Chapter thirteen: "Old Friends, and New Allies"
Sonic skidded back into the camp with a look of defeat on his face.
Sally approached him hopefully. "So... Found anything?"
He shook his head slowly. "Nope. Sorry Sal, she's no where to be found. I looked all
over the place, but I couldn't find her. I could look some more but..."
She sighed, "There's not enough time..."
"She couldn't ah jus disappeared Sally-girl." Bunnie said, putting a reassuring hand
on her friend's shoulder. "The other's are still lookin'. Maybe they found her. An even if they
don't, the sword event is first, right? Sugah-Twan is sure to win that fer us."
Sally looked at her, smiling weakly. "I hope so."
Suddenly, the loud echoing of a gong sounded in the courtyard. Maria ran into the small
Freedom Fighter camp on the border of the swamp hurriedly.
"The... The other tribe... Is--is coming!" She panted.
"All ready?!" Sally groaned.
"Come on," Maria said, grabbing the Princess' hand, "The Queen wants you to be there
to meet them!"
Grumbling, Sally allowed the kit to pull her into the Amazon's village and up beside the
throne of the tall tigress that was their leader. Sonic and Bunnie followed reluctantly.
The queen glanced down at them icily for a moment, and without saying anything, turned
back towards the courtyard. Sally sneered at her. The exotic orange feline was beautiful,
even regal in her long green and pink embroidered silk kimono, with her long raven hair braided
and put up with thin ornamental chopsticks, but she was a little too proud, Sally thought. It
was going to be sweet when they beat her down in this tournament...
A few short minutes later, just as Maria had said, the other tribe arrived and their
leader kneeled before the queen. She was a tall gray-furred wolf, with ebony black hair tied
back in a short braid. There was a small light streak in her hair, and a small pale scar under
her eye...
Sally's mouth fell open as she realized exactly who the leader of the other tribe was.
"L-Lupe?" She gasped.
* * * * *
"Look Archimedes, this isn't what it looks like!" Knuckles insisted, as he followed
his rather crumpled mentor back into the main room of his small home.
Stopping, the ant turned on his heels and looked straight up him. "You mean to say that
that you did not have a unclothed, rather aggressive I might say, female in your bed?!" He asked
darkly.
Knuckles scratched his chin. "Umm..."
Grumbling, Archimedes put his hat back on and continued walking towards the door.
"No, no wait!" Knuckles pleaded, "At least hear me out! I don't even know this girl! I
just met her yesterday!"
Archimedes glared at him again. "And is that supposed to make it OKAY?!"
"No, uh, that's not what I meant..." Knuckles stuttered.
The ant sighed. "Look... I'll give you one chance to explain this. ONE. Now get
talking young man."
Knuckles thought a moment, then cleared his throat and began. "Yesterday, I took
Shelia back to the main land by request of Princess Sally. When I returned that night, I met
you, telling me that the Chaotix were chasing a Dark Legionnaire..."
Archimedes nodded.
"Well, I ran into the Legionnaire right after that. We had a fight, but in the end, I
won. But the soldier was injured..." Knuckles continued.
"Yeah, so? what happened to him?" Archimedes asked. "Where is he?"
"Right here."
Archimedes and Knuckles turned around to see Julie-Su in the doorway, in her long black
uniform robe.
"You mean she's...?" Archimedes asked, trailing off.
Knuckles nodded. "She was hurt, so I brought her back here. I bandaged her up, and
let her sleep in my bed. I slept on the couch."
Archimedes thought a moment, taking in the whole situation. "...Well, that still
doesn't explain why she wasn't wearing any clothes..."
"Uh..." Knuckles mumbled, glancing back at her.
She rolled her eyes. "Geez! I was hot okay! What is it any of your business how
I like to sleep?" She said, throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Now if you don't mind, I'm
leaving before I get anyone in any more trouble."
"Hold it." Archimedes said, "You're not going anywhere."
"I am leaving." She repeated, looking down at the small creature in front of her with
amusement. "And just what are you going to do about it, insect?" She said slowly.
Archimedes face hardened.
"Umm... Julie-Su, I wouldn't test him if I were you..." Knuckles warned.
She laughed. "What? Are YOU afraid of some hot-headed little ant?"
"Uh..."
"Well I'm not!" She stated firmly, and stepped forward.
With that, Archimedes transformed into a ball of flames, and instantly, caught her
cloak on fire.
"Holy shit!" She yelled, frantically trying to slap out the growing inferno on her
clothing. "I'm on fire!!"
Quickly, Knuckles ran outside to the stream and gathered a bucketful of water. Sprinting
back inside, he tossed it over her head, just as she finished successfully putting out the fire
herself.
"Uh... Whoops..." He mumbled.
She scowled at him.
"Now are you ready to stay and chat a while, Miss?" Archimedes said calmly, reverting
back to his normal form.
She nodded, nervously.
He cleared his throat. "Well, then. Please take a seat. We've got a lot to talk about."
* * * * *
The young wolf stood up straight, blinking in surprise. "... Princess Acorn?" She asked.
Sally nodded, smiling.
Lupe looked confused. "But... But what are you doing here? Out in the swamps? And with
the Amazons?" She asked.
"Long story. I'll tell you later. But... Does this mean you are... The Wolf Pack is...
Allies with these... Amazons?" Sally asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lupe coughed. "Uh, yes. We are." She said simply.
"And they have been for long time." The queen said, standing up from her throne suddenly
and interrupting their conversation. "We have an... agreement."
Sally looked back at her, with cool blue eyes. "What kind of agreement?"
The tiger glared at her for a moment, then sighed. "...The Wolf Pack provides many...
Suitable mates for my people." She said slowly.
Sally blinked. "...Oh."
"And many of their females learned fighting skills from our trainers..." The queen
continued, shooting a long stare at Lupe in particular. "But they refuse to join us."
Lupe looked away as Sally glanced back at her.
"But enough talking. It is time for the tournament to begin." The queen said, sitting
back down on her throne, as several servants picked up the platform it was resting on and
hefted it onto their shoulders.
"Wait!" Sally called up to her, "My troops aren't ready yet! One is still missing!"
The queen looked down at her coldly. "That is not my problem, Sally-Hime. The tournament
will begin without them."
Sally started to protest, but the servants were all ready carrying the queen away, and
a procession was beginning behind them. She grumbled, and collecting Bunnie and Sonic, followed
them slowly.
* * * * *
Tails dropped to the ground in front of the rest of the search party, and sighed
sadly. He looked up at the tall brown wildcat in front of him. "Sorry..." He mumbled, "But
I can't see her, even from the air."
Clawz frowned. "Well, damn."
Nack yawned, bored. "Geez, who cares about this ditzy chick anyway..."
They all turned and gave him a dark stare.
"Vell, Monsuire Weasel, she just happens to be our, 'ow you say, 'hole in the card'."
Nack blinked at him in confusion. "...Wha...?"
"Don't look at me." Clawz shrugged, as his brother turned to him for a translation.
"I think he means Shelia is our 'ace in the hole'." Tails said.
"Oui! That is what I was sayings!" Antoine huffed, "Mademoiselle ClearWaters is ze best
with ze gun. If we don't have her for ze shot event, we is sunk."
"...Okaaay..." Nack said, rolling his eyes.
"Well, we better go back and report to L.P. now..." Clawz sighed, and began walking back
towards the square. The others followed with their heads down, feeling as if they failed a
mission. Nack ran into Clawz's back as the wildcat stopped suddenly upon reaching the courtyard.
In front of them was an area where the trees had been cut away in a huge circle. It was
the very center of the swamp. In the middle of the courtyard was wide, suprisingly stable, round
stone platform. Around it's edges it was carved out into characters of the oriental Amazon
language, in perfect white marble script. To the sides, scattered around the arena were tall
stone columns, figures carved delicately into the opalescent stone to resemble beautiful female
warriors, one representing each event in the sacred tournament. One for wisdom, speed, strength,
sword, and shot. It was definitely not a place you would expect to find in a swampland.
But the splendor of the arena was not what caused Clawz's sudden stop. There, on the
opposite side of the stone platform, stood someone he had not seen in a long time. She was
just standing there, looking as if she wanted to disappear, as the Amazon Queen and rebel
Princess argued over something. She glanced in their direction, and not seeming to notice him,
looked away again. Then, doing a double take, she stared at him in utter shock.
He gulped. "Eh heh..." he mumbled nervously, "Long time no see, eh Loopy?"
* * * * *