Chapter 6:
Squirreled away
Sally felt as if her lungs were being stabbed. They hurt so bad. She slowed her frantic pace to a walk, feeling nauseous.
As soon as her legs had slowed, she doubled over in pain, gripping her cramping stomach.
*Ohhhh, it hurts...Oh...*
She stood, bended over for a few moments, her breath coming in ragged pants. Her throat felt rubbed raw, her pulse pounded in her throat.
But at least she was home.
She straightened, and continued forward in a walk, but her legs were trembling from exertion.
*Remind me never to run that much again.*
---Sally. Be careful.---
*Why?*
Sally frowned as she looked around her village. It seemed utterly deserted. The gardens where people usually worked were empty. No one was walking about, there was no movements in the windows of the huts.
---Sally, there has been great contamination.---
The squirrel stopped, looking around nervously. *You mean Casssar has tainted the Source pool?*
---Yes.---
She went further into the village, getting close to the village center. Her heart jumped at seeing a bunch of Freedom Fighters grouped there.
*There they are! What are they doing?* She walked towards them, quickly, waving her hands to get their attention.
---NO SALLY! DO NOT APPROACH THEM!!---
She stopped in her tracks and went to hide, but it was too late. They'd seen her, and were racing towards her.
She tried to run, but her legs screamed in protest. She stumbled, only traveling a few feet, and then was grabbed roughly by several pairs of hands. They dragged her back towards the group.
She struggled, throwing her head side to side, pushing and slapping with her arms, but it was in vain. Her claws even caught one of them in the eye, and he didn't even flinch.
"What's going on?! LET ME GO!"
---They're possessed, Sally!---
"Possessed by who?" she yelled.
The door to the meeting hall opened up, and from it emerged a familiar black-furred woman.
"By me," said Casssar.
Sally's eyes widened at the sight of her. "You're here?!"
Casssar gave her a grin that said 'of course!'.
Sally struggled harder, slamming her elbow into one of her captor's heads. They grunted, but didn't loosen their grip.
"Bring her in," said Casssar. Her olive eyes focused on Sally's face with fierce intensity. "And you're welcome to come along too, Cu Chulainne..."
******
Inside, Sally was roughly shoved down into a chair, where she sat, looking nervously about at her fellow villagers. She saw her father, Bunnie and Geoffrey standing in one corner, but she didn't speak to them.
Their eyes were totally blank, and she knew they would not respond to her voice.
Instead, she turned her gaze upon the little human who took position in front of her, arms crossed over his chest.
"What are you doing here, Snively?" she demanded.
"Waiting for Robotnik."
Her eyes widened again, and she went to stand, but found her legs paralyzed. She shook her finger at him instead.
"You didn't?!"
"I did," he gloated. "I called him," he checked his watch, "perhaps ten minutes ago. He'll be here shortly."
Her voice shook in desperation. "You're bluffing."
"I don't bluff, Princess."
She sat back, thoughts racing.
---Robotnik does not know of the Source.---
*Who cares?! He's found Knothole, and no doubt he will know about it, as soon as he gets here...what do I do, what do I do!?*
---We must fight.---
Sally gulped nervously, looking around at the listless villagers. *How can we...there's too many...and my legs are...are paralyzed or something...*
Their empty eyes stared at hers, and hers reflected back the frustration their trapped wills were feeling. *Sonic. Oh Sonic, where are you when I need you...?*
There was a sudden cooing noise, loud in the silence of the room. In through the window flew Chuck's messenger. It buzzed around the zombie villagers and then to her, landing upon her trembling shoulder.
"What is that?" Snively asked sharply, advancing on her, hand out as if to grab the tiny creature.
"It...it's our messenger," she said. Her hands reached for the tube, but he snatched it away.
The tightly rolled message came out into his hand and he unfurled it, azure eyes scanning it quickly. A smile touched his lips, one Sally didn't care for, a nasty mocking thing.
"Well, isn't this sweet," he chuckled. "But I'm afraid it's a little too late."
"What is it?" Now Sally was the one demanding.
"Shall I read it aloud?" He smiled to Casssar and the ermine grinned back and nodded.
"Oh yes, Black Flower...don't keep us in suspense."
Sally's brow wrinkled worriedly; the villagers looked blank.
"The handwriting's rather messy. I suppose he wrote it in a hurry." He snickered, then cleared his throat.
Donning a sickly sweet falsetto, he crooned, "Dear Freedom Fighters... Uncle Chuck here. No time for small talk, this is urgent. Robotnik just got a call from a transmission outside the city. It was Snively," he paused to bow, "apparently the little runt..." now he frowned, and wagged a finger at the letter as if the paper were naughty, "found the location of Knothole!! So take every precaution, hide, evacuate, whatever, but please be careful... this might be the real thing!!! Love always, Uncle Chuck."
He opened his hand. The note fluttered down to crumple in a forlorn heap. "My goodness, Uncle Charles was a bit late with his warning, wasn't he? After I obliterate this place, I'll have to find him too..."
Sally frowned, but inside she felt sick. The bird cooed and flew from her shoulder and out the window. *Well... at least it's safe.* Her body trembled harder. *Too bad we're not...*
---Sally, I will help you fight.---
"Well, nobody will be evacuating, I'm afraid. This 'little runt' has plans for you." His eyes rested on her, and a smirk quirked the corner of his lips, eyes a-sparkle.
*Cu...Cu what do I do!? I don't wanna believe it, but he's right... if somebody dosen't do something...* She gulped painfully; she was the only one here capable, and she was afraid.
---Sally, do not give up on me. I will help you.---
She blinked away tears. *Alright. Let's do it to it, then!*
Casssar jumped.
Snively looked over at her, eyes narrowed. "What's wrong?"
"Cu Chulainne...it is trying to take them back!" She gestured towards the zombie Freedom Fighters, her face locked in a grimace.
Snively's gaze shot to Sally. "I didn't know Cu was with her!"
"Yes!" Casssar snarled, her brows wrinkled in an intense frown. She seemed to be fighting some sort of mental battle, and the little human stood, just watching her.
---She is tightening her hold! Blocking me from their minds!---
Sally found her legs free. Casssar was distracted, forgetting to hold her down. She leapt forward, fist clenched, and swung it in a fast arc, smashing Casssar in the face.
The ermine stumbled backwards, long legs slipping and sending her tumbling upon the ground. Her eyes flew open wide as Sally's boot planted itself hard into her belly.
"Don't touch her." Snively stepped forward, giving Sally a hard backhand to the face.
Sally was surprised. She hadn't expected violence from him; usually the runt was all talk.
Casssar started to rise, and Sally sprung upon her again, grabbing her head and slamming it up against the wooden wall.
"GET OFF HER!" She felt the human's tiny hands grabbing her vest and tugging, and then Casssar's hands pushing and pounding on her chest.
"Uh, help!" she cried, but the villagers only stared blankly ahead.
She felt Cu shift inside her. ---Open your mind Sally, let me take control.---
She'd done this before... she relaxed, not thinking, then felt a golden warmth inside her as Cu Chulainne gently took control over her body, filling it with power. Now Cu would control her actions, but Sally didn't mind. The Light was an unusually good fighter...
Then Sally grabbed Casssar's attacking hands, crushing them in hers, stood. Still holding the ermine, she whirled, letting her go flying into the meeting table.
She heard an enraged snarl. Then a punch, or kick, some sort of vicious blow to her side. She turned quickly on her heel, facing Snively. He had his fists clenched.
"You little punk!" She grabbed him by the shirt.
"Bitch!" His eyes were wild with fury. His hand shot forward, planting itself on her face. She howled as his fingers gouged into her eyes, trying to pry them out of her head.
"BASTARD!" She let go of him, and it seemed the very force of her voice sent him flying backwards, toppling over a chair.
Sally's veins tingled, and she knew it was the power of Cu's magic... He got up, still angry, but looking desperate now...he knew he had little chance against Cu.
He reached behind him, snatching the fallen chair, and ran towards her, brandishing it. She tried to dodge, but he belted her with it. She heard the splinter of wood. Fell to the floor.
He raised the remains of the chair over his head, intending to smash her with it, but she grabbed his ankle and pulled hard.
He hit the floor beside her, but this time Cu wasn't playing. Sally's hand shot out, grabbing him by the throat and squeezing hard, her claws digging in and drawing blood.
Then he found himself greeting a wall, face-first, as she tossed him aside viciously. He blinked, dazed, gasping for air.
She heard footsteps. Turned. Casssar was to her feet, her eyes nearly glowing, her face contorted in rage. She shot her hands forward toward the squirrel.
Sally didn't see it exactly. She saw the air ripple like a heat wave, saw the chairs and table shudder, then she was slammed by an incredible force. It toppled her over backwards, completely onto her back, then seemed to sink down into her flesh.
She screamed.
It burned! She tried to thrash, wanting to beat her hands upon her body, even though there was no flame to extinguish. But Cu still had her mind in its grip, and she could not move.
*CU HELP ME PLEASE PLEASE HELP MEE!!!*
Through her watering vision, she saw Casssar advancing on her.
*CU LET ME GO, PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT!* Her thoughts ran in terrified circles.
---Sally, you will be ok, calm down...---
*I'M BURNING!! PLEASE STOP IT CU!! PLEASE!!*
She felt her flesh melting. Felt her fur turning to ash, blowing away.
*******
"Oh to be thanking you for saving me!"
Sonic sighed. "Yeah, Ant, it was no prob."
Tails shook his fist. "Yeah, that ole Packbell was no match for us."
Antoine shivered. "He was going to be shish-ke-bobbing me!"
"Yeah, he sure is sick," Sonic agreed. Then his ear swiveled, catching a noise in the distance. "What's that?"
"I dunno!" Tails and Antoine had heard it too, and they all stood silently for a moment.
"It's coming from that way," Sonic finally decided, pointing towards the east. As they traveled in that direction, the sound seemed to be getting louder, but at the same time, was rapidly fading away.
They crested a large hill and could see over the trees.
"There!" Antoine exclaimed.
They saw a few specks in the sky, moving away from them quickly.
"What is it?" Tails squinted.
"Birds?"
"No, no, they're..." Sonic's sharp eyes found some recognition in the specks' shape. "Hovercraft!"
They all exchanged looks.
"They're heading towards Knothole!" The small orange fox cried.
"Non, Robotneek, he could not be knowing..."
"No time to think about it, let's get down there quick."
They nodded in agreement, and hopped aboard their speedy blue transport. Sonic revved up his legs and started off towards his home.
He couldn't help but think of Sally. How weird she'd acted. He gulped.
*No. She'd never give it away. Not for *anything*.*
*******
Sally sat in a chair. The burning had stopped. But she was afraid.
Snively seemed to be getting impatient, checking his watch constantly and growling through his bared teeth. He had a tissue clenched in one hand, pressing it against the cuts on his throat, but they weren't serious, and the bleeding was nearly stopped.
Casssar had moved all the villagers away from Sally, and she and Snively were also far removed from the squirrel's touching distance.
Because Cu Chulainne had one flaw; the entity had to touch, or be in close proximity, in order to connect to another's mind. The ermine wasn't dumb. She knew this.
Sally felt her legs go from paralyzed, to working again...back and forth; Cu was fighting Casssar's spell, but Sally refused to get up. She knew Knothole and the Source, the very lifeblood of Mobius, were at stake.
But she couldn't. Her body was weak with fear.
---You must, Sally. You must. I will protect you. You must help your people!---
But the terrified young girl ignored Cu, sitting up straighter, wide eyes staring at Casssar and Snively.
"What did you do to her?" he questioned Cass.
"A little trick I like to call combustion...feels as if you're burning from the inside..."
"Owww," said Snively. "Please don't ever get that angry with me, Cass!"
"Ooooh, my sweet little black flower," she cooed, enveloping her tiny friend into her arms. "I would never..."
Where her hands touched his body, he felt a thrilling sensation emanate, and he gasped, feeling himself becoming aroused again. His thoughts dropped into a dreamy haze, but he stepped away from her, shattering the bliss.
"Sorry, but I want to be clear-headed for this..."
"Afterwards then," she purred, licking her lips, while her eyes probed meaningfully at his crotch.
He blushed, turning away.
Sally's ears heard something. A machine of some type. Far away, but nearing. Hovercraft from the sound of it.
She moaned in fear. *We're dead. We're dead. We're dead.*
Her eyes connected with the ones of her friends, but their expressions never changed. Her body trembled, and she whimpered loudly, curling up onto the chair, hugging herself.
*They don't even know, do they? That we're going to die...?*
The small human looked over at her with a frown. "What's wrong with you?" He grinned deviously. "Besides the fact your little town is going to be obliterated today..."
---Sally, stop! YOU MUST FIGHT!!!---
"I hear something," said Casssar.
"What?" asked Snively, but he knew, and the grin deepened into something far more unpleasant than devious; it turned malicious and spiteful, and it made even Casssar cringe to see it.
"Machines. Coming this way."
"Yes, I figured. It's Robotnik..." the human nodded, letting the grin slide, and looking thoughtful. "How should we go about this?" He eyed his brainwashed troops.
"Alright, I'll bring some of them out, and keep some in here... Some will be in hiding, I know he'll bring a few SWATs with him, but he'll have backups...most likely he won't have them land until he gloats for a couple minutes." He shook his head. "Julian was always reckless. Well, just plain stupid for that matter, but that's what I'm counting on..."
He looked out the window, trailing off, and was silent. There was no need to continue; the plan was there in his mind, shining and perfect. It would go exactly how he wished. It had to. It would. "You know the rest, Cass." His voice came out low and trembling; starting to shiver with the knowledge of what was to come. Oh, but they were good shivers... good indeed.
Casssar raised an eyebrow at her small friend. "Yes, I know."
Now the hovercraft were close enough that even the human's inferior hearing could pick up the sound, and he bounced about excitedly. "Come on, Casssar, let's get ready!!"
Sally shook her head as they began to order the villagers to their positions. "Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no..." She moaned, rocking back and forth on the chair, while Cu screamed within her.
---Sally, get up! You must stop this!---
"It's too late," she whispered aloud. "It's too late, Cu, we're dead. We're dead..."
Squirreled away
Sally felt as if her lungs were being stabbed. They hurt so bad. She slowed her frantic pace to a walk, feeling nauseous.
As soon as her legs had slowed, she doubled over in pain, gripping her cramping stomach.
*Ohhhh, it hurts...Oh...*
She stood, bended over for a few moments, her breath coming in ragged pants. Her throat felt rubbed raw, her pulse pounded in her throat.
But at least she was home.
She straightened, and continued forward in a walk, but her legs were trembling from exertion.
*Remind me never to run that much again.*
---Sally. Be careful.---
*Why?*
Sally frowned as she looked around her village. It seemed utterly deserted. The gardens where people usually worked were empty. No one was walking about, there was no movements in the windows of the huts.
---Sally, there has been great contamination.---
The squirrel stopped, looking around nervously. *You mean Casssar has tainted the Source pool?*
---Yes.---
She went further into the village, getting close to the village center. Her heart jumped at seeing a bunch of Freedom Fighters grouped there.
*There they are! What are they doing?* She walked towards them, quickly, waving her hands to get their attention.
---NO SALLY! DO NOT APPROACH THEM!!---
She stopped in her tracks and went to hide, but it was too late. They'd seen her, and were racing towards her.
She tried to run, but her legs screamed in protest. She stumbled, only traveling a few feet, and then was grabbed roughly by several pairs of hands. They dragged her back towards the group.
She struggled, throwing her head side to side, pushing and slapping with her arms, but it was in vain. Her claws even caught one of them in the eye, and he didn't even flinch.
"What's going on?! LET ME GO!"
---They're possessed, Sally!---
"Possessed by who?" she yelled.
The door to the meeting hall opened up, and from it emerged a familiar black-furred woman.
"By me," said Casssar.
Sally's eyes widened at the sight of her. "You're here?!"
Casssar gave her a grin that said 'of course!'.
Sally struggled harder, slamming her elbow into one of her captor's heads. They grunted, but didn't loosen their grip.
"Bring her in," said Casssar. Her olive eyes focused on Sally's face with fierce intensity. "And you're welcome to come along too, Cu Chulainne..."
******
Inside, Sally was roughly shoved down into a chair, where she sat, looking nervously about at her fellow villagers. She saw her father, Bunnie and Geoffrey standing in one corner, but she didn't speak to them.
Their eyes were totally blank, and she knew they would not respond to her voice.
Instead, she turned her gaze upon the little human who took position in front of her, arms crossed over his chest.
"What are you doing here, Snively?" she demanded.
"Waiting for Robotnik."
Her eyes widened again, and she went to stand, but found her legs paralyzed. She shook her finger at him instead.
"You didn't?!"
"I did," he gloated. "I called him," he checked his watch, "perhaps ten minutes ago. He'll be here shortly."
Her voice shook in desperation. "You're bluffing."
"I don't bluff, Princess."
She sat back, thoughts racing.
---Robotnik does not know of the Source.---
*Who cares?! He's found Knothole, and no doubt he will know about it, as soon as he gets here...what do I do, what do I do!?*
---We must fight.---
Sally gulped nervously, looking around at the listless villagers. *How can we...there's too many...and my legs are...are paralyzed or something...*
Their empty eyes stared at hers, and hers reflected back the frustration their trapped wills were feeling. *Sonic. Oh Sonic, where are you when I need you...?*
There was a sudden cooing noise, loud in the silence of the room. In through the window flew Chuck's messenger. It buzzed around the zombie villagers and then to her, landing upon her trembling shoulder.
"What is that?" Snively asked sharply, advancing on her, hand out as if to grab the tiny creature.
"It...it's our messenger," she said. Her hands reached for the tube, but he snatched it away.
The tightly rolled message came out into his hand and he unfurled it, azure eyes scanning it quickly. A smile touched his lips, one Sally didn't care for, a nasty mocking thing.
"Well, isn't this sweet," he chuckled. "But I'm afraid it's a little too late."
"What is it?" Now Sally was the one demanding.
"Shall I read it aloud?" He smiled to Casssar and the ermine grinned back and nodded.
"Oh yes, Black Flower...don't keep us in suspense."
Sally's brow wrinkled worriedly; the villagers looked blank.
"The handwriting's rather messy. I suppose he wrote it in a hurry." He snickered, then cleared his throat.
Donning a sickly sweet falsetto, he crooned, "Dear Freedom Fighters... Uncle Chuck here. No time for small talk, this is urgent. Robotnik just got a call from a transmission outside the city. It was Snively," he paused to bow, "apparently the little runt..." now he frowned, and wagged a finger at the letter as if the paper were naughty, "found the location of Knothole!! So take every precaution, hide, evacuate, whatever, but please be careful... this might be the real thing!!! Love always, Uncle Chuck."
He opened his hand. The note fluttered down to crumple in a forlorn heap. "My goodness, Uncle Charles was a bit late with his warning, wasn't he? After I obliterate this place, I'll have to find him too..."
Sally frowned, but inside she felt sick. The bird cooed and flew from her shoulder and out the window. *Well... at least it's safe.* Her body trembled harder. *Too bad we're not...*
---Sally, I will help you fight.---
"Well, nobody will be evacuating, I'm afraid. This 'little runt' has plans for you." His eyes rested on her, and a smirk quirked the corner of his lips, eyes a-sparkle.
*Cu...Cu what do I do!? I don't wanna believe it, but he's right... if somebody dosen't do something...* She gulped painfully; she was the only one here capable, and she was afraid.
---Sally, do not give up on me. I will help you.---
She blinked away tears. *Alright. Let's do it to it, then!*
Casssar jumped.
Snively looked over at her, eyes narrowed. "What's wrong?"
"Cu Chulainne...it is trying to take them back!" She gestured towards the zombie Freedom Fighters, her face locked in a grimace.
Snively's gaze shot to Sally. "I didn't know Cu was with her!"
"Yes!" Casssar snarled, her brows wrinkled in an intense frown. She seemed to be fighting some sort of mental battle, and the little human stood, just watching her.
---She is tightening her hold! Blocking me from their minds!---
Sally found her legs free. Casssar was distracted, forgetting to hold her down. She leapt forward, fist clenched, and swung it in a fast arc, smashing Casssar in the face.
The ermine stumbled backwards, long legs slipping and sending her tumbling upon the ground. Her eyes flew open wide as Sally's boot planted itself hard into her belly.
"Don't touch her." Snively stepped forward, giving Sally a hard backhand to the face.
Sally was surprised. She hadn't expected violence from him; usually the runt was all talk.
Casssar started to rise, and Sally sprung upon her again, grabbing her head and slamming it up against the wooden wall.
"GET OFF HER!" She felt the human's tiny hands grabbing her vest and tugging, and then Casssar's hands pushing and pounding on her chest.
"Uh, help!" she cried, but the villagers only stared blankly ahead.
She felt Cu shift inside her. ---Open your mind Sally, let me take control.---
She'd done this before... she relaxed, not thinking, then felt a golden warmth inside her as Cu Chulainne gently took control over her body, filling it with power. Now Cu would control her actions, but Sally didn't mind. The Light was an unusually good fighter...
Then Sally grabbed Casssar's attacking hands, crushing them in hers, stood. Still holding the ermine, she whirled, letting her go flying into the meeting table.
She heard an enraged snarl. Then a punch, or kick, some sort of vicious blow to her side. She turned quickly on her heel, facing Snively. He had his fists clenched.
"You little punk!" She grabbed him by the shirt.
"Bitch!" His eyes were wild with fury. His hand shot forward, planting itself on her face. She howled as his fingers gouged into her eyes, trying to pry them out of her head.
"BASTARD!" She let go of him, and it seemed the very force of her voice sent him flying backwards, toppling over a chair.
Sally's veins tingled, and she knew it was the power of Cu's magic... He got up, still angry, but looking desperate now...he knew he had little chance against Cu.
He reached behind him, snatching the fallen chair, and ran towards her, brandishing it. She tried to dodge, but he belted her with it. She heard the splinter of wood. Fell to the floor.
He raised the remains of the chair over his head, intending to smash her with it, but she grabbed his ankle and pulled hard.
He hit the floor beside her, but this time Cu wasn't playing. Sally's hand shot out, grabbing him by the throat and squeezing hard, her claws digging in and drawing blood.
Then he found himself greeting a wall, face-first, as she tossed him aside viciously. He blinked, dazed, gasping for air.
She heard footsteps. Turned. Casssar was to her feet, her eyes nearly glowing, her face contorted in rage. She shot her hands forward toward the squirrel.
Sally didn't see it exactly. She saw the air ripple like a heat wave, saw the chairs and table shudder, then she was slammed by an incredible force. It toppled her over backwards, completely onto her back, then seemed to sink down into her flesh.
She screamed.
It burned! She tried to thrash, wanting to beat her hands upon her body, even though there was no flame to extinguish. But Cu still had her mind in its grip, and she could not move.
*CU HELP ME PLEASE PLEASE HELP MEE!!!*
Through her watering vision, she saw Casssar advancing on her.
*CU LET ME GO, PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT!* Her thoughts ran in terrified circles.
---Sally, you will be ok, calm down...---
*I'M BURNING!! PLEASE STOP IT CU!! PLEASE!!*
She felt her flesh melting. Felt her fur turning to ash, blowing away.
*******
"Oh to be thanking you for saving me!"
Sonic sighed. "Yeah, Ant, it was no prob."
Tails shook his fist. "Yeah, that ole Packbell was no match for us."
Antoine shivered. "He was going to be shish-ke-bobbing me!"
"Yeah, he sure is sick," Sonic agreed. Then his ear swiveled, catching a noise in the distance. "What's that?"
"I dunno!" Tails and Antoine had heard it too, and they all stood silently for a moment.
"It's coming from that way," Sonic finally decided, pointing towards the east. As they traveled in that direction, the sound seemed to be getting louder, but at the same time, was rapidly fading away.
They crested a large hill and could see over the trees.
"There!" Antoine exclaimed.
They saw a few specks in the sky, moving away from them quickly.
"What is it?" Tails squinted.
"Birds?"
"No, no, they're..." Sonic's sharp eyes found some recognition in the specks' shape. "Hovercraft!"
They all exchanged looks.
"They're heading towards Knothole!" The small orange fox cried.
"Non, Robotneek, he could not be knowing..."
"No time to think about it, let's get down there quick."
They nodded in agreement, and hopped aboard their speedy blue transport. Sonic revved up his legs and started off towards his home.
He couldn't help but think of Sally. How weird she'd acted. He gulped.
*No. She'd never give it away. Not for *anything*.*
*******
Sally sat in a chair. The burning had stopped. But she was afraid.
Snively seemed to be getting impatient, checking his watch constantly and growling through his bared teeth. He had a tissue clenched in one hand, pressing it against the cuts on his throat, but they weren't serious, and the bleeding was nearly stopped.
Casssar had moved all the villagers away from Sally, and she and Snively were also far removed from the squirrel's touching distance.
Because Cu Chulainne had one flaw; the entity had to touch, or be in close proximity, in order to connect to another's mind. The ermine wasn't dumb. She knew this.
Sally felt her legs go from paralyzed, to working again...back and forth; Cu was fighting Casssar's spell, but Sally refused to get up. She knew Knothole and the Source, the very lifeblood of Mobius, were at stake.
But she couldn't. Her body was weak with fear.
---You must, Sally. You must. I will protect you. You must help your people!---
But the terrified young girl ignored Cu, sitting up straighter, wide eyes staring at Casssar and Snively.
"What did you do to her?" he questioned Cass.
"A little trick I like to call combustion...feels as if you're burning from the inside..."
"Owww," said Snively. "Please don't ever get that angry with me, Cass!"
"Ooooh, my sweet little black flower," she cooed, enveloping her tiny friend into her arms. "I would never..."
Where her hands touched his body, he felt a thrilling sensation emanate, and he gasped, feeling himself becoming aroused again. His thoughts dropped into a dreamy haze, but he stepped away from her, shattering the bliss.
"Sorry, but I want to be clear-headed for this..."
"Afterwards then," she purred, licking her lips, while her eyes probed meaningfully at his crotch.
He blushed, turning away.
Sally's ears heard something. A machine of some type. Far away, but nearing. Hovercraft from the sound of it.
She moaned in fear. *We're dead. We're dead. We're dead.*
Her eyes connected with the ones of her friends, but their expressions never changed. Her body trembled, and she whimpered loudly, curling up onto the chair, hugging herself.
*They don't even know, do they? That we're going to die...?*
The small human looked over at her with a frown. "What's wrong with you?" He grinned deviously. "Besides the fact your little town is going to be obliterated today..."
---Sally, stop! YOU MUST FIGHT!!!---
"I hear something," said Casssar.
"What?" asked Snively, but he knew, and the grin deepened into something far more unpleasant than devious; it turned malicious and spiteful, and it made even Casssar cringe to see it.
"Machines. Coming this way."
"Yes, I figured. It's Robotnik..." the human nodded, letting the grin slide, and looking thoughtful. "How should we go about this?" He eyed his brainwashed troops.
"Alright, I'll bring some of them out, and keep some in here... Some will be in hiding, I know he'll bring a few SWATs with him, but he'll have backups...most likely he won't have them land until he gloats for a couple minutes." He shook his head. "Julian was always reckless. Well, just plain stupid for that matter, but that's what I'm counting on..."
He looked out the window, trailing off, and was silent. There was no need to continue; the plan was there in his mind, shining and perfect. It would go exactly how he wished. It had to. It would. "You know the rest, Cass." His voice came out low and trembling; starting to shiver with the knowledge of what was to come. Oh, but they were good shivers... good indeed.
Casssar raised an eyebrow at her small friend. "Yes, I know."
Now the hovercraft were close enough that even the human's inferior hearing could pick up the sound, and he bounced about excitedly. "Come on, Casssar, let's get ready!!"
Sally shook her head as they began to order the villagers to their positions. "Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no..." She moaned, rocking back and forth on the chair, while Cu screamed within her.
---Sally, get up! You must stop this!---
"It's too late," she whispered aloud. "It's too late, Cu, we're dead. We're dead..."