BETVA
OPYAT
(Battle Again)
The page turned delicately under hand. The group of bodies submerged.
All whom were invited to the great meeting are converged. So that they might be
destroyed.
The creature chuckles as it turns another page, Earth distantly in the window.
It knows the letters were sent, and those whom they beckoned are in the great
city. The tide is in its favor. It can destroy anything in its path and take
what it desired since first setting eyes upon it….
However, one thing remains unsettled.
The creature knows that the princess has to return to her kingdom one day, to
rebuild it. The princess, however, is the key to its success. There has to be a
way to bring the princess back. Bring the power back to the world which it left
so long ago. The creature has countless ideas. But only one truly stands out.
Will they be able to withstand the might of its forces? Even if they did, will
the distress of friends reach the princess?
With that, the creature closes the book once more and holds out its hand,
pointing. As if on command, what looks like stars suddenly shoots out of the
distance, towards Earth, towards the final goal.
To move the stars…the creature sees the irony of what it just did.
To have that power. That is the finality of fruition.
---------------------------
Fortinbras looked at his aides confusedly. The three simply stared at Kakyuu.
"What in bloody hell are you talking about?" Fortinbras looked at the
red-haired aide. "Isn't this where we're supposed to be?"
"……..Yes."
"Who are you?" Oji-san stood up. "We weren't expecting anyone
here. Especially not foreigners."
"What?" Fortinbras' eyes widened. "We're at the wrong address
then. Why did you…"
His voice trailed off when he saw Kakyuu staring at the three aides. Her head
went down, her face red with shock.
"You know this girl?" Fortinbras became confused. "Truly?"
"Too well…"
The three aides took their glasses off. The white-haired aide had bright green
eyes, while the red-haired aide had purple eyes. From behind the group, Luna
gave a gasp.
"That is…!!"
The black-haired aide, whom had blue eyes, gave a small smile.
"…Seiya…..!" Kakyuu's hand went to her mouth.
"….Yaten…….Taiki…"
"Kakyuu." The black-haired aide, Seiya went on her knees. "We
followed you here."
"P…Kakyuu…" Yaten, the white-haired aide, folded her arms. "What
are you doing here?"
"I…." Fortinbras' face became more confused by the minute.
"Jesus H…."
"That's the same question we could ask."
With that, Locke stood up, wincing from another sharp pain in his side. He
looked at Fortinbras, then at each of the aides. The red-haired and
white-haired aides looked back at him, their eyes wide, for a moment. Seiya's
eyes widened as well, but only for a split second. She simply chuckled as she
held out her hand.
"Ah." Locke reluctantly took her hand. "A kindred spirit."
"Of…..course…"
Kakyuu watched as Locke and Seiya slowly shook hands. Strange…its almost as
if Locke doesn't know how to handshake….
"You are…." Taiki's eyes slit. "Ah. I see now."
"I don't believe I have acquaintance with any of you." Locke turned
back to Fortinbras. "Where do you come from?"
"That's no concern of yours." Yaten sharply replied in a tone
that surprised the echidna. "Maybe you should tell Kakyuu where you
come from."
"Yaten!" Seiya's head snapped back towards her. "Rudeness in
front of-"
"Come now..." Fortinbras turned to Locke with a smile. "I think
they have a right to know, having barged into their home. "
"….Very well." Yaten glared at Locke. "Not that I
would…"
"The name is George Fortinbras of London. We are here on an important
diplomatic mission," Fortinbras began, ignoring Yaten. "A very
important diplomatic mission. A reconstruction summit."
"Reconstruction?"
"Of everything." Fortinbras turned to Oji-san. "The world has
been wrecked by the mysterious storms. People have inexcplicably aged. Panic
that the world has ended is heightened by the destruction of buildings, bizarre
weather, and other things that truly defy description." Fortinbras turned
to Locke once more. "We may never have answers, of course, or if we do
they might be a while away. But the leaders of the world agree on one thing:
they must show the people that their leaders are not afraid to rebuild."
"Nor are they afraid to take advantage of the situation?" Locke's eye
crimped up.
"Well..." Fortinbras shrugged. "Honestly, I don't see how anyone
could. No one has the capability to launch an attack on anyone anymore. The
only ones who know of this summit are the people whom were given permission to
go and perhaps some people in this city."
"Really…"
"Hmm?"
Seiya's eye caught something in the window behind Locke. She shifted herself
more, and gave a gasp.
"………Lights…….!"
"Eh?"
"Sir…" Seiya stood up, a look of concentration on her face. "I
think you're wrong."
"Wrong?"
This time, another shooting light caught the dignitary's attention. The light
came from the fog-crested sky, landing in the Jinbouchou district in the
distance.
"What in…?!"
The others slowly turned to see hundreds of lights suddenly fill the air with a
brightness not seen since the storms. With a shout, everyone covered their eyes
to shield them from the intensity of the flares. Screams could be heard from
the streets below.
This energy… Seiya grunted. Can it be…..so soon…..a crisis?!
---
The soldiers in Ami's apartment jumped up, covering their eyes as the lights
shot past them to the ground.
"Too bright!!"
"This energy!!!" Rei shouted. "It's….an enemy?!"
"This cannot be…" Setsuna's eyes widened even in the face of the
lights. "How can an enemy be here…?!"
---
Michiru's head snapped as she saw the lights shooting to the ground of the
distant Tokyo skyline.
"A crisis?!"
From her purse, the aqua mirror began to vibrate violently.
"What kind of enemy…….this is not from our world!!"
---
Haruka stared out of the window as the lights touched down on the surface of
the streets.
"So this is it…"
Haruka grasped her sword as the lights disappeared, revealing a cadre of hooded
soldiers, guns in tow.
"Let us see how long you last…."
---
Finally, the lights disappeared from the sky.
"Good lord!!" Fortinbras uncovered his eyes. "If those had been
warheads, we would be dead. But thank god it was something different…"
"Sir…." Seiya clenched her teeth. "I would not be so inviting to
this power…"
"What?!"
"Look."
Seiya pointed to the window once more. The group looked outside.
"Those are…"
"Those hooded figures…where…again…"
Locke's head perked up at Kakyuu's words. He quickly squeezed himself in
between Yaten and Fortinbras to look.
"Hey!" Yaten's voice raised in angry. "What do you think you're
doing?!"
The words fell on deaf ears. Locke's mouth dropped, his entire body freezing at
the sight he beheld.
No………
The soldiers, dressed in darkened hoods, marched to the same methodical stride
seen by the embattled echidna seen time to time in his life. The weaponry had
not changed in the years Locke had been gone from his beloved planet. It was
everything Locke never thought he would see again after the slaughter of the
Island - yet he stood on Earth, his face etched with horror as they marched
into the streets on Tokyo.
Can this be… Locke kept staring outside, his mouth open. This…..this
enemy….
He suddenly doubled over in pain. The sharp pain in his side came again, more
intensely.
"Locke?!" Kakyuu caught him. "What's wrong?!"
"This…." Locke looked down, muttering. "This is a dangerous foe
to you…"
"Locke…!"
"Right." Seiya turned to Fortinbras. "We'll take care of it.
"What?!?!?!?" Fortinbras' eyes widened. "You mu-"
"This girl is important to us, Fortinbras. Take care of her in case
something happens."
Without another word, the three aides ran out, passing the cats on the hall.
"Wait!!" Luna shouted. "You mu-"
Her shout was met by a slam of the front door.
"Dammit.."
"Luna…"
Artemis cocked his head towards Oji-san and Fortinbras, who were staring out of
the window as the women proceeded to jump down the steps of the shrine
entrance.
"Shhh…"
"My god…" Fortinbras wiped his brow nervously. "Such a thing to
happen my first day here…!!"
"Oh, but this was normal before those storms…" Oji-san gave a sigh.
"Let's hope no one we know gets into a fight with these visitors,
huh?"
Neither Locke nor Kakyuu replied. Locke shut his eyes in anger, then simply
took a deep breath to banish the pain, his hand absent-mindedly running nails
over a small bump he felt on his forearm.
------------------------------
*BAM!!!!!!!*
"Tails!!!"
Sonic stormed into Tails' tent, stopping short when he saw the fox stooping
over a table.
"What are you…"
"Hover skates," The fox's matter-of-factly voice came out muffled.
"I thought I'd make some."
"Right……..but that can wait. We need to talk…"
Sonic walked over to Tails, and the fox straightened himself so that Sonic
could see his creation.
"See?"
The hedgehog looked at the shoes, a sting of longing suddenly hitting him as he
did. The shoes were white and gold, gold on the bottom where skates could be
seen peeking from the soles.
Those shoes……..why…..suddenly….
Looking over at Tails, Sonic noticed his friend staring at him intently as he
had stared at the shoes. Shaking his head, fighting the urge, he grunted.
"All right, I want an explanation." I hope I don't sound
insane…..but I know what I'm doing… "You've been acting really weird
since we've started cleaning up. And I want an explanation. Now."
"I'm not acting weird." Tails shrugged.
"Not acting weird?!" Sonic threw his hands up. "Try
telling that to everyone who says you've been acting weird!"
"That's because they don't understand…" Tails' voice did not change tone
to meet with Sonic's exasperation.
"Understand what?!"
"Well…" Tails looked straight up into Sonic's eyes. "I thought you'd
understand."
An explosion went off in Sonic's mind as the words hit home. I understand?!?!?!?
What the hell, Tails?!? Why….why are you…
Wait…….could this mean….
Another explosion seemed to go off as Sonic looked down at himself in
confusion. He was met with surprise.
My skin….it's…becoming darker…. His entire body seemed to darken with
every blink. What could this be…
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!
Sonic's mind jolted out of the strange trance at the sound of the third
explosion.
"SONIC!!" Rotor burst in, gasping. "You're not going to believe
this…"
"Huh?"
Sonic looked down at himself again. His skin was its normal color.
"What the…"
"Sonic!" Rotor coughed. "You'd better come outside. Its
bad…"
Tails watched as Sonic opened the tent flap. The hedgehog's mouth dropped as he
looked outside.
"This can't be…!!!!"
People, screaming, were running from tanks emblazoned with a red patch on the
side. From the tanks came soldiers, dressed in bulletproof vests as they took
out guns and shot at the running populace.
"Those guns!!!!" Sonic's eyes widened. "Eggman?!"
"Worse." Rotor pointed towards the sides of the tanks.
"Albion!!"
Sonic looked at Rotor, then at Tails. Tails simply stared at Sonic. His
expression had not changed.
Albion… Sonic stared as he saw several people stop running, picking up
sticks and throwing them, only to be blasted by Albion echidnas with Eggman
equipment. Knuckles…….what did you do?
-------------------------
"Out of my way!!"
"Aaah!!"
The results of the attacks were immediate and widespread in the city.
As Shinjuku fled, hid or surrendered to the sudden, unexpected menace, several
people fell, hit in the back by the mysterious warriors whom appeared in a
flash of light. As the people fell, several of the mysterious soldiers
proceeded to march forward, dragging those who were still alive off as
potential prisoners.
"(Ready!!!)"
Lining up behind the running people as a firing squad would line up in front of
a condemned man, the legions fired, more bodies piling up.
"(Ready again!)" Those who survived could feel the
determination of the mysterious speaker's voice. "(Death to them!
FIRE!!!)"
Another barrage of lasers released, but several of the warriors were suddenly
hit by rocks from the sides.
"Huzza!!!" From some of the buildings, several Japanese students
threw debris picked up from the ground and buildings. "Down with
you!!!"
"(Hmph.)" The leader of the troops in Shinjuku sniggered.
"(FIRE!!!)"
More laser shots. Those students who had revealed themselves were suddenly down
in the permanent sense of the situation.
"Shit!!" swore one student who ducked down from a blast. "What
the hell are we against! This is crap!"
"Ixnay on the itshay," growled another student.
Suddenly, the lasers stopped, and the students prepared to throw more. They
stopped short, however, upon jumping up to throw another offensive.
"What…?!?"
"It's can't be!!!!"
"Submarine Violin Tide!!!!!"
The warriors staggered back from the massive assault of water. Several in the
front disintegrated from the awesome power of the energy wave.
"Well!" one of the students huffed in a grateful, if not indebted,
manner as he shouted down to the sailor. "It's about time one of you
showed up!"
Neptune looked up towards the building, not moving her face. She slowly looked
down from the window to the destruction and dead bodies on the ground.
This power…. One body twitched before finally dying. This will not be
easy to beat them all…
"(Damn sailor!)"
With a snarl, the leader of the troops slowly got up. Its head was uncovered,
and in full view the robotic echidna eye thirsted for Neptune's blood.
"Impossible!" Neptune's eyes widened. "You are……"
"(FIRE!!!!!!!!)"
Neptune barely had time to take out her mirror as the lasers shot out.
"Submarine Reflection!!!!"
The blast deflected only the lasers that were fired after the soldier took out
her mirror. Those shot into the distance of the street.
"Sailor Neptune!!!!" the students shouted from the window.
Neptune shut her eyes as she felt the lasers riddle into her body. She heard
the ripping of her sailor suit, and pain began to sear through her body. One
well-placed laser smacked her hand, and the aqua mirror flew out of her hand.
No good…
"(Let's go!!)" As she staggered back, she could hear the laser
reloading. "(Let's get rid of this annoying girl for the sake of our
beloved master!!!)"
---
"Deep Fire Inferno!!"
"Garnet Lights!!"
The fire didn't affect the warriors in Juuban; the atomic distortion of Pluto's
attack, on the other hand, ripped several of the warriors touched by the magic
red lights from the sky. The soldiers attempted to move forward to engage
closer to the upstarts; however, they were unable to approach.
"(Dammit!!)" The leader of the Juuban force turned to his
troops and menacingly pointed towards a figure in the distance. "(Kill
that one! She's created a force field!!)"
"(It isn't deflecting out attacks…)"
"(It is deflecting us. Do it!!)"
Laser shot from the rear towards the figure. With a leap, Saturn jumped out of
the way, swinging her Silence Glaive in a circular motion to deflect the blasts
from hitting her.
"Watch out, Saturn!" Pluto shouted. "I have a feeling they will
get more determined to get us out of the way."
"What?!?" Mars shook her head. "Why aren't my attacks
working?!"
"Midnight Ice Asphyxiation!"
Mercury shot out her attack at several lasers headed towards Jupiter as she
prepared her own attack. With a clink the lasers turned into chunks of ice
which fell heavily to the ground.
"Ha!" Jupiter's arms went up. "Strong Tropical
Depression!!"
The lightning shot through the lines of the legion, causing several of the
soldiers directly hit to spontaneously combust as other fell.
"I'll get the ones to the right!" Mercury jumped up. "Midnight
I-"
"Mercury!!" Venus suddenly shouted.
The shout came too late. Mercury suddenly doubled over in the air, a laser
blast directly in the side.
"Aaarrr!!" She cried as she fell on her face.
"Hey!" Venus shouted. "Cheap! That was cheap!"
"Aaah!!"
Saturn's glaive was suddenly blasted out of her hands.
"Dammit!!"
"(It's disappearing!!)" The leader motioned, "(Now,
death!)"
"Come on!!" Venus muttered. "How is it we get to die
first?"
"Mina," Mercury gasped. "Forget about tending to me and get
up!"
"Huh?"
"If they can be 'cheap', so can you!"
"I ca……Oh!!" Venus's face brightened. "Yeah!!"
"Go!!"
Venus jumped up to face the rushing legion. She gave a growl.
"You wanna piece of me?!" Venus held out her hands. "I
think you will not get close enough to get it! Medusa Stone Illusion!!"
The attack turned several soldiers into stone, but they kept rushing.
"Ok…..asking for it, are we?" Without taking a breath, Venus kept her
hands out. "I was hoping not to do this……REPEAT!!!!!!!!"
No sooner had the first attack ended, another blast shot through and caused
more soldiers turn into stone. Venus gave a yelp of victory.
"Woo!! Yes!!" Venus laughed. "You cannot-"
"VENUS!!"
Venus' accomplishment was stopped short by a barrage of laser, which she
dodged. Upon avoiding the last laser, she fell backwards on her behind.
"Ack!!!" She screeched.
"I told you…" Mercury muttered.
"Shut up."
"Glaiveless Hands!!"
The new attack smashed through the center of the legion's line, killing many.
As the smoke cleared, however, they were still charging.
"What the hell?!?!?!?" Venus screeched. "Still more?!?
Like the army of the undead!!!!!!"
"Need help?"
Suddenly, another blast of energy, this time from behind, destroyed the rear of
the alien battalion. With angry shout, the soldiers, still hundreds strong,
found themselves surrounded by the seven soldiers in the front….and three more
figures in the back.
"Ha!!" The sailors could see the black leather even in the fog and
the long line of warriors that separated them from the sudden reinforcements.
"Picking a fight with these soldiers! There's no greater star breeder in
the night sky than this Earth."
"We represent the starlight that all power drifts to!"
"Light of the star fields, Sailor Star Fighter!!"
"Light of the atmosphere, Sailor Star Maker!!"
"Light of the night sky, Sailor Star Healer!"
"We are the Sailor Starlights!"
Suddenly, the black leather shifted, disappearing in a flash of light. The
three sailors, the defenders of a realm that lay in the far distance of Earth's
system, reappeared next to the soldiers of Earth.
"Uncanny…" Pluto steadied her rod in amazement. "Unexpected
relief…"
"(What?!?)" The leader's eyes widened. "(There's more
of them?! But our master told us that there were only nine to defend the
Earth!!)"
"Star Healer!" Venus gasped. "Wo-ow! You've returned!"
"Venus…this city is being sieged from three sides," Healer crossed
her arms as she turned to the soldier of love. "From here, from the
sea….and from within. There's no time to waste in destroying these punks."
"Star Gentle Uterus!!" Maker threw an attack at the shocked warriors.
"Right!" Venus grinned. "Lets us do it then!!"
-----------------------------
"Move it along!" the shout came. "Hurry!"
More of Knothole's citizens came to the cave, some screaming, some injured.
Sally took out Nicole as the last of those evacuated closed the cave behind
them.
"Are you ready?"
READY, SALLY.
"Good." Sally fingered the laser in her pocket. "I just hope
this is enough…"
Without another word, Sally began the trek back to Knothole, the explosion in
the distance her guide.
Why…. Sally's mind searched though everything in the past days since
emerging from the vines. How could these people believe such a lie….that
Knuckles is a monster….when he's innocent?! Yet….the strange aging….the change
in his personality….his dodging what happened on the Island…is he really……..a……
Sally forced the term from the letter to Gala-Na into the front of her mind.
A mass murderer?!?!
…………….SALLY.
"Nicole?"
SENSORS INDICATE A SUDDEN AND SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN CHAOS ENERGY FROM AN
UNIDENTIFIED SOURCE.
---
"Ha!!"
Bunnie could feel the crunching skulls of the two attacking echidnas as she
slammed them into one another.
"That's what y'all get!" she shouted. "Fo messing with mah
Antoine!"
"Leeve me, Bunnie!!" Antoine gasped. "Zees eez ovair our heads
with zee Eggman's wepouns!"
"Nonsense.."
"AAR!!!"
Kicking a trooper back into the side of his tank, Julie-Su turned from her own
battle to see Antoine on the ground, blood gushing from a flesh wound.
"Antoine!"
"Julie-Suu!" Antoine pointed to the rabbit. "Talk some since
into hair!"
"….Hold still…"
Julie-Su held out her hands over the flesh wound. She closed her eyes in
concentration.
"Eh..?"
If it can affect flowers… Julie-Su tightened her closed eyes. Maybe….
"ZUT ALORS!!"
Antoine gave a yelp of pain, jumping away from the pink echidna.
"Vat are you dooing?!"
"Your arm."
"Vaa…?"
Antoine looked down at his arm. He gave another yelp when he saw his arm
completely healed, save for a small scar.
"En zee planet!" he gulped. "How deed you do zees?"
"…..A long story…"
"I do no tink eet weel 'elp." Antoine motioned towards the tank,
jumping out of the way of another bullet. "Vee aire doomed! Zey caught us
weeth nothing to fight back!!"
"Not exactly."
Antoine looked up towards the origin of the voice and gave another gasp when he
saw a silhouette walking towards the front line of the invaders.
"Mon dieu!!"
"What in…" Julie-Su's eyes widened. "Knuckles!!! What are
you…"
Julie-Su stopped shouting when she saw Knuckles standing in front of the tanks.
The guardian shut his eyes and clenched his fists.
"What are you…you wouldn't…"
"They can't reach the people."
"Wait!!" Julie-Su shouted as she bent down to pick up a badger.
"You can't!!!! WAIIT!!"
"FIRE!!!"
The Albion tanks fired on the echidna. The shots ripped through Knuckles.
"KNUCKLES!!"
"Rrrrrr…."
Knuckles grunted as the bullets hit him. The pain didn't faze him. On the
contrary, it was what he needed.
"……………..AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!"
Suddenly, Knuckles' eyes popped open, his head lifted up towards the sky. The
pupils were the color of Chaos Emeralds as a small ripple of energy pulsed off
his body. The tanks were jolted back several feet from the blast.
"What the…?!?"
Bunnie's legs suddenly froze, and she looked down to see what was happening.
"Ah declah!!" She gasped. "Again?!?"
With another shout, Knuckles' red body suddenly shifted, changing color.
"MON DIEU!!" Antoine screeched.
"Knuckles!!!" Julie-Su shouted again. "You're…..you're insane!!!!!!"
"There…" The color of emerald crept over Knuckles' body until he was
no longer red, but green. His body began to glow. "Now we stand a
chance…"
---
"Huh..?!"
From his spot in a nearby tree, Antithesis' eyes bulged at the transformation
of the guardian.
"That form…."
"Without the will to control the power, he is a threat to everyone and
everything!"
"Sizzling with power…..yet…..he seems to control it…..how?!"
---
The beam of emerald energy caused Sonic's ears to prick up.
"What the..?!?"
"Sonic!!"
Sonic turned to see Sally running towards him, panting.
"Hurry. To Knothole!" Sally jumped on Sonic's back. "Someone's
activated a Chaos Emerald!"
Without another word, Sonic shot across the forest, unheeding of the pair of
blue eyes watching him from the trees as he did so, two tails swishing in the
shadows.
------------------
Fortinbras looked out the window, his face etched with worry.
I hope this all turns out well… Fortinbras winced at the sound of the
nearby gunfire. Perhaps I should check upon that girl…and that man….
Leaving the room he was in, the Briton rounded a corner to the next door to the
right, the girl's bedroom.
"Madam….Sir….?"
He opened the door and received the shock of his life. There was no one in the
room. Only an open window, the curtains flowing in the cold breeze.
"Bloody Christ…!!!!"
---
Uranus rounded a corner, huffing. She shot past several groups of people
running in the other direction.
This enemy's energy…. Uranus thought as she ran. Like….like his……but
different….
"What…?"
"Luna, what are you talking about?"
"Nothing." Luna turned away. "It is nothing you would be
interested in."
What could it mean? That…. Uranus' thought became confused. ….that I was
wrong?! No! I know he is connected with this….somehow….
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!"
The scream sliced through the air, paralyzing Uranus' thoughts. It entered
through her ear, summoning memories of recollection upon whose voice uttered
the wail.
No…..
The scream demanded recognition as Uranus rounded another corner, this time
finding herself on the front line of the fight. In front of her, a lone figure
fighting for Tokyo.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!" The figure fell backwards, screaming.
"NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" Uranus' brain clicked, and she charged forward as
the mirror hit the ground. "MICHIRU!!!!!!!!!!"
Her shout of recognition turned into a scream of horror as she saw hundreds of
laser beams, deflected by her lover's talisman only seconds before, barrel
towards her.
------------------
"Julie-Su…" The now-green echidna turned towards Julie-Su. "You
get the troops that are behind me. I'll handle these guys."
With a slight nod of understanding, Julie-Su adjusted her jacket and turned to
Antoine and Bunnie.
"Let's go!!"
Taking a deep breath, Knuckles spread his arms out, his eyes closed.
"HIM!!" The tanks aimed towards their empowered fugitive.
"FIRE!!!!!!"
The entourage of cannon fire and bullets once again riddled the echidna's body.
The second time, however, the echidna didn't even blink as the bullets entered
his body. His insides, strengthened by his power, simply absorbed the
ammunition, rendering all of it useless for injury. The attacks that didn't hit
him simply disintegrated, blinked out by invisible energy.
"A….a force field!!!" The leader of the Albion echidnas looked around
nervously. "He…he must run out of energy soon; no one can survive our
barrage too many times! Keep firing!!!!!"
The next rounds met with the same total resistance on the part of the echidna.
From her position, Julie-Su sighed.
Thank god… She punched out a trooper. I hope he doesn't do anything
stupid…
---
Antithesis simply stared as Knuckles hardly flinched, even though ammunition
was fired upon him again and again. Nor did the echidna seem to be interested
in killing anyone as Antithesis thought from his previous action of charging up
his power; he simply stood where he was, his eyes closed.
Why….why isn't he killing the troops?! Antithesis cocked his head in
confusion. Does he….not want to? Yet this is who Gala-Na hates for killing
the people of the Island….
His eye caught Sonic and Sally entering the clearing, shouting in surprise upon
laying eyes on Knuckles.
"Knuckles?!?!?" The Albion could see Sonic's eyes bulge.
"Is…..that….no way!!!!!"
"Sonic!" Julie-Su's voice came through. "Stop these guys over
here! We can't let them get to the village!"
What….is going on?!
-------------------------
It happened all too quickly for Uranus to realize. The crunch of cartilage
centered into her rib cage, before spreading to her hips, all the way to her
thigh. The pain was searing all around, though it was not what Uranus had
expected from lasers ripping her body apart.
It was as she fell, however, that her eyes opened.
The light show above. The beams above. The shadow on top of her, pushing her to
the ground.
"Daargh!"
The two figures tumbled to the ground, Uranus rolling on top of her savior,
grunting. The beams hit a tree, scathing it near the base.
"MICHIRU!!"
Her fear, which had escalated as the beams hurtled towards her, was gone. With
a renewed growl, her eyes searing towards the oncoming troops, Uranus began to
jump up, ready to fight.
"Arrrrr!!!!"
Uranus' heart stopped when she heard the cry of pain. She looked down, her
savior wincing and gritting his teeth. Her heel had pierced his arm, an arm
which had never properly healed from his last gunfight.
"…….Locke?!…….."
She had never expected the filthy creature to come to her aid and save her, let
alone sit up from bed and fight. Yet Locke was there, under her, in his true
form, his eyes shut tightly in pain. And he had saved her from a certain death.
Uranus quickly took her foot off, her eyes widened in shock.
"Go…stop them…" Locke gasped. "I'll be fine. Just give me a few
minutes. It's an old wound."
Uranus was frozen, paralyzed by her shock, by her mistake. She realized. To
herself, she simply swore. She had been wrong the whole time.
"GO!!"
The fretting in the echidna's voice gave no subtlety to desperation. Without
another moment, Uranus' heel turned, and she gave chase to the army, her sword
appearing in her hand.
"Space Sword BLASTER!!!!!"
--------------------------
"RETREAT!!!"
After knocking out another Albion soldier, Sally watched in shock as Knuckles,
sizzling with Chaos energy, still stood, his eyes closed, everything thrown at
him deflected. Most of the troops, eyes widened in horror, had begun to
retreat.
"How…" Sally looked around. "How….could he handle so much
power…"
"It doesn't matter." Sonic held onto her hand, squeezing it.
"He's protecting us. They've gotta see they're fighting an impossible
battle!"
Shed the fake skin. Darker and darker…
Sonic's ears pricked up. A loud clicking sound.
The troops. The Albion troops.
Some of them were behind us.
Thought suddenly raced through his mind as never before. In the split second,
out of nowhere, from the strange trance he could not explain. In his mind he
saw…..everything.
The man in the bushes.
The men retreating.
The glint of the gun in the shadows.
The bullet as it was loaded.
The eyepiece as it aimed.
The trigger.
The barrel.
Sally.
Feet.
FEET.
JUMP.
NOW
His eyes saw nothing. His mind saw it all. From the moment the sniper steadied
his trade. The moment, he aimed. The moment the shot rang out.
The moment Sonic's head turned around. The moment his feet left the ground,
jumping in the back. Behind her.
Sally heard the sound, but did not comprehend. Not until she turned, saw Sonic
in front of her, his arms spread as he flew in the air.
"SONIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
*BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM*
Sally knew the instant the bullet hit him in the heart. But it was not from the
convulsing shudder of a dying man's body as he fell. Nor from the gasp of pain
that came from the hedgehog's mouth as the bullet ripped through him. Not even
from the blood that suddenly splattered from his chest.
*CHA-ZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!!!!!*
What allowed Sally the realization was, the instant the bullet hit, Sonic's
body suddenly began to shimmer from the front, from the point of impact. The
bullet ripped through his back, but where the bullet hit, white. The blood,
from red to white instantly. Coated with power, and spreading through, from the
bullet's path down his back. White.
"HuuuuruuuraaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
With one final scream, Sonic's pearl colored body convulsed one last time as an
explosion of white ripped through him, a wave of powerful, limitless,
unexpected energy pulsing from his body outward. Sally, the sniper, Knuckles,
Antithesis, the other Freedom Fighters who had turned to see Sonic as he cried
out, the forest fighters of Albion. No one in the vicinity had a chance to
react as the wave rolled over them, whiting out the green forest in the blink
of an eye.
--------------------------
The screams of the shocked Freedom Fighters pierced through Sally's brain as
she tried to shield herself from the bright light.
My eyes….I can't see…
"PALE!!!"
Her eyes suddenly turned towards the right. She was met with a grotesque sight.
"Aah!"
"Duaah!"
The bullets of the mysterious Overlanders ripped through the echidnas, through
their throats, the heads, chests. Hundreds of others tried to flee, but another
group of Overlanders met them on their doomed escape.
Where are we..?!
"Princess!!!"
Sally saw Bunnie running towards her, only to be hit by several bullets
herself.
"Aaaaaah!!!"
"BUNNIE!!!"
Sally started to move towards her fallen friend, but just as she did, she felt
a bullet whiz by her. Then came the sharp pain.
"……Bunnie.." she gasped in shock as she fell.
She fell onto a soft embankment, which cushioned her fall. She looked up to see
the mysterious Overlanders snickering as they pointed towards a building.
Behind them was a soft green light.
What…..is that….
"Look." One of the Overlanders, a black-haired man with pale skin,
suddenly spoke. His voice was familiar, but in her state, as she lost blood,
she could not point to where she had heard a similar voice. "Him."
She cocked her head up to see a figure on top of the building, crouching down,
gasping for breath. The green skin was the same here as it was in Knothole, but
the power had been spent, uncontrolled then.
Knuckles.
Sally's heart froze as they aimed towards him.
He…..Echidnapolis. This is Echidnapolis.
But how?!
She looked down to ponder, only to meet the face of an echidna under her -
blood over his face, his skull cracked by bullets.
No……
"Get him!!!" The Overlander spoke again, evidently the leader.
"He'll be useful to us now that he's nothing left to defend."
With a roar in a language unheard by Sally, the Overlander group charged at the
echidna, guns drawn, greed in tow, as well as the Master Emerald. Sally shut
her eyes…she couldn't watch as she heard his impassioned screams…
--------------------
"(RaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!)"
Writhing, the last of the legions snarled as they disappeared in a flash of
light.
"Finally…"
Neptune gave a sigh as she leaned on Uranus. In the distance, more explosions
sounded.
"There's….not much time." Locke looked at the two. His red skin was
splotched with burn marks, close calls from lasers. He held his arm, the injury
he had received from his last day on the Island hurting again. "There must
be another brigade of renegades up there."
"Dammit." Uranus gritted her teeth. What a coincidence they should
attack with those dignitaries…"
"Maybe its not coincidence…" Neptune muttered. An
echidna….that…thing that went to attack me….
The three slowly, and painfully, hobbled to Juuban. Uranus looked over at
Locke, her mind numbed. She could see the look of confusion on his face, as she
felt it on her own.
He….he saved me…
After what felt like an eternity, the group finally reached their constituents.
"Star Serious Laser!!"
"Strong Tropical Depression!!"
The warriors began to show their fear at the continued attacks upon them. Some
began to run off. Most, however, stay, blasting away until they died or their
ammunition wore out.
"What is this?!" Healer gritted her teeth as Locke, Uranus and
Neptune approached. "What are you doing here? Go away!"
"No!" Uranus immediately understood who the Starlight meant.
"He's an ally…"
Healer's eyes narrowed at the comment, and she simply turned away. The other
soldiers not engaged in battle turned to see the new arrivals and yelped.
"Uranus!"
"Neptune!!"
"We're here to help!" Steadying Neptune onto Locke, Uranus once again
took out the space sword. "My turn! As the magnificent soldier! Mandate of
Heaven!!!"
Throwing her sword to the ground, it caused a huge eruption which once again
shattered the center line. The legion, however, quickly began to regroup.
"What??" Uranus' eyes widened. "Are they on a suicide
mission?!?"
"Kinmoku Fusion Tempest!!"
Out of nowhere, a powerful blast hit the center just as it finished regrouping.
More of the hooded warriors suddenly disappeared under a blazing attack of
scented energy from the north. The soldiers gasped as more of the creatures
shouted, pointing as they did, before finally retreating.
"Wait!" Jupiter shouted. "Come back! We're not finished with
you!! Cowards!!!!"
It was a moot insult. Flashes of light hit the ground, and where there had been
thousands from nowhere was now no one anywhere.
"God….dammit!!" Maker clenched her teeth. "Gone!"
"We could have gotten them all if that echidna wasn't in the way with
Uranus," Healer muttered, to which a surprised Uranus could find no
sufficient reply to challenge her.
"It doesn't matter, Star Healer!" Fighter gave a sigh. "They're
all gone. Whomever they were."
Locke slowly stood up, holding his arm. The hoods of the soldiers were
completely smothered with energy.
Who….who could have possibly known……all who knew of the Dark Legion….they
were on the Island…
His nose suddenly caught the aroma of the energy. His eyes widened in shock.
This power…..the scent of lilacs.
No…..it cannot be….
"Starlights!!"
Locke's bloodied head slowly turned towards the direction of the voice. His
heart froze when he saw the silhouette.
"Healer! Maker!!" Though there was a crown, a sailor suit of petals,
the flowers at hand, and a star on her forehead, to Locke there was still no
mistaking the voice, the hair. The blazing red eyes. "That is no way to
treat a warrior who has saved the life of a comrade sailor!"
"What?!?" Healer's eyes widened. "This….cannot be…..why are
you…"
"Sailor Kakyuu!!"
"PRINCESS?!?"
The three Starlights suddenly bowed, just as Seiya had done in the shrine.
Everyone else, staring on, realizing, bowed as well. Of the circle of sailors,
only one didn't bow.
"……..Kakyuu?…….."
Locke stared, unable to say anything else, unable to move. His shock overcame
his pain, his hand sliding off of his old injury. His whole body was set,
unmoving from realization.
"You!!" Locke was jolted back to movement as Healer's scathed voice
slashed through his thoughts. "Mobian! Heathen animal! Show respect to
someone for the first time in your life!"
"Healer!!!"
Kakyuu's tome of condemnation gave way to a gasp as she turned to the echidna.
A hand went to her mouth.
"My god….you are….Locke!!"
Locke tried to answer, but found himself unable to. He could feel that everyone
was now staring at him, waiting for his reaction. But aside from shock he found
nothing.
It felt like an eternity to him before he felt someone's hand gently pushing
him to the ground.
"My apologies." Fighter's voice whispered into his ear. "I'm
afraid this is the only way."
Locke didn't hear him. He could only see Kakyuu, a sailor. She looked at him,
and her shock mirrored his.
Like her…
It was the first time ever, since meeting Usagi, he had felt this way. A
passion, one he had only felt for blue eyes, welled up as her red eyes stared
at him.
For it was staring at Sailor Kakyuu, her hair blowing in the breeze, her eyes
staring in a way only Usagi's could have before, that made Locke truly realize
the truth of his love for Usagi. To realize just how impossible it was to love
a woman who could never be his in the first place.
------------------------
Suddenly the pain was gone.
"Aaaah!!!"
Sally gasped, then blinked. Everyone slowly uncovered their eyes, opening them
as the trees began to form around them once more, the white energy dissipating.
"What the…." Sally looked down at herself. There was nothing. She was
no longer laying on a dead body, but grass. "What was that…"
Knuckles, his body shifting back to red, slowly unbent himself from his
defensive position, looking around, confused. He bit his lip when he looked to
where the tanks has been.
"…Gone……" he grunted.
Slowly, everyone sat off of the ground; all had thought they were shot. Sally
took a deep breath to calm her heart, which was beating furiously from fright.
"Mah stahs…" Bunnie looked down at herself. "Ah thought….for a
moment….we got telepahted to…Echidnapolis…"
Everyone suddenly looked at Knuckles and Julie-Su, whom were both wiping
themselves off slowly. Knuckles looked up to see everyone looking at him, and
he turned to Sally, he himself shaken.
"That was…..the…." It was difficult to bring the word out.
"….massacre. The power…wherever it came from…took everyone here to the day
it happened…"
A shuffling in the trees caught the echidna's attention. He staggered towards
the brush and cupped his hands.
"Antithesis…"
"…….Leave me alone!" An angry reply came.
"Now you know…I knew Kumi-Ko. She was Constable Remington's
girlfriend." There was nothing in Knuckles' voice. "She was
killed….by the enemy who killed….."
Knuckles trailed off. He knew he didn't have to finish. There was no reply from
the trees, save for a sob.
"That energy…" Sally closed her eyes. "It came from….it came
from the direction…."
She turned to face the direction it came from - and promptly screamed.
"SONIIIIIIC!!!!!"
White smoke rose from the hedgehog's limp, blood-crested body as it lay from
the ground. Sally lost no time in jumping on him, checking his pulse, his
heartbeat.
"Sonic….noo…" Sally's started pounding his chest, near his wound.
"Sonic….SOOONIC!! ANSWER ME!!!!!!"
"Sally..!"
Julie-Su stared at Sonic's face as Sally frantically attempted to revive the
dead hedgehog. It wasn't pale as it should have been; in fact, the skin around
the hedgehog's mouth was substantially darker
"Sonic.."
"SOOONIIIIC!!!!! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
Sally screamed, pounding Sonic's chest, before crumbling into a fetal position
over him.
"Noooooo…"
In the darkened sky, a star shot across the sky.
------------------------
Wincing from sleep. Jolted back from cleansing.
The time has come to return. She is not yet at full strength but they need her.
She can feel it within her.
The brightness shooting across the sky, the wandering star closes its eyes,
feeling its friends' battle.
Now it is time. Into a trap, she knows not of it. All that matters is that she
must go home.
