Chapter 10:
The river's end
The Black Flower was not in full blossom. Rather the little man was wilted in her arms, head lolling and eyes shut. A few mummering noises broke from his lips on occasion but otherwise the journey towards the dark city was quiet.
Casssar didn't know why she headed back that way. She couldn't figure anywhere else to go. And it was Castdecass's home after all, wasn't it? And with his overweight master dead, it was his kingdom to inherit now.
She passed by the dusty gray outskirts and into the dark streets she went, trotting with her small friend cuddled in her arms. At a muttered word from him, several robots that tried to apprehend her backed off. She wasn't worried. She could've just blasted them with a bolt of magic. They would have backed off permanently then...
Her feet made no sounds on the streets, even when she clambered over small heaps of scrap metal that lay scattered around. The command center, a dark looming building, was in sight now, directly ahead. She went towards it, marveling at how the highest spires of the egg-shaped structure seemed to scrape the very roof of the sky itself.
*What an impressive place.* It was so dark, and dreary, and puddles upon the ground reflected the rolling poison clouds above. Her eyes wandered up to gaze at them. They stretched across the skies, as far as her eyes could see, gray upon gray, thick.
Castdecass moaned in her grip, but she ignored him, because a voice was yelling.
"HEY!"
It was not a robot's voice. She turned, cradling the small one in her arms.
A tall being, swathed in black, was approaching her. As he drew nearer, she saw he was of Castdecass's kind, with a fair face and a shock of black hair, ruby eyes and sneering lips, and he stood with hands on hips a few feet in front of her.
She scowled. Oh yes, she'd seen him before. He'd taken Cast away from her the last time they'd met. Dragged her little friend back into the dark city and back to his dark master.
"I remember you," he said, red eyes narrowing a fraction. "I've seen you around Snively before..." His eyes traveled to the aforementioned human, and he sneered further. "What happened to him?"
"Nothing," she said shortly. "He has had a long day. Much has happened."
"Packbell," Cast muttered, opening one eye to eye the android. "Leave us alone."
Casssar nodded. "Yes...leave us be...or you shall pay."
"And what exactly is the price?" challenged the black-haired one, eyes blazing. "This time I won't let you go, girly. You'll get to find out what it feels like to be a robot, first-hand."
"I doubt that." Casssar's tone was arrogant; she wasn't afraid.
Packbell laughed, tilting his head and smiling at her as if she were a child who'd just said something cute. "Now, now girly, don't make me hurt you. You wouldn't like it."
"Fuck off, Packbell," Cast struggled in her grip, so she released him. He leaned his little body forward, poking the android in the stomach. "Go away; you're supposed to be patrolling."
"I AM patrolling," the android shot back, "and I see an intruder." Red eyes narrowed further, gazing back and forth between Casssar and Snively. "And you seem to be quite friendly with her."
"She's not a Freedom Fighter," the small human's lips lifted into a sneer. Eyes locked with the android's; a haughty gaze... what did he have to fear from this annoying hunk of metal? Packbell had teased, tormented, abused, made it his personal hobby to make poor Snively's life miserable; but now the tiny Overlander felt no fear, not even a twinge of nervousness. Packbell had no more daddy to run to and tattle that Snively had fucked-up. And Casssar was here. She would protect him.
*What would Packbell say if he knew 'daddy' was dead?* Snively's mouth opened slightly, tongue preparing itself to inform the android of Robotnik's untimely demise, then stopped.
"It doesn't matter. She's a Mobian. And associating with them is a traitorous affair."
"Oh." Snively tilted his head in the manner Packbell had earlier. "Maybe I was trying to trick her into revealing Knothole's location." A dark chuckle rose from his throat.
One of the android's black brows slid up, and he pursed his lips for a moment, thinking. "Maybe..." He smiled wickedly. "But I highly doubt it. You were trying to get a piece, weren't you?" His eyes swept Casssar and he licked his lips. "I don't blame you..." His gaze slowed and wandered about where it shouldn't, lingering for long moments. The ermine scowled.
"Look all you like... you'll never be able to touch..."
"Really?" Packbell's smile turned into an unpleasant leer. "And how you gonna stop me, girly?" One of his heavy black-booted feet lifted and stepped towards her. "Or is big bad Snivvy gonna save you?" He laughed and gave the small one a shove.
Casssar frowned now. "Don't touch him."
"Oh, I don't want him." The android came nearer to the ermine, until he was just inches away, his hands rose up and hovered dangerously near her chest. "I'd much rather touch you." Cherry eyes blazed with a wicked light.
"Move your hands any closer, and you shall regret it."
"Really?" Packbell repeated and then his hands were right on her breasts, squeezing.
Her hands shot out in response, shoving him hard. He took a step backwards, smirking, then grabbed her in a vicious grip, pressing his lips to hers.
She shoved him away, snarling. "DO NOT DO THAT AGAIN!"
"Or what, bitch!?" He laughed in an insane fashion, and one hand flew out and cracked her hard across the face. She stumbled, gasping a little in shock. Seconds later, he had her in his grip again, locking his mouth to her bloodied one.
Snively twitched an eyebrow, watching as her hands floated up to the sides of Packbell's face, almost as if she were to stroke him. But he saw those digits flex and magic crackle around them, and Packbell suddenly yelped and struggled to break free.
"AHHHHHH! LETGOOOOO!" He stamped upon her foot.
She held on tighter, the magic flaring around his head. An unpleasant smell emitted, like burning oil or plastic. Snively crinkled his nose, and eyes widened, watched the ermine and the android. His hands pushing on her chest, hers on his face, moving with him, not letting go. It was like a bizarre dance.
Packbell's protests were dying to a gurgling noise, like his mouth had suddenly filled with something thick, like honey, or glue, and then he was altogether silent.
She let him go, and Snively saw then...his entire face was just a melted mass, and his stomach rebelled at the sight, making him turn away and decorate the ground with a puddle of vomit. Casssar rolled the android over onto his stomach with her foot and brushed her hands together, satisfied.
"He won't do that again."
"I...I'm sure he won't." He felt suddenly weak and moaned, sinking down to his knees. Tears sprang to his eyes, and he realized he was completely exhausted and worn from the events of the day... so much had happened and his mind was starting to shut down.
Shock, he supposed. Then Casssar's arms were around him again, cradling him to her warm chest, and they were striding through the city. He managed to stay in focus enough to dismiss any SWATs who came their way.
She stepped through long long hallways inside the main building, the floors cold under her bare feet. He whispered directions to her against her fur, and she followed them, making her way to an enormous room, lined with huge computer monitors and consoles, and an unattractive green throne planted dead center in the room.
"So, this is where your master lived..."
"Yes..." he rasped, and then shut his eyes tight.
*He's dead. I can't believe it. He's...* An image of that mangled body came to his head... he couldn't believe that had been Robotnik, that hunk of bloodied flesh that lay crumpled on the ground in... where had that been? He couldn't remember right now. But he didn't want to remember... all that blood. He could still feel it on his face... it felt so thick, like mud, and it even seemed like it was still wet, still warm.
"Stop it," he moaned aloud, and buried his face deeper between the ermine's soft breasts. "Don't make me look anymore..."
She cradled his bald head in her hands. "Sssssh, my little black flower...it'll be fine..."
"Julian's dead," he said aloud. "Everything will be alright." A strange giggle came from him; the product of extreme weariness and unbelieving shock. "Everything will be just dandy right, Cass?"
"Yes, yes," she assured him, sinking into the green throne. "You have what you want now, and so do I..." Her arms tightened around him and she planted a kiss on his forehead.
*Well most of what I want, anyway.*
She thought of the Source pools, of her father, of finding the person responsible for corrupting him.
*I want to find them, I want to... yes...* But they seemed so unimportant right now. It was warm here, and she loved the feel of the tiny one's heartbeat against her fur. Arms cradled and lips adorned his head.
It could wait.
There was so much to discover right here. Like the strange feelings that arose in her by holding this small creature near.
A small laugh escaped her.
She supposed it was love.
********
"Everything will be alright, Sal!"
Sonic was sitting on the wooden chair beside the Princess's bed, but she wouldn't look at him. Her head was buried underneath her pillow, her body under the covers.
Sonic felt confused. He wondered how Snively had found Knothole. Because it had been the little runt who'd found it first, according to Uncle Chuck, who had come barreling frantically into the village. He too had stared open-mouthed at the corpse of Robotnik.
It was still lying there. They didn't know what to do with it. Hadn't even dared to touch it, really. Someone had thrown a tarp over the bloodied pile to cover it. No matter how vile the man had been, it was still sickening to see him like that...
"I mean, ole Buttnik's..." he tried to phrase it nicely, "...gone... I mean, we're supposed to be happy here!"
She didn't respond, only lay there, feeling the silent drip-drip of tears down her cheeks.
*How can everything be alright? When people are dead? Murdered. When I have blood on my hands. When I'm a murderer.*
She tried to block out his voice. Yes, Sonic was right. Everyone would be happy; everything would change.
But she knew... she knew with all her heart...
That change wasn't always good...
The END?
The river's end
The Black Flower was not in full blossom. Rather the little man was wilted in her arms, head lolling and eyes shut. A few mummering noises broke from his lips on occasion but otherwise the journey towards the dark city was quiet.
Casssar didn't know why she headed back that way. She couldn't figure anywhere else to go. And it was Castdecass's home after all, wasn't it? And with his overweight master dead, it was his kingdom to inherit now.
She passed by the dusty gray outskirts and into the dark streets she went, trotting with her small friend cuddled in her arms. At a muttered word from him, several robots that tried to apprehend her backed off. She wasn't worried. She could've just blasted them with a bolt of magic. They would have backed off permanently then...
Her feet made no sounds on the streets, even when she clambered over small heaps of scrap metal that lay scattered around. The command center, a dark looming building, was in sight now, directly ahead. She went towards it, marveling at how the highest spires of the egg-shaped structure seemed to scrape the very roof of the sky itself.
*What an impressive place.* It was so dark, and dreary, and puddles upon the ground reflected the rolling poison clouds above. Her eyes wandered up to gaze at them. They stretched across the skies, as far as her eyes could see, gray upon gray, thick.
Castdecass moaned in her grip, but she ignored him, because a voice was yelling.
"HEY!"
It was not a robot's voice. She turned, cradling the small one in her arms.
A tall being, swathed in black, was approaching her. As he drew nearer, she saw he was of Castdecass's kind, with a fair face and a shock of black hair, ruby eyes and sneering lips, and he stood with hands on hips a few feet in front of her.
She scowled. Oh yes, she'd seen him before. He'd taken Cast away from her the last time they'd met. Dragged her little friend back into the dark city and back to his dark master.
"I remember you," he said, red eyes narrowing a fraction. "I've seen you around Snively before..." His eyes traveled to the aforementioned human, and he sneered further. "What happened to him?"
"Nothing," she said shortly. "He has had a long day. Much has happened."
"Packbell," Cast muttered, opening one eye to eye the android. "Leave us alone."
Casssar nodded. "Yes...leave us be...or you shall pay."
"And what exactly is the price?" challenged the black-haired one, eyes blazing. "This time I won't let you go, girly. You'll get to find out what it feels like to be a robot, first-hand."
"I doubt that." Casssar's tone was arrogant; she wasn't afraid.
Packbell laughed, tilting his head and smiling at her as if she were a child who'd just said something cute. "Now, now girly, don't make me hurt you. You wouldn't like it."
"Fuck off, Packbell," Cast struggled in her grip, so she released him. He leaned his little body forward, poking the android in the stomach. "Go away; you're supposed to be patrolling."
"I AM patrolling," the android shot back, "and I see an intruder." Red eyes narrowed further, gazing back and forth between Casssar and Snively. "And you seem to be quite friendly with her."
"She's not a Freedom Fighter," the small human's lips lifted into a sneer. Eyes locked with the android's; a haughty gaze... what did he have to fear from this annoying hunk of metal? Packbell had teased, tormented, abused, made it his personal hobby to make poor Snively's life miserable; but now the tiny Overlander felt no fear, not even a twinge of nervousness. Packbell had no more daddy to run to and tattle that Snively had fucked-up. And Casssar was here. She would protect him.
*What would Packbell say if he knew 'daddy' was dead?* Snively's mouth opened slightly, tongue preparing itself to inform the android of Robotnik's untimely demise, then stopped.
"It doesn't matter. She's a Mobian. And associating with them is a traitorous affair."
"Oh." Snively tilted his head in the manner Packbell had earlier. "Maybe I was trying to trick her into revealing Knothole's location." A dark chuckle rose from his throat.
One of the android's black brows slid up, and he pursed his lips for a moment, thinking. "Maybe..." He smiled wickedly. "But I highly doubt it. You were trying to get a piece, weren't you?" His eyes swept Casssar and he licked his lips. "I don't blame you..." His gaze slowed and wandered about where it shouldn't, lingering for long moments. The ermine scowled.
"Look all you like... you'll never be able to touch..."
"Really?" Packbell's smile turned into an unpleasant leer. "And how you gonna stop me, girly?" One of his heavy black-booted feet lifted and stepped towards her. "Or is big bad Snivvy gonna save you?" He laughed and gave the small one a shove.
Casssar frowned now. "Don't touch him."
"Oh, I don't want him." The android came nearer to the ermine, until he was just inches away, his hands rose up and hovered dangerously near her chest. "I'd much rather touch you." Cherry eyes blazed with a wicked light.
"Move your hands any closer, and you shall regret it."
"Really?" Packbell repeated and then his hands were right on her breasts, squeezing.
Her hands shot out in response, shoving him hard. He took a step backwards, smirking, then grabbed her in a vicious grip, pressing his lips to hers.
She shoved him away, snarling. "DO NOT DO THAT AGAIN!"
"Or what, bitch!?" He laughed in an insane fashion, and one hand flew out and cracked her hard across the face. She stumbled, gasping a little in shock. Seconds later, he had her in his grip again, locking his mouth to her bloodied one.
Snively twitched an eyebrow, watching as her hands floated up to the sides of Packbell's face, almost as if she were to stroke him. But he saw those digits flex and magic crackle around them, and Packbell suddenly yelped and struggled to break free.
"AHHHHHH! LETGOOOOO!" He stamped upon her foot.
She held on tighter, the magic flaring around his head. An unpleasant smell emitted, like burning oil or plastic. Snively crinkled his nose, and eyes widened, watched the ermine and the android. His hands pushing on her chest, hers on his face, moving with him, not letting go. It was like a bizarre dance.
Packbell's protests were dying to a gurgling noise, like his mouth had suddenly filled with something thick, like honey, or glue, and then he was altogether silent.
She let him go, and Snively saw then...his entire face was just a melted mass, and his stomach rebelled at the sight, making him turn away and decorate the ground with a puddle of vomit. Casssar rolled the android over onto his stomach with her foot and brushed her hands together, satisfied.
"He won't do that again."
"I...I'm sure he won't." He felt suddenly weak and moaned, sinking down to his knees. Tears sprang to his eyes, and he realized he was completely exhausted and worn from the events of the day... so much had happened and his mind was starting to shut down.
Shock, he supposed. Then Casssar's arms were around him again, cradling him to her warm chest, and they were striding through the city. He managed to stay in focus enough to dismiss any SWATs who came their way.
She stepped through long long hallways inside the main building, the floors cold under her bare feet. He whispered directions to her against her fur, and she followed them, making her way to an enormous room, lined with huge computer monitors and consoles, and an unattractive green throne planted dead center in the room.
"So, this is where your master lived..."
"Yes..." he rasped, and then shut his eyes tight.
*He's dead. I can't believe it. He's...* An image of that mangled body came to his head... he couldn't believe that had been Robotnik, that hunk of bloodied flesh that lay crumpled on the ground in... where had that been? He couldn't remember right now. But he didn't want to remember... all that blood. He could still feel it on his face... it felt so thick, like mud, and it even seemed like it was still wet, still warm.
"Stop it," he moaned aloud, and buried his face deeper between the ermine's soft breasts. "Don't make me look anymore..."
She cradled his bald head in her hands. "Sssssh, my little black flower...it'll be fine..."
"Julian's dead," he said aloud. "Everything will be alright." A strange giggle came from him; the product of extreme weariness and unbelieving shock. "Everything will be just dandy right, Cass?"
"Yes, yes," she assured him, sinking into the green throne. "You have what you want now, and so do I..." Her arms tightened around him and she planted a kiss on his forehead.
*Well most of what I want, anyway.*
She thought of the Source pools, of her father, of finding the person responsible for corrupting him.
*I want to find them, I want to... yes...* But they seemed so unimportant right now. It was warm here, and she loved the feel of the tiny one's heartbeat against her fur. Arms cradled and lips adorned his head.
It could wait.
There was so much to discover right here. Like the strange feelings that arose in her by holding this small creature near.
A small laugh escaped her.
She supposed it was love.
********
"Everything will be alright, Sal!"
Sonic was sitting on the wooden chair beside the Princess's bed, but she wouldn't look at him. Her head was buried underneath her pillow, her body under the covers.
Sonic felt confused. He wondered how Snively had found Knothole. Because it had been the little runt who'd found it first, according to Uncle Chuck, who had come barreling frantically into the village. He too had stared open-mouthed at the corpse of Robotnik.
It was still lying there. They didn't know what to do with it. Hadn't even dared to touch it, really. Someone had thrown a tarp over the bloodied pile to cover it. No matter how vile the man had been, it was still sickening to see him like that...
"I mean, ole Buttnik's..." he tried to phrase it nicely, "...gone... I mean, we're supposed to be happy here!"
She didn't respond, only lay there, feeling the silent drip-drip of tears down her cheeks.
*How can everything be alright? When people are dead? Murdered. When I have blood on my hands. When I'm a murderer.*
She tried to block out his voice. Yes, Sonic was right. Everyone would be happy; everything would change.
But she knew... she knew with all her heart...
That change wasn't always good...
The END?