Back from the vacation, so since this would have been put up last friday I give it to you now, hopefully you didn't strain too bad over the wait, cause the one after the next chapter will be even longer.
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The fox sat down, a chilly dog steaming in front of him. It had been awhile since he had one, actually he couldn't stomach them much, which was why he only had one. They reminded him too much of his old friend. Though, if he was talking, maybe he could ignore what he was eating and just eat. Actually this would probably be the first thing he ate since that burger. To down it he had water, the only thing he could stand drinking really.
The Rabbot sat across from the fox, she had a salad, to which the fox raised an eyebrow. "I thought we were here to eat chilly dogs…" He stated.
"Well those things go straight to my little ol' thighs…" She stated with a chuckle. "You're only going to have one?"
Miles nodded, "I'm not really that hungry, and I kind of lost my taste for these, but it's food so… anyway, you put enough carrots in that thing?" He said trying to change the subject.
The rabbot laughs. "Well I'm a rabbit sugar, what ya'll expect?" She said as she took a fork and started to chew. Effectively making the room silent, as Miles had suspected everyone else was either sleeping or not hungry. He decided to take a bite, if not for his sake of nourishment then for the sake of appearing as if nothing was wrong with him and nothing was on his mind.
However, as he bit into the bun and spicy bean sauce, he found himself suddenly flooded with memories of Sonic and himself enjoying the things. This was probably why he hadn't eaten one in so long. He remembered trying, but he'd go to open his mouth and he'd have to pull it away as the aroma hit his nose. It seemed to be more nauseating than appetizing. How he was able to do it now he didn't know, but now that it was in his mouth he had to chew it, he struggled as the substance broke down in his mouth and then he forced a swallow, the food burned down his throat causing him to tear a bit as the heat seared through his throat.
Bunnie noticed how Selim was struggling to eat the chili covered hot dog. "Sugar, I could always get you somethin' else if ya'll don't like it." She wasn't dumb, she could guess that there was something on the vulpine's mind. She watched as he shook his head and let out a weak. "I'm fine." He stated as he took a swig of water, to settle the burning in his throat.
"So what's on yer mind sugar? You keep to yerself all too much, and it makes me just as curious as a little ol' kitten." She stated, leaning on her organic and metal hands.
Selim looks up, whipping his hand across his eyes and sniffled, he wasn't sure if he was tearing up because of the memories of his old friend, or if it was the pain in his throat from the heat. "The princess said I shouldn't…" He said simple as he looked down at the hotdog with a bite in it.
The rabbit's soft paw came across the table and came to rest on the fox's. "Listen Miles… ya'll know that I know about Sally and sugar hog. I want to help, anyway that I can." She looked across at him and the touch of her hand made him look up into her eyes, which seemed to pierce into his very soul. He knew that she was drawing out what he could feel through the eye contact, but once he was locked he felt the wall crumble, he couldn't understand what it was about it.
He sighed and looked down. "You understand that if I tell you anything that I could be making things worse." he stated as he shook his head.
The paw patted the fox's, she then sandwiched it between her other paw. Metallic cold ran through the vulpine's arm causing him to shiver a bit. Bunnie hated it when that happened, it was hard to softly touch someone when her skin so hard. She retracted the paw quickly, and apologized.
Selim looked up at the rabbot and held the metallic paw with his own. He couldn't feel the chill in this one and he smiles. "Listen Bunnie… I know you've been through a lot, and you really care for Sonic and Sally… as do I, so let me help them, and trust in me ok."
Bunnie sniffles a little. "I'm sorry sugar… I was nosin' in, I do trust you. You bring out the best in all us."
The vulpine sighs. "Is that what I brought out in Sonic? That seems to be the worst state I've seen him."
The rabbit shakes her head. "No I guess not, but Antoine, that's the most noble I've seen him be in a great while, and I know lotta the Freedom Fighters respect you, I know I do sugar." She smiles.
"Thanks, It's good to know I have someone who believes in me, Sally thinks that I won't be able change anything, she doesn't want to know about what'll happen." He stated.
Bunnie looked behind Miles and saw that Roy was coming into the room so she answered as best as she could. "Sally-girl has a lot of pressure in her position, and it's hard to think of what could happen, though she plans it out. She'll do what she does best, and your presence has already changed a lot. How are you doin' Roy?" She said looking over the fox's shoulders as the kangaroo approached.
Miles looked over his shoulder to see the kangaroo. He wondered how long he had been standing there, but he was sure that Bunnie wouldn't have said anything to compromise his cover while the marsupial was standing there. "I've seen better days that's for sure." The Australian accented voice stated. "Sally said she wanted to talk to ya." He said looking to Selim as he sat down. "What ya eatin there mate?"
"A chilly dog… you want the rest?" Selim asked placing it back down on the plate.
"Nah, yankee food don't quite sit well with me." He said with a laugh, "And obviously it isn't sittin well with ya, so I best not stomach it." His face then sobered up. "You're not thinkin' that what you did back there was nothing are ya? You did great mate, knocked that big ol' squeaker for a loop ya did." He says smacking the fox on the back.
Selim stood up and nodded. "I'm sorry about what happened to Jerome back there… I feel as if I could have saved him."
Roy looks down, "Listen, me and him were best mates, we been together since we were teeny whelps, I joined the Freedom Fighters after that big ol' jalopy was brought down. Jerome came later, when he realized that even though Robotropolis was far away from Downunda, it would spread if we didn't do somethin' and today was his part. He knew it was his time, and his father would be proud."
The fox nodded, it made him wonder, if his father was proud of him, his real one, wherever he was. His foster one would never be proud of him; no matter what he did he'd always be a freak of nature, an outcast. However, here he was accepted, and people were proud of him. He would not let his younger self lose his family. He smiled, "I'm proud of him, he was a good friend." He stated before walking away leaving Roy and Bunnie alone.
The kangaroo smiled halfly and looked to the bitten dog. "Well, can't stand to see food being wasted." He stated as he slid the plate his way making the rabbot chuckle a bit.
-------The fox walked into the room, he saw Sally, Rotor, and his younger self sitting in the room. They were looking at some contraption in the technical room. It took him a bit to find them he forgot to ask Roy where she was but he asked around. The room was in the cavern walls away from the village center, it had cameras on all the entrances, and the central pillar. Usually Grif and Dirk and other higher powers were the only ones who had access here, but Sally and the others were given access.
Sally looked up and walked to the older fox. "Selim, we have a job for you, we're trying to get more power to the life support system since there is more residence here. I want you to help them out with it; if you can then see if you can't find a way we can still use the power rock for making rings." She said before walking out. "I have another meeting to attend."
Selim looked over to the squirrel as she left. "What are you guys up to?" he whispered to her. "I hear rumors of a counter-strike; a final strike against Robotnik… is it true?"
The princess looked at the older vulpine and nodded, "We'll talk about that later Selim, I still have to make plans, I'll let you know further details as they come out…" she said as she moved away.
He wanted so badly to follow, to find out the plan. He did the math, if it happened within the next three days, then it would still be the exact same time that Sally and Sonic died in his time. The dread filled him, he would have to find out more about this plan as soon as possible, and if it is the same as the one he remembers he would have to do something. It looked like his fight to save his greatest friend was not over just yet.
He moved to the center of the room, Rotor and Tails smiled as the vulpine came in and looked around, it was a technical marvel that was for sure. He knew it though, how the thing worked, he could think of what needed to be done, and it would probably take him until sunset without stop, which would suit him just fine, then he could figure out what Sally had up her sleeve and he would help anyway he could, even if she didn't want it.
"So what have you guys got done so far?" He asked as he went toward the two who seemed to be stuck on figuring out how to get such an allocation of power to be done. Selim knew that with them working on it, not only would the town be able to support the populous, but it could also give a new ring every thirty hours. That was the best he could do under the circumstances. Since the ground squirrel treated him like someone who couldn't be trusted he would go against her wishes, and though not reveal his name, he would show an engineering prowess in which even Rotor would have never seen before.
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"What the hell is going on down there?" A gruff voice said over the communication system, which could only belong to the red echidna Knuckles. Sally, Sonic, and Grif were sitting in the room at the time. The squirrel decided that they might need the help of their new ally in order to pull off what they had planned, and maybe the help of that mysterious yellow hedgehog that Sonic turned into while giving chase to the master emerald after Death Egg was destroyed.
Little was known of the Chaos Emerald's power, even Knuckles didn't know everything, and just that it was his job and duty to guard them and the Master Emerald with his life. Sonic was still unsure if the red guardian could be really considered an ally, after the 'help' he was on the Floating Island. The voice of the echidna continued, "All of Mobius could see the smoke rising, that damned Robotnik, he won't stop until all life is destroyed will he?"
Sally nods, "That's why we need your help Knuckles, we think that when Sonic became enriched with power it was from the seven emeralds being together, we want you to bring them to Robotropolis in two days, that is if it is alright with you."
The red echidna had to think for awhile, and Sonic became impatient. "Come on Knuckle-head, we don't have all day." Sally glared at the blue hedgehog.
"That's it! No one insults me and gets away with it, no way am I helping…" Knuckles growled as he was about to shut off the communication link Grif stepped in.
"Hey there, Knuckles was it? How about you bring us the emeralds, and you can hit Sonic when we're all done… what do you say?" He said with a grin.
Now the guardian was interested. "Really?" He smiled. "Ok, if that's the case, I'll do it, you better not be tricking me…"
Grif shook his head. "One good wallop across the face, no strings attached, other then you be there with the emeralds."
Knuckles happily agreed and with that everything was sealed. The communication was cut and Sonic looked at the goat with a frown. "Why the hell did ya do that Grif?"
Sally sighed. "Because you didn't keep your mouth shut, you almost ruined everything Sonic, can't you remember we're all in this fight together. We know you and he haven't had the best introduction, but that doesn't mean you have to continuously fight him. Use your head Sonic Hedgehog."
The blue rodent sighed. "Alright Sal, I guess you're right. If this plan works it won't even matter anyway, it'll mean the end to Robotnik for good."
The hedgehog usually would think of that as a double-edge sword for himself. He would pass into obscurity since he no longer had to play hero. However the fact that he had lost so much, his home, the trees and freedom that came with the Great forest. He already missed the aspect of being able to run in all directions. North, South, East, West, the world was his track. Now he had to follow a set pipe system, his directions guided by the direction of the pipes, his movement restricted. This restriction more then anything else drew him to want to finish this once and for all, just like all the other Freedom Fighters.
Sally turned to leave the room and then stopped suddenly; a fox leaned against the door and was peering into the room. "Princess." He said with a simple nod.
"Selim," she said with a bit of surprise. "Aren't you supposed to be helping Rotor and Tails with the life support system?"
The fox smiled. "We've already finished Sally, it's working beautifully. I told you, my old girlfriend was good with technical things, she taught me a lot about them." He stated his former lie, the same he did with his hand.
He heard all he needed to hear. Saw all he needed to see. Things were happening like they were, like they did when Sonic and Sally died, and he knew he had to do all he could to intervene.
The fall season is coming to a close and only one more chapter remains, which will be put up on 12/10. As always continue to review and I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving.
