The Realization of Hector Hedgehog Chapter 5

A Battle, Sort Of

                Within the confines of his mansion fortress overlooking the city, the ferret blew some more cigar smoke into the air. However, this time it was a more worrisome ferret that sat at the desk than the one that had been there a week before. This time, pictures of his dead agent were on front of him, and so were pictures of a mysterious figure that had been responsible for his death. With a weary sigh, he tossed the picture onto the table.

            "This news is somewhat disturbing, Ingo."

            "Yes, sir."

            Ingo's heart sank a bit each time he saw the pictures. After all, they were all brothers. Maybe not in blood, but belief. It was always a shame to see a brother die in person, especially now, and this person, since Ingo had learned much of what he knew from Jepshtat. However, Ingo knew that duty came before emotions, so he forced back the tears.

            Sensing his sadness, however, Parker put a hand on his shoulder. It was hard for him to lose a friend as well. But the time to mourn was later.

            "So it seems that the Freedom Fighters are in the city, protecting this child." The ferret studied the pictures carefully. "It's quite odd, really." iI know for a fact that this isn't that annoying hedgehog from Acorn. Yet, the rebels seem to be with him./i

            "Maybe it's a ruse," Parker suggested. "It does look remarkably like Sonic, that kid."

            "Perhaps." Or maybe this is the real Sonic, and we never saw it before. How could I have misjudged before? "I want you to find him again."

            "That's no problem, sir." Ingo looked at Parker. "We saw them heading to an abandoned theater on the other side of this city. Perhaps that is where the Freedom Fighters are hiding out in this city."

            "Very well." The ferret got up from his seat and looked out the window. "Find them. And extract the chip from them. I certainly wouldn't want to invoke the Dark King's wrath, just as I know you don't. Now, move out."

            As the agents left the room, the ferret looked out of the window, observing the city as it lay before him.

            Such an old-fashioned country, he thought. It seems impossible that we are the outcasts of this world, and such ignorance is the accepted practice elsewhere. The people, living like ants, unseeing of others, just themselves.

            He took out an ashtray and crushed his cigar. For a moment, he contemplated, then chuckled at the thought of the people who lived in the city.

            Yes, these people, and those Freedom Fighters, like ants. So easy to squash when found.

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            "...........ight?"

            "I..........e."

            Sonic's mind shifted through the twisting shapes that he though he saw in front of him. His whole face felt like someone had stuck it into a freezer. He tried to move his lips, but found he was unable to. Suddenly, it felt like his face was stuffed into a pillow.

            "....ut........u d....t?"

            "Wo.....................ated.........s.....ly?.......we...........th."

            His throat suddenly clamped shut. There was no air. It was as if he had suddenly gotten into a vacuum, stuck between life and death, and he was slipping towards the later.

            No. No. NO!!!! I...can't....breathe....

            ".....ct....?"

            "....e..................rms.........!!!!"

            He could hear them. He knew that he was slipping. He could feel himself in dream state, dying. He tried to open his eyes, or move his body, but his mind was in shut down mode.

            /iNOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Body, DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!!!!!I

            His mouth opened wide, trying to take in air that didn't exist in the vacuum. He gasped with all of his might, but it was as if he had forgotten how to breathe properly. This was no dream to him. He was drifting off to oblivion, and he couldn't move, couldn't even breathe...

            /iGuys........i

            ".......or?!?"

            "A........ni.........ack.........nnec...............mia."

            I can hear you. I've got to try. I'm going to force myself to open my eyes!!!!!! I'm going to show you!!!! I'm still here!!!

            With the last bit of strength he could muster before his mind slipped from him, he gathered all of his strength into his eyelids. He could feel his body thrashing as he did so, and a shudder went through his body as he forced his eyes to open...

            Open. Open. Open!!!!! OPEN NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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            Hector's eyes jerked open so fast it almost gave him dementia. He felt his head tilt back as he gathered his strength and inhaled all of the breath he could take in. He could feel his brain cells rejuvenate, even as he tried to figure whose voice belonged to whom, and even as he felt some sweat pour down his face.

            "Oh, god." A female voice filled his ears. Sally. "Is it really that bad? Is he going to be all right?"

            "Even with all the thrashing," another voice replied, "He'll be fine. Like I said, it was a panic attack."

            "But what does it have to do with us?"

            "You'll see soon, I'm sure."

            A panic attack. Hector gasped for air. It seemed too real. I thought my mind was being choked. Yet....it didn't feel like it was my mind for some odd reason...Aw!! Hector cursed himself. Bull! How could it have been someone else's mind? You fool.

            "Uuugh...what happened?"

            "You were unconscious. Remember? You had chased me?"

            Chased... Hector's brain clicked. The mobster. I was chasing the mobster. But he took off his hat, and he looked like Knuckles. Knuckles the Echidna, the guardian of the floating Angel Island, also from my comic. This is a dream...right?

            Hector's eyes shifted over to his right, and his heart sunk even lower. Sitting there was Knuckles, still wearing his mob suit, but without his hat. His purple eyes stared intently at Hector, in the same way he stared down his enemies in Hector's comic. Hooboy, now I'm in trouble.

            "He'll be all right."

            "Well, I guess that's good." Sally looked around. "But now we can't leave or they'll think of us as rude."

            "Who?" Hector had not completely grasped where he was.

            "The people in the theater."

            With a start, Hector's head darted up, where he saw that, indeed, he was in a theater, crowded with people of all ages. The theater was old, darkly lit  and run down, and the seat he was in was reduced to the springs in the lining.

            "Wait, but-"

            "They're having a performance of a play here." Knuckles looked over at Sally. "I was supposed to meet Sally here, and try to get her to another safe place in this city, but unfortunately I discounted you following me. Something I don't plan on doing next time, if there is a next time."

That doesn't sound very reassuring... Hector decided to not glance over at his (imaginary, he was sure) seating neighbors as the play began.

            It was obviously a musical, given the elaborate numbers that the woman put on. Everyone laughed at how, while dancing, the men just looked utterly ridiculous. Everyone, that is, except for three of the patrons in the second row.

            I'm really beginning to become very wary of these people. Hector, as much as he didn't want to, kept shifting his eyes towards Sally and Knuckles. Especially Knuckles, if this is Knuckles. He looks really mad for some reason. Wait...Oh yeah, I punched him...Ooops..

            What on earth is Knuckles looking at? Sally's mind was filled with worry. It's almost like he's staring behind the curtain. But why? God, don't let him sense anyone who's following us...

            Dammit. Knuckles' eyes slit. I can sense them. They're here. At least two. But I can't figure out where. And I can't warn Sally, lest I get the whole theater in an uproar. Damn. Damn. Damn.

            "Lovely play, isn't it?" was all Knuckles could say.

            "Ummm...sure." Hector bit his finger. "Really nice play."

            Hector's eyes shifted back to stage at this point. From the side of the stage, he could see a glint of something from behind the curtain. It seemed to be held by someone in the back.

            What a careless stage manager. Hector tired to look closer. Letting his patrons see...waiaminute, that's...oh my GOD...

            "Knuckles!!!" Knuckles suddenly heard Hector's terrified whisper. "Over there...it's-"

            Knuckles' eyes glanced over to see what was there, but before he could jump up and scream, "GUN!!", he was thrown back with ferocious force, and was knocked out.

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            The sniper carefully positioned himself behind the back of the stage. His eyes scanned over the audience until he spotted who he was looking for in the second row. He made a tsk sound as his target simply sat there, her face obviously filled with worry.

            Don't worry, princess, The sniper thought as he cocked his gun. You won't have anything to worry about soon.

            He suddenly noticed that, as he aimed his gun, the hedgehog had noticed him. The hedgehog, the one that his boss ordered destroyed as well, quickly patted the shoulder of the person seated next to him...Knuckles' the Echidna!!

            The sniper's heart froze. Maybe I'm doing this wrong. I'd better do this qui-

            He didn't even have time to finish his sentence. The never saw him coming. It was as if he had just appeared from thin air on the other side of the stage, throwing himself at  the black clad figure, the effect if his attack throwing all of the players off of the stage. The sniper could hear the patron screaming as he was thrown to the ground by the powerful blast of air. As soon as his back hit the floor, he felt a foot on his chest. His gun, which was supposed to be used for geting rid of Sally, was now pointed at his head.

            "Nice try, bud." An all-too familiar hedgehog silhouette stood above him. "You touch a hair on her head, I'll break your face."

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            Sally shook her head violently. The sudden blast of air had knocked her into another row. It had been unlike anything she had felt up to that point in this city. Everyone in the theater, see what happened to everyone in the first rows, started to scream as they fled to packed theater.

            My head...

            "Touch....hair..."

            "Hector?!" Sally quickly leaped over to the row in front of her. "Are you-"

            "I'll...your face..."

            Sally froze as she pulled him up from the seat. His face, almost expressionless, looked still and eerie. His entire body was completely limp, but she could hear him breathing. His eyes were somehow glazed over to the point where not even his pupils could be seen through the brown iris. His lips moved, but only slightly, and only to mutter.

            "Not....so fast..."

            "Hector...Hector!!!!!" Sally shouted. What wrong with him?!? Can't he hear me?!??

            A loud scream echoed from the left side of the stage as a black clad creature was suddenly thrown onto center stage. Sally watched as the creature screamed again.

            "Get away!! I didn't mean it!! Don't touch me!!!!"

            The next thing that happened nearly threw Sally into having premature heart attack. It seemed too surreal to have actually happened, but she stared, her eyes opening wider and wider with each passing second as another figure walked onto the stage.

            No...this can't be...

            His green eyes completely bore into the sniper. With the gun in one hand, and the other hand in a fist, Sonic stood over him, his stature like that of an executioner. The creature shuddered with fear as the hedgehog threw the firearm off of the stage.

            "Now it's time to tell me where your friend is."

            "I don't have a friend. I work alone!!"

            "Not a cool answer."

            The sniper tried to jump away, only to meet Sonic's leg as it carreened into his neck, knocking him unconscious. With a grunt, the sniper fell to the floor.

            "SONIC!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sally screamed.

            Sonic's head turned around to see Sally in the theater. In the seat next to her was a familiar face - with the exception that his eyes were different. Sonic gave a gasp.

            "Sal, that's...!"

            "Knuckles is gone, and I can't get this up!!" Sally started to slap Hector. "Hector!!! Hector, wake up!!"

            "SAL!!!" Sonic screamed.

            The slapping almost worked. For a moment, Hector's pupils seemed to reappear in his eyes. Sally turned back around to Sonic.

            "Sonic, this kid is..."

            Sally's shouted introduction turned instantly into a scream. Sonic suddenly fell to his knees, his hands to his head. His figure suddenly distorted, almost becoming transparent on the stage. It was as if he was flickering from sight.

            "AAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"

            "Hold it right there!!!!"

            The second sniper, assuming that Sally had been hit, jumped from his hiding place in the theater rafters, landing on the stage in front of the disappearing Sonic. But to no avail; Knuckles' fist connected with his face.

            "Duaaah!!!"

            "SONIC!!!" Sally jumped up to him. "What…..what's going on?!"

Sonic looked up at him, his body temporarily re-appearing. He looked at Knuckles, who slowly nodded.

            "If it must be that way…"

            "What?!" Sally looked at Hector, then at Sonic. "Sonic can it.."

            "Sally…."

            Sonic took her and gave her a dep kiss. After a moment, Sally broke it, her eyes misting up with tears.

            "It can't be right…" she whispered. "You can't go."

            "Sal…." It was obviously difficult for him. "I have to."

            "No!"

            "Kn…Knuckles…"

            "If you really want me to."

            Knuckles swung hard at Hector's jaw. His fist connected to his chin, and the hedgehog jumped up with a start.

            "NOOOOOOO!!!"

            Sonic eyes widened, but before he could say anything his form suddenly disappeared, fading out like a bad channel.

            "SONIC!!!" Sally screamed. "SONIC!!!"

            "Huh…..wha…?!"

Hector looked around, confused. He rubbed his jaw, which was in a great amount of pain.

"YOU!!!!" Sally's hand suddenly smashed into Hector's cheek. "Asshole!! You……." She started to cry. "You're chaining him!!! Let him go!!!!"

"Ow…." Knuckles stared at him and Sally.. "You! What did you do to my jaw?! What are you talking about?!?"

"Nothing…." Knuckles turned to Sally. "Let's get out of here."

The tearful Sally nodded, but as they began to walk the sound of clicking barrels came into earshot.

            "FREEZE!!!!!!"

            Suddenly, Knuckles and Hector were smacked hard in the head.

            No….. Hector drifted. No…..no…..

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            "We have them, sir."

            The ferret nodded to Ingo. The three bags were hoisted into a truck.

            "We'll have some fun tonight…" he blew a puff of smoke. "We shall see how long this story lasts…."