Hi, people! Sorry I took so long. I was failing Algebra, so I had to bid fair well to FF.N for a couple weeks. But I'm back and continuing Claws for all those who like it. When I said that I would be including X-Men in this, I meant that I would take certain things, like Lady Deathstryke from X-Men 2, and maybe more, and combine them into my story. I didn't include a disclaimer for the prologe, so here it is: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog character except Rena Prower. I do not own any of the X-Men material that I use in this fic. I own only the plot and Rena. If I find anyone using Rena without my permission, there will be so much hell to pay. That said, let's go to reviews.
Dark Qiviut: Glad you're here! I'm glad I recognize one of my reviewers! Glad you like it!
He's the only one so far, but I'm expecting more. Anyway, everyone enjoy this latest chapter of Claws! R&R!
Chapter 1: Deathstryke
Tails woke up on his eighth birthday like any other day. As usual for him, he got up and sat on the side of his bed, reached for a locket on his bedside cabinet, and opened it. Inside was a picture of two foxes, a girl and a boy. He knew the boy was himself, but the only reason that he knew the girl was because Sonic had identified her as his older sister. He could remember her, but not very well. He didn't even remember her name.
The door opened and Bunnie Rabbot came in. "G'mornin', shugah." She smiled at him.
He smiled back. "Good morning, Aunt Bunnie." He said before turning back to the picture.
Bunnie sat next to him. "Don' worry, Shugah-Tails. She'll be alright."
"I wish I could be so sure." Tails mumbled.
"Hey, don't worry." Bunnie smiled. "Did Shugah-hog eva tell ya how desperate yore sista was ta get ya safe?"
Tails' ears perked up.
"Shugah-hog found her kicking swatbot tail. When he showed up and turned the swatbots ta slag, yore sista ran ta check and see if ya'll were okay." Bunnie said. "Then she told Shugah-hog ta take ya somewhere safe. He protested, but she wouldn't take no for an answer."
She looked deep into the little kitsune's eyes. "Yore sista loves ya, Tails. She gave you the best protection she could, even if she had ta sacrifice bein' here with you ta do it."
Bunnie reached over with one hand, her real one, and closed the locket. "And Shugah-hog ain't givin' up on findin' her. Ya'll know how stubborn he is. So don' give up on seein' her again. Ya will."
Tails smiled.
"Now, speakin' of Shugah-hog, if we want breakfast, we'd betta get down to the mess hall." She said, getting up.
"I'll be right there, Aunt Bunnie." Tails said, also getting up. "Thanks."
A tall silver kitsune stood at the top of a hill, overlooking the small village of Knothole. It had taken her years to find it. If it weren't for planting a tracer of her own design on an extremely trusting coyote, she'd still be looking for it.
She took one last look down, making mental reminders of where the village was, before turning and running out of the forest.
She took out a communicator and contacted Robotropolis on an extremely secure frequency. On the screen, a large fat human appeared. "Ah, Lady Deathstryke. Report."
"I've found Knothole." Deathstryke said. "I'm waiting for new orders."
"Excellent." Robotnik said. "I want you to assassinate the princess and the hedgehog. Once they're dead, transmit the location so we can deal with the remaining freedom fighters."
"Of course." Deathstryke replied. "I can't afford to be caught, so I'm going into radio silence the second we cut off."
"Of course." Robotnic agreed. "I shall wait the good news." And he cut the communication.
Deathstryke smirked as she put her comm. Unit away and flexed her fingers, making several unnatural popping noises. She then took off at a run, back to Knothole. She'd have to wait a couple days to learn where Princess Sally Acorn and Sonic the Hedgehog were staying, but it was worth the wait. The more time she took, the more effective and thrilling the kill.
Later that day, Tails and his friend Cream, Bunnie's niece, were playing soccer in the village square when it happened.
Sally and Sonic were inside one of the nearby buildings during a meeting when Cream looked up and saw a fox girl on the roof. The girl was smirking sinisterly as the little rabbit watched.
"Tails!" Cream shouted. The fox boy looked at Cream, then looked at where the rabbit girl was pointing, just in time to see the fox girl give a shocked look, shake her head, and jump into the skylight, breaking the glass and landing on the meeting table.
The two kids ran forward and looked into a window, fearing for the adults inside.
Lady Deathstryke was looking down into the meeting from the building skylight. Smirking, she saw Princess Sally and Sonic, as well as the coyote that she had planted the tracer on. She flexed her fingers, popping them, and watched. They were unknowingly talking about her.
"We've got a problem, ya'll." Said the half-robotized rabbit. "Robotnik's been taking out our moles in his system."
There were murmurs of surprise. Up on the roof, Deathstryke smirked.
"Any info on how they were discovered?" Sally asked.
"None." The rabbit said. "One contacted me and was only able to say 'Lady Deathstryke' before the connection was severed."
Ah, yes. The pig that was supposed to be one of the most loyal servant to Robotnik. The coyote had proved her wrong.
Then things went unexpected. Someone below shouted, "Tails!" Startled, she looked down and saw two children, one a rabbit and the other a fox, staring at her in wonder and amazement. She was shocked, not only because she had been discovered, but also because the fox child had two tails. 'I know him form somewhere.' She thought.
She shook her head. Now was not the time to be strolling down memory lane. With her cover blown, she would never get close enough to the princess and the hedgehog. She had only one choice.
The glass shattered as Deathstryke leapt into the skylight, startling those inside. She barely registered the fact that the children had run to the window and were watching her. She landed on the table and immediately launched herself into a backflip, kicking the rabbit and sending her into a wall. She heard the children cry out the rabbit's name.
Deathstryke landed on the floor, but leapt into the air again as a blaster bolt from the coyote landed where she had been only seconds before. While still in the air, she executed a snap kick that disarmed the coyote and tackled him.
She smirked as the coyote under her trembled with fear. "What?" she asked. "No hello?"
Despite the fact that he was shaking with fear, she could see the confusion in the coyote's eyes.
"You remember me, don't you?" she asked seductively, tracing lines across his chest with a finger. "The fourteen-year-old fox girl who was sympathetic with the Freedom Fighters that you gave the chance to slip a tracer on you."
She reached for his shoulder pad and removed a tiny metallic device just as she felt the air move. "You see? Now, I'd love to chat, but I'm busy." She leapt up just as a blue blur went under her and punched the coyote by mistake.
She landed on the table and used the few seconds she had to scan the room before leaping out of Sonic's way again. The rabbit was starting to come to, but the coyote was out cold form Sonic's accidental punch to the face. The rest of the Freedom Fighters were scrambling to protect the princess, who was crouched behind the podium with a blaster. She also noticed that the two children were watching her every move with wide eyes filled with fear, yet awe.
She did a few back handsprings to the end of the table while Sonic stopped on the other end. They stared at each other for several seconds before Sonic said, "Who are you? How did you find this place?"
"I am called Lady Deathstryke." Replied the fox. "And as for how I am here, a coyote told me where to go. He's extremely trusting."
Sonic's eyes narrowed, then widened in surprise. "Wait, you're that girl! The girl who told me to take Tails!"
Deathstryke blinked, then smirked. "Nice try." She said. She raised her hands in a fighting position—and metal claws, each a foot long, came out of each of her fingers. "Say goodnight."
At the sight of the claws, all of the Freedom Fighters, including the princess, who never swore, all said the same words that pretty much summed up the situation. "Oh, shit!"