A Fissure Among the Factions Part 2

by MistressAli

The second part of Fissure. Snively is awaiting his punishment in Knothole, to the joy of some, and dismay of others. Meanwhile, the FF's are about to discover Nagus is far nastier than they thought.

2. Chapter 2

A Fissure Among the Factions (c) 01-02 by me, MistressAli
All "Sonic the Hedgehog" characters and related indicia (c) and TM Sega/Archie/and DIC.
Used without permission.

This document may be freely distributed, as long as it's not altered in any way.
Ok, peoples, this story contains: some violence and swearing. I love comments so review.

This story is the third in the New Season series, therefore it takes place after the New Season and For Whom the Gavel Pounds. This is chapter 2 of part 2!

'Don't look to the dark
All the pain that you want is here
Uncover your heart
So the feeling can disappear
The worst winds are calling
They need you they want you
I'm in the dark and
I can't see a thing for miles.'
~ Ours

A Fissure Among the Factions
Part Two : The Escape

~Chapter Two ~

Dulcy closed her eyes.

This was just a bad feeling.

She got those sometimes.

But she couldn't shake the feel of the air. The *aura* it emitted. It felt like death, somehow... or more like life on the edge of death, the last shard of light before the dark oblivion.

"Watch me!" Sonic responded, drawn by the wizard's taunt, or threat. Or whatever. Sonic could never resist a challenge.

In a blur of blue, Sonic rushed towards the nearest prisoner, a male rabbit.

"No!" Dulcy yelled.

The rabbit took a step back.

Too late. Sonic, smirking, had a hold now, grabbing the rabbit's arm. He thought it would be easy to pull away this man.

But something went wrong. Something *was* wrong. He tried to run, but something held him back.

His eyes shot to the man's hands; they held onto nothing.

"What the-?" The young hedgehog was baffled, but he didn't stop to ponder.

He revved up.

The man thrashed.

Dulcy cried, "NO! No Sonic! Let him go let-"

The wizard braced his feet apart, cackling, eyes gone onyx.

And Sonic pulled pulled pullllled away, breaking this invisible rope...barrier?...with a great burst of speed.

The wizard let out a loud grunt of effort, like he'd been punched. He shrank in on himself, and the black flowed like snot out his nostrils, smearing his teeth.

"NO SONIC!"

Dulcy was drowned out. Not by wizardly cackling. The man in Sonic's arms began to wail, his body jerking in horrid convulsions. The hedgehog held on, and then dropped him in repulsion and shock, staring down. Flopping like a fish, the man's eyes went dim. Mouth gaped. His last cry came gurgling through bubbles of black foaming from his mouth. It stained his fur, spread around like blood.

There was total silence.

Finally Sonic was jolted aside; Sally knelt down, feverously grabbing the man's wrist.

"He's...he's dead..." She sputtered.

A panting laugh rang through the air. "Y-y-yesss!" wheezed Nagus. "And you, hedgehog, you are the cause of his extinction!"

"What have you done, Nagus?!" Chuck shouted.

The wizard's breathing was labored, but he managed another mocking laugh. "I needed no restraints to bring my friends through the city, you see, they were bound to me by magic."

No one said a word. They stared at the body.

Nagus's words meant nothing to Sonic. He noticed black on his gloves. He shuddered and stripped them off. He threw them on the ground.

"I knew you would try to retrieve them, hedgehog." The wizard grinned. "So I bound more than their movement to this magical leash. I bound their lives." His crab claw aimed at the man. "When you broke the leash, you broke *him*!"

Sonic withdrew from the body, his eyes wide and lip trembling.

"NO!" Dulcy stepped forward, wings spread out. "*You* killed him, not Sonic!"

"You are a monster, Nagus..." Sally took Sonic's hand in her own.

"That I am."

"Why are you doing this?! What have they done to you?"

The wizard sighed. Tears had clouded her eyes. "You take it so personally, Princess. It's nothing personal."

The dragoness growled and stepped closer to him. "If it has to do with our friends it is!"

Chuckling, Nagus shook his head. His eyes had regained their normal rusty hue and the black liquid had vanished. Sally fancied it had seeped in with the rest of the poison in this tainted ground.

"You don't even know them. Friends indeed."

"So what..." Dulcy began, but Nagus continued.

"If you were not at war, you wouldn't even care for these people. You'd care nothing about knowing them. So why should you now?"

Sally frowned, gripping Sonic's hand tighter. "You're wrong, Nagus. I...we'd...always care."

Nagus's shark teeth glinted. "Oh fine then, Princess, you care. You care to recruit them. They're only to use as tools against me. You don't care to know *them*."

"You're so full of it, Nagus!" Sonic finally tore his eyes away from the man, snarling. He broke free from Sally's grip. "You don't know anything about us!"

Nagus ignored him, his gaze focused squarely on the princess. She fidgeted uncomfortably; meeting his eyes made her vision burn. "It's your duty to 'care', Princess. To keep up your regal image...yes, your father was the same way."

Her eyes burned in a different way now. Fierce and bright. Her mouth opened to scream words that reflected her eyes, words of anger and defense.

"But is it in your heart, Princess?"

To her it seemed his voice had taken on a rich undertone, something warm and giving, something so familiar it made her knees shake. She took a step back, closing her eyes hard.

'Is it in my heart? To care...? Of course!'

She thought he was Daddy in the Void. She thought Nagus was Daddy. How could she? How could she be led so easily by a lie? Was her heart that weak...that she couldn't see reality, that she only saw what she wanted to see?

Did she see people here she wanted to know, or people she wanted to use...?

'He let us in to use us.'

He was using Daddy's voice and the others couldn't hear it. Only she could.

He was using it to turn her. To hurt her.

She had believed it because she believed in hope. She had believed that Nagus was Daddy because she believed in life.

Her feet moved again, but this time she went forward. "You're right, Nagus. Maybe I don't care to know them."

Sonic looked over at her, startled.

"But I care that they live. That they have a chance. That they aren't *used*." She took a deep breath. "It's the least they deserve. It's what everyone deserves..."

The wizard drew in a snarling breath. His arms crossed over his chest and he seemed to draw in on himself again. The air around him shimmered like heat waves. "Touching, Princess, but life...and death are overrated. They don't matter. *Power* is what matters."

"What's he doin' this time, Dulcy?" Chuck had sidled closer to the dragon.

"I don't know..." The dragon squinted her eyes, but it did little good to discern what Nagus was up to this time. She could feel the magic alright; thick and dark, humming through the ground sinister. This was hurtful sorcery. "It's...it's some kind of attack spell."

Sally gasped as the pieces of broken SWAT and hovercraft around them glowed red again. Lifting off the ground, hovering a few feet above.

"Maybe we should..."

A piece of SWAT suddenly shot fast towards Sally. She sprang out of the way. Another piece nearly took her head off.

The shattered pieces danced in the air, arms and legs and broken windshield shards.

Chuck was bowled over by a sharp piece of glass. It stuck in the elbow of his arm, sending off sparks.

The wizard's raspy laugh rang out. "Don't you agree?! Had you power, you could avoid death, you could hold life! You could bring life, cause death, you could die and still exist!"

"Cut the chat, Nagus, why don't you fight us without your tricks!" Sonic growled and was suddenly barreling towards the wizard in a spindash.

A piece of hovercraft; a side panel of armor or a broken piece of door, came between Nagus and Sonic. The blur of blue slammed into it, hard, and then stumbled backwards.

Sonic collapsed to the ground, stunned. His blurred eyes took in his gloves, shining pure white, inches from his nose. He felt cold hands grab him under the arms, pulling him up.

"There, there, Sonny-boy, you alright?"

Head down, the hedgehog glared at the wizard. And then he was on the ground again, with his uncle on top, shielding him. A SWATbot torso had swooped down, slamming Chuck hard in the back. Sonic felt the impact, grinding him into the ground; his uncle made no sound voluntarily, but Sonic could hear the crackling of sparks.

"Unc?!"

"I'm ok, Sonic!" The robotic one pulled his nephew to his feet. Sally and Dulcy were flattened to the ground. Pieces of wreckage whipped through the air like gunfire, and in the middle of it all, Nagus cackled dark laughter, his terrified prisoners huddled close around him.

Sally rolled out of the way as a SWAT leg embedded itself into the ground where she'd been. She shivered. "We...We have to retreat!"

Dulcy nodded vigorously. "Yeah!"

Sonic made a face; then rolled to avoid similar impalement.

'Is it in my heart to care?'

Sally's eyes took in her group running ahead of her. They were running away from Nagus in defeat; they were leaving those people behind to be tortured.
They were leaving behind a dead man, and she knew Sonic thought this was his fault.

'Is it just my duty?'

It couldn't be.

She couldn't focus on the pain in her fatigued legs, the gasping of her breath and her laboring lungs.

The pain in her heart hurt too much.

**

'Run run run!!'

His ankle hurt.

'Why did I rest so long!? Idiot!'

*

"He's been through here."

Geoffrey tightened the bandage on his head. Two of his MP's, Tory and Sig, stood looking around the forest.

Sig's feline face was set in its usual expression. Slack-jawed and droopy-eyed. "How do you know, boss?"

"Look at the leaves, how they're all trampled!"

"So..."

"Yeah, really," Tory grumbled. His hand was permanently stuck to his head, cradling his injury. "It could be anyone who done that."

"It's HIM!" Geoffrey hissed and stomped further into the woods.

*

RUN!!

He couldn't explain the anxiety. Maybe it was the sticks cracking. The voices? Maybe it was just the damp dead air of the Dark Swamp. It was looming ahead on the path, he could feel the ground turning spongy underneath his aching feet. Vines draped between trees, dripping with strange moss.

*

"See?!"

"See what? Get your finger outta my face."

"Don't know where it's been."

"Up Sally's..."

"He wishes, Tory...Ha..."

"SHUT UP!" Geoffrey thrust his finger to the edge of Tory's nostril. "Smell that."

"Gross..." But the badger sniffed. "It's..."

Sig grinned.

"Blood."

"You hope."

"Oh, he's been through here, alright..." The skunk sent the wet rocks and gurgling water a beautiful smile. He glanced up the hill they'd just stumbled down, eyeing the jutting rocks. A person could get hurt running down there.

They could cut themselves, a leg or arm perhaps, and then sit on the moss by the stream, with their limbs spread over the flat rocks here.

They could leave evidence.

He stuck his finger into his mouth.

Evidence so beautifully copper-sweet...

*

'Damn this forest! Damn it, damn it, damn it, dammmmmmittt!'

Snively hadn't been aware of the blood loss. When he'd sat on the rock to peel back his sock, the blood had wept onto the sock and down his skin, leaving a puddle on the rock. He hadn't noticed...

The shoes he wore didn't handle travel as well as his boots, lying somewhere in Bunnie's hut. She'd probably throw them out.

'Maybe she'll keep them...to remember me.'

He grimaced. He'd already wrapped a piece of cloth, torn from his sleeve, around the injury. It wasn't a big deal.

The strange trees of the swamp were in sight. Their roots were above ground, tangled like wooden snakes. A few bugs landed on him and bit. He slapped at them, growling...they were sure to be worse deeper into that wretched place.

He imagined tainted water seeping into his injury, turning it black. Grimacing again, he shook his head to fling the thought away.

'It won't happen.'

It wouldn't be fair or right for him to die in this place.

'Shut up.' Because fate had never taken consideration for fair or right in his life. It loved to trip him up, strangle him with injustice, violate him with wrongness.

'Whatever happens happens. Just fight it harder. I have a new chance now. To be free...maybe.'

To take up this mat everyone had trodden on...to shake all their dirt off. To never let them lay their feet on him again.

He paused on the threshold of trees. It was a long pause. Maybe a falter. Maybe a leash of fear holding him back. He stood staring intro the streams of dangling moss and the spongy ground, the dragonflies with iridescent wings, the clusters of flowers splattered like yellow paint.

This was alien territory; this was a place darker than the Great Forest even, Nature's gardens, here. So far removed from his veins...he still weaned on smog and cold metal and thrumming electricity.

He still could not understand the pulse of nature and it frightened him to the bones.

And in him, gripping like a hand about his throat, was the anxiety, choking him. Behind him the ground was crackling. The cause of this crackling was feet falling upon leaves.

"He's gone this way."

A voice of familiarity.

'Does he ever give up?' The human knew he couldn't afford to stall anymore.

He took a deep breath and crossed the threshold into the swamp.

His feet sank into the ground. He feared he'd fall through, go sinking into some bottomless pit of mud and dank water. Liquid seeped into his shoes, wetting his socks, stinging his scrape.

He looked behind him. He couldn't see them, not yet.

'
'Let's *not* let them see me.'

*

"We're not going the right way."

"We are."

"He couldn't of gotten this far."

Geoffrey closed his eyes, his teeth bared. The filtered light glinted off his blunted fangs. The black nose wiggled. "This is the right way. I can smell him."

"What's he smell like, boss?"

"Shit," Tory said, and laughed.

"He smells like orange peels and cinnamon, from Bunnie's soap. He smells like skin...that Overlander smell. That oil from their skin...he smells like that."

"You're so poetic, boss."

The skunk's eyes opened slowly and he turned his head to look at Sig.

Tory snickered. "I bet he writes poems for Sally..."

"I think you'll be joining Ms. Bunnie in jail if you keep it up...both of you..." the skunk growled. "Or maybe a visit to Doctor Quack..."

Sig shut up, but Tory kept snickering. The skunk growled and strode forward. The air was getting moist, and the bugs becoming numerous. The two MPs followed their leader closer to the outskirts of the swamp.

Geoffrey stood stock still, looking down at the soggy ground. "Look at that."

"Yeah."

The skunk crouched down and thrust a finger into the ground. There was an impression there, sunk down and filled with brown water. These impressions continued into the swamp...footsteps. Small. And recent.

"Any doubts now, mates?"

The two MPs shook their head.

The skunk stared with narrowed eyes into the tangle of the swamp. "He can't have gotten far in there." He stared down at the footsteps and smiled. "At any rate, the little maggot will lead us right to him..."

*

His features seemed to be set in a permanent frown, but Snively was not having a particularly good time. His shoes were soaked through. And his pants, nearly up to the knees.

The ground had gotten wetter still, and the air was damp and hot. Bugs swarmed all about his head. He was nearly choking on the heady scent of moss and rotting things. Before him a large pool of water spread out, covered with floating lily pads and their large white flowers. A few frogs jumped. He wondered if there were alligators. He shivered.

"I hate these bugs!" a loud voice growled out, and he stiffened, turning his head slowly to look behind him. Still couldn't seem them. But they must be close.

He had to unlock his muscles, frozen as he was in the typical 'deer in the headlights' stance.

A man burst through a tangle of foliage, panting heavily. There were leaves in his hair and his pants were soaked. "EY!" He hollered and aimed a finger at Snively. "I found him! I FOUND HIM!!!"

He stood staring then, his arms dangling and his mouth spread in a dopey grin. From behind him, Snively could hear a great crashing of branches and cursing.

The small human didn't wait. He recognized that cussing voice; he couldn't fight him again. The leash of fear broken, he plunged forward into the water. It was warm and felt slimy, but he saved the shivering and disgusted looks for later.

The muddy ground dropped away under his feet and he was forced to swim...something he wasn't entirely good at, and he splashed rather loudly. But at least he was getting away.

Geoffrey broke through the foliage and shoved Sig. "What the hell, mate!? You're letting him get away!"

"I ain't going in there!" Sig protested.

"ARGH!" The skunk bodily threw the cat into the pool, and then dived in himself.

Sig sputtered and clambered back to shore, shaking off his paws with a sour look.

Tory, with a hand still on his head, came through the hole in the bushes. "Where are they?"

Sig pointed across the pool.

Tory crossed his arms. "I don't want to swim that."

"Me neither."

"Let's go around then, c'mon."

They began the fight through tangling plant life.

Snively reached the shore, dragging himself out on his hands and knees, for the time ignoring the mud smearing his attire. He stood, coughing, scared eyes peering over his shoulder. The skunk swam with sweeping powerful strokes, traversing the water at an alarming speed.

No time to regain breath. With his lungs protesting, he bolted into the depths of the swamp. Feet springing over moss-engulfed logs and squelching into the wet earth; he tried to picture a deer, or a rabbit, so nimble and comfortable here; he tried to make his feet act like theirs.

He tore through the foliage, ripped through low hanging moss. It hung about his neck like a garland.

"Hold it, Hold it, mate!" Geoffrey screamed behind him...that big lug was moving fast judging from the noise he was making. "It'll hurt less if you do!"

"L-l-leave me alone!" Snively screeched back, then shut his mouth. Better to save his breath for-

-Falling.

He screamed obscenities aloud. WHY?! Always something there, something tripping him up. Even a stupid tree root delighted in his pain. This whole damn planet was poised against - he yelped.

His arm had landed on something hard. It hurt.

Then he drew in a breath. It was the crossbow glove. Still slid onto his hand. Still loaded.

He pushed himself to a crouching position and waited. Not a deer or rabbit, running scared now! Things had turned around. *He* was the hunter.

Geoffrey came crashing through a tangle of white berries, cursing profusely.

Behind his back Snively placed the crossbowed arm. His role reversal made him swell with confidence, perhaps foolishly, but he wanted to relish this moment.

Defeating Geoffrey would be the first step in pulling the mat of his life from under the feet of his abusers.

"Came to your senses, eh, Snively?" Geoffrey slowed to a walk. "But I lied, you little bitch. I AM going to hurt you."

"Not if I hurt you first."

"HA!" Geoffrey spat. "You don't have Ms. Rabbot this time!"

Snively's eyes widened "You...you knew it was her?"

"We found out, mate." The skunk smiled nastily, stepping closer. It would be wise for Snively to draw the weapon now, keep Geoff at bay. But he didn't. His muscles felt weak.

"She's gonna be the one swingin' now."

"No!"

"Heh. Yeah. King Acorn said it personally. No Overlander lover can live in Knothole. So she ain't gonna live at all."

"You're lying!" Snively could usually hold back his emotions, but lately, that carefully built dam of aloofness had grown weak, and his turmoil flowed through the cracks.

"Sorry mate, it ain't no lie. Now..." Geoffrey was nearly close enough to reach him. "Come along and you can join her. Let the two lovebirds die together."

Geoffrey was lying. He had to be. Even if he spoke truth, Snively couldn't save her. No. They'd both die then...and he'd never have a chance to make them pay.
To make them hurt.
To make them sorry they hurt him.

"After you, Geoffrey..." he jumped backwards, snarling, and whipped his arm around, aiming the bow.

"Cruiky!" Geoffrey retreated back a few steps, blue eyes wide. They looked like swamp water, Snively thought, so dark and murky.

"Lose something?"

"You wouldn't, mate." The skunk's feet sank into a puddle as he moved back another step. He grimaced.

"Why not?" A grin crossed Snively's face, small at first, then blooming into full sickness. "I have no remorse, remember? I'm a vicious killer, remember?" His eyes narrowed, blazing hatefully, and he hissed..."I roboticized *your* family, remember?"

The skunk's eyes bulged and he let out a screaming cry of fury. In a flash of black and white he lunged. Snively was knocked off balance by a swinging fist. But he wouldn't give in now. He fell against a tree, then arced his arm around and let the bolt fly. Geoffrey was taken down, screaming.

He collapsed onto his back, clutching at his leg. Below the knee the bolt had struck, shattering bone and sticking there amidst the torrent of blood.

Snively stood over him, aiming the bow down.

Geoffrey stared up at him, gasping, eyes wide and wild. "Do it then, Snively...kill me like you killed them!"

The small human gazed down. Heavy lids unblinking. There was nothing in his eyes. They might've been blue stones, cold in a frozen riverbed. He tightened his hand around the trigger on the underside of the bow.

Geoffrey stared back up, his breath coming in jagged with groans of pain. His eyes, those swampwater eyes...

'Kill him...'

He was less than centimeters away from killing the skunk. Just a little more pressure...

Geoffrey's eyes.

'He's a filthy Mobian...'

Geoffrey's eyes...it had to be from the pain, Snively thought, or guessed...

'Do it.'

'Could Bunnie forgive you?'

Those swampwater eyes had tears in them.

'Don't do it...'

The human dropped to one knee on the wet ground. It squelched under his pants. He leaned over; two small hands cradled the Mobian's face. He spoke low. "I didn't know your family, Geoffrey. If I hurt them, it wasn't to hurt you."

The skunk's voice was void of his usual bravado or mocking cruelness, or condescending hatred. "Why did you *do* it, Snively? Help him?"

Why did he help Robotnik? He could say so many things. In so many ways. But his answer was so simple, suddenly. "Because I needed something." He drew his hands away, clutched them to his chest. "And I still haven't gotten it."

Let Geoffrey mull it over. Because he would live. His MPs were coming closer; Snively could hear them yelling.

He put his hand on Geoffrey's knee, dangerously close to the wound. The skunk winced. "Bunnie...tell me the truth..."

Geoffrey flopped his head back onto the ground, his breath heavy. "They..." his voice sounded slightly slurred. "They won't hurt her, you stupid fool..."

Snively stood. "Are you going to tell me to run?"

Geoffrey closed his eyes. A painful laugh came from his lips. "Hell no. When I catch you again, Snively, I'll get what *I* need. Your life."

Snively shrugged, then smiled. "I guess this is goodbye then, St. John."

And he turned and loped off into the swamp; quick as a deer, quiet as a rabbit...

**
Sonic hoped there wouldn't be a crowd gathered awaiting their return. He couldn't raise his head. He wouldn't be able to meet their eyes.

Much to his relief, everyone was going about their normal tasks and paid no heed to the fighters as they stopped by the campfire pit and plopped onto the logs there.

Dulcy mumbled something about finding Tails, and left. Uncle Chuck put his arm around Sonic's shoulder and gave him a little shake.

"Sonny-boy, I know some of what you're feeling inside. You have to remember it wasn't your fault."

"I know..." said Sonic, but his tone convinced no one.

"Sonic..." said Sally, but then her voice trailed off and she stared at the trampled ash in the pit. "How are we going to...fight him...?" Her voice was nearly a whisper and she drew her knees closer together, her arms hugging herself, her head bowed and hair falling over her face.

Sonic shoved away his own self-pity and fell into his usual role; hero, protector. He rose and took steps towards her log, but before he could seat himself, there was the sound of people in commotion.

"Is he alright?"

"Out of the way!!" Tory's loud voice boomed as he and Sig strode side by side. Between them they carried Geoffrey. He was lying limp in their arms.

Sally gasped and ran towards them. Sonic and Charles followed.

"Wh-What happened?"

Geoffrey's eyes were closed. One arm lay draped over his body, the other dangled. And his leg, oh, his leg...Sally had to look away. Blood matted the fur and sticking out like an oversized dart was the bolt, lodged right below the right knee.

The two MPs did not answer, sweeping past her and into the infirmary.

Sally took a few steps after them, before faltering, legs trembling. Then they gave in and she sank down to her knees, legs sprawled out behind her. Her head fell into her hands and she sobbed.

Sonic dropped down beside her. "Sally, it's alright! He'll be ok!"

Sally looked up, weeping. "How do you know he'll be ok, Sonic? How do you know *anything* will be ok?!"

He stood with arms hanging helplessly. Chuck was deathly quiet. "I...I don't really know, Sally."

"Nothing will be..." and she trailed off and flopped her head back into her hands. Sonic stood awkwardly, then turned his eye towards King Acorn, who was striding rapidly their way.

He and a few villagers reached them and halted. "What's going on? What happened, Sally? Is she alright?"

Sally stood abruptly, brushing her hand roughly over her eyes. "We didn't save them..."

Tory came up to the group, addressing the princess. "The Doc says he'll be fine. He'll hafta use crutches for a while." He looked at King Acorn, cringing slightly. "Uh...Max, don't know if you know already, but we didn't catch Snively."

The king frowned and drew his daughter to him in a hug. "I figured as much."

"We saw him. But he got Geoff's crossbow somehow and shot him. Little bastard."

King Acorn's frown deepened. "Is St. John seriously hurt?"

"I was just telling Sally he'll be fine." Tory did an awkward bow, almost falling over. Nobody laughed. "Uh...don't be worried, Max, we're gonna get back out there and look for him again."

Sally snuggled her head against her father's chest, her eyes still lowered. She looked suddenly frail. "He's not important..."

"Sure he is, Princess, Snively's a danger... but..." Tory shrugged. "He ain't gonna survive out there. He ain't got no skills. The way we found 'im was some blood he left behind...so he's hurt somehow."

He didn't mention that Snively hadn't looked injured in the slightest; that it was probably a minor scrap that had left the smear of blood on the rock by the streambed. They didn't need to know the details, especially King Acorn with his piercing eyes.

"You may start another search party, Tory, but concern me no more with it. I have to update myself with the situation in Robotropolis."

"Yes Sir Max." Tory hurried away into the village.

King Acorn released his embrace on Sally and stepped away. "So what did happen in the city, Sally? You're very upset."

"It's Nagus...he..." and then Sally turned away rapidly, her hand going to her face. "I...I'll tell you later, daddy...I'll tell everyone...a meeting..."

And she too was hurrying away, heading in the direction of her hut.

King Acorn sighed and looked at Sonic and his uncle. "I don't suppose I could get the story from either of you?"

"Nagus beat us... he has magic we didn't know about, man! Really bad stuff, too..." The hedgehog's voice trailed off and his green eyes lowered. "It just really freaked us out, Sir Max, ya know?"

The King nodded solemnly. "I suppose we'll know the details at the next meeting... for now just rest...we'll think of something to stop him..."

Sonic nodded.

Uncle Chuck raised a finger. "If I may inquire, I'm a bit curious to know what happened to Bunnie?"

"She helped Snively escape....she's in a holding cell at the moment."

"That's mondo uncool!"

"What she did is also uncool, young Hedgehog."

Chuck blinked. "Yes...I heard that she helped Snively, but she's *still* in jail?"

"She'll remain there until trial. That's what the law dictates."

"It's not like she's dangerous," Sonic protested.

"She aided a man guilty of treason; that normally would be a most serious crime. But I will be lenient, as I'm sure we all will, with her, but she still must be punished."

Sonic looked like he would disagree, but for once he kept his opinions silent. His uncle however, did not. "She's not a criminal. She's just a young girl with mercy in her heart. She wasn't trying to hurt anybody."

The king sighed. "I've no doubt her intentions were good, but when it comes to that *scum* I just can't turn my eye. He *is* dangerous. And she assisted him."

They all were silent for a minute.

"Can we see her?" Sonic asked finally.

The king nodded slightly then strode towards the jail. They followed.

Inside, it was cold and slightly damp. Sonic scowled. He rarely went in here. No wonder.

Bunnie had either demanded comfort or it had been given to her. Sonic wondered which it was. It pained him to think someone could throw her in jail and treat her like a common criminal. Maybe Snively deserved to be imprisoned in this dank dark stone cave, but surely she did not.

She had a thick comforter in place of the thin ratty blanket, and a large ceramic pitcher of water, along with a glass. There was even a rug on the floor. She was sitting on the cot reading a book, but looked up as they approached.

"Hey Bunnie, you alright?"

She nodded from the bed. "As alraight as Ah can be in here, sugah-hog!"
She slid off the cot and stepped towards the bars. "Ah know all that worryin' on yer face ain't for me, sugah, what happened?"

"The mission went bad," Chuck said, for Sonic had hung his head and averted his mossy eyes away.

"Oh dear...did any of ya'll get hurt?" Her hand fluttered to her mouth, eyes wide in anxiety.

"No...none of us did."

She reached through the bars and patted Sonic's shoulder. "Tell me about it later, hon, when yer ready."

Sonic nodded, clasping her hand in relief. "I'm glad to see you're ok, at least."

King Acorn coughed. "Yes, she's fine, Sonic, as I said."

She pushed a chunk of her golden hair out of her eyes. "Ah heard yellin' out there before, ya'll didn't catch Sn...him, did ya?"

King Acorn looked grim. "He got away."

"Ah'm glad."

He scowled. "That is traitorous talk."

She leaned her forehead onto the bars, giving him a harsh stare. "Ah'm a traitor cause Ah don't believe in killin?"

The monarch looked miffed. "He shot Geoffrey."

Her eyes widened again. "He...he shot him?"

"Yes."

She looked at Sonic and Chuck. "He ain't..."

The hedgehog clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Nah, he's still alive...too bad, eh?"

"So much for your claims of his innocence, Ms. Rabbot. I know you don't believe in killing, nor do I wholly, but there are exceptions to the rule. Eliminating him is the only sure way to ensure OUR safety. You don't see his true nature, child. He is wicked through and through."

She turned away, her shoulders stiff, staring out the window.

There was a long silence, and Sonic shifted uncomfortably. Finally she pivoted around on a metal heel and leaned against the bars, looking down the short hallway. "What is gonna happen to me?" she asked in a low voice. She shot a snide glance at the King. "Ah know Ah ain't gonna have no trial..."

He ignored her sarcasm. "Yes, you will have a trial. We will question your intentions, Ms. Rabbot." He eyed Charles. "You know as well as I do about Julian, and his trickery. He seemed to be on our side but then turned."

Bunnie's eyes flared and she growled. Her robotic hand clenched on the bars; Sonic's eyes shot wide to see the metal crumple under that grip. What a joke to think this cell could contain her. She could get out in an instant. The fact that she stayed indicated her innocence. He knew that. He wished their monarch would see it too.

"Yer comparing meh ta...ta...Robotnik?!" She spat. "Ah can't believe that!"

The monarch's face was set into a solemn stare, his mouth a stern line. "Perhaps an unfair comparison, but it has to be done. We have lost so much, and it seems our cause is swiftly going downhill. I have to ensure there is no corruption on our side, Ms. Rabbot, we can't afford to lose any more."

"Ah ain't like Robotnik," she turned away swiftly; Sonic saw her eyes shining with moisture. "Do yer silly trial, Ah don't care...Ah know Ah did the right thing...Ah don't care what y'all say."

The King said nothing more. He turned and left the hedgehog kin. They watched him go; his shoulders slumped and his cape dragging.

"It'll be ok, Bunnie..."

Chuck put his hand on Sonic's shoulder. "Yes, dear, you'll be fine. This will all blow over."

"Ah wanna see Antoine. Git him in here, will ya, sugah-hog?" She turned back, smiling weakly. "Ah got some thangs ta say to that boy."

"Sure thing, Bunnie."

"Now where is that dufus hiding?" Sonic muttered as he stood surveying the garden. A few villagers milled there, including Rosie, but there was no sign of the fox, who also liked to engage in gardening.

"Not here..." the training area with the hay-stuffed punching bag that somewhat resembled Robotnik swung neglected on its rope.

"Maybe here?"

The fox's hut was in its usual neat state. Months back, Antoine had moved the painting of Princess Sally that had hung over his bed, and replaced it with one of Bunnie. Sally hung smiling in the small living room, but a sheet had been draped over Bunnie's sunny face.

Antoine was not there.

The hedgehog tramped around, leaving dirt prints that the fox would most likely faint over when he saw them. After searching every corner of the hut and not finding the French fox anywhere, he left.

He trekked over to Bunnie's hut. The silence inside was thick. Bunnie liked to sing, and her warm accented voice would grace the air.

No music today...

He eyed the couch, the bathroom. Eyebrows hitched upwards at the mess in her bedroom; clothes strewn everywhere...apparently Bunnie was less immaculate then Antoine, or she hadn't yet picked up the results of Geoffrey's search for the rings pilfered by Snively.

Outside he pondered briefly the thought of Antoine having gone to the city on some dumb heroic (and pointless) task, but dismissed it.

There was really only one more place to check.

Well, two, actually.

Leaves scattered as he halted before the guard tower, and peering up he heard none of the familiar snoring sounds that usually accompanied Antoine on watch duty. Nah, he wasn't there.
So that left one other area...and he was there in moments.

"Hey Ant!" he called. He heard the distinct 'plop plop plop' sound of a stone skipping over water. He gazed out over the pool. Another stone went dashing over the tranquil surface.

Antoine stood with a handful of small pebbles. He didn't look at Sonic when the hedgehog came closer, seating himself on the log.

"Hey Ant, whatcha doin?"

"Notheeng."

"I can see that."

"Then why did you ask?" the fox sighed and let another pebble fly. It skipped once then sank.

"Hey man, you haven't been in to see Bunnie yet? She wants to talk to you."

"Not right now."

"Why not? You just said you ain't doing nothing else."

Antoine savagely flung another rock. It sank as soon as it contacted the water. He huffed and let the handful drop to the ground. "I said not now, Son-eek!" He glared over at the hedgehog. "Can you not be understanding that?"

Sonic frowned. "What's your problem, Ant?"

The fox turned away and stared over the water.

"I know if Sally was in jail I wouldn't act like such a jerk..." Sonic stood up. "I guess I'll go tell her you don't want to see her, then."

He waited. But the fox didn't turn back around.

He sighed and went back to the jail.

"So where is he?"

"He's...sleeping..."

**

Ah. He was in a fine mood. Yes indeed.

Despite his slave's incompetence, it had proven amusing to dash the rebel's hopes. To see the look of despair in their eyes, the realization of their futility.

That made it all worth it.

Nagus left the prisoners in their cages. The sweet perfume of fear hovered over them and he had stood for long moments breathing it in. The impertinent female he left in her silenced state; he liked her better that way.

He ascended to the command center at the tippity top of the Death Egg. Maybe he should rename it, he mused. Something more fitting. Discovery Tower. Power Tower? He smiled at the cheesy rhyme.

Eh, let the old name stay. His being was not defined by this building, this pathetic city. He was defined by what lay inside him; power so great and terrible.

He entered the command room without a sound. It was time to extract some of his great power and set it onto his incompetent slave. The man was a living insult to Nagus's greatness.

He'd kill him, but keeping him alive was all the more fun.

Slave had really screwed up today. He would be punished and a smile fit snugly onto the wizard's lips; how he loved to dish out the pain.

He stood in the middle of the vast silver room. The lights were dimmed and his shadow was cast before him, huge and menacing.

But there was no slave to cringe at the sight, for Robotnik was not here.

Ah, so the slave had yet to come back in. After his disobedience, Nagus imagined Robotnik was a simpering mess, terrified to face the wizard and his dazzling punishments.

'Maybe I'll let it slide...'

The thought made him cackle madly.

No, Robotnik would be greeted by fireworks for sure.

The fat man was bound to be walking in any minute now.

Five minutes later:

The wizard was sitting in his chair staring holes into the place where Robotnik usually stood working. If the fat man had been there, his body would probably be on fire, or maybe acid, just for a little change from the usual electricity. Nagus was feeling quite fiery at the moment.

Six.

Seven.

Ten.

Nagus stood angrily. A blue glow was emanating from his horn, his tail was lashing behind him like a thick serpent.

His normal hand reached out and rested upon the COM link built into the arm of the black throne. He didn't use it much. Nagus was not much interested in technology through machines. He preferred advancing the mind.

Still, there was no easier way to contact the troops. He patched in to Robotnik's hovercraft.

"SLAVE! Your joyride is over! Report home at once."

He knew the link was activated. He could hear the static and beyond that an intake of breath. Then static. The breathing had evened out into a normal rhythm, blending into the white noise. But he knew he was heard.

"Slave, do not toy with me."

White noise and breathing.

"SLAVE!"

And then nothing.
The hovercraft had closed the COM link.

An outrage. This was an outrage.

He opened the link again but before his barrage of screaming threats could be issued, the connection was severed.

He gaped. And tried again. This time the hovercraft was blocking his signal.

There was probably some way to override it and get through, but Nagus didn't know how. "Computer," he growled testily. "Locate the position of that hovercraft."

He blinked at the response. "The hovercraft is traveling over the Great Forest."

Eh? He snarled. Maybe Robotnik was pursuing the fleeing Freedom Fighters, hoping they'd lead him to Knothole.

But why would he go in secrecy? Maybe it was to be a surprise for his master?

But Robotnik wouldn't do that. No, he hated Nagus, and the only surprises he would give would be negative. And even if it was some kind of gift, to spare more pain perhaps, Robotnik still wouldn't do it. He knew Nagus's tastes too well. The wizard preferred them to be free, ensnared in hopelessness. Eyes once fiery clouded and forlorn.

"Computer, keep tracking the position."

He'd drag Robotnik back, kicking and screaming. The slave wasn't going to break his chains today, oh no.

He contacted the command bot at hovercraft barracks number 1...

**

When the voice crackled over the intercom he nearly died.

His heart stopped beating in his chest and he gasped for several seconds, his hand clutched to his chest.

But wait, he was safe now.

And he needn't hear that voice anymore, well not until the day he heard it cursing his name, dying, when he stood over the crumpled wizard, victorious. But that day was a long day coming.

Robotnik blocked the signal from Robotropolis. There, let Nagus fret about that for a while. He laughed.

Then a light on the console beeped.

"What? He's tracking me?"

The fat man shook his head grimly, but the situation was easy to take care of.

"Computer. Disable tracking."

"-You will not be able to track others-."

"Nor *be* tracked. Disable it."

"-Affirmative-."

The light died, and he flew on.

Free.

****
The first pursuit hovercraft hadn't even lifted off when the squadron leader contacted Nagus back with bad news.

"Master, we've lost the signal. Pursuit cannot be carried out."

"WHAT?!"

But there was nothing Nagus could do. He could think of no way to track the hovercraft. They would never be able to find it over the vast reaches of the Forest. No way to know where it was going.

He tried to get a picture of Robotnik in his mind. He focused. But it wouldn't come. He could imagine Robotnik sitting there and smirking at his newfound freedom, but he couldn't actually see it.

There were definitely some drawbacks from being out of the Void. His power wasn't limitless here. He couldn't just imagine something and have it materialize in front of him. He couldn't picture a person and see them in real time right before him. It wasn't that simple out here...

His slave had gone astray and he had no way to bring him back.

One of the huge monitors on the wall exploded in a craze of spider web cracks. The glass shattered and flew outwards, littering the room in sparkling pieces. Harmlessly they glanced off Nagus who sat with his claw raised, dripping red light like blood.

He would find a way. Robotnik would be brought back.

**
The bread rolls at dinner were soft and sweet. Sally held hers between a delicate thumb and forefinger, staring down at it.

Sonic sat down across from her. "Hey Sal, you gonna eat that?"

"Huh?" She looked up, blinking.

He lowered his eyes to stir his bowl of soup, steaming, and thick with garden-grown vegetables. He didn't want her to see the concern in his face, and the pain. Burned into his memory was the image of the man convulsing and dying because of him.
He knew she saw it too, that it played out over and over. But it wasn't her fault!
He'd always laughed when she'd say don't rush in, but now he damned his recklessness.

He'd be alive now, that man.

He ate a spoonful, letting the burning pain down his throat cloud his mind. Then looked up. Sally was nibbling on the roll. She held it so gently and her face was a thin mask of strength just barely covering the fragile vulnerability. He needed to be strong, for her. She was doing it for him.

"Hey, Sal, we're gonna find a way. We *always* do. We didn't think we could beat Doomsday, remember? And we did." He reached out and touched her, his grip steadying her arm.

She looked at his hand for a moment. He smiled. Her hand clasped upon his, and squeezed.

"And you're always right, right Sonic?"

He laughed. "You betcha."

They took their hands away, both smiling. Then eating resumed.

Rotor came juggling his bowl of soup, plate of rolls and drink. He sat with a sloshing of soup onto the table. "Oops!"

Sonic chuckled. "There goes half your dinner."

Rotor mopped it up with his napkin. "Err..where is everyone?" He blushed. "Well, I know about Bunnie, but..."

Sonic looked around. "Looks like T2 is with Dulce...and Stinkbomb is in Doctor Quack's. And Ant...he ain't around."

"Where is he?" Sally asked. "With Bunnie? I have to see her after dinner, she's probably wondering where I am."

Sonic nodded. "Yeah, she wants to see you. And Ant. But he wouldn't go see her."

Rotor chewed on a roll. "They must've got in a fight or sumthin'."

"Well Ant and Geoffrey were the ones who turned in Snively. I guess that made Bunnie mad."

"Ant's such a dork," said Sonic suddenly, vehemently. Sally was staring at her half-eaten roll again. "He should be there for Bunnie."

Sally looked up. He took a bite of his soup, trying to look nonchalant.

"They should stick together," she said, biting the roll.

"I'm gonna talk to him again after dinner," said the hedgehog resolvedly. "You wanna come?"

Rotor shook his head. He always tried to avoid confrontations. Sally looked spacey again, finally giving a slight shake of her head.

"He probably just needs to work some things out in his head."

"Yeah, like why he's such an idiot."

"Maybe we should just leave him alone."

"Why? Ant's really blowing it with Bunnie!"

Rotor looked away. "But it's their problem, Sonic."

"What's with you, Rote?"

"Nothing..."

"Let it drop, Sonic. Everyone's upset. We all need to calm down."

"Whatever."

Tails and Dulcy joined the table. The dragon's eyes were still haunted, disturbed by the things her young eyes had seen. Since she was larger than them, sometimes the others forgot she was younger, only a few years older than Tails. Still she tried to maintain a light attitude, talking to them with Tails, about swimming and the gardens and how Tails was teaching her how to land better.

"Way to go, Dulce," praised Sonic.

"Yeah I know."

After the meal was finished, Sonic looked over at the two still remaining at the table. "It's still pretty warm out, eh, big guy? You up for another swim?"

"Not really," said Tails, a little sleepily. He had his head curled into his arms. "But I'll go down there with ya."

The three made their way lazily down the path. Sunset was approaching and the water was lit with fiery colors when they arrived.

Antoine was seated under the tree with a book in one hand. Sonic had seen it lying on the mossy ground during their earlier conversation.

"Hey Ant, you plannin' to be down here all night?"

"Oui. It is my night to guard." The fox didn't offer so much as a smile.

"Probably don't need guards now that Snively is gone."

The fox buried his nose in the book, his brow furrowed. "Do not be talking about that fuel! I do not want to be hearing his name."

"Ok, fine." Sonic looked shrewdly at the fox, while Tails flopped down onto a mossy patch. Dulcy stretched out on the cool mud by the pool. She would wash off later.

"How bout a different name? Like Bunnie?"

"Non." Antoine raised the book up further to hide his eyes from Sonic, a little growl coming from him.

"You can't just ignore her!"

Antoine chose to ignore her. And Sonic. Not a peep came from him at Sonic's outburst, he simply turned the page and continued reading, or at least feigning it.

"Why don't you want to see Bunnie?" Tails asked.

Antoine stood in a huff, tucking the book under his arm. "Cannot a man read in peace around here?" He proceeded to stamp past the hedgehog and started up the path. Then he 'eeped' and backed up; Sonic was suddenly there, leaning into his face.

"Hey, Ant, c'mon, we're not trying to be mean!"

"You are bothering me, Sonique, and I am not liking it!"

"C'mon, can't we just talk?"

Antoine gave Sonic a long stare. The hedgehog's green eyes were open and honest, his mouth not twisted into the smirk or teasing smile that Antoine was so familiar with receiving. He rested a hand on Antoine's shoulder, and there was something comforting in it. He sighed and went back to the log, sitting stiffly there while Sonic relaxed on the other end.

"Ok Ant, what the heck is going on? Did you and Bunnie have a fight?"

"Oui..." Antoine stared at the ground.

"Look Ant, not talking to her's gonna make it worse. I remember back when Geoffrey and Sal looked like they were getting close, and it really ticked me off. We got in a big fight and didn't talk for two days. It...it was kind of scary..."

Tails looked rather interested, seeing his idol at a vulnerable moment. Antoine looked up.

"Sonique, you do not usually talk like this."

Sonic nodded. "But you know who got us back together? Bunnie."

Antoine looked away.

"Look man, we probably would've talked anyway, eventually. But Bunnie really helped us. It might not have been the same without her. I want to help you and Bunnie because she helped me and Sal."

Antoine muttered. "It was my fault. I was angry at Snipley and got him into the big troubles. Bunnie is not being happy about that."

"But she wants to see you."

Antoine clenched the book under his arm again and stood. "I will be seeing her, but laters. But I will see her."

"You better, Ant," Sonic called as the fox strode away. "Cuz a dufus like you ain't gonna get another gal like Bunnie, that's for sure!"

Tails laughed.

**

When night fell, it fell hard, laying waste to the light. It brought comfort to some reading in their comfy chairs or beds, sleep to the weary and for others it only added to the darkness already clouding their minds.

Sonic usually fell asleep fast, drifting into fast-paced dreams of victory. Sometime he was haunted by nightmares of ones he loved being taken away. Tonight he lay staring at his ceiling. He wouldn't tell anyone of them; the tears that sneaked from his eyes and trickled down his fur. No one was there to hear, when he finally drifted, the sleeping whimpers as he witnessed the man's death over and over in a twisted dreamland.

*

Sally peered out her window. She felt utterly alone, with her cheek pressed to the glass. She thought perhaps she'd get up and see Sonic; maybe they could lay together in bed and just hold each other.

But no... she was afraid that in their states of neediness such closeness would lead them to actions she didn't want to engage in. Not yet. Life was already complicated enough without adding that dash of fevered romance to it.

So she curled on the chair by the window and closed her eyes, trying to satisfy the loneliness with her own arms holding her.

*

Bunnie pulled the covers of her blanket up to her chin. She knew it was warm and muggy outside, but the only traces of outside climate that seeped in here was the moisture. It made her fur feel heavy and damp. She wrinkled her nose and rolled over on the hard cot, determined to get at least a little shut-eye.

Hopefully they'd have her out of here tomorrow.

Hopefully before then, Antoine would come visit.

**
Moonlight made monsters out of the trees.

Hell wasn't fire and brimstone. It was this swamp.

Snively's wound was burning from the tainted water getting in there. He was knee-deep in the dark green liquid, and when he finally stepped onto spongy land, his legs were polka-dotted with algae.

Darkness had settled and the trees around him were a tangle of shadows. He swore he saw strange creatures in their branches, but then blinked and they were gone. Somewhere in the darkness a birdcall started up, echoing and haunting. Another answered from the tangle of thickets near him. He jumped and moved away, his feet sinking into the deep mud at the water's edge. There was little dry land here.

A few pitiful whimpers escaped him; he was tired and every sound, every owl hoot and splash of frog into the water, every birdcall and screech of swaying twigs made him jump. His hands were shaking, his legs trembling.

"I should've brought a damn flashlight..." he muttered, trying to keep his footing in the slick mud. He slipped, going to his knees in the slimy warm water. "Ugh..."

Not like he wasn't soaked through anyway. Despite the warmth of the air, his skin felt cold and clammy. He moved away from the water, going back to the thickets that edged the water. He took up a loose branch and tried to beat the undergrowth down.

Finally he succeeded in making a sort of nest among the tangling bushes and their sharp pointed branches. He curled in like a mouse in a nest of grass, but this was nowhere near as soft, and although drier than the spongy ground, it was still damp. He shivered.

After lying on the scratchy nest for a minute, he sat back up and stripped off his shirt, using it to pad the branches underneath him. He curled back up, trying to ignore the mosquitoes and the noises and the rushing of blood through his veins. This was going to be a long long night...

*

Full noon. At the pool. The sun was shining straight down through the leaves, illuminating them in baby green light. Her eyes were filled with it too, smiling as she looked out at the water sparkling like treasure.

Snively was sitting on the log by the pool. His eyes were illuminated too, making them nearly translucent, and glowing with more that just sunlight. He was watching Bunnie as she stood with her metallic toes in the water, staring over at the red ferns on the opposite shore.

"Bunnie..."

"Yes?" She didn't turn to look at him.

"I...I don't know how to say this."

"Ah know what yer thinking, sugah." She turned, a gentle smile on her lips. "Ah've known it all along."

"Really..." He looked at the ground, his pale cheeks flaring red. "You...you don't think I'm stupid...?"

"No..." She continued to smile, approaching the log. He stood up as she neared him and they stood toe to toe, gazing at each other's light filled eyes, blue to green, and she leaned forward...

...her pink button nose brushing his for a moment before she tilted her head and let the sweetness of her mouth envelope his... he reeled back, eyes squeezing shut, and his arms shakily grasping around her back.

She finally ended the kiss, pushing him gently away and grinning at his shocked expression. He raised his fingers to his lips in disbelief, blinking at her.

She looked around craftily. "Ah do hope we're alone."

He pressed a finger into the softness of his lower lip, still feeling her touch there, the wetness of her spit. "I wonder what they would say..."

"Ah don't care. But it's better if they don't know."

He reached out, locking his fingers upon her wrists, pulling her closer to him. "I...I love you Bunnie." He looked down shyly, the blush on his cheeks deepening.

"Ah know..." she said softly, her mouth against the oddly curled flesh that was an Overlander ear; her own ear, so very different, was brushing his scarlet cheek. He reached a hand up to stroke it, feeling the silken fur. She smelled so good; natural-like, and so pure. "Ya don't have to be afraid, Snively...Ah..."

He drew back to see her eyes, his brimming with liquid, hers with adoration. She smiled. "Ah love ya'll too."

He made a little sniffling sound and then suddenly, almost roughly, caught her lips with his and drew her to him tightly, her bosom pressed to his bony chest. Her hands drifted around to his rear, squeezing, and he growled into her mouth. They parted lips; she gave a breathy giggle.

He certainly did not have the strength to move her, and so it was very willingly she was brought to lay upon the soft moss, still giggling, with his wispy body on hers. They kissed again, this time tasting more deeply, entangling tongues.

He panted a little, his hands wedged up between their two chests, cradling her breasts. "What about Antoine?"

She was silent, staring into his face.

"Don't you love him?" he prompted. His voice trembled at the end. "Bunnie don't..."

"Ah don't love him anymore..."

She smoothed her organic hand over his head, then nuzzled her nose into his neck. "Ah don't love him. Ah love you..."

The tiny Overlander looked uncertain. And then he smiled, radiantly...evilly. He had her now. He had her...

..."NON!"

Antoine bolted upright in bed, clutching the sheets to his chest, his breath coming in great gulps. "Ahh...ahh mon chere...tell me this is not true!! You are not loving Snipley more than moi!!"

He brushed back the errant blond bangs that had fallen into his face, furiously, trying to regain his breath and discard the shreds of the horrible dream. It had all seemed so *real*, from the leaves swaying, to her eyelashes fluttering as his mouth had locked upon hers.

"Non. It isn't being real!"

Maybe it had happened already. Maybe Bunnie and Snively were more than friends. He had lived in her hut. He had been alone with her at *night*! Antoine remembered the day he'd gone to her house and she had been there in the bathroom, while the wretched Overlander had been up to his chin in bubbly water in the tub. Maybe she'd been about to join him, if Antoine hadn't walked in...

"Non, it cannot be true!" He buried his head into his hands, moaning. "She would not be doing that with him..."

He couldn't stop wondering why then, why did the dream look so vivid, so real. Like a memory displaced, or perhaps erased, or repressed, more likely. Had he seen that? Heard it? And tried to forget?

Had Bunnie tainted her lips and then later kissed Antoine with that treacherous mouth?

He put a hand to his mouth and curled up, feeling sick inside.

**

"Too bad we don't have Mr. Poetic with us," said Tory sneeringly. He waved his hand around in irritation; little mosquitoes seemed to enjoy buzzing around his ears.

"Mr. Poetic?" asked a raccoon. He was wearing galoshes that seemed ridiculously big for his feet. But now that the four Mobians were nearing the swamp the others looked jealously at his footwear.

"Geoffrey. He was sprouting all this crap about being able to feel Snively out there."

The raccoon snorted. "Ok."

"And that he smelled like orange peels," Sig threw in. "Don't forget that."

The group laughed.

"I think Geoff has the hots for Snively." The raccoon grinned.

More laughter.

"Sick..."

"Heheheh, yeah it sure is."

"Damn bugs!!"

"Ok, so he's in the swamp somewhere. Probably. But where?"

Sig sniffed the air but could smell nothing besides wet vegetation and the murky water. There was no trace of fresh Overlander scent to be found.

Four hours earlier Snively had gotten up, tired and stiff, but determined to make progress out of the wetlands.

His stomach was growling loudly. He swore it could be heard for miles. He smirked; a bird singing peacefully in a tree suddenly took flight.

He looked around suspiciously. But no one was there. He sighed, peering through the tangle of trees. Did it ever end... He growled, slapping at a mosquito. He had probably hundreds of bites on him by now, it sure felt like it at least. He was muddy, wet, smelly and itchy. And hungry. And tired.

But at least he was free. He was too far ahead for them to find.

Geoffrey's MPs gave up the search and went back to Knothole two hours later with nothing but mosquito bites and wet feet as their reward.

**

When Robotnik turned on the lights they flickered.

He held his breath as the corridor went dark. Then with a hum, the lights brightened until they glowed white.

He let out his breath. The generator running this place hadn't lost its power yet. Well it shouldn't, not for years, or until some of the furry menaces discovered his hidey-hole. It was just one of his small research fortresses. He had dismantled most of them after his researches, usually looking for objects of power, were ended. He was glad that he hadn't done so with this one.

Robotnik now rested his feet in the small command center of the fortress, a sort of mock-up of the one back in Robotropolis, except there was only one monitor on the wall and the throne was not really throne-like (but still large, it had to accommodate Robotnik's bulk, after all).

He stood in front of the monitor, his fingers tapping upon the keys. The screen blinked then flickered to life, a bright white that hurt his artificial eyes. He growled, squinting as the screen relived him by changing to a flat black color.

"Computer, scan the fortress. Has there been any disturbances here?"

"None, Dr Robotnik."

He sighed. "Good."

He went to the chair and threw himself into it, leaning his head back. It was a vast relief to be able to relax finally, without worrying about being tortured for it. He growled at the thought of Nagus, trying to banish the wizard's horrendous face from his mind.

He couldn't sit still for long. He hopped up again, going to the computer.

"Computer, I want to be alerted instantly should there be ANY disturbance."

"Yes Doctor."

He sat once more, trying to relax, but it was hard.

'He might be looking...'

He bared his teeth. Bah! He was FREE from Nagus. The wizard was not all powerful. He couldn't find Robotnik here. He didn't have a special sight, or a premonition of knowing.

But still, it would be wise not to get too comfortable. He had to be ready to flee. He was. The hovercraft was parked outside behind a boulder and the gas tank was still nearly full.

At any rate, he felt a bit safer with the computers monitoring the place. After a few minutes he stood again, exiting the room. It was not a very big place. The command center, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a laboratory, all connected by a circular hallway.

He went to the master bedroom; smirking at the term 'master'. He would be soon, the Master once more.

It was nowhere near as luxurious as his bedroom back home. But it would do. He halted in front of the full-length mirror, his mustache twitching as he stared at his reflection. He was still an enormous man, but he had lost so much weight. Possibly a hundred pounds. Most people would say that was a good thing, a healthy thing.
He scowled, resting his hands on the sphere of his stomach. It wasn't good. He looked...sickly. Weak...or...it was like his grandiose was gone.

He turned away from the mirror, eyeing the bed. Yes...sleep sounded so good. A long long sleep. Maybe days long. But first...the bathroom.

He exited, starting to head for the bathroom, then paused. There was one more bedroom and he went towards it, almost tentatively.

It was a tiny room, with a chair and a small cot and a shabby rug on the floor. He went to the bed, frowning as he laid his hand upon the lumpy pillow. He could...almost smell him... or see him sitting in the chair, with his feet curled up like he liked to do, a book in his hands, his eyes scanning it intently until with a start he would jump like a frightened bird, gaze lifting to see...

His uncle standing there glaring.

"Why am I thinking of you?" He growled, clenching his fist hard around the pillow.

He let go of the pathetic object, looking at it. Such a small cot and a small pillow and blanket, for a small person. His fist had connected with that person many times. A fist nearly the size of that person's head.

He recalled suddenly, a conversation, back when Snively was still living with he and Nagus, but maddeningly, the small lackey seemed to escape Nagus's wrath.
His own voice rang out. "He treats me...like some...some peon, Snively. Like some slave that exists to work only for him!"

His nephew had locked him with a hard stare, his tone sneering and disdainful. "Oh really...now why does that sound familiar?"

That tone. It had enraged Robotnik so much back then, the outright disrespect, the horrible leering, the hateful mockery in his nephew's eyes. Yeah, he'd enjoyed his uncle's suffering. And Robotnik had lunged, intents only to strangle that look, and those words, away.

Even though Snively was right. And he had a right to mock.

But ah! No, he and Snively weren't alike, dammit! He found himself stroking the mangled pillow back into shape. "No. He's an incompetent. He needed punishment to guide...to guide him in the right direction."

"I am not an incompetent..."

Nagus said he was.

Nagus was wrong!

But...Robotnik...he had said Snively was an incompetent.

Maybe he was wrong.

He growled and turned away from the bed. It didn't matter. He wasn't going to see his nephew again, anyway. No, the little wretch was with the enemy now. He was probably best friends with them. He could see him, sprawled out with a circle of them around him, laughing as he told stories mocking Robotnik.

He closed the door angrily, then stamped down to the bathroom.

**
She was not brought out like Snively. No chains, no shackles. No fear either. Two MPs flanked her and two more walked behind, but she could easily escape them all if she wished.

Bunnie did not falter on her trek to the meeting hall. The room was quiet when she entered. She took a seat behind the podium of the accused.

Eyes fell on her and stared. There were a few nervous coughs. Bunnie let her gaze focus on the wooden top of the podium.

Sonic and Sally sat in the front row of chairs. Both looked wearily displeased.

Neither had slept well.

When King Acorn had announced Bunnie would be brought out to stand trial, Sonic had stood silent, feeling a fleeting sense of guilt. He couldn't seem to dredge up anything but a dull hollow anger. Like it wasn't anger at all, it was a weak attempt. A fake.
He felt empty inside. Not able to feel anything for Bunnie.

That wasn't right. She was one of his best friends.

"I feel drained," Sally had said as they walked into the meeting hall. "I feel...like I don't care what happens."

Sonic looked over at her, startled, his guilt dissipating. She felt the same. She looked at him.

"She'll be ok, Sonic. It's ok that we aren't worried. There's nothing to worry *about*."

"Where is the King?" Rosie asked. "What is this all about?"

"Bunnie got arrested," Rotor said.

"For what?"

"What did she do?"

"Huh??"

"Did her robot parts finally make her snap?"

"Hey!" Bunnie stood up behind the podium. "Why ya'll talking like Ah ain't here?! Ah'm here! An' Ah didn't do nothing that would warrant any arrestin'!"

"Well, what did you do then?"

**

"Sonic isn't going to be happy!"

"Don't worry. I'm not staying permanently."

Dulcy and Tails stared at Chuck. Tails looked only mildly anxious but Dulcy's normally smiling face was afraid.

"But if he catches you..."

"Someone needs to check the bugs. Find out what Nagus is doing..."

"But we can't beat him..." Dulcy said flatly.

"Why would you say that?" Tails asked, glaring. "Sonic can beat anyone!"

The big dragon seemed to shrink in on herself. "I don't know if he can..."

"He can so!" Tails eyes were alit with childish rage for his idol...the idol his friend was doubting.

"But he didn't-" Dulcy started, but the approach of King Max and an entourage of villagers behind him, including Antoine - who looked like he was going to be sick - turned Tails' attention away and her comment faded into the air.

Max gestured for the group to go in ahead. They did. Antoine faltered at the door, peering in...and saw Bunnie sitting there stoically and her eyes empty of their usual endearing cheerfulness. They seemed cold today. Like she was disappointed in everybody.

'But we should be disappointed in you, mon ami...' Antoine tried to turn his thoughts towards justice. She'd done wrong. She deserved this. She'd helped HIM. He saw snippets of the dream again...him bringing her to lay on the ground, their lips...their....

Dulcy gave him a light push to the back. "Hey Tony, are you going to go in, or what?"

"Uh...I am not being..."

"You hafta go in," growled Tails, still irritated from the doubt of Sonic. "Bunnie's your girlfriend!"

He stood there still, but had little choice but to move as Dulcy moved her bulk forward, shoving him through the doorway. He sidestepped out of the way as she entered, followed by Tails. They took a seat up front by Sonic and Sally.

Bunnie did not turn her head. But he saw her emerald eyes flicker...flitting in his direction.

He stared at the floor, stepping over outstretched legs and nearly stumbling into a few laps but managed, clumsily, to get into a chair in the back row. Quack looked over at him and shook his head. Nurse Bessie was clinging to his arm.

"Oh dearie," she was blabbering, "this is serious, isn't it Quacky? Is she in big trouble? They won't hang her, will they?"

"I don't believe so," Quack said. "I certainly hope not. Like I always say, death isn't my specialty. He and I are sort of arch nemesises, if you know what I mean."

"Oh yes, Quacky!"

Antoine sighed while Bessie cooed and rubbed Quack's arm. The doctor winked at Antoine and then turned his attention to the nurse.

Very soon his attention was detracted from the buxom vixen as King Acorn swept into the courtroom with royal aplomb. He took a seat behind the main podium. Bunnie seated on his right, looked over at him. The courtroom was filled with mummers.

The door swung open again, and two MPs stood on either side of Geoffrey St John, his leg in a cast and crutches under his arms. He gave a snort as they tried to help him walk, hobbling up to stand in front of Bunnie's podium.

"I'm here, your Majesty."

Bunnie eyed Geoffrey's leg, her nose wrinkling. "Geoffrey...ya'll ain't hurt real bad, are you?"

The skunk shot her a hard look. "This ain't the breakfast table, Ms Rabbot. You happen to be on trial. I'm here to question you, not for small talk."

Bunnie's eyes widened. "Why are ya'll treatin' meh like this, Geoffrey? We're friends, ain't we?"

"I can't be friends with someone who sides with HIM."

She gave him a withering glare. "Ya'll never could see the bigger picture. Ya'll are so focused on yerself..."

He ground his teeth, eyes furious and opened his mouth to yell, but King Acorn banged his gavel in warning. "This is not a shouting match, it is a trial! I want this to be as painless as possible."

"He shouldn't have arrested her then," muttered Sonic to Sally.

"Well technically she did break the law...." Sally said, unconvinced. "No...it isn't right. But nothing is right anymore."

"Hey..." He touched her arm. "It will get right, Sal. Sometime."

"In our lifetime, though? Do you really-"

But King Acorn was pounding the gavel for silence. Geoffrey procured a Mobian Holy book and held it before Bunnie. She put her hand on it, as unconvinced in its factuality as Snively had been, but adhering to tradition anyway. She would rather have sworn her oath to truth on her mother's grave, or Sally's hand, or whispering onto Antoine's lips. She could never bring forth lies after swearing on those things...

King Acorn spoke to the room. "We have gathered here today for the trial of Miss Bunnie Rabbot. She was arrested on the crime of releasing a criminal, namely Snively Ivo, from our prison, pending his execution."

"Hopefully this'll end up better than that!" One villager commented loudly. "I wanted to see that little puke swing-"

King Acorn banged his gavel, looking aggravated.

The man shut up.

"She is also charged with harboring a criminal," Geoffrey threw in before the King could continue. The monarch raised an eyebrow. "I'll get to it, your highness."

"Perhaps you will, Sir John, but for now the charges stand as stated."

"He ain't a-"

"Miss Rabbot, please, stay quiet for now. You will get to speak your piece. Geoffrey, as the main accuser and arresting party, please tell the courtroom of the events surrounding this crime."

"He sees it twisted. He won't tell the truth!"

The gavel banged and King Acorn gave Bunnie a warning look. "You will have a chance to contest his view, when it's *your* turn."

She sighed angrily. "Yes, Yer Honor."

Geoffrey turned around awkwardly with his crutches, grinning at the room. "Alright, blokes, yer gonna hear the account of Bunnie Rabbot. Decide for yourself whether she's the nice gal you thought."

Sonic scowled. "It's like he wants her to be in trouble..."

"Sssh," said Sally.

Bunnie didn't look nice at the moment; she seemed trying hard to restrain herself from bashing the skunk's skull in. Geoffrey, with his back turned, was oblivious to her fists clenching on top of the podium she sat behind.

"As you know from Snively's trial, I was appointed to watch over the bloke. Right away the little creep took advantage of Bunnie's kindness."

"But I thought she wasn't nice," Sonic said.

"Now now...no comments till after the trial," said Geoffrey snidely. King Acorn nodded.

Sonic sneered.

"He asked if he could stay in her hut. I couldn't very well move in, but I visited every morning. Bunnie would always tell me everything was fine. But after awhile, it was plain to see she liked him, for whatever crazy reason." The skunk sounded disgusted.

"Because he-" Bunnie started, but the gavel banged.

"Miss Rabbot, please control yourself."

"But he's makin' it sound-"

"Miss Rabbot!"

She lowered her head, shoulders shaking with anger.

"Anyway, so I kept visiting and they kept getting closer and closer. It was obvious to me that Snively either had the hots for Bunnie or he was using her because he knew she'd keep her mouth shut. Now if Bunnie liked him too...well...it's kind of nasty. And if she kept her mouth shut that's against the laws, my friend. Because you know what Snively was doing?"

Nobody said anything.

"He was stealing power rings, our power rings. Stealing them to use them against us, mostly likely!" He waved towards the crowd. "I have a witness...Antoine! You can back up what I'm saying, right?"

The fox nervously stood, his eyes cast to the ground. People twisted in their seats to stare at him.

"Uh Yes...Bunnie did..." he choked, "...like Mr. Snipley. She would not be wanting him to get into the big troubles."

"That's right, she would've stayed quiet, and endangered us!"

"Non, she was not knowing of the rings, Geoffrey!"

"I think she was. In fact, I know she was."

Sonic stood up. "You're full of it, St. Shit!"

"SIT DOWN!" Geoffrey waved a crutch at Sonic, and nearly fell over. He caught himself, but not without hitting his injured knee on the crutch and yelling quite loudly. A few people jumped in their seats. Sonic laughed meanly.

Panting, the skunk straightened up and aimed a glare at the hedgehog. "No more comments, or I'll have you removed, you maggot!"

King Acorn pounded the gavel. "Calm down, both of you! Now Geoffrey, please, finish telling us your side."

"Well, like I was saying, she KNEW about the rings. Know why? Because Antoine knew! She told him, you see, and then he just couldn't hold back the secret for very long. I see, he wanted to protect her, but his sense of duty for Knothole was too strong to let it go! Which is what Bunnie should have done. She should have turned Snively in, but no, she choose to harbor the dangerous villain even when he was hiding the rings in her *own* bedroom!"

Sonic stood up again. "Geoffrey, you lying son-"

"He...He ees telling the truth..." Antoine said in a low shaking voice. "She was knowing of the rings." He sat again, his head facing downwards. "I told her she should be telling."

Sonic fumbled for words, and then finally, just sat back down. Geoffrey smirked again.

King Acorn looked over at Bunnie, his head shaking. "Miss Rabbot...that was perhaps not the wisest decision you could have made."

"Turn him in? So ya'll could kill him!? Ya'll wouldn't even give him a chance to explain, ya would've just strung 'im up."

Geoffrey shook his head. "So what? He doesn't deserve anything more."

Bunnie banged her metallic fist on the podium, threatening to break through the wood. It made a horrific noise. Antoine cringed and Bessie squealed. "YA'LL ARE A HORRIBLE BIGOT, GEOFF-"

The gavel struck the wood hard, several times, threatening to drown out her voice. "ENOUGH, MISS RABBOT!!"

She trailed off, and put her head into her hands. "Ah can't take this hate..." she said through her fingers, her voice shaking. "Ah can't stand ya'll saying thangs about him when ya'll didn't know him..."

King Acorn spoke in a gentler tone. "Geoffrey, finish your questioning. Then, Ms Rabbot, you may clarify your side of the story, if you wish."

She nodded, sitting up straight again. "Ah do wish..."

**

A frog hopped out of the way of his boot as it squelched down into the spongy ground. Snively followed its hopping path with his eyes, wondering how it would taste. The image of the frog smashed under his boot in a pile of slimy green made him nearly gag. He couldn't stand things like that; things crushed and broken and oozing their insides out.

He let out a heavy sigh as he eyed the line of trees before him. It seemed, however, the ground was getting less spongy as he went forward, and the trees were changing from cypress and mangrove to the more familiar oak and birch, pine and maple.

Perhaps he was getting to the end of this miserable place. Or maybe this was merely a sandbar, a blessed strip of dry land before dropping again into cold ocean water. He certainly hoped not.

With water-wrinkled fingers he checked the compass on his watch. Yes, he was still headed in the right direction.

His feet were aching horribly. There was a burning spot on the back of each ankle. They were close to breaking out into full blisters.

He was on the right course, though, he mused, dropping his arm back down to his side, then fluttering in the air as he nearly lost his balance in a pool of knee-deep water.

Days, yes, days of torturous walking must still lie ahead.

His stomach growled loudly and he wished now, that he had smashed that frog to a pulp under his boot.

***
"So, you two lived together?"

"Yes, Geoffrey, ya'll know that, the whole room knows that."

"Yeah, just getting the facts out, luv."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Ah don't think ya'll care about facts, or truth, Geof-"

"Your Honor! Can't I ask simple questions without her constantly berating me?! Maybe we need to gag her!"

Bunnie rose out of her seat but King Acorn quickly calmed them and soon they were back to business, Geoffrey looking snide and Bunnie sulking in her seat.

He then shot off questions like a shotgun, each one edged with nastiness, determined to make Snively look like a fiend hellbent on revenge and herself...a coconspirator.

She answered them all in weary tone, trying to curb her impatience and disapproval of Geoffrey's hate...the hate he was trying to instill in the rest of the room.

"Did he try to turn you against us, Ms Rabbot?"

"No."

"He must have. He hated Mobians. Look what he did to them."

"It don't mean he can't change. It don't even mean he hated them. What he did in the past don't matter."

"Yeah, tell that to anyone here who has family that was roboticized! Or killed!"

She was silent. He continued with a nasty grin, because the crowd had responded with angry mummers at his previous statement. "What things did he tell you about us? What was he whispering behind our backs?"

Bunnie sighed. "He wasn't a gossipy thang. He didn't talk much about nobody. A few times he said he didn't like ta go out, because the way some people treated him. Ah said if he didn't go out, nobody would get ta know him, and realize he wasn't so bad."

"That's enough, Ms Rabbot." Geoffrey rolled his eyes at the room, making a few of the males laugh. Bunnie eyed them coolly, wondering if they were the ones who had jumped and beaten up the Overlander a while ago. Snively had never told her, but she had heard him come in that night, whimpering, and she had seen a smear of blood on her sink that he had forgotten to wash away.

"People beat him up and he never complained ta meh."

Geoffrey shook his head. "How do you know anyone beat him up?"

"Because Ah heard him come in...and he was all bloody and beat up, Geoffrey! Ah bet it was yer rotten bunch a' friends that did it too!"

"Hey now!" Geoffrey lifted one hand in a 'Stop' motion. "None of this matters, Ms Bunnie." He cleared his throat. "Now, next question..."

He paused, throwing a meaningful look at Sonic. The hedgehog glared, his tongue poking out slightly between his lips. "What did he say he was gonna use the rings for, Ms Bunnie?"

"He never said anythang about the rings." That was true, sort of. Bunnie admitted she was probably omitting the truth. But when she had discovered Snively's secret stash she had demanded answers of him, and his response to 'WHY?' and 'What for?!' had been 'I don't know. I don't know why I took them.'

She knew why. It was power. And he craved power. Not the power Geoffrey thought, not power like Julian's, although that would suffice if he could get it. He wanted power over those who would hurt him; he wanted to be strong enough to beat them back.

"Yeah. Cuz he was gonna use them against us."

"He was not!"

"How do you know, you said you don't know why he was taking them!"

"It wasn't for that! Ah know it wasn't!"

"Yeah, because you're all buddy buddy with the Overlander now, eh? You're just a regular expert on them, ain't ya? I bet you're an expert on their anatomy too, eh?"

Antoine put his head in his hands.

"What the hell are ya'll saying?!" She stood up, so furiously that the podium teetered, threatening to fall over. "Ah'm gonna whack yer head off yer shoulders in a minute, sugah, and Ah guess y'all really hafta hang me then!"

Geoffrey merely picked at his teeth, then calmly spoke again. "Why didn't you come forward about the rings?"

Bunnie was still standing, her fists clenched.

"Would you sit down?" Geoffrey said, one claw intent on scraping his incisor. She did, slowly, her eyes trying to burn holes in him.

Sonic had only seen Bunnie lose her temper a few times. He lost his far more often and could recognize the signs of an upcoming blow-up, oh yes. There was bound to be a losing of Bunnie's temper today if things kept going as they were.

"She's gonna blow a gasket," he whispered to Sally.

She nodded.

"I hope she does take his head off."

"Answer the question," Geoffrey prompted.

"Ah already told ya'll why." Bunnie seemed tired. Indeed, the trial, or 'sham' as Sonic had commented, had been going on for about three hours now.

"If Ah turned him in, no one would hear his side of the story. Ya'll would've just said 'oh he's evil' and hanged him without even wantin' ta bother with the truth. Ah knew..." and she looked at King Acorn with apprehension, "Yer Honor wanted him dead too."

Geoffrey eyed her for a moment. "Was that all your idea, Bunnie? Did you really think we'd kill him, or did he convince you?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it, and then finally spoke again. "He begged meh not ta turn him in. He said ya'll would kill him. He said King Acorn would kill him fer shore. An' he said he would stop takin' them an' he did!"

"So, Snively's the one who said we'd kill him. And you listened to him."

"Well it's true!" Her voice got louder, frustrated. "When he got caught, ya'll weren't even gonna give him a trial! Ya'll went right ta execution! He was right an' Ah knew he would be right! He didn't hafta convince meh, Geoffrey, because Ah knew it would happen too!"

King Acorn spoke. "From your point of view, Ms Rabbot, I sound quite bloodthirsty. The truth is, Snively was *not* an ordinary citizen. He was a man with a very serious criminal record. He didn't have full rights as a law-abiding citizen would! That is why Geoffrey was assigned to watch him and at the slightest step out of line, Snively was to be reprimanded most severely. He knew this. And he chose to do wrong anyway. I can't afford to give multiple chances to a man who is very dangerous to us. We gave him a chance and he blew it, Ms Rabbot, that's all there is to it."

Geoffrey nodded. "Snively knew he was walkin' on thin ice. The little bastard just didn't care. Ya know what? He probably figured if he got caught you'd bail him out."

"He didn't. He didn't think of us as bein' soft."

Geoffrey rolled his eyes. "Yeah, luv, like you could read his mind." He turned to face the crowd. "I never did tell all of ya about the rest that happened. You might think, 'Awww, he's bein' so mean to Bunnie!' But look here, you all knew Snively escaped. But how did he escape? Because she helped him!"

"Good for her," said Doctor Quack to Bessie. "Anyone who fights against death is ok with me." Today the pin on his white lab coat read: "Quack never says DIE!"
Antoine put his head in his hands again.

Geoffrey continued. "Bunnie broke into the jail that night. Tory and Antoine were guarding, right, mates?"

"Yeah, I was guardin'," said Tory.
Antoine didn't take his head out of his hands, nodding only slightly.

"She knocked em out with her robotic arm. She could've killed them! She hit Antoine, her own *boyfriend*!!"

Bessie squealed. Doctor Quack raised his eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't known about that.

"Then she broke Snively out and helped him escape into the woods. I had a bad feelin', and went to the jail, an' when I found Tory and Ant there, I knew something wasn't right. I did find Snively and I was gonna bring him in again when I was hit too!"

He motioned towards the bandage on his head. "I didn't wake up till the next day. That's how hard she hit me, yeah, it was Bunnie that did it."

The crowd was mumbling. Sonic suddenly stood and jeered. "Too bad she *didn't* kill you, St Dick! We wouldn't have to listen to your bullcrap!"

King Acorn pounded his gavel. "Sonic...no more outbursts, you understand?"

He sat down.

"It ain't bullcrap, pincushion, it's the truth. She risked the lives of US, her friends, for Snively! She was willin to hurt us for him!"

"He was mah friend *too*!" She cried. "Don't ya'll GIT that, Geoffrey?!"

"Some friend," Geoffrey scoffed. "He goes around hurting all your other friends, but you don't care about them? Do you know he shot me!? That's why I've got these bloody crutches!"

"YA'LL TRIED TA KILL HIM!"

Geoffrey opened his mouth.

"When ya'll found Snively in the woods, ya tried ta kill him! When Ah," she looked at the crowd, "When Ah came up behind him he was stranglin' Snively. Why is it a surprise that Snively would be afraid of him next time?! Afraid enough ta shoot?!"

"It shows how violent he is. Your friend."

Bunnie leaned forward, locking her leaf-green eyes with Geoff's. "Why didn't he jest kill ya, Geoffrey?"

For a moment Geoffrey seemed at a loss for words.

"Why didn't he finish the job? If he's such a killa! He hurt ya'll enough so he could get away! But he could've easily killed ya!"

"He tried to," Geoffrey finally retorted. "I caught up with him in the swamp, mind you, I'm traveling with a head wound. From you!"

Bunnie's expression bore a 'poor baby' sort of expression; completely sarcastic, of course.

"Tory and Sig were with me, laggin' a little behind."

Tory nodded from the second row of seats, Sig beside him looked bored.

"Anyway, I catch up with the bloke, an' the thing is, he stole my crossbow off me when Bunnie knocked me out the night before. A thing Bunnie didn't even try to stop, knowing Snively is a killer." He sighed heavily. "I'm surprised he didn't shoot you." He shook his head at her.

"Snively wouldn't have done that, because-"

He cut her off quickly. "I'm not finished. The little bastard shot me in the leg. I wasn't even expecting it, the bloke just whips the thing out and shoots. No warnin', no mercy or nothin'. I fall down and he starts laughin' and goin' on about how he wished he had the 'bow earlier so he could've just shot everyone."

Bunnie gritted her teeth.

" 'I'd especially love to shoot those dirty Mobian children...so uh...so they can't grow up to make more filth'...yeah, he said that. While he's gloatin' I got up and tried to wrest the bow away, but he gets free and says 'I'll start with you...and I'll get the others later' and he goes to shoot to kill this time."

Antoine had raised his head from his hands and was staring at Geoffrey intently, taking in each word raptly, and playing this like a movie in his head. He could see it.

Bunnie couldn't. But she could hear it, and she wanted to raise her hands to block his words. She could hear it again, when she and Snively were standing by the pool, and he had said...and his voice had gone so twisted and sharp with hatred for that second... 'I don't deserve it...only filthy *animals* deserve it...'

'No...he's lyin'. He IS lyin'.'

"I was about to end up deader than dead, when along comes Sig and Tory and Sig knocks the bastard off balance! He drops the crossbow and takes off like the bloody coward he is-"

Sig, still looking incredibly bored, showed his slow nature by blurting out; all the while Tory was nodding prettily, confirming Geoffrey's damaging words... "But boss...Snively wasn't even there when we found you....er...." And he trailed off, because Tory's elbow was planting itself sharply into his side, and Geoffrey's gaze was ripping him to shreds in its unbridled fury.

Bunnie straightened up, slamming her fist into the podium's wooden top with a resounding "HA!" She beamed widely. "I knew ya'll were LYIN! He wasn't even there?! He didn't try an' kill ya AT ALL, just like AH said!!"

Geoffrey whirled around to face her, one of his crutches clattering to the ground. "IT DOSEN'T MATTER!! HE STILL FUCKING SHOT ME!!"

King Acorn pounded his gavel, while Tails and Dulcy gasped. "Mr. St. John!! That sort of language is NOT tolerated here! Now I suggest you calm yourself down!"

Geoffrey was shaking, his teeth grinding audibly. "He tried to kill me. He ran when he heard them coming. He DID try to kill me."

"Yer a liar."

Geoffrey smiled suddenly, a cruel edge to the curl of his lips. "Yeah, well, I got another question for you, Ms Bunnie. One I think will clear up *everything*..." He suddenly shot his gaze to Antoine, who stiffened in his chair. "And someone out there wants to know... so I'm asking for him too..."

She crossed her arms over her bosom, her gaze fluttering to Antoine. "...Oh yeah, well...'shoot', sugah."

"How many times did you and Snively have SEX!?"

It was like Geoffrey had thrown a bomb. King Acorn's gavel became a furious tattoo of wood against wood as Bessie squealed. Sally, along with half the room, gasped. Some people burst out laughing, while others grimaced in disgust.

Sonic stood up, tipping over his chair in his haste and began shouting at the skunk; Tails and Dulcy looked shocked at the mention of the 'S' word.

"That's it, stinkbomb, I've had enough of your-!" And Sonic leapt over the table, heading for the skunk.

"QUIET, QUIET EVERBODY!!"

"Oh my goodness, she and him...they actually did-"

Antoine put his head into his hands again, rocking back and forth in his seat, a painful moan emitting from his shivering body.

Geoffrey swung his crutch around, tripping Sonic, but everyone stood still, awed into silence when his words finally detonated... in the form of Bunnie.

She stood with a wordless cry of rage, her powerful arm grabbing the podium and slamming it to the floor between Geoffrey and Sonic. The sturdy wooden frame was dashed into pieces, and she stood with her twin fists clenched, the one bigger than the other, her chest heaving as she drew in heavy breaths. She reached out and grabbed ahold of Geoffrey by the chest fur, getting a huge handful of it, and he squealed in surprise and pain.

Sally crouched down by Sonic, both of them staring up at her.

She drew her fist back - the robotic one - and Geoffrey winced.

The room was dead silent. Even King Acorn halted the gavel, and all eyes fell upon the rabbit and skunk.

"Zero times." Her voice was low, choked with anger. "Zero times, Geoffrey." She let him go and went back to her seat.

Geoffrey rubbed his chest, the cocky look, that, for nearly three and half hours had been burned into his face, gone. He spoke with a tremor. "You two seemed *close* to me."

"We were friends." She leaned her head against the back of the chair. "Ah was his friend...."

"People think there was more...."

Antoine stared at Bunnie with his lower lip trembling. She didn't look at him. "Mon ami..." he whispered, finally, lowly. He stood up, his legs shaking. "Mon ami...you are being honest? Please, tell moi..."

She turned her spring-colored eyes on him; face impassive, but the green depths revealed the hurt underneath, the wounded heart, stabbed by his mistrust and neglect. "Ya'll shouldn't even ask that, Antoine, if ya'll truly love meh. Ya'll should KNOW Ah wouldn't do that. Even if Ah had wanted to, which Ah didn't. Ah wouldn't."

Antoine sank back into his seat.

She looked back at Geoffrey, anger seemingly fully dissipated, and there was great weariness in her voice now. "Snively was a very needy person, ya'll see. He craved love, an' he fell in love with meh... That's what ya'll saw, Geoffrey. Ah gave him mah friendship, but Ah told him...before ya'll dragged him away...Ah told him Ah could not give him any more than that."

Geoffrey seemed out of snide comments at the moment. He stood there, then finally mumbled. "No further questions, Your Honor."

The monarch stood up, letting the gavel clatter onto the podium. "I think it's time to take a break. We will recess for an hour...no...make that an hour and a half. After that, we'll continue." He squinted out the window; it had to be around 5:00. "Hopefully, we'll wrap this up today."

There was mummering as everybody rose and moved towards the door.

"Let's hope," said Bunnie ruefully. "Ah miss mah bed..." She eyed the king. "What should Ah do...Ah reckon Ah shouldn't be walkin' free, since Ah'm so evil and all."

"I suppose we should stick with the laws." He shrugged almost apologetically. "Take her back to the jail, please, St John."

Geoffrey nodded at Sig and Tory. "You heard him." He turned and hobbled out of the courtroom with the rest of the crowd.

**

Snively shielded his eyes with one hand. Sunlight was filtering in through a clearing, insistent in seeking out his eyes to blind.

He didn't mind too much, because of the change of environment. These clearings had become more abundant; the trees were thinning, the ground becoming firmer and sandier, and the air dryer.

He was getting quite close to Mobius's most prominent desert...the Great Unknown.

He smirked. Finally, he'd be able to dry out. He imagined he would regret leaving all the moisture from the swamp behind before long, but now he wanted nothing more than to have dry ground under his feet and dry clothing against his skin.

An hour later the trees broke completely and he got a glorious sweeping view of the desert shimmering in the evening sunlight.

It reminded him of the wasteland between the Great Forest and Robotropolis suddenly, though in reality they were hardly alike. This was natural, that was not. This, even with its harsh climate, still bore life, the other could not even support weeds in its poisoned soil.

He found it odd...or more like pathetic...that he was so far away from that blasted city and still fear for it lingered in his mind.

Or rather, fear of one of its occupants...

"But Julian's not so tough anymore," he said aloud in a clear strong voice. A voice that normally quavered when speaking to that man...it did not quaver to speak of him.
Maybe his fear was not so insatiable, after all.

"Julian is nothing now. Like he made me. He can go through it now, all of it!" He spat, trudging down a small hill. The gentle slope lead him to the threshold of the desert.

He wavered between the straggling trees and the vast stretch of sand before him. It felt like a big decision; like a chance to take or forfeit. When he stepped forward he was going to be embattled against them again. He couldn't go back to Bunnie.

He raised his foot.

God...the desert stretched for miles. He was so small on the brink of it. He was so utterly alone in this barren desolate place...

He stepped forward onto the sand.

He had always been alone.
And he could never go back.

**

No one interrupted Bunnie during her recap of the events leading up to her incarceration.

She started from the beginning, like all stories should, telling how Snively had lived in her home, been polite and helping her with chores. She told them of the animosity between Snively and Geoffrey; she told of the mission and his trembling hands, his kiss of relief on her forehead.

The rings were spoken of. How she'd found out, and how she'd seen how torn and frightened he was, she could not bring herself to believe he gathered them for evil. It was a pathetic grab for control in a powerless life, an attempt for protection, that he could not even understand.
She told of his discovery by Geoffrey and the lack of a trial for him. An announcement of execution was his only justice.

Geoffrey opened his mouth but seemed either out of comments or intimidated by her withering glare - he shut it quickly without a word.

She explained his escape. "Ah didn't want ta hurt them, but they would've never let him go. Ah know it was wrong, but killin' Snively seemed even wronger to mah."

When she reached the part where she had come upon Geoffrey strangling Snively in those dark woods, Sonic nodded vigorously.

"Sounds like something Stinkbomb would do."

Sally couldn't exactly disagree. She'd seen Geoffrey's violent behavior towards the tiny Overlander as well; a lot of them had seen it.

But a lot of them thought he deserved it, and a lot of them didn't know Snively that well...they avoided him, only noticing him when he complained in outbursts, fighting Geoffrey or Sally or skulking around the pool like he tended to do.

"Then Ah was arrested." She ended there, and sat back in the chair.

Geoffrey sniffed. "You finished?"

"Yeah, Ah reckon Ah am."

Geoffrey looked questioningly at King Acorn, who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Yer Honor?"

"Eh?" The elder squirrel blinked. "Ah yes. Ms Rabbot, you've finished with your side of the story?"

She nodded.

"Very well. Both of you, do a closing, so we can make this official, and then you..." He motioned towards the room, "May have your time to decide Ms Bunnie's fate."

Geoffrey cleared his throat, then looked at Bunnie. "You go first."

She gave him a cold look, then stood up. "Ah'm not gonna beg ya'll ta let me go, or forgive meh. Ah only ask ya'll to think about what was right...not lawfully right but right in yer minds, like Ah did. Do with meh what ya'll will, but Ah'll stand by what Ah did."

She sat down.

Geoffrey threw out his arms melodramatically. "Clearly, Miss Bunnie doesn't have any remorse for her criminal act. I normally would want to kill anybody who helped out Robotnik's side, but I don't think that's the right thing to do here." He put his arms back down after almost toppling over, steadying himself with his crutches.

"However with her brazen actions, I don't think she deserves total freedom. I think she should be watched constantly. Assigned someone to watch her, like Snively was."

Bunnie sat expressionless; Geoffrey continued.

"I think she should be barred from missions, as well. She isn't trustworthy." He nodded as if assuring himself. "It's up to you all to decide what will be done, but I'm asking you to not to let this criminal act be unpunished and overlooked."

The gavel banged once and King Acorn stood behind his podium. "I will take a short recess, along with Miss Rabbot, and leave you to decide the outcome."

The monarch moved out from behind the podium and gestured for Bunnie to follow him. She stood, picking her way over the scraps of wood from the podium she'd formerly sat behind, and took one more glance at the room's inhabitants before exiting before the king.

"Geoffrey, when you've all come up with a unanimous decision, come out and tell me."

He nodded.

He let the door close, and he and Bunnie silently went to the campfire pit, sitting on the logs there.

She wearily rubbed her eyes. "That shore was a long trial..."

He nodded, his pale blue eyes sweeping over her, searching. She put her hands down and returned the gaze. His eyes, while being almost the same shade as Snively's...were not so haunted, not so turbulent and cold. Like icy oceans, Snively's eyes were. Acorn's eyes were like milk...with droplets of blue dye...yes, smooth and calm, and soothing as well.

"It was long." He nodded again. "And now...I'm afraid to say..."

She watched him even more closely.

"Unnecessary. It should have never come to this. I don't know what came over me."

She shifted on the log. "Ah don't quite agree with it mahself, but Ah guess it is the law."

"That sounds awfully hypocritical. You've broken several laws."

She frowned. "Ah AM law-abiding. But the law wasn't used in Snively's case. He wasn't given a trial. He was gonna be killed with no fairness at all."

The elder squirrel sighed heavily. "I won't hesitate to admit I don't like Snively. I don't trust him, and I can't bring myself to forgive his actions. If he is as good as you claim surely he would try to change for the better."

"He was tryin'." She felt sad suddenly. A tightness was in her chest and she drew in a quick breath. "He was tryin' but it was so hard for him. He was just..." She saw him on her floor, crying after he'd confessed his love to her. She saw how pathetically needy he was...when all his fronts were dropped and he was revealed in front of her as someone so painfully fragile that she was almost afraid to breathe... "He was just hurt...so hurt inside, King Max. He might've done bad things but he wasn't all bad. Ah just wish people would understand..."

The King stared at the ashes in the pit, then finally, after a long tense silence, spoke. "Listening to you in there I did come to a conclusion. It wasn't a pleasant one for me to accept." He looked over at her with resolve of one bound to a task. This task: the truth. "I was wrong in my treatment of him. It was all wrong. He did deserve a trial, you are right. Whether the outcome would've been the same or not, he deserved one."

Her sudden melancholy had flooded her eyes and spilt over her cheeks. But it was silly. She shouldn't be sad. Snively wasn't dead...he hadn't been executed. If he had, she wouldn't be here right now.

"But I was afraid. I know you believe he's good, and perhaps some part of him is, but you don't see the dark half. You're trying so hard to see the light in him that your eyes look past the shadows. And those shadows have dangerous things in them! I wanted him gone...because the threat from him would be gone."

Bunnie stared at the ground. Maybe she *was* just a naïve little girl. But no. She did see the shadows. She saw how they tried to smother the light. But the light was still *there* nonetheless.

Her tears dried. There was always light. She had to believe that. She DID believe that! Because of Robotnik this was a life of darkness surrounding a pool of light. But that light could not be snuffed out!

She lifted her head to smile at the king. "Ah know what yer saying, King Max. But he did have light. There's always a light."

Loud voices were heard from the meeting hall. They sounded like Geoffrey's and Sonic's, but from this distance they couldn't make out the words.

King Acorn just shook his head, and Bunnie laughed.

**

"Geoffrey, stop acting like a jerk!" Sally said, thrusting her slender arm between the yelling hedgehog and skunk. "And Sonic, cool down!"

They both fell back, grumbling.

"He started it, luv. He has to always call me those childish names. Stinkbomb this, stinkbomb that. He's the one who smells like a stinkin' chilidog all the damn time."

Quack stood up, Bessie clinging to his arm. "Now now, we're here for a reason. We're supposed to be deciding what to do with Ms Bunnie."

"Yes yes!" quipped Bessie alongside him. "Quacky's right! We shouldn't be fighting!"

Antoine looked at them both through his fingers, which seemed permanently clasped over his face.

Sonic sat down in a huff. "Well what's there to talk about? Bunnie should be let go, duh!"

Geoffrey hobbled over to an empty chair and sat down. "It ain't that easy, mate. Ya can't just overlook what she did."

"Yeah I can." Sonic furrowed his brow at the skunk.

Sally stood up again. "Let's look at this rationally. What Bunnie did was wrong, yes. Maybe. Snively really shouldn't have been in that cell in the first place. He didn't have a fair trial."

"Who cares..." Antoine mumbled into his hands.

"Now let's think about this. Is Bunnie going to do something like that again? Is she going to hurt any of us? Is she going to suddenly go join up with Nagus and Robotnik?"

"No way!" said Sonic.
"Uh uh," said Tails.
Dulcy shook her head. There were mixed mumbles throughout the room. Most people nodded but some looked skeptical.

Geoffrey reluctantly shook his head. "I doubt she will, but it don't seem fair to let her git away with it."

"Well 'git' over it," Sonic sneered.

"You just watch, pincushion, that little punk's gonna come back to haunt us, you just watch!"

Sonic peered at his gloves unconcernedly. "Snittly ain't gonna do anything. He doesn't have any power. Even when he did we didn't have much problem beatin' him, did we?"

"Forget him," Sally said. "This isn't about him, it's about Bunnie."

"Let her go!" Tails said.

Rosie spoke from her chair. "From all the years I've known Bunnie, I've known her to be nothing but a sweet thoughtful girl. Very sensitive. She would never try to hurt someone intentionally...not without a very good cause!"

Dulcy smiled. "Bunnie is so sweet. And we need her on missions."

Geoffrey snorted.

"Bunnie's way past cool. She really kicks butt on our missions. She can't help us if she's locked up or being 'watched' like Stinkbomb over there said."

Geoffrey shook one of his crutches at Sonic. "Who knows, maybe she'll start feelin' sorry for Robotnik next, eh? Maybe she'll bring home ole fat boy and pamper *him*!" He aimed his crutch, this time pointing the wooden object at Antoine. "Antoine! What do ya think? You know her best, after all..."

Antoine slowly uncovered his face to find all eyes on him. He shivered.

"I am not thinking I should be saying anything about Mademoiselle Bunnie."

"C'mon Ant." Sonic shook his head, looking disgusted.

Antoine stood up quickly, nearly knocking over his chair. "Silence, you hedgehog fuel! I do not want to be saying anything!"

"She should be watched," Tory said. "At least! She whacked me and him," The badger aimed his finger at Antoine, "on the head!" He tugged at the bandage still looped lopsidedly around his ears. "You didn't see her in the jail. She was nuts!"

Antoine didn't say anything.

"Look even he doesn't trust her," Tory accused. "And he's her boyfriend! He knows her best like Geoffrey said!"

Antoine mumbled something, turning back to his chair.

"What was that?" The badger demanded sharply, stepping closer to the fox.

Antoine sniffled. His turquoise eyes were watery. "Eet ees true, I am not trusting Mademoiselle Bunnie."

Sonic exploded. "Aww what the HELL, Ant?!"

"SHUT UP!" Antoine kicked his chair out of the way, whirling around. He lunged at Sonic, pressing his nose against the hedgehog's. They glared eye to eye. "Were you trusting zee Princess when she was making zee eyes at Geoffrey!?"

Sonic sputtered.

Sally growled. "That was just a fling, Antoine!"

Geoffrey looked away, the muscle in his jaw clenched.

"But eet was being serious then, wasn't it? How was Sonique, or that fuel," he didn't look at Geoffrey, "to know it would be a toss?!"

"Fling," Sally corrected quietly.

"How am I to be knowing Bunnie and Snipley are not more than a fling!?"

"They aren't anything, you IDIOT!" Sonic grabbed Antoine by the collar. "You heard what she said up there. She wasn't in love with him! You are so stupid!"

"I do not know..." Antoine went limp in Sonic's grip. The hedgehog released him.

"Come on, Ant," he said in a low voice. "Don't cop out on Bunnie now. She needs you. She *loves* you, man!"

Geoffrey brushed some errant hair out of his eyes. "Maybe it should be Ant's decision. What to do with Bunnie. It's not like her not going on missions or being watched is that big of a deal."

"It is so!" Dulcy said. "That makes Bunnie look like a bad person!"

"She's an Overlander-lover," Geoffrey sneered. "That's bad enough for me."

"Enough!" said Sally. "Look, this is serious! Enough with the arguing, we have to come up with a decision, alright?"

Antoine cleared his throat, and moved away from Sonic. His booted feet stopped not far from Geoffrey. "Fine. I will be telling what I really am thinking of Mademoiselle Bunnie..."

**

Bunnie had slumped her head into her palm, her free hand, the robotic one, spinning a leftover piece of wood in the firepit.

The wood twirled around on a larger piece of kindling beneath it, setting it alit. She smiled a little. "Too bad we don't have any corn to roast," she said. "Ah'm awfully hungry."

"Didn't you eat during the break?"

"Ah was too nervous." She watched the small flame spread to the pieces of unburnt wood.

"You're not nervous now?" The monarch's eyes were focused on the fire as well.

She shrugged. "Whatever happens, happens Ah guess." She sighed and looked towards the meeting hall, one ear pricking up. King Acorn turned to see Geoffrey approaching them.

The skunk did an awkward bow. "Yer Majesty, we've come up with a decision."

King Acorn turned to look at Bunnie and she nodded. The trio made their way back to the meeting hall.

**

Bunnie took her seat amidst the ruins of the podium she'd smashed, uneasily aware of the silence. The creaking of the chair beneath her was like a gun blast; unbearably loud. She looked at the ground, her hands clasped tight in her lap.

Sally stood up. "Antoine would like to deliver the verdict."

The French fox made his way up to the main podium. King Acorn moved aside to allow him access.

Antoine stood behind the podium, his eyes darting nervously around the room. He gulped, then smoothed down his hair.

Bunnie waited silently, her eyes downcast.

"B...bee...before I am saying our decision, I want to give a speech." Antoine's voice squeaked as he spoke, but strangely no one, not even Sonic or Geoffrey, snickered.

"You will believe I hated Snipley. And I did."

Antoine could see the man's face in his head now. The insolent eyes, the way he sneered. And the way he smiled when Bunnie said something...

"I did because I was being jealous...and I was being..." he drew in a shaky breath, seeing his dream...Snively and Bunnie...their mouths locked. So real. So damn real. He swore it was a memory and not a figment of imagination. "...afraid."

The room was quiet; it unnerved him, but he continued. "I was being disappointed when Bunnie told me about Snipley and the rings. But she said she would not turn him in. I was afraid for her to be getting in big troubles. But I honored her wishes. Because I was...am...knowing Bunnie could not do *evil*."

She raised her eyes, looking over at him. He met her gaze, gulping again.

She hadn't kissed him, really, had she? Snively smirked from his dream. But he hadn't won in real life. He hadn't really won Bunnie's heart... "I was afraid, mon ami. I thought Snipley would take you away from me. You cared so much about him. I thought you would stop caring for me...." He looked away, his lower lip trembling.

Bunnie frowned; only because she was getting teary-eyed and the expression seemed to help hold them back.

"I was being such a fuel! You are having..." Antoine suddenly moved from behind the podium. A dramatic show followed; him falling to his knees before her and taking her hand.

Sonic quirked an eyebrow. Geoffrey shook his head.

Antoine was a master of melodrama, but the emotion here was not an act. "I should be knowing you have room in your heart for everyone. And you can still be loving me and being friends with him!"

Bunnie sat up straight, a weary smile touching her face. "Of course Ah love ya'll. Ah don't like what ya did, Antoine, don't get meh wrong. But Ah love ya anyways."

Antoine rose and stood behind the podium again, his face slipping into a solemn mask. "Now I will be giving our decision. Bunnie Rabbot, we have conclud-ed you have done wrong by freeing Snipley."

Bunnie looked at the floor again.

"By law wrong." Antoine cleared his throat. "But maybe it was being right in other ways. We have looked at you, mon ami. And we are knowing we are *needing* you. You are a freedom fighter, and you will always be doing what is good."

He turned to look at her staunchly. "You are being no criminal, mon ami. So your decision is being you are free to go."

"No watchin'? No parole?" She smiled slightly.

"Non."

Sally smiled and King Acorn nodded.

Bunnie slumped in her chair with a hefty sigh, leaning her head back. "Aw, shucks," she chuckled. "Ah wasn't worried at all!"

Then she sprang up. "Now, c'mon, let's git outta here! Ah'm starving and my toushie has about gone numb sittin' in that there chair."

Sonic grinned. "Welcome back, Bunnie."

She and Sally linked one arm, Antoine on the other, and they strode from the room, ears abuzz with the happy babble of voices.

**

Two days passed and on the night of that second day, Sonic watched with a frown as through the trees came Sir Charles hedgehog, his robotic face sheepish as he caught sight of his nephew.

"Ya know, Unc, I didn't notice you were gone after Bunnie's trial, but yesterday I was wondering where you juiced off to!" He set a disapproving glare on his uncle. "Tails and Dulcy spilled the beans. You went to Nagus-ville during the trial!"

"Yes, yes I did, Sonny-boy. I thought I'd leave while everyone was preoccupied. I see Bunnie made it through." He chuckled. "Well I knew she would but-" He trailed off as Sonic's frown deepened.

"You can't do that again, Unc!"

"You sound quite like Sally." Charles smiled.

"Hey, I'm serious! Don't go there alone..." He put a hand on Chuck's shoulder. "You had me worried, man!"

"I know... and I'm sorry, Sonic. But I might have to go there again. Someone has to watch Nagus."

"We can go together. To check the bug, ok? You don't hafta stay there."

"We'll talk about it more, later." Chuck nodded. "But I did get some news, and I think you all might want to hear."

"Ok. I'll get Sal." Sonic revved up. "And don't run off while I'm gone!"

****

"I know this is a desert...but why does it have to be so blasted hot?" Snively grumbled to himself. His complaints were not unfounded, although the air was starting to cool off as night set in.

He breathed in the dry air, scanning the horizon with one hand over his eyes.

"That isn't a mirage...is it?" He whimpered a little as he eyed the rocky cliff wall he'd been heading towards for the last few hours. No, the image appeared to be real. At the bottom of the cliff was the entrance to one of Robotnik's old research labs.

He swallowed the spit in his mouth, wishing he had a tall glass of water. He would, soon. He'd be inside. Relief for his poor blistered feet.

*

It was dark by the time he reached the stone walls. The moonlight seemed amplified out here in the Great Unknown, spilling cool white light onto the sands. His pale skin seemed to glow under it. He was bare-chested, having taken his shirt to wrap it around his bald head to block the sun's rays. As it was, his shoulders were lobster-red and painful.

"Ahhh..." He looked at the fortress door with a smile, pulling the shirt off his head and tossing it onto the sand. it was a piece of trash, now, anyway. Bloody and swampy-smelling and sandy and ugh...he kicked some sand over it with a wrinkle of his nose.

Then he turned his attention to the door. After entering in the code - thankfully it was unchanged- he watched them slide open with a satisfied smirk. He stepped inside.

And blinked....as his eyes adjusted to light.

The corridor was lit up. He frowned, and stepped tentatively down the metal floors, his shoes trailing sand.

In the command center an alarm had gone off. "-Intruder. Intruder.-

He gulped, the fine hairs on the back of his neck raising. *Someone* was here. He checked Geoffrey's crossbow gun on his arm, his fingers shaking as he slid a bolt into place. There weren't many left. He had 2 besides the one in the chamber.

Not enough, he figured. This was probably a group of Freedom Fighters that had found the fortress. Maybe the wolves that lived out here. He doubted they'd take kindness to an intruder, especially an Overlander, especially Snively, former second in Command of their arch enemy.

He took a few more steps forward. The hallway took a corner before him and he stopped, peering nervously over his shoulder. A sound came from in front of him. He froze. It was a sort of strangled gasp, and he heard the subtle whine of a laser pistol powering up. An ominous shadow was thrown onto the wall.

He let out a squeal, firing a bolt in his panic. He heard it strike the wall and took off running in the opposite direction, hearing the thundering footsteps as the unseen figure ran as well.

He fumbled with the second bolt as he ran, screeching as it slipped his fingers. He grabbed for the last, panting, clumsily sliding it into the firing chamber.

There, he was armed.

But what to shoot at? The hallway screwed up sound; the mystery person's footsteps amplified and bouncing around the walls. They were coming in front of him? No...behind no...

They were getting louder and the someone gave a loud moaning yell. Incoherent.

A squeal escaped his lips and he ran in a panic, turning the corner and-

*Slam*

His body collided with another. Both of them seemed to have forgotten this hallway was circular in shape. They'd run a direct course into each other.

He kicked and tried to scramble away. A hand grabbed him, squeezing his burnt shoulder and he screamed. Hot breath blasted him.

"No, Nagus, you can't-"

Snively gave a hard kick, breaking free, and fell against the wall. He scrunched close to it, his widened eyes finally falling on the mystery figure.

Red on black eyes stared back at him. A mouth gaped, then sputtered. "S-S-S-SNIVELY?!?"

"JULIAN!?!" Snively sprang to his feet, his knees feeling weak. He wasn't sure he could run. "What are you doing here?!"

"What are *you* doing here?!"

Robotnik had pressed himself against the opposite wall, and for a minute the two kin stared, panting, at each other.

Then Robotnik's eyes lit up red and he roared "C'mere!", lunging forward.

Snively tripped over his own feet, stumbling backwards. He threw his arm forward. "No, stop - I'll shoot!"

"With that?" Robotnik laughed. "Oh Snively, your idiocy hasn't changed!"

"And neither has yours!" Snively growled and let the bolt fly. Robotnik's reflexes were startlingly quick; his robotic arm whipped around and deflected the bolt.

A grin touched his uncle's face. "A worthy try, Snively, but not good enough." Then he lunged again. The smaller man leapt away from the wall and took off down the hallway. He could outrun Uncle. Easily.

Or not. He heard the footsteps behind him; right on his heels; he could feel those fingers grasping the air inches behind his neck. Oh God, his legs were weak from the long travel, the lack of food, the shock of seeing...

Julian threw himself in a tackle, grabbing Snively around the midsection. They both crashed onto the floor again.

"Nooo..." Snively wiggled and tried to bite his uncle's hands. "Get off me!"

"STOP IT!" Robotnik growled and grabbed his nephew's face in one hand, glaring down at him. "Now what are you doing here, you wretch? Are there Freedom Fighters with you?"

Snively's pale eyes widened. "Y...Yes! A whole g-group of them."

"You lie..." Robotnik squeezed his nephew's face tighter, smirking as the smaller man's lips were pushed together in a fish-like way.

His nephew kicked, wrenching his face away. "There are!" He cried shrilly. "They have...they have guns!"

The fat man chuckled and suddenly released the smaller man. He rose from the floor, leaning back against the wall.

Snively pushed himself to a sitting position, his arms clasped over his chest. He narrowed his eyes at the larger man. Then his head tilted and his brows knit in a frown. "What happened to you, Julian? You look..."

Uncle had shed weight. Oh, he was still an enormous man. But the loss was apparent to an eye who had seen him so many times. "...sick..."

And his Uncle's mustache, twitching at the comment, was shortened. A cruel laugh burst from Snively's lips as he realized; it was burnt at each end, most likely from Nagus's torture. Fire, probably.

"Ohhh...I see," he cooed. "You ran away from Nagus, didn't you?"

Robotnik scowled. "That fool is unworthy of *my* city. He will pay, soon enough. When I build up power here..." He aimed an accusing finger at Snively. "And what of you, *traitor*?! Did the furballs get tired of your incompetence and banish you!?"

"No..." Snively stuck his lip out in a pout. "I'm on a mission. I thought there'd be some things here we could use."

Robotnik eyed him keenly. "I don't think that's the truth..."

The smaller man was silent; finally standing to lean against the wall, eyeing the other warily. This was too strange; he and Robotnik carrying on a conversation like this. Like they weren't master and slave anymore; like they had things in common.

'But we do....'

"I don't care what *you* think, Julian." He sneered. This was probably treading on dangerous ground. But Uncle looked so pathetic now; with at least two hundred pounds gone and his mustache reduced to half its size, and his body clothed in an ugly red shirt, which was frayed at the bottom and ripped on the right shoulder. Hilarious.

Snively knew he probably didn't look much better. He was shirtless, his bare chest bony and pale as ever, the scars on his stomach as always standing out against the white skin. His shoulders and the back of his neck however were as red as Robotnik's shirt. He was skinnier than usual, bones protruding from the skin, and his pants were torn to shit and stunk too. He had tied his shoes up by the laces and hung them from his belt, because they were hurting his feet. His socks were therefore, filthy, and starting to rip apart.
Pathetic.

Robotnik snarled. "I may not be in prime condition," he could read his nephew's sneering thoughts, "but I am still your *superior* and you'd do well to remember that!" His hand shot out, grabbing the smaller man 'round the throat and sliding his frail body up the wall. The other hand clenched into a fist and drew back.

Snively squeaked and cringed, squeezing his eyes closed. Well, here he was again, about to feel the familiar pain of Julian's fist. He thought he'd gotten away from that, finally. "N-N-No, Julian, please don't!"

There was a grunt from Robotnik and the fist slammed down...onto the wall by Snively's head.

The sound made him jump and his eyes flew open to see Robotnik staring at him, chest heaving, crazy-eyed.

What came from Snively's mouth was akin to his old groveling, but different. It wasn't as desperate, or as fake. These were statements of truth instead of gibbering compliments to lessen the pain. "J-Julian...you *are*...you are stronger than me...more ambitious...more *evil*...but..."

The fat man kept staring.

"But it doesn't..." he swallowed hard, "Doesn't mean you should've treated me like you did! I came to you *willingly*."

His uncle's grip loosened and he let Snively drop to the floor.

"I called you an incompetent, Snively. Are you an incompetent?"

What an odd question. Uncle was as unpredictable as ever.

He paused. And then said firmly, "No. No , I am not."

"Nagus called me one. Am I?"

Snively lifted an eyebrow. "Self doubt isn't like you." Another pause. "You...you aren't." Then saucily he added, "But you have a lot to learn."

"From who?" Robotnik sneered back. "From you?" He gave Snively his scrutinizing stare, the one he'd always use on Snively, trying to see what treachery he was hiding. But what he was searching for this time was different.

Snively didn't know what Julian wanted. He wanted to avert his eyes, to hide like he always did. 'But what for? Who cares. I'm not his slave anymore. I can leave here if I want...' So he held the other man's eye, neutrally, neither challenging, nor submissive.

His eyes locked on Uncle's quivering mustache; it only twitched like that when Julian was under emotional stress. Usually anger. But Uncle didn't look angry.

"I think you've already learned...some things..." He took a step towards his statue-still uncle. "...You have some of my 'sacred' knowledge now, Julian..." He grinned suddenly, sadistically, eyes slitted and icy. "How does it feel to feel like *me*?"

Robotnik was quiet, then finally he took a step back, his red on black eyes gazing over the tiny and weary form of his nephew.

"It's knowledge I would gladly forfeit."

"Yes," said Snively. "Me too."

**

Uncle Chuck chose to gather the group outside, around the ash of the previous campfire. Bunnie was relieved; most meetings were called into the meeting hall, and she was a bit tired of that place at the moment.

She and Antoine arrived last, linked arm and arm, but it seemed for appearance's purposes only. Sally could see it. Bunnie was still hurting inside, and Antoine, despite his reassurances of Bunnie's monogamy, seemed still uneasy. She sighed, but said nothing. Bunnie and Antoine would have to work out the more intimate details of their relationship on their own.

They sat around on the logs; only the main group of fighters had been gathered for now, the news would trickle down to the others later. Chuck stood by the firepit. Around him sat Rotor, Bunnie and Antoine, Sally and Sonic, Dulcy, Tails, Geoffrey (who sat apart from the others, looking sour), and Max Acorn.

"So what's the news, Unc?"

"Well..." began his Uncle slowly, holding his hands out slightly, "As you know, Nagus is our main enemy. We've discovered that he has magic beyond what we thought."

The remainder of Nagus's deathcraft made Sonic's face fall into an atypical hopeless state. Geoffrey scowled at him.

"Buck up, mate, we ain't gonna beat him mopin'."

"You weren't..." Sonic trailed off. "...there..."

"Robotnik was nasty too, mate. An' his arse was kicked. No one said it was gonna be easy. But we'll do it."

Sonic nodded slowly. "Yeah. I guess you're right..." A smirk quirked one corner of his lip. "...Stinkbomb."

Chuck cleared his throat with a scratching robotic sound; the hedgehog and skunk were silent. "Nagus will indeed prove to be a worthy foe. We'll have to lie low, study him a bit. I think our attacks will have to be swifter, more stealthy. Robots won't be our main adversaries anymore. Nagus doesn't much use them to his advantage. That's one weakness of his, you see. His disdain for Robotnik's technology."

"Yes, we'll have to use that against him, somehow," Sally mused.

Dulcy stretched out a wing. "And...And I can maybe help teach people about magic?"

"That would be great, Dulcy."

"I don't know much..." she said sheepishly, "But I guess it's better than nothing."

"Of course it is."

She nodded her head, cheeks flushed. Tails smiled over at her.

Sonic seemed annoyed suddenly. "Ok, Unc, don't tell me you went all the way to Nagusville for that?"

"Well..." the robotic hedgehog paused. "As we all know, Snively is also out there somewhere." He looked at Bunnie. "I don't know if he's a threat or not."

"He ain't," she said, as expected.

"But we have to be cautious. He still could have evil motives."

Bunnie stuck her lip out stubbornly; Chuck treaded lightly.

"Or he could regain them. Once he's away from us..."

She looked away suddenly, as if that thought had struck her too, and she didn't like it. The fact that, once away from them, and her, Snively could lose any goodness he had scraped up, and turn to the darkness again.

"We have to consider him a possibility, that's all," Chuck said.

They all nodded; Bunnie only slightly. Geoffrey shook his head with his lip curled in disgust.

"Unc, that isn't all-"

"No, there is one more thing." The robotic hedgehog looked grim. "We have one more threat, and this one is a bit more assured than Snively..."

**

Stare.

Stare back.

Stare back harder.

"Quit staring, Julian."

Robotnik leaned back in his 'throne' in the small command center of the fortress. It was not much of a center. His bedroom back home had been bigger.

"What do you want me to do," Snively said, his arms crossed over his chest. "Watch monitors all day and call you 'sir'?"

"That sounds delightful, Snively, get to it."

His nephew snickered and then collapsed against the console. "I need water...get me water."

"You've only been out in the desert for two days," his Uncle grumbled but actually obeyed. He brought the brimming glass to his nephew, slipping it into the man's small hand.

Snively looked at it suspiciously, probably expecting poison, but he didn't look long. He was mighty thirsty and didn't stop drinking until the entire glass was drained. He inhaled nosily after swallowing the last of it.

Robotnik returned to the chair, slumping into it. Once again his eyes locked on his skinny nephew, sitting sprawled on the floor. "So, now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going to work for me again, Snively?"

His nephew spun the empty glass idly on the floor. "No."

"Now, what do *you* mean?! Are you going to work against me?!"

Snively raised only his eyes, his mouth curled in a nasty sneer. Robotnik wasn't sure he liked this change in Snively. Insolent and acidic, Nephew was quite the little bastard.

"Wouldn't be the first time, 'dear' Uncle."

Robotnik growled loudly, half rising from the chair. He was tempted to beat Snively to a pulp. Oh, it would feel so good to thrash that little punk again, and it was long overdue. Yes, he'd do it.

Snively didn't seem worried, but inwardly he slapped himself. It wasn't good to reveal too much to Julian! Like how he'd plotted against him in the years before Doomsday. Uncle really really shouldn't know about that. Robotnik was still stronger than him, after all. There was nothing stopping him from just breaking Snively's neck.

"..I was a Freedom Fighter, remember..."

"Horrendous. You should be ashamed." Robotnik's considerably smaller bulk sank back into the chair. "I will make you regret that, Snively, one of these days. But for now, the question stands. Are you against Nagus?"

Snively continued spinning the glass. "Yes. Of course."

"So you will work for me."

"I said no." Snively halted the glass's spinning with his hand and rose to his feet with it in hand. He left momentarily to refill it and then came back, standing in front of the fat man's chair. "I won't work *for* you, Julian." He took a long sip of the cool liquid. "I will however, work *with* you."

Robotnik raised an eyebrow.

Snively aimed an accusing finger. "I won't tolerate slavery again. You escaped it. You know what it's like, now. If you treat me like that again, Julian, I'll leave you in a heartbeat. And I'll tell Nagus where you are."

Robotnik's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare!"

"I would." The small man smirked and slurped nosily from the glass. "And I'm sure he'll be soooo glad to have his little pet back."

Robotnik growled. "Fine, Snively. We will work together." He seemed to shudder.

"It won't be so bad, Uncle," Snively was actually enjoying himself, "You'll find we make a much better team when you actually *listen* to me. You aren't the only one who inherited the brains."

Robotnik laughed. "You apparently have quite a warped sense of humor, Nephew."

"Call it what you want, Julian." Snively focused on drinking the rest of the water; ah, it was so good. He'd been parched. Now all he had to do was get some new clothing and slather some lotion onto his sunburn, and sleep, yes, get some sleep! Knothole already seemed like a distant memory. He wasn't sure of one of its occupants. She still occupied a large space in his mind.

Maybe that would fade away too. He sighed and lowered the glass.

Robotnik was staring at him again.

"Snively, I do ask one thing."

"Hmm?"

"Call me 'sir'."

Hahahah! Snively snickered. "Only if you do."

Robotnik growled and rolled his eyes.

Yeah. Robotnik wouldn't hesitate to enslave him when Nagus was defeated and the fat man took power again. He'd changed, surely, from Nagus's torture. He understood better what Snively's pain was like. But it didn't matter. When the power rushed to his head, and the city was his once again, Snively would be reduced to a peon. Even worse, Robotnik might just roboticize him for his impertinent ways.

It didn't matter right now, Snively thought, leaving the room to find something to eat. That was all in the future. He'd deal with it then.

Maybe it wouldn't even happen. Maybe Robotnik had actually changed for good...?

Hahhahaha.

He really did have a warped sense of humor.

**

"Robotnik."

"What?!"

"I'm afraid so."

"You're saying Robo-butt is somewhere out there? Not working for Nagus?"

"That's right."

"Shit mate, this ain't good."

"Three enemies to deal with," Sally mummered, looking faint. "Robotnik is as much a threat as Nagus."

"He might not have power-"

"Oh, he will Unc. Buttnik always had some stupid backup, or somethin'! I wouldn't be surprised if he had another Robotropolis lying around." Sonic kicked the ash in the firepit bitterly.

King Acorn stood up. "This is bad news, indeed." He looked over the village, the sparse huts and people strolling about, unknowing of their increased peril.

The groups had split. Cracked in the middle.

"It isn't just us and Nagus anymore."

They would conquer, though. Didn't they always?

They would revise their plans.

The groups had split, and the players were uncertain, but all were certain in their one goal. Bring the other groups down and claim ultimate power.

The Freedom Fighters. Shaken in their confidence. But still unyielding. They would stand tall in the wind until they broke. And even then they would hold on.

Snively. Somewhere he plotted great plans in his small mind. Narrow worldview had widened, seen things he'd been numb to. Friendship and love. But persecution from Mobians and reunion with Robotnik could smother all that. He was at his crossroads now, torn between light and darkness, and right now daylight was fading.

Robotnik. The former tyrant had escaped and surely would seek to regain his title. Dictator and Tormentor of Mobius. His attempts at vengeance would be brutal. First he would have to dispatch his former master. And then Mobius would feel his wrath.

Nagus. The wizard sat in his black throne, claw clasped in hand contemplatively, his eyes closed. He could see the future in his head. His ideal future. They would call it sick. Twisted. But it would happen.

The factions had split and all were aligned against him.

But he didn't care.

He'd slaughter them all.

*
The end...for now...

Until the next story that is!

A/N:
Well finally. The end of this installment of the New Season series. I want to apologize for this segment because it was so long and I'm not really that happy with it. It wasn't supposed to be this long. It was just supposed to establish Snively leaving the FF's and Robotnik escaping, and show that Nagus is getting nastier. Instead of a nice short neat story I give you this overblown huge thing where nothing much happens.

The next story will be better, I promise.
Stuff you can expect to see from me sometime: the fourth part of this series. And the 3rd part to my lifeblood of Mobius series.

Thanks for all the comments! You guys are too nice to me :)