Chapter 5:
Little lackeys have big ideas
Casssar looked around the village as she walked along with the rabbit. It seemed like a peaceful place. At the moment, anyway. Considering it was a rebel base, she suspected they were often alarmed by Robotnik's antics.
It was a nice village, but she couldn't stand to be in one place too long. She had to run. Had to be free, unconfined.
Had to be everything the opposite of what she lived as a child...
**No...no... I am a nomad. It's always been the heart of me...* She closed her eyes, barely noticing that they were entering a building.
"Don't let 'im do this."
Casssar looked at the yellow rabbit, whose large eyes were pleading. A black communicating device was held in her hands. Casssar noticed for the first time that one of her arms was robotic.
"I'm not helping. Just watching."
"Ya'll don't understand what'll happen if 'e gets this."
"It's not my concern." Casssar was debating which of the rabbit's hands contrasted better against the black communicator.
The tawny yellow, like sunlight draped across night?...or the silver, like a sleek building looming above an asphalt road?
The rabbit protested again, and Casssar looked away from her hands. She tended to get caught up in small details like that. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that the rabbit had what Castdecass wanted.
She left the hut, going back towards the meeting hall. Still wrapped in her 'leash spell', the rabbit had no choice but to follow.
*********
Robotnik growled.
He growled because, for 2.5 minutes, a little light had been beeping on the enormous computer console. It seemed to be some sort of radio signal, but from the readout on his handy-dandy armrest computer, he could tell it was not from Robotropolis.
He figured it was the rebels.
They were trying to annoy him, no doubt.
He ground his teeth.
They were doing a good job.
He was hesitant to answer the call.
"Snively," he growled into his COM link, as he contacted the clean-up site. "Come in, or you will suffer dearly. Do not make me come down there..."
He waited.
"If you don't come in, you little BASTARD, I will..."
Robotnik trailed off, because there was no answer. He tried to calm himself. That craven nephew of his wouldn't stand around and listen to threats, and NOT do anything.
So maybe something was wrong, or maybe he wasn't near the communicator.
He contacted a SWATbot.
"What's going on down there?" he demanded.
"We are cleaning and repairing the wreckage, sir."
"Where is Snively?!"
The SWAT was silent for a moment, then responded, "He is not at the clean-up site, sir. He instructed us to keep working."
"Where did he go?" Robotnik rubbed his temples, sighing heavily. Maybe he was getting worked up for nothing. The little worm had probably just went to go take a piss or something.
"He did not say, sir."
Robotnik growled. "Have him contact me immediately when he returns."
"Yes sir."
"Now get back to work." Robotnik cut the link and sat in his chair, hands clasped under his chin.
His eyes were calm for the moment, but a storm was growing fast on the horizon.
*********
"GODDAMMIT!"
Casssar watched as Castdecass threw down the part of the communicator that was used for speaking. It hung off the edge of the table, swinging forlornly on its cord.
"Awwww, what's wrong?" Bunnie taunted. "Can't get through. Ah told ya."
He paced the room, teeth clenched. "No. It gets through. There just isn't any answer."
Bunnie shifted in her seat nervously. "It doesn't work."
He stopped pacing, glaring at her. "It *does* work. Don't even try to trick me, Ms. Rabbot."
She shrugged.
"That fatass has to hear it. Why isn't he picking up?" he mused, eyes on her the whole time. She became a little uncomfortable under his piercing stare, but didn't let it show. Instead, she nonchalantly draped her arms around the back of her chair, and smiled at him.
"Maybe he don't want ta." She lazily crossed her legs. "Or maybe it seems like it's gettin' through, but it really ain't."
"It is!" he insisted, teeth bared.
"How do ya know?"
He drew a hissing breath in through his teeth. "Because, I'm much smarter than you, and I know that it's getting through."
"Oh really?" She lifted her eyebrow. "Ya ain't that smart if ya can't figure out how ta work an ole communicator."
"You shut up!" His temper came on like a flash storm; he was by her chair in seconds, raising his fist.
Despite herself, she winced.
He smiled slightly, letting his hand drop down to his side. He turned back to the communicator. "I don't have any way of making him pick up. He will eventually, I guess."
He looked around the room, eyes coming to a stop on King Acorn. The monarch glared back, although his face was slack with weariness.
His eyes turned, looking upon Casssar.
Bunnie didn't like what she saw.
Subtle at first, his lips held the trace of a smile, which swiftly turned into a full sly grin.
"In the meantime," he said, voice low and cunning, "I have an idea..."
He stood on tiptoes, stretching his body to reach Casssar's face. She lowered her head, wrapping her arms around his slender form. Bunnie scowled as the two kissed.
"Ew," she whispered, glancing over at King Acorn, who looked sickened. He met her eyes, and raised his eyebrows in a helpless manner. He could not move more than his head.
"Cass," Snively whispered, but Bunnie's keen ears could hear him. "Would you do a favor for me?"
Casssar smiled, light glinting off her fanged teeth. "It depends on what it is."
"Ohhh, you'll like this one, trust me." He looked over at his captives, eyes narrowed and nearly black, sinister smile on his lips.
Bunnie sighed.
This was not good.
*********
The communicator sat alone on the table. Every ten seconds, it patched into Robotropolis, demanding attention.
The room was empty.
Bunnie and the king stumbled along after Casssar. Snively was humming cheerfully as he led them all back towards the opening by the power ring pool.
His boots crunched upon the dirt as he neared a large tree.
A flash of black and white sprang out, blocking his path.
Snively jumped back in surprise, slamming into Casssar. Then a sour look crossed his features and he eyed the skunk standing before him.
"Commander Stinko on the prowl, eh? Out of my way."
"What are you doing here?" Geoffrey demanded. He gave Bunnie and Acorn a look tinged with suspicion.
"Geoffrey, watch out, this lady knows magic!" Bunnie yelped.
Geoffrey took a step back, then realized she'd said the lady, not Snively. He wondered if the short human still had those strange powers. Probably not, he reasoned.
But now he had another magic-user to deal with. He eyed her more closely, and couldn't help but feel a tingling in his thighs. Damn, she was beautiful, in an eerie way.
Jet black fur and olive green eyes that sparkled with some sort of twisted amusement, a voluptuous body that bore no clothing...
"Dun worry about that, Bunnie, we've got these mates outnumbered."
From the trees stepped more Freedom fighters. They looked nervous; most were regular villagers Geoffrey had quickly round up.
Snively looked around, eyebrow raised. Normally he might've felt a little apprehensive. But with Cass, he wasn't even a tad worried.
"Oh please," he said. "You think to beat me with this pathetic bunch?"
The villagers clenched their fists.
"We might not be the best fighters, but we ain't gonna let scum like you come in here!"
"Scum?" Snively mock-pouted. "Really, that's not nice."
"I'll show you not nice!" One of the villagers had a rock in their hand, and they hurled it at the small human. Snively ducked his head, but the rock missed, flying far past them.
Another rock came hurtling from another hand, this time cracking Bunnie in the metallic shoulder.
"Hey now, ya'll watch where yer throwin' those!" she bellowed.
Snively laughed. "They can't even throw properly."
Geoffrey threw forward his gloved arm, the one with the miniature crossbow mounted on it. "Let them go, or this goes straight through that black heart o' yours."
"Black heart?" Snively laughed harder. "My, aren't we eloquent today?"
"Shut up," growled Geoffrey, partly because he didn't understand them 'damn big words', and partly because Snively's laugh was getting on his nerves. He steadied his arm, expecting the human to start whining and give up in the face of this apparent threat.
But Snively arrogantly turned his back, smiling at Casssar. "You can take care of them, can't you?"
"No," she said.
He flinched. "Are you sure?" he asked, his eyes widening.
"No, there are too many."
He bit his lip, looking worried. Casssar laughed.
"Don't be foolish," she said. "Of course I can!"
He grinned. "Then do it!"
"Turn around, I ain't gonna shoot you in the back. I'm no yellow-belly!" Geoffrey was taunting.
"No." A teasing smirk rested on Casssar's lips. Bunnie looked at her, then back to Snively, who was starting to look slightly irritated.
"Casssar, this is no time to start acting 'funny'..."
She shrugged.
He turned back to Geoffrey. "If you know what's good for you, you'll clear out of my way, right now!"
"Why should I?" Geoffrey took a menacing step forward, his unarmed hand locking on Snively's shirt-front and pulling him nearly off the ground. Snively strained on his tiptoes, trying to pull away.
"Let go of me!" the human hollered, shoving on Geoffrey's broad chest with both tiny hands, but the skunk only tightened his grip.
"That was easy enough," he grunted, looking back to nod at the other villagers. "Now get the girl."
They advanced on Casssar. She stood stock-still, the amused look still on her face.
Geoffrey threw a sidelong look at his captive, smiling nastily. He blew his breath purposely into the human's face. Snively wrinkled his nose, glaring back.
"Not usin' them big fancy words now, are we?" Geoffrey laughed loudly. "Now who's pathetic?"
Snively let an eerie smile spread across his face. Geoffrey scowled, not liking the blue-eyed demure stare the human was giving him.
"Stop it." He didn't notice Sniv had one leg drawn back, didn't notice until the foot was flying forward, burying itself in his crotch.
"AAHH!" Geoffrey dropped down to his knees.
Snively easily pulled himself from the injured skunk's grip. "Bastard," he muttered, and decided to kick him again for extra measure.
Geoffrey moaned, falling face first onto the ground.
Snively stepped out of Geoffrey's reach, just in case, and watched Casssar battle the villagers with his eyebrow raised and a smirk upon his face.
She easily defeated the villagers, dropping them like flies around her feet. He didn't know if they were dead, or merely unconscious. A shiver went through him at Casssar's features, twisted in a sadistic grin, and hoped suddenly that it was the latter...
He didn't want to imagine her being able to kill with a flick of her fingers.
She didn't even seem tired afterwards, and Bunnie and the king were still under her power. He wondered just how powerful some of her spells were.
"Good job, Cass!" he praised, walking up to her. She nodded in satisfaction.
"Are they dead?" he asked.
She looked mischievous. "Does it matter?"
"Well..." The air around her was teeming with energy, and his skin crawled at its touch...
"No."
"Oh." He tried to keep the relief out of his voice.
"You sound nervous."
"Oh no." His laugh jittered slightly. "Why would I be?"
"Scared of my power." She knelt down in front of him, grabbing his head in her hands.
"MFFF!" He let out a gasp before his mouth was covered by hers. Her tongue swept against his... His fingers tightened on her shoulders, his eyes going wide, because the energy was surging through him. He felt a shudder go through him, and the world spun...
Her tongue rolled around his, but he couldn't respond, body shuddering and veins tingling. She let go suddenly and he fell onto the ground, staring up at her.
His breath came in gasping, and his cheeks flushed...the power had caused his body to get rather excited, and he could feel this excitement straining against his pants...
"Now are you scared?" she asked, extending her foot and planting it onto his crotch, kneading him with her toes.
"Ohhhhh," he groaned, feeling pleasure, cheeks flushing even more.
Bunnie and the king looked on in disgust.
He felt their stares and pushed Casssar's foot off, getting to his feet. He shifted his weight rather uncomfortably, feeling extremely hot inside his uniform.
"Now you feel how I feel," Casssar said. "Exciting, isn't it?" Her eyes sparkled, a naughty smile on her face.
He didn't know how to respond. He shot a look at King Acorn and the rabbot. They glared back.
"Ya'll are sick!" Bunnie spat at Casssar.
"Oooh, Castdecass doesn't think so," Cass hissed, pulling him to her. Her hand draped around his waist, fondling him with her fingers.
He pulled away, slapping her hand. "Stop that Cass...you can't do that in front of people!"
Bunnie made a retching noise. "Please, listen to ole Needlenose!"
She looked disappointed. "We have to wait till we're alone?"
He gave an embarrassed nod.
Bunnie was still making the noise. "How can ya'll be even wantin' to *touch* him?!"
"Enough!" King Acorn growled. "What do you intend to do to us?" He struggled to break free of the ermine's spell, but it was in vain.
"Ohhh." Snively smiled widely. "Thank you for reminding me..." He looked over at Casssar. "We have to get all these people down to the Source pool."
*******
"Doctor Robotnik, come in."
Robotnik growled, opening the link. "Yes, Packbell?"
The android sounded frustrated. "We lost them."
"Where did they go?"
"They headed west...the clean-up crew were caught off-guard...they didn't do squat. I guess they're long gone now."
Robotnik pounded his armrest with his metallic fist.
Then he sighed heavily. "Packbell?"
"Yeah?"
"Where are you right now?"
"Heading back to the command center."
"Go to the clean-up site."
"All right."
He heard the sound of Packbell's feet crunching over gravel and scattered junk that lay along the streets. Finally the android stopped.
"Allright, now what?"
"Do you see Snively anywhere?"
"No."
"Did you see him at *all*?"
He could almost hear the android shrug. "Nope."
Robotnik let out a long low growl.
"Why, sir...he is in trouble?" Packbell's tone was edged with malicious glee.
"HE WILL BE WHEN I GET A HOLD OF HIM!" Robotnik hollered, then calmed slightly. "I want you to find him, Packbell, and quickly."
"All right," the android said obligingly, sounding quite eager to do the task.
"And bring him to me when you do..."
Having closed the link with Packbell, Robotnik turned his attention upon that little red light on the console, counting silently in his mind.
Silence.
For ten seconds.
Then *beep* for a period of 5 seconds.
Then silence again.
For ten seconds...
He snarled.
********
The group of frightened villagers huddled in a corner of the Source cave. King Acorn and Bunnie, still paralyzed, tried to soothe them with comforting words.
Geoffrey was cursing and threatening, but he too was paralyzed.
A pair of blue eyes reflected gold and silver liquid, then turned to sweep over the group of Mobians. A twisted smile broke on Snively's face, and he chuckled.
Casssar stood with her hands on her hips, eyeing her Castdecass. He'd said bring them here. He hadn't said what for...
Snively turned to face her, rubbing his cheeks. They were starting to ache. He realized it was the smiling causing it. He'd probably never grinned this much in his life.
He let it drop from his face, but it quickly returned. It just felt so damn good, knowing his plan, knowing it would work...
Knowing Robotnik was going to suffer...
*If it all works out, that is...if not...* He saw the mental image of Robotnik's fist bearing down on him, and shoved it away. *It'll work. It'll work. It WILL work...*
"Just what do you have in mind, black flower?"
He knelt by the pool, splashing the liquid with his hand. "You're going to contaminate this pool."
"Oh, I am?"
"If I'm right, you can control people when they bathe in a pool contaminated by your magic, right?"
"Yessss."
"So, they all bathe in here, and we have complete control over them!"
"A fine idea," she said dryly.
He frowned. "Wait a second...you've been controlling Bunnie and the King without any problems..."
She shrugged. "I can only control so many people at once. With the power of the Source behind it, I could control hundreds with little problem."
"Good, good!" His eyes lit up. "Go for it, then."
Her lip curled up. "No."
"NO!?" He stood up, fists clenching. "I'm getting tired of hearing that, Cass!"
She advanced on him with incredible speed, pulling him up to face level. "I am getting tired of you ordering me about!"
"I'm not ordering...just asking a favor."
"Your favors are just about at an end! Do this, do that," she mocked. "I tire of this."
He put his hands to her cheeks, stroking her fur with his fingers. "Oh, Cass, come on. You can't tell me you're not having fun..."
She put her free hand on his, smiling. "Your charm..."
He smiled back pleasantly.
"...has about run its course."
A surge of energy leapt from her hand atop his, seeming to head straight down his spinal cord. He couldn't do much more than yelp; his lungs seemed suddenly constricted.
She dropped him onto the ground with a snort.
The group of villagers whispered among themselves. Geoffrey smirked. Bunnie and the King only cast weary looks at each other.
Snively stood up shakily, lower lip trembling and tears hanging in his eyes. "Cass, that hurt," he whined.
She poked his skinny chest with her finger. "You seem to be using me, Cast, and I don't like it!"
"I'm not using..." his voice trailed off, and he hung his head, feeling slightly ashamed.
He wouldn't normally feel guilty for using someone. He wouldn't feel bad for ordering them about. Because most likely, he wouldn't like the person anyway, so it wouldn't matter.
But he felt an ache inside at her remark, and realized, he did like her...she was beautiful, and smart, and she seemed to care for him in her own odd way...
"I'm sorry," he mumbled.
He grabbed her dangling hand and hugged it to his cheek. "I'm sorry, Casssar, I know...I...I had no right to boss you around, I just got so excited about what your powers could do...I forgot all about our friendship..."
She looked down at him sternly. "You know I like you, black flower, but I do not appreciate you using me as a tool for whatever you're trying to do here..."
"I know, I'm sorry."
"I wanted to see you. I did not want to become your peon."
"I'm sorry," he repeated, but his voice was starting to sound strained. He did not like apologizing.
She chuckled. "It is hard for you to say, isn't it?"
He lowered his eyes. "Yes... I have to say it so many times to Robotnik...it's not a pleasant word to me..." He hugged her hand tighter. "But I mean it, Cass, really, I do...even if I don't sound like it."
"You don't sound like it," she said. "But I can feel the sincerity in your hand..." Her fingers twitched in his grasp, and he let go.
Her angry look faded.
He remained looking down at the floor.
Yes, he was sorry. He didn't want to lose her friendship, because he had no friends. But at the same time, the thought of his plan going down the drain made him fume.
"Casssar," he stood up. "I know, I was acting like a bastard, but this thing I'm doing...it's well...important to me. I've never had this opportunity...it's so perfect. And after this all boils down, we can have fun..." His eyes stared at the Source pool, but weren't focused...he was not staring at anything in the tangible world.
Casssar wondered what exactly he was thinking. "All right," she said simply. "I will do this thing you ask."
He looked at her in surprise, then he threw his arms around her in a hug. "Thank you, Cass...you don't know how much this means to me..."
She returned the hug. "I will gladly help you, Cast, but you must treat me like a friend from now on...not a worker..."
Then she leaned down, and laid kisses on his forehead, down along his cheek. "And if not a friend...then a lover..."
"How about," he kissed her, then broke away, "both."
"Good," her lips touched his, "idea..."
"There they go again," said Bunnie.
"Do they do that a lot?" Geoffrey questioned.
"Unfortunately, yes." King Acorn shook his head, looking repulsed.
"That's about the sickest thing I ever seen, mate." Geoffrey spat in the general direction of the ermine and human, who were apparently trying to eat each other's tongues out.
"It ain't sick with me an' Antoine," Bunnie chimed, then looked embarrassed as the two men eyed her.
"I never knew how to do that at your age," King Acorn said disapprovingly.
"I bet that Frenchman packs a helluva French kiss, eh?" Geoffrey chuckled.
"Hey now, let's uh...change the subject, all rait?"
"Yeah, like how we gonna get away?!" one of the villagers exclaimed.
"Ask us somethin' we know," growled Geoffrey.
********
Snively shivered.
The group of villagers, including the loudmouth skunk, feisty rabbit, and ever-noble King Acorn, stared at him with eyes empty of any emotion. They were like an army of zombies before him.
"Well, I have to admit, this is impressive."
Casssar smiled.
He'd finally told her his plan, and she had to admit, it was quite pleasing. She looked forward to the end results, but even more forward to being alone with him afterwards. He'd looked embarrassed when she'd said that.
*Silly black flower.* She looked at him fondly.
"Let's get some more people," he said excitedly. "Oh, the look on his face when..." he trailed off, shaking with giddiness.
"Allright, let's."
*******
Robotnik was getting a red mark on his fat cheek where his head rested on his hand. He was staring at the red light that kept insistently blinking, and the readout on his handy dandy computer screen mounted to his chair.
Incoming call. Incoming Call
Little lackeys have big ideas
Casssar looked around the village as she walked along with the rabbit. It seemed like a peaceful place. At the moment, anyway. Considering it was a rebel base, she suspected they were often alarmed by Robotnik's antics.
It was a nice village, but she couldn't stand to be in one place too long. She had to run. Had to be free, unconfined.
Had to be everything the opposite of what she lived as a child...
**No...no... I am a nomad. It's always been the heart of me...* She closed her eyes, barely noticing that they were entering a building.
"Don't let 'im do this."
Casssar looked at the yellow rabbit, whose large eyes were pleading. A black communicating device was held in her hands. Casssar noticed for the first time that one of her arms was robotic.
"I'm not helping. Just watching."
"Ya'll don't understand what'll happen if 'e gets this."
"It's not my concern." Casssar was debating which of the rabbit's hands contrasted better against the black communicator.
The tawny yellow, like sunlight draped across night?...or the silver, like a sleek building looming above an asphalt road?
The rabbit protested again, and Casssar looked away from her hands. She tended to get caught up in small details like that. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that the rabbit had what Castdecass wanted.
She left the hut, going back towards the meeting hall. Still wrapped in her 'leash spell', the rabbit had no choice but to follow.
*********
Robotnik growled.
He growled because, for 2.5 minutes, a little light had been beeping on the enormous computer console. It seemed to be some sort of radio signal, but from the readout on his handy-dandy armrest computer, he could tell it was not from Robotropolis.
He figured it was the rebels.
They were trying to annoy him, no doubt.
He ground his teeth.
They were doing a good job.
He was hesitant to answer the call.
"Snively," he growled into his COM link, as he contacted the clean-up site. "Come in, or you will suffer dearly. Do not make me come down there..."
He waited.
"If you don't come in, you little BASTARD, I will..."
Robotnik trailed off, because there was no answer. He tried to calm himself. That craven nephew of his wouldn't stand around and listen to threats, and NOT do anything.
So maybe something was wrong, or maybe he wasn't near the communicator.
He contacted a SWATbot.
"What's going on down there?" he demanded.
"We are cleaning and repairing the wreckage, sir."
"Where is Snively?!"
The SWAT was silent for a moment, then responded, "He is not at the clean-up site, sir. He instructed us to keep working."
"Where did he go?" Robotnik rubbed his temples, sighing heavily. Maybe he was getting worked up for nothing. The little worm had probably just went to go take a piss or something.
"He did not say, sir."
Robotnik growled. "Have him contact me immediately when he returns."
"Yes sir."
"Now get back to work." Robotnik cut the link and sat in his chair, hands clasped under his chin.
His eyes were calm for the moment, but a storm was growing fast on the horizon.
*********
"GODDAMMIT!"
Casssar watched as Castdecass threw down the part of the communicator that was used for speaking. It hung off the edge of the table, swinging forlornly on its cord.
"Awwww, what's wrong?" Bunnie taunted. "Can't get through. Ah told ya."
He paced the room, teeth clenched. "No. It gets through. There just isn't any answer."
Bunnie shifted in her seat nervously. "It doesn't work."
He stopped pacing, glaring at her. "It *does* work. Don't even try to trick me, Ms. Rabbot."
She shrugged.
"That fatass has to hear it. Why isn't he picking up?" he mused, eyes on her the whole time. She became a little uncomfortable under his piercing stare, but didn't let it show. Instead, she nonchalantly draped her arms around the back of her chair, and smiled at him.
"Maybe he don't want ta." She lazily crossed her legs. "Or maybe it seems like it's gettin' through, but it really ain't."
"It is!" he insisted, teeth bared.
"How do ya know?"
He drew a hissing breath in through his teeth. "Because, I'm much smarter than you, and I know that it's getting through."
"Oh really?" She lifted her eyebrow. "Ya ain't that smart if ya can't figure out how ta work an ole communicator."
"You shut up!" His temper came on like a flash storm; he was by her chair in seconds, raising his fist.
Despite herself, she winced.
He smiled slightly, letting his hand drop down to his side. He turned back to the communicator. "I don't have any way of making him pick up. He will eventually, I guess."
He looked around the room, eyes coming to a stop on King Acorn. The monarch glared back, although his face was slack with weariness.
His eyes turned, looking upon Casssar.
Bunnie didn't like what she saw.
Subtle at first, his lips held the trace of a smile, which swiftly turned into a full sly grin.
"In the meantime," he said, voice low and cunning, "I have an idea..."
He stood on tiptoes, stretching his body to reach Casssar's face. She lowered her head, wrapping her arms around his slender form. Bunnie scowled as the two kissed.
"Ew," she whispered, glancing over at King Acorn, who looked sickened. He met her eyes, and raised his eyebrows in a helpless manner. He could not move more than his head.
"Cass," Snively whispered, but Bunnie's keen ears could hear him. "Would you do a favor for me?"
Casssar smiled, light glinting off her fanged teeth. "It depends on what it is."
"Ohhh, you'll like this one, trust me." He looked over at his captives, eyes narrowed and nearly black, sinister smile on his lips.
Bunnie sighed.
This was not good.
*********
The communicator sat alone on the table. Every ten seconds, it patched into Robotropolis, demanding attention.
The room was empty.
Bunnie and the king stumbled along after Casssar. Snively was humming cheerfully as he led them all back towards the opening by the power ring pool.
His boots crunched upon the dirt as he neared a large tree.
A flash of black and white sprang out, blocking his path.
Snively jumped back in surprise, slamming into Casssar. Then a sour look crossed his features and he eyed the skunk standing before him.
"Commander Stinko on the prowl, eh? Out of my way."
"What are you doing here?" Geoffrey demanded. He gave Bunnie and Acorn a look tinged with suspicion.
"Geoffrey, watch out, this lady knows magic!" Bunnie yelped.
Geoffrey took a step back, then realized she'd said the lady, not Snively. He wondered if the short human still had those strange powers. Probably not, he reasoned.
But now he had another magic-user to deal with. He eyed her more closely, and couldn't help but feel a tingling in his thighs. Damn, she was beautiful, in an eerie way.
Jet black fur and olive green eyes that sparkled with some sort of twisted amusement, a voluptuous body that bore no clothing...
"Dun worry about that, Bunnie, we've got these mates outnumbered."
From the trees stepped more Freedom fighters. They looked nervous; most were regular villagers Geoffrey had quickly round up.
Snively looked around, eyebrow raised. Normally he might've felt a little apprehensive. But with Cass, he wasn't even a tad worried.
"Oh please," he said. "You think to beat me with this pathetic bunch?"
The villagers clenched their fists.
"We might not be the best fighters, but we ain't gonna let scum like you come in here!"
"Scum?" Snively mock-pouted. "Really, that's not nice."
"I'll show you not nice!" One of the villagers had a rock in their hand, and they hurled it at the small human. Snively ducked his head, but the rock missed, flying far past them.
Another rock came hurtling from another hand, this time cracking Bunnie in the metallic shoulder.
"Hey now, ya'll watch where yer throwin' those!" she bellowed.
Snively laughed. "They can't even throw properly."
Geoffrey threw forward his gloved arm, the one with the miniature crossbow mounted on it. "Let them go, or this goes straight through that black heart o' yours."
"Black heart?" Snively laughed harder. "My, aren't we eloquent today?"
"Shut up," growled Geoffrey, partly because he didn't understand them 'damn big words', and partly because Snively's laugh was getting on his nerves. He steadied his arm, expecting the human to start whining and give up in the face of this apparent threat.
But Snively arrogantly turned his back, smiling at Casssar. "You can take care of them, can't you?"
"No," she said.
He flinched. "Are you sure?" he asked, his eyes widening.
"No, there are too many."
He bit his lip, looking worried. Casssar laughed.
"Don't be foolish," she said. "Of course I can!"
He grinned. "Then do it!"
"Turn around, I ain't gonna shoot you in the back. I'm no yellow-belly!" Geoffrey was taunting.
"No." A teasing smirk rested on Casssar's lips. Bunnie looked at her, then back to Snively, who was starting to look slightly irritated.
"Casssar, this is no time to start acting 'funny'..."
She shrugged.
He turned back to Geoffrey. "If you know what's good for you, you'll clear out of my way, right now!"
"Why should I?" Geoffrey took a menacing step forward, his unarmed hand locking on Snively's shirt-front and pulling him nearly off the ground. Snively strained on his tiptoes, trying to pull away.
"Let go of me!" the human hollered, shoving on Geoffrey's broad chest with both tiny hands, but the skunk only tightened his grip.
"That was easy enough," he grunted, looking back to nod at the other villagers. "Now get the girl."
They advanced on Casssar. She stood stock-still, the amused look still on her face.
Geoffrey threw a sidelong look at his captive, smiling nastily. He blew his breath purposely into the human's face. Snively wrinkled his nose, glaring back.
"Not usin' them big fancy words now, are we?" Geoffrey laughed loudly. "Now who's pathetic?"
Snively let an eerie smile spread across his face. Geoffrey scowled, not liking the blue-eyed demure stare the human was giving him.
"Stop it." He didn't notice Sniv had one leg drawn back, didn't notice until the foot was flying forward, burying itself in his crotch.
"AAHH!" Geoffrey dropped down to his knees.
Snively easily pulled himself from the injured skunk's grip. "Bastard," he muttered, and decided to kick him again for extra measure.
Geoffrey moaned, falling face first onto the ground.
Snively stepped out of Geoffrey's reach, just in case, and watched Casssar battle the villagers with his eyebrow raised and a smirk upon his face.
She easily defeated the villagers, dropping them like flies around her feet. He didn't know if they were dead, or merely unconscious. A shiver went through him at Casssar's features, twisted in a sadistic grin, and hoped suddenly that it was the latter...
He didn't want to imagine her being able to kill with a flick of her fingers.
She didn't even seem tired afterwards, and Bunnie and the king were still under her power. He wondered just how powerful some of her spells were.
"Good job, Cass!" he praised, walking up to her. She nodded in satisfaction.
"Are they dead?" he asked.
She looked mischievous. "Does it matter?"
"Well..." The air around her was teeming with energy, and his skin crawled at its touch...
"No."
"Oh." He tried to keep the relief out of his voice.
"You sound nervous."
"Oh no." His laugh jittered slightly. "Why would I be?"
"Scared of my power." She knelt down in front of him, grabbing his head in her hands.
"MFFF!" He let out a gasp before his mouth was covered by hers. Her tongue swept against his... His fingers tightened on her shoulders, his eyes going wide, because the energy was surging through him. He felt a shudder go through him, and the world spun...
Her tongue rolled around his, but he couldn't respond, body shuddering and veins tingling. She let go suddenly and he fell onto the ground, staring up at her.
His breath came in gasping, and his cheeks flushed...the power had caused his body to get rather excited, and he could feel this excitement straining against his pants...
"Now are you scared?" she asked, extending her foot and planting it onto his crotch, kneading him with her toes.
"Ohhhhh," he groaned, feeling pleasure, cheeks flushing even more.
Bunnie and the king looked on in disgust.
He felt their stares and pushed Casssar's foot off, getting to his feet. He shifted his weight rather uncomfortably, feeling extremely hot inside his uniform.
"Now you feel how I feel," Casssar said. "Exciting, isn't it?" Her eyes sparkled, a naughty smile on her face.
He didn't know how to respond. He shot a look at King Acorn and the rabbot. They glared back.
"Ya'll are sick!" Bunnie spat at Casssar.
"Oooh, Castdecass doesn't think so," Cass hissed, pulling him to her. Her hand draped around his waist, fondling him with her fingers.
He pulled away, slapping her hand. "Stop that Cass...you can't do that in front of people!"
Bunnie made a retching noise. "Please, listen to ole Needlenose!"
She looked disappointed. "We have to wait till we're alone?"
He gave an embarrassed nod.
Bunnie was still making the noise. "How can ya'll be even wantin' to *touch* him?!"
"Enough!" King Acorn growled. "What do you intend to do to us?" He struggled to break free of the ermine's spell, but it was in vain.
"Ohhh." Snively smiled widely. "Thank you for reminding me..." He looked over at Casssar. "We have to get all these people down to the Source pool."
*******
"Doctor Robotnik, come in."
Robotnik growled, opening the link. "Yes, Packbell?"
The android sounded frustrated. "We lost them."
"Where did they go?"
"They headed west...the clean-up crew were caught off-guard...they didn't do squat. I guess they're long gone now."
Robotnik pounded his armrest with his metallic fist.
Then he sighed heavily. "Packbell?"
"Yeah?"
"Where are you right now?"
"Heading back to the command center."
"Go to the clean-up site."
"All right."
He heard the sound of Packbell's feet crunching over gravel and scattered junk that lay along the streets. Finally the android stopped.
"Allright, now what?"
"Do you see Snively anywhere?"
"No."
"Did you see him at *all*?"
He could almost hear the android shrug. "Nope."
Robotnik let out a long low growl.
"Why, sir...he is in trouble?" Packbell's tone was edged with malicious glee.
"HE WILL BE WHEN I GET A HOLD OF HIM!" Robotnik hollered, then calmed slightly. "I want you to find him, Packbell, and quickly."
"All right," the android said obligingly, sounding quite eager to do the task.
"And bring him to me when you do..."
Having closed the link with Packbell, Robotnik turned his attention upon that little red light on the console, counting silently in his mind.
Silence.
For ten seconds.
Then *beep* for a period of 5 seconds.
Then silence again.
For ten seconds...
He snarled.
********
The group of frightened villagers huddled in a corner of the Source cave. King Acorn and Bunnie, still paralyzed, tried to soothe them with comforting words.
Geoffrey was cursing and threatening, but he too was paralyzed.
A pair of blue eyes reflected gold and silver liquid, then turned to sweep over the group of Mobians. A twisted smile broke on Snively's face, and he chuckled.
Casssar stood with her hands on her hips, eyeing her Castdecass. He'd said bring them here. He hadn't said what for...
Snively turned to face her, rubbing his cheeks. They were starting to ache. He realized it was the smiling causing it. He'd probably never grinned this much in his life.
He let it drop from his face, but it quickly returned. It just felt so damn good, knowing his plan, knowing it would work...
Knowing Robotnik was going to suffer...
*If it all works out, that is...if not...* He saw the mental image of Robotnik's fist bearing down on him, and shoved it away. *It'll work. It'll work. It WILL work...*
"Just what do you have in mind, black flower?"
He knelt by the pool, splashing the liquid with his hand. "You're going to contaminate this pool."
"Oh, I am?"
"If I'm right, you can control people when they bathe in a pool contaminated by your magic, right?"
"Yessss."
"So, they all bathe in here, and we have complete control over them!"
"A fine idea," she said dryly.
He frowned. "Wait a second...you've been controlling Bunnie and the King without any problems..."
She shrugged. "I can only control so many people at once. With the power of the Source behind it, I could control hundreds with little problem."
"Good, good!" His eyes lit up. "Go for it, then."
Her lip curled up. "No."
"NO!?" He stood up, fists clenching. "I'm getting tired of hearing that, Cass!"
She advanced on him with incredible speed, pulling him up to face level. "I am getting tired of you ordering me about!"
"I'm not ordering...just asking a favor."
"Your favors are just about at an end! Do this, do that," she mocked. "I tire of this."
He put his hands to her cheeks, stroking her fur with his fingers. "Oh, Cass, come on. You can't tell me you're not having fun..."
She put her free hand on his, smiling. "Your charm..."
He smiled back pleasantly.
"...has about run its course."
A surge of energy leapt from her hand atop his, seeming to head straight down his spinal cord. He couldn't do much more than yelp; his lungs seemed suddenly constricted.
She dropped him onto the ground with a snort.
The group of villagers whispered among themselves. Geoffrey smirked. Bunnie and the King only cast weary looks at each other.
Snively stood up shakily, lower lip trembling and tears hanging in his eyes. "Cass, that hurt," he whined.
She poked his skinny chest with her finger. "You seem to be using me, Cast, and I don't like it!"
"I'm not using..." his voice trailed off, and he hung his head, feeling slightly ashamed.
He wouldn't normally feel guilty for using someone. He wouldn't feel bad for ordering them about. Because most likely, he wouldn't like the person anyway, so it wouldn't matter.
But he felt an ache inside at her remark, and realized, he did like her...she was beautiful, and smart, and she seemed to care for him in her own odd way...
"I'm sorry," he mumbled.
He grabbed her dangling hand and hugged it to his cheek. "I'm sorry, Casssar, I know...I...I had no right to boss you around, I just got so excited about what your powers could do...I forgot all about our friendship..."
She looked down at him sternly. "You know I like you, black flower, but I do not appreciate you using me as a tool for whatever you're trying to do here..."
"I know, I'm sorry."
"I wanted to see you. I did not want to become your peon."
"I'm sorry," he repeated, but his voice was starting to sound strained. He did not like apologizing.
She chuckled. "It is hard for you to say, isn't it?"
He lowered his eyes. "Yes... I have to say it so many times to Robotnik...it's not a pleasant word to me..." He hugged her hand tighter. "But I mean it, Cass, really, I do...even if I don't sound like it."
"You don't sound like it," she said. "But I can feel the sincerity in your hand..." Her fingers twitched in his grasp, and he let go.
Her angry look faded.
He remained looking down at the floor.
Yes, he was sorry. He didn't want to lose her friendship, because he had no friends. But at the same time, the thought of his plan going down the drain made him fume.
"Casssar," he stood up. "I know, I was acting like a bastard, but this thing I'm doing...it's well...important to me. I've never had this opportunity...it's so perfect. And after this all boils down, we can have fun..." His eyes stared at the Source pool, but weren't focused...he was not staring at anything in the tangible world.
Casssar wondered what exactly he was thinking. "All right," she said simply. "I will do this thing you ask."
He looked at her in surprise, then he threw his arms around her in a hug. "Thank you, Cass...you don't know how much this means to me..."
She returned the hug. "I will gladly help you, Cast, but you must treat me like a friend from now on...not a worker..."
Then she leaned down, and laid kisses on his forehead, down along his cheek. "And if not a friend...then a lover..."
"How about," he kissed her, then broke away, "both."
"Good," her lips touched his, "idea..."
"There they go again," said Bunnie.
"Do they do that a lot?" Geoffrey questioned.
"Unfortunately, yes." King Acorn shook his head, looking repulsed.
"That's about the sickest thing I ever seen, mate." Geoffrey spat in the general direction of the ermine and human, who were apparently trying to eat each other's tongues out.
"It ain't sick with me an' Antoine," Bunnie chimed, then looked embarrassed as the two men eyed her.
"I never knew how to do that at your age," King Acorn said disapprovingly.
"I bet that Frenchman packs a helluva French kiss, eh?" Geoffrey chuckled.
"Hey now, let's uh...change the subject, all rait?"
"Yeah, like how we gonna get away?!" one of the villagers exclaimed.
"Ask us somethin' we know," growled Geoffrey.
********
Snively shivered.
The group of villagers, including the loudmouth skunk, feisty rabbit, and ever-noble King Acorn, stared at him with eyes empty of any emotion. They were like an army of zombies before him.
"Well, I have to admit, this is impressive."
Casssar smiled.
He'd finally told her his plan, and she had to admit, it was quite pleasing. She looked forward to the end results, but even more forward to being alone with him afterwards. He'd looked embarrassed when she'd said that.
*Silly black flower.* She looked at him fondly.
"Let's get some more people," he said excitedly. "Oh, the look on his face when..." he trailed off, shaking with giddiness.
"Allright, let's."
*******
Robotnik was getting a red mark on his fat cheek where his head rested on his hand. He was staring at the red light that kept insistently blinking, and the readout on his handy dandy computer screen mounted to his chair.
Incoming call. Incoming Call