Author Notes - to quote Solid Snake, "kept you waiting, huh?"

Sorry about the delay between this chapter and the last, Freedom Fighters. It's just that I recently took a look over everything I've written so far and here's the thing, I'm forced to notice that the prose has been really weird. Just all over the place. Quite frankly, I think it's a mess so I'm going to be going over the chapters in question and tidying them up (starting with Chapter Fourteen).

And since this would get in the way of the writing of the new chapters, I've decided to hand writing responsibility over to Asher Tye. You may know him from such excellent stories as Relative and Tails Underground. It's a simple arrangement really, I just write him a summary of what's supposed to happen in the coming chapters (since I know pretty much everything that's going to happen in the story) and he it before sending it to me. Anyway, I'm thrilled with the job he's done on this chapter and can't wait to see what he manages to do with the next.

Well, that's enough talk from me (especially after the long wait you've all had to endure). Asher Tye and myself hope that you all enjoy the latest chapter of Mutant Body, Mobian Heart!

Chapter 25

In The Grip Of Evil; Doom Is At Hand

In the bowels of Command Central, in the holding pens of Robotropolis, silence reigned supreme. One can only guess at the number of souls who had spent their last hours in this squalid pit; crying, moaning, or otherwise expressing the sheer hopelessness of their predicament. This was where Dr. Robotnik had sent his captives before having them roboticized into his mindless servants and, even with the evil tyrant's deposing, the cells had lost none of their horrible gloom, even as the former cacophony had died away. And it was in one of these cells that Snively Kintobor, the former assistant to the Lord of Robotropolis, and former Lord of Robotropolis in his own right, now sat cooling his heels.

He did not cry. He did not grovel. He did not beg, plead, or implore. Snively had been a sniveler for far longer than he cared to remember and could easily consider himself to be an old pro at it. And as such he did fully consider himself an expert on such a tactic and thus knowledgeable of its primary flaw. Such acts of ubiquitous subservience only served a purpose when directed at one whose heart and resolve could be bent by such things as compassion, or whose ego could be stroked by making them feel totally in control. When a practitioner was left to his own devices, pleas and such served merely to waste breath. And so it was that Snively, now alone ever since his furry cellmate's departure in the company of another, had turned his energies towards a more productive, if slower, task.

A frustrated grunt escaped the diminutive human's lips, followed by the sound of pen scratching furiously on paper. Penmanship had never been a strong suit of the little man's, he would have much preferred a keyboard for his writing needs, but this was not to be. Though the haughty and aloof Zero had proven himself not above accepting bribes for favors, the mysterious human was not so gullible as to allow access to a computer. Thus it was that Snively had to make do with the pen and paper purloined from his old work-room and the use of the hard cot provided for sleep as a surface on which to write.

'Of course one still might wonder why it is this task on which I wish to spend my last hours rather than another,' Snively thought to himself, his mind straining to find the words he wished to inscribe upon the paper. 'Even if I succeed in finishing this project, it's not as though I can just pop it in the local mailbox and send it off to its intended recipient.' Another frustrated grunt came from the nearly bald man, but still he persisted. Words continued to form in his mind, even as he questioned his motives for doing this. Why torment himself in his last hours with a task he was ill-equipped to perform and could not say for sure would be successful? Was some fraction of his subconscious mind operating under the supposed idea that this deed would somehow absolve him of his sins, erase a life of evil deeds done unto the innocent?

Even as he pondered this, considering tossing the fruits of his bribe to Zero onto the ground and concentrating on some real work, he stopped himself. Snively knew the reason for his current course of action. From the bottom of his cowardly heart he knew.

Her.

How ironic. For the past ten years, barely a thought had been spent on she whose life had so briefly intertwined with his and now what may very well be his last act in this life was all because of her. Silently the former tyrant remembered a lady possessed of an inner fire, a fire of courage that burned with such passion as to shine through her eyes, blue as a midsummer's night sky. He remembered a face that had lost none of its beauty or gentleness despite the long captivity or the sparse rations she'd had to endure. She had been a source of kindness and comfort to all those around her, despite how easy, and, yes, how understandable, it would have been to sink into her own despair..

Far grander than any one, or even all, of the simpering Duchesses of the royal court, much more awe-inspiring than the mightiest of Overlords, and infinitely wiser than the most learned of Sages. The vixen had been a rarity in this hellish world, a being gifted not merely with nobility granted by a piece of parchment and a title, but with true nobility from within.

'She did not deserve death, and Death did not deserve her,' Snively thought darkly. 'If ever I were to disbelieve that fortune favored the wicked, that only the good did indeed die young, her fate will ever remain my proof. And that is why I must do this now, before it is too late. That is why I have not forgotten her, why I cannot, and why I never will even should another decade of time pass. Because I… feel…' Pen fell to pad of paper as a sudden weariness overtook the small man, weariness perhaps greater than any felt by any other man.

It was then that a noise came to Snively's keen ears, a rhythmic beating that could only be the sound of footsteps approaching. If Zero's news was to be believed, and Snively really couldn't think of any reason for the muscular warrior to lie here, it was unlikely this was Tails being returned to their shared lodgings. That meant whoever was coming was more than likely doing so to interrogate him. A cringe of fear crawled up his spine at the prospect of pain, a sensation that he, though used to, quite frankly could have lived without.

And yet as he continued to listen, Snively's spine ceased its cringing and his teeth ceased to clench. He had thought, he had feared, that Naugus had been coming to flay his flesh from his bones with a snap of that twisted hateful finger, or that 'dearest' Uncle Julian, seeking to relieve the stress he no doubt felt in serving the sorcerer, would try to accomplish the same feat manually. But these footsteps were too light, their tread too quick to belong to anyone who currently resided in this forsaken city; save for only one

Quickly Snively's eyes flew back to pen and paper, his every muscle dedicated to giving the impression that it comprised the totality of his universe, even as it no longer held his mind's attention. Quietly he waited for his visitor to say something, feeling very much like a castaway adrift at sea who was fully aware of the presence of a shark beneath his boat.

"What do you want?" Snively finally asked, unable to stand the interminable silence any longer. The sound of a sigh escaping heralded the fox's response.

"I don't know what I'm doing here," Tails finally answered as he sat with his back pressed against the cell door, the tips of his twin namesakes flicking up and down as they were pinned between floor and cell wall. Snively made a quick sniff with his nose.

"Neither do I." he stated with as much indifference as he could muster, an unusual activity as indifference was usually the one thing he could show in abundance. It was then that the cub said something that caused Snively's little black heart to skip a full beat.

"Forty-two." Over the course of his life, Snively had heard many words spoken to him that had caused him to react in all manner of different ways, but never had the utterance of a single number caused him to flinch so. Had not his mind been occupied by the very same vixen to whom those wretched digits had been attached? And here now was another on whose mind the long dead lady had been. Not even turning to see what reaction his words had caused, Tails merely chose to add to his statement. "The only thing I know about my mother is the number that was on her bracelet. That's it." The words were whispered, but even then Snively couldn't help but hear the tinge of bitter sorrow in the cub's voice. Quietly the little man steeled himself for the inevitable storm of hateful accusations that would be leveled at him.

'The cub no doubt believes he can pry some sort of tearful apology from me by playing on sympathy and guilt. "Boo-hoo, little cub never got to know his mommy, all because of the 'big' bad human who harmed her so." If that is the case, he can cry me a river, and then he can just build me a bridge and get over it,' Snively thought. And yet much as he was prepared to turn these wretched thoughts into scathing words, no accusations came from the fox-boy's lips. Again silence fell between the two former comrades and again it began to grate on Snively's nerves.

"So tell me, little boy, why is it that, given such free reign of the city, you haven't taken this opportunity to get the hell out of Dodge?" How many weeks, days, even hours ago had it been that Snively's ancient turn of phrase would have given Tails a moment of pause, followed quickly by an inquiry as to just what "Dodge" was? And yet, as he remained seated just outside the cell, the fox seemed not the least curious.

"I have nowhere to go," the cub finally admitted, before adding darkly, "And you can ditch the attitude, Big Nose, I'm not stupid enough to expect anything like sympathy from the likes of you." At his companion's retort, a slight chuckle escaped the human's lips.

"Yes, yes, you've most definitely succeeded in figuring me completely out," congratulated Snively, his voice thick with nasally sarcasm. "Of course I might point out to you that, though you may indeed believe you have nowhere to go, there is most certainly nothing binding you to this city."

"That's not true," Tails quickly responded, surprising the former overlord who had expected another long delay. "Naugus thinks I'm this 'kitty-fox' or whatever he calls it." Again derisive laughter escaped thin lips.

"You are no more a Kitsune Fox than I am."

"Naugus doesn't know that." For the second time in their conversation, the cub's words managed to give the human pause. With backs turned to each other, it was impossible for Tails to see the thin smile play its way across Snively's face.

"Ah, so the plot doth reveal," the vertically challenged man surmised. "I believe I understand now. You're planning on manipulating our sorcerous host to your benefit. How very precious, how very cute." Snively's head nodded just a bit, the most movement he could make while still pretending the bulk of his attention was still on his writing. "Of course such a plan is quite honestly doomed to failure. You see, even with the favor you are currently currying with Naugus, at some point he is going to expect you to use your supposed 'mystical' abilities to his benefit. And while one or two failures might be graciously attributed to such things as youth and inexperience, eventually your natural inability to do something like gaze into the future for him will likely reverse your fortunes. I daresay it won't be too long before Naugus begins to suspect that his 'prized Kitsune' is nothing more than a mutant fox with an extra appendage." Again the human laughed. "Even that short-sighted hedgehog would have planned this out better." Satisfied that he had quashed whatever resolve was within the kit to see this inane plan through, Snively's attention once more began to transfer back to his pages, his ears only waiting now to hear the tell-tale footsteps of the fox's retreat. But young Tails, not yet finished with their conversation, had not even risen from the ground.

"I could use my 'gifts' to let Naugus know about the tactics the Freedom Fighters would use when they raid Robotropolis. If I did that, helped to keep them from wrecking the city, Naugus wouldn't be so quick to doubt my advice. And it's not as though the Freedom Fighters would be in any danger. Naugus did say he wanted to work with them rather than against them." At the fox's statement, Snively couldn't help but feel his blood run cold as an uncomfortable lump formed in the pit of his stomach. His mind struggled to make sense of what he'd heard, utterly convinced that his ears could only have misheard what had been said. But the former assistant to Dr, Robotnik had not survived this long without being able to master himself, and so it was that the next words he spoke were done so in a calm, collected voice.

"Let me see if I've got this straight. Are you actually planning on betraying the Freedom Fighters?"

"If I can get Naugus to trust me, gain his respect, maybe I can influence his decisions and change things from within. Make everything on Mobius okay again. After all, if the 'magical Kitsune' were to 'foresee' that stopping the war and freeing everybody was the wisest course of action possible, Naugus would probably jump to follow my advice."

Snively was silent, pen gripped tightly in his fist. In his mind's eye, he could see the mother fox who'd made such a gallant sacrifice to ensure her own son's life got the chance to begin. And as he thought about what the son planned to do with that gift so precious, Snively finally abandoned his façade and turned to face the cub, fury on his face.

"If you go through with such a plan, you'll have truly earned the title bastard," he condemned through clenched teeth. In truth the little man was quite surprised at the outrage he felt and at the venom in his voice. But all he could think of now was one overriding desire; that Tails not be allowed to travel this path of treachery.

If Tails took note of the desperation Snively now felt, he was unmoved.

"That's funny coming from the bastard who was only just yesterday trying to get me to stab my friends in the back." Again Snively marshaled his calm, even as he glared at the back of the cub in angry frustration.

"Tails, you have to listen to me," the human explained, struggling to keep his emotions from leaking into his voice, "Naugus is nothing but an old liar. Whatever 'code of honor' or 'vision for the future' he has convinced you he possesses is twisted, self-serving, and evil. Ixis Naugus seeks to aid and care for one Mobian and one Mobian only; Ixis Naugus."

"And you'd be the big expert on self-serving evil, being an old liar yourself," retorted Tails, a stinging retort that, while nothing new, did succeed in this instance to cut the man to the quick. Still he knew he couldn't afford to quit now, he couldn't afford to give up.

"Wasn't it naught but two weeks ago that you and your friends were playing dodge-ball with lightning bolts thanks to Naugus's spells?" he asked.

"And how does that differ from what we were doing with you only two months ago? Then weren't you the one trying to take over the world? Betraying everyone who ever trusted you? Killing anyone who opposed you?" Snively bit his lower lip, unable to refute such a claim. But Tails was not done yet. "And weren't you quite willing to work with Naugus when it meant you'd get what you wanted out of the deal?" At this point a hint of vicious amusement entered the kit's high-pitched voice. "In fact, it seems to me that the only reason you're telling me NOT to do the exact same thing is because you won't get what you want from it." A derisive laugh came from Tails as his head tilted downward a bit. "Bet if you were, you'd be all for this idea. Heck you'd probably be trying to coach me on how to manipulate him better."

Snively's eyes were cast down to the floor for a moment. There was no denying the truth in some of Tails's statement, but the human didn't have time to try to refute the accusations. His mind struggled as he worked to come up with a new strategy, a new argument to convince the cub of his sincerity and away from his present course of action. Unfortunately, Tails took Snively's silence for a sign of defeat.

"Don't pretend you care one wit for Knothole, its people, or even Mobius. I know there's nothing you do or say that isn't meant to help you and you alone," he said. There was an edge of iron to his voice when he continued. "And just so you know, the guy who helped to destroy an entire kingdom and wrecked the lives of its citizens for reasons that were a hundred percent selfish and then 'reformed' when he had no other options to take has no right to call me a bastard for turning on my friends so I can save them from getting wiped out."

"If you value my opinion so little, why bother coming here to tell me this?" Snively asked, unsure of what else he could say to convince the kit.

"Because I needed you to help convince me my idea was a good one. And you did. After all, if a selfish monster like you thinks my plan is bad, than it's gotta be good, right." This last part was not asked, but spoken as a statement of fact. Quickly Tails rose to his feet, not even giving Snively the benefit of a glance. "Thanks for all your help Snively, I hope you have a nice life." With this final pronouncement, Tails walked forward, his bare feet making only the slightest clicking sound as his claws tapped against the hard concrete of the floor. Realizing that his last chance was slipping through his fingers, Snively too was on his feet, the pad of paper and pen falling to the floor in the face of this much more pressing problem. Like lightning the little man was at the bars of his cell, grabbing hold as he tried to attract the retreating fox's attention again.

"You can't do it!" he screamed, a spray of spittle escaping his lips as he did so. "You can't just throw everything away! You can't just give in! Remember Bunnie, remember Antoine and Rotor, remember Sonic! Think of Sally and your mother! It isn't too late for you yet like it is for me!"

As he exited the dark and dreary cell block, all thoughts of Snively began to fade from Tails's mind, vanishing with the speed of a freak snowfall on a hot spring day. Of course the fox would have had to be deaf not to know the 'reformed' villain had started screaming something as he'd made his departure, but Tails had simply chosen to disregard it. The human had served his purpose, and now vulpine thoughts were on other matters of more import, namely finding the location of Naugus.

It stood to reason that at this hour of the night the old sorcerer was unlikely to have left his stronghold Command Central, or at least that's what foxy logic said. So it was that Tails found himself wandering about the building. More than once he passed a SWATbot or two in the halls. At first he cringed a bit, old fears rising as he considered the robots might decide he was an intruder and make to hurt him. But each time the SWATbots allowed him to pass unmolested, in some instances where the hallway was too thin even stepping aside so as not to impede his progress. While it did nothing to diminish the ominous and forbidding atmosphere of Command Central, it did somewhat embolden the cub's stride as he continued his search. All too soon, though, he found himself in familiar surroundings.

The Dining Room.

Only hours ago the room had born witness to a focal point, an event of monumental import as something as so innocuous and trivial as an errant chicken bone very nearly forever altered the course of Mobian history. Indeed that small bone might have succeeded, if not for Tails's own actions.

The long table Naugus had sat at was still there but, just as Zero had told him earlier, it was no longer adorned with the fine plates, silverware, and beautiful tablecloth the sorcerer had used for his bizarre dinner party. Those now rested, in many cases in pieces, upon the floor, sent there as a meaty hand in pain had blindly grabbed hold of the tablecloth and, in electrified agony, had pulled. And Dr. Robotnik, the owner of that meaty hand as well as its mechanical mate, was there still as well, stooped over on both as well as his stubby knees. The former Overlord's face hovered mere inches from the ground and Tails's sharp eyes could just make out the wiggling red extension that was his tongue as he tried desperately to pick up some of the broken crockery with it. A grunt happiness was heard as the human succeeded in his task, gripping the sharp dish piece and dropping it into a nearby waste receptacle. In the face of such a success, Robotnik finally looked up and noticed his audience.

Tails fought the urge to recoil at the sight. Robotnik's mouth was practically ringed with blood thanks to the many cuts his gums and lips had endured from the sharp edges of the broken tableware. It had even managed to soak into the man's moustache, darkening its frayed and unkempt whiskers around his nose. The fallen tyrant quickly recognized his "guest" and suddenly a wild grin appeared on his face. Like some kind of mad dog Dr. Robotnik scrambled forward on all fours, his state of mind insufficient to even notice as his unprotected knees slammed down on broken bits of plate, driving the points into his flesh as he crawled.

"You. You, you, you, you, you," Dr. Robotnik chanted in a hushed voice as he scurried up to the fox. Tails backed up half a pace, if only to prevent the disgusting human from being able to touch him. Those dark eyes that had once held such malice and cruelty now looked wild and unpredictable. "You're the answer," the abused doctor finally said, a horribly happy look on his face that almost made Tails want to retch.

"The answer?" the would-be kitsune asked, wondering briefly when life had decided to make him so interesting to everyone else.

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes," came the response again. "You can do it; you can set this all right again." Mad eyes glanced from side to side, a caricature of precaution. 'He… he doesn't trust me, never trusts me, so I can't get close enough. But you. He likes you, trusts you. He'd never expect it from you. You could do it for me." A sharp, childish giggle escaped the human's lips. "You can… kill Naugus." A second giggle came. "And then, and then, once I have control of the city again, once I'm the master, I'll set you free. Free to go back to your little woods and your little friends. You can see your mommy and your daddy again. And I promise I won't stop you. You see? We can both get what we want."

How long ago had it been that Tails had been absolutely terrified of Robotnik? How many scary stories had kept him up at night that featured the demonic dictator as their monster? And here he was now, and all Tails could feel was a sense of disgust and revulsion. This was not the monster he'd been led to believe in, this was not the villain who had haunted his dreams. This was a pathetic bully who'd picked the wrong fight one too many times, refuse on the ground of history. And he was simply not worth the fox's time.

Turning away from the dictator-turned-janitor, though not before Robotnik offered up what could only be described as a sad attempt at a conspiratorial wink, Tails continued on his quest for Naugus's current location, exiting the dining room via the door opposite his entry. Upon exiting that temporary madhouse, the kit found himself crossing paths with yet another familiar face, none other than Lieutenant Omega. The cold red eye that dominated the SWATbot's face stared down at him, its lights flashing as optical sensors relayed information to the machine's CPU, confirming the fox's identity. Having just divested himself of his long held fear of the machine's own creator, Tails was not about to back pedal in front of a mere creation.

"Where is Naugus?" the cub asked, his voice even and flat, fully expecting an answer from the automaton.

"Lord Naugus is in his chamber," Omega responded. "I have been ordered to collect and escort you to him. Follow me." Only a few hours ago, Tails might have simply obeyed that order from the bigger and more dangerous SWATbot. Heck, maybe even a few minutes ago. But at this moment, at this point in time, Tails was not about to be impressed by what was basically an ambulatory toaster oven. He glared at Omega, defiantly daring the lieutenant to back up his own authority.

For his part, Omega felt a wave of what might have been described as fury in his metallic mainframe. It had been more than ten years since any Mobian, with only a few real exceptions, had done anything other than cower before even the standard SWATbots, let alone one that was in a command position. That this immature little brat thought himself Omega's equal was enough to start up the termination subroutines in the robot's programming.

But then some new data entered the SWATbot's logic center. Naugus had gone to great trouble to acquire this cub and, aside from a brief stay in the cell block, had been treating him with a great deal of preferential treatment. Add to that the fact that the fox had only a few hours ago saved the sorcerer's life and the question arose as to just who would be deemed as being unduly defiant in this situation. Robotnik had raised a hand against Tails and Omega had only to look into the next room to see the results of that little action. That the ovoid human was at least entertaining to Naugus was perhaps the only reason he'd been spared the ultimate penalty. Omega could boast no such protection.

(Were this kit to tell Naugus I had irritated him, would the sorcerer decide I am no longer worthy of his tolerance and destroy me? He is unpredictable, and quite obviously the fox is important.) Self-preservation software kicked in and the SWATbot stood at attention, the near universal sign amongst his kind of subservience.

"Apologies, Mobian, I will escort you to Naugus at your leisure," Omega responded as Tails walked by, his hands behind his back and his chest puffed out as he kicked out his legs with each step. Before Omega could take a step to follow, the fox halted his progress.

"By the way, you will call me Tails," he said, his voice still even and cold. Immediately a new subroutine was created in the robot's programming, permanently labeling the cub 'Tails' from then on. The two walked on in a silence that was only broken by Omega occasionally pointing out when they had to turn. Soon they arrived at a staircase, the sight of which caused Omega to step forward and take a position at the base, his body rigid as he stood at attention.

Tails looked up the stairs, obviously the final path to the one he sought. A short wave of unease passed over the vulpine's spine as he made his ascent. This was the big test, the big hurdle for his plan to work. Swallowing, Tails steeled his resolve as he made it to the top where sat a giant pair of double doors that had apparently been sealed by an equally huge slab of crystal.

"Ah… I've been expecting you, my young friend," Naugus's voice suddenly said, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere. It was just a bit unnerving, Tails had to admit. Before the fox's eyes the crystal barrier began to get thinner and thinner, quickly releasing the huge doors from its grip. Once freed thusly, the doors swung open, seemingly of their own accord, granting Tails his entry.

Inside he found, just as Omega had said, a bed chamber, complete with a massive four-poster bed that could easily have consumed twice the space of his own bed back in Knothole. A velvety cloth was draped over the posts, the edges tied by a cord of what the fox assumed could only be nylon. On the walls hung several paintings of people Tails had seen in some of the books he owned, though these were caked in dust and dark from neglect. Lamps jutted from the walls, though only a few managed to shed some illumination. Like the room he had previously awoken in, Tails could tell this chamber had once belonged to someone important. It took little cognitive ability to deduce that this room had once belonged to King Acorn himself. Undoubtedly Dr. Robotnik had claimed this place as his own while he had been in charge of the city, but now that he had been relegated to 'janitorial' duties, ownership had fallen to Naugus.

The magic-user in question stood in the back of the room, half in and out of the shadows. Still there was enough light to illuminate his face, and that face wore a pleased smile as he gazed at his guest. This was not the smile he'd worn two weeks ago as he'd spoken to Sally, nor the smile he'd had earlier when he'd been hosting his party. This smile was gentler, if that term could be applied to someone with such an angular face. It looked strangely pleasant.

"And here now is the worthy young fellow who only this night did save the life of this old gowk," the sorcerer announced, though to whom Tails had trouble determining. Next came a short, stooped bow with clawed arm crossed over chest. The smile never left his face as Naugus straightened up again. "Indeed, if not for your noble actions earlier, my honest lad, I more likely than not would have ended up just as the proverbial fish out of water. That is to say, dead, with mouth wide open and eyes bulged out." The sorcerer made a hissing giggle, as if he found the notion of his own demise to be a source of some amusement. Then his voice became serious. "And thus we come to my reason for wishing to speak with you now."

Tails was surprised at how quick the new Lord of Mobotropolis could move, particularly at his age. In only a few seconds he suddenly stood in front of the fox, looking down with a solemn face as he gazed into azure eyes.

"I appear to be in your debt, my young friend, and Ixis Naugus always repays his debts, be they for ill… or for good. Since you saved my life, I can do no less than grant you your freedom." Naugus's hand, the one that held fingers, reached out to grip Tails's shoulder. "Master Kitsune, I do quit you." And thus did the sorcerer turn from the fox, walking briskly over to the large, ornate writing desk that also stood in the room. As he did so, the elderly creature continued to speak. "If you desire, I shall have Sir Zero himself personally escort you to the edges of my domain in safety, but in any event you are quite free to go and do as you wish without impediment from any of my forces." And thus, his speech at an end, Naugus sat in the chair, his attention soon taken up by whatever sat on the desk before him.

For his part Tails simply stood there, even though he had apparently been dismissed. He had not expected this. In truth he hadn't really known what to expect but, if pressed, he had to say just being told he could go was at the bottom of his list.

'This is the "horrible menace" Sonic and Sally keep yelling about? "A monster worse than Robotnik?"' Tails thought, disbelief running through his mind as he watched the sorcerer at his desk. 'True he attacked us but… we were kinda taking something that belonged to him without asking.' In fact, hadn't the Mobian mage told Sally he'd have gladly given them the roboticizer if she'd simply asked him for it? At the thought of the ground squirrel, Tails's thoughts darkened as he remembered the caning he'd received at the Princess's hands. 'Naugus trusted me not to just run off, to actually stay and listen to him. Sally would've just locked me up without a second thought in the same position. And yet she claims HE'S the bad guy. Naugus is even willing to let me go free, something my "Aunt" never intended to do.'

Tails cast a glance back towards the doors, still open and lacking any barriers that could prevent him from leaving. There had not been a single sound to indicate the arrival of more SWATbots other than Omega, and Tails was fairly sure he was nimble enough to evade that one if he had to. He could be in Knothole in time for breakfast if he so chose.

'But why do I want to?' the cub asked himself, old feelings rising in his heart, the same unhappy feelings he'd felt prior to his failed attempt at running away. Memories of what he'd said, how angry he'd been, how angry everyone had been at him flooded his mind. Could he really go "home" if he didn't have a home to go to? And here, he may not have been amongst familiar surroundings, but there was no denying Naugus had yet to do anything nearly as objectionable as his supposed family had done. Here at least, he might be able to do some good, if Naugus still thought he could be of use in the ancient creature's plans. Here was even a chance to do more on his own than the Freedom Fighters had ever achieved as a team. 'And if Sally, if everyone thinks I'm just some helpless little kid, a baby they need to protect and control, than I don't need them.' At this thought a wave of sadness welled up in the boy's chest and an uneasy knot appeared in his stomach. If Sally and the rest meant nothing to him, why did the prospect of leaving them for good feel so… uncomfortable? Shaking the feeling off, Tails looked again at Naugus.

"What if… What if my wish… is to stay here?" he asked, his voice soft and uncertain. From the desk at which he sat, Naugus's head rose, the solitary horn that adorned it clearly visible over the hunch in his back. A curious eye and a receptive ear turned slowly in the fox's direction to show the sorcerer was once again imparting a portion of his attention to his guest.

"You must excuse me, my good fellow, but I'm afraid these ancient ears of mine can sometimes play tricks upon me. Did I just hear you say that you wished to remain here? With me?" Tails opened his mouth to speak, but soon found his mouth and throat quite dry. Not wishing to croak an answer, the youth merely nodded his head quickly. At this response, Naugus turned his entire body to face the young reynard, his eyes seeming to be appraising the cub as he stroked his long white beard, searching for any breaks in Tails's resolve. Slowly but surely the same pleasantly pleased smile that had been on the sorcerer's face before reappeared. "Come over here, young man. I have something to show you that you may find interesting." After a single moment's hesitation, Tails began to move. He was acutely aware of the coldness of the floor beneath his bare feet, but there was also a certain sense of excitement.

'He has something he wants to show me?' the cub thought, his curious nature getting the better of him. All sorts of possibilities danced through his mind, but one in particular stood out against all others. For weeks now, months even, ever since Naugus had cemented his control of Robotropolis in fact, the Freedom Fighters had been straining their collective brains trying to figure out what the sorcerer was up to. With all the activity, it had been quite clear the resources of the dark city were being moved towards some end, but lacking anyone who could think like the mystical monarch amongst their ranks, Knothole had been unable to understand what. Now it seemed as though the mysterious master plan was about to be revealed, and Tails would be the one it would be revealed to. Ancient body moved aside a bit, allowing room for the youth to move in closer and see…

…an electric fan.

Tails could only stare at the machine, more than a bit perplexed as to what he was supposed to be looking at, and wondering silently if his host might not be all together sane. Blue eyes moved from the fan to Naugus and the sorcerer seemed to pick up on the cub's lack of comprehension.

"Of all the things I have found in this city upon my arrival, I must admit that this marvelous little device is perhaps my favorite," he began to explain. "To defeat your enemies with a mere gesture is all well and good, and no one can deny having an unending supply of tireless helpers has its benefits to be sure, but nothing can quite compare with receiving a refreshing wind with but the flick of a simple switch. And it even comes with six levels so its master can determine the strength of the wind it produces. Anything from a gentle breeze to a powerful gale." The clawed hand reached out and easily took hold of the fan's "on" switch, toggling it with an audible click. The machine came to life, its motor rising in intensity twice after as the blades spun faster and faster. "I must admit I am partial to the third setting. It is quite conducive to relaxing after a particularly trying day." Naugus's eyes closed as he leaned into the fan, the winds generated blowing the whiskers about his face in a wild fashion, though the bulk of his beard remained inert. Finally Tails could hold it in no longer.

"That's it? The big secret is just a fan?" he blurted before clasping his hands over his mouth. While he had yet to come to any real harm, at least by the sorcerer's hand, the fox was not prepared to tempt fate. Who knew what kind of slight might set Naugus off and foul the good mood he'd been in?

All that came was a laugh as Naugus favored the cub with a patient look.

"Yes, imagine it. I, Ixis Naugus, the Supreme Sorcerer of all of Mobius, have a weakness for the very technology I so openly despise and decry as an affront to the natural order. Were this information to reach less trustworthy ears than yours, scant hours would pass before it became fodder for an interminable number of jokes and snide comments " Again fingers reached out to grip the fox, though this time they held that furry shoulder in a more comradely fashion than before. The ancient Mobian spoke his next words in a clear and even tone that might have been reserved for a master speaking to a particularly bright student who needed only a bit more help to grasp the lesson. "The point I am trying to make, my young friend, is that I am not a perfect person. I have failings, just as any other being and, though I am loathe to admit them, I do not deny them. But that is all right. Though I am imperfect, I can still strive for perfection. Not merely for me but for everyone. A perfect life given to all who dwell on fair Mobius. And with your assistance, I believe I can make that happen." At this point, Naugus leaned in closer to Tails, his face drawing level so that the fox could quite clearly see his dark yellow eyes. The cub made no move to back away. "And isn't that something YOU would want too? A world without sadness, without pain? A world where none will every again suffer as you surely have? A perfect place where all whom you love will be made safe and happy? If that is what you wish, little one, if that is what your heart desires, you have only to say so and WE will make it happen."

As Tails stared into the magician's eyes, his brain began to mull over what had been said. There was no denying Naugus's words held a ring of truth to them.

'Bunnie's been such a big help to the Freedom Fighters, to all of Knothole, and still the villagers treat her like garbage just because she's half robot. They depend on her help almost every day, but they act like she's the enemy. And she's so nice to everyone in return, she just takes it and doesn't complain so she can help everyone, it's not fair. And then there's my mom and me. I never even got to know her, and if Sally had had her way, I'd have never even known she was dead. How many other people keep suffering, and I could help prevent it. All it would take would be a few accurate "predictions" to prove to Naugus I'm a real Kit-sune or whatever, and he'd believe anything I'd say. We'd be able to make his perfect world peacefully, with no one struggling to stop us.

'What am I saying? If I do this, if I join forces with Naugus, I'll be betraying the Freedom Fighters, betraying the very people who took me in when I had nothing, cared for me when I was sick, taught me everything I know. Can I really just turn on them like this? Even if this does make the world a better place, I'll be hurting them; there's no way around that. I'm just one little fox, what right do I have to make a decision for an entire planet full of people? Who am I to take that kind of control over so many other lives?

'Sally?'

As this thought crossed Tails's mind, his legs began to feel wobbly and his hand rose to his head. It felt as though a weight had suddenly come down upon the cub's shoulders, and he did not like it one bit. On the one hand, he could help Naugus and thus minimize the damage the sorcerer could do if people didn't even want to give him a chance to help them. Tails could remove the necessity of destroying trees to save the forest. But that didn't disguise the fact that it was treachery he was considering, treachery most foul. It was something the fox knew to be wrong, and he had no illusions as to how much everyone would hate him if he made such a decision. Unbidden the image of Snively came to Tails's young mind.

'Is this what he thought before he made his decision, betrayed King Acorn, toppled the kingdom, and started all of this? I only have to look at the last ten years to see how that turned out. The domination by Robotnik, Mobius's destruction bit by bit, day by day, Bunnie getting turned into a cyborg… my Mom dying.

'Or is this just Sally and Sonic talking through me, making me second guess myself? The only one Naugus has really mistreated is Robotnik, and nobody would feel sorry for him. Am I just letting the fact that Sonic and Sally don't trust Naugus get to me, instead giving him the benefit of the doubt?' A throbbing pain appeared in the cub's head as he felt like he was being torn in two directions at once. Did he betray his friends in the hope of saving them, or did he remain loyal to those who had not been loyal to him and chance more suffering for the world around him? Sharp canines bit into a lower lip as Tails bowed his head, struggling with the decision.

"I… I don't know," he muttered quietly. "I just don't know." Upon hearing this, Naugus's face became a one of perfect understanding, his sharp eyes softening as the corners of his mouth turned down just the slightest bit.

"Of course, of course, such is to be expected," he explained. "This is not a decision to be made lightly, like what you wish for dinner or which tome you wish to peruse for the night. This is important, life-changing. And after all that has happened to you today, I'm sure you are tired. You've been through a lot and I have just given you even more to think about. Rest for the night, allow your mind to be cleansed by worriless sleep, and then see if you cannot reach a satisfactory decision." Naugus stepped back from the fox and, thinking he had once again been dismissed, Tails turned to head back to the room he'd been given.

The kit took no more than a few steps before a wave of weariness swept over his form, his muscles aching and feeling weak. He began to sway as his legs began to falter against gravity's embrace, and his vision blurred just a bit. Orange-furred paw rose to his head as Tails struggled not to fall flat on his face.

"Tut-tut," came the voice of Naugus, cutting through the haze of the fox's mind, as if an eerie echo at the end of a long tunnel. "It would appear that Master Kitsune is more fatigued than I had thought." An extra set of arms suddenly gripped the vulpine's body, lending him strength to remain standing. Quickly Tails found himself being turned and moved forward, his destination a blurry shape he recognized as the large bed he'd seen when he'd entered the chamber. Soon he found himself laying flat on that comfortable mattress, his body possessed of only barely enough strength to keep breathing. And suddenly, a primal fear gripped the cub's heart/

Next to him Naugus stood. The spell of slumber had done its work; not surprising considering the fox had been near exhaustion for most of the night. Now though, the task was done and a grin of feverish excitement spread over the sorcerer's face as he removed the glove from his hand. The elder Mobian stood over the prone and helpless fox-cub. The unconscious Tails could feel his host's hot breath on his face as that groping hand reached out for his unprotected body…

Through the darkened city of Robotropolis, the Awakened One walked, his feet striding purposefully across the cracked and ill-maintained cement making up the streets. Soon he arrived at a street that lead to the open space in which sits the fearsome visage of Command Central, looming over the rest of the city. It stood like an open, festering wound; the very source of the poison that had spread across the land, contaminating and corrupting all that was once good and beautiful. It was there, beyond the ruined pedestal upon which the now crumbled statue of Doctor Robotnik had once leered at all intruders, through the dark doorway that sat at the top of the steps like the portal to some forgotten abyss, that the task for which he had been awakened from his millennia long slumber awaited.

Before the robed one could take even a single step further, a sound rose to his ears, a sound that was getting louder and louder and coming from behind him. Hooded head looking over his shoulder, the Awakened One could clearly see a cloud of dust rising in the distance. Immediately the creature realized that that amount of dust could only be kicked up by something moving at an incredibly high velocity.

Correction; something moving at an incredibly high velocity and right in his direction.

Not wishing to be seen by whatever could move at such a speed, the Awakened One leapt straight into the air for several feet. A powerful fist slammed into the brickwork of a nearby building, breaking through the masonry with absurd ease as the arm was inserted all the way up to the shoulder. Despite the attack on its structural integrity, the wall of the building held, the one who had struck it now hanging from the hole like some odd ornament. Now safely out of sight, the strange creature began to watch the unidentified moving object with great interest.

A blue streak sped by below, not even slowing down as it made a quick left turn and shot straight up the side of the building on the opposite side of the street. Not even noticing the cowled observer, it streaked right over the roof's edge and vanished from view.

His curiosity satisfied the Awakened One pulled his arm free and dropped back to the street below, the wind created by the movement of the blue blur blowing the hood from the creature's head. Not even caring as the discarded garment fluttered away, he prepared to complete the task for which he came.

That was when a new sound came to his notice, the unmistakable sound of wings, very big wings, beating against the air. Eyes were cast skywards at this curious noise in a city of motionless flight just in time to catch sight of a large creature whose body was covered in emerald scales, save for its belly.

'No doubt about it,' the Awakened One thought as the creature passed him by unnoticed, 'things are about to get very complicated indeed.'

Sonic Hedgehog

Princess Sally Acorn

Rotor Walrus

Antoine Depardiue

Bunnie Rabbot

Ari Ram

Dulcy Dragon

Snively Kintobor

Miles "Tails" Prower

The Awakened One

The hand of Fate had gathered these persons of note within the walls of the dark city of Robotropolis.

And from this bastion of evil one would never again leave.

End Of Chapter