Chapter 7:
Things change so fast
Robotnik stood and laughed.
He stood among weathered huts, with tidy gardens behind them. He stood among a worn pathway, laden with footsteps of those who lived here.
He looked around and laughed.
*This pathetic place!? This is the great Knothole?!* He shook with mirth... all these years this place had been a thorn in his side, and look at it! It was a quaint little village!
That would soon be destroyed...
He strode forth. Behind him were four SWATbots. The rest hovered over the forest, awaiting his command to land and attack. But he saw no need of them. The place looked deserted.
He figured they might've heard him coming and hid. No matter, he would find all of them soon enough. He wondered if the hedgehog had returned.
He approached what appeared to be the village center. The buildings were clustered closer together and larger; a meeting hall and what appeared to be a mess hall, judging from the aroma of food that emerged from it.
In front of the meeting hall, he saw his nephew, standing with his arms crossed across his skinny chest. He could see the glint of light off his teeth, as Snively grinned and waved.
"Sir, you've arrived!!"
"Indeed." Robotnik hurried his steps, noticing a small group of prisoners behind Snively. They stood with heads bowed, shoulders slumped in defeat.
For a moment, something nagged at Robotnik; they weren't fighting in the least, even though Snively appeared to be unarmed, or at least, didn't have his gun drawn, and no robots for protection.
But they were scared, weren't they, the pathetic fools? No doubt his nephew had told them of Robotnik's arrival...and they knew it was pointless to fight.
"I see you have things under control...for once..." he growled to his tiny kin.
There was a slight tightening of his nephew's lips, but he kept his eyes wide and nodded obediently. "Oh yes, sir, of course. This bunch was no problem... they knew it was pointless to fight when they heard of your coming."
Robotnik scowled; the little shit was a mind-reader...but he was pleased to know he was correct in his assumptions.
"It's quite amusing, isn't it, sir?" Snively asked, with his usual coy smile and timid duck of his head... "The place that's been bothering us for years is just a little village like this...?"
The scowl deepened, then broke into a wide smile; Robotnik couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, Snively, it is. I was thinking the very same thing." He looked around. "But it isn't these pathetic huts and primitive gardens that make this place strong...oh no no, Snively... it's the residents."
His nephew blinked, giving Robotnik a questioning stare.
*Dumb little bastard*, Robotnik thought. *I must remember to speak less eloquently around him...he's a simpleton, I must remember...* He let out a growl. "The hedgehog, Snively. The princess. Have you seen them?! They are what makes this place so offensive to me!"
Snively tilted his head, keeping his expression as unassuming and dim-witted as possible... it was how Robotnik liked him... but he nearly clenched his teeth behind his false smile...
*He doesn't know what's coming, the old poetic fool. He thinks I'm a bit slow in the head, does he? He'll soon see just how quick my thinking is.* A smirk touched his lips; he couldn't help it.
"No sir, haven't seen them, but they'll be around soon, I imagine."
Robotnik growled, then smiled again. "They'll be around, yes, you're right. The hedgehog was just in the city...no doubt he'll be coming back quite soon. But it'll be too late by the time he gets here... there'll be nothing left of this place...or his friends..."
"You're going to kill everyone?"
The fat tyrant raised an eyebrow, contemplating. "I haven't decided just yet... the insignificant ones like those..." he gestured towards the villagers behind his nephew, "may be disposed of."
Snively turned around to look at them... or so his uncle thought. He was really trying to hide the wicked smile that forced itself upon his lips no matter how hard he fought it. *He thinks they're insignificant!* His thoughts even seemed to laugh. *The arrogant fool always underestimated... always, always... with everyone, and he'll pay for that foolishness.*
The villagers looked back at him with their blank stares, their hands hanging loose at their sides. He blinked, seeing those hands balled into fists, dripping with blood. And there would be so much blood...
He cringed, feeling his stomach knot up... did he have to go through with this?...almost felt as if he was being forced into it...
*But I'm not... I want to do it! I've waited to do it!*
When he turned back around he saw Robotnik's big teeth exposed in a grin, and then his fat uncle was staring at him with a raised eyebrow. The smaller man could almost read his thoughts just then... *they're insignificant and disposable... just like you...*
His stomach quit knotting and he almost glared at his uncle and almost spat in his face for thinking such thoughts about him; how dare Julian think he was a piece of trash... *when I'm the one who practically runs the city anyway...*
And he imagined those villager's fists dripping with blood again, and this time he didn't feel nauseous... he felt a flare of excitement, and his lips parted into a smile.
"Very good idea, sir... what do you plan to do with the others... the main ones?"
Robotnik laughed jolly-like. "Oh, what do you think, Snively?"
Snively looked blank. Let Robotnik explain his evil plans. It was what he loved best; *let him have this one last pleasure*, his thoughts cackled sadistically.
Robotnik frowned and sighed; his nephew... so stupid, so unworthy of being in the presence of his greatness... Robotnik wondered why he'd put up with the little shit's incompetence for this long...
*I'll be rid of him soon enough, without these pesky animals around, I'll have no need for him... all he does is watch the damn surveillance...no need for that when these brats are gone...* Then again...he did need someone to impress, someone to brag to about his grandeur. *Maybe he'll stay then... maybe, if I feel forgiving...*
"I will roboticize them! The princess, the hedgehog! It will be such a joy to break their spirits! To make them work for me towards the total domination of their pathetic planet!"
"How very creative," Snively muttered under his breath.
"What?" Robotnik growled.
"I'm...I'm elated! So very happy for you, sir!" His nephew beamed; sickeningly sweet, like a puppy wagging its tail up at its master.
Robotnik rubbed his hands together excitedly, feeling overjoyed himself. He looked up at the sky, eyes narrowed. He didn't need the extra SWATs. There seemed to be no efforts to remove him from the village... the villagers behind his nephew were completely broken from the hopelessness of their situation.
But he liked to be dramatic. He'd have them land, overrun this village with his might, raze it to the ground. The destruction of Knothole would send a screaming message across the rest of Mobius; the message that he was Lord and any fringe groups of rebels would surely lay down at his feet.
Yes... he liked the idea, and he reached into his pocket, withdrawing a communicator from it. He clicked the button, preparing to instruct them to land.
His nephew took a quick step forward, eyes alit.
"Please sir, can I do the honors?" He clasped his hands together, the puppy-dog look still on his face. "Please, please, please sir!?"
Robotnik unclicked the button, looking down at his kin for a moment. Then he shrugged, the shoulder of his metallic arm catching the light and gleaming. *Why not?* he thought. *Let the bastard have a little fun... he found this dump after all...*
So he handed over the communicator. His nephew took it in his tiny hand, smiling in delight.
Snively clicked the button down, lips parting to speak, then shut his eyes, a faint frown touching his brows, and just stood...
*Do it...do it, do it...now. Now. Don't wait anymore.*
His stomach curled, and butterflies smashed against its walls, crawling up his throat, choking him. He felt his throat tighten, squeezed his eyelids tighter, seeing sparks of colors swirling in the darkness of his closed vision.
*But he took me in...away from pops...he gave me a home, he gave me power...*
He remembered the times they'd had victories. The laugh of his uncle, the joy on the fat man's face. He remembered his uncle's kindness towards his mother.
*Don't do it. Please, let him be, please no... no more blood,* the soft side of his mind pleaded. *Remember what he gave you. All his frustration...it'll be no more, because you've found the thorn in his side. With it pulled, he'll respect you. He'll be nice. He'll be nice...*
The speaker in the communicator hissed with the rush of static; the SWATbots on the other end waiting patiently for their commands.
"Snively," Robotnik growled. "Are you going to stand there all day?! Tell them to land!"
*This is your uncle, your kin, your family, your blood... part of you is in him, somewhere, deep in that crimson river... you can't. You can't.*
He clutched his hand around the communicator tight, feeling the sweat cool on his palms, feeling the perspiration on his forehead. He struggled to breathe normally, the pulse beating in his throat so hard it hurt.
"SWATbots," he squeaked out, but his throat closed and he gagged on the remainder of the sentence.
"Awaiting-your-orders-sir."
He opened his eyes, saw his uncle glaring down at him, hands placed on fat hips impatiently, his eyes starting to glow with annoyance.
*So much blood. There'd be so much blood...*
"Tell them, or give me that back, Snively!! I haven't all day waiting around for you!!"
That look again from his uncle. *Disposable. You're disposable. Just my minion. A peon. A pathetic little man who follows my every command.* The hands at the hips were fists now. *Or you pay the price. Answer to the fist...*
The butterflies beat against each other inside him, wings beating frantically, his hands trembling. Felt a drop of sweat trickle down his spine.
*I am NOT disposable! I AM NOT A SLAVE!! I WON'T BE A SLAVE ANYMORE!!*
He growled through his teeth, turned to look at the villagers. His eyes focused on their fists, on the windows of the meeting hall.
A hand grabbed him suddenly, by the shirt front, yanking him upwards. His uncle's face filled his vision, red-on-black eyes glowing brighter now. Annoyance turned to anger. He couldn't wait. He wouldn't wait. He never waited, if things were too slow, or too... too anything...he dished out the punishment.
"TELL THEM NOW SNIVELY! OR I'LL DO IT!! AND THEN I'LL BREAK YOUR LITTLE NECK FOR WASTING MY TIME!!" His hand flew out, throwing Snively upon the ground.
He landed on his rear, sliding backwards a few feet, grimacing at the pain that shot up through his lower back. He heard the static hissing at him.
*Blood, so much blood...so much blood he's taken from me...* His sleeves had hiked up, and he saw his arms, saw a scar crossing the forearm of the right one... Robotnik had broken his arm a while ago, the bone had fractured and jutted through his skin.
That wasn't even a major event. He didn't need to see his stomach to know there were scars there too. So many of them...so many times he'd been cut open to repair his ruptured organs. To put that internal blood back in its proper place, instead of where it ended up, bubbling out of his mouth as he lay broken on the ground and his uncle stood over him, screaming and babbling about such things as 'hedgehogs' and 'damaged factories'.
Was all that blood a price to pay for such things? Was it?
His eyes teared up, the butterflies died, replaced by something else. A furious beast, clawing and tearing him up inside. His hands started trembling, but from another emotion.
He sat there shaking, his teeth clenching, cheeks flushing with rage. And then he got to his feet.
*I won't live like this anymore. This ends now. It ends now.*
Robotnik scowled at him, shaking his head, his clenched fists promising pain later. But Robotnik wouldn't care about his nephew's suffering. He'd celebrate after that. He'd have gotten his wish; the destruction of Knothole.
*But now it's my turn for wishes coming true. Coming out from under the fist...*
The command was given fast. "Return to Robotropolis at once!"
"Affirmative, sir."
Robotnik let out a gasp, red-on-black eyes widened as the hover units overhead obeyed, turning and zooming off towards the city. "SNIVELY?! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!" His voice came out its usual booming yell, and strangely, the villagers, nor his craven nephew didn't even twitch.
"Why?" Snively's eyes narrowed into a cold glare, then he threw down the communicator with all his might, his black boot descended upon it and smashing.
Robotnik's mouth dropped open.
"I'll tell you why. You won't need those SWATs, Julian. You aren't going to live to see Knothole's demise..."
"WHAT IS THIS, SNIVELY?!" his uncle bellowed, taking a furious step towards his nephew. "YOU WILL PAY FOR SUCH WORDS!!"
"PISS OFF!!" Snively snatched the broken communicator and threw it at his uncle's face. "YOU'RE GOING TO HELL WHERE YOU BELONG!! I AM NOT GOING TO BE YOUR SLAVE ANY MORE!!"
It felt so good to let it all out. His voice stayed in that high keening scream as he backed away from his uncle, who was coming closer. "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE TODAY, JULIAN, AND I'M GOING TO WATCH YOU AND LAUGH!!!" He let out a hideous cackle, and then turned his head towards the window, mad eyes glinting. "CASSSAR!"
The door flew open and Casssar stood framed in the doorway, olive eyes shadowed, but the light glinted off her fangs, exposed in grin.
"Obey Castdecass," she said, addressing the villagers. "Obey his every word."
Robotnik stopped. Snively had backed up behind the villagers, and he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes dark with hatred and a twisted smile on his face.
"Attack him," he said, one bony finger jutting towards the large form of his uncle.
Robotnik let out a gasp as the villager's blank eyes took on a murderous light and they pounced at him. He threw one off with his robotic arm, punched another. But they latched onto his limbs, pulling, tugging. He felt their teeth pierce his skin, their claws gouge his flesh. He screamed, fighting them off, swinging his big arms.
The four SWATS who were his escorts jumped towards the fight, wrists raised and laser sights glowing. But they didn't fire... the animals were too close to their esteemed leader.
"SIR-WHAT-IS-YOUR-COMMAND?" The lead 'bot questioned.
Robotnik was hardly in a position to answer. One arm swung, temporarily throwing one of the furries away from him. "SHOOT THEM!" was all he could manage.
"SIR-THERE-IS-A-RISK-OF-HITTING-YOU."
Robotnik snarled and fought, eyes blazing. "DO IT JUST DO IT!!"
"Oh no... you don't Julian..." he heard the voice of his nephew interject, so irritating, like ants invading a picnic. And he called forth the furries that were hiding behind the trees that surrounded the area, and they charged out, tackling the SWATbots. With animalistic fury, they ripped the robots apart, spewing oil. Two were shot, and they sank down in a heap of blood, but the damage was done.
The SWATS were gone.
*And so is Julian...* A dark smirk touched his face and he turned his attention to his uncle's struggles... oh, he was going to enjoy watching this show, enjoy it very much...
Robotnik was in trouble. He'd hit his attackers, and they'd fall away but rise again. His metal fists shattered one furry's jaw, but it rose, and came, blood oozing from its mouth, but its eyes void of pain.
"NO! GET OFF!" he shrieked. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A set of jaws had locked high up on his thigh, close to his groin. He felt warmth spill down his leg; blood.
They pulled him down to the ground, and he struggled, screaming and kicking and punching. He got one by the neck, and there was a cracking as he closed his fist crushingly hard.
The villager fell to the ground and didn't get up this time.
His fist slashed out, landing upon a furry's nose just right. It shattered, sending bone fragments up into the delicate brain-flesh. He dropped like a fly, lying dead beside his companion.
Now there were eight of them left.
Snively watched the event with eyes wide. He saw the blood spilling, soaking his uncle's outfit, but only on the parts that weren't scarlet red already. He'd always hated that outfit of Robotnik's. It was so damn ugly... He let out a short laugh.
Another villager was down. Another. Robotnik was bleeding, cursing, and fighting mighty hard. One of the furries buried his face in the tyrant's stomach, teeth gnawing and ripping.
Robotnik's hand descended upon its head, thrusting his robotic fingers hard up into the eyes. They burst, liquid running down his fingers. The furry made no noise of pain, just slid off, twitching, blood running from its mouth and eyes.
Robotnik's uniform was in tatters, exposing flabby stretch-marked flesh, pale, like grass underneath a rock. He hated the sun.
Snively remained silent, his own pale cheeks flushed with the excitement of it all, but far back in his throat he tasted something sick and acidic.
He heard a cracking noise as one of the furries managed to break his uncle's wrist. Robotnik screamed, long and harrowing.
Snively winced, arms flying up to his shoulders and hugging his tiny body. He wanted to close his eyes. He wanted to crawl away.
A flashback came to him. The hedgehog had eluded them again. Destroyed something or another. An enraged Robotnik had grabbed him by the wrist, squeezing so hard he'd shattered the bones, and while his nephew cried in agony, he'd screamed and spat in his face about 'your failure! You worthless little bastard!'. And then threw him down again...
His arms loosened and he let go of himself. "He deserves it," he whispered. "He deserves this all..."
"How's that feel, JULIAN!?" he spat. "How's that fucking feel!?"
Robotnik heard the taunting voice of his nephew, turned his head, teeth smeared red with blood, nose broken and skewed to the side. One of his robotic hearing devices had been ripped from his head, and in its place was a bloody hole. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS, SNIVELY!!" He roared, throwing himself forward, clawing over the ground to reach his nephew.
"How? Are you going to reach beyond the grave?" Snively came forward with a hard kick, slamming his prone uncle in the face. "On the other hand, you aren't going to be buried!! I'm going to keep you out for the maggots to feed on!!"
He kicked again. "And I'm going to piss on your rotting carcass!"
Robotnik grabbed out for Snively's foot, but the small man jumped backwards.
"Don't touch me... I don't want your blood on my clothes..."
The villagers bit and scratched, tearing out chunks of flesh from the tyrant's back.
"I'll kill you," Robotnik said, his voice crowded with whimpers as the blood dripped down his shoulders and sides, and spraying his nephew's face, who jumped back, wiping it away in disgust.
"I'll kill you..."
*******
Sally sat in the chair, rocking back and forth, her body tensed. Her hands were buried in her auburn hair, pressing down hard over her ears.
*What is all that screaming?? Oh Gods. Make it stop. Please, make it stop!!* She whimpered, tears wetting her cheeks.
"Make it stop!!" she cried aloud. "PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!! CU!!! PLEASE!!"
She slid off the chair, curling on the ground in a ball, her body racked with shuddering. A strange moaning noise came from her lips. Even with her hands clenched over her ears, she could still hear the sounds outside. It sounded like a massacre.
Her nose twitched, taking in the scent of blood, and she thrust her face forward onto the wooden floor and puked.
She staggered to her feet, the foul vomit running down her chin in a thin stream, dripping down into her chest fur. She took shaky steps towards the door. The ermine was standing there, leaned against the frame. Her long black tail, tipped with white, was lazily draped around the doorknob.
It might've looked cute. But not with those sounds outside. They made everything horrid.
The ermine turned her head, crinkling her nose at seeing Sally behind her. "It's wonderful, isn't it? Not only are your people killing their enemy, my Castdecass is getting his revenge..."
Sally fell against Casssar's back, clutching her hands hard into the soft black fur. Casssar had her arm outstretched, pressed against the doorframe. Sally peered over it, her midnight blue eyes widening in horror.
She saw Robotnik. He was on the ground. Nearly naked. His uniform torn to shreds. *Where is his skin?* she wondered with a slight frown. *He's all red.*
A gagging noise broke from her as she realized. He was covered with blood.
Her people were all over him, acting like lesser animals. They were savagely biting and clawing him. She saw one of the males.
He was a nice man. He worked in the gardens. He was quiet, and shy, blushing when someone spoke to him. But now his normally timid mouth was clenched onto Robotnik's flabby side. He drew away, ripping flesh. It hung down from his mouth, a long slim strip of bloodied meat. He chewed it for a moment, then spat.
It lay upon the ground like a paint-soaked rag. Then a foot stepped upon it as a gore-splattered raccoon moved to the same wound, her teeth digging in and ripping further into the tyrant's body.
"NOOOOOO!" Sally screamed, voice ragged. "MAKE THEM STOP!! THIS CANNOT BEEEEEEEE!" Her hands tugged on the ermine's fur.
Casssar ignored her.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!! THIS IS WRONG...MY PEOPLE...this is not who we are..." Tears sprang into her eyes, and she sobbed, burying her face into Casssar's outstretched arm.
Then she ducked under the ermine's arm and raced out. The smell of copper was so overwhelming that she vomited again.
She watched the brutal attack, her eyes stinging with tears. She looked wildly around. There had to be help.
She saw Snively standing a few feet away, motionless. He was staring at Robotnik with an odd expression in his eyes.
She stumbled over, falling to her knees in front of him, reaching up and grabbing his shirt in her fists. "Make them stop, Snively, please, make them stop. You can't do this, you can't do this..."
He looked down at her, the peculiar look still on his face. It was like a mixture of every emotion in the world... the blue depths were unfocused, but swiftly locked on her face.
"I can't, princess," he said.
"You can't...you can't murder your own family!!"
He looked back at his uncle, lips twisted in a scowl, but his eyes kept their nameless expression. He looked away from the attack, eyes closing. Then back down at her. "Get off me."
He grabbed her hands, still clasped on his shirt and wrenched them off. She stared up at him, eyes big, wild. He squeezed her wrists hard, then tossed her onto the ground.
She crawled to him again, grabbing his foot and rubbing her head against his legs, desperate for something to hold on to. "You can't!" she cried out, moaning over and over, low in her throat. "Please stop. Please stop. I know you can make them stop. TELL THEM TO STOP!!!" Her eyes pleaded with him.
He looked down at her, starting to shake... the smell of blood in the air was getting to him, he was starting to feel sick. He wanted to vomit, but forced it down, wanted to block his ears from the sounds of his uncle's slaying, but didn't...
"STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!!" Her voice had risen to a shriek.
He kicked her off his feet, and reached down, grabbing a handful of her thick auburn hair. He shook her head furiously, ribbing out chunks of hair in the process. "SHUT UP!!!" he screamed. "SHUUUUTTT UP!!!!""
"No please," her voice was slurred as he tossed her to the ground again. "You can't kill your own family...this is wrong... my people are not like this, you're killing them you're killing you're killing them..."
He looked over at Casssar. She stood silently in the doorway, observing it all with neutral eyes. He looked back at his uncle, who was still struggling, but weakly now.
"Get off him," he said to the villagers.
They backed away, covered with gore. Their eyes resumed the blank stares, long strings of flesh hanging from mouths.
Sally lay on the ground, still pleading.
"Casssar...possess her," he said, voice coming out mono, void of any emotion.
The ermine snapped Sally up in a possessive spell.
"Sally, come here..." he said, holding out his hand. She took it and he led her to his uncle's body.
The fat man lay panting, eyes crazed, blood bubbling between his lips. He managed to focus on his nephew, and his lip curled into a weak snarl. He reached for Snively, but the small man didn't even step away. The reaching hand flopped down before even midway to its target, too weak to go further.
"Kill you..." the words slipped out, trapped in a bubble of blood that promptly burst, flecking the fat man's face. Snively felt a stray drop hit his cheek and slide down, and he quickly wiped it away, skin crawling at the touch of it.
"Now," he whispered, voice strangely raspy, "now Julian...you know how it feels..."
"Killll you..."
"You know all the pain I went through..."
"...baaaasssttarrrd..."
"I did everything for you!!" the cry came out in a rush of breath, tears sparkled in his nephew's eyes. "I tried my best for you, and you rewarded me with pain!! I TRUSTED YOU!! I ADORED YOU JULIAN AND YOU..." he choked up..."you hurt me so bad..."
He looked heavenward for a moment, trying to regain his composure. "...well, now you're getting your payment...long overdue after all the years of torment I've gone through..."
He crouched down, pulling a dagger from Sally's boot. He'd seen it there earlier. He held it in his hand, clasping it, white-knuckled, glaring down at his uncle.
Tears trembled in his eyes.
Julian's face contorted with hate, the blood oozed down his fat chin in a steady stream. "...kill yooooou..."
He raised the knife up, but faltered... he couldn't do it. He turned away, breath coming in hard and ragged. He felt like he was choking and doubled over, gasping for air. His pulse drummed hard through his veins, hurting.
Then he straightened.
*Can't have this blood on my hands...*
The knife transferred from his hands to Sally's. His face was blank, eyes cold like blue ice.
He was sure now.
"Finish it, Sally," he said.
She stood still, holding the knife.
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Finish him now..."
Things change so fast
Robotnik stood and laughed.
He stood among weathered huts, with tidy gardens behind them. He stood among a worn pathway, laden with footsteps of those who lived here.
He looked around and laughed.
*This pathetic place!? This is the great Knothole?!* He shook with mirth... all these years this place had been a thorn in his side, and look at it! It was a quaint little village!
That would soon be destroyed...
He strode forth. Behind him were four SWATbots. The rest hovered over the forest, awaiting his command to land and attack. But he saw no need of them. The place looked deserted.
He figured they might've heard him coming and hid. No matter, he would find all of them soon enough. He wondered if the hedgehog had returned.
He approached what appeared to be the village center. The buildings were clustered closer together and larger; a meeting hall and what appeared to be a mess hall, judging from the aroma of food that emerged from it.
In front of the meeting hall, he saw his nephew, standing with his arms crossed across his skinny chest. He could see the glint of light off his teeth, as Snively grinned and waved.
"Sir, you've arrived!!"
"Indeed." Robotnik hurried his steps, noticing a small group of prisoners behind Snively. They stood with heads bowed, shoulders slumped in defeat.
For a moment, something nagged at Robotnik; they weren't fighting in the least, even though Snively appeared to be unarmed, or at least, didn't have his gun drawn, and no robots for protection.
But they were scared, weren't they, the pathetic fools? No doubt his nephew had told them of Robotnik's arrival...and they knew it was pointless to fight.
"I see you have things under control...for once..." he growled to his tiny kin.
There was a slight tightening of his nephew's lips, but he kept his eyes wide and nodded obediently. "Oh yes, sir, of course. This bunch was no problem... they knew it was pointless to fight when they heard of your coming."
Robotnik scowled; the little shit was a mind-reader...but he was pleased to know he was correct in his assumptions.
"It's quite amusing, isn't it, sir?" Snively asked, with his usual coy smile and timid duck of his head... "The place that's been bothering us for years is just a little village like this...?"
The scowl deepened, then broke into a wide smile; Robotnik couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, Snively, it is. I was thinking the very same thing." He looked around. "But it isn't these pathetic huts and primitive gardens that make this place strong...oh no no, Snively... it's the residents."
His nephew blinked, giving Robotnik a questioning stare.
*Dumb little bastard*, Robotnik thought. *I must remember to speak less eloquently around him...he's a simpleton, I must remember...* He let out a growl. "The hedgehog, Snively. The princess. Have you seen them?! They are what makes this place so offensive to me!"
Snively tilted his head, keeping his expression as unassuming and dim-witted as possible... it was how Robotnik liked him... but he nearly clenched his teeth behind his false smile...
*He doesn't know what's coming, the old poetic fool. He thinks I'm a bit slow in the head, does he? He'll soon see just how quick my thinking is.* A smirk touched his lips; he couldn't help it.
"No sir, haven't seen them, but they'll be around soon, I imagine."
Robotnik growled, then smiled again. "They'll be around, yes, you're right. The hedgehog was just in the city...no doubt he'll be coming back quite soon. But it'll be too late by the time he gets here... there'll be nothing left of this place...or his friends..."
"You're going to kill everyone?"
The fat tyrant raised an eyebrow, contemplating. "I haven't decided just yet... the insignificant ones like those..." he gestured towards the villagers behind his nephew, "may be disposed of."
Snively turned around to look at them... or so his uncle thought. He was really trying to hide the wicked smile that forced itself upon his lips no matter how hard he fought it. *He thinks they're insignificant!* His thoughts even seemed to laugh. *The arrogant fool always underestimated... always, always... with everyone, and he'll pay for that foolishness.*
The villagers looked back at him with their blank stares, their hands hanging loose at their sides. He blinked, seeing those hands balled into fists, dripping with blood. And there would be so much blood...
He cringed, feeling his stomach knot up... did he have to go through with this?...almost felt as if he was being forced into it...
*But I'm not... I want to do it! I've waited to do it!*
When he turned back around he saw Robotnik's big teeth exposed in a grin, and then his fat uncle was staring at him with a raised eyebrow. The smaller man could almost read his thoughts just then... *they're insignificant and disposable... just like you...*
His stomach quit knotting and he almost glared at his uncle and almost spat in his face for thinking such thoughts about him; how dare Julian think he was a piece of trash... *when I'm the one who practically runs the city anyway...*
And he imagined those villager's fists dripping with blood again, and this time he didn't feel nauseous... he felt a flare of excitement, and his lips parted into a smile.
"Very good idea, sir... what do you plan to do with the others... the main ones?"
Robotnik laughed jolly-like. "Oh, what do you think, Snively?"
Snively looked blank. Let Robotnik explain his evil plans. It was what he loved best; *let him have this one last pleasure*, his thoughts cackled sadistically.
Robotnik frowned and sighed; his nephew... so stupid, so unworthy of being in the presence of his greatness... Robotnik wondered why he'd put up with the little shit's incompetence for this long...
*I'll be rid of him soon enough, without these pesky animals around, I'll have no need for him... all he does is watch the damn surveillance...no need for that when these brats are gone...* Then again...he did need someone to impress, someone to brag to about his grandeur. *Maybe he'll stay then... maybe, if I feel forgiving...*
"I will roboticize them! The princess, the hedgehog! It will be such a joy to break their spirits! To make them work for me towards the total domination of their pathetic planet!"
"How very creative," Snively muttered under his breath.
"What?" Robotnik growled.
"I'm...I'm elated! So very happy for you, sir!" His nephew beamed; sickeningly sweet, like a puppy wagging its tail up at its master.
Robotnik rubbed his hands together excitedly, feeling overjoyed himself. He looked up at the sky, eyes narrowed. He didn't need the extra SWATs. There seemed to be no efforts to remove him from the village... the villagers behind his nephew were completely broken from the hopelessness of their situation.
But he liked to be dramatic. He'd have them land, overrun this village with his might, raze it to the ground. The destruction of Knothole would send a screaming message across the rest of Mobius; the message that he was Lord and any fringe groups of rebels would surely lay down at his feet.
Yes... he liked the idea, and he reached into his pocket, withdrawing a communicator from it. He clicked the button, preparing to instruct them to land.
His nephew took a quick step forward, eyes alit.
"Please sir, can I do the honors?" He clasped his hands together, the puppy-dog look still on his face. "Please, please, please sir!?"
Robotnik unclicked the button, looking down at his kin for a moment. Then he shrugged, the shoulder of his metallic arm catching the light and gleaming. *Why not?* he thought. *Let the bastard have a little fun... he found this dump after all...*
So he handed over the communicator. His nephew took it in his tiny hand, smiling in delight.
Snively clicked the button down, lips parting to speak, then shut his eyes, a faint frown touching his brows, and just stood...
*Do it...do it, do it...now. Now. Don't wait anymore.*
His stomach curled, and butterflies smashed against its walls, crawling up his throat, choking him. He felt his throat tighten, squeezed his eyelids tighter, seeing sparks of colors swirling in the darkness of his closed vision.
*But he took me in...away from pops...he gave me a home, he gave me power...*
He remembered the times they'd had victories. The laugh of his uncle, the joy on the fat man's face. He remembered his uncle's kindness towards his mother.
*Don't do it. Please, let him be, please no... no more blood,* the soft side of his mind pleaded. *Remember what he gave you. All his frustration...it'll be no more, because you've found the thorn in his side. With it pulled, he'll respect you. He'll be nice. He'll be nice...*
The speaker in the communicator hissed with the rush of static; the SWATbots on the other end waiting patiently for their commands.
"Snively," Robotnik growled. "Are you going to stand there all day?! Tell them to land!"
*This is your uncle, your kin, your family, your blood... part of you is in him, somewhere, deep in that crimson river... you can't. You can't.*
He clutched his hand around the communicator tight, feeling the sweat cool on his palms, feeling the perspiration on his forehead. He struggled to breathe normally, the pulse beating in his throat so hard it hurt.
"SWATbots," he squeaked out, but his throat closed and he gagged on the remainder of the sentence.
"Awaiting-your-orders-sir."
He opened his eyes, saw his uncle glaring down at him, hands placed on fat hips impatiently, his eyes starting to glow with annoyance.
*So much blood. There'd be so much blood...*
"Tell them, or give me that back, Snively!! I haven't all day waiting around for you!!"
That look again from his uncle. *Disposable. You're disposable. Just my minion. A peon. A pathetic little man who follows my every command.* The hands at the hips were fists now. *Or you pay the price. Answer to the fist...*
The butterflies beat against each other inside him, wings beating frantically, his hands trembling. Felt a drop of sweat trickle down his spine.
*I am NOT disposable! I AM NOT A SLAVE!! I WON'T BE A SLAVE ANYMORE!!*
He growled through his teeth, turned to look at the villagers. His eyes focused on their fists, on the windows of the meeting hall.
A hand grabbed him suddenly, by the shirt front, yanking him upwards. His uncle's face filled his vision, red-on-black eyes glowing brighter now. Annoyance turned to anger. He couldn't wait. He wouldn't wait. He never waited, if things were too slow, or too... too anything...he dished out the punishment.
"TELL THEM NOW SNIVELY! OR I'LL DO IT!! AND THEN I'LL BREAK YOUR LITTLE NECK FOR WASTING MY TIME!!" His hand flew out, throwing Snively upon the ground.
He landed on his rear, sliding backwards a few feet, grimacing at the pain that shot up through his lower back. He heard the static hissing at him.
*Blood, so much blood...so much blood he's taken from me...* His sleeves had hiked up, and he saw his arms, saw a scar crossing the forearm of the right one... Robotnik had broken his arm a while ago, the bone had fractured and jutted through his skin.
That wasn't even a major event. He didn't need to see his stomach to know there were scars there too. So many of them...so many times he'd been cut open to repair his ruptured organs. To put that internal blood back in its proper place, instead of where it ended up, bubbling out of his mouth as he lay broken on the ground and his uncle stood over him, screaming and babbling about such things as 'hedgehogs' and 'damaged factories'.
Was all that blood a price to pay for such things? Was it?
His eyes teared up, the butterflies died, replaced by something else. A furious beast, clawing and tearing him up inside. His hands started trembling, but from another emotion.
He sat there shaking, his teeth clenching, cheeks flushing with rage. And then he got to his feet.
*I won't live like this anymore. This ends now. It ends now.*
Robotnik scowled at him, shaking his head, his clenched fists promising pain later. But Robotnik wouldn't care about his nephew's suffering. He'd celebrate after that. He'd have gotten his wish; the destruction of Knothole.
*But now it's my turn for wishes coming true. Coming out from under the fist...*
The command was given fast. "Return to Robotropolis at once!"
"Affirmative, sir."
Robotnik let out a gasp, red-on-black eyes widened as the hover units overhead obeyed, turning and zooming off towards the city. "SNIVELY?! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!" His voice came out its usual booming yell, and strangely, the villagers, nor his craven nephew didn't even twitch.
"Why?" Snively's eyes narrowed into a cold glare, then he threw down the communicator with all his might, his black boot descended upon it and smashing.
Robotnik's mouth dropped open.
"I'll tell you why. You won't need those SWATs, Julian. You aren't going to live to see Knothole's demise..."
"WHAT IS THIS, SNIVELY?!" his uncle bellowed, taking a furious step towards his nephew. "YOU WILL PAY FOR SUCH WORDS!!"
"PISS OFF!!" Snively snatched the broken communicator and threw it at his uncle's face. "YOU'RE GOING TO HELL WHERE YOU BELONG!! I AM NOT GOING TO BE YOUR SLAVE ANY MORE!!"
It felt so good to let it all out. His voice stayed in that high keening scream as he backed away from his uncle, who was coming closer. "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE TODAY, JULIAN, AND I'M GOING TO WATCH YOU AND LAUGH!!!" He let out a hideous cackle, and then turned his head towards the window, mad eyes glinting. "CASSSAR!"
The door flew open and Casssar stood framed in the doorway, olive eyes shadowed, but the light glinted off her fangs, exposed in grin.
"Obey Castdecass," she said, addressing the villagers. "Obey his every word."
Robotnik stopped. Snively had backed up behind the villagers, and he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes dark with hatred and a twisted smile on his face.
"Attack him," he said, one bony finger jutting towards the large form of his uncle.
Robotnik let out a gasp as the villager's blank eyes took on a murderous light and they pounced at him. He threw one off with his robotic arm, punched another. But they latched onto his limbs, pulling, tugging. He felt their teeth pierce his skin, their claws gouge his flesh. He screamed, fighting them off, swinging his big arms.
The four SWATS who were his escorts jumped towards the fight, wrists raised and laser sights glowing. But they didn't fire... the animals were too close to their esteemed leader.
"SIR-WHAT-IS-YOUR-COMMAND?" The lead 'bot questioned.
Robotnik was hardly in a position to answer. One arm swung, temporarily throwing one of the furries away from him. "SHOOT THEM!" was all he could manage.
"SIR-THERE-IS-A-RISK-OF-HITTING-YOU."
Robotnik snarled and fought, eyes blazing. "DO IT JUST DO IT!!"
"Oh no... you don't Julian..." he heard the voice of his nephew interject, so irritating, like ants invading a picnic. And he called forth the furries that were hiding behind the trees that surrounded the area, and they charged out, tackling the SWATbots. With animalistic fury, they ripped the robots apart, spewing oil. Two were shot, and they sank down in a heap of blood, but the damage was done.
The SWATS were gone.
*And so is Julian...* A dark smirk touched his face and he turned his attention to his uncle's struggles... oh, he was going to enjoy watching this show, enjoy it very much...
Robotnik was in trouble. He'd hit his attackers, and they'd fall away but rise again. His metal fists shattered one furry's jaw, but it rose, and came, blood oozing from its mouth, but its eyes void of pain.
"NO! GET OFF!" he shrieked. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A set of jaws had locked high up on his thigh, close to his groin. He felt warmth spill down his leg; blood.
They pulled him down to the ground, and he struggled, screaming and kicking and punching. He got one by the neck, and there was a cracking as he closed his fist crushingly hard.
The villager fell to the ground and didn't get up this time.
His fist slashed out, landing upon a furry's nose just right. It shattered, sending bone fragments up into the delicate brain-flesh. He dropped like a fly, lying dead beside his companion.
Now there were eight of them left.
Snively watched the event with eyes wide. He saw the blood spilling, soaking his uncle's outfit, but only on the parts that weren't scarlet red already. He'd always hated that outfit of Robotnik's. It was so damn ugly... He let out a short laugh.
Another villager was down. Another. Robotnik was bleeding, cursing, and fighting mighty hard. One of the furries buried his face in the tyrant's stomach, teeth gnawing and ripping.
Robotnik's hand descended upon its head, thrusting his robotic fingers hard up into the eyes. They burst, liquid running down his fingers. The furry made no noise of pain, just slid off, twitching, blood running from its mouth and eyes.
Robotnik's uniform was in tatters, exposing flabby stretch-marked flesh, pale, like grass underneath a rock. He hated the sun.
Snively remained silent, his own pale cheeks flushed with the excitement of it all, but far back in his throat he tasted something sick and acidic.
He heard a cracking noise as one of the furries managed to break his uncle's wrist. Robotnik screamed, long and harrowing.
Snively winced, arms flying up to his shoulders and hugging his tiny body. He wanted to close his eyes. He wanted to crawl away.
A flashback came to him. The hedgehog had eluded them again. Destroyed something or another. An enraged Robotnik had grabbed him by the wrist, squeezing so hard he'd shattered the bones, and while his nephew cried in agony, he'd screamed and spat in his face about 'your failure! You worthless little bastard!'. And then threw him down again...
His arms loosened and he let go of himself. "He deserves it," he whispered. "He deserves this all..."
"How's that feel, JULIAN!?" he spat. "How's that fucking feel!?"
Robotnik heard the taunting voice of his nephew, turned his head, teeth smeared red with blood, nose broken and skewed to the side. One of his robotic hearing devices had been ripped from his head, and in its place was a bloody hole. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS, SNIVELY!!" He roared, throwing himself forward, clawing over the ground to reach his nephew.
"How? Are you going to reach beyond the grave?" Snively came forward with a hard kick, slamming his prone uncle in the face. "On the other hand, you aren't going to be buried!! I'm going to keep you out for the maggots to feed on!!"
He kicked again. "And I'm going to piss on your rotting carcass!"
Robotnik grabbed out for Snively's foot, but the small man jumped backwards.
"Don't touch me... I don't want your blood on my clothes..."
The villagers bit and scratched, tearing out chunks of flesh from the tyrant's back.
"I'll kill you," Robotnik said, his voice crowded with whimpers as the blood dripped down his shoulders and sides, and spraying his nephew's face, who jumped back, wiping it away in disgust.
"I'll kill you..."
*******
Sally sat in the chair, rocking back and forth, her body tensed. Her hands were buried in her auburn hair, pressing down hard over her ears.
*What is all that screaming?? Oh Gods. Make it stop. Please, make it stop!!* She whimpered, tears wetting her cheeks.
"Make it stop!!" she cried aloud. "PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!! CU!!! PLEASE!!"
She slid off the chair, curling on the ground in a ball, her body racked with shuddering. A strange moaning noise came from her lips. Even with her hands clenched over her ears, she could still hear the sounds outside. It sounded like a massacre.
Her nose twitched, taking in the scent of blood, and she thrust her face forward onto the wooden floor and puked.
She staggered to her feet, the foul vomit running down her chin in a thin stream, dripping down into her chest fur. She took shaky steps towards the door. The ermine was standing there, leaned against the frame. Her long black tail, tipped with white, was lazily draped around the doorknob.
It might've looked cute. But not with those sounds outside. They made everything horrid.
The ermine turned her head, crinkling her nose at seeing Sally behind her. "It's wonderful, isn't it? Not only are your people killing their enemy, my Castdecass is getting his revenge..."
Sally fell against Casssar's back, clutching her hands hard into the soft black fur. Casssar had her arm outstretched, pressed against the doorframe. Sally peered over it, her midnight blue eyes widening in horror.
She saw Robotnik. He was on the ground. Nearly naked. His uniform torn to shreds. *Where is his skin?* she wondered with a slight frown. *He's all red.*
A gagging noise broke from her as she realized. He was covered with blood.
Her people were all over him, acting like lesser animals. They were savagely biting and clawing him. She saw one of the males.
He was a nice man. He worked in the gardens. He was quiet, and shy, blushing when someone spoke to him. But now his normally timid mouth was clenched onto Robotnik's flabby side. He drew away, ripping flesh. It hung down from his mouth, a long slim strip of bloodied meat. He chewed it for a moment, then spat.
It lay upon the ground like a paint-soaked rag. Then a foot stepped upon it as a gore-splattered raccoon moved to the same wound, her teeth digging in and ripping further into the tyrant's body.
"NOOOOOO!" Sally screamed, voice ragged. "MAKE THEM STOP!! THIS CANNOT BEEEEEEEE!" Her hands tugged on the ermine's fur.
Casssar ignored her.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!! THIS IS WRONG...MY PEOPLE...this is not who we are..." Tears sprang into her eyes, and she sobbed, burying her face into Casssar's outstretched arm.
Then she ducked under the ermine's arm and raced out. The smell of copper was so overwhelming that she vomited again.
She watched the brutal attack, her eyes stinging with tears. She looked wildly around. There had to be help.
She saw Snively standing a few feet away, motionless. He was staring at Robotnik with an odd expression in his eyes.
She stumbled over, falling to her knees in front of him, reaching up and grabbing his shirt in her fists. "Make them stop, Snively, please, make them stop. You can't do this, you can't do this..."
He looked down at her, the peculiar look still on his face. It was like a mixture of every emotion in the world... the blue depths were unfocused, but swiftly locked on her face.
"I can't, princess," he said.
"You can't...you can't murder your own family!!"
He looked back at his uncle, lips twisted in a scowl, but his eyes kept their nameless expression. He looked away from the attack, eyes closing. Then back down at her. "Get off me."
He grabbed her hands, still clasped on his shirt and wrenched them off. She stared up at him, eyes big, wild. He squeezed her wrists hard, then tossed her onto the ground.
She crawled to him again, grabbing his foot and rubbing her head against his legs, desperate for something to hold on to. "You can't!" she cried out, moaning over and over, low in her throat. "Please stop. Please stop. I know you can make them stop. TELL THEM TO STOP!!!" Her eyes pleaded with him.
He looked down at her, starting to shake... the smell of blood in the air was getting to him, he was starting to feel sick. He wanted to vomit, but forced it down, wanted to block his ears from the sounds of his uncle's slaying, but didn't...
"STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!!" Her voice had risen to a shriek.
He kicked her off his feet, and reached down, grabbing a handful of her thick auburn hair. He shook her head furiously, ribbing out chunks of hair in the process. "SHUT UP!!!" he screamed. "SHUUUUTTT UP!!!!""
"No please," her voice was slurred as he tossed her to the ground again. "You can't kill your own family...this is wrong... my people are not like this, you're killing them you're killing you're killing them..."
He looked over at Casssar. She stood silently in the doorway, observing it all with neutral eyes. He looked back at his uncle, who was still struggling, but weakly now.
"Get off him," he said to the villagers.
They backed away, covered with gore. Their eyes resumed the blank stares, long strings of flesh hanging from mouths.
Sally lay on the ground, still pleading.
"Casssar...possess her," he said, voice coming out mono, void of any emotion.
The ermine snapped Sally up in a possessive spell.
"Sally, come here..." he said, holding out his hand. She took it and he led her to his uncle's body.
The fat man lay panting, eyes crazed, blood bubbling between his lips. He managed to focus on his nephew, and his lip curled into a weak snarl. He reached for Snively, but the small man didn't even step away. The reaching hand flopped down before even midway to its target, too weak to go further.
"Kill you..." the words slipped out, trapped in a bubble of blood that promptly burst, flecking the fat man's face. Snively felt a stray drop hit his cheek and slide down, and he quickly wiped it away, skin crawling at the touch of it.
"Now," he whispered, voice strangely raspy, "now Julian...you know how it feels..."
"Killll you..."
"You know all the pain I went through..."
"...baaaasssttarrrd..."
"I did everything for you!!" the cry came out in a rush of breath, tears sparkled in his nephew's eyes. "I tried my best for you, and you rewarded me with pain!! I TRUSTED YOU!! I ADORED YOU JULIAN AND YOU..." he choked up..."you hurt me so bad..."
He looked heavenward for a moment, trying to regain his composure. "...well, now you're getting your payment...long overdue after all the years of torment I've gone through..."
He crouched down, pulling a dagger from Sally's boot. He'd seen it there earlier. He held it in his hand, clasping it, white-knuckled, glaring down at his uncle.
Tears trembled in his eyes.
Julian's face contorted with hate, the blood oozed down his fat chin in a steady stream. "...kill yooooou..."
He raised the knife up, but faltered... he couldn't do it. He turned away, breath coming in hard and ragged. He felt like he was choking and doubled over, gasping for air. His pulse drummed hard through his veins, hurting.
Then he straightened.
*Can't have this blood on my hands...*
The knife transferred from his hands to Sally's. His face was blank, eyes cold like blue ice.
He was sure now.
"Finish it, Sally," he said.
She stood still, holding the knife.
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Finish him now..."