02 /08 /04
**FREEDOM FIGHTERS OF MOBIUS**
Sonic the Hedgehog Neo Redux
By Antipode Echidna
e-mail: SonicNeoRedux@yahoo.com
Mobian Time: Year 3238, Day 106
Episode: Revive
Story (c) 2004 by the author. Based on characters created by Sega, DiC Productions, and/or Archie Comics Group, used without permission, but protected by copyright laws that r00r your b00rz!
Other characters:
Antipode Echidna, Crazy Zane (c) Antipode Echidna (Adam Czech)
Bookshire Draftwood (c) Bookshire Draftwood (David Pistone), without permission.
"Hmm. Interesting."
"What's interesting, Rote?"
"It looks like... yeah, they're definitely similar, at least in the molecular composition. Tails, how does it look on your end?"
"They both say the same thing, kinda. The needle won't stop movin'."
"Hmm," he said again. "Erratic signatures. The radiation must be unstable. Which would explain a few things, I guess..."
"Hey, Rote, what are ya talkin' about?"
Rotor lifted his eye from the view-plate and pushed his goggles to his forehead. "Careful, Sonic. We're doing radiation tests in here."
"Whoa, sorry," his foot stopped in mid-stride. "Is it dangerous?"
"Not really, just put on some goggles and that vest there."
"Okay..." Sonic said slowly, locating the indicated items and putting them on. He came over to them, adjusting the goggles to make them fit right. "So whatcha doin'?"
"We're lookin' at the Chaos Emeralds," Tails offered, blinking through his thick black lenses. "We're trying to figure out how they've got so much power in 'em."
"Oh," Sonic answered, nodding. "Got anything yet?"
"No," Rotor shook his head. "They're really complex, much more so than a regular gem. And somehow they can carry a large amount of radiation, too. How much was it, Tails?"
"Way up there!" the ten-year-old called over from his station. "Past the 200-mark even!"
"So what does that mean?" Sonic asked, crossing his arms over the lead vest.
"Well, the radiation is virtually the same as the New Years' Glow..."
"Right."
"...but the Glow is much stronger, estimated at far more than 1000 marks. The Emeralds are strong, but not that strong."
"Oh. But, what would happen if, say, you used more than one Emerald at a time?"
"Well, that's just it," Rotor sighed. "I'm not sure how to use them at all. We've been trying to figure out a way to unlock all the energy these things contain, but so far it hasn't been going well."
"What do you mean? How did Emerald Hill and all those other places use 'em, then?"
"I don't know, Sonic. Hopefully we can go analyze some of their machinery, though. I'd love to know how they did it."
"Hmm. Maybe I can talk Sal into it. She's been pretty bummed lately, though."
Rotor looked up. "King Max?"
Sonic nodded. "It's different, knowing that he's somewhere else, to having him really be dead, ya know?"
"Yeah."
The hedgehog stopped to think back. They had been able to rescue the king from Robotnik and Naugus, but on the way back to Knothole they realized that he wasn't breathing. The whole thing had been a cruel plot: Robotnik had killed the king before hand, then just hung him up as the bait. Then he had destroyed the Imperial Tower, too, with Naugus and their ally Jewel still inside. It had been quiet for the past month, and they still didn't know if Robotnik was still alive. Sally had taken it slow, now more than ever unwilling to rush into things.
Sonic blinked, then reached over for a power ring that was on the table. "So have you figured these babies out, either?"
Rotor chuckled. "Haven't even started."
He threw it up in the air and caught it on a finger. "Do you think they have anything to do with the Emeralds?"
The techie shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. So far, there hasn't been a connection, other than that they both hold energy of some kind. But, it's a different kind of energy, and they don't seem to work the same way."
"Well, keep up the good work, man."
"Thanks, Sonic. Hey, Tails, bring that Emerald over here, will you?"
"Okay, just a sec," the kid called back, switching off the sensor machine before reaching inside to pull out the Chaos Emerald he had been testing. He started toward them, but his foot snagged on a tool lying on the ground. He cried out and lurched forward, the Emerald falling from his grasp.
"I got it!" Sonic said and reached out, his highly attuned reflexes allowing him to catch the gem with both hands. As the surface touched his hands, he felt the energy the Emerald contained. He gasped, having forgotten what it felt like. The gem seemed to rise from his palms as he stared, glowing brighter and brighter.
Rotor grabbed the Chaos Emerald away. Sonic blinked. "What was that for, Rote?"
"Are you insane!" the walrus raised his eyebrows. "These things are dangerous, and you aren't protected from their radiation."
Sonic rolled his eyes. "Rotor, chill out. I've played with these things before without any 'protection,' and I'm fine."
"We don't know that yet," he shook his head, placing the Chaos Emerald into a protective case. "No offense, Sonic, but I'd like to be sure before we start tossing these things around, all right?"
He shrugged. "Whatever, buddy. But you can take my word for it, these things aren't dangerous, a'right?"
Rotor just shook his head slowly and returned to his work. Sonic sighed and headed outside. Knothole had calmed down a bit recently, since by all accounts Robotnik was gone. *Really* gone. Unless the fat man could cheat death twice, he wouldn't be coming back.
After the loss of her father, Sally had retreated into her work. Most of the Mobians who had came to them for help so long ago were gone now, moved into other settlements in the forest around them. The issue of returning to Robotropolis was now a higher priority, but everything moved so slowly now. It was as if they weren't sure what to do, now that they had truly won the war. No one to fight anymore, no where to go; things had moved to a virtual standstill.
And if there was one thing Sonic hated, it was standing still. He jogged out onto the forest path, treading the maze that took him to one of Knothole's perimeter guard towers, hidden in the foliage. He stood at the base of the tree and called up, "Yo, Ant! You up there?"
There was a rustling above. "Oui, Sonic. What is it?"
"Anything weird goin' on?"
The coyote shook his head. "No, why?" A pause. "You're bored, aren't you?"
"Darn tootin', I'm bored!" he stamped his foot. "There's gotta be something to do around here!"
"You could always take guard duty," he replied, amusement in his voice. "In fact, have my shift. I have been wanting to return to Knothole, anyway."
Sonic scowled. He meant he wanted something to do that wasn't work, but whatever. He looked up as Antoine climbed down to the ground. "Merci, Sonic."
"Yeah, whatever, Ant. Don't say I never do nuthin' for ya."
Antoine laughed and headed back down the path. Sonic climbed up into the crude shelter built in the tree branches, getting into a comfortable spot with his hands behind his head. Guard duty was always no sweat, especially for him. It was only a few moments, however, when he was awakened by a tone above him. It was quiet, barely loud enough for him to hear: the communicator.
Sonic reached up to grab it, switching it on. "Yeah? Post Three."
"This is Five," came the reply; it was Lupe. "Sonic, I've got a contact."
He straightened. Finally, some action. "Yeah?"
"Just passed my stand ninety seconds ago, headed your way."
Sonic craned his neck to look around him. "I haven't seen anything."
A beat of silence. "You were sleeping again, weren't you?"
"Hey, gimme a break! I didn't *hear* nuthin' either, a'ight?"
"They must have gone a different way. Maybe you should get back to Knothole."
"What, 'they?' How many of them are there?"
"Just two," she answered. "A taller guy in a leather jacket, and the other looked like a chipmunk, shorter."
He squinted. "Doesn't sound like Robotnik's goons."
Lupe laughed. "You were hoping it was?"
"I was hoping it'd be something more than two guys lost in the woods."
"They didn't seem to be lost. In fact, they looked like they knew exactly where they were going."
"Knothole?"
"That'd be my guess."
"Thanks, Lupe," Sonic signed off and put the comm back on its stand. He leapt down to the ground and juiced back to camp.
When he arrived, everything looked the way it did when he left. "Good, they're not here, yet," he said to himself as he headed for Sally's office.
"Hey, Sal, Lupe said there were these guys- AHH!"
Sonic stopped in his tracks as a man in a leather jacket turned his head to face him. He was seated facing Sally's desk, with the aforementioned chipmunk in the chair behind him. Sonic managed a wave. "Heh heh, hi." *How did he get here before me?* he didn't say.
Sally stood. "Sonic, I'm glad you're here. I'd like you to meet someone who's come to help us."
The hedgehog stepped forward, perking an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"
The stranger stood, rising a handful of centimeters over Sonic. He wore a forest green shirt beneath his jacket, and simple blue jeans that looked ragged from use. Also of interest to Sonic was a sheath strapped across his back, with some kind of sword in it. He extended a leather-gloved hand. "You can call me Antipode," he smiled.
Sonic hesitantly reached forward to shake, noticing two small studs on his glove, on his first and fourth knuckles. Antipode saw that he noticed them. "Don't worry about that, it's an echidna thing."
"Echidna?" Sonic echoed. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"Um, no. We've been on the road a lot."
Sally spoke up. "Antipode says he wants to join us."
Sonic raised his brows. "Yeah, that's right," Antipode answered. "I heard about the stuff you're going through here, and think I can help out."
"Huh," Sonic grunted. "Well, that's real nice of you, but we've got all the help we need right now. See ya!"
Sally grabbed Sonic's arm and pulled him aside. "Sonic, what was that? You're being really rude!"
"I don't trust this dude, Sal. I dunno, my hedgehog instincts are goin' crazy!"
"Well, give your 'hedgehog instincts' a rest for once. Antipode's come a long way, and I'm not about to turn him down."
Sonic crossed his arms as Sally turned back to him. "I'd be honored if you would join us at Knothole."
The red-spined echidna bowed his head. "Thank you, Princess Sally. I shall do my best to aid you in your time of need."
Sonic scoffed silently. *This guy's all talk.*
"I'm afraid things are a little slow around here at the moment," Sally sighed, then smiled, "but I'm sure Sonic will be happy to bring you up to speed while he shows you around Knothole."
"Say what!"
"Come on, Sonic. Just show him around, that's not so hard is it?"
He growled deep in his throat. "I guess not..."
She smiled sweetly, forcing a smile out of him as well. "All right, you guys, let's go," he muttered and headed for the door. "By the way, what's your friend's name?"
"Oh, this is Zane," Antipode replied, motioning to the chipmunk. "He's my traveling partner."
"How ya doin', Zane?"
The little guy was looking around at his surroundings nervously, wide-eyed, almost trembling. "I'm good, I guess," he chattered quickly.
He eyed him warily. "Is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's like that most of the time," Antipode replied. "Don't worry about him."
"Okay..."
"Your name's Sonic, right?" he changed the subject as they passed the mess hall.
"It's more of a nickname, really. I run fast, that's what I do. So what about 'Antipode?' What's the deal with that?"
"Like you, a nickname," he blinked, and Sonic could see that his left eye was slightly discolored. "A long story to go along with it, too, but you probably don't want to hear that."
"You're right, I don't. I saw your sword before, you a swordsman?"
Antipode nodded. "Yeah. Not many people use 'em, though, that I've seen."
"You should go talk to Antoine," Sonic chuckled. "Here's our resident swordsman."
Antipode smiled. "Maybe I will."
He had been suspicious from the moment he had seen the echidna's blade. True, not many people used them, but he knew that someone did, someone who had participated in Robotnik's assault on Emerald Hill almost two years ago. That was the lurking mistrust that he felt, though he couldn't place it until now. Time to try and put his fears to rest.
"So, uh, how long have you been traveling again?"
He shrugged. "Oh, bout three or four years, give or take."
"That's a long time. Where you from?"
"Oh, some small-time settlement somewhere. You've probably never heard of it."
"Try me."
"Riverside Village?"
"Never heard of it." Antipode laughed. "How'd you find this place? We were fightin' Eggman for years and he never did."
"Got a lot of tips," he answered, flexing his gloves. "Actually found a few of your other bases, I think. They were just as skeptical as you, at first."
"Yeah, I bet. Which ones? I've probably heard of those."
"Oh..." the echidna rolled his eyes upward, trying to remember. "Zane, how many did we stop at?" The chipmunk shrugged. "Well, you're no help. Let's see, there was Rockquarry, Beachhead, the Pit..."
Sonic chuckled. "You went to the Pit, huh?"
Antipode made a face. "Yeah. Didn't stay *there* long. Then there was Greenport..."
"The SWATbots were before Greenport," Zane squeaked.
"Oh, yeah." He saw Sonic's questioning gaze and elaborated. "We got ambushed by a squad of SWATbots as we were coming into the Forest. No big deal."
Zane chittered. "Yeah, 'cept you almost died!"
Antipode rolled his eyes. "Dude, cut it out. I did not almost die!"
Sonic crossed his arms and grinned. "Sounds like a conflicting story ya got there."
"Okay, okay, here's what happened: We got attacked by the SWATbots, right? And then we got separated in the woods, and we had to fight 'em off. I only have my sword, don't use firearms. That's why Zane travels with me."
Sonic's eyebrows shot up again. Zane smiled, pulling back his jacket to show a large pistol strapped inside. The hedgehog shuddered to think what an obviously erratic individual was doing with weaponry.
Antipode continued. "Anyway, I can't hold off three SWATbots by myself with a sword in the woods, so I got smacked around pretty bad. Luckily, though, I must have been near a monastery or something, because these monks found me and brought me back to their place."
Sonic straightened. "Monks?"
"Yeah, Emerald somethingorother. Cornelius was the guy's name."
"Emerald Hill."
"Yeah, that's it," he nodded. "You've heard of it?"
"You could say that."
"Hmm. Well, they fixed me up and sent me on my way."
Sonic's skepticism of Antipode just rose three points. "When was this?"
"About two years ago or so. Wouldn't you say, Zane?"
"Man, I dunno. I've never been to the place."
"Whatever. About two years, I think."
Sonic breathed deeply. This was definitely something to tell Sally about. He'd show her his suspicion of their new "friend" was well-warranted. He tried to hide it, though, as he continued to guide him through the rest of Knothole.
"...And here's the lab. I'd show you inside, but Rotor and Tails are working on the... on something important." *Good save, hedgehog. Don't need to tell this guy any more than you need to.*
"Your camp technicians?"
"Yeah, you could say that. Rotor's actually in charge, but Tails... yeah, I guess Tails is a techie now, too. He runs the garage, pretty much."
"Tails?"
"Yeah, another nickname."
Antipode nodded. "Gotcha."
"You'll see when ya meet him. Okay, you've already met Sal, Lupe's out on guard duty... Which only leaves..."
As if on cue, the door to Georgia's hut opened. Antoine came out first, guiding her down the stairs. She looked around, though she still had that look in her eyes that she couldn't quite focus on her surroundings. She took his arm firmly, easing down the small flight of steps and onto the ground.
"This is Georgia and Antoine. Georgia's recovering right now, but she'll be back on duty as our close-team recon specialist in no time."
"That's awful nice o' you, sugar-hog," she smiled at him. "But I'm in no position fer duty any time soon."
"Antoine, well... what kinda 'specialist' are you, Ant?"
"Combat training, I would think," he grinned. "Seeing as how I am the only one to ever be hitting the targets in the firing range, hmm?"
"Hey, don't rub it in. I don't use the stupid guns, anyway."
"Which is why you fail," he gave a teasing sigh. "And who is this, may I ask?"
"Oh, yeah. This is Antipode. He's a new guy Sal's lettin' join the team."
Antoine raised his eyebrows. "Fresh blood, hmm? Anxious to see how you prove yourself, my friend."
Antipode grinned in return. "You the guy who uses the swords?"
The coyote reached over to pull his rapier a few centimeters out of its sheath. "Oui. Have an interest in swordplay, do you?"
He reached up to similarly pull his own sword out. "Yeah."
"Ah. Interested in a small sparring match, perhaps, to test your skills?" he asked, a smile on his lips. "For your 'initiation' to Knothole?"
"Um, I don't know about that. I'm kinda rusty when it comes to duels."
"So am I, mon ami. Are you afraid?"
"No way, buddy. Bring it."
Suffice it to say, news of the duel spread like fire through the camp. Everyone was getting pretty bored with the monotony that followed the war, and soon every Mobian in Knothole had gathered to witness the fight, like kids in a schoolyard. They created an arena of sorts in the courtyard, with Antoine at one end and Antipode at the other. Even Sally showed up, at first in question of the motives behind it, but Sonic convinced her that they were sizing up their new recruit, and everything would be done fairly.
When everyone finally arrived, the fighters stopped warming up and prepared to step onto the battlefield. Georgia held Antoine's hand tight, giving him a small peck on the cheek. "Be careful, sugar."
Zane turned to Antipode, lips puckered. "Careful, shuh-ger!"
"Shut up, dork," the echidna retorted and shoved him backward over the log he had been sitting on. He stood, sliding his sword from its sheath, then un-strapping the case and letting it fall to the ground. The least encumbrance he could manage, the better.
Antoine had his foil in his hand, practicing some lunges. He saw Antipode's sword, a long, slightly-curved katana. "If you wish, I have some extra rapiers in my quarters. They would be faster in a duel, non?"
"No, thanks," he shook his head. "I'm more comfortable with my own."
"As you wish," he shrugged and gave a quick salute with his blade. "Shall we begin?"
Antipode shifted his sword to his left hand, returning the salute, then flicked his wrist to spin the weapon around into a two-handed fighting position. "After you."
Antoine started slowly forward, blade ahead before him at the ready, left hand behind his back. The echidna watched him carefully, observing his movements, but standing his ground. With a burst of motion the first attack was made, a simple lunge that Antipode easily batted aside. There was sharp echoing ring as the metals met, then Antoine took a step back. He waited a moment before striking again with a slanted cut from his left, and a quick follow-up swing across his middle. Both were blocked fluidly, and they continued to watch each other, sizing up one another.
*He's testing me,* Antipode thought as he took a step backward. *Gradually increasing the level of his attacks, to see how much I know. Time to take the initiative here.*
He lunged forward, inverting his wrists to perform a circular upward move that came around to cross Antoine's chest twice. The first time he was pushed away by the other's blade, the second ended in a locking of their swords. Neither of their faces made a show of weakness as the battle of strength was initiated, until Antoine circled his rapier back toward him as he took a step backward.
"Very good, mon ami. Very good. How long have you been studying swordplay?"
Antipode was about to answer when he brought up his defenses again. Antoine made a swing at his side, which he parried. *He's distracting me with questions,* he thought to himself. *Have to stay focused.*
"A while," was all he said, too busy watching his foe to count back the years.
"You fight very well," he said, coming forward again to lay down a handful more attacks, simple moves he knew Antipode could block.
*Now what's he doing? Playing with me?*
"Not to intimidate you or something like that," Antoine continued, "but I have studied for fifteen years, including two under the tutelage of Grand Master General Santiago."
"Sorry," he panted, surprised he was out of breath already, "but that doesn't really mean anything to me."
Antipode didn't know if it was his comment that set him off, but Antoine decided now was the time to lay down the heat. With a flurry of motion he began his attacks, gracefully strung together and carefully planned. The echidna worked just as fast, parrying or evading each blow with a flick of his wrist, keeping his feet moving in the complex dance. After nearly a dozen movements Antoine stepped back once more, giving Antipode some space to breathe.
He stayed in the ready position, chest rising and falling as he watched the coyote, who seemed to have wasted no energy in the attack. "A little out of shape, hmm?"
"Haven't done this in a while," the other managed, flexing his gloved fingers around the hilt of his sword. Now came his turn to attack, and he did so slowly, watching Antoine's reaction to his simple moves. He observed his reaction time to his attacks, especially when he varied his moves in sequence, but found no obvious flaws to his methods. He was good, too good to be defeated by someone who hadn't engaged in a formal duel since being taught.
He finished his statement, stepping back again and waiting for Antoine's response. The coyote flicked the tip of his blade forward, making it bounce slightly. "You fight well, but you are indeed out of practice."
Antipode ground his teeth and let the comment slide. He was too tired to engage in a verbal sparring match as well.
"You do have an interesting style, though," he kept talking, now mostly to himself. "Who trained you?"
And again he didn't wait for the answer, launching into another volley of blows. After deflecting four Antipode angled his katana so that their blades were locked, taking the moment to look straight into his eyes. "Self taught."
With one strong pull both of the swords swung in a tight spiral, the rapier being spun from Antoine's grip to impale the earth two meters away. Antipode took a step back and lowered his sword, breathing heavily. Antoine looked with wide eyes to where his weapon had fallen, then turned to him and smiled. "Welcome to Knothole, mon ami."
He clapped loudly, and the ovation soon spread through those gathered to watch the duel. Antipode looked around and sighed. He didn't know if it was from the applause or the exertion, but he was about to pass out.
-=*=-=*=-=*=-=*=-
It wasn't long before Antipode had met everyone at the Knothole camp, either through formal introductions or just receiving congratulations from someone who had seen the fight. He felt somewhat lightheaded, and as soon as he could he sat down at the commons, and tried to relax. Sonic disappeared after the duel, but Antipode had a definite feeling that he wouldn't be seeing him a whole lot. The hedgehog didn't like him, for what reason he didn't know, but it was best not to step on too many toes, if he could help it.
The impressions from everyone else at Knothole were positive, at least. Sally was obviously grateful for his help, and he certainly had a "comrade-in-arms" of sorts in Antoine. Hopefully he could get Sonic over to his side eventually, but it would be best to take it slow, at least for now.
He and Zane sighed together. "Crazy, ain't it?" the chipmunk squeaked.
"Tell me about it," he chuckled. "And we thought finding the place would be the hard part."
"You always said finding it would be the *easy* part."
"I did? I should start listening to myself more often."
"Hey..." Zane craned his neck to look out into the courtyard. "What's goin' on?"
"Hmm?" Antipode turned his head to look. Sonic was there, waving his arms like he was directing traffic, getting everyone's attention. Sally came out of her office behind him, and he spoke quickly to her, gesticulating wildly. Sally answered something, then Sonic gestured into the crowd and walked away.
"Think we should go check it out?" Zane asked, looking up at him.
"Don't see why not," Antipode replied, sliding his chair back and standing.
The crowd was dispersing as the two crossed the courtyard in the direction of Sally's office. Sonic met them halfway. "Hey, you guys, c'mon."
"Where are we going?" Antipode asked.
"Sal's got a mission she wants you to come along on. Grab a pack, let's go."
The hedgehog walked quickly away, leaving Antipode and Zane to stand and wonder in the middle of the courtyard. "Um..."
"This way!"
They jogged over, Antipode coming through the door as Sonic threw a supply pack at him. He caught it awkwardly in both hands. Sonic grabbed another off the shelf and pushed past him out the door. He looked up to Antoine, who was fixing the straps on his own pack. "Don't worry, mon ami. Sonic is just a pain sometimes."
"Yeah... guess so."
The four of them met at the edge of the camp, near the forest path. "Okay, let's go."
They started off, and Antipode let the silence hang for a while before asking, "So are you going to tell *me* what this mission is, or do I hafta guess?"
Sonic sighed loudly. "We got a call from the remote outpost stations, say they saw somethin' weird. We're supposed to check it out."
"Oh," another pause. "Ya know, Sonic, if you don't like me you could just say so instead of making my life hell."
Antipode couldn't see his face, but he could sense he had struck a nerve. He could hear the hedgehog taking deep breaths, obviously trying to control himself. "What makes ya think I don't like you?"
"Oh, cut the crap, buddy. You haven't liked me since you walked into Princess Sally's office and saw me sitting there. And don't try to hide it now, cuz you've been doing a *really* bad job so far."
That did it. Sonic spun around to Antipode straight in the face. "Ya know what, you're right! I *don't* like you! Wanna know why? Cuz I had a buddy of mine killed two years ago, someone with strong connections in the resistance. Someone in the inside helped Robotnik hit the place, and it almost brought our whole rebellion to its knees! And now *you* show up, and all signs point to *you* bein' the inside guy!"
Antipode took a step back. "What the heck are you talking about?"
"Emerald Hill, that's what the heck I'm talkin' about! Cornelius, the monks, any of this ringin' the old bell?"
The echidna's eyes widened. "Cornelius is dead?"
Sonic scoffed. "Yeah, like you didn't know."
"I didn't," Antipode shook his head. "When was this? Two years ago?"
"Yeah, right after they 'fixed you up,' I think that's how you put it."
"I had no idea," he replied quietly. "Everything seemed fine when I left... All of them?"
"Yeah. There was no one left when I got there."
There came that dizziness again. "Oh, man... Dude, trust me, I had nothing to do with whatever happened there. I'm sorry if you think it was me."
"I still do."
Antoine stepped forward. "Give it a rest, Sonic. He says he had nothing to do with it. I believe, you should, too."
"You tellin' me what to do, Ant?"
"Call it a 'friendly suggestion.'"
Sonic inhaled and exhaled, then spun around and continued down the path. The rest slowly followed, obviously at more of a distance than before. Antoine sidled up to Antipode, his voice low enough that Sonic wouldn't hear. "Don't let him get to you. Sonic's just stubborn like that."
The echidna just nodded.
The edge of the forest was surrounded by a steep incline to the plain below. Sonic emerged from the trees first, standing as close to the precipice as he could and looking out over the vast expanse. There was a thick layer of clouds in the sky, and their shadows crept along the ground for miles in all directions. "Yep," Sonic commented. "There it is."
"There what is?" Antipode asked, scanning the ground below. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
"Right there," he replied, pointing two fingers into the sky. "See it?"
He squinted against the glare of the sun, barely able to make out an unnatural shape drifting in and out of the cloud cover. "What the...?"
"See it, Ant?"
"Oui," he answered solemnly. "Twenty bucks says who it belongs to, as well."
"You know I don't have the money," Sonic smiled, "and I'm not a bettin' man anyways. 'Sides, we all know who it belongs to."
"Who?" Antipode asked.
"Robotnik."
"I thought you said he was dead."
"Dude, if I had a dollar every time we thought Eggman was dead... I'd be able to take you up on your bet, Ant. Better call it in."
Antoine lifted a rangefinder to his eyes as Sonic reached for his radio. When the clouds parted enough he could see the markings on the side, along with one the freedom fighters had come to associate with Doctor Robotnik.
"Yeah, Sal? We found it. Uh-huh. Uuuuh-huh. Yeah, me too. Right."
He turned it off and turned back to them. "Let's head back," he sighed. "Guess the war's still on."
Antoine lowered the lenses. "What is he doing way out here? He's been awfully quiet these past few months."
"Who knows? Without his base of operations in Robotropolis anymore... maybe he's looking for more resources or somethin'. Ya know, before he starts at it again."
Now Antoine sighed. "Doesn't take a hint, does he?"
-=*=-=*=-=*=-=*=-
Doctor Ivo Robotnik keyed through his computer system, making sure all the material was loaded properly on his new warship, the Wing Fortress. It was skillful planning that he had all his major projects either completed or well underway by the time he had finished Doomsday. If he had been released from the Void under other circumstances, he may not have been so fortunate. But, by his luck, his flying fortress had been berthed in an airdock not far from the Tower Imperial, allowing him easy escape to it while he used the building's destruction as a diversion.
He had made rounds to all of his automated production facilities around Robotropolis since fleeing the city, where he checked on all of his worker bots and transferred their equipment to his ship, if necessary. His previous Doomsday machine had been a ground test, to see if the mechanics and such were constructed properly. Even though it had been destroyed, it had served its purpose.
His next creation would be truly a work of art, one so beyond the reach of the "freedom fighters" that they would be powerless to stop it. But he still needed one thing to make it complete.
He pressed a button, and a small holographic display shimmered to life, showing a small rotated gemstone. The Chaos Emeralds. If he could find enough of them, and harness their power to give life to his creations... he chuckled deep in his throat. These jewels were the key to everything he needed now. He would have to find them, and quickly. His arrival in the Wing Fortress surely could not have gone unnoticed, and it would only be a matter of time before he was again met with resistance.
**END OF CHAPTER**
MESSAGE FROM THE MAN: A Note on Season 3
Yeah, sorry about the ending on this one, it's really bad. It gets kinda "ho-hum" that they found Robotnik again, for the freedom fighters and for you, the readers, cuz ya KNOW I had to bring him back; I won't bother with any dramatics this time around.
By the way, for those of you wondering where I got the stuff on SatAM Season 3, here it is, courtesy of THE Sonic news source, SonicHQ (sonichq.org):
"...Snively tries to retake control of Robotropolis, but ultimately fails. On the verge of losing it all to the Freedom Fighters, he turns to "The Void", where Naugus is busy torturing Robotnik (and having fun with it) ^__^. Snively frees Naugus, and in the process also frees Robotnik & King Acorn! Now, Naugus assumes control, and starts his new command by trying to lure Sally into capture with the King as bait. Robotnik becomes Naugus' lackey. And Snively, now reduced to a simpering nobody, defects to the Freedom Fighters. Ben went on later to say that more developments would have come along between the relationship of Sonic and Tails, coming a little closer to the game relationship it strayed so far away from. Sooner on down the line in possible future episodes we would have learned of the origins of Robotnik and Snively, and also come to see a whole new ballgame for the FF's... And THAT is what WOULD HAVE HAPPENED in the third season of the Sonic cartoon..."
This is closer to canon than most stuff, so I chose to use it, with some obvious differences. Yes, I did have the Snively defecting stuff in my outlines, but took it out at the last minute, for continuity purposes, plus I needed SOMETHING about how Eggman comes back, lest the games get screwed up.
Speaking of the games, next episode is the Sonic 2 adaptation, w00t! That's Sonic THE HEDGEHOG 2, the good ol' Sega Genesis game, for those of you old enough to remember. Yesiree, now that Tails is a bona-fide freedom fighter, its time for him to show his mettle when he and Sonic try to get all the Emeralds before Robotnik does! Yeah for Tails! (I love Tails, in case you couldn't tell ^_^)
In other news, keep sending in those reviews. Got one from RamenNoodles not too long ago, so as per my word last chapter, we're now in talks for a cameo spot (and you thought I was joking about that, shame on you!).
Till next time,
-AE
**FREEDOM FIGHTERS OF MOBIUS**
Sonic the Hedgehog Neo Redux
By Antipode Echidna
e-mail: SonicNeoRedux@yahoo.com
Mobian Time: Year 3238, Day 106
Episode: Revive
Story (c) 2004 by the author. Based on characters created by Sega, DiC Productions, and/or Archie Comics Group, used without permission, but protected by copyright laws that r00r your b00rz!
Other characters:
Antipode Echidna, Crazy Zane (c) Antipode Echidna (Adam Czech)
Bookshire Draftwood (c) Bookshire Draftwood (David Pistone), without permission.
"Hmm. Interesting."
"What's interesting, Rote?"
"It looks like... yeah, they're definitely similar, at least in the molecular composition. Tails, how does it look on your end?"
"They both say the same thing, kinda. The needle won't stop movin'."
"Hmm," he said again. "Erratic signatures. The radiation must be unstable. Which would explain a few things, I guess..."
"Hey, Rote, what are ya talkin' about?"
Rotor lifted his eye from the view-plate and pushed his goggles to his forehead. "Careful, Sonic. We're doing radiation tests in here."
"Whoa, sorry," his foot stopped in mid-stride. "Is it dangerous?"
"Not really, just put on some goggles and that vest there."
"Okay..." Sonic said slowly, locating the indicated items and putting them on. He came over to them, adjusting the goggles to make them fit right. "So whatcha doin'?"
"We're lookin' at the Chaos Emeralds," Tails offered, blinking through his thick black lenses. "We're trying to figure out how they've got so much power in 'em."
"Oh," Sonic answered, nodding. "Got anything yet?"
"No," Rotor shook his head. "They're really complex, much more so than a regular gem. And somehow they can carry a large amount of radiation, too. How much was it, Tails?"
"Way up there!" the ten-year-old called over from his station. "Past the 200-mark even!"
"So what does that mean?" Sonic asked, crossing his arms over the lead vest.
"Well, the radiation is virtually the same as the New Years' Glow..."
"Right."
"...but the Glow is much stronger, estimated at far more than 1000 marks. The Emeralds are strong, but not that strong."
"Oh. But, what would happen if, say, you used more than one Emerald at a time?"
"Well, that's just it," Rotor sighed. "I'm not sure how to use them at all. We've been trying to figure out a way to unlock all the energy these things contain, but so far it hasn't been going well."
"What do you mean? How did Emerald Hill and all those other places use 'em, then?"
"I don't know, Sonic. Hopefully we can go analyze some of their machinery, though. I'd love to know how they did it."
"Hmm. Maybe I can talk Sal into it. She's been pretty bummed lately, though."
Rotor looked up. "King Max?"
Sonic nodded. "It's different, knowing that he's somewhere else, to having him really be dead, ya know?"
"Yeah."
The hedgehog stopped to think back. They had been able to rescue the king from Robotnik and Naugus, but on the way back to Knothole they realized that he wasn't breathing. The whole thing had been a cruel plot: Robotnik had killed the king before hand, then just hung him up as the bait. Then he had destroyed the Imperial Tower, too, with Naugus and their ally Jewel still inside. It had been quiet for the past month, and they still didn't know if Robotnik was still alive. Sally had taken it slow, now more than ever unwilling to rush into things.
Sonic blinked, then reached over for a power ring that was on the table. "So have you figured these babies out, either?"
Rotor chuckled. "Haven't even started."
He threw it up in the air and caught it on a finger. "Do you think they have anything to do with the Emeralds?"
The techie shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. So far, there hasn't been a connection, other than that they both hold energy of some kind. But, it's a different kind of energy, and they don't seem to work the same way."
"Well, keep up the good work, man."
"Thanks, Sonic. Hey, Tails, bring that Emerald over here, will you?"
"Okay, just a sec," the kid called back, switching off the sensor machine before reaching inside to pull out the Chaos Emerald he had been testing. He started toward them, but his foot snagged on a tool lying on the ground. He cried out and lurched forward, the Emerald falling from his grasp.
"I got it!" Sonic said and reached out, his highly attuned reflexes allowing him to catch the gem with both hands. As the surface touched his hands, he felt the energy the Emerald contained. He gasped, having forgotten what it felt like. The gem seemed to rise from his palms as he stared, glowing brighter and brighter.
Rotor grabbed the Chaos Emerald away. Sonic blinked. "What was that for, Rote?"
"Are you insane!" the walrus raised his eyebrows. "These things are dangerous, and you aren't protected from their radiation."
Sonic rolled his eyes. "Rotor, chill out. I've played with these things before without any 'protection,' and I'm fine."
"We don't know that yet," he shook his head, placing the Chaos Emerald into a protective case. "No offense, Sonic, but I'd like to be sure before we start tossing these things around, all right?"
He shrugged. "Whatever, buddy. But you can take my word for it, these things aren't dangerous, a'right?"
Rotor just shook his head slowly and returned to his work. Sonic sighed and headed outside. Knothole had calmed down a bit recently, since by all accounts Robotnik was gone. *Really* gone. Unless the fat man could cheat death twice, he wouldn't be coming back.
After the loss of her father, Sally had retreated into her work. Most of the Mobians who had came to them for help so long ago were gone now, moved into other settlements in the forest around them. The issue of returning to Robotropolis was now a higher priority, but everything moved so slowly now. It was as if they weren't sure what to do, now that they had truly won the war. No one to fight anymore, no where to go; things had moved to a virtual standstill.
And if there was one thing Sonic hated, it was standing still. He jogged out onto the forest path, treading the maze that took him to one of Knothole's perimeter guard towers, hidden in the foliage. He stood at the base of the tree and called up, "Yo, Ant! You up there?"
There was a rustling above. "Oui, Sonic. What is it?"
"Anything weird goin' on?"
The coyote shook his head. "No, why?" A pause. "You're bored, aren't you?"
"Darn tootin', I'm bored!" he stamped his foot. "There's gotta be something to do around here!"
"You could always take guard duty," he replied, amusement in his voice. "In fact, have my shift. I have been wanting to return to Knothole, anyway."
Sonic scowled. He meant he wanted something to do that wasn't work, but whatever. He looked up as Antoine climbed down to the ground. "Merci, Sonic."
"Yeah, whatever, Ant. Don't say I never do nuthin' for ya."
Antoine laughed and headed back down the path. Sonic climbed up into the crude shelter built in the tree branches, getting into a comfortable spot with his hands behind his head. Guard duty was always no sweat, especially for him. It was only a few moments, however, when he was awakened by a tone above him. It was quiet, barely loud enough for him to hear: the communicator.
Sonic reached up to grab it, switching it on. "Yeah? Post Three."
"This is Five," came the reply; it was Lupe. "Sonic, I've got a contact."
He straightened. Finally, some action. "Yeah?"
"Just passed my stand ninety seconds ago, headed your way."
Sonic craned his neck to look around him. "I haven't seen anything."
A beat of silence. "You were sleeping again, weren't you?"
"Hey, gimme a break! I didn't *hear* nuthin' either, a'ight?"
"They must have gone a different way. Maybe you should get back to Knothole."
"What, 'they?' How many of them are there?"
"Just two," she answered. "A taller guy in a leather jacket, and the other looked like a chipmunk, shorter."
He squinted. "Doesn't sound like Robotnik's goons."
Lupe laughed. "You were hoping it was?"
"I was hoping it'd be something more than two guys lost in the woods."
"They didn't seem to be lost. In fact, they looked like they knew exactly where they were going."
"Knothole?"
"That'd be my guess."
"Thanks, Lupe," Sonic signed off and put the comm back on its stand. He leapt down to the ground and juiced back to camp.
When he arrived, everything looked the way it did when he left. "Good, they're not here, yet," he said to himself as he headed for Sally's office.
"Hey, Sal, Lupe said there were these guys- AHH!"
Sonic stopped in his tracks as a man in a leather jacket turned his head to face him. He was seated facing Sally's desk, with the aforementioned chipmunk in the chair behind him. Sonic managed a wave. "Heh heh, hi." *How did he get here before me?* he didn't say.
Sally stood. "Sonic, I'm glad you're here. I'd like you to meet someone who's come to help us."
The hedgehog stepped forward, perking an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"
The stranger stood, rising a handful of centimeters over Sonic. He wore a forest green shirt beneath his jacket, and simple blue jeans that looked ragged from use. Also of interest to Sonic was a sheath strapped across his back, with some kind of sword in it. He extended a leather-gloved hand. "You can call me Antipode," he smiled.
Sonic hesitantly reached forward to shake, noticing two small studs on his glove, on his first and fourth knuckles. Antipode saw that he noticed them. "Don't worry about that, it's an echidna thing."
"Echidna?" Sonic echoed. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"Um, no. We've been on the road a lot."
Sally spoke up. "Antipode says he wants to join us."
Sonic raised his brows. "Yeah, that's right," Antipode answered. "I heard about the stuff you're going through here, and think I can help out."
"Huh," Sonic grunted. "Well, that's real nice of you, but we've got all the help we need right now. See ya!"
Sally grabbed Sonic's arm and pulled him aside. "Sonic, what was that? You're being really rude!"
"I don't trust this dude, Sal. I dunno, my hedgehog instincts are goin' crazy!"
"Well, give your 'hedgehog instincts' a rest for once. Antipode's come a long way, and I'm not about to turn him down."
Sonic crossed his arms as Sally turned back to him. "I'd be honored if you would join us at Knothole."
The red-spined echidna bowed his head. "Thank you, Princess Sally. I shall do my best to aid you in your time of need."
Sonic scoffed silently. *This guy's all talk.*
"I'm afraid things are a little slow around here at the moment," Sally sighed, then smiled, "but I'm sure Sonic will be happy to bring you up to speed while he shows you around Knothole."
"Say what!"
"Come on, Sonic. Just show him around, that's not so hard is it?"
He growled deep in his throat. "I guess not..."
She smiled sweetly, forcing a smile out of him as well. "All right, you guys, let's go," he muttered and headed for the door. "By the way, what's your friend's name?"
"Oh, this is Zane," Antipode replied, motioning to the chipmunk. "He's my traveling partner."
"How ya doin', Zane?"
The little guy was looking around at his surroundings nervously, wide-eyed, almost trembling. "I'm good, I guess," he chattered quickly.
He eyed him warily. "Is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's like that most of the time," Antipode replied. "Don't worry about him."
"Okay..."
"Your name's Sonic, right?" he changed the subject as they passed the mess hall.
"It's more of a nickname, really. I run fast, that's what I do. So what about 'Antipode?' What's the deal with that?"
"Like you, a nickname," he blinked, and Sonic could see that his left eye was slightly discolored. "A long story to go along with it, too, but you probably don't want to hear that."
"You're right, I don't. I saw your sword before, you a swordsman?"
Antipode nodded. "Yeah. Not many people use 'em, though, that I've seen."
"You should go talk to Antoine," Sonic chuckled. "Here's our resident swordsman."
Antipode smiled. "Maybe I will."
He had been suspicious from the moment he had seen the echidna's blade. True, not many people used them, but he knew that someone did, someone who had participated in Robotnik's assault on Emerald Hill almost two years ago. That was the lurking mistrust that he felt, though he couldn't place it until now. Time to try and put his fears to rest.
"So, uh, how long have you been traveling again?"
He shrugged. "Oh, bout three or four years, give or take."
"That's a long time. Where you from?"
"Oh, some small-time settlement somewhere. You've probably never heard of it."
"Try me."
"Riverside Village?"
"Never heard of it." Antipode laughed. "How'd you find this place? We were fightin' Eggman for years and he never did."
"Got a lot of tips," he answered, flexing his gloves. "Actually found a few of your other bases, I think. They were just as skeptical as you, at first."
"Yeah, I bet. Which ones? I've probably heard of those."
"Oh..." the echidna rolled his eyes upward, trying to remember. "Zane, how many did we stop at?" The chipmunk shrugged. "Well, you're no help. Let's see, there was Rockquarry, Beachhead, the Pit..."
Sonic chuckled. "You went to the Pit, huh?"
Antipode made a face. "Yeah. Didn't stay *there* long. Then there was Greenport..."
"The SWATbots were before Greenport," Zane squeaked.
"Oh, yeah." He saw Sonic's questioning gaze and elaborated. "We got ambushed by a squad of SWATbots as we were coming into the Forest. No big deal."
Zane chittered. "Yeah, 'cept you almost died!"
Antipode rolled his eyes. "Dude, cut it out. I did not almost die!"
Sonic crossed his arms and grinned. "Sounds like a conflicting story ya got there."
"Okay, okay, here's what happened: We got attacked by the SWATbots, right? And then we got separated in the woods, and we had to fight 'em off. I only have my sword, don't use firearms. That's why Zane travels with me."
Sonic's eyebrows shot up again. Zane smiled, pulling back his jacket to show a large pistol strapped inside. The hedgehog shuddered to think what an obviously erratic individual was doing with weaponry.
Antipode continued. "Anyway, I can't hold off three SWATbots by myself with a sword in the woods, so I got smacked around pretty bad. Luckily, though, I must have been near a monastery or something, because these monks found me and brought me back to their place."
Sonic straightened. "Monks?"
"Yeah, Emerald somethingorother. Cornelius was the guy's name."
"Emerald Hill."
"Yeah, that's it," he nodded. "You've heard of it?"
"You could say that."
"Hmm. Well, they fixed me up and sent me on my way."
Sonic's skepticism of Antipode just rose three points. "When was this?"
"About two years ago or so. Wouldn't you say, Zane?"
"Man, I dunno. I've never been to the place."
"Whatever. About two years, I think."
Sonic breathed deeply. This was definitely something to tell Sally about. He'd show her his suspicion of their new "friend" was well-warranted. He tried to hide it, though, as he continued to guide him through the rest of Knothole.
"...And here's the lab. I'd show you inside, but Rotor and Tails are working on the... on something important." *Good save, hedgehog. Don't need to tell this guy any more than you need to.*
"Your camp technicians?"
"Yeah, you could say that. Rotor's actually in charge, but Tails... yeah, I guess Tails is a techie now, too. He runs the garage, pretty much."
"Tails?"
"Yeah, another nickname."
Antipode nodded. "Gotcha."
"You'll see when ya meet him. Okay, you've already met Sal, Lupe's out on guard duty... Which only leaves..."
As if on cue, the door to Georgia's hut opened. Antoine came out first, guiding her down the stairs. She looked around, though she still had that look in her eyes that she couldn't quite focus on her surroundings. She took his arm firmly, easing down the small flight of steps and onto the ground.
"This is Georgia and Antoine. Georgia's recovering right now, but she'll be back on duty as our close-team recon specialist in no time."
"That's awful nice o' you, sugar-hog," she smiled at him. "But I'm in no position fer duty any time soon."
"Antoine, well... what kinda 'specialist' are you, Ant?"
"Combat training, I would think," he grinned. "Seeing as how I am the only one to ever be hitting the targets in the firing range, hmm?"
"Hey, don't rub it in. I don't use the stupid guns, anyway."
"Which is why you fail," he gave a teasing sigh. "And who is this, may I ask?"
"Oh, yeah. This is Antipode. He's a new guy Sal's lettin' join the team."
Antoine raised his eyebrows. "Fresh blood, hmm? Anxious to see how you prove yourself, my friend."
Antipode grinned in return. "You the guy who uses the swords?"
The coyote reached over to pull his rapier a few centimeters out of its sheath. "Oui. Have an interest in swordplay, do you?"
He reached up to similarly pull his own sword out. "Yeah."
"Ah. Interested in a small sparring match, perhaps, to test your skills?" he asked, a smile on his lips. "For your 'initiation' to Knothole?"
"Um, I don't know about that. I'm kinda rusty when it comes to duels."
"So am I, mon ami. Are you afraid?"
"No way, buddy. Bring it."
Suffice it to say, news of the duel spread like fire through the camp. Everyone was getting pretty bored with the monotony that followed the war, and soon every Mobian in Knothole had gathered to witness the fight, like kids in a schoolyard. They created an arena of sorts in the courtyard, with Antoine at one end and Antipode at the other. Even Sally showed up, at first in question of the motives behind it, but Sonic convinced her that they were sizing up their new recruit, and everything would be done fairly.
When everyone finally arrived, the fighters stopped warming up and prepared to step onto the battlefield. Georgia held Antoine's hand tight, giving him a small peck on the cheek. "Be careful, sugar."
Zane turned to Antipode, lips puckered. "Careful, shuh-ger!"
"Shut up, dork," the echidna retorted and shoved him backward over the log he had been sitting on. He stood, sliding his sword from its sheath, then un-strapping the case and letting it fall to the ground. The least encumbrance he could manage, the better.
Antoine had his foil in his hand, practicing some lunges. He saw Antipode's sword, a long, slightly-curved katana. "If you wish, I have some extra rapiers in my quarters. They would be faster in a duel, non?"
"No, thanks," he shook his head. "I'm more comfortable with my own."
"As you wish," he shrugged and gave a quick salute with his blade. "Shall we begin?"
Antipode shifted his sword to his left hand, returning the salute, then flicked his wrist to spin the weapon around into a two-handed fighting position. "After you."
Antoine started slowly forward, blade ahead before him at the ready, left hand behind his back. The echidna watched him carefully, observing his movements, but standing his ground. With a burst of motion the first attack was made, a simple lunge that Antipode easily batted aside. There was sharp echoing ring as the metals met, then Antoine took a step back. He waited a moment before striking again with a slanted cut from his left, and a quick follow-up swing across his middle. Both were blocked fluidly, and they continued to watch each other, sizing up one another.
*He's testing me,* Antipode thought as he took a step backward. *Gradually increasing the level of his attacks, to see how much I know. Time to take the initiative here.*
He lunged forward, inverting his wrists to perform a circular upward move that came around to cross Antoine's chest twice. The first time he was pushed away by the other's blade, the second ended in a locking of their swords. Neither of their faces made a show of weakness as the battle of strength was initiated, until Antoine circled his rapier back toward him as he took a step backward.
"Very good, mon ami. Very good. How long have you been studying swordplay?"
Antipode was about to answer when he brought up his defenses again. Antoine made a swing at his side, which he parried. *He's distracting me with questions,* he thought to himself. *Have to stay focused.*
"A while," was all he said, too busy watching his foe to count back the years.
"You fight very well," he said, coming forward again to lay down a handful more attacks, simple moves he knew Antipode could block.
*Now what's he doing? Playing with me?*
"Not to intimidate you or something like that," Antoine continued, "but I have studied for fifteen years, including two under the tutelage of Grand Master General Santiago."
"Sorry," he panted, surprised he was out of breath already, "but that doesn't really mean anything to me."
Antipode didn't know if it was his comment that set him off, but Antoine decided now was the time to lay down the heat. With a flurry of motion he began his attacks, gracefully strung together and carefully planned. The echidna worked just as fast, parrying or evading each blow with a flick of his wrist, keeping his feet moving in the complex dance. After nearly a dozen movements Antoine stepped back once more, giving Antipode some space to breathe.
He stayed in the ready position, chest rising and falling as he watched the coyote, who seemed to have wasted no energy in the attack. "A little out of shape, hmm?"
"Haven't done this in a while," the other managed, flexing his gloved fingers around the hilt of his sword. Now came his turn to attack, and he did so slowly, watching Antoine's reaction to his simple moves. He observed his reaction time to his attacks, especially when he varied his moves in sequence, but found no obvious flaws to his methods. He was good, too good to be defeated by someone who hadn't engaged in a formal duel since being taught.
He finished his statement, stepping back again and waiting for Antoine's response. The coyote flicked the tip of his blade forward, making it bounce slightly. "You fight well, but you are indeed out of practice."
Antipode ground his teeth and let the comment slide. He was too tired to engage in a verbal sparring match as well.
"You do have an interesting style, though," he kept talking, now mostly to himself. "Who trained you?"
And again he didn't wait for the answer, launching into another volley of blows. After deflecting four Antipode angled his katana so that their blades were locked, taking the moment to look straight into his eyes. "Self taught."
With one strong pull both of the swords swung in a tight spiral, the rapier being spun from Antoine's grip to impale the earth two meters away. Antipode took a step back and lowered his sword, breathing heavily. Antoine looked with wide eyes to where his weapon had fallen, then turned to him and smiled. "Welcome to Knothole, mon ami."
He clapped loudly, and the ovation soon spread through those gathered to watch the duel. Antipode looked around and sighed. He didn't know if it was from the applause or the exertion, but he was about to pass out.
-=*=-=*=-=*=-=*=-
It wasn't long before Antipode had met everyone at the Knothole camp, either through formal introductions or just receiving congratulations from someone who had seen the fight. He felt somewhat lightheaded, and as soon as he could he sat down at the commons, and tried to relax. Sonic disappeared after the duel, but Antipode had a definite feeling that he wouldn't be seeing him a whole lot. The hedgehog didn't like him, for what reason he didn't know, but it was best not to step on too many toes, if he could help it.
The impressions from everyone else at Knothole were positive, at least. Sally was obviously grateful for his help, and he certainly had a "comrade-in-arms" of sorts in Antoine. Hopefully he could get Sonic over to his side eventually, but it would be best to take it slow, at least for now.
He and Zane sighed together. "Crazy, ain't it?" the chipmunk squeaked.
"Tell me about it," he chuckled. "And we thought finding the place would be the hard part."
"You always said finding it would be the *easy* part."
"I did? I should start listening to myself more often."
"Hey..." Zane craned his neck to look out into the courtyard. "What's goin' on?"
"Hmm?" Antipode turned his head to look. Sonic was there, waving his arms like he was directing traffic, getting everyone's attention. Sally came out of her office behind him, and he spoke quickly to her, gesticulating wildly. Sally answered something, then Sonic gestured into the crowd and walked away.
"Think we should go check it out?" Zane asked, looking up at him.
"Don't see why not," Antipode replied, sliding his chair back and standing.
The crowd was dispersing as the two crossed the courtyard in the direction of Sally's office. Sonic met them halfway. "Hey, you guys, c'mon."
"Where are we going?" Antipode asked.
"Sal's got a mission she wants you to come along on. Grab a pack, let's go."
The hedgehog walked quickly away, leaving Antipode and Zane to stand and wonder in the middle of the courtyard. "Um..."
"This way!"
They jogged over, Antipode coming through the door as Sonic threw a supply pack at him. He caught it awkwardly in both hands. Sonic grabbed another off the shelf and pushed past him out the door. He looked up to Antoine, who was fixing the straps on his own pack. "Don't worry, mon ami. Sonic is just a pain sometimes."
"Yeah... guess so."
The four of them met at the edge of the camp, near the forest path. "Okay, let's go."
They started off, and Antipode let the silence hang for a while before asking, "So are you going to tell *me* what this mission is, or do I hafta guess?"
Sonic sighed loudly. "We got a call from the remote outpost stations, say they saw somethin' weird. We're supposed to check it out."
"Oh," another pause. "Ya know, Sonic, if you don't like me you could just say so instead of making my life hell."
Antipode couldn't see his face, but he could sense he had struck a nerve. He could hear the hedgehog taking deep breaths, obviously trying to control himself. "What makes ya think I don't like you?"
"Oh, cut the crap, buddy. You haven't liked me since you walked into Princess Sally's office and saw me sitting there. And don't try to hide it now, cuz you've been doing a *really* bad job so far."
That did it. Sonic spun around to Antipode straight in the face. "Ya know what, you're right! I *don't* like you! Wanna know why? Cuz I had a buddy of mine killed two years ago, someone with strong connections in the resistance. Someone in the inside helped Robotnik hit the place, and it almost brought our whole rebellion to its knees! And now *you* show up, and all signs point to *you* bein' the inside guy!"
Antipode took a step back. "What the heck are you talking about?"
"Emerald Hill, that's what the heck I'm talkin' about! Cornelius, the monks, any of this ringin' the old bell?"
The echidna's eyes widened. "Cornelius is dead?"
Sonic scoffed. "Yeah, like you didn't know."
"I didn't," Antipode shook his head. "When was this? Two years ago?"
"Yeah, right after they 'fixed you up,' I think that's how you put it."
"I had no idea," he replied quietly. "Everything seemed fine when I left... All of them?"
"Yeah. There was no one left when I got there."
There came that dizziness again. "Oh, man... Dude, trust me, I had nothing to do with whatever happened there. I'm sorry if you think it was me."
"I still do."
Antoine stepped forward. "Give it a rest, Sonic. He says he had nothing to do with it. I believe, you should, too."
"You tellin' me what to do, Ant?"
"Call it a 'friendly suggestion.'"
Sonic inhaled and exhaled, then spun around and continued down the path. The rest slowly followed, obviously at more of a distance than before. Antoine sidled up to Antipode, his voice low enough that Sonic wouldn't hear. "Don't let him get to you. Sonic's just stubborn like that."
The echidna just nodded.
The edge of the forest was surrounded by a steep incline to the plain below. Sonic emerged from the trees first, standing as close to the precipice as he could and looking out over the vast expanse. There was a thick layer of clouds in the sky, and their shadows crept along the ground for miles in all directions. "Yep," Sonic commented. "There it is."
"There what is?" Antipode asked, scanning the ground below. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
"Right there," he replied, pointing two fingers into the sky. "See it?"
He squinted against the glare of the sun, barely able to make out an unnatural shape drifting in and out of the cloud cover. "What the...?"
"See it, Ant?"
"Oui," he answered solemnly. "Twenty bucks says who it belongs to, as well."
"You know I don't have the money," Sonic smiled, "and I'm not a bettin' man anyways. 'Sides, we all know who it belongs to."
"Who?" Antipode asked.
"Robotnik."
"I thought you said he was dead."
"Dude, if I had a dollar every time we thought Eggman was dead... I'd be able to take you up on your bet, Ant. Better call it in."
Antoine lifted a rangefinder to his eyes as Sonic reached for his radio. When the clouds parted enough he could see the markings on the side, along with one the freedom fighters had come to associate with Doctor Robotnik.
"Yeah, Sal? We found it. Uh-huh. Uuuuh-huh. Yeah, me too. Right."
He turned it off and turned back to them. "Let's head back," he sighed. "Guess the war's still on."
Antoine lowered the lenses. "What is he doing way out here? He's been awfully quiet these past few months."
"Who knows? Without his base of operations in Robotropolis anymore... maybe he's looking for more resources or somethin'. Ya know, before he starts at it again."
Now Antoine sighed. "Doesn't take a hint, does he?"
-=*=-=*=-=*=-=*=-
Doctor Ivo Robotnik keyed through his computer system, making sure all the material was loaded properly on his new warship, the Wing Fortress. It was skillful planning that he had all his major projects either completed or well underway by the time he had finished Doomsday. If he had been released from the Void under other circumstances, he may not have been so fortunate. But, by his luck, his flying fortress had been berthed in an airdock not far from the Tower Imperial, allowing him easy escape to it while he used the building's destruction as a diversion.
He had made rounds to all of his automated production facilities around Robotropolis since fleeing the city, where he checked on all of his worker bots and transferred their equipment to his ship, if necessary. His previous Doomsday machine had been a ground test, to see if the mechanics and such were constructed properly. Even though it had been destroyed, it had served its purpose.
His next creation would be truly a work of art, one so beyond the reach of the "freedom fighters" that they would be powerless to stop it. But he still needed one thing to make it complete.
He pressed a button, and a small holographic display shimmered to life, showing a small rotated gemstone. The Chaos Emeralds. If he could find enough of them, and harness their power to give life to his creations... he chuckled deep in his throat. These jewels were the key to everything he needed now. He would have to find them, and quickly. His arrival in the Wing Fortress surely could not have gone unnoticed, and it would only be a matter of time before he was again met with resistance.
**END OF CHAPTER**
MESSAGE FROM THE MAN: A Note on Season 3
Yeah, sorry about the ending on this one, it's really bad. It gets kinda "ho-hum" that they found Robotnik again, for the freedom fighters and for you, the readers, cuz ya KNOW I had to bring him back; I won't bother with any dramatics this time around.
By the way, for those of you wondering where I got the stuff on SatAM Season 3, here it is, courtesy of THE Sonic news source, SonicHQ (sonichq.org):
"...Snively tries to retake control of Robotropolis, but ultimately fails. On the verge of losing it all to the Freedom Fighters, he turns to "The Void", where Naugus is busy torturing Robotnik (and having fun with it) ^__^. Snively frees Naugus, and in the process also frees Robotnik & King Acorn! Now, Naugus assumes control, and starts his new command by trying to lure Sally into capture with the King as bait. Robotnik becomes Naugus' lackey. And Snively, now reduced to a simpering nobody, defects to the Freedom Fighters. Ben went on later to say that more developments would have come along between the relationship of Sonic and Tails, coming a little closer to the game relationship it strayed so far away from. Sooner on down the line in possible future episodes we would have learned of the origins of Robotnik and Snively, and also come to see a whole new ballgame for the FF's... And THAT is what WOULD HAVE HAPPENED in the third season of the Sonic cartoon..."
This is closer to canon than most stuff, so I chose to use it, with some obvious differences. Yes, I did have the Snively defecting stuff in my outlines, but took it out at the last minute, for continuity purposes, plus I needed SOMETHING about how Eggman comes back, lest the games get screwed up.
Speaking of the games, next episode is the Sonic 2 adaptation, w00t! That's Sonic THE HEDGEHOG 2, the good ol' Sega Genesis game, for those of you old enough to remember. Yesiree, now that Tails is a bona-fide freedom fighter, its time for him to show his mettle when he and Sonic try to get all the Emeralds before Robotnik does! Yeah for Tails! (I love Tails, in case you couldn't tell ^_^)
In other news, keep sending in those reviews. Got one from RamenNoodles not too long ago, so as per my word last chapter, we're now in talks for a cameo spot (and you thought I was joking about that, shame on you!).
Till next time,
-AE