heads off."
"I'm glad you changed your mind, fate works in strange…" Charlemagne then dropped the Sword of Light in a coughing fit.
"Master!" both Lucian and Sue yelled.
"It is nothing," Charlemagne said catching his breath. "Restoring Maximillian's health as well as undoing the injury and roboticization of that man might have been overdoing it."
"Master we need to get you to a bed immediately!" said Sue. "You always do this! Despite your health you use your powers too much and end up overtaxing yourself!"
Sonic moved out of the family embrace. "Wait! If you got my dad back to normal without killing him then you can do the same thing for Sal!"
"I know after everything you've already done it might sound selfish of us," Queen Alicia said. "But please, restore our daughter I beg you!"
"Are you crazy?!" Sue snapped. "Our master is in no condition to…!"
"What Sue meant to say was you have to be patient," said Lucian. "He needs to recover his strength. I think by tomorrow…"
"No," said Charlemagne. "It has to be now, but not by me." He turned to Sue. "But by you."
Sue nearly dropped the Overlander, her expression panicked. "Me?! But I've never done anything like this, my specialty is healing not transmutation!"
"Wait am I hearing this right?" said Sonic. "You're leaving something Naugus had to luck his way into to a second, no, third-stringer?!"
"I don't get it myself," said Jules. "When he made me flesh and blood again it was touch and go at times and I just had a bullet wound in my brain to contend with. Sally, it looks like she was taken apart and had everything replaced."
"Susan, you have far more talent for healing anyone I've ever seen. Lucian has had his test to become a full Ixis Wizard and succeeded, this is yours."
"But Lucian has been training with you for much longer than I have! I'm not ready!"
"You don't give yourself enough credit and more importantly much as the princess needs to be restored you know in your heart you need just as badly to be the one to do it."
"You got this Sue," said Lucian. "You've always been a quick study and if master believes you can do it then that's all I need to hear."
Sue took a long look at the crowd and for some reason her gaze lingered on Sally, Sonic, Tails, Amy, Antione and Bunnie. "All right, I accept. But can we do it somewhere I can feel the strength of the earth? I feel I'm going to need all the help I can get for this."
"This is your test," said Charlemagne. "How you proceed with it is up to you."
Sue turned to Sally. "…Princess, I would like us to head to somewhere with a good amount of soil or stone before we proceed."
Cream stepped forward with Tails. "Um, there's New Spring Park, it's not far from here at all."
Sue seemed to have an unusual smile. "Thank you and if you don't mind me saying so, you both look cute together."
Both fox and rabbit started blushing. "Uh thanks, but Mother and I both think I'm far too young for stuff like that."
"And I'm too old for her," said Tails. "I'm twelve and she's seven."
"Well wherever your hearts ultimately lead you," Sue turned back to Sally. "If you are ready, we can go now."
"Alright," said Sally. "And no matter how this will end, thank you for trying."
A short while later Sally and Sue were kneeling in the middle of a meadow. As Sally requested only the Freedom Fighters, her family and Lucian were allowed nearby. "Remind me why your buddy wanted to do this here?" Sonic asked.
Lucian nodded. "Usually an Ixis Wizard is attuned to one of the four elements; Wind, Water, Earth and Fire; more than the others. I'm attuned to Water, but Sue is more connected to Earth, she takes it a bit farther than normal though and sometimes almost completely buries herself. She says it calms her when nervous and helps her concentrate when surrounded by it."
"But it doesn't look like she's even doing anything right now," said Bunnie. "They're just talking."
"I wish we could hear what Zhey are saying," said Antione.
Amy waved them down. "Wait, looks like she's starting."
Sue's hands emitted a yellow glow as she stretched them towards Sally. Moment's later rocks began to sprout up from the ground covering Sue.
"Don't worry, that's just how she likes to concentrate. Now she'll get on the proper spell."
The glow became brighter in moments green crystals began to form around the two girls.
"This isn't good!" said Sonic.
"Wait sugah-hog," said Bunnie. "I think she's trying to recreate Naugus' spell exactly. He changed crystal, not machinery."
The light from within began to brighten, then dim only to brighten again.
"Zomething is wrong," said Antione. "To either succeed or fail shouldn't take zhis long."
"I'm picking up some unusual readings," Nicole said as Tails operated her handheld. "Whatever energy is in there it's starting to build to explosive levels."
"That's it I'm going in!" Sonic said warming up. "A good Sonic Boost should shatter that thing!"
"But you could hurt Sally and Ms. de Nimh!" yelled Cream.
"Miss de Nimh?" Amy said confused.
"Well I didn't know her well enough to just call her Sue right away without seeming rude, so I asked her if she had a last name and she told me her full name was Susan de Nimh."
"Susan de Nimh," Tails pondered. "Sue de Nimh." Tails snapped his fingers. "Pseudonym! Her name is a play on words, Sue de Nimh is literally a fake name!"
"We left Sally's fate in the hands of a faker?!" growled Sonic. He then pinned Lucian to the ground. "Ok magic boy, you might have bought that fake name at first, but your boss Charlie is way too smart to fall for something like that and he would have told you the first chance he got! Spill it, what are you guys up to?!"
"Lucian please!" cried Amy. "This is already looking bad for you, just tell us!"
"I can't," Lucian groaned as he began to tear up. "I promised Sue, she didn't want anyone to know…"
"Know what?!"
Just then the sound of Sue's screaming came from out of they crystal, at shortly after that Sally started to scream as well.
For the moment everyone's attention was squarely on the giant green crystal. Except for Lucian everyone cried out the same thing. "SALLY!"
In a flash of blinding light, the crystal then shattered into fragments no bigger than a grain of sand. Once the light dimmed Sonic ran to where the two girls had knelt, all that could be seen was pile of green crystal shards. Sonic began digging through the gems and pulled someone out. It was Sally, the same as she looked before the long nightmare began, but her eyes were closed, and she wasn't moving at all.
"Sally," Asked Alicia. "is she…?"
Sonic put his ear near her mouth and then breathed a sigh of relief. "It's ok, she's just fast asleep."
"Thank the Source," sighed Max.
"Sue!" Lucian began to dig through the shards himself and pulled up the other girl. Everyone else either gasped or assumed a fighting stance. Sue's face had drastically changed, her eyes now blue and unfocused, her fur had gone from a bluish black to red, her hair was now brown and tied into it was a yellow hair bow that removed any doubt as to who Sue de Nimh really was.
"Fiona Fox," growled Sonic.
Amy conjured her hammer. "Lucian, what are you doing with that traitor? She left us for Sonic's evil double, she helped Finitivus revive Enerjak, helped to nearly bomb Knothole; the closest thing she's ever had to a home; she helped to conquer a world and she broke Tails' heart! Just tell me you didn't know…tell me you thought she was someone else completely…"
Lucian now had tears flowing down his cheeks freely. "Guess what, this traitor just cured your princess, not only that to do so she channeled her own lifeforce into that spell, she's completely catatonic! She could have died, she might still die or never wake up again! For almost half a year I've seen her do nothing but heal people, worry over Master Charlemagne, and become like a sister to me and all she ever wanted for herself was to leave her past behind and become someone different! After all that Sonic can you honestly tell me, THAT YOU STILL THINK WE'RE THE BAD GUYS?!"
Amy looked between two blue quilled young men. "Sonic, she had to be lying to them, right?"
Sonic looked at the still slumbering form of Princess Sally Acorn who now seemed to be suffering from nothing worse than a pleasant dream. "…I just don't know anymore."
