Chapter 11: The Brothers
Robotnik had converted a storage room within his Tower to a well- outfitted dining area. There was no chandelier, but the lighting was a clever arrangement of crystals and mirrors that broke the light into hundreds of white rays that spread across the room, giving the illusion that it originated from a single source. The metal floor had a rubber carpet lined with synthetic fibers, giving it a fuzzy appearance and feel like real carpets. The walls had authentic, creamy brown wallpaper, instead of the stiff blue-gray surface that prevailed throughout the other rooms. A Swatbot had been transformed into a humanoid heating unit, and it now stood rigidly against one of the walls. There was a large table, made of fake wood, with a red tablecloth. The chairs were covered with a comfortable layer of padding, not unlike an average office chair. A bar had been constructed, taking up a quarter of the room. It contained the foodstuffs and beverages necessary for such a unique dining place. The L-shaped remainder of the room was well lit, and most importantly, warm. A hidden stereo player added classical violin music to the atmosphere. Robotnik and his guest were seated on opposite ends of the table, and were enjoying the pleasant music while dining. She was wearing a light blue blouse, and long pants of the same colour. Her black cape was draped on the chair adjacent to her. Robotnik wore a very, very large green suit (you can guess its size). A handkerchief hung from one of the chest pockets.
"For a social recluse, you have done a fine job with this room," she commented, and lifted the fork to her mouth.
"Yes," he agreed, and forced some mutton down, "I had several robots construct the bar, but I chose the decorations," he speared some carrots with his fork and chewed them. "I normally shun colour in my tower, but since you have ensured my complete victory, I made an exception."
Hannah's green diamond eyes flicked over the room.
"I noticed. Anyway," she said in a manner of changing the topic, "What do you plan to do after the Freedom Fighters die?"
"Subjugation of the Mobian populous," he replied without hesitation, and eyed her, "What do you plan, my dear?"
"Do not call me your 'dear'," she reminded him, "And I don't care if it's common courtesy or not. My plans are, well, nonexistent right now. I may return to my island and overthrow the Elders. Either that, or I can assist you in your so-called 'subjugation'. The Emerald can be used for mind-control. I can make anyone, even large groups of people, obey you or me with a single incantation."
They ate away their lunch for several moments.
"A strange plan, but it can be successful. You can have your portion of the population beneath your paw while I rule mine with an iron fist."
"That can work out well. We may have territorial problems, though."
"Nonsense!" he said, dismissing the notion with a wave of his artificial hand, "I will give you a country all to yourself, like the Floating Island for one. But first, I'd have to remove the Master Emerald and tap its power."
"Oh yes, that Emerald of Emeralds. I could put it to better use."
"How unfortunate, we are already having our first dispute!"
Her feline senses were alert to the tone of his voice. He had some ulterior motive behind his cordial words. Maybe she would have to destroy him along with the Freedom Fighters that he hated. Better yet, she could warp his mind and make him her servant. She would starve him until he lost that excess one or two hundred pounds of fat, and could run errands for her.
"I am sure that we can reach an agreement in the future."
"Wait, before we speak further, a toast, to our shared triumph within three days."
They raised their glasses and drained them. Robotnik called for the android behind the counter to refill their glasses. He had already arranged for this pussycat's untimely death. Her presence made him uneasy, not just because she was a formidable sorceress, but because she was an animal, an anthropomorphic cat, if you like: a creature that was beneath him. She would not have an opportunity to usurp his place as Emperor of Mobius.
While Hannah chomped on some red meat, she thought of Lazer. He was the one who had lost to her, the red hedgehog with a V-shaped patch of fur on his forehead. He was less of a mystery to her, but everything about him was withdrawn and dangerous. He would be very hard to break, for her 'mind trip' had been convincing of his mental fortitude. When he was finally under her control, be it one week or years from then, she would be in charge of his measureless powers, and his body as well.
"Especially his body," she thought distractedly. How long had it been, two months since she was with a man? The males of that Freedom Fighter city had offered little. In their eyes, she was a toy, a plaything that was discarded after a single use. I am far more than a plaything, she thought. I am the one who will cause their death.
Robotnik noticed her less than enthusiastic approach to the meal.
"Is something the matter?"
She quickly surfaced from her thoughts.
"No. I'm still feeling tired."
"After nine hours of sleep? No matter. You will sleep well, I can assure you. It is a small favour for your wonderful service."
They went on chatting like that for a small while afterward, and then the android cleared the dishes. She went to rest, and to dream, while he merely went to dream.
"Tails, m'boy, what do we do now except wait?"
Two and a half days were left. Sally and Tails were sitting on a bench along one of Knothole's streets. Sally was resting before she decided to tell her royal Dad the bad news. Sonic was tapping his foot and glancing around him.
"Aunt Sally," Tails began. After four years, he still called her that, "Why is it so important that we defeat the sorceress quickly?"
Sally's heart nearly broke as she looked into his innocent eyes. It was all for the best that he (along with everyone else) didn't know.
"Sorry, Tails. It's just that she won so easily, that I want her out of the picture so we can get to him."
"Oh, Okay," he said, blissfully unaware that the dead would soon have company. "Tails, you stay here. I'm gonna help Lazer get those rings. It'll be over soon, don't worry."
"Bye, Sonic."
Tails was sure that Sonic would not let anything bad happen. Little did he know that it would take more than the speed of Sonic, even more than the Chaos Emeralds, to prevent another incident like Xadra's.
Sonic ran at almost maximum speed through the forest. One might wonder how he could dodge trees, roots and rocks at that velocity, exceeding the top speed of a commercial electric train. Living in a forest (and invading a heavily guarded citadel now and then) had developed his reflexes a quantum leap farther than the most skilled cheetah. You could say that he was forced to have lightning fast reflexes. Yes, he could run between raindrops, if he wanted to.
"La-zer!" he called out as the waterfall appeared behind some trees. He dug his heels into the damp ground, and mud splattered.
Lazer had his shoes off and was dangling his feet into the cold stream. The single beam of sunlight and the rainbow made a beautiful bit of scenery. He heard Sonic call him and turned his head. The blue hedgehog was spattered with wet dirt. Served him right for stopping so close to a waterfall.
"Eech, mud!"
"Hello."
"Hey. Mind if I wash?"
"It's not my waterfall, but be my guest."
Sonic spun into a ball and jumped into the river. A great spray of water leaped into the air as the high RPM hedgehog spun himself clean. He then bumped out of the water and landed on the rock. The vapor began to settle.
"Fast shower. Sorry if I sprayed you."
Lazer was bone dry, except for his feet.
"I thought I soaked you."
"Not this hedgehog. Sit down, please."
Sonic mimicked Lazer, removing his shoes and placing his feet in the water.
"So."
"So. We need to get fifty rings so you can show off and save the day."
"Yes. Although no amount of showing off can repay the vow I will break."
Sonic was not sure why he said what he was about to say.
"Lazer. you're not a bad guy."
"It took you four and a half years to figure that out?"
"Nah, it's just that you breaking your promise for the Freedom Fighters. You don't owe us anything, and you want to help us all the same."
Lazer's expression gave the appearance of softening.
"I owe the Freedom Fighters much."
"Really? Continue," Sonic prompted.
"After everyone died, I went numb to almost every emotion except anger. All I could think of was the unbelievable pleasure I would gain from killing Robotnik. I hid from everyone, since I couldn't stand to see a happy face or even a smile. Well, after observing the people in Knothole for a while, I saw that it didn't matter how bad the situation could be, but people could still find joy. I suppose that I re-learned happiness."
A smile touched Sonic's face.
"Without happiness, life wouldn't exist on Mobius. I'm glad that we could make you happy again, Laze."
"I didn't say that you made me happy again," he replied. Then the features of hardened steel returned to his face, "And never, ever, call me 'Laze'."
Taken aback at the tone of voice, the other hedgehog held up his hand for a truce.
"Sorry dude. Uh, let's get the rings."
"Right."
They proceeded to slip on their footwear.
"Marble Gardens is the best place I can think of that's not too far away."
"Where is that place?"
"Not very far from Hydrocity. I think you've been to Hydrocity?"
"For hours. That place is excellent for meditation."
Sonic stood and shook his head.
"Geez, when I look at a large body of water, I usually think about swimming."
"Hmm. Well, 'Marble Gardens' is going to see a lot more of me, if it's quiet enough."
"I bet. Come one, let's go."
Lazer got to his feet. They were both standing on circular rocks, before a roaring waterfall, with a rainbow above them. The afternoon then took a more interesting turn.
"Uh, Lazer? Are you making this happen?"
"Making what happen?"
"That," Sonic said, eyes wide, as he pointed toward the water circling the rocks. It had become black, black as midnight with no moon. The blackness was radiating outward from the two rocks, and as they stared fascinated (and perhaps with apprehension), they noticed some dots of light that appeared within the consuming dark.
"Little white lights?"
"Hey, those look familiar. I've looked up more than once at a night sky. Lazer, that's outer space!"
"What, in the middle of a river? Excuse me if I don't believe."
His last word was cut off as the rocks, along with Sonic and himself, fell into the pool of night. They simply fell downward into nothing, and if you were watching, you would have noticed the black hole slowly fade into the sunlit waters of the stream, minus the rocks, with a bright rainbow above.
"This. is too weird for words," Sonic said in an awed voice.
"Ditto."
They were standing upon the rocks. They were definitely not by the waterfall any longer. The infinite void of deep space was all about them. They could discern no constellations or known star clusters, but a never- ending blackness speckled with unfamiliar stars.
"Lazer, please tell me that your Emeralds are doing this."
"I can assure you, Sonic, if I could do this, you would have been the test victim."
"Such strange children. Are they really deserving of your gifts?"
"Almighty, we are convinced of their potential."
"So be it."
"Um, who said that?" Sonic asked nervously. Lazer did not tell Sonic, but he sensed a trace of laughter coming from the void around them.
"Hello? Will whoever was having that conversation kindly tell us what's going on?" he called out again. He ventured to step off the rock, and thought better of it.
"Sonic!"
"Lazer!"
The two voices were almost identical, but there was no third voice.
"Hello?" Sonic said yet again. He reached out into the darkness and grasped nothing.
"Sonic. Lazer. Out of the many brothers that ascended the Twin Circles, you are the brothers who found our favour."
"Hold on one second, 'brothers'? We are not related in any which way," Sonic pointed out. This time, both hedgehogs heard laughter from the two voices. It was rather bewildering to be laughed at by invisible beings.
"We are fully aware. We know your minds and we know your lives. We are the Brothers that the Ancient Walkers chose millenniums past."
"What do you want from us?" Lazer boldly questioned. He had conversed with the Ancient Walkers before, and did not think that these Two had any more authority than They.
"Sonic, Lazer. We would have chosen a pair of brothers that stood upon the Circles some hours ago in your time, but they all lacked the qualities that we found within you."
"Oh, so it's because of my irresistible charm and his great ability for sarcasm that we were chosen?" Sonic asked, foolishly yet again.
"Sonic, do not make jokes around powers beyond your comprehension," Lazer advised, annoyed.
"Neither of those qualities, Sonic. We chose you because we have faith in your potential. After Hannah Nyress causes the Black Emerald to shatter, and the Creature escapes, Mobius will be plunged into despair for a length of time even we cannot foresee. We chose the two of you because we discovered within you virtues similar to ours."
The other voice spoke:
"Sonic, you have great courage and an unbreakable spirit. You have loyalty from all your friends and in return you are loyal to them. You will not fall in the face of defeat."
The next Brother spoke.
"Lazer. You have witnessed more death and destruction than even We, the Brothers. Your resolve will not be led astray, and your mind is a fortress against the powers of Darkness. You will not allow your allies to fall unaided."
The two hedgehogs stood in silent denial at the words. They were thinking, "They're wrong, I'm not that great a person."
"Do not be fearful of undertaking such a responsibility," one of the Brothers said, knowing what they had thought, "Never allow yourselves to become despondent, and Sonic, Lazer, never let your Brother fall."
"We now wish you luck, and pray that the Ancient Walkers will help you in the upcoming struggle. Go now, with our title, The Brothers of the Rainbow!"
That was the last they heard from The Brothers. The starry space folded around them, and they saw no more.
At the waterfall, two figures materialized, standing upon the Twin Circles. They were Sonic and Lazer, but they were changed. On each of their quills, foreheads, chests, arms and legs were luminescent bands of rainbows. The multicoloured imprints of rainbows gave off each light of the spectrum. While their bodies fully returned to the normal universe, they noticed the bright colours emanating from the marks upon their respective skins. They stared at themselves and at each other.
"Um."
"Um."
If their thoughts could have been manifested, a series of "."s would have appeared over their heads.
" 'Brothers of the Rainbow'. That sounds happy and. gay," remarked Sonic.
"Ah well. Now that we've been given super powers, we might as well earn our stripes."
"I still think it sounds gay."
"Stop talking about how gay it is. Wait till we find out what we can do."
Sonic then began to float above the rock.
"Well, there's a start," he smirked.
Sally walked back to Knothole with shoulders slumped, eyes half closed and barely managing to put one foot before the other. She was weary, wearier than she had felt in many days. Her father, the King, had been greatly troubled by the report, but was in favour of Sonic's opinion that bringing all the brothers from the city would be both dangerous and wasteful of time. Tails met her on the street leading away from the castle.
"Sally, you look really tired."
"I am. Oh boy, am I tired. I want to sleep."
Well, why don't you? You were up all last night reading books, and walked for over an hour without stopping through the forest. You should take a nap. Did you eat lunch?"
"Lunch? No," she replied, and felt her stomach, which rumbled, empty.
"I don't think I ate breakfast, either," she said. Tails looked at her surprised, as she suddenly tottered forward and fell. He caught her, and with some trouble carried her over to a nearby bench. She was fast asleep, so he spread her over the wooden seat. He sighed and sat next to her, looking at her face.
"Sleep well, Aunty," he whispered, and brushed her hair.
"Hey, Tails, wa'sup?" called out a voice from above. Reason told him that it was Lazer, floating some way above him, but that voice was unmistakable.
"Sonic?" he asked, and looked upward. His heart nearly froze.
"OhmiGODDESS!" he shouted, and leaped from the bench, completely forgetting about Sally.
"Don't swear, Tails!" Sonic teased. Tails rubbed his eyes. Yes, it was he. Sonic was hovering fifteen feet off the ground, with spectrum lights shining from his body. Lazer was hovering beside Sonic, also with many colours glowing about him.
"How. how in the heck? Sonic! Lazer!" Tails shouted again, his mouth hanging open. Was this some prank that he and Lazer had pulled off?
"Hey, Tails. Lazer and me got some awesome powers from the waterfall. We're now the Brothers of the Rainbow!"
Tails sputtered some incoherent exclamations. Several people had looked out of their huts and were also raising a hue and cry.
"What in the name of Destiny? Is that you, Sonic?"
"Ahhhh! Aliens!"
"Good Goddess! What are those shining floating thingies?"
Many people were gathering in the streets.
"Wat da HELL?" shouted someone. Sonic and Lazer waved.
"It's okay, we're just trying our new powers."
"Yeah! You know that waterfall we talked about, that would give amazing powers to a pair of brothers? Well, I guess we were chosen!"
"But you're not brothers!" Tails protested. The "Brothers" began a long explanation. About ten minutes later, practically everyone from Knothole had assembled beneath the floating 'Brothers'.
Sally woke up.
"Wuh. what's going on?"
She slid off the bench and looked at the huge crowd in bewilderment.
"Sal! I didn't notice you sleeping there!"
"Sonic?" she asked uncertainly. Two airborne figures with glowing rainbow marks upon their body were above the crowd. One of them descended into its midst. The large crowd allowed her to pass, for she was their princess. She said his name again, and with curious eyes examined his body. She also looked at Lazer. She demanded an explanation, and received one. The crowd formed a circle around them as they talked.
"Sonic! You. you and Lazer were chosen?"
"Yep. We're the new Brothers of the Rainbow, chosen by the original Brothers to save Mobius."
"So, the others weren't chosen because they didn't meet the grade?"
"I suppose!" Sonic laughed. A few voices from the crowd complained (the voices of several, valid brothers), but Sonic waved them off.
"Cool it guys! It's okay! Be glad that you won't have to fight against that sorceress!"
They were satisfied with that. At least they had not been selected for a battle that might kill them!
"Sonic. About Marble Gardens. We should go there to test our powers. Is it large enough?" said Lazer.
"If it's large? If it took me more than one minute to cross it, then it has to be large enough!"
He turned to Sally.
"Sal, we're going to that zone for awhile. We've gotta find out what we can do!"
"Good luck Sonic. I feel so relieved now! You'll both stop her, right?"
He kissed her on the cheek.
"Did I ever disappoint you?"
"Actually."
"Never mind that!" he said. He waved to the crowd, and then took off with Lazer.
After the clouds had obscured Knothole and the Great Forest, the two Brothers of the Rainbow flew across the sky. Sonic was doing loop-de-loops among the clouds, while Lazer looked back at the rainbow streaks that they made.
"That was cool. Everyone was totally freaked by us!" Sonic said grinning, and zigzagged through a cloudbank.
"I wonder if that's a good thing," Lazer implied.
"Eh, stop being a stick in the mud. I've never flown before, and man, it rocks to no end!" he cried, and rocketed to the sun, leaving a blaze of colour in his wake. Lazer shook his head. Sonic was still immature, although he could fly quite well. But, he had to admit; flying among the clouds was highly enjoyable, even after twelve years of experience. The red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet hedgehogs soared through the sky, making rainbows among the clouds on their way to Marble Gardens.
Hannah Nyress was asleep in her bed. Her 'house' was in another section of Robotropolis. It had been an aircraft hangar once, but was now a well heated and tastefully decorated living quarters. Being about thirty square meters in area, the room had ample space for her belongings and an expanse of floor set aside for her sorcery training. She had had the large, gray carpet made for her by one of Robotnik's factories. Robots had also manufactured the lamps and lighting fixtures. Landscapes and abstract art hung at tactical positions on the walls, but these she had purchased from the Freedom Fighter city.
The money she used to buy clothing and material possessions (she had at least three cupboards and dressers each) had been cleverly obtained. Being a city of robots, tons of waste metal was available. When she had found the need for money, she suggested to Robotnik that the excess materials be sold. He had grudgingly consented to give her one third of the total waste metal. Hannah then contacted a construction firm and struck a deal. As the slag heaps grew larger, she sold a third of them. Her income was enough for her to live quite comfortably in the dark city, under Robotnik's watchful eyes.
Hannah lay in peaceful slumber, under a heavy duvet coverlet. She had no need for clothing while under the warm blanket, being a furry cat in the already warm room. Her dreams I will not describe (I will leave her personal fantasies alone). During one of her dreams, she was interrupted by a darkness that invaded her fantasy and caused her to awaken.
"Aww, damn it, that was so good," she growled frustrated. She yawned and stretched, cat style. She stood up on her bed and sensed the black emanations originating from the Dark Jewel.
"What's wrong now, my precious emerald?"
She lightly pounced onto the soft gray carpet and walked to the Black Emerald, which was set upon a pedestal of ornately carved ash wood. She ran her paws over its surface, and saw what it needed to show her.
"They. they have returned?" she gasped, greatly astonished. The emerald showed her two rainbows racing across the sky, but they were not the true Brothers.
"Ahh. Sonic and. Lazer!" she crooned, "The Brothers who are not the Brothers have returned to haunt you again," she said to the emerald, which trembled beneath her touch. She patted its reflective surface and pondered the change of events.
"So-ooo, Those two have found favour with the Brothers, have they?"
She walked over to her bed and sat upon its surface, hugging the duvet to her exposed body.
"I wonder if there's a spell which they cannot break," she said aloud.
"There is."
She turned quickly toward the Emerald. It had never spoken to her before.
"You? You spoke?"
"Faithful sorceress, Hannah Nyress, I know how to stop them. You have to sacrifice your body to my power, so that the Brothers will not be allowed to destroy me once again!"
Its words held a strong persuasive tone. She bowed her head for one moment, and asked it a question.
"Is there no other method?"
The Emerald was impatient:
"Kitten, you do not know the true extent of their capabilities! Draw near and I shall show you."
She willingly complied, and flung away the coverlet. The emerald was thousands of years older than she, and must have tremendous knowledge. With her paws on its smooth facets, she was once more barraged by mental images from the past.
"I had a brutal struggle with those accursed Brothers."
She saw in her mind's eye a gigantic black shape, dreadful and mighty, faced with two points of light. She saw this enormous thing laugh at the two tiny flames before it, until those seemingly insignificant dots attacked it with radiant beams of rainbows. Unbelievably, she saw the creature twist with pain. The battle went on thus for many hours.
"Is. that creature you?" she asked mentally, during the fierce skirmish.
"Yes. It was the body I possessed ages ago before I was ensnared by the Ancient Walkers!"
She saw the dark behemoth falling, with unspeakable arms and legs flailing as it fell to the Mobian earth. The small dots of light grew larger, and the rainbow beams were combined, forming an even larger blast that penetrated the dark form's body and caused it to shriek horribly. Then, she saw a new light. A green circle appeared beside the two rainbow lights. Three masked creatures, holding staffs, created a black emerald. Within moments, the creature's body disintegrated and its black spirit flew into the emerald, imprisoned. Hannah felt the helpless rage, and the infinite hatred toward the Ancient Walkers and the two Brothers.
Exhausted by the terrible history, Hannah physically fell away from the emerald, onto the welcome softness of the carpet. She lay there for a while, her head pounding.
"You now understand that I am a great force of evil, beyond the comprehension of any mortal. Alone, I cannot defeat the Brothers, even if my magic can extend from this black emerald prison. If I inhabit your body, it will be able to use a fraction of my true power. This power may be enough, for it is a terrible magic. Will you obey me, Hannah Nyress?"
"Yes." she whispered, "I cannot allow one so great to be imprisoned for all eternity!"
The feline sorceress watched in a trance, as a dark aura rose from the emerald, descending upon her.
Before the world fell away, she wondered why the voice had laughed ever so softly.
Robotnik had converted a storage room within his Tower to a well- outfitted dining area. There was no chandelier, but the lighting was a clever arrangement of crystals and mirrors that broke the light into hundreds of white rays that spread across the room, giving the illusion that it originated from a single source. The metal floor had a rubber carpet lined with synthetic fibers, giving it a fuzzy appearance and feel like real carpets. The walls had authentic, creamy brown wallpaper, instead of the stiff blue-gray surface that prevailed throughout the other rooms. A Swatbot had been transformed into a humanoid heating unit, and it now stood rigidly against one of the walls. There was a large table, made of fake wood, with a red tablecloth. The chairs were covered with a comfortable layer of padding, not unlike an average office chair. A bar had been constructed, taking up a quarter of the room. It contained the foodstuffs and beverages necessary for such a unique dining place. The L-shaped remainder of the room was well lit, and most importantly, warm. A hidden stereo player added classical violin music to the atmosphere. Robotnik and his guest were seated on opposite ends of the table, and were enjoying the pleasant music while dining. She was wearing a light blue blouse, and long pants of the same colour. Her black cape was draped on the chair adjacent to her. Robotnik wore a very, very large green suit (you can guess its size). A handkerchief hung from one of the chest pockets.
"For a social recluse, you have done a fine job with this room," she commented, and lifted the fork to her mouth.
"Yes," he agreed, and forced some mutton down, "I had several robots construct the bar, but I chose the decorations," he speared some carrots with his fork and chewed them. "I normally shun colour in my tower, but since you have ensured my complete victory, I made an exception."
Hannah's green diamond eyes flicked over the room.
"I noticed. Anyway," she said in a manner of changing the topic, "What do you plan to do after the Freedom Fighters die?"
"Subjugation of the Mobian populous," he replied without hesitation, and eyed her, "What do you plan, my dear?"
"Do not call me your 'dear'," she reminded him, "And I don't care if it's common courtesy or not. My plans are, well, nonexistent right now. I may return to my island and overthrow the Elders. Either that, or I can assist you in your so-called 'subjugation'. The Emerald can be used for mind-control. I can make anyone, even large groups of people, obey you or me with a single incantation."
They ate away their lunch for several moments.
"A strange plan, but it can be successful. You can have your portion of the population beneath your paw while I rule mine with an iron fist."
"That can work out well. We may have territorial problems, though."
"Nonsense!" he said, dismissing the notion with a wave of his artificial hand, "I will give you a country all to yourself, like the Floating Island for one. But first, I'd have to remove the Master Emerald and tap its power."
"Oh yes, that Emerald of Emeralds. I could put it to better use."
"How unfortunate, we are already having our first dispute!"
Her feline senses were alert to the tone of his voice. He had some ulterior motive behind his cordial words. Maybe she would have to destroy him along with the Freedom Fighters that he hated. Better yet, she could warp his mind and make him her servant. She would starve him until he lost that excess one or two hundred pounds of fat, and could run errands for her.
"I am sure that we can reach an agreement in the future."
"Wait, before we speak further, a toast, to our shared triumph within three days."
They raised their glasses and drained them. Robotnik called for the android behind the counter to refill their glasses. He had already arranged for this pussycat's untimely death. Her presence made him uneasy, not just because she was a formidable sorceress, but because she was an animal, an anthropomorphic cat, if you like: a creature that was beneath him. She would not have an opportunity to usurp his place as Emperor of Mobius.
While Hannah chomped on some red meat, she thought of Lazer. He was the one who had lost to her, the red hedgehog with a V-shaped patch of fur on his forehead. He was less of a mystery to her, but everything about him was withdrawn and dangerous. He would be very hard to break, for her 'mind trip' had been convincing of his mental fortitude. When he was finally under her control, be it one week or years from then, she would be in charge of his measureless powers, and his body as well.
"Especially his body," she thought distractedly. How long had it been, two months since she was with a man? The males of that Freedom Fighter city had offered little. In their eyes, she was a toy, a plaything that was discarded after a single use. I am far more than a plaything, she thought. I am the one who will cause their death.
Robotnik noticed her less than enthusiastic approach to the meal.
"Is something the matter?"
She quickly surfaced from her thoughts.
"No. I'm still feeling tired."
"After nine hours of sleep? No matter. You will sleep well, I can assure you. It is a small favour for your wonderful service."
They went on chatting like that for a small while afterward, and then the android cleared the dishes. She went to rest, and to dream, while he merely went to dream.
"Tails, m'boy, what do we do now except wait?"
Two and a half days were left. Sally and Tails were sitting on a bench along one of Knothole's streets. Sally was resting before she decided to tell her royal Dad the bad news. Sonic was tapping his foot and glancing around him.
"Aunt Sally," Tails began. After four years, he still called her that, "Why is it so important that we defeat the sorceress quickly?"
Sally's heart nearly broke as she looked into his innocent eyes. It was all for the best that he (along with everyone else) didn't know.
"Sorry, Tails. It's just that she won so easily, that I want her out of the picture so we can get to him."
"Oh, Okay," he said, blissfully unaware that the dead would soon have company. "Tails, you stay here. I'm gonna help Lazer get those rings. It'll be over soon, don't worry."
"Bye, Sonic."
Tails was sure that Sonic would not let anything bad happen. Little did he know that it would take more than the speed of Sonic, even more than the Chaos Emeralds, to prevent another incident like Xadra's.
Sonic ran at almost maximum speed through the forest. One might wonder how he could dodge trees, roots and rocks at that velocity, exceeding the top speed of a commercial electric train. Living in a forest (and invading a heavily guarded citadel now and then) had developed his reflexes a quantum leap farther than the most skilled cheetah. You could say that he was forced to have lightning fast reflexes. Yes, he could run between raindrops, if he wanted to.
"La-zer!" he called out as the waterfall appeared behind some trees. He dug his heels into the damp ground, and mud splattered.
Lazer had his shoes off and was dangling his feet into the cold stream. The single beam of sunlight and the rainbow made a beautiful bit of scenery. He heard Sonic call him and turned his head. The blue hedgehog was spattered with wet dirt. Served him right for stopping so close to a waterfall.
"Eech, mud!"
"Hello."
"Hey. Mind if I wash?"
"It's not my waterfall, but be my guest."
Sonic spun into a ball and jumped into the river. A great spray of water leaped into the air as the high RPM hedgehog spun himself clean. He then bumped out of the water and landed on the rock. The vapor began to settle.
"Fast shower. Sorry if I sprayed you."
Lazer was bone dry, except for his feet.
"I thought I soaked you."
"Not this hedgehog. Sit down, please."
Sonic mimicked Lazer, removing his shoes and placing his feet in the water.
"So."
"So. We need to get fifty rings so you can show off and save the day."
"Yes. Although no amount of showing off can repay the vow I will break."
Sonic was not sure why he said what he was about to say.
"Lazer. you're not a bad guy."
"It took you four and a half years to figure that out?"
"Nah, it's just that you breaking your promise for the Freedom Fighters. You don't owe us anything, and you want to help us all the same."
Lazer's expression gave the appearance of softening.
"I owe the Freedom Fighters much."
"Really? Continue," Sonic prompted.
"After everyone died, I went numb to almost every emotion except anger. All I could think of was the unbelievable pleasure I would gain from killing Robotnik. I hid from everyone, since I couldn't stand to see a happy face or even a smile. Well, after observing the people in Knothole for a while, I saw that it didn't matter how bad the situation could be, but people could still find joy. I suppose that I re-learned happiness."
A smile touched Sonic's face.
"Without happiness, life wouldn't exist on Mobius. I'm glad that we could make you happy again, Laze."
"I didn't say that you made me happy again," he replied. Then the features of hardened steel returned to his face, "And never, ever, call me 'Laze'."
Taken aback at the tone of voice, the other hedgehog held up his hand for a truce.
"Sorry dude. Uh, let's get the rings."
"Right."
They proceeded to slip on their footwear.
"Marble Gardens is the best place I can think of that's not too far away."
"Where is that place?"
"Not very far from Hydrocity. I think you've been to Hydrocity?"
"For hours. That place is excellent for meditation."
Sonic stood and shook his head.
"Geez, when I look at a large body of water, I usually think about swimming."
"Hmm. Well, 'Marble Gardens' is going to see a lot more of me, if it's quiet enough."
"I bet. Come one, let's go."
Lazer got to his feet. They were both standing on circular rocks, before a roaring waterfall, with a rainbow above them. The afternoon then took a more interesting turn.
"Uh, Lazer? Are you making this happen?"
"Making what happen?"
"That," Sonic said, eyes wide, as he pointed toward the water circling the rocks. It had become black, black as midnight with no moon. The blackness was radiating outward from the two rocks, and as they stared fascinated (and perhaps with apprehension), they noticed some dots of light that appeared within the consuming dark.
"Little white lights?"
"Hey, those look familiar. I've looked up more than once at a night sky. Lazer, that's outer space!"
"What, in the middle of a river? Excuse me if I don't believe."
His last word was cut off as the rocks, along with Sonic and himself, fell into the pool of night. They simply fell downward into nothing, and if you were watching, you would have noticed the black hole slowly fade into the sunlit waters of the stream, minus the rocks, with a bright rainbow above.
"This. is too weird for words," Sonic said in an awed voice.
"Ditto."
They were standing upon the rocks. They were definitely not by the waterfall any longer. The infinite void of deep space was all about them. They could discern no constellations or known star clusters, but a never- ending blackness speckled with unfamiliar stars.
"Lazer, please tell me that your Emeralds are doing this."
"I can assure you, Sonic, if I could do this, you would have been the test victim."
"Such strange children. Are they really deserving of your gifts?"
"Almighty, we are convinced of their potential."
"So be it."
"Um, who said that?" Sonic asked nervously. Lazer did not tell Sonic, but he sensed a trace of laughter coming from the void around them.
"Hello? Will whoever was having that conversation kindly tell us what's going on?" he called out again. He ventured to step off the rock, and thought better of it.
"Sonic!"
"Lazer!"
The two voices were almost identical, but there was no third voice.
"Hello?" Sonic said yet again. He reached out into the darkness and grasped nothing.
"Sonic. Lazer. Out of the many brothers that ascended the Twin Circles, you are the brothers who found our favour."
"Hold on one second, 'brothers'? We are not related in any which way," Sonic pointed out. This time, both hedgehogs heard laughter from the two voices. It was rather bewildering to be laughed at by invisible beings.
"We are fully aware. We know your minds and we know your lives. We are the Brothers that the Ancient Walkers chose millenniums past."
"What do you want from us?" Lazer boldly questioned. He had conversed with the Ancient Walkers before, and did not think that these Two had any more authority than They.
"Sonic, Lazer. We would have chosen a pair of brothers that stood upon the Circles some hours ago in your time, but they all lacked the qualities that we found within you."
"Oh, so it's because of my irresistible charm and his great ability for sarcasm that we were chosen?" Sonic asked, foolishly yet again.
"Sonic, do not make jokes around powers beyond your comprehension," Lazer advised, annoyed.
"Neither of those qualities, Sonic. We chose you because we have faith in your potential. After Hannah Nyress causes the Black Emerald to shatter, and the Creature escapes, Mobius will be plunged into despair for a length of time even we cannot foresee. We chose the two of you because we discovered within you virtues similar to ours."
The other voice spoke:
"Sonic, you have great courage and an unbreakable spirit. You have loyalty from all your friends and in return you are loyal to them. You will not fall in the face of defeat."
The next Brother spoke.
"Lazer. You have witnessed more death and destruction than even We, the Brothers. Your resolve will not be led astray, and your mind is a fortress against the powers of Darkness. You will not allow your allies to fall unaided."
The two hedgehogs stood in silent denial at the words. They were thinking, "They're wrong, I'm not that great a person."
"Do not be fearful of undertaking such a responsibility," one of the Brothers said, knowing what they had thought, "Never allow yourselves to become despondent, and Sonic, Lazer, never let your Brother fall."
"We now wish you luck, and pray that the Ancient Walkers will help you in the upcoming struggle. Go now, with our title, The Brothers of the Rainbow!"
That was the last they heard from The Brothers. The starry space folded around them, and they saw no more.
At the waterfall, two figures materialized, standing upon the Twin Circles. They were Sonic and Lazer, but they were changed. On each of their quills, foreheads, chests, arms and legs were luminescent bands of rainbows. The multicoloured imprints of rainbows gave off each light of the spectrum. While their bodies fully returned to the normal universe, they noticed the bright colours emanating from the marks upon their respective skins. They stared at themselves and at each other.
"Um."
"Um."
If their thoughts could have been manifested, a series of "."s would have appeared over their heads.
" 'Brothers of the Rainbow'. That sounds happy and. gay," remarked Sonic.
"Ah well. Now that we've been given super powers, we might as well earn our stripes."
"I still think it sounds gay."
"Stop talking about how gay it is. Wait till we find out what we can do."
Sonic then began to float above the rock.
"Well, there's a start," he smirked.
Sally walked back to Knothole with shoulders slumped, eyes half closed and barely managing to put one foot before the other. She was weary, wearier than she had felt in many days. Her father, the King, had been greatly troubled by the report, but was in favour of Sonic's opinion that bringing all the brothers from the city would be both dangerous and wasteful of time. Tails met her on the street leading away from the castle.
"Sally, you look really tired."
"I am. Oh boy, am I tired. I want to sleep."
Well, why don't you? You were up all last night reading books, and walked for over an hour without stopping through the forest. You should take a nap. Did you eat lunch?"
"Lunch? No," she replied, and felt her stomach, which rumbled, empty.
"I don't think I ate breakfast, either," she said. Tails looked at her surprised, as she suddenly tottered forward and fell. He caught her, and with some trouble carried her over to a nearby bench. She was fast asleep, so he spread her over the wooden seat. He sighed and sat next to her, looking at her face.
"Sleep well, Aunty," he whispered, and brushed her hair.
"Hey, Tails, wa'sup?" called out a voice from above. Reason told him that it was Lazer, floating some way above him, but that voice was unmistakable.
"Sonic?" he asked, and looked upward. His heart nearly froze.
"OhmiGODDESS!" he shouted, and leaped from the bench, completely forgetting about Sally.
"Don't swear, Tails!" Sonic teased. Tails rubbed his eyes. Yes, it was he. Sonic was hovering fifteen feet off the ground, with spectrum lights shining from his body. Lazer was hovering beside Sonic, also with many colours glowing about him.
"How. how in the heck? Sonic! Lazer!" Tails shouted again, his mouth hanging open. Was this some prank that he and Lazer had pulled off?
"Hey, Tails. Lazer and me got some awesome powers from the waterfall. We're now the Brothers of the Rainbow!"
Tails sputtered some incoherent exclamations. Several people had looked out of their huts and were also raising a hue and cry.
"What in the name of Destiny? Is that you, Sonic?"
"Ahhhh! Aliens!"
"Good Goddess! What are those shining floating thingies?"
Many people were gathering in the streets.
"Wat da HELL?" shouted someone. Sonic and Lazer waved.
"It's okay, we're just trying our new powers."
"Yeah! You know that waterfall we talked about, that would give amazing powers to a pair of brothers? Well, I guess we were chosen!"
"But you're not brothers!" Tails protested. The "Brothers" began a long explanation. About ten minutes later, practically everyone from Knothole had assembled beneath the floating 'Brothers'.
Sally woke up.
"Wuh. what's going on?"
She slid off the bench and looked at the huge crowd in bewilderment.
"Sal! I didn't notice you sleeping there!"
"Sonic?" she asked uncertainly. Two airborne figures with glowing rainbow marks upon their body were above the crowd. One of them descended into its midst. The large crowd allowed her to pass, for she was their princess. She said his name again, and with curious eyes examined his body. She also looked at Lazer. She demanded an explanation, and received one. The crowd formed a circle around them as they talked.
"Sonic! You. you and Lazer were chosen?"
"Yep. We're the new Brothers of the Rainbow, chosen by the original Brothers to save Mobius."
"So, the others weren't chosen because they didn't meet the grade?"
"I suppose!" Sonic laughed. A few voices from the crowd complained (the voices of several, valid brothers), but Sonic waved them off.
"Cool it guys! It's okay! Be glad that you won't have to fight against that sorceress!"
They were satisfied with that. At least they had not been selected for a battle that might kill them!
"Sonic. About Marble Gardens. We should go there to test our powers. Is it large enough?" said Lazer.
"If it's large? If it took me more than one minute to cross it, then it has to be large enough!"
He turned to Sally.
"Sal, we're going to that zone for awhile. We've gotta find out what we can do!"
"Good luck Sonic. I feel so relieved now! You'll both stop her, right?"
He kissed her on the cheek.
"Did I ever disappoint you?"
"Actually."
"Never mind that!" he said. He waved to the crowd, and then took off with Lazer.
After the clouds had obscured Knothole and the Great Forest, the two Brothers of the Rainbow flew across the sky. Sonic was doing loop-de-loops among the clouds, while Lazer looked back at the rainbow streaks that they made.
"That was cool. Everyone was totally freaked by us!" Sonic said grinning, and zigzagged through a cloudbank.
"I wonder if that's a good thing," Lazer implied.
"Eh, stop being a stick in the mud. I've never flown before, and man, it rocks to no end!" he cried, and rocketed to the sun, leaving a blaze of colour in his wake. Lazer shook his head. Sonic was still immature, although he could fly quite well. But, he had to admit; flying among the clouds was highly enjoyable, even after twelve years of experience. The red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet hedgehogs soared through the sky, making rainbows among the clouds on their way to Marble Gardens.
Hannah Nyress was asleep in her bed. Her 'house' was in another section of Robotropolis. It had been an aircraft hangar once, but was now a well heated and tastefully decorated living quarters. Being about thirty square meters in area, the room had ample space for her belongings and an expanse of floor set aside for her sorcery training. She had had the large, gray carpet made for her by one of Robotnik's factories. Robots had also manufactured the lamps and lighting fixtures. Landscapes and abstract art hung at tactical positions on the walls, but these she had purchased from the Freedom Fighter city.
The money she used to buy clothing and material possessions (she had at least three cupboards and dressers each) had been cleverly obtained. Being a city of robots, tons of waste metal was available. When she had found the need for money, she suggested to Robotnik that the excess materials be sold. He had grudgingly consented to give her one third of the total waste metal. Hannah then contacted a construction firm and struck a deal. As the slag heaps grew larger, she sold a third of them. Her income was enough for her to live quite comfortably in the dark city, under Robotnik's watchful eyes.
Hannah lay in peaceful slumber, under a heavy duvet coverlet. She had no need for clothing while under the warm blanket, being a furry cat in the already warm room. Her dreams I will not describe (I will leave her personal fantasies alone). During one of her dreams, she was interrupted by a darkness that invaded her fantasy and caused her to awaken.
"Aww, damn it, that was so good," she growled frustrated. She yawned and stretched, cat style. She stood up on her bed and sensed the black emanations originating from the Dark Jewel.
"What's wrong now, my precious emerald?"
She lightly pounced onto the soft gray carpet and walked to the Black Emerald, which was set upon a pedestal of ornately carved ash wood. She ran her paws over its surface, and saw what it needed to show her.
"They. they have returned?" she gasped, greatly astonished. The emerald showed her two rainbows racing across the sky, but they were not the true Brothers.
"Ahh. Sonic and. Lazer!" she crooned, "The Brothers who are not the Brothers have returned to haunt you again," she said to the emerald, which trembled beneath her touch. She patted its reflective surface and pondered the change of events.
"So-ooo, Those two have found favour with the Brothers, have they?"
She walked over to her bed and sat upon its surface, hugging the duvet to her exposed body.
"I wonder if there's a spell which they cannot break," she said aloud.
"There is."
She turned quickly toward the Emerald. It had never spoken to her before.
"You? You spoke?"
"Faithful sorceress, Hannah Nyress, I know how to stop them. You have to sacrifice your body to my power, so that the Brothers will not be allowed to destroy me once again!"
Its words held a strong persuasive tone. She bowed her head for one moment, and asked it a question.
"Is there no other method?"
The Emerald was impatient:
"Kitten, you do not know the true extent of their capabilities! Draw near and I shall show you."
She willingly complied, and flung away the coverlet. The emerald was thousands of years older than she, and must have tremendous knowledge. With her paws on its smooth facets, she was once more barraged by mental images from the past.
"I had a brutal struggle with those accursed Brothers."
She saw in her mind's eye a gigantic black shape, dreadful and mighty, faced with two points of light. She saw this enormous thing laugh at the two tiny flames before it, until those seemingly insignificant dots attacked it with radiant beams of rainbows. Unbelievably, she saw the creature twist with pain. The battle went on thus for many hours.
"Is. that creature you?" she asked mentally, during the fierce skirmish.
"Yes. It was the body I possessed ages ago before I was ensnared by the Ancient Walkers!"
She saw the dark behemoth falling, with unspeakable arms and legs flailing as it fell to the Mobian earth. The small dots of light grew larger, and the rainbow beams were combined, forming an even larger blast that penetrated the dark form's body and caused it to shriek horribly. Then, she saw a new light. A green circle appeared beside the two rainbow lights. Three masked creatures, holding staffs, created a black emerald. Within moments, the creature's body disintegrated and its black spirit flew into the emerald, imprisoned. Hannah felt the helpless rage, and the infinite hatred toward the Ancient Walkers and the two Brothers.
Exhausted by the terrible history, Hannah physically fell away from the emerald, onto the welcome softness of the carpet. She lay there for a while, her head pounding.
"You now understand that I am a great force of evil, beyond the comprehension of any mortal. Alone, I cannot defeat the Brothers, even if my magic can extend from this black emerald prison. If I inhabit your body, it will be able to use a fraction of my true power. This power may be enough, for it is a terrible magic. Will you obey me, Hannah Nyress?"
"Yes." she whispered, "I cannot allow one so great to be imprisoned for all eternity!"
The feline sorceress watched in a trance, as a dark aura rose from the emerald, descending upon her.
Before the world fell away, she wondered why the voice had laughed ever so softly.
