Authors' notes: Heh, just a quickie 'till I get that last chapter of Captive released. Again, inspired by one of Nokiasama's works, a rather descriptive ficcie between Enerjak and Knuckles she had uploaded on mediaminer. So, uhm, enjoy! ^^;

Nokiasama, you have corrupted my brain. Thank you.  :D

Alba Aulbath, PLEASE get that thingie we talked about finished. You know what I mean. :P

I probably got ages and stuff wrong. And birth order. Hey, Archie kept changing the birth order, anyway, so I'm sticking with what makes sense for ME.. :P And as for the ages, I figure that if every Guardian has a kid at about age 20, a few extra years here and there wouldn't be too far fetched.

Legal stuff: I don't own them, never will. If I did, Sega would have me arrested for one reason or another. :D

Encased Relations

I heard someone crying.. Who though, could it be?

Maybe it was mother, calling out 'come see'..

Maybe it was father, all alone and lost and cold..

I heard someone crying.. Maybe it was me.

-- The Secret Garden (Broadway Musical), 'I Heard Someone Crying'

            Question upon question declared existence and demanded attention within the severely panicked mind of individuals too stunned to move. Fortune fled as hope seemed to dwindle and die, as a single being stood, floated, seemed to command the very air they depended on for existence. Even as queries clashed within each other, a single terrible confusion stood above it all.

            How had this happened?

            The being in question cackled maniacally, evoking the knowledge that maintained sensibility within each and every mind. They could not run, for they were unable, frozen in horror and shock. They could not hide, for they had no place to declare sanctity. They could not fight, for the simple animal instinct of fight-or-flight was too far gone to grasp. They could not survive, for the being before them wished them dead.

            Before thoughts could be collected in desperation and plan, they were encaged within their own bodies; the great being possessed power than they all knew they could never comprehend. Fear hung upon the web of captivity, but naught could be done for escape.

            Glances were shared, for nothing else could be passed amongst them, even as familiar surroundings of home faded to that of the oppressive glare of chrome. Movement restricted further, yet nothing existed within the realm of the physical, as fear flared into panic.

            Once movement was gained, once sense of body was restored, it was too late. The creaking of a barred door in great need of repair represented the end of nearly four centuries of freedom and protection. The end of everything had occurred, yet understanding of this grim fact could not be accomplished.

            It had been, for all intent and purposes, the end of their world.

            The attack has been so sudden and so completely unexpected, that there was absolutely no way they could have defended themselves, came the final resolve. There were few facts even then, as this resolve came into completion. However, the greatest and most dangerous of information could not be ignored. Enerjak had returned.

            How? They hadn't heard of any activity from their enemy, the Dark Legion, in months. Dimitri, to their knowledge, was still dependant on cybernetic enhancements for life and mobility. Yet, they knew what they had seen, what had happened; Enerjak had attacked them, had violated Haven. After nearly four centuries of existence, the Brotherhood of Guardians were captives of the Dark Legion.

            It was nearly inconceivable.

            It had happened so suddenly, the attack, the captivity; no words between the generations of relatives had been able to be passed, no means of defense had been able to be constructed. One moment, they were discussing the activity of their youngest, the next they were in cells. Separated; each did not know where the others were.

They had never been separated before, not since their own active days; none would admit it, but it caused worry and fear.

For a reason none of them could understand, they were not restrained. The cells were well lit, windowless. Thick, hinged metal doors refused to move, no matter how great the blast fired against them.

It was nearly maddening.

The silence within the small cell was disturbing within itself.

For as long as Sojourner had been a Guardian, he had never been within such silence. Weather it had been the hum of machinery within Haven, or the voices of his fathers and sons, there had always been some sound outside that of his own body. It had become a comfort, the simple knowledge that there was always someone he could talk to, something to occupy his mind. Yet, now, there was nothing.

He had called out to his relations, the names hanging within the still air. No response was given. For the first time in over a century, he was alone. After some time, the lack of noise became too much to bear; he began to pace. His footsteps became the only sound, but it was enough to appease his psychosis.

Sojourner did not know how much time elapsed before he found himself unable to move. Eyes widened, then narrowed, as a force beyond that of the physical realm threw him against the wall. He knew whom it was before his attacker, his kidnapper, arrived.

Enerjak, bearing mask and armor in personal glorification, practically waltzed into the cell. Smug elation was clear upon the partially hidden face.

Fear existed, but the anger surpassed it; a scowl was all that graced the former Guardians' face, even as his body was lifted several inches above the ground, spread-eagled against the wall. Chaotic power sparked and died within open palms; it seemed that his captor had taken all possibilities into account.

The great evil paused with a surprising suddenness. His head tilted to the side, gazing with an undecipherable expression upon the captive echidna. Confusion grew within Sojourner.

After several seconds of wary silence, Enerjak spoke. "Remarkable." He began to approach again, stopping again only once he was mere inches from his captive. An armored hand gripped a bearded jaw, as words filled the air anew. "Has anyone ever mentioned that you bear a striking resemblance to my accursed brother?"

To Edmund? Confusion continued to reign; ten generations had passed since the first Guardian, Edmund, had lived. There was very little genetic structure left to connect Sojourner to his ancestor; there had never been any mention of a resemblance and, to his mind, none existed.

A dark grin graced a masked face. The hand that did not hold the captives' face lifted the mask away, tossing it, carelessly, to the ground. Sojourner found himself surprised; the nearly ancient being, with the power flowing within him, carried nearly no signs of age upon his features. The grip around his jaw tightened to the point of pain, yet the anger maintained in response.

"For someone of your age, you don't look to be a day over thirty." A short, dark chuckle. Wary confusion came as response; why had Enerjak said this? For that matter, why had he been considering his physical appearance at all? "How old are you, Guardian? A century? A century and a half?"

Sojourner did not see how his age could worsen to the already dire situation; he answered upon his own decision. "A hundred and thirty seven."

A nearly amused smile passed along Enerjak's expression. "Really, now?" He leaned forward slightly, until the faces were only mere inches apart. The expression within the stronger echidnas' eyes gave clear warning to the experienced ex-Guardian. "How long has it been since you've had sex?"

The question took Sojourner completely and utterly off guard. His mind sputtered in near-chaotic confusion. Why in all hells would such a question even be asked? Both were far too old for such a thing; he wondered if, perhaps, it was merely perverse curiosity. All of the Guardians knew that the chaos energy had brought power-driven insanity to Enerjak; perhaps insanity led to perversity.

Sojourner was trying to rationalize the strange query; both knew this fact. It was only due to this shock, this lack of rationality, that the ex-Guardian was unprepared when one of Enerjak's fingers forced itself within his mouth. When had he ungloved his hand? Recollection was lost.

One hand was still gripped around his jaw; Sojourner only then understood why. Shock continued to reign, confusion and rational was fading away, and horror introduced itself. The hands began to work themselves upon his mouth, a cruel parody of an unavoidable eventuality; confusion would have faded completely, had not one query maintained existence.

Why was this happening?

Someone was screaming.

It was so faint, the screams; it must have been very far, perhaps within another cell. He was surprised that he heard anything at all; it had been quiet for too long. Thunderhawk tried to decipher who was screaming; the voice sounded terribly familiar. He feared that it was one of his relatives, yet prayed that it was not. After several seconds of intense concentration, he knew who it was.

Sojourner. His father. His father was screaming!

He had never heard his father scream or cry before, not in his hundred and thirteen years of life. Thunderhawk hated to admit it, even to himself, but he was suddenly frightened. Worse than any fear he had felt before; what could be so terrible to cause his father to scream?

Suddenly, a new sound could be heard above the screams; laughter. Laughter that was far too familiar to mistaken. Enerjak. Enerjak was causing his father to scream.

The green glow filled the room before Thunderhawk found himself frozen in place; he knew without a doubt that Enerjak had arrived within his own cell. His body was forced to turn, to look upon the powerful megalomaniac. Once his eyes lay upon the scene, once his mind had processed what he was witnessing, his blood ran cold.

His father continued to scream, but now the screams were far closer. Sojourner lay upon the ground, arms folded around his head, his forehead resting upon his forearm. If his father knew he was there, he did not show it. Enerjak, unmasked and unclothed, was atop him, laughing and moaning wildly.

Thunderhawk was horrified, mortified, shocked and unable to form coherency in either thought or voice. He could only stare, unable to completely process what was happening.

Enerjak released a moan of completion, pulling himself out of the shivering, bleeding form. Eyes closed in bliss, and a smile spread along his face. "Oh, Edmund.."

Sensibility was completely lost.

With a new great glow, Enerjak vanished from view. His father continued to lie there, shivering and sobbing violently, starting to curl within a fetal position. Thunderhawk found that the grip upon his own body gone, but was still unable to pass the shock. It could only be described as divine aid that he managed to bring himself closer to his father, kneeling, collapsing, against the ground.

"Father?"

Sojourner looked up from where he lay, eyes widened in mortified shock. "Great Aurora.." For a brief moment, he could not breathe. "You saw?"

Thunderhawk pulled his father into a hug, beginning to cry softly; there was no resistance to this act. For a long while, neither spoke, crying softly to each other; mourning actions taken, of actions not taken, of the tearing of family and the tearing of sanity.

It had been, for all intent and purposes, the end of their world.

Sojourner: …..

Thunderhawk: ……

Nevermore: …What? Why are you all staring at me like that?

Sojourner: ..I.. Ah.. Aaah! O_o;;; I'm a hundred and thirty seven, for crying out loud! What the hell!?

Thunderhawk: ….. O___O Why did you write this?

Nevermore: Boredom, mostly. This is what happens when I'm stuck in my room with a laptop for two hours. :P

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