Chapter 2 Sally's past: The reality (8 years old)
"I'm smarter than you!" Sally exclaimed.
"Sez who?" Sonic asked.
"I say!"
"You say?"
"Yeah!" Sally shot back. "I do!" King Acorn walked up. The children stopped as the King approached them.
"What seems to be the problem, children?" The King asked.
"Nothing important, daddy!" Sally naively said.
"Nossir! We were just having fun!" Sonic added.
"I see." King Acorn replied, a little confused.
"I hate to interrupt, King Acorn. But, I have matters of urgent importance to discuss!" A stranger said from the shadows.
"Ah, Warlord Julian Kintobar! I've been looking for you. Run along, children! We'll settle this later." The King said as he motioned for the kids to leave him and Warlord Julian alone.
"Come on, Sal! Last one to the tree house is a rotten chilidog!" Sonic told Sally as she followed a short distance behind.
"We've a reception tonight!" The King said.
"A reception, Sire?" Julian asked.
"Yes, I'm announcing your appointment as Minister of Science. I've also approved your plans for dismantling the military! Implementation may begin at once!" King Acorn was looking to get rid of the military that Julian Kintobar's predecessor had built up and now that he had Kintobar as Warlord, he had no need for a military.
"Of course, Sire!" Julian attentively said. In the back of his mind, he kept thinking how great of an opportunity this was. He had plans, but he had to wait with them until the time was right.
"One more thing… it is imperative that the transition proceed immediately! I'm confident you're more than up to the task, Doctor Julian!" King Acorn said.
"Better than you know, Sire!"
"Very good! I'll see you tonight, then!" The King said as he headed towards the door.
"Alert the troops to be ready for my signal, Snively!" Julian said to his short assistant who stood to Julian's side in the shadows.
"Just say the word, Sir!" Snively said. In his hand, Snively held a small remote control of sorts. On it was one button; one button that would unleash the attack that had for so long been planned and rethought.
"The word is given, Snively… Commence attack… NOW!" At his mark, Snively pushed the button and Julian's army marched into the city from just beyond its border. At first glance, they appeared to be normal troops. But as they got closer, Sonic could tell that something was not right about them.
"Sal… it's like the war is starting up again! But, I've never seen troops like these!" Sonic said in awe. Sonic and Sally had been just a year old at the time of the first Great War and had been told all about it in school and had read about it. From what either could remember, these troops were very much unlike the troops that marched in the Great War.
"What do they want, Julayla?" Sally asked.
"As I'm at a loss to explain this, I think it better that we return to the palace and find Rosie, my dear!" Julayla, the Princesses mentor, said, "I'm sure the King is aware of the situation!" A startled King looked onward as Julian approached him.
"Julian! What's going on here?" The King asked. The royal guards of the King started to approach but were held back by a wall of the robots.
"Your Majesty… members of the royal courts… I've now assumed control! Henceforth, what was once known as Mobotropolis will now be Robotropolis, the capitol of my kingdom! My army of SWATbots have struck simultaneously at various key points all over the kingdom, virtually halting any chance of any resistance!" Julian said to the King, "That could change, however, if the royal subjects were to rally around the King and crown!" King Acorn had been raised to never give up and he had no plans to give up now no matter how bad it seemed.
"Give it up, Julian! You can't succeed!" The King exclaimed.
"The name is no longer Julian! From this day forward, I am Robotnik! As for you, King Acorn, I hereby banish you to The Zone Of Silence… forever!" Robotnik evilly cackled. Julayla, who had been standing on the balcony of her classroom gasped as she heard the words that Robotnik had spoken, carried in on the wind.
"Oh my!" Julayla gasped.
"Have you no honor, Julian? No sense of responsibility or loyalty?" The King asked.
"Oh, but I do! I have a responsibility to restore order from chaos!" Robotnik said, "And, with the aid of my latest discovery, I have the means necessary to carry out my plans! SWATbot, bring me the creator of this device! Sir Charles Hedgehog!" Robotnik turned to Charles, "After making a few changes to it, I will control the planet!" Charles then turned to the King.
"Sire, I made it so if someone breaks a leg or arm, I can roboticize that limb, but after Julian stole it and tampered with the controls, it completely roboticized my brother! You killed my brother!" Charles finished, turning to Robotnik.
"Now, you may join your brother in my army of robots! The machine will transform any living creature into a mindless robot, free to obey my every command and order!"
"Sally, Sonic, Julayla, Rosie run for your lives! Escape from this place!" The King shouted to the others. "This is Monstrous!" He said as he turned back to Robotnik.
"That depends on your point of view! In my version, you are the enemy and must be eliminated for the good of all!" Robotnik said.
"No matter how long it takes, Julian, somehow I will stop you!" The previous Warlord had had a lackey who was a powerful wizard. Using his magic and the tactical knowledge of Warlord Kodos, Ixis Naugus and Warlord Kodos had created the Zone Of Silence; a zone where sound failed to reverberate and light had no meaning. Kodos had an obsession with weapons of destructive power and had made several various weapons until his sudden disappearance just days before Robotnik was instated as Warlord. Once Warlord, Robotnik had discovered all the marvelously destructive weapons and gadgets that Kodos and Ixis had left behind; including the Zone, which at that time was contained within a wall.
"Courageous words Sire! But, where you are going that won't be possible! Open the portal! May I present to you The Zone Of Silence! Impressive, isn't it? Be sure to give Ixis Naugus, its inventor and Kodos, your former warlord, my regards! An unsafe journey, my once and former King!"
"I'll get you, Julian!" The King said as he was tossed into the Zone as if he was a scrap of paper thrown out a window.
"Long live, the King!" Robotnik cackled as the dream ended and Sally woke up.
(End of Chapter 2)