A Tale of Two Brothers
Hey Peeps, I don't own anything related to Sonic or his universe, that's SEGA and all other companies relevant to the creation of his various back-stories, and even though most of them have tanked it now that is beside the point. Honestly, I actually own very little in this fic (next to nothing apart from some background alterations) but this is my story and even though I am using characters from Archie, DiC and SEGA I will be fleshing many of them out because they were only 2-dimensional so in some ways they will appear very OC hopefully you'll bear with me! Anyway, I've bored you to tears with this disclaimer so enjoy and let me know what you think! X
Review Replies:
DanceDream: Thank you for understanding the difficulties that the first half of this story brought me. The whole thing was a shock, especially since I felt like I had brought it on considering how close he died after I posted chap23… This chapter was much easier to write in comparison… And yes, Jules is certainly not the same guy we saw at the start of this story. He's starting to turn more serious but don't worry, there are a few bits in here that will perk you up if you've been missing his likenesses with Sonic. And yeh, the city has changed but the city was one place that Archie rarely got into and since Sonic Underground were better at it I felt that aspect needed to be honoured in my story. And thank you, I'm pleased you like Baron Beauregard Rabbot although I confess I actually know very little about him as an Archie character. I only red his wiki-bio online and then wrote him as I saw him while inter-blending certain aspects of Robert Englund's character Mayor George Buckman from 2001 Maniacs (it's funny I even picture his voice as Beau).. Not the horrible killings but his pride, anger and southern values.. And I love Sleet and Dingo too and you have a little of Dingo's background here in this chapter and more on Sleet too.. And there's more babies in this chapter too! You'll have to stay tuned for Aleena and Jules I will be getting back to that very soon.. Hope you like this long update.. X
Slayer 666: Thanks, I don't want to give away all the motives at once but there is more on Kodos in here and Naugus will come later. This chapter was long enough and if I give everything away at once I will ruin the story completely. And I know you would prefer to see Jules as a battle lord but the truth of the matter is that would take years and I honestly don't have that kind of time, especially since Manic and Sonic are due to be born in two years time. The other thing stopping this is the fact that Jules isn't that interested in ranks and power, his primary focus is on something else, which you will see in this chapter. It's something he shares with Sonic as titles and power mean very little to him either. And Mobius can't do anything for the other countries right now because they are under siege so that wouldn't work.. However what I have in mind will become clear in the next chapter.. x
FerrumFaustus: Hi, welcome to the page hun. And thank you for the review; if you don't give them often then I'm flattered that you chose to leave me one. I'm glad that you like the blending. I had trouble picking a single one as there was aspects I liked from all across the board and things I didn't like so I thought I could filter out the unimportant thing and the bits I didn't like and keep the important parts with the bits I did. And if you have scanned my work on deviantArt (same name minus the '.' as it makes things easier) I have a picture of him as I see him but if you picture him differently that's fine. I never like to over emphasis on detail because I like to let others picture their own ideas. I never considered King Ogilvie to be like Mufasa but I guess you're right, he does have a few similarities to him and if you picture his voice as that that's fine. I picture him with more of a Billy Zane voice but like I said each to their own. And your right he is perceptive but his focus has been directed at other things as this is a war.. And haha, really? That is so odd but cool at the same time… and there is more war in this chapter unfortunately X
astroshadow: Glad you're still liking the story hun! And haha, I see what you did there.. and yes, there is some Sleet and Dingo moments here in this chapter so I hope you enjoy… Lol you didn't have to send the same review twice but thank you for letting me know it was you :D X
Dedicated to AleishaTheHedge as a very late birthday present. Sorry about that, the editing and little notes took waay longer than normal on this one…
Ok, settle in and get comfortable people this is a double-length chapter so you're gonna be here a while!
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Great Forest Siege..
It had been three weeks since Professor Nate Morgan had fled Mobotroplis in fear of the Overlanders' invasion. No-one knew where the outcast Overlander had gone and no idea how to find him. The Metropolitan Guard followed all the leads they could before they eventually were forced to throw in the towel as it was clear that the human just did not want to be found. For mobians like Maximillion Acorn and King Ogilvie who had known Professor Morgan since they were younger this was sad news but nobody took it harder than their brand-new Minister of Science Charles Hedgehog. For the mild-blue hedgehog this was a devastating blow as he could not understand why Nate Morgan would just take off like that. Charles had always known that his old mentor had originally come here seeking asylum from his own kind but he had never known why, not that he'd ever thought to ask. It was now that Charles realised that Nate Morgan had never spoken about himself, their conversations had always been about Charles and his experiments and ideas. He knew so little of his own mentor on a personal level and it was only now that Nate was gone had he realised this and Charles was beginning to doubt whether or not he really knew his mentor at all…
With his mentor gone Charles truly felt as if he was on his own for the first time in his life. His little brother was spending his days in the army barracks and Lionel Lion spending his time with his fiancée Emma Leo, getting settled into their new home. Charles had always lacked the huge support network of friends that his brother Jules had but unlike his younger sibling who always craved the company of others Charles really didn't mind being alone. However Professor Morgan had always been his greatest confidant, he'd always been there for him and the mild-blue hedgehog was unsure what he would do now..
Adjusting to his new position as Minister of Science had been tough but the other ministers and council members had been very supportive. Charles had even accompanied Prime Minister Stryker Wolf when he had gone to visit the weak Professor Owl in the hospital where the tawny owl had given the hedgehog in his early twenties a few words of encouragement that Nate Morgan had given him in his younger years. Although Charles still felt that he was too young and not qualified enough for the job the mild-blue hedgehog resolved to do the best he could with the job that had now been delegated to him. While he was in the Council Building convening with the other ministers or scheduling in important meetings with others of the science community who were seeking him Charles was always surrounded by others but when he returned home his laboratory was always quiet. Gone were the days when his little brother, Lionel Lion or Professor Morgan would just pop into his lab for a chat and although part of him missed the social interaction he was grateful that now he could work undisturbed until he was needed by the council again.
Without distractions his Robotic Transformation Device was coming along in leaps and bounds. His twenty-third birthday came and went just like any other day with the exception of a couple of cards being sent, one from his brother in the barracks. The basic software was now complete and running on a very primitive level, basically the commands were running in a format his holoscreen computer could follow, Charles could begin the arduous task of building his huge creation. For him this was the fun part of the whole project. He liked discovering how his creations were going to take shape. Sometimes his ideas worked, sometimes they didn't but when problems arose Charles merely took it as a learning curve and by the time the problem was solved the mild-blue hedgehog always felt a great sense of pride and like he had been on a journey of learning and discovery.
His first stop was down to the scrapyard to purchase the parts he would need to begin the whole project. Even if the embargo on imported goods had not been in place Charles would still prefer to go down to the scrapyard and salvage parts rather than order parts ready-made. Charles had always liked to do things from scratch using his own two hands. It was something that his father Maurice, who had been a great engineer and welder, had taught him and something that had stuck with both him and Jules. The old hedgehog had always believed that if you wanted a job done right then you were to do it yourself and not take the easy way out. To Charles taking 'the easy way out' would be ordering his parts ready-made but this way he could get really involved with the whole process in a way his fellow scientists would never be. Once he had the pieces he required to make the main framework and control system to his Robotic Transformation Device Charles Hedgehog began to work on fabricating and wielding the steelbindum into form. There was something almost soothing about the whole wielding and shaping process. The smell of hot melting metal hit his black nose and it reminded him of what his father smelt like when he used to come home from the power-stone plant after a heavy shift and a smile curved his muzzle that was slightly hidden by his unruly light-blue moustache. The twenty-three year old hedgehog soon found himself happily engrossed in his work..
'Gentlemobians, this is the footage that was streamed live from Dead Mobian's Ridge only an hour ago courtesy of one of the surveillance probes created for us by Doctor Charles Hedgehog..' Commander Ian St John sounded grimly as he gestured his long pointer at the holographic image on display to King Ogilvie, Prime Minister Stryker, Warlord Kodos and their council of generals and advisors present in this crisis war meeting that was taking place in an underground bunker that had formerly been an under-rail station. The image on the holoscreen was slightly grainy and was purely in shades of blue and black but the picture was clear as day regardless, it showed the human-likenesses of the Overlander soldiers heaving themselves over the edge of the huge drop of the immense gorge and judging by the angle of the probes' camera lens it was hiding in the branches of the nearest tree.
The images displayed to the mobians in the room caused them all to gasp as one and many of them murmured concerned to each other.
'I'm afraid it is as we always feared. The Overlanders have found an unguarded way into Green Hill.' The mobian-skunk continued in a louder voice so he could be heard clearly. His mauve eyes narrowed seriously as they turned to his superiors.
'How long do we have until they make contact?' King Ogilvie asked immediately and Ian St John scratched his chin thoughtfully for a moment.
'That question brings about many assumptions sire. But if we do presume that the Overlanders chose not to make camp, take a direct path through the forest and are somehow not alerted to the Knothole's existence…' The commander's pause to calculate was interrupted the moment he broke off.
'Knothole is a real place?!' Ixis Naugus exclaimed in shock causing all of the mobians present to look around.
'But of course..' General D'Coolette sounded in a low haughty drawl as his deep-blue eyes narrowed in distain to the hybrid-mobian wizard sitting beside him. 'Eet's locatio' ees guarded like a secret..' The hybrid rhino-bat-mobian said nothing further musing on the coyote's words as Armand D'Coolette turned his attention back to his warlord.
'Couldn't we just relocate the mobians in Knothole somewhere else?' Warlord Kodos sounded brusquely but immediately both Ian St John and Stryker Wolf looked unconvinced by this suggestion.
'Not without alerting the Overlanders to Knothole's presence..' The skunk-mobian replied in a drawl voice and immediately the seven-foot lion-mobian scowled harshly.
'Besides the Knotholer's wouldn't go. They would choose to remain and fight for their community just as their pre-inhabitants did before them, they're stubborn that way.' The grey-furred Prime Minister of Mobius added with a slight scowl. Warlord Kodos Lion gave a low impatient growl and curled his fists with annoyance. He had always hated it when he was held back from what he viewed as the right course of action. The seven-foot lion-mobian might be rightfully in charge when it came to planning the battle layouts against these Overlanders but he despised having to listen to the others who all were trying to contain him with arguments on mobian sensitivity or pride. He had always wished to live in a place where it was his way or no way and not be confined to having to listen to how others wanted it.
'Indeed.' The green-quilled King of Mobius added as his own maroon eyes surveyed his Warlord carefully, pity forming at his slight frustration with the hamlet. 'They gave the Mobian Council quite a bit of grief back in my grandfather's day when the council tried to publicize the location to Knothole in their census. The hamelt revolted and descended on the city in protest. Believe me we do not wish to anger these mobians they are a proud and independent breed.' Kodos Lion resisted the urge to roll his eyes while his mind silently cursed the inhabitants of Knothole for their stubbornness.
'Commander would you agree that the best thing we can do is head these Overlanders off before they reach the northern edge of the Great Forest?' Warlord Kodos stood up and strode out of his seat and jabbed his fingers to the huge map of the large forestay area.
'Yes sir, that would be best however-' The skunk-mobian was immediately cut off as the huge mobian-lion ploughed over his next words having heard all he was interested in hearing.
'Then that's what we shall do but we can't have the civilians from Knothole interfering with the conflict, we will need the hamlet contained. So who do we need to speak to that these country-ingrates will listen to?'
'Kodos! Mind your tongue..' Stryker Wolf sounded in shock as King Ogilvie looked appalled by the mobian-lion's disregard towards his solitary subjects in the Great Forest. Even Generals D'Coolette and Prower were looking disgusted while Ixis Naugus scowled in instant disapproval. Commander Ian St John shook his head in irritation at his commanding officer's uncontrolled bluntness.
'My apologies but it doesn't change my point, who do we speak to?' Warlord Kodos sounded with a halp-hazard apology that quickly steam-rolled back onto his previous point.
'They must have their own elected spokesmobian to rally around..' .General Prower eventually sounded reasonably.
'They do.' Stryker Wolf interjected at this point. 'But the Community Leader is not elected, they're the direct decendant of the founder of Knothole. They believe that the decendants of their founder can best channel the spirit of Knothole and lead it the way it was meant to be led..'
'Tres facinant..' General D'Coolette hummed impressed. 'Zey are a, how you say, tres spirit-ual communi-tee, oui?' The tan-furred coyote-mobian twiddled his spindly blonde moustache.
'Oui, I-I mean yes, they must be.' General Prower corrected himself while his white-gloved hand raised to his golden-furrreed forehead sheepishly with an uneasy grin. General D'Coolette merely kinked a brow at his fellow general but disreguarded his words with a slight smile knowing he meant nothing by it.
'So who is this Community Leader then?' The seven-foot mobian-lion in dressed in full military gear asked the Prime Minister of Mobius directly and Stryker Wolf stroked his neat pale-blue goatee then pulled out a file containing a census of Knothole from four days ago.
'According to this old Knothole census the last Community Leader was a Maurice Hedgehog but he has since passed away and Knothole has yet to declare its new Community Leader.' The grey-furred wolf-mobian said plainly as he closed the leaflet the files had been stored in covering it with his elbows as he leant forward with his hands clasped.
'Great, just great...' Kodos shook his head in disbelief with a small growl.
'Maurice did have two sons and the eldest of them just so happens to be a minister here for the council...' Stryker Wolf added with a sly smirk and a glint in his yellow eyes. 'He would most likely inherit the position.' At his words Commander Ian St John turned his mauve eyes towards the wolf-mobian and grinned.
'In that case perhaps it's best if you have a chat with him about Knothole once we are finished here...' The mobian-skunk in the smart black suit suggested primly and immediately Kodos Lion snorted at his lower officer's suggestion.
'Why him?' The mobian-lion spoke in a loud obnoxious voice which caused the skunk's slick white head-fur to blow back slightly but Ian St John didn't bristle.
'No offense sir but Prime Minister Stryker may have more success reaching Dr Hedgehog he has a little more tact and less forceful..' Ian St John said plainly, stating the obvious.
'A good suggestion and not one to be ignored..' Ixis Naugus spoke out as the hybrid-mobian wizard prowled the back of the room like some giant bat with a maimed left hand which now had a crude metal pincer and covered with a light-blue glove that matched his unmaimed hand..
'Fine, whatever..' Kodos growled in a low voice which made Ian St John kink a suspicious brow as this was quite a turnaround; his superior was relenting to the one being he regarded a traitor. 'Now can we please return to the Overlanders and a battle plan for defending the Great Forest?' The mobian-lion looked seriously around the room at those present in the crisis meeting.
The moment the crisis meeting was over most of the important mobians present filed out of the bunker and back towards the underground train that would take them back to Main Street Central station. It was at this moment that Ixis Naugus prowled down from the back of the room and glared upwards at the tall blonde-maned mobian-lion with angry blood-red eyes.
'Are you trying to ruin everything!' The hybrid bat-rhino mobian hissed venomously once the room was empty. Kodos merely squared his shoulders and glared back at the tiny wizard before him.
'Will you keep your voice down..' Kodos hissed back as the others could still be heard murmuring in the distance.
'You must have better control of your faculties if we hope to succeed in our plan.' Ixis Naugus muttered in a low serious voice. 'I know you hate to being repressed by these mobians but keep it together. They need to think that we are still on their side for now, lest they suspect something..'
'I know, I know..' Growled Kodos impatiently and immediately his face screwed up as anger without a portal licked his insides. Tricking the Overlanders into thinking that the Mobians were threatening them had been easy. All he had had to do was grab an Overlander scout and badly maul him then write a fake note forging the King's signature. He had then just ditched the body back where the Overlanders would easily find it and repeat the process with his fellow mobians. Kodos had been growing restless for years, tired of being the Mobian Council's little puppy dog and tired of seeing the peace in Mobius. He had grown up in Efrika where there had been Civil War most of his life. He had played an important role in bringing about peace and it was this recognition that got him the Warlord position here in Mobius. However the job was dull, there was no war, King Ogilvie was too soft and the Council were too lenient. He had no say in anything and knew that it was time for a change. He pictured a world where he could do what he wanted, if he wanted land he could take it without question and everyone would bend to his whims. But to get that he must first get rid of King Ogilvie, preferably before the princess found a husband and produced an heir. That would make things a whole lot tougher..
'Then remember that! It's not just you who will be exposed as a traitor if we are discovered..' Ixis Naugus replied before the sound of his name drew both Kodos and Ixis' attention around to the doorway to see Commander Ian St John standing there with his arms crossed.
'Naugus the king is waiting.' The skunk-mobian stated seriously and immediately the beige-skinned hybrid-mobian with the hump, maimed hand and long white beard glared back at Warlord Kodos.
'We'll settle this later!' The rhino-bat hissed before turning away and wrapping his navy cloak around himself tighter and pushed passed Ian St John without a word. The skunk-mobian cocked a brow curiously at the wizard before his attention turned to his Warlord.
'What was that all about?' Commander St John asked his commanding officer but Kodos shook his head roughly.
'Nothing. It was nothing..' He sounded gruffly and scowled at the skunk-mobian.
'Are you sure sir?' Ian tried again; his expression said that he was not buying Kodos' words for one minute.
'Positive, now quit asking stupid questions Commander and get these important mobians back to the city, we've wasted enough time here.' Kodos snarled and pushed by Ian St John as well. The seven-foot mobian-lion caused the skunk to fly backwards into the wall and Ian St John straightened, brushing dust from himself while looking concerned as the huge lion disappeared towards the train. Something was wrong here, the skunk could sense it in his gut but for now it would have to wait... The Overlanders were his first concern.
…The next afternoon Mayor Maximillion Acorn had arrived at Charles Hedgehog's studio-lab in Fountain Square to find the young doctor hurriedly packing up a backpack of stuff. The light-brown-furred fox-mobian of twenty-eight had heard that the brilliant scientist was returning to Knothole and he'd wanted to see if it was true that he was leaving the city.
'So Stryker was right, you are leaving..' Maximillion spoke softly and his voice made Charles spin around with wide startled pale-blue eyes and instantly become aware of his presence. For a split-second Charles looked like a regular small rabbit in the headlights of an automobile before he let out a sigh and relaxed.
'Yeh, I have to go Max. Knothole needs me now, more than it ever did before..' Charles sounded sombrely as he tied up his backpack then began to pack up his toolbox with wire and tools that he may need as he was going to have to leave most of his laboratory behind in Mobotroplis; he was only taking the bare essentials with him.
'But what about your position as Minister of Science? And your research?' The twenty-eight year old fox-mobian said as his light-brown-furred hand gestured around the laboratory to the parts of his Robotic Transformation Device that littered the worktop and the half-built control system with the blue-prints discarded nearby.
'I can still carry out my duties as Minister from Knothole via holophone conferencing and my research will be here when I get back.' The mild-blue hedgehog shrugged off his white lab-coat and pulled on his brown overcoat before buttoning it up and slipping on his backpack. 'Nate is gone and you and Lionel have your own families to focus on. It's time that I started focusing on mine… and they need me now.'
'But Charles the Overlanders are in the Great Forest right now! The Mobian Army will be dispatched tonight to face them tomorrow at dawn! It's about to be a warzone out there, you really want to go?' Maximillion's sharp-blue eyes widen in horror at Charles' words, this was madness..
'Max, you're probably one of the few friends I have left in the city but this isn't a matter of wanting to go.' The newly twenty-three year old hedgehog sounded with a slight sigh at the concern the fox-mobian was showing right now. 'But I can't turn my back-quills on Knothole. It's my true home and neither my brother nor my father would ever forgive me if I didn't help my brethren protect our legacy. I have a greater duty to Knothole, I must go. You do understand, don't you?' His pale-blue eyes gazed back at the fox-mobian with a deep desire for him to understand where he was coming from. Maximillion's blue eyes softened with reluctance before he let out a small groan and slapped her forehead.
'Urhh.. Alicia will probably tell me off for letting you go but yes, I do get your reasoning Charles.' The smile tweaked his white-furred muzzle. 'Just promise me you will stay safe and in touch. I'd hate to lose you as a friend.' He then patted Charles firmly on the shoulder in a caring manner which made the mild-blue hedgehog smile at his friend.
'I will, I doubt your wife would let me forget anyway.' Charles smirked widely and Maximillion chuckled in amusement as the two of them stepped out of the studio-lab, locking the door closed. The mild-blue hedgehog then packed up his things in the side-car of his dark-green motorbike then straddled it.
'Take care my friend..' Charles said with a smile that was partly hidden by his pale-blue moustache.
'Likewise..' Maximillion replied with a matching kind smile under his thin black moustache. The gentlemobians then shook hands. As Charles gunned his motorbike and disappeared off down the road that would lead him out of the south end of Mobotroplis as the light-brown-furred fox waved him farewell.
'Well, well, well..' The southern drawl of Baron Beauregard Rabbot sounded the moment Charles Hedgehog parked his motorbike, turned off the engine and dismounted outside of his childhood home in Knothole. 'If it ain't the porc'pine with the big britches just breezin' inta town..' His words instantly made Charles turn around to the tall rabbit-mobian who was wearing a neat reddish-brown suit with cow-strings tied around the neck of his white shirt and knee-high leather black working-boots. In his right hand was a laser shotgun and he was leaning casually on it as if it were merely a walking cane.
'Hello Beau.' Charles sounded politely. He had actually forgotten that Buchanan's brother was now staying with Missy now and that the southern rabbit had been covering for his little sibling in taking care of the hamlet and preparing the Freedom Fighters for combat.
'Chuck..' Beauregard replied in a similarly polite tone with a tip of his cowboy hat to the hedgehog as Charles stood on his own front porch fishing for his set of keys to the door. 'What brings yah back hereh? This a fleetin' visit or areh yah stickin' around longah?' The rabbit-mobian raised his thick bushy brows curiously at the mild-blue hedgehog as he finally opened the door and slung his backpack inside before turning to get his toolbox from the sidecar.
'I'm staying here and I'm glad you're here. We need to talk..' Charles said as he pulled off his toolbox out and put it inside the door of his cabin.
'This is soundin' serious.' Beauregard sounded as his deep-brown eyes surveyed Charles' sombre expression.
'It is. Beau, the Overlanders are in the Great Forest..' The mild-blue hedgehog said and immediately a deep scowl formed on the southern mobian-rabbit swiftly moved forward and grabbed Charles by the neck of his brown jacket and slammed his back into the wooden wall of his cabin, his mild-blue back-quills bending around his body.
'What? This bettah not be some kinda wind up Hedgehog. I ain't the kinda fellah yah wanna be jerkin' around.' Beauregard Rabbot snarled in a deep threatening tone. His deep-brown eyes hardened as he pushed his face right into Charles's so the hedgehog could smell the chewing tobacco on his breath.
'I'm not joking...' Charles sounded in a strained voice as he struggled against the strong grip of the Baron. 'The army is being dispatched into the forest tonight in preparation to head them off at dawn. It's why I came back. I want to help protect Knothole..' At these words Beauregard Rabbot instantly let go of Charles and the mild-blue hedgehog straightened his overcoat.
'Ah apologise Doctah, Ah've bin kinda testy latelah Missy's kiton is due verah soon. Yah sureh the Overlandahs are comin'?' The southern rabbit drawled as he raised his brows in concern and Charles knew he was just worried for the safety of his sister-in-law and her unborn kiton.
'Positive. This comes straight from Prime Minister Stryker, it doesn't get much higher than that..' Charles said before adding with insistence. 'I'm here to help. My brother left you in charge of his Freedom Fighters, I want to join.' Beauregard Rabbot gauged the hedgehog's expression and was unreadable for a moment before a crooked smile sneaked his lips and revealed his pronounced front teeth.
'This is your home and these are your Freedom Fightah's, not mine. Ah'm jist watchin' ovah them fir now..' The southern mobian-rabbit drawled as his smile widened. 'Ah'm glad yah've come t'yah senses an' decided t'return. If what'cha sayin' is true then we'ah gonna need all the help we can git..' Beauregard Rabbot sounded before adding as he stuck out a hand towards the mild-blue hedgehog.
'Y'know on that note I may actually have a suggestion if you want to come in so we can discuss it.' Charles said as he opened his front door wide and gestured for the older mobian to go in first.
'Verah well but if them Overlandahs ah comin' like yah said then make this a quick'un. We neeta call'a meetin' an' preparh Knothole for the Armah's arrival..' Beauregard Rabbot sounded as he stepped inside the cabin and Charles followed closing the door behind them..
That same afternoon in the barracks of Green Wood military base the members of squad-unit delta were in the middle of their assault course training while the roasting late-summer sun beat down on them causing all the privates and their corporal to sweat profusely as they tried to complete the course. Sargent Mongoose, who had already crossed the finish line and doused himself with water, was now yelling at his charges in an attempt to motivate them.
'Come on ladies! Move those legs on the double! The sooner you finish the sooner you drink! Hup-to, hup-to, let's go, go, go!' Lieutenant Jules T Hedgehog was stood at the side-lines in his kaki-green coloured combat trousers, a white vest-top and well-shined black combat-boots. He was wearing his pair of mirrored aviator shades while chewing absent-mindedly on a string of long grass and holding his father's old pocket watch, making a mental note on his unit's time. In front of him the dark-yellow-furred mongoose continued to holler at the rest of the unit, his dark-brown head-fur was soaked and slicked-back from his face, his own wet combats and white vest already drying in the sweltering hot sun. Jules' mouth twisted into a slight smile at the sight of Arthur Mongoose stepping into his old role as sargent with ease. Jules knew that he could never be the lieutenant that Buchanan had been but his confidence in his abilities was slowly growing with the support from his friends and brother-in-arms. They seemed to be glad that he was their new lieutenant and that nobody new was going to come in and take over as they liked their unit just the way it was..
The new recruits in squad unit delta had been thrown straight into a rigorous training program that had been designed by Jules to try and bring them up to scratch as fast as possible in time for them to be sent out onto the frontlines of war. The three young teenagers that Jules had been issued with were a mixed bunch and he had silently vowed to watch each of them closely. Derwood Dingo had already done a year's service with the army in his homeland of Downunda and was apparently the only one of his last unit to survive his last battle in Mercia. He'd taken a hit to the head from flying debris and woken up two weeks later to find out the rest of his unit had been wiped out by a bomb-blast. Ironically, it was this whack to the head that had saved him from the same fate as it had happened shortly afterwards. If the cobalt-blue hedgehog had not also read on his file that the orange-furred mobian already had a record of being a klutz and giving away his unit's position he would have assumed that it was the blow to his brain that made him so forgetful. The dingo-mobian was friendly enough and was usually seen wearing a green bandana with his yellow fringe of head-fur flopping over it, however he was very accident prone and quite forgetful at times, even forgetting the most basic of things… This was making him a slight liability. Jules had also noticed that Derwood Dingo spent a lot of time with their troubled new recruit Sleetus Wolf.
It was an odd pairing. This was mostly because while Private Dingo was fairly open and innocent-minded Private Wolf was so closed and sullen. Sleetus Wolf was not exactly welcoming to the young dingo-mobian, in fact often he was rude and unfriendly but Derwood Dingo was either oblivious or ignored it. However Jules merely left the two of them to it wondering if perhaps Dingo had found something in him that the rest of his unit couldn't see as Sleetus often kept himself isolated. He did not seem very interested in bonding with the others at all. The remarkable thing about the grey-furred mobian-wolf was that he took his orders surprisingly well and even though he was not much for the physical exercise side of his training Jules had managed to see that he had a sharp mind and a knack for stealth, no doubt gained from his previous life of crime but it could still prove useful if honed correctly..
His final new recruit Simon Simian was a whole different story. The gorilla-mobian may be the youngest in the group and had never seen any kind of battle before but he determined to do his very best and took his training seriously. He was open to any tips that his fellow officers had for him and was especially keen on using the military gym to enhance his body-strength, favouring the weights and bench-press. He quickly bonded with Corporal Red Fox over the weapons, in particular mines and grenades, on the artillery field. He was keen to learn anything that would help him in the war with the Overlanders. His eagerness to learn and his fast improvements in strength and skill along with his friendly attitude outside of training hours got him quickly accepted into the inner-brotherhood of the Knothole Dandies and he often ate surrounded with his new brothers laughing openly with them..
Out on the taxing assault course Coffee Rabbit was next to cross the finish-line, earning himself a slap on the back from Arthur and a friendly dousing with water. This made the seventeen year old cream-coloured rabbit mobian with the blotches of light brown laugh affectionately as his soaking wet long ears shook in the late summer sun.
'Nice work Coffee, you shaved thirty seconds off your previous time..' Jules said with a smile to his communication officer as the string of grass rolled along his lips. His cobalt-blue-quilled head then swivelled back to the course as Red Fox neared the finish-line followed closely by Simon Simian and the rest.
'Come on you guys! What part of double-time don't you understand? Let's show some hustle!' Arthur roared out as his hands curled and he pumped his fists with encouragement. 'Work those legs ladies it's just the final sprint!'
'You can do it! C'mon, run boys run!' Coffee hollered out, joining in the encouragement now that he had finished as well, bouncing up and down with excitement.
Sleetus Wolf was lagging slightly behind the rest and was already sweating fiercely, panting with his tongue lolling out. He was not much of a runner and these rigorous training exercises had been incredibly hard on him. Although he was improving slowly he was still the last one to cross the finish-line on every assault course he'd run in the last three weeks. Slightly in front of the grey-furred wolf-mobian with light-blue head-fur matted to the side of his head was the orange-furred dingo-mobian with shoulder-length yellow head fur. He was clearly not running at his full speed, instead Derwood Dingo appeared to be running to keep Sleetus company during the final sprint as he believed with his simple mind that the two of them were friends. The very idea made the fifteen year old wolf-mobian want to gag. Sleetus Wolf had never had any use for friends before. As a kiton he'd always been considered that 'weird kit' and had been bullied because he didn't fit in. With his mother gone and a father too wrapped up in his political career to notice him Sleetus had fallen in with a bad gang of kits and turned to crime as it was the only thing that gained him any attention.
'Er, what do yah suppose they're yelling Sleet?' The sound of Derwood Dingo's voice caused the grey-furred wolf-mobian with the sweat-dampened mild-blue quiff of head-fur to snap around to his new supposed-friend and scowl at his stupidity.
'They're saying 'run Dingo, run'..' Sleetus uttered back in a dry tone of voice as he continued to run as his heart and chest felt tight.
'Oh. Ok mate..' The shirtless orange-furred dingo-mobian wearing khaki-green combat trousers and big black combat-boots replied brightly. 'Then I better do as Sargent Mongoose says. See yah at the finish-line, hoodoo mate.' Derwood Dingo then waved him off and suddenly began running at his full tilt towards the finish-line. He practically steam-rolled over Woody Chips who tumbled to the ground before the squirrel-mobian hauled himself up and scowling at the much-younger dingo as he charged to the finish-line, barging passed both Simon Simian and Red Fox in the process.
'Idiot..' Sleetus muttered to himself as he continued to run, still in last place with Woody Chips still a few paces in front of him…
'Juice!' The sound of Tiger's voice made the cobalt-blue hedgehog suddenly turn away from the assault course and see the white-furred tiger-mobian with silver-stripes heading towards him.
'Oh. Hey Tig, what's up? Does your squad need the assault course? We're almost done with it..' Jules Hedgehog sounded amiably with a grin that caused the string of grass in his mouth to tip upwards. His attention was soon caught by Derwood Dingo crossing the finish-line. 'That was some burst of speed at the end Dingo, perhaps next time you could just run the course and not lag behind chatting to Sleet, you're supposed to be testing yourself.' The nineteen year old hedgehog frowned behind his aviator specs and Derwood Dingo threw him a sheepish grin.
'Eh. Yeh, right. My bad sir, I forgot.' He replied and Jules was glad he was wearing aviator specs as he rolled his warm-hazel eyes unseen.
'Try to remember that next time then.' He sounded firmly as his fellow Lieutenant shook his head in disapproval as Jules turned back to his schoolyard best friend. 'Please tell me you're having more luck with your new recruits.' Jules added with a sigh to the mobian-tiger as the teenage dingo had turned away to get a drink, now getting a reprimand from Arthur Mongoose.
'I don't think any of mine are like him..' Tiger sounded with a sympathetic sigh towards his schoolyard best friend.
'You're lucky; I'm starting to see why his former unit called him 'Dingo the Dill'..' Jules narrowed his eyes with disdain at his most forgetful and clumsy solider before his attention was caught by Red Fox and Simon Simian who crossed the finish at that moment. 'Great time Red and Simian, good job private that's a great improvement, keep it up.' Red Fox grinned at his lieutenant then slapped the mobian-gorilla and Simon Simian gave his commanding officer a casual salute and a wide smile to Corporal Fox. Jules then leaned into Tiger with a sudden smirk of his own. 'He's a great kid tries his best in everything and he's been pumpin' iron in the exercise area.. His upper-body strength is amazing, he can bench-press both me and Red at the same time..' Tiger gave a low impressed whistle at this information.
'Now that I'd like to see. Anyway bud, the generals are calling us in for new orders, I think we're about to find out when we're gonna face the Overlanders next.' The minute Jules heard this he lifted his aviator specs to reveal his concerned hazel eyes.
'Oh great..' The cobalt-blue hedgehog groaned before he caught Woody Chips cross the finish-line and Derwood Dingo apologised to him immediately under the scrutiny of Sargent Arthur Mongoose. 'Well as soon as Private Wolf has crossed the finish-line I'll speed on over, ok?' The cobalt lieutenant sounded gesturing to his slowest and most troublesome officer.
'Alright, ok. See you over in the main building..' Tiger grinned before waving him off and heading back in the direction he had come from as Jules turned back to Sleetus who was still running the course. 'Pick up the pace private!' The nineteen year old hedgehog suddenly bellowed as the grey-furred fifteen year old wolf-mobian neared the finish-line, panting heavily. As if inspired by their commanding officer the others began to yell encouragement as Jules tapped his pocket-watch as his right foot drummed impatiently off the grassy ground. When Sleetus finally collapsed over the finish-line wheezing heavily and the cobalt-blue hedgehog approached with a slight tisk.
'We have gotta find a way to improve your time Sleet, you're the only one not making any improvement..' Jules' hazel eyes narrowed and he sighed heavily as he pocketed his pocket-watch before turning to his squad unit and smiled in a slightly weary fashion. 'Alright great job guys, go hit the showers I've got an emergency meeting over in the main building. Artie, you're in charge til I get back. I gotta run..' The nineteen year old hedgehog then dashed away in a blue blur towards the main building…
By mid-afternoon all the lieutenants of the Mobian Army had their orders and were preparing their troops to move out. When the time hit nineteen-hundred hours the brand-new army buses with the silent hover-engines would transport the troops into the base that had been set-up in a secret location somewhere inside the Great Forest. They would spend the night there and then wake at dawn to face the Overlanders head on when they rose at dawn. This battle would ultimately decide the fate of Mobotroplis, the royal family and all their subjects left in the city who would be forced to answer the king's summon to fight.
In the king's study at Hedgington Hall the King of Mobius was stood contemplating everything in front of his unlit fireplace while behind him his oldest friend and confidant who was sat in one of the plush red chairs behind him.
'Zee Armie are deespatching zere troops tonight..' Armand D'Coolette sounded in a soft voice to his greatest friend and fencing sparring partner. 'Zee booses weell be 'eading to zee Great Foreest and zee Armie weell be making zere camp late tonight. Are tu un peu concerned mon vieil ami?' The light-tan-furred coyote was throwing King Ogilvie an apprehensive look. The green-quilled royal hedgehog was leaning against the fireplace of his study with his white-gloved hand massaging his forehead lightly.
'Yes Armand. If the Overlanders break through our boys this time they will descend on the city and we'll be in serious trouble..' King Ogilvie lowered his hand and turned to his friend and general.
'Mon majeste, zees is tres serious, oui? Perhaps eet ees time to be getting notre princesse a 'usband. Tu 'ave been saying zat Mobius is needing a future to be building to, perhaps eet ees time to be working to zat..' The light-tanned coyote with the neat light-blonde curls of head-fur added carefully knowing how Princess Aleena's future was a sensitive subject to his old friend.
'I have been considering it, believe me. But I cannot force my daughter to choose a husband Armand. She utterly dismissed all the gentlemobians I suggested and besides you know as well as I do that she has her heart set on young Jules returning..' The green-quilled royal hedgehog gave a small sigh as his maroon eyes swivelled to the painting on the opposite wall which was of him holding his daughter when she was a tiny hedgehoglet. The artist responsible had done a wonderful job of capturing her beautiful green eyes and the shine to her golden quills, from the day of her birth she'd always been the apple of his eyes. 'I know that the odds are against him but do you honestly think that there is even a chance our stalwart youth can redeem himself in time?' His maroon eyes turned to the light-tan-furred coyote with wonder and curiosity, as if he were in doubt over his earlier judgement. Had he issued the boy an impossible task? After all, it had been almost nine months now..
For a long moment General Armand D'Coolette pondered on how best to answer the king's question. He could still see that on some level King Ogilvie was concerned for Jules Hedgehog but this in itself brought further questions. Did his king really think that young Jules was the mobian to be the future King of Mobius? And if so what manner of king would he make? Armand D'Coolette could only picture the Jules he had known while the cobalt-blue hedgehog had worked under his watch and it was very hard fo him to picture someone of such insolence and disregard as a monarch. Still, the hedgehog had proved him wrong once already. The thirty-nine year old coyote then turned to his oldest friend and smiled.
'For any ozzer mobian I would be saying non. 'Owever, Jules ees quite zee resilient un. Après tout, I am 'earing zat eet ees because ov heem zee Overlanders were dee-laid in zere premiere conquest..' Immediately the green-quilled King of Mobius' emerald brow kinked upwards at this piece of information. 'Personellement, I was the opinion of zat eet was deserving recognition but zat was d'ailleurs le point..' Armand D'Coolette rolled his deep-blue eyes in a manner that suggested he and the other generals of the Mobian Army had different opinions on this matter, he'd been outvoted on it and he was still not impressed with this.
'Armand, why have you not told me of this already?' King Ogilvie suddenly sounded in surprise.
'I was assuming zat tu was already knowing Ogilvie.. Mon apologies mon ami.' Armand D'Coolette sounded remorsefully but the king waved it off with a flick of his white-gloved hand.
'It's not your fault old friend, one of your superiors should have informed me of such a noble deed long before now..' The green-quilled hedgehog scowled in annoyance at his own statement as he felt that under the circumstances of Jules Hedgehog's transfer he should be kept up-to-date on the youth's progress. 'Perhaps a little chat with Warlord Kodos Lion and Commander Ian St John about this little lapse in judgement is in order.'
'So, tu is still thinking zat Jules could un day be becoming zee new king?' Armand kinked a neat eyebrow at his ruler and oldest friend. For a long moment King Ogilvie said nothing as he mused on this idea.
'I admit the boy would not have been my first choice either Armand but this is Aleena's decision. If she truly wishes to give her heart to young Hedgehog then we must be willing to accept that he will become a monarch whether we approve or not..' King Ogilvie replied looking almost slightly amused by the doubtful expression on the coyote's face.
'Tu are looking as eef tu are not apposing zis union. I know I am correcting, aren't I?' Armand suddenly threw his old friend a narrow-eyed look as his brows shifted knowingly, a slight smile playing his lips. King Ogilvie sighed as he suddenly moved away from the fireplace and took his plush armchair opposite the thirty-nine year old coyote. He picked up his glass of whiskey and let the alcoholic liquid roll around the circular side, watching it before his eyes switched back to Armand.
'So how is little Antoine?'
'Ah-ha, tu are trying to be altering ze subject.' The coyote-mobian chucked in amusement. ''E ees fine, heh, mon petit conquin.. But mon point ees still valid.' His deep-blue eyes flashed seriously showing that no amount of dodging would let him escape the subject. 'Tu are approving zees union, oui?'
'Your right Armand, as usual. I never was very good at hiding things from you..' King Ogilvie rolled his maroon eyes and took a sip of his whiskey as the coyote-mobian smirked widely at these words. 'And it's not just because my daughter cares deeply for him either. He is the descendant of Prince Theodore and by some miracle their family has managed to retain the original royal surname, a name that we thought long ago had been extinguished. Think what a glorious triumph it would be to mend the family line, to return the Hedgehog surname to the throne. It could recapture the hearts of my mobians and bring with it hope for the future in these uncertain times.' King Ogilvie the Third made a bold gesture to illustrate his point and Armand's smile softened at his words. The green-quilled hedgehog was a great admirer of King Thomas and the 'old magic' that had inspired the original nine tribes of Mobius to vote him their first king. He had spent most of his rule trying to emulate this former ruler to the best of his ability, always putting his citizens before himself. He felt guilty because in his quest to keep his citizens as safe from the threat of the Overlanders he had been neglecting his own daughter somewhat. King Ogilvie realised that it may have been this neglect that caused him to miss the signs that would have revealed his daughter's true relationship with Jules while the hedgehog had been under his employ.
'Een zat case we would better be 'oping zat 'Edgehog ees returning on ze time..' The tan-furred coyote replied with a solemn glint in his eyes that showed his own concerns for the uncertain future of Mobius. What world would little Antoine grow up in if they could not find a way to get rid of these Overlanders...
At the same moment in the sunroom on the ground floor the late summer was sun glaring through the glass of the huge conservatory parlour and the Princess of Mobius was sat about to share afternoon tea with Alicia Acorn. The young female chipmunk was dressed in a smart pale-blue dress suit with an orange shirt while her mother's pearls sat neatly around her neck. It was this family heirloom that fascinated little Antoine D'Coolette who was sitting in Alicia's lap while his mother Marie had taken the tea tray away from the servant girl and shooed her away. The middle-aged coyote-womobian then busied herself with pouring the younger girls their tea as Alicia bounced Antoine gently with a smile that had a hint of sadness in them.
'You and Maximillion still haven't managed to conceive yet.' The blonde-quilled princess sounded as her emerald-green eyes surveyed the mayor's wife gently seeing her emotions for what they really were. At her words Alicia's sapphire-blue eyes raised to Princess Aleena and her slim light-brown furred fingers gently prized Antoine's tiny hand off her pearls.
'No. We just don't seem to be having any luck.' The female chipmunk sighed gently as Marie took her seat at the other end of the table and took back her son, cooing to him in french as the chipmunk continued. 'But our doctor says it's a completely normal problem for cross-species couples to run into. Sometimes it can take a little while to find a compatible egg that will allow the species to splice successfully and that miscarriages and false pregnancy symptoms are just small bumps in the road.' She sighed a little before Antoine gave a happy gurgled and reached for her making the red-headed chipmunk smile at him.
'Mon cher, tu must be having ze patiente, il va se passer.' Marie D'Coolette rubbed Alicia's shoulder in a sympathetic manner with a kind smile in her sea-blue eyes.
'She's right Alicia, I'm sure it will happen soon. I doubt the Acorn-line is meant to end with you and Maximillion.' Princess Aleena smiled kindly as she stretched out her dainty hand and took hold of Alicia's gently.
'I know..' The female chipmunk said in a gentle voice as her eyes turned back to the lilac-furred hedgehog and after a moment she pulled herself together before picking up her tea and taking a sip. There was silence as the three womobians drunk their tea. Marie had set Antoine on the floor so he could play with his toys and gurgle to himself, making sounds that almost sounded french.
'Alicia I don't mean to pry but have you heard from Jules since he went into the Mobian Army?' Princess Aleena asked carefully and immediately Alicia blinked and turned her eyes away from Antoine, looking curiously to the blonde-quilled royal hedgehog before a quirk of confusion furrowed on her neat eyebrows.
'Not directly no but I know he's ok. Why?' The light-brown chipmunk with copper-red ringlets replied as her look twisted in concern at her royal friend.
'He is?' Princess Aleena immediately sounded momentarily relieved before then answering Alicia. 'It was just because I wrote him a letter almost a month ago and he never replied to it. I've been wondering why, that's all..' The lilac-furred princess then took a sip of her own tea and Alicia smiled warmly at this point.
'I know Jules cares about you. He's probably just trying to shield you from the things he's seen out on the field..' The red-headed chipmunk said gently and she smiled sympathetically.
'Thank you Alicia. I was beginning to think that it was maybe because on some level he thought he was never going to see me again and he was trying not to give me false hope.' The blonde-quilled princess sighed and Alicia bit her lip trying not to show that she too had considered that a possibility. She quickly smiled widely at the Princess of Mobius and took her hand gently.
'I'm sure everything will be fine. Jules is a tough guy, he can take care of himself and I'm sure he will find a way back to you soon Aleena.'
'L'absence rend le coeur plus affectueux..' Marie uttered gently with a smile that brightened her light-tanned face. She then sighed at the two young girls in front of her. 'So young..' She added with a knowing smile before her attention suddenly turned to her infant son who was trying to scamper off on all fours. 'Oh. Non, non Antoine, rester sur place..'
The lilac-furred hedgehog and the red-headed chipmunk then exchanged a glance which broke into a smile as Marie then scooped up her son once more.
'I hope so..' Princess Aleena then sighed gently, taking another sip of her tea and gazing forlornly into the warm-brown liquid with sad emerald-green eyes. 'Sometimes I wonder if he's forgotten all about me..'
…Later that evening somewhere in the Great Forest…
Arthur Mongoose stirred as the sound of shuffling woke him from his slumber. As he turned his bleary eyes caught the movement of a shadow moving about the tent he shared with his lieutenant. The golden-furred mongoose then sat up instantly just as Jules Hedgehog was softly unzipping the door to their tent.
'Where are you sneaking off to?' His dark-eyes narrowed and immediately the darkened hedgehog gave a slight intake of surprise at being caught before his head turned so he was now facing his lower-ranking officer.
'I have to go to Knothole and speak to the Baron. I won't get a chance to in the morning so I have to do it now.' The cobalt-blue hedgehog then pushed the flap of the now unzipped tent and slipped out into the darkened night.
'What? Knothole? Hold on a second..' Arthur sounded confused and quickly wriggled out of his sleeping bag and laced up his boots, following his lieutenant out into the night. 'Are you crazy, if the colonel finds us out of bed after lights out we could be in serious trouble.' He snagged Jules by the upper-arm and the cobalt-blue hedgehog instantly turned back scowling.
'Then go back to sleep Sargent. If I don't go then the Freedom Fighters won't be able to protect the hamlet and we won't have any back-up if or when we need it. Beauregard is holding a meeting tonight at my cabin to discuss their tactics and I have to be there. Knothole isn't far from here-' Jules uttered, keeping his voice low but was cut off.
'Wait, they're planning to fight the Overlanders too?' The dark-golden-furred mongoose sounded in disbelief. 'They can't do that, its suicide! Not to mention Colonel Somersby won't allow it! Can't you talk to their Community Leader and convince that mobian to change their minds.' He added desperately as his dark-brown eyes flicked between Jules' hazel ones.
'Knothole won't change its mind; trust me I am their Community Leader.' Jules said and pulled his arm out of Arthur's grip while the mongoose was momentarily stunned by his confession.
'You? You're their Community Leader?' The sargent ran his dark-golden-furred fingers through his untidy tuft of dark-brown head-fur before following Jules once more as the hedgehog slipped out of camp.
'Yeh, that's me. I just haven't got around to making the announcement to the Mobian Council. Sue me I've been busy.' Jules replied tersely as a slight scowl twisted across his brow in slight annoyance as he stalked through the forest, leaving the sea of tents behind as the terrain angled upwards. 'Look. I'm going to Knothole Sargent, there's nothing you can say or do to stop me so you may as well turn back now!' The almost twenty year old cobalt-blue hedgehog
'Fine I won't argue but I am coming with you, you're not going alone if there's Oliver here..' Arthur sounded in a stern hiss, folding his arms stubbornly showing he wouldn't be swayed.
'Artie..' Jules began irritated but the dark-golden-furred mongoose remained resolute.
'I mean it. As your sargent I think I deserve to know what you've got planned..' The cobalt-blue hedgehog groaned inwardly before relenting and grabbing his sargent's arm, not having the time to argue.
'Alright, alright.. but we better go before someone sees us.' Jules hissed and immediately the two high-speeded mobians took off into the forest..
…Within mere minutes the pair had arrived in Knothole which was blanketed in darkness except for a few fireflies that danced around the trees and bushes. They slipped through the sleeping hamlet towards the Hedgehog-cabin where the living-room light was on and the sound of talking could be heard from inside.
'I don't understand something sir, why are they meeting in your home?' Arthur asked curiously as the two mobians approached Jules' cabin and at his question the almost twenty year old cobalt-blue hedgehog blinked.
'Y'know, I'm not sure.' Jules' brow furrowed for a moment as he realised he'd never actually questioned Beauregard on this decision before but he knew that the he'd obtained the spare key from Missy and that's how everyone had gotten inside. 'But it's not important. Planning tomorrow's move is..' He then stretched out and pushed open the front door and the two entered and turned left into the living room and stopped dead in his tracks in surprise. The living room was filled with mobians and not just those who lived in Knothole but friends who also stayed in the city of Mobotroplis and a couple of older mobians who had known their father.
'Charlie!' Jules immediately sounded in shock as his older brother stepped forward and embraced him warmly. 'What are you doing here bro? I thought you would be in the city..'
'While Knothole needs me here. What are you, kidding me?' The mild-blue hedgehog replied brightly, kinking his bushy brow in a manner that was usually seen on his little brother. Jules smirked momentarily back before the front door to his cabin opened and both Hedgehog-brothers turned to see Lieutenant Tiger Stripes come through the door along with field engineer Captain Sherman Walrus who had driven both their units into the Great Forest earlier.
'Uh-oh, not here to drag me and my sargent back to the barracks kicking and screaming?' Jules said as his eyes narrowed and his brows lifted with jest. Tiger immediately rolled his own silver eyes at this as a crooked smile twisted his white bristly muzzle.
'Oh yeh right. It couldn't possibly be because I want to help keep Knothole safe.' He wandered up to Jules and slapped him hard on the shoulder. 'After all, I grew up here too.' He winked and slumped onto one of the empty seats.
'But how did you guys know to come?' Jules blinked confused turning to Sherman and the navy-skinned walrus grinned widely.
'Chuck told us.' He replied brightly as his long grey-clawed thumb gestured to Jules' older brother. When the nearly twenty year old hedgehog blinked in amazement at his older mild-blue-quilled brother Charles merely shrugged casually with a smile.
'Knothole is in trouble and I knew they'd want to help.' He spoke as if this was no big deal before his white-gloved hand gestured to the others in the room. 'As do the rest of them here..' He drew Jules' attention back to the rest. Isabelle Mungisi and Vanilla Cottontail were sat together near Jasper Jacks who was showing them kiton pictures of his new daughter Hershey, who was back in the city with her mother Cocoa. Next to him was the Old Mobian Gallagher the former owner of Macey's who had been a good friend to their father Maurice. He was greeting Sherman and Tiger whose parents he also knew quite well. He saw a few other familiar faces before his attention was caught by Baron Beauregard Rabbot as the tall light-brown-furred rabbit-mobian strutted into the living room with a confident air.
'Alrigh', settle down ya varmints..' He then pulled up a chair that had been dragged in from the dining room across the hall and sat down. '-we git plannin' t'do an' ain't a whole heapa time t'be doin' it..' His deep-brown eyes scanned around the room to the all the mobians around him before he bent down and pulled out a map of the Great Forest and unfurled it across the coffee table and weighing the corners down. His eyes then turned upwards to Jules Hedgehog Knothole's Community Leader. 'Now the good doctah, here-'His light-brown-furred hand casually gestured to Charles who was stood next to his brother with his arms folded. '-has figahed out that the Overlandahs must be somewhere in this hereh neck o' ourh woods..'
'I hacked into the Mobian Army files and accessed the holovideo link to the probes.' Charles whispered in his taller brother's cobalt pointed-ear. 'Heh, wasn't that hard since I invented the things..' He smirked lightly and this brought a slight twitch of a smile to Jules' lightly tan-skinned muzzle as his hazel eyes remained fixed on the map that Beauregard was using to indicate where the Overlanders were most likely right now.
'That's the same conclusion the generals came to as well..' Tiger was saying as he moved forwards so he was closer to the map, now sitting opposite the Baron. 'In fact the army will be moving out at oh six-hundred hours and heading them off here.' He gestured to another location on the map which was just on the other side of Knothole's lake and Beauregard frowned at it.
'That ain't too far from us now.' The light-brown-furred rabbit-mobian sounded with displeasure at this fact.
'Hence why I asked you to call this meeting tonight..' Jules chipped in as he shifted his weight onto one hip looking seriously at the older rabbit-mobian. 'We're gonna need you guys on standby when we go into battle. I do not want the Overlanders to discover Knothole even exists at any cost.'
'Ah agree..' Buchanan replied in a matching tone of sincerity, his deep-brown eyes flashing dangerously. 'Especially since ma Lulu says Missy is due t'be birthin' her young'un very soon.'
'Well you're in luck cause the Knothole Dandies are the closest unit to Knothole so I was thinking we could rendezvous and work together on this one.' Jules said as he paced forwards then back to his starting point.
'Shouldn't be too hard to convince the rest of the unit considering who Buck was to them..' Arthur Mongoose sounded and nodding in agreement as his lieutenants words.
'But how are we going to get supplies here into Knothole before dawn? We can't let the army find out as they would stop us..' Jules added instantly and at this point 'Old Man' Gallagher and Beauregard exchanged a knowing grin.
'We alreadah git that covahed Hedgehog, Sheldon Turtle and Gallagher hereh have a connecting passageway between they'ah homes which we've been usin' to git supplies in preparation fir ourh fightahs.' The Baron grinned in reply his deep-brown eyes twinkling.
'It was created back in the day of your great-grandfather Charleston was around, during the time of the census riot to help sneak the Knotholers in and out of the city. And I bought the place originally on the advice of your father who wanted me to protect it in case we ever needed it again.' The slightly portly white-furred cat-mobian sounded brightly. 'Old Commander Stripes has been helping me get supplies for the hamlet.' At these words Tiger rolled his eyes, unsurprised that his own father would be quick to help his 'buddies' out and he certainly had the contacts that could get him what he wanted no questions asked.
'It's the same tunnel that we used to get everyone up here from the city who wanted to help without the army getting wind of what we were up to.' Charles added as he clapped his little brother on the shoulder lightly and kept his arm with a solemn look in his pale-blue eyes. For a long moment Jules gazed at the group of mobians who were in the room, each one willing to do their part to protect Knothole from the Overlanders. He then grinned widely and moved closer to the map and sat opposite Beauregard Rabbot and Tiger Stripes. The three of them formed a triangle while Charles stood behind his younger brother and the rest crowded around to listen.
'Alright, I have an idea on how we can keep Knothole hidden from the Overlanders. Gather round guys, here's what I want you to do..' Jules' hazel eyes narrowed slyly and he turned his attention to the map and began to outline his strategy…
The siege of the Great Forest had now been raging for well over three weeks and the usually quiet and tranquil woodlands were alive with the sounds of bomb-blast and divots of terra and branches rained down as battle continued. Though the mobians had been better prepared for the attack with better technology and a greater knowledge of their enemy the Overlanders had decided to turn nasty in this face-off. They were undoubtable incensed at having their path blocked the last time they had tangled with these mobians and were more determined than ever to force them back to their city. They didn't care about destroying the forest they only wanted to get to Mobotroplis and take out all the mobians that dared to get in their way. This time they had switched their arsenal to grenades and landmines so that they could destroy more of the wretched animals that were stopping them from claiming this land and proving that they were the mightier species.. Despite these new drawbacks and the heavy casualties the Mobian Army was still managing to hold firm against the Overlanders and barely keep them steered away from the hidden hamlet of Knothole..
Holding their position in a nearby ridge Lieutenant Jules T. Hedgehog and his unit were taking cover from the Overlander's latest bombardment. They retreating further down the ridge as the bomb-blasts were incredibly close now, so close that the noise was deafening and the soil above their heads was ripped upwards as the ground shook dangerously as the terra rained back down along with singed moss. This last blast caused Private Derwood Dingo and Private Sleetus Wolf to cry out in shock while Private Simon Simian looked nervously to his commanding officers.
'Quit whimpering cry-babies, mama isn't here to hold your hand now...' Corporal Redford Fox sounded in a droll tone. The grey-furred wolf-mobian with the light-blue quiff of head-fur and the orange-furred dingo-mobian with the mop of yellow head-fur were now making fearful whimpering noises and shaking in fear.
'Would you hold my hand?' The fifteen year old Downunda dingo-mobian asked in an anxious voice and this caused Red Fox to snort with disgust and turn away. Many of the other privates started snickering in amusement at these words and Sleetus Wolf suddenly scowled with slight embarrassment at his fellow officer who believed he was his friend.
'Aw, shut up Dingo.' The grey-furred mobian-wolf nudged him sharply in the chest to emphasis his displeasure causing the dingo to wince uncomfortably.
The ruby-furred fox-mobian with the lick of burgundy head-fur only rolled his stone-grey eyes in disbelief at the two most timid members of the Knothole Dandies, even Private Simian who was a year younger than them and had never seen a battle in his life was bearing up better than these two turkeys.
'Alright, give it a rest guys. We're at war, remember?' Arthur Mongoose suddenly sounded in a reprimanding tone and the laughter instantly stopped. Jules meanwhile was still peering through the roots of an uplifted tree, keeping an unseen watch on the Overlanders. His hazel eyes widened as a grenade headed straight for their location and the cobalt-blue hedgehog immediately turned to his unit.
'Everybody run and take cover!' The lieutenant suddenly bellowed out and immediately the unit scattered as the small silver grenade dropped then detonated with a blinding flash of white…
…Everything seemed distorted as his vision came slowly back and a hum of ringing was the only sound that could be heard. Sleetus' yellow eyes blinked slowly as the faces of his lieutenant Jules Hedgehog and his sargent Arthur Mongoose appeared through the blur, moving slower than normal. The cobalt-blue hedgehog suddenly seized him by the collar of his kaki-green shirt and even though his grip was strong and firm his movements seemed oddly slow as the ringing continued to hum insistently. Jules' then spoke, his voice sounding oddly far away as Sleetus blinked.
'Sleet… Sleet, you ok?' Jules' hazel eyes blinked before turning to Arthur as the mongoose spoke.
'Jules, we gotta move. They're coming!' There was slight panic in the sargent's dark-brown eyes. Lieutenant Hedgehog's attention was back onto Sleetus and suddenly the ringing was gone and the wolf-mobian was instantly aware of the sounds of battle around them…
'C'mon, on your feet private!' Jules' voice said immediately and Sleetus found himself hauled upright by both the hedgehog and the mongoose and dragged swiftly through the thick forest to another uprooted tree some distance away. There was no sign of the rest of their unit and immediately Sargent Mongoose looked concerned.
'Do you think the rest of our boys are ok?' He asked Jules as the cobalt hedgehog peered through the uprooted roots.
'They've got Corporal Fox. Red can take care of them..' The almost twenty year old hedgehog replied. 'Right now I'm more concerned about us..' He added as his eyes were suddenly drawn to movement in the forest which he quickly realised was foot-soldiers that were heading in their direction. Obviously the Overlanders were looking for traces of where they had gone. Jules immediately ducked down and motioned Sleetus and Arthur deeper underneath the half uprooted oak tree they'd been hiding behind. The sound of Overlander foot-falls could now be heard on the ground above them and Sleetus let out a small gasp. His mouth was instantly covered by Jules who raised a finger on his other hand to his lips with a slow shushing exhale. His hazel eyes rolled back to the dirt and root-covered ceiling above them as voices could be heard.
'Any of those mutants there?' A gruff voice sounded without any hint of care for the mobians he was insulting with his words.
'No, nothing. They couldn't have come this far Commander Robotnik..' Another voice replied and the first immediately cursed harshly.
'Alright. Fine. We'll bring in the big guns and blast the last of those miserable rodents out of this god forsaken forest.' A small trickle of dirt landed on Jules' cobalt-furred head and his pointed-ears twitched a little as he brushed the dirt away with his one free hand while the other remained fixed on Sleet's muzzle. The footsteps then turned and the Overlanders began moving away from the area and the three mobians hidden under the half-uprooted tree sighed with faint relief and the cobalt-quilled lieutenant immediately released Sleet from his grip.
'What did they mean by 'big guns'?' The wolf-mobian asked his commanding officers curiously as they crawled their way out from underneath the tree.
'I dunno..' Jules uttered in response. 'But I don't like the sound of it..' The cobalt-blue hedgehog scowled darkly to himself before the sound of female screaming could be heard coming from somewhere further down the forest.
'Mongoose go and check that out. Wolf you stay with me, we need to go find out what the Overlanders meant by 'big guns'..' At his lieutenant's words Arthur Mongoose saluted and vanished off in a dark-gold blur in the direction of the womobian's screaming.
'Do we really have to go?' Sleetus asked and this question earned him a scowl from the cobalt-blue hedgehog.
'Do you want your father to think you're a screw-up all your life?' The cobalt-blue hedgehog suddenly fired these words like bullets at the teenage wolf-mobian and immediately Sleetus' muzzle twisted as his yellow eyes blazed with annoyance.
'I don't care what he thinks! He probably wouldn't notice anyway, he's always so wrapped up in himself..' Immediately Jules sighed and refrained from rolling his hazel eyes at the adolescent hurt in Sleetus' words as the resentment that was clear in his voice. It was clear that he had father issues that were not going to be resolved any time soon and although Jules could relate he knew this was not the time or place to get into it.
'Ok, then don't do it for him or any the others here. Just do it for you, Sleet. We have to find out what the 'big guns' and try to figure out a way to stop it..' The cobalt-blue hedgehog said seriously.
'Why bother..' The wolf-mobian groaned inwardly. 'Nobody would believe that I had anything to do with it.' Sleetus threw his lieutenant a scowl and immediately a rush of pity swooped over Jules. His own cobalt brow softened as he gazed back at his most troubled private. The cobalt-blue hedgehog knew how it felt to feel second-rate in his father's eyes.
'I would know what you had done and so would you. Now c'mon private, let's go do our duty to our country..' Lieutenant Hedgehog stepped up to his private and before the wolf-mobian could protest further Jules gripped him by the upper-arm and the two sped off up the sloping forest…
…At the exact same moment back in Knothole Missy Rabbot let out a squeal of pain and immediately her sister-in-law and mid-wife Tallulah-May hurried to the bedroom door and opened it wide, holding onto it as she stuck her light-yellow-furred head out.
'Vanilla child, Ah'ma need some warm watah anna flannel in hereh. An' did Izzah return with that blue lavender yit?' The usually docile female rabbit hollered out the room before her soft-blue eyes turned at the sound of her sister-in-law's voice..
'Lu-Lu…' Missy panted breathlessly, shifting slightly as she was growing uncomfortable. '-it's hurtin' again… ohh…' She gasped out as the contraction stabbed her sides and she felt the kiton inside her shift restlessly. Tallulah-May rushed back over to her sister-in-law and shushed her gently as she rubbed her shoulder. Gently she turned Missy to the side slightly before pressing her fingers firmly into her side at a well-chosen spot and instantly Missy gave a slight gasp and her breathing slowed as the pregnant rabbit calmed down, her soft-brown eyes closed as a smile tweaked her face. The next moment Vanilla Cottontail scurried into the room with a bowl filled with steaming water and a flannel.
'Here's your water Mrs Rabbot but I'm afraid Miss Isabelle hasn't returned with your blue lavender yet. I'm sorry.' The fifteen year old rabbit-mobian said apologetically and immediately Tallulah-May blinked at her slightly confused as she allowed Missy to roll back on her back.
'What for child? It's not your fault..' The light-yellow-furred rabbit replied before turning back to her sister-in-law. 'Well Missy-hon I think we'ah jist gonna have t'do this without it..' The honey-furred rabbit lying in bed groaned slightly in response.
'I know some grows round the back of the Hedgehog-cabin. I can go and get some for you now..' Vanilla added helpfully with a smile and Tallulah-May smiled back and nodded.
'That be mighty good of yah hon but be careful alrigh'..' The light-yellow-furred rabbit added in concern.
'I will, I promise..' Vanilla replied and dashed out of the room. Tallulah-May turned back to her panting sister-in-law and steeped the flannel in hot water, twisting the excess water out and dabbing her forehead.
'Alrigh' Missy-hon, jist relax and take shallow breaths..'
…Sargent Arthur Mongoose followed the sounds of screaming as his black-booted feet drummed the mossy ground as he hurried to the source, trees blurring passed him as he sped on his way..
'Help! Help me… Please… Anybody!' The female voice screeched out in panic as the sound of malicious laughter followed.
'There's nowhere for you to hide rodent!' The harsh voice sounded and as the dark-yellow-furred mongoose soon caught sight of what was going on. Through the trees a young womobian with a willowy figure, soft-yellow fur and long, sweeping purple head-fur was running away from a huge, burly Overlander bearing a vicious looking sword. Arthur growled as he watched just long enough to see the Overlander corner the young womobian against a tree. She was now cowering in terror and shaking uncontrollably, pressed as far into the bark as she could get.
Without even considering his odds in combat Arthur Mongoose's feet began blurring and he charged at the Overlander, flying out of the trees with a cry of anger. The sound of his fury caused the Overlander in question to suddenly jerk around in surprise as the female mobian too turned her eyes to her swift-footed saviour. Before the human could really absorb what was happening Arthur pulled out a bayonet and knocked him off his feet, landing in front of the female mobian and blocking her as the Overlander got to his feet.
'You'll pay for that rat!' He snarled angrily as his pale-skinned face turned an angry shade of red.
'Bring it on ugly..' Arthur hissed as his dark-brown eyes narrowed dangerously. 'And for the record. I'm a MONGOOSE!' The dark-yellow-furred sargent then lunged as the Overlander did, swinging his bayonet to meet the human's sword with a clang. The two began to duel fiercely with Arthur managing to dodge his blows and silently thanking his lieutenant for the swords-play lessons. The two duelled for what seemed like ages, their weapons clashing furiously as the two of them fought for their lives. The young female mobian watched terrified, she was so transfixed that she didn't even notice the sound of footfalls or the fact that another mobian was approaching the scene from behind her.
At this point the bayonet in Arthur's hand flew out behind him with a well-placed swipe from the Overlander's blade and the dark-yellow mongoose with the curl of dark-brown head-fur gulped nervously as the human cackled. The tip of the sword was now pointed at his neck as the human grinned horribly.
'I'm gonna enjoy this..' He uttered in a vile tone as his black eyes narrowed.
'Not as much as Ah am yah filthy animal..' The sound of a dangerous southern drawl sounded from behind them and at this point Arthur Mongoose, the yellow-furred female mobian and the Overlander turned in surprise to see a tall mobian-rabbit dressed in a reddish-brown suit with matching cowboy hat stood there. He was holding a shotgun which was pointed directly at the Overlander and the moment the human looked into his deep-brown eyes the rabbit pulled the trigger. The sound of the gunshot seemed to echo and the Overlander slumped forwards on his knees before collapsing dead, bleeding onto the mossy forest floor. The light-brown-furred rabbit only narrowed his deep-brown eyes as his mouth twisted in disgust across his bristly white muzzle. 'That's foh mah brothah..' Beauregard Rabbot said with a sense of finality in his tone before his eyes swivelled from the scared-looking female mobian to the Sargent of the Knothole Dandies. 'You folks alrigh'..' His voice immediately became a touch more friendlily and Arthur Mongoose relaxed considerably, stepping over the body of the dead Overlander and headed for the womobian he'd been trying to save.
'I'm fine Baron..' Arthur said with a slight smile to Beauregard before his eyes turned to the girl in front of him. 'Are you ok?' He asked her gently, in this moment he finally noticed that the girl he's been trying to rescue was a pretty female mongoose. At his words her eyes, which had been fixed on the dead human in front of her, snapped onto his and as Arthur looked into her sea-green eyes he felt his heart skip a beat and his stomach swooped.
'I… I-I'm alright, I guess..' Her gentle voice spoke as she swept her free-flowing purple head-fur out of her face.
'He didn't hurt you did he?' Arthur immediately followed his first question with another, his dark-brown eyes flashing with concern as one hand touched her shoulder gently. Immediately the young mongoose shook her head roughly and an instant sweep of relief went through Arthur.
'N-no.. He just appeared from nowhere..' The girl replied timidly, still shaken up after everything that had happened.
'Miss Isabelle I gotta know, what wereh yah doin' out hereh inna fi'st place..' Baron Beauregard sounded sternly at this point scowling at the mongoose girl now, his shotgun still in his hands but pointing to the ground. The sound of more footfalls could be heard and a few more mobians appeared out of the clearing lead by Doctor Charles Hedgehog.
'I-I was just looking for some blue lavender for Lulu when that Overlander surprised me and chased me here..' The girl replied to the Baron and immediately the light-brown-furred rabbit kinked a brow.
'Why were you this far out of Knothole? Some of that grows out the back of mine and Jules' family home.' Charles turned to the young mongoose and she blinked at him before groaning at her own stupidity.
'Oh my gosh, really? Urh… so I came out here for no reason.' Isabelle slapped her yellow-furred forehead in disbelief.
'Well, that's a grim assessment..' Arthur Mongoose replied in a soft voice causing Isabelle to turn to him and smile slightly at his words.
'Sorry. Nothing personal..' She added coyly as a slight flush appeared on her face as she found herself gazing into his dark-brown eyes again.
'Why would mah wife send ya out fir blue lavender?' The Baron suddenly asked with a curious scowl twisting his furry face, interrupting the love-struck couple's gaze and forcing the female mongoose to turn back. Isabelle immediately blanched slightly knowing that she wasn't supposed to say because Tallulah-May did not want him distracted from his job protecting Knothole and the battle at hand but the stern older rabbit-mobian scared her slightly.
'S-she told me it was a relaxant and that it.. it would help Missy keep calm now that she's gone into labour.' The female mongoose replied before looking panicked. 'Oh. I should really get back..'
'No.' Beauregard immediately said pulling himself out of the stupor that the imminent arrival of his new nephew or niece had put him under. 'It's too dangerous, Ah want'cha t'stick with me now..' Charles meanwhile was looking concerned at Arthur Mongoose, hardly missing the fact that the dark-yellow-furred mongoose was alone.
'What happened to Jules and the rest of your unit?' The mild-blue hedgehog then asked and his question caught the attention of Baron Beauregard Rabbot whose eyes turned to the sargent too.
'We got separated from the rest of our unit by a bomb-blast while we were hiding we heard Overlanders talking about releasing something they called 'the big guns'. So of course when we heard her cry for help-'Arthur gestured to Isabelle and carried on. '-Jules sent me down to check it out while he and Sleet went to find out what 'the big guns' is-'
'And see if he could find a way to stop it, no doubt.' Charles Hedgehog sighed heavily with a frown twisting across his bushy pale-blue eyebrows and he momentarily shut his eyes. It was just like his little brother to run off without thinking things through properly.
'Then we have to get up there and help him..' Arthur sounded immediately hardening. 'I'll run ahead and-'
'No. Even with your speed I doubt we would get up there in time to help..' Charles sounded immediately before the mongoose could take off.
'So what do we do?' Arthur asked unsurely looking from Charles to Beauregard.
'We help those down here fight off them Overlandahs an' pray t'Sauna that them boys find a way t'take down these 'big guns'..' The southern rabbit-mobian sounded in a low serious voice as his deep-brow eyes narrowed. 'Or protectin' Knothole won't be worth a darn..'
'What in Chaos is that thing?!' Sleetus' voice yelped out in shock as he took in the weapon that the Overlanders had been calling 'the big guns'. I was huge, metallic, shiny and aptly called: The Big Guns. This robotic beast had what could only be described as two massive laser canons for arms and stood on a broad silver body with thick square legs. It was at least ten feet tall and was trampling through the forest without even registering anything around it. It merely pushed the massive oaks and redwoods out of the way as if they weighed nothing at all.
'It's a robot..' Jules sounded immediately, recognising one instantly as his own brother had not only studied them but tried to build a few in his time. This one however seemed much, much more advanced than anything that Charles had created and his brother would never create one as a weapon. '-but I don't understand how the Overlanders managed to get that thing up Dead Mobian's Ridge. It must weigh several tons at least..' He couldn't imagine that kind of machinery could be light-weight.
'Who cares how much it weighs..' Sleetus retorted immediately as he kept his wide yellow eyes on the machinery, trembling slightly in fear. '-it's huge. There is no way we can take that thing down; we're going to need back-up. Lots and lots of back-up..' He then began to move away from the bush that the two of them had been hiding in to observe the huge robot.
'No. We can't.. Who knows what kind of sensory surveillance that thing is packing, if we move it could blow our cover.' Jules murmured harshly with a tight grip on his cowardly private.
'Great. So you dragged us here so we could be sitting ducks?!' Sleetus snarled angrily and at this moment the huge silver robot suddenly turned its massive gun-canons in their direction as if instinctively discovering they were there.
'Uh-oh… I think it just spotted us.' Jules intoned as it raised its canon guns into position, getting ready to fire.
'What?!' Sleetus cried out in shock. 'How?'
'I dunno… It either has something like holored-vision, a heat-sensory unit or voice-detecting technology of some kind. I-it may even have all three…The point is we gotta juice.' At that moment the robot shot a round of laser canon fire out of its two huge arms and Jules immediately seized Sleetus and sped off through the trees away from the huge robotic droid as it rotated easily on its suspension-ball joint. The Big Guns robot then gave chase but fortunately for Jules he was too fast for the robot to keep up with and the hedgehog quickly lost it. The gun-fire of the robot continued as Jules zig-zagged through the trees avoiding the massive laser-blasts before they faded away, most likely because the robot lost sight of its target. It was in this moment that the almost twenty year old hedgehog dragged his private into a nearby ditch.
'We should be safe in here for now..' Jules muttered to Sleetus.
'For how long?' The fifteen year old wolf-mobian replied harshly. 'That thing is gonna hunt us down and kill us.'
'And everyone else in Mobius if we don't do something to stop it Sleet!' The cobalt-blue hedgehog narrowed his hazel-brown eyes. The grey-furred wolf-mobian let out a groan of annoyance at his lieutenant's valiant nature. It was admirable that he was prepared to die for the entire of Mobius but that didn't mean that Sleetus wanted to as well.
'You're asking me to die for Mobius?' He hissed back in a defiant tone, this was not something he'd signed up for when he was agreeing to avoid jail.
'Well, hopefully not Sleet..' Jules replied as he frowned at the wolf-mobian. 'I have an idea but I will need you to act as a decoy to distract this metallic beast while I see if I can figure out if it has any weaknesses.'
'Oh great, so now I'm chopped liver..' Sleetus sighed heavily before adding under his breath. 'Where's Dingo when you need him?'
'Actually, if anyone is going to be chopped liver it's gonna be me.' The cobalt-blue hedgehog sounded seriously. 'To find out what makes this thing tick, so to speak, I'm gonna have to get close enough to study it's mechanics..' He then edged up the embankment of the ditch and peered over the grassy edge, scouting for the massive metal battledriod knowing that it was closing in on them.
'Study it? How would you know what to look for?' Sleetus Wolf asked in disbelief at his commanding officer's words.
'I have a high school diploma in Mechanical Engineering and with my fast-feet I'm the best choice to be able to get close enough to figure out how this thing is built.' Jules replied and suddenly his hazel eyes spotted the reflective glint of sun as the shiny metal droid came into view through the trees, flattening them out of its path as it moved onwards.
'Well here it comes, you ready?' Jules uttered gently turning his eyes back to Sleetus.
'What.. N-no, no, no..' The wolf-mobian looked panicked before Jules grinned slightly in amusement.
'Yeh, you are..' The cobalt-blue hedgehog sounded and grabbed the fifteen year old private up and tossed him roughly outside the ditch. Sleetus Wolf landed on his chest, his mild-blue quiff fell into his yellow eyes.
'Urh, one day it will be me making the orders instead of taking them..' He grumbled pushing his quiff out his face before crying out in shock as the silver metal robot moved its huge mechanical arms, locking onto his position.
'Yi-YyaaaaaaaaaahH..!' He immediately took off down the mossy ground faster than Jules Hedgehog had ever seen him move as the Big Guns robot let out a round of laser-blasts and moved after him.
'Damn..' The cobalt-blue lieutenant narrowed his eyes at the swiftly moving wolf. 'Now why couldn't you run like that in training..' He sighed heavily before shrugging to himself then looking upwards as the Big Guns robot passed overhead, completely ignoring him as it was locked onto Sleetus Wolf. 'That's my cue..' Jules uttered and zipped out the side of the ditch. Privately hoping that this metallic beast could only focus on one target at a time. He sped in a large circle and shot back towards the huge metal robot as Sleetus kept running down the natural slope of the forest. Jules then curled up into a spin dash and shot through the trees, hurtling towards the robot at his top speed…
…Suddenly the huge Big Guns robot stopped giving chase to Sleetus and turned a cannoned-arm in the direction of the speedy blue ball of quills. It carefully altered the trajectory of its gun as if calculating the angle and speed of the movement before blasting a laser shot at the blue object that it must have computed was a missile of sorts.
Had he not been in the middle of a high-speed spin the single laser fire could easily had killed Jules but as luck would have it his swiftness was his one saving grace. The laser collided with his whole body winding the blue hedgehog and causing him to fly backwards, smashing him through a nearby tree and into the forest undergrowth. For a long moment Jules lay panting for breath, just grateful to be alive before he suddenly ached all over. Groaning with the agony of his fall Jules struggled to his feet, determined not to let this robot get the better of him. He began to jog at a slower speed towards the robot once more to allow himself to work off the pains in his body before he pushed himself to go faster. It did not take the hedgehog long to catch up with the metal robot..
This time he kept his distance, following it from behind and looking over the sleek engineering craftsmanship that had gone into creating this war machine. Every so often the robot's arms would do a pendulum-swing so they were now behind it but Jules' quick reflexes were able to dodge the huge canon-barrels. This confused the Big Guns robot as it was clearly sensing movement but was not fast enough to scan the area and find the movement. As it stood still Jules stood directly underneath it as this seemed to be a blind-spot. Then once it was satisfied there was nothing the huge metal robot moved onwards, still chasing Sleetus Wolf who was quite far in front thanks to these distractions..
Jules came to the conclusion that this huge piece of machinery sensed sound and movement as it appeared to have nothing to indicate any kind of camera for holored vision to be possible, plus it fail to notice him when he was stood perfectly still. Jules' hazel eyes caught sight of Sleetus in the distance running towards a group of mobians and his heart leapt as he realised that some of them were a few of the missing members of his unit… They were alive…
…Corporal Red Fox had been watching over his unit in the absence of both his lieutenant and his sargent. Their morale had been low as they prayed that their missing members weren't dead. After the bomb-blast the Knothole Dandies had run into an Overlander unit but luckily for them they soon had back-up from Lieutenant Tiger Stripes and his unit. It was this struggle that Sleetus Wolf had headed for and at the sight of the Big Guns robot the Overlanders immediately fled while the mobians all gawped in shock..
'What in the name of Terra is that?' Simon Simian asked as his baby-blue eyes widened in shock and horror.
'It's one Chaos of a war machine, that's what it is..' Tiger Stripes sounded and immediately reloaded his laser-rifle.
'Is that Private Wolf running from it?' Red Fox sounded as he squinted his stone-grey eyes.
'Sleet?' Derwood Dingo sounded with a look of amazement and joy as he had missed his moody friend.
'Alright boys. Lock and load, looks like we got an over-sized tin-can to take down..' Tiger Stripes sounded and the remaining Knothole Dandies and what was left of his unit banded together and reloaded their guns, ready to take on this threat as soon as Sleetus Wolf reached them.
'Hey, what's that blue blur?' Sargent Bones sounded gruffly and pointed a grey finger to a flash of blue that swooped passed the robot making it stop and scan for the source of the movement.
'It's out lieutenant!' Coffee Rabbit cried out with a smile. 'He's alive!'
'You had doubts Fee?' Red Fox kinked a ruby-furred brow with a smirk playing about his soft-yellow muzzle.
'No. Of course not corporal, it's just good to see him again..' The soft-beige rabbit with the brown smudges on the tips of his ears grinned brightly. At this moment Sleetus Wolf finally ran behind the line of mobian soldiers. Immediately the orange-furred dingo ran up to the grey-furred wolf and seized him in a crushing hug which made Sleetus wheeze out, eyes bulging comically.
'Oh Sleet! You're alive! I'm so happy to see you mate… I thought you were a goner!' Derwood Dingo exclaimed with happy tears and Simon Simian who was nearest them rolled his eyes at this display of affection.
'Do you two need a room..' He uttered dryly to them and Sleet glared at him.
'No we don't you overgrown monkey! And Dingo get offa me you great oaf!' The wolf-mobian snarled to his fellow officer and broke free of Derwood's grip.
'Alright mobians… Ready… Aim…' Tiger declared loudly as the group raised their guns. '-Fire!'
…The barrage of laser-bullets hitting off its metal armour caught the Big Gun robot's focus and it raised its canon-arms and fired a retaliation onto the group of mobians and that made them scatter for cover but they were soon back and shooting again. With its focus seemingly distracted Jules began to look over the design and try to find weak points. He wasn't as good as his brother at designing these things but he knew from both school and his father how to build machinery. He deduced that he was going to have to smash this robot in its suspension-ball-joint and hopefully smash it up once its motherboard and wiring were on show, if there was one thing he was good at it was taking things apart. Knowing this was the best chance he was going to get Jules sped away to get a good run up as the Big Guns robot continued to fire on the units in front of it.
The cobalt-blue hedgehog then charged at the robot as it caused divots of terra to fly. The robot's sensors seemed to pick up on his movement as it swung around one canon arm and smacked him away. The cobalt-blue hedgehog landed on the ground breathing heavily as his side hurt and he inwardly groaned... that was going to leave a nasty bruise. The huge metallic machine turned away from the bullets suddenly deciding that he was the better target and Jules barely managed to get to his feet and start running as it shot a laser-blast at him. His new injuries from the hit meant that he couldn't move quite as swiftly as usual and Jules gritted his teeth and hissed in pain as he stumbled forwards. The silver metal robot gave chase and pivoted its canon-arm around smacking him fiercely again and making the nearly twenty year old hedgehog cry out in further pain as he was swept off his feet and sent flying through the air towards Knothole lake...
With the hedgehog taken care of the Big Guns robot turned its attention back to the mobian-soldiers who were still shooting at it…
…With a heavy thump Lieutenant Jules T. Hedgehog landed on his stomach on the sandy beach by the shore of Knothole lake and he gave a shaky cry of agony and rolled onto his back as a sharp stabbing pain issued from his chest. His breaths were slow and rasping… That mean-machine really packed a Chaos of a punch… He groaned as one hand gingerly touched his chest, feeling his ribs carefully. He let out a hiss as a flash of agony returned. It must have broken some ribs with its last hit. Jules knew that he couldn't give up, if he didn't take that robot down it would destroy Mobotroplis. It would destroy all those he cared about… even Princess Aleena.
His hazel-eyes blinked as his vision had been cloudy, no doubt he had a bit of a concussion from landing roughly on the ground and Jules felt like he had had the rings knocked out of him… As his eyesight slowly settled the dozens of golden rings that he thought he was seeing slowly faded away, no doubt this had been a trick of his mind from hitting his head off the sandy banks. He blinked slowly as all but one of the rings disappeared. For a long time Jules merely stared at this ring as it spun slowly in the air above the waters of Knothole lake… it couldn't really be there, could it?
Tentatively the cobalt-blue hedgehog pulled himself into a sitting position and rubbed his eyes, looking back at the lake expecting the ring to be gone. It was still there spinning innocently above the water. It was definitely there… His mind then suddenly formed a picture of his father and a memory of what the old hedgehog had told him about these rings as a kiton came back to him:
'These rings aren't just a way to power our homes, Julius.' Maurice chuckled warmly as his tiny son sat in his lap with wide, curious hazel eyes that were fixated on the shiny golden ring in his large white-gloved hand. 'They are a unique source of great power.'
'They are! What kinda power do they have?' Little Jules asked as his huge hazel eyes suddenly turned to look up at his mild-blue-quilled father filled with excitement and wonder.
'There's an old legend that says these rings can be absorbed by mobians and temporarily enhance their natural abilities, making them almost invulnerable. But not every mobian can harness this power though... it takes a special kind of mobian to do it..'
'Do you think I could do it one day?' The tiny cobalt-blue hedgehog asked in a hushed voice.
'Maybe one day if you're lucky, you will..'
Jules had always loved learning about myths, mostly because it was something that his older brother Charles didn't care about so when his father told him stories they were just for him. The mild-blue hedgehog had always been rather close-minded to the ideas presented by myths and magic, he lived for facts and reasons. This was fine for him but the cobalt-blue hedgehog believed there had to be more to this world than what you could explain just by seeing or touching..
Jules slowly got to his feet, wincing in pain at the sharp jabbing in his chest as his ribs ached. Right now he needed a miracle to defeat this robotic beast and this power ring might just be the answer he was looking for. Slowly the almost twenty year old cobalt-blue hedgehog climbed onto a nearby fallen tree that was partway in the water and gingerly stepped out onto it, ignoring the aches of his battered body. Once he was opposite the large golden ring he reached out, wincing as stretching out caused his whole body to hurt.. Justa little further, justa little further… His mind coaxed him onwards as his body resisted with agony. Finally his white-gloved fingers curled around the cool ring which felt quite odd in his grip, like an inexplicable cross between glass and water with a faint aura of power that pulsed like fluid fire inside it. With the power ring in his grip Jules slowly edged back to dry land and turned the ring curiously in his fingers.
How could he access its power?
The question rolled around in his mind as he considered all the things his father had told him about the rings he created in the power-stone plant of Mobotroplis. Then his mind vaguely remembered something Locke said about the Chaos Emeralds and how their power was accessed by desires of the heart. Jules knew from his father that power rings were a natural by-product of power stones and that Chaos Emeralds were created when many power stones fused together and their powers intertwined. Perhaps these power rings worked in the same way...
There was only one way to find out…
Immediately Jules Hedgehog held the ring tightly in his hands and closed his eyes. His head bowed as he began focusing all his energy on what he wanted from the bottom of his heart. Thinking about all the mobians that he cared about and his desire to protect them from the metal monster that was threatening to destroy his home.
...Please… Please… Please...
The power ring sat motionless in his fingers for a moment before it suddenly glowed brighter than any star could…
The mobian soldiers out in the forest were still battling the Big Guns robot which was now advancing on them, their laser bullets just bounced off of its solid metal body as it continued moving unaffected by them. They had already been stunned by the ruthless manner in which this metallic beast had casually sucker-punched Lieutenant Jules Hedgehog away like he was nothing. Now it seemed that this beast would do the same to them. The sound of more footfalls could be heard and suddenly the civilian Knothole Freedom Fighters appeared, armed with their own various laser-gun weaponry along with Sargent Arthur Mongoose in tow. Immediately the dark-golden-furred mongoose with dark-brown head-fur sped over to his unit who all suddenly beamed at him widely, relieved to see that he was ok. Private Simon Simian welcomed him back with a sharp handshake and a smile while Coffee Rabbit slapped his back affectionately.
'Sarge, thank Sauna your safe..' Corporal Fox smiled grimly pushing his way to the front. 'We were beginning to worry..'
'I'm fine. Where's the lieutenant?' Arthur asked immediately as he spotted Sleetus Wolf was amongst them but Jules was not.
'That huge hunka metal took him out, batted him away as if he were just a baseball and he went flying right over the trees..' Red Fox sounded in concern as his stone-grey eyes remained fixed as the pair moved into battle formation with the other mobians.
At the head of the group of mobians Tiger Stripes as the highest-ranking officer left in the group took command. Without any idea on how to take down this robot his head turned towards the only mobian he knew that could possibly answer this question.
'Chuck, you're the scientist! Any ideas..' The white and silver-striped tiger said to the mild-blue hedgehog and before the mild-blue hedgehog could answer there was a cry from the ranks of soldiers.
'Incoming!' Tiger immediately dived onto the mild-blue hedgehog and protected him from the laser-blast that shot through their ranks, taking out a few of their mobians with it. Charles gasped out in shock as he'd never been on a field of war before so this was all a little much. 'You alright..' Tiger asked the twenty-three year old hedgehog as he got off him and immediately pulled his laser-rifle to him instinctively. The mobian-tiger cared about Jules' brother as if he were his own; he'd know him almost all his life. Charles nodded slowly still slightly stunned as the robot continued its blasts.
'It's clearly some kind of mechanical droid, hit it in any of its joints as they will be the weaker areas..' The mild-blue hedgehog finally answered Tiger. 'If that's a tough metal it may take all of you firing in the same place to dislocate them. Only once it's motor hydraulics are shot can we truly shut it down..' Tiger grinned satisfied with this and immediately turned to the rest of the soldiers.
'Alright! Everybody aim for its leg joints and fire on my comm-' At this point Tiger Stripes broke off as a brilliant blur of blue shot overhead and his expression twisted in confusion. 'What in Mobius was that?' He suddenly asked and even Charles looked just as bemused and shrugged.
'Whate'vah it is it's headin' straight foh that there metal mess..' Baron Beauregard Rabbot sounded as his deep-brown eyes narrowed as the high-speed glowing blur shot straight at the Big Guns robot. This caused both Charles and Tiger to stare at the flying blue object unsurely and they weren't the only ones… the entire group of mobians were staring at it too. The robot had ceased fire on the mobians now..
Was this unidentifiable glowing blue object a friend or foe?
…Jules Hedgehog had never felt so powerful before. His entire body was pulsing with energy and he couldn't even feel his injuries anymore. His speed had increased tenfold and he was so fast now that his spin-dashing defied gravity as he flew over the group of soldiers, wanting to take them by surprise before dealing with the huge metal robot. Jules Hedgehog then gritted his teeth and grinned deciding to see just how powerful his new ring-enhanced strength was and he spin-dashed straight for the huge canon-arms planning to take out its guns so it couldn't hurt any more of the soldiers.
The robot seemed to have locked onto his poison which was exactly what Jules wanted as he'd been flying in a straight line at the huge silver battledriod. And the moment the canons glowed with the laser-blasts Jules suddenly changed direction and swung around, spin-dashing in from the side and smashing into the first metal arm causing it to explode due to the laser energy. He was so fast that he by-passed the blast and smashed straight into the second arm and repeating the huge blast. Jules then landed on the ground touching ground with his hands to steady himself.
The robot moved its broken arms up and down uselessly and without giving it much time to compute its next move the glowing cobalt-blue hedgehog spun into another super-fast spin-dash and flew at the robot's legs and shattering them to pieces. With nothing left to stand on the huge metal body crashed to the ground while and the glowing hedgehog immediately shot upwards into the air and flew into a final spin-dash, shooting down towards the ball-joint of its body and the whole thing exploded with the blast of smoke..
The mobian soldiers all shielded their faces from the blast-back from this detonation before curiosity made them slowly pull their hands away and finally see the cobalt-blue hedgehog staggering away from the smoking crater…
After the battle Jules Hedgehog had been frog-marched straight to the medical tent by his older brother where Nurse Gladys Seal checked him over while Tiger Stripes went to inform Colonel Somersby that the Great Forest Battle had reached a temporary ceasefire. The Overlanders had fled the scene as the mobians had been distracted by the huge robot and would no doubt turn their advances on the city but now they did not have their huge metal battledriod to help destroy the city. This in itself was a huge victory and Jules deserved commendation for single-handedly defeating it...
After a while the nearly twenty year old hedgehog was released with three cracked ribs, some external and internal bruising and a few bandaged scratches. The violet seal-mobian had commented that he was a very lucky mobian not to get worse. Once he'd been discharged from the tent Jules had learnt that Private Woody Chips, Jasper Jacks and Ginger Tigris were among the casualties lost in this battle from Arthur Mongoose. Arthur and Isabelle had already informed the next of kins of both Chips and Jasper but had said that Tiger Stripes was going to notify Ginger's parents in Port Mobius of her death. Neither one of the mongoose-couple could tell just how much the white and silver-striped tiger was affected by her death before he left but they had both given him they're sympathies. Once Arthur and Isabelle hugged Jules warmly they went back to consoling each other on their losses. The cobalt-blue hedgehog then left the base camp for Knothole with his brother with a numb and heavy heart, needing to get away from the depressing bubble of mourning that was now clouding over the camp.
The hamlet was quiet when the pair arrived back they found Beauregard Rabbot waiting for them outside the Hedgehog-cabin. The light-brown-furred rabbit smiled warmly at Jules, which was slightly unnerving because although they respected one another this was a new development.
'Yah a hero partnah. Least, that's what the folks round hereh are sayin' now..' He commented as his eyes narrowed. 'Yah saved Knothole and yah saved mah family, Ah tip mah hat to yah..' He immediately kept his word by tipping his reddish-brown cowboy hat.
'Um, thanks..' Jules replied with an uneasy smile, not really feeling the hero that everybody was making him out to be.
'That's also why Ah'm hereh..' Beauregard added lightly. 'Missy sent me. She wants yah t'come see the young'un..' Jules blinked at these words, almost forgetting that Missy had been due to give birth.
'S-she had her baby?' The cobalt-blue hedgehog sounded with a slight smile, feeling suddenly lighter knowing that he had helped bring Buchanan's kiton into a slightly safer environment.
'Yeh.. A li'l gal named Scarlet. Cute as a button too. Yah comin' t'see her partnah?' He gestured the cobalt-blue hedgehog in the direction of the Rabbot-cabin and Jules immediately glanced at his brother unsurely.
'Go on Jules..' Charles pushed his sibling towards Beauregard with a smile, knowing this was exactly what Jules needed right now. 'I'm going to take the bike out to the forest and see what I can learn about that droid you destroyed earlier..' He sounded with a smile and turned away to his green motorbike, waving them off.
'Ok I won't be long. And be careful until I get there Charlie, there might still be some Overlanders around..' Jules said seriously and the mild-blue hedgehog nodded and straddled his motorbike, keeping the side-car attached. And Jules watched his brother leave on the bike before sighing and turning to head to the Rabbot-cabin with Baron Beauregard.
…The moment Missy Rabbot saw Jules she smiled widely at him; her little one was wrapped up in a lavender blanket in her arms.
'I always knew yah wereh a hero Juice. Buck woulda been proud of yah...' She sounded gently as he sat on the edge of her bed as the honey-furred rabbit smiled kindly at him. 'Do yah wanna hold her?' Missy added holding out her little one to Jules.
'S-sure..' He sounded nervously, taking the tiny rabbit-kiton, a smile tweaking his lips as he gazed at the honey-furred babe. He only got a brief glimpse at her blue cloudy eyes before she shut them peacefully and since all kitons were born with blue eyes this was no indicator as to who's eye colour she had inherited yet. 'Wow, she kinda looks like you, with Buck's nose..' He added lightly.
'An' Buck's big feet..' Missy grinned pushing the lavender blanket back momentarily giving Jules a peek at her large baby-feet before covering them again. 'She's gonna be a jumpah like her daddy.'
'So why Scarlet?' Jules asked curiously as he held the tiny kiton gingerly as if she were as delicate as glass.
'It was mah momma's name an' her middle name is Bunnie aftah Beau an' Buck's momma..' Missy replied as her little one suddenly stirred with a squeak in Jules arms. It was at this point the cobalt-blue hedgehog handed her back to her mother..
'I'm sure Buck would've liked that..' He murmured back with a gentle smile as his hazel eyes narrowed at his friend's little girl…
...fifteen minutes later…
'So what exactly are you looking for Charlie?' Jules asked curiously as he shoved his white-gloved hands in the pockets of his red vest and rocking back and forth on his feet in slight boredom. He had only gotten here a few minutes ago and he was already bored stiff.
'It's just fascinating how this thing was put together Jules. I've never seen robotics like this before..' The twenty-three year old mild-blue hedgehog sounded vaguely as he studded the burnt-out wreck of a robot. 'Clearly this was put together by someone of incredible intelligence..' He added with appreciation and this tone was not missed by his little sibling.
'Oh great. So now you're admiring something that tried to kill me?' Jules sounded sarcastically rolling his hazel eyes with annoyed disbelief as a scowl twisted his brow.
'That's not what I meant and you know-' He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Jules immediately zipped over to him and silenced him by clamping his mouth shut with his hand. The cobalt-blue hedgehog's ears were pricking at the sound of movement and voices coming from somewhere up ahead.
'Charlie shoosh..' Jules hissed and the pair stiffened immediately as a couple of lights glowed through the trees. After the lights passed the cobalt-blue hedgehog slowly released his brother.
'What do you think that was?' Charles asked curiously.
'I dunno but there's only one way to find out..' He said seriously and immediately gripped his older brother around the waist and dashed off into the forest after the lights before Charles could protest. Since these lights weren't travelling very fast Jules quickly overtook them and the thing that they had been chasing and dived into a large thatch of shrubbery where he and his brother could spy on the whole scene without being spotted by whatever this was.
'It's useless to run Ivo! You cannot escape your punishment…' The sound of faint voices yelled as something large and panting heavily seemed to be running from these lights, getting closer and closer to the Hedgehog-brother' position. It was only once the thing was nearly level did the siblings realise that this thing was an overweight Overlander.. He was tall with long legs and a round middle. He was wearing glasses and had a long ginger beard while sweating profusely and obviously struggling to breathe as he was not used to running like this.
'They're chasing their own?' Jules' hazel eyes widened in surprise but Charles raised a finger to his lips and shushed his brother.
'I… I'm afraid that I…' The Overlander wheezed these words to himself. '-may have badly miscalculated the-' He was suddenly cut off with a cry of surprise as he tripped over a tree-root and collapsed into a nearby watery ditch. This turned out to be a saving grace for him as the two lights that had been chasing him turned out to be hovercrafts manned by two more Overlanders.
'Where did he go?' One of the chasers asked the other as they paused directly above the Overlander they were chasing. The now mud-covered fugitive remained deathly quiet so as not to alert his captors to his presence.
'I dunno. He was here a second ago. He can't have run that far..' The second one said, scratching his blonde head.
'Not with his weight he couldn't. What do we do now? Our Overlord won't be happy..' The first said scowling with displeasure. 'He wants him dead..'
'He's as good as dead out here anyway.' The second snorted. 'If we don't find him those mutants will and I doubt they'd keep him alive.' They then took off once more to search for their fugitive.
The moment they were gone the fugitive Overlander let out a sigh of relief and sat up, now trying to catch his ragged breath as he was exhausted from running for his life. His relief didn't last long as a nearby bush rustled sending a chill up his spine and two blue-quilled mobian hedgehogs appeared.
'Argh! Don't kill me, please! I beg you..' He pleaded in a cowardly manner, lifting one hand to shield himself as he flinched in fear. The hedgehogs glanced at one another before the darker-quilled one spoke.
'We're not going to kill you..' His hazel eyes narrowed in disdain as the mild-blue hedgehog looked curiously at the one beside him.
'You're not?' The Overlander then lowered his hand slowly, revealing his face with its thick brow and large hooked nose. He blinked at the cobalt-blue hedgehog in vague disbelief.
'No..' Jules kinked a brow curiously, did this Overlander really believe they were this heartless. 'Why were they chasing you?'
'Because they're not happy with me. They think that I betrayed them, that I deliberately tried to sabotage them..' The Overlander brushed his long ginger moustache before suddenly crawling forward to the cobalt-furred hedgehog and seizing him by his red vest and looking pleadingly into his eyes. 'Please, I need your help. If they find me they'll kill me! I do anything you ask just please help me..'
Jules blinked as the Overlander gripping him shook him in an insistent manner. The cobalt-blue hedgehog looked uneasy for a moment before his head swivelled to his brother who was eyeing the Overlander suspiciously.
'Charlie… Go get your bike.'
'What?!' The mild-blue hedgehog yelped out in shock before frowning. 'Are you insane?'
'Oh.. Thank you, thank you for sparing me..' The Overlander sounded out in instant relief and was now hugging Jules around the middle gratefully. This caused the cobalt hedgehog wince painfully as he felt his ribs creak and the bruising under his bandaged body stung with agony. His hazel eyes watered a little before looking down at this huge cowardly Overlander hugging the life out of him. Jules then grunted uncomfortably before his pupils turned to his mild-blue-quilled brother.
'Just do it Charlie and make it fast..' His cobalt-brow twisted into a glare. He was now unable to move his body much with this dead-weight gripping him so tightly.
'Alright, fine. I'll be as quick as I can..' The mild-blue hedgehog sighed heavily before relenting to his brother's stubbornness and disappearing off into the trees.
'So…' Jules drawled as this Overlander continued to cling to him gratefully. 'You gotta name?'
'Oh…' Much to his relief this Overlander with the long ginger moustache immediately let go of the four-foot two hedgehog and smiled slightly. 'It's.. Ivo… Ivo Kinobotor..'
Little Notes:
Wow, this was a super-long chapter! I have spent some seriously late nights trying to put this extensive thing together, my usual editing process took well over three hours and ended at 2am in the morning but I am pleased that it is completed. It may not become the only one but I really did not want to have to split this chapter in two and make this story even longer.. Ok, I admit that I am tired but I do have a few little notes to go along with this, it would take far too long to write all the notes I want to so I'll just leave you with a few of the bigger issues...
Ok, firstly I have always had a slight issue with the whole inter-breeding thing that DiC and Archie had going on but more in particular Archie. Especially about the Years Later comics and how easy it was for Sonic and Sally to have kids. Mostly this is down to actual science as it is physically impossible for a hedgehog to splice with a squirrel and since Sally is crossbreed of a squirrel and a chipmunk herself (Max being a 'squirrel' (even though Max Acorn in the original show is a FOX!) and Alicia being a chipmunk) there would be a 0.0001% chance of her EVER having kids with Sonic (C'mon Archie! I know this is a kid's comic but, really? Freakin' do your homework on this one!). I took intermediate biology in school and DNA and genetic coding was a big part of that. Now crossbreeding is possible but only with animals that have a similar genetic make-up: i.e lions and tigers can make ligers, horses and donkeys make mules. This is also how you get crossbreeds in dogs such as jack-a-doodles and in cats which is how long-hair Siamese cats are done (a regular Siamese with a long-haired black cat). Now I know what you're thinking and I'm not totally closed off to the idea of cross-breeding but rather than just letting them 'pop' out as if it's as easy as breeding two the same species (like Archie seem to think is ok and despite all their clever science ideas are BLIND to the most basic idea of all!) in my fic it is much harder to splice two mobians of a different species. I've already stated that these marriages used to be forbidden and this would be one of my reasons why. It is also why I am making it so hard for Alicia and Max to conceive as well..
Alright, I've ranted enough on that. As you've noticed this war is very different from their first encounter at Green Hill Valley, it's taken longer to write the battle scenes this time than before, mostly because of the conflict and the arguing. It's been hard to write everything I wanted to and I've missed out on writing other bits which I am going to have to find a way to put in the next chapter because there is one bit that I really want to try and squeeze in if I can.. But I did manage to squeeze a cute little moment between Arthur and Isabelle (who you might know as the future parents of Mina Mongoose) which I find so cute as it depicts a little love on the battlefield. And I hope that you like how Sleet and Dingo are, I tried to stay true to their Underground personas and give plausible reasons for how they are the way they are..
I'm sure you all spotted my little nod to Sonic losing his rings in the game-series. I'm particularly proud of it as all the rings were, of course, in Jules' mind while he was slightly out of it.. Of course once he sobered they all vanished apart from the one which rose out of Knothole lake… Of course it does bring up the question, how did it get there? It's an idea that Archie never went with and one that rarely appears in fics, which is a shame cause it really is the highlight of playing for me..
And lastly, he is here! Doctor Ivo has arrived on the scene. I really wanted his arrival to be be a bit more dramatic than Archie made it… and shamelessly, I admit it. I turned to SonicX for inspiration. I chose to use the scene where Dr Eggman begs Knuckles for help to take down Sonic for 'trapping' them on Earth as my focus as I wanted him to have more of a personality than just simply spitting up a fish when he first meets Chuck and Jules (thanks Archie).. This is a guy who comes from a race that thinks it's the mobians that want to kill them off, is he really just gonna go along with them willingly at first? Anyway, I don't want to give anymore away and these notes are not so little now so I'll leave you with that because the scene will pick up almost from where it left in the next chapter..
Until next time people!
~Ditzy x