Jazzerman here, I do not own any of these characters, they are owned by their respected companies, blah, blah, blah. You've heard this sht before.

But I do own this story.

A Wily tale

Part 33

Lupe and her Wolf pack gaped in horror at the burned ruin that was once Knothole village. They had come to speak with Princess Sally, but now they all worried that they had all be captured by Robotnik and roboticized.

Lupe, however, was thinking more along the lines of; 'Why is Robotropolis in such a state...' Lupe then looked up at the foul looking tower, and frowned. "In all my days, I have never seen or heard of such a sickening structure..."

Lobo, Lupe's husband, and the rest of Wolf pack quickly agreed with Lupe on that point, and headed toward the tower to investigate. Not one of them knew what to expect.


Search man was on guard duty that day. The kind right head (Private) watched with a warm look as the children played outside on the grass, and the rough left head (Sergeant) kept an eye out for any trouble.

Rosie sat on a bench that had been provided for her, and she kept an eye on the young children. "It was nice of you boys to bring this bench out for me." The old chipmunk said.

Search man turned and saluted Rosie. "It is our duty and pleasure to serve the public trust!" Both heads said loudly and proudly, then returned to their posts.

"Look alive Private!" Search man's left head said, pointing towards the forest. "I'm detecting over a dozen unknown life forms approaching from the West!"

Search man raised his gun barrel. "Ready to fire if the targets are hostile sir!"

Search man turned on the built-in radio that was on his chest and waited a few seconds for a response.

"General sir!" The right head said. "We have several non-mechanical intruders approaching the main gate."

Search man paused.

"Understood." Search man said as both heads now focused on the forest line.

"Something wrong Mr. Search man?" Search man looked down to see the small raccoon he had met when the tower was first raised.

"It's probably nothing little miss. You go play with the others." The left head reassured the little girl.

"And if it is, I'll blow it to bits before it comes near you." The right head said, not taking his eyes off the woods.

Rosie squinted her eyes, "Oh that's the wolf pack. They aren't a danger at all."

Search man looked at the elderly chipmunk and then back at the woods. Then lowered his gun barrel. "I shall take your word madam."


"What do you see Leeta?" Lupe asked a younger wolf, Leeta was known for having some of the best eyes of the whole pack.

"There's some children playing in the grass..." The pink wolf said, squinting through the bush she was looking through the bushes. "Wait... There's a robot guarding the doors, and he's packing some major heat."

"Children playing and robot that was designed for war... This doesn't add up." Lobo said.

"This may be a trick." Lupe scoffed.

Leeta simply nodded in agreement, then leaned forward.

"You see something Leeta?" Lobo asked.

"Leeta's "I think it's Princess Sally!" Leeta cried.

Lupe squinted her eyes and stood out of the brush, allowing herself to be seen.

"Lupe?" Sally shouted, "Is that you?"

"Sally?" The wolf said coming out of the woods, then ran and gave the much younger squirrel a friendly hug. "What happened here since we last visited? We found out what happened to Knothole and thought you captured."

"It's a long story." Sally sighed, frowning from the panic she remembered of the attack on the village.

"Ah, I see we have visitors." Jonny said, stepping out into the sunlight, which shone off his polished metal arm.

Lupe sprang in front of Sally, teeth barred and eyes glaring. "I'll keep him busy, run Sally?"

Jonny gave the wolf a hurt look. "You wound me woman."

"Who are you? And why are you?" Lupe snarled, as the other members of the pack came to support their leader.

"That's... an even longer story." Sally sighed.

Jonny looked down at the two Overlander girls. The only other example of an Overlander had never seen was Robotnik and that midget of a nephew of his. He almost thought he was looking at two small human children. His heart sank a little as he remembered the memories of living with Dr. Light. One of the few good memories he had.

Lupe noticed Jonny as looking at the two Overlander girls. "That's Aerial and Athena." Lupe said, giving Jonny a look that was neither friendly or hostile. "You look like you've never seen another Overlander."

Jonny groaned. "You know something Sal, I'm really getting tired being called an Overlander despite how easy it is to mistake me for one."

Lupe raised an eyebrow and looked at Sally. "What does he mean Sally?"

Sally sighed, "He's not an Overlander Lupe, he's a being from a world called 'Earth' and his people are called humans."

"Surely you jest..." Lupe said.

Sally shook her head. "It's true. Jonny has five fingers Lupe, and his eyes are speckled with different colors. He's not from Mobius."

Some of the wolves looked at Jonny with curious eyes, they wanted to see these hazel eyes Jonny hid behind that pair of sunglasses.

"You're an alien?" Aerial, the blonde Overlander girl, asked looking up at Jonny.

"Huh, never thought of myself as that..." Jonny said, rubbing his chin. "I guess I am..."

"Can I see your sunglasses?" Aerial asked, as she pulled on the tail of Jonny's coat.

Jonny hated to refuse a request from a child. He looked up at the sky, a large cloud was blocking the sun.

'Excellent...' Jonny thought as he smiled and took off his shades, handing them down to the small girl.

Aerial put the sunglasses on and showed them to her sister, who smiled up at Jonny who in turn smiled warmly back.

"Um, Sally, who might this be?" Lupe asked, pointing behind Jonny.

"Hi Jonny." Ali-Su said as she put her arms around Jonny in a warm hug, she had snuck up behind the human. "How are you feeling today?"

"A lot better than when I got out of the hospital a few weeks ago, Ali-Su." Jonny said returning the hug.

"So your eyes aren't as sensitive anymore?" Ali-Su said as she broke the hug, motioning to Jonny's eyes. 'I love those eyes of his...'

"They only seem to hurt around artificial lights and in direct sunlight now." Jonny said, rubbing the sides of his head. "It's nice to finally take those things off for a little while."

Jonny rubbed his eyes, and when he opened them he saw that the leader of the wolf pack was right in his face, staring at his eyes.

"I've never seen eyes like yours, you clearly aren't normal by even Overlander standards." Lupe said, crossing her arms and backing up a little so she could get out of Jonny's face. "But you reek of machine oil, and machines have ravaged this land for over a decade. How can we be sure you won't turn on us?"

Jonny looked up at the sky again, the cloud wasn't going to keep the sun out of his over-sensitive eyes for much longer.

"Lupe, Jonny's helped us out a lot since we've come to know him." Ali-Su said. "He and his Robot masters defended Knothole when it was attacked, he then set us up in this tower when we had no place left to live. He then defended us multiple times from Robotnik and he himself decimated Robotropolis. He's a friend to everyone that opposes Robotnik."

Jonny blushed a little from Ali-Su's boasting, then caught a look up at the sky. "Aerial, can I have my sunglasses back please?"

"Sure thing mister." Aerial said with a smile that just didn't seem like it could possibly fit on her small face.

"Mister? Man makes me feel old..." Jonny said as he took his shades back from Aerial and put them on, just before the sun came out. He felt so strange around these Overlander children. Even though he knew they weren't human, a part of him still wanted to consider them thus. Either way, he liked their attitude.

"Lupe, can we go play with the other children?" Aerial asked.

"Of course, you two go play." Lupe said, smiling down at Aerial and her sister.

Aerial tugged on her sister's arm, and they both ran over to play with the other children.

"They seem very well mannered." Jonny said. "Athena seems a little quiet but that's might just be how she acts around new people."

"Ahem... Jonny, Athena is deaf." Lupe said.

Jonny flinched. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I hope I didn't offend you."

Lupe shook her head. "Like you said, you didn't know. So don't worry about it. If you don't mind me asking, how did you do what you did to Robotropolis single handed?"

Jonny looked away from the wolf, a look of shame was on his face. "It's... Not something I like to talk about."

"I understand." Lupe said, "But I'm glad you feel that way about such an act of destruction, even against the enemy. It shows that you are an honorable person."

"Thanks Lupe. That means a lot coming from you." Jonny smiled at the wolf, blushing slightly at her kind words.

"If it would not be too much trouble, would you mind if we camped nearby?" Lupe said, looking up at the giant skull that was in front the main door with a half disgusted look.

"Of course not. You may stay as long as you wish." Jonny said. "But you don't have to stay in the woods. We have plenty of empty rooms."

"A tempting offer, but we'll just camp in the woods." Lupe told him.

"Well, if you want to take a look around you're more than welcome to. And if you want to get something to eat, dinner starts in about an hour." Jonny made sure he said that last part loud enough for the rest of Lupe's pack to hear.

Some of the pack licked their lips at the mention of free food, while the rest of them walked off to set up their temporary camp. Only Lupe remained with the group.

"Jonny, how about we head over to the arcade?" Ali suggested, trying to look as sweet as possible.

Jonny laughed. "You just want to kick my butt in one of the fighting games don't you?"

Before Ali could respond a ring came from inside Jonny's lab coat.

"One second Ali." Jonny took out his black cell phone. "Yes? Who is it?"

"I got newssss bossss..." Came a voice with drawn out sibilants.

In an instant Jonny knew who it was. "Let me guess. A fight in the arena?" Jonny rolled his eyes.

"Yeah." Snake man rasped. "Sssskull man and Needle man are going to fight thisssss time."

"Now THIS I gotta see." Jonny quickly noted the looks he was getting from Lupe and the rest of her pack. "Thanks Snake man. I'll be there in no time."

"Another fight?" Sally asked.

"You guys are in luck, there's a battle in the arena. And Skull man is going to fighting, he's always a crowd pleaser."

"THAT sadistic lunatic?" Search man's heads both said in unison.

"It's tempting, but I have some paper work to do" Sally sighed. "I'll talk to you later Lupe!" Sally headed into the tower, grumbling a little about something too incoherent to understand.

"A fight between these robots? I'd be interested in seeing something like that." Lupe said. "I'll go tell the others, so they can come watch if they want to." Lupe then hurried off towards the woods. "Keep an eye on the girls for me!"

"Okay! Hurry though, the fight will be starting soon!" Jonny called to the wolf pack leader. "She seems very nice."

Ali-Su nodded. "Let's go get a good seat before they're all taken."


Later...

Ali-Su sat next to Jonny, "Aren't you going to announce the fight like you usually do?"

Jonny shook his head. "I'm tired of doing that. Besides they know the rules, and it's the same as always; they're going to fight until the buzzer goes off."

The stands were nearly filled to capacity with both Robot and Mobian, nearly all of them engaged in idle chit chat. Occasionally some mentions of bets could be heard, Skull man was the clear favorite to win, so few bets were taken.

Jonny noticed that Lupe and a few members of the wolf pack had taken seats in the front row. He was glad he had reserved them some of the best seats in the whole arena.

Both Skull man and Needle man were in the arena and the doors had just closed.

"I'm going to make you into a pin cushion!" Needle man taunted the skeleton robot.

Skull man said nothing, he just glared at Needle man with his blood red eyes.

The bell rang and Needle man charged at Skull man with the sharp spikes on his head pointed straight at Skull man. Skull man didn't make a single move until the cobalt robot was within arms length, Skull man simply side stepped and caught Needle man's leg with his own. Needle man's body skidded and rolled across the arena floor until he hit the wall with a thud.

Skull man drew his left hand into his own cannon and let loose a baseball sized skull shaped projectile. Needle man, with deadly accuracy, sprang to his feet and fired a large spike from his own cannon which went clean through the skull and pierced Skull man's shoulder.

"Had enough bone boy?" Needle man taunted.

"The fight's only just begun." Skull man said as he pulled out the spike that was embedded in his arm, with out losing his death glare on Needle man.


"Hi Amy!" Ali-Su said, surprised to see that her best friend was sitting behind her. "How have things been with you?"

"About as good as they have been with you from what I can see." The pink hedgehog said, smirking at how close they were to each other.

Ali-Su blushed. "I see you're sitting next to Star man again. You two official yet?" A smirk grew on Ali-Su's face.

Now it was Amy's turn to blush. "No, We're just friends... I'll keep trying to get Sonic."

Star man looked at Amy and laughed. "If that's the case why'd you want to have dinner together Ames?" (FYI: pronounced 'aims')

Amy blushed even more and began to stammer. "I... Uh, er.."

Ali-Su gave her a smile. "It's okay Amy. We all know how much you like Sonic."


Skull man released half a dozen more skulls, these however orbited around Skull man like flies around a piece of rotting fruit. Needle man charged once more at his ghoulish opponent, Skull man shot more skull shots only to have them pierced and destroyed by the spiked on Needle man's head. At the last second Skull man knelt down and launched himself over Needle man and landed behind him. Without a moment to loose Skull man shot the cobalt mining robot in the back. Needle man was knocked head over heals, leaving huge scratches in the floor where the spikes on his head had hit.

"This is a waste of my time." Skull man sneered. "I can read every move you make, so unless you plan on getting serious I suggest you surrender."

Needle man roared defiantly as began to shoot rapidly at Skull man, who strafed left avoiding each spike that hit the floor or wall behind him. Needle man's shots became more erratic as he began to get farther and farther off target. Skull stopped strafing and dashed forward and drove his fist into Needle man's face. Needle man growled and staggered backward, revealing one of his optics was cracked. Needle man resumed his assault and managed to catch Skull man in the right thigh.

Skull man's eyes glowed red for a second. "That's much better."

Skull man let loose a volley of cyber skulls that quickly orbited around Needle man. Whose attempted to smash the skull shaped projectiles with this fists, but ultimately made no success.

Skull man laughed and signaled the skulls, which instantly crashed into Needle man, who toppled over motionless.

The alarm sounded and the walls of the arena revealed the exits. Skull man said nothing as he shoved his way through the crowd that was meant to congratulate him, leaving them staring in confused silence as he walked toward the exit of the arena.

Jonny walked down from the stands and towards the crowd with his arms behind his back. "Guts man, Hard man, I want you to carry Needle man to the lab for repairs. Dust man you get clean up duty, but you can take your time." His commands were firm, but not threatening or arrogant. This was the way the Robot masters preferred best, they didn't mind following Jonny's orders.

The Robot masters nodded and set to their appointed tasks.

"Sal?" Jonny said, turning to the princess. "I just wanted to say thanks for not mentioning that I may have inadvertently caused the attack on Knothole."

"No problem. And how's that birthday present for Ali-Su coming along?" Sally said giving Jonny a sly smile.

"Oh, I'm making the necessary preparations." Jonny smiled back. "And I'll have things ready by tomorrow."

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks Macross-Green, I agree completely.

And thanksRock Raiderfor giving me the idea to put in the Wolf pack. I listen to my reviewer's ideas.