PROTEVTEOREYA ODNE
(Antithesis 1)


Crackle. Snap. A leaf.

The body count is terrible down in Echidnapolis.

More and more bodies had begun to float. In the past several days, more bodies, more evidence found. It seems that what could assumed to be the worst has happened.

It's much clearer now that the Master Emerald has been found. The Island was attacked savagely from the inside, and destroyed. It is now at the bottom of the ocean, where many more bodies await to rise.

There are many who are angry. At least, out of those who knew of what happened. Outside the Hall of Justice, outside the double doors that bear Steppenwolf's likeness, no one's supposed to know.

As a servant to my boss, I've been following the news closely. Of course, I have no choice. I am simply a civil servant to a woman, Gala-Na. I am plain old Antithesis. I'm just a normal person with more information that I should have. Or I was. Now I am Antithesis, brother of a woman killed by a surprise attack of indescribable ferocity.

And now, I'm also in a world that is not really my own, even though we share the same atmosphere, with leaves and vines, because I want answers. And there is only one person who can truly provide them.

But I don't think he will. From what I read, he is a despicable man. If he is truly to blame for the carnage….

I read his letter from inside Gala-Na's office. Going in there is generally forbidden for me. I may be an aide, but I was supposed to know my limits. Yet there were no limits when she was gone. So I read the letter
he wrote to the great enemy, the one who plagued us for centuries. The words sickened me. How could this man of honor betray his people, my sister among them?

That is what I must know. And, from what else I have read, even a man of dishonor will go to the one type of person that would be willing to accommodate him. His friends.

I quietly lean on a tree to get some breath. I know he is here. It did not take me long to get here. I just have to go a little longer. Then, I might find answers to this unspeakable act; when the guardian turns upon those that have trusted him to keep their stead.

I know I will get them. At any cost.


--------------------------

Even in the circumstances everyone was in, it was a normal morning at Central Control.

"Mmmmmm….Come on!!" The hand came down onto the computer. "….Dammit."

Hitting one of the computers, Minako, who was eating a potato, grunted angrily. She balled her fist and began to hit it harder. On the screen, the picture that had begun to form began to sway wildly.

"Defective piece of crap!"
"Stop it!!" Rei shouted.
"Minako!" Ami's hand stopped her. "This isn't going to work. Stop doing that at once."
"Besides," Rei looked at the monitor. "Something is coming up."
"Truly?!?"

Minako jumped up, sitting next to Rei, her eyes glued to the screen.

"Minako…."
"I wanna watch!!" The blonde pouted. "I haven't watched television in an entire millennium! You should give me credit for that."
"…..Of course….."

With an angry huff, Rei walked off.

"Ooooh…" Minako's eyes widened. "The newwws!!!!! They've got the news station back up!!!"

The screen flickered slightly, then sputtered again before returning with a low degree of quality. A fuzzy newsman appeared behind a desk as the three watched closely.

"……..gfegnrewog………….indeed." The newsman began. "It is 2:44, at least according to our cgegffgsag wonderful to be bdskajfl air. And we have just received a speirjdgigfdgo Prime Minister."
"Prime Minister?" On the other side of the room, Rei straightened up. "This sounds important."
"Is he dead?"
"No." Rei gritted her teeth. "Quiet."
"…..has agreed to the President of the Unretruegdafdoghfjdalncdglo letters requesting a summit to discuss the world's probfgjfhdskghfrakegihfuakighfn-"
"Eh? Huh?" Minako's head cocked to one side as the screen blinked.
"Wave disruption." Ami looked at her watch. "It'll be back on in a few seconds."
"Hmmm…." Minako scratched her head. "How can we make it-"
"-will take place in Tokyo."
"Oh. Never mind."
"A summit in Tokyo?" Ami's eyes widened.
"That's what it sounds like."
"Why…?"

The two girl slapped their foreheads as soon as the word left Minako's mouth. With wide eyes, Minako began to sweat.

"No, I meant…"
"We know what you meant." Rei shook her head. "You were going to ask why we thought there was going to be a summit."
"No…." Minako shook her head. "I was going to say 'why are they having it here if the President of Wherever The TV Report Said is calling it?' We don't have a president."
"We don't." Ami looked down. "But we know only one type of 'president' with that type of clout in the inernational community."
"Which is why I pose the same question again…."
"Maybe because our city isn't as badly impacted as Washington," Ami replied. "There really is no place suitable there to hold that type of summit. New York, perhaps. But that's probably in horrible condition."
"I'm sure there were lots of talks to find out where to hold this 'summit'." Rei muttered. "Considering phone services have been out of order."
"Never underestimate the power of desperate diplomacy, Rei." Ami took a potato out of Rei's sack. "Such as the Cuban Missile Crisis. If no one thought that there was anything desperate about that type of situation…"
"….we wouldn't be sitting here in a situation that is arguably worse," Minako finished.
"Come now, Minako." Ami looked out the window. "You are forgetting that we know something that neither the President of the United States nor my next-door neighbor knows about."
"And that is…?"
"….the future."

Ami's eyes seemed to sadden as she looked out onto the fog-hazed city. Rei, seeing her eyes turn down, slowly got up and put a hand on her shoulder.

"She'll be back." Ami felt the hand squeeze her shoulder in a hopeful, determined way. "I know she will be."
"……Yes."

Ami's eyes didn't raise.
For our sakes, and for Mamoru's. Please, Usagi……where are you?

----------------------

"Hmmm…"

Rotor's eyes squinted as blips began to appear on the computer screen. The digital rendering of what looked to be an echidna disappeared into black. Dashing across the monitor came a number, which grew longer until it finally was unable to sustain the numbers. The screen blinked: UNABLE TO PROCESS.

"What the…"
"Rotor!!"

Rotor's head snapped up. The escape key was instantaneously hit as the walrus swerved to greet his visitor.

"Knuckles!!"
"Rotor…"
"What….what brings you here at this time?" Rotor eyed the monitor carefully. The information, the number, the information window, all replaced by a menu screen. "I thought you were going out to the forest."
"Nothing." Knuckles noticed his glance. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"N-no, not at all."
"Though…..actually, my visit here concerns what I found in the forest."
"What you found?"
"Look at this."

Knuckles held up his hand. Clenched in his hand was a large piece of metal.

"What…..is this?"
"From Eggman." Knuckles replied. "That's what Tails tells me, but I want to make sure that I've got the story right."
"Let me see."
Rotor took the metal and examined it very carefully. He held it up to the ceiling, his eyes squinting. After several minutes, his eyes widened.

"No way…."
"You found something?"
"Holy…" Rotor brought his hands down, his eyes widened. "This is impossible."
"So Tails was right."
"This…..this is a spy drone from Eggman." Rotor's voice was one of engaging disbelief. "But…..this looks so old!"
"That's what I tried to tell Sally." Knuckles turned to the window. "But she thinks I'm insane. This might prove to her that something other than those vines happened on this planet."
"Something happened?!….Hang on…"

Rotor placed the metal on top of a table and dialed in onto a computer. Several beeps came from the table, and a red laser shot from the ceiling, slowly covering the drone bot with a scanning laser. Knuckles simply watched as he worked.

"All right…." Rotor pressed a button. "Information is coming."

The menu screen disappeared, and the number began to reappear. Rotor's eyes widened, and he could feel the sweat coming from his hat.

"This…..can't be….."

UNABLE TO PROCESS.
Impossible….the same number!!!!


"What could it mean?" Rotor pressed several more buttons. "I…."
"You see now."

Rotor turned to Knuckles, his eyebrow crimped. Knuckles' expression had not changed.

"I'm sure you'll find similarities to the gauge readings of that…and myself." The echidna crossed his arms.
"What?!"
"You can't lie to me. I know what you and the doctor are doing." Knuckles looked towards the robot. "You want to find out the energy that caused my unnatural aging so that you might find a way to reverse it…."
"…….We just don't want you to feel alienated, Knuckles."
"This isn't the only way that I'm alienated, Rotor." Knuckles looked back at Rotor. "And what's more, this is something you can't just 'cure'; I can assure you that." The purple eyes closed slightly. "And Julie-Su and I aren't the only ones affected on this planet."

Rotor looked at Knuckles, his face slightly confused.

"I don't understand."
"Your arm." Knuckles walked over to the walrus, grabbing his arm. The robot was suddenly tossed to the ground. "Here."
"Knuckles?!"

Before Rotor could protest, Knuckles had thrown the switch, and the lasers scanned Rotor's arm.

"Knuckles?!?!?!?!?!"
"Watch." Knuckles hesitantly hit several buttons on the keyboard. "……Right. Here."

Knuckles slowly walked out of the way of the computer, and Rotor watched in horror as the readings of his arm came out.
UNABLE TO PROCESS.
Rotor simply stared at the screen, his mouth open. He seemed to be muttering under his breath; however, no sound came out for several minutes. Knuckles simply looked back at him, silently waiting.

"Well?"
"…………..How?" Rotor's arm came off of the dias. His face was stunned. "How?"

Knuckles looked down, then outside.

"No. Not how." Rotor looked out. The moon was shining, even as it set, the sun peeking out in the distance. "Who."

------------------------------

The blonde man sighed as he felt the switch snap.

"Come on now." The jacket watch was stuck at 2:44. "You slimy devil. Why aren't you turning…"

A flash of lightning suddenly lit the darkened room up, and the man involuntarily jumped. He took a deep breath as he looked out the window of the waiting room. He watched as the rain-drenched windows, several decades old, were being bombarded with rain pellets.
Good lord. The man had to squint to see what was left of the mighty Big Ben through the downpour. When is this wre-

"UP!!"

The man quickly turned to see a butler at the door of the office. The doors of the office had swung open, and out of them came a man with thin white hair, dressed in a dark three-piece suit. With a nod, the man nodded to the butler.


"His Excellency, the Prime Minister," the butler announced.

The blonde man, in his 40's, young for a dignitary of his work, slowly walked over to greet him. The two shook hands as they proceeded into the office. It was small, and filled with stacks of papers and books.

"You are George Fortinbras?"
"Yes. Her Royal Highness called for me?"
"….Indeed." The prime minister turned to look at the butler. "We will to continue in my office. I shall have to ask you to leave, Andrew."
"Yes, sir."

With a quick bow, the butler hastily left, closing the doors behind him. Sitting down in one of the chairs, Fortinbras looked up at the walls. His eye caught something on a dias near the minister's bookshelf.

"Your clock, sir."
"Yes?"
"Stopped at 3:44."
"Indeed." The Prime Minister gave a huff. "Whatever nonsense came through and knocked us around has blown all of the clocks into some sort of bizarre stop. All of the clocks, 3:44. Even Big Ben, or what's left of it - at 3:44, it stopped as well. Your clocks as well, Fortinbras?"
"Sadly. I just broke my clock trying to fix it."
"Heh. You're not alone." The smirk which appeared in the Prime Minister's face left after a moment. "But, to business. We have received notification from the President of the United States that there will be a reconstruction summit in Tokyo within the next week or so. Representatives from around the world will be there - one for every country, supposedly. There are many indications from preliminary reports that there are already differences in opinion from representatives before we have even started." After wiping his brow, "Perhaps grave differences. With that in the open, I say it will be intense, it will be hard, and it could take several weeks, months or even years to discuss a unified plan to rebuild the entire world. I am assuming you received the letter outlining this?"
"Yes, sir."
"Excellent." The Prime Minister simply looked up at the ceiling. "You were chosen out of all of our ambassadors, and all of our people, because of your work in the U.N. Hopefully you will know a good majority of the people who will be attending the summit."
"So I suppose we are attempting to put some of Britain's issues on the table at this summit?"
"Hardly." The Prime Minister looked into Fortinbras' eyes. "I want you to act as a mediator."
"Mediator?"
"Compromise will undoubtedly prevail with a summit of reconstruction." The Prime Minster stood up and began to walk around. "Or, at least it should. But with the whole 'east /west' mentality in the world it will be very difficult. Therefore, someone with a good, solid voice in the world should act as a goodwill ambassador to the proceedings. And we know how well the U.S. will be in coping with the demands that will probably be placed from the Middle East and the African continent."
"Oh, yes." The sarcasm in the Prime Minister's voice gave Fortinbras the urge to laugh. "Goodwill."
"So, while we may not be as powerful as the United States," The Prime Minister kept pacing. "The situation right now is this: in the world stage we are allies to the President that have relatively powerful voices. But since Blair left office we have also been able to draw the sympathies of many of the questionable countries in such vaunted places like the Holy Land, the Serengetti or the Indian subcontinent. In this respect, we can coax the Third World to accept a few of the United States' more imposing and radical points, whilst keeping the feet of the Washington's dignitary on the ground by having him…….or her………accept a few of the Third World's more imposing and radical points."
"And in doing so we raise Britain's place in the world." Fortinbras gave a chuckle. "It is such a self-centered and foolish notion that it will probably work."

At that, the two laughed.

"In that case," The Prime Minister finally continued. "I suppose you know then that the term 'I have no opinion' could imply here. Remember. I don't want any type of radical statement out of your mouth that could jeopardize this. Understand?"
"Of course."
"Hmmmm…" The Prime Minister shuddered. "This horrid aging syndrome everybody's got is horrid. My back seems to be aching indefinitely."
"Do I have a place to stay?"
"There'll be a place for you to stay." The Prime Minster sat back down. "The hotels are mostly destroyed so they're having families sign up to take in dignitaries. As if anyone could afford to take in anyone there."
"How am I to get there?"
"By plane. It leaves tonight."
"By Jove!" Fortinbras shook his head scornfully. "The other people in this country's in need for gas, and it's being used on me. What idiocy."
"Well, George," the prime minister looked at him. "Unlike the other people, you've got the fate of Britain on your shoulders. Now, you'd better leave……there's not much time left."

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Fortinbras left the room. He realized that the prime minister was right as he nodded to the butler - the weight of a country's fate truly did shrug upon his shoulders. He looked at the ruins of Big Bne again, shaking his head.
I suppose this is a one-shot deal, eh? I'd better not mess it up then…

-------------------------

"Rice?"
"Of….of course."

Locke couldn't help but wince slightly as the rice was brought upon his plate. He slowly began to eat.
Slow…..no ants tonight, Locke…..eat this.

"Thank you, Ms. Kakyuu."
"No formalities, Locke." Kakyuu smiled. "Kakyuu's fine with me."

Oji-san watched as Locke's stunned face looked down at his plate.

"Of course."

This girl….she is so much………like…
no, not yet……more time……


"Where do you come from?" Oji-san scanned Kakyuu, his face turning bright red as he did. "The country, you say?"
"Yes." Kakyuu looked at Oji-san uneasily. "I'm….I'm sorry…."
"Hmm?"
"Nothing." Rei entered as Kakyuu looked down at her plate. "Just slightly startled, that's all."
"Oh, yes." Beaming, Oji-san shoved the potatoes under Kakyuu's face.
"Ack!"
"Potatoes?"
"Grandpa!" Rei shook her head. She looked at Kakyuu. "Don't mind my grandfather. He is a lecherous fool."
"Fool?!" Oji-san jumped up. "Is that how you treat me for raising you?!"
"You can't deny what you were thinking, grandpa!" Rei jumped up as well. "You are really H, aren't you?"
"How dare you!!!"

The two slammed their hands down onto the table, glaring at each other in anger. Locke looked at the two, sensing the sudden enmity, and he started to get up as well. However, the sharp pain came and forced him back into his seat.
Dammit…… Locke closed his eyes. Go away, pain…

"Nnnn…."
"Hellooooooooo!!!!!!!!!"

No one detected the soft padding of Ami's feet as they entered the room. Rei and Oji-san turned to face her as she set down a cooler.

"Here's the pork. I….apologize." Ami looked uncertain as she glanced back and forth from the two. "Am….I interrupting anything?"
"Uh…" Rei turned to her grandfather. "No. Not at all."
"Oh. Right!" Ami smiled. "Very well. I shall see you tomorrow, then?"

Without another word, Ami left. There was an awkward silence afterwards from the two temple workers, who slowly released themselves from their battle positions.
Thank….god…
Locke re-opened his eyes, his pain gone. He turned to see Kakyuu looking back at him, her face defying expression.

"Is…is something wrong?"
"………………..uhhhhh…….."

Suddenly, Rei began to laugh.

"Haha!!!" She shook her head. "What are we doing?"
"Heh…." A smile formed on Oji-san's face. "I guess you're right."

Laughing, both granddaughter and grandfather returned to their seats. Locke and Kakyuu glanced at their hosts, smirking as they returned to eating.
Interesting. Locke found himself looking back at the young girl. She……interesting….

"Come on!" The pork was passed around. "You two! Eat! There's no need to worry about such small trivial insults. Not here! Not now! There's far too much in this world to worry about than each other. Eat!!"

--------------------------

"………….Sonic?"
"Eh?"

The ears of the hedgehog twitched. The blaring of an alarm instantly met his ears as he re-entered the conscious thought of his mind.

"Sonic!" Sally's head popped into the tent. "Are you going to get up? We have to continue clean-up. It's not going to wait."
"Uh….uh huh……"

With a yawn, Sonic scratched his back and stood up.

"I'm up, Sal," he muttered incoherently.
"Good." Sally shook her head. "I swear, if I knew you weren't going to wake up with the amount of sleep you had…"
"You caused my lack of sleep, Sal…" Sonic gave a sly smile as he stretched. "I guess staying up all night with you is a bad idea?"
"Yeah…."

Sally looked at Sonic, her face slightly confused. Sonic's sly smile was instantly accompanied by a chuckle.

"What's wrong, Sal?"
"Oh!….Nothing." Sally gave a laugh. "Um, I suppose you should go now."
"No prob."

Without another word, Sonic sped off. Sally looked on as the trail of smoke spread in front of her into the forest, disappearing into the green distance.

"God…"
"He likes you."

Sally gasped, her body jolting in surprise from the sound of the voice. Her head immediately turned to confront the origin. Upon turning, however, she gave a slight chuckle.

"Oh. Tails."
"Sorry, Sally." Tails' expression seemed unchanged as he looked up to the princess. "But you know, he does like you."
"Does he now?" Sally could feel her cheeks blush. She furiously fought her blood vessels off through sheer force of will. "Why do you say that?"
"Because." Tails gave a shrug. "Besides, what's the point of denying someone else's feelings unless you didn't feel the same way?"
"What?"

Sally stopped. She looked at Tails, her eyes wide.

"What are you implying? That I…."
"I just think," Tails looked straight into Sally's eyes. "You shouldn't deny your feelings towards Sonic. That's what he's trying to do for once - show his feelings, right? You know he is."
"I….." Sally's face couldn't conceal her stunned thoughts. "Well…..I…."
"Well…." Tails abruptly turned. "I'll be going now. See you, princess."

Sally's mouth dropped as the two-tailed fox turned around and left. She looked down, her expression both confused and startled.
Show his feelings…..

 "Actually, I could care less that Knuckles is here."

Come to think of it…….Sonic has been acting unusually open towards me. It's almost as if he's acknowledging that……..we…we have…..something.
The words were hard to shove into thought. And with Tails….and Knuckles...something is wrong. Different. Tails and Sonic…..something's changed them….but what about those vine-

"Princess Sally?"

Sally's thoughts were suddenly depleted as she found herself turning around again. This time, however, there was no Freedom Fighter behind her.

"Hmm?" Sally blinked. "Who are you?"

The brown echidna didn't reply. His only response was a stare. Sally felt her skin crawl as she looked the new creature up and down. In response, the echidna gave a grunt as he shifted the pack on his back.

"I'm looking for Knuckles." The voice didn't hide the echidna's seeming disgust. "Is he here?"
"Well, I…." Sally paused. "Why are you looking for him?"

The brown echidna rubbed his nose. His stare didn't shift.

"Let us say that I am here to talk to him about his Island. I daresay it is important I speak to him. Many lives depend on it. It indirectly involves…….family."
"Of…." An Island echidna. What should I do? What if…. "What's your name?"
"My name….." The brown echidna's voice slightly lowered. "I am Antithesis. Let me through to speak…"

---------------

The rain showered upon Fortinbras as he ran into the open air field.

"Aaagh!!"
"Sir!!!"

An umbrella was immediately supplied, protecting the diplomat from the driving storm. With a sigh of relief Fortinbras turned to his aide.

"How goes the plane?!" He shouted over the rain. "Are they really sending me in this weather?!"
"I fear so, sir." The woman, grey-haired for her youthful age, nodded. "We leave as soon as you get on the plane."
"Right!"

The two hurriedly docked onto the plane, a Concorde. On the plane, a tall, redhaired female aide greeted them.

"We'll be leaving now?"
"Yes, yes, uh......Tanya? That was your name?"
"Yes." The red-haired girl smirked. "That's my name."
"Very well. We leave now!"

Another female, a black-haired aide, stood up from a front seat and nodded, crossing into the cockpit. Lightning flashed as the aides and Fortinbras took their seats.

"Good God." Fortinbras turned worriedly to the window. "I hope all goes well. In twelve hours, I'll hopefully be dining on sushi."
"Well." The red-haired girl looked out the window. "There are no stars to guide you to Tokyo?"
"Eh?"
"Stars guide people through their lives, sir. "The Red-haired girl closed her eyes. "Or so I was taught. If we are lucky, we will be above these clouds and the stars can guide us."
"Well..." Fortinbras looked uneasily at the white-haired girl, who simply stared back at him. "We'll, em, just have to hope on our lucky stars we survive then, eh? Heheh...."

Seeing that his joke had fallen flat, the diplomat cleared his throat and became silent. The third aide came out, nodding, and as she sat down there came a jolt. The plane was moving down the runway.

"We're moving!" A shout came from the cockpit. "Fasten your seatbelts. This will be a ride to remember if we survive it, of course..."

Turning several times in the rain-infested airfield, the plane drove into position and fired up its engines. The group in the rear was thrown back as the Concorde threw itself full engine and began to take off. Almost instantly, the plane was hit by tubulence as it rose.

"We're going up!" A louder shout came from the cockpit. "Make sure your belts are tight! This is going to be extremely bumpy!"

*ShoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOP*

Fortinbras closed his eyes tightly as a strong wave of turbulence rolled under the plane. He clung to his seat, hoping that there was a lucky star for him, so that he could make it to Tokyo on a mission which held the fate of his beloved country, and perhaps the whole world, in its fold.