Disclaimer: BSD and i do not own Sonic and co.

A/N: I took your advice miss and i have (or going to) fix the chapters. I would advice you to read the other chapters again, please R&R, If this story gets at least 2 more (nice) reviews ill do 2 chapters on Sunday, anyway enjoy...

Tears of Blood; Chapter Four

Sally continued along the path. Each step seemed to take all her strength. The bleeding on her forehead had stopped a bit but blood still got in her eyes. She went to raise her other arm, when she winced in pain screwing up her eyes and opening her mouth in a silent yell of mute pain. Once the pain subsided she continued on. Everyone would be saddened to hear the news of the sacrifices that the Freedom Fighters had made. All that is except for King Acorn. He would probably find joy out of some of it. To hear that Sonic had fallen. "Daddy never did like him." Sally said to herself. She was now limping a bit more now after her little encounter with that stone earlier. Sally raised her head to see how far she was from Knothole Glade. The forest was still a great green blob in the distance. Sally didn't want to look behind her. At Robotropolis, that city of evil and death. Sally lowered her head once more and continued to trudge onward. She remembered that a few weeks passed without incident, then they got a communiqué that sounded interesting while at the same time, Sally was summoned by her father. It started with her getting word that her parents were coming back from there trip over Mobius.

Sally came out of the Comm. centre having checked what the dish had picked up. It was mostly radio chatter. But she had found something interesting. It was a message to tell of an incoming shipment of parts for many of the factories as well prisoners for the robotizer. Sally entered the planning room, eagerly forming a plan in her mind, when tails walked up to her.

"A guy in a uniform came by earlier and left this for you." Tails reported. "Thank you." Sally said as Tails went back to the sofa to continue reading his comic.

The paper was decorated with very ornate hand writing. It was sealed with a wax seal of the House of Acorn. Carefully opening it, Sally found a letter written to her from her father;

To my dearest daughter. I hope this letter finds you in good health Alicia. Me and your mother have finished our tour of Mobius and wish to see how our beautiful daughter has developed. We request your attendance as we have rather pressing matters to discuss with you. Be safe my darling daughter. Your father, King Acorn.

Sally had to leave right away. As Sally was going to leave to write up a note to post on the main bulletin board, Sonic came walking in.

"Hey Sal, some.." Sonic spotted the letter in her hands. "Never mind."
"Sonic, I have to go see my parents. I'm leaving charge of the base to you."
"Right'o Sal." Sonic replied. "When will you be back?"
"I shouldn't be too long."
"O.k. Stay safe Sal." Sonic said.
"Keep an eye on the Comms. While I'm gone." Sally told him.
"You can count on me." Sally gave Sonic a quick goodbye hug and left.

Outside she found a coach waiting to take her to the palace. After a quick 20 minute ride, Sally arrived at The House of Acorn, alighted the carriage in the courtyard and was taken before her father. She entered the royal chamber and curtsied to her father.

"Welcome back, Alicia." Her father spoke. "You may leave us."
The guards turned and left.
"So how is my little Princess?"
"I'm fine Daddy" Sally answered. "how was your tour of Mobius?"
"Very eventful my dear." The king replied. "Now I have some business that includes you."
"What type of business is it Daddy?" Sally questioned her father.
"Now I know that you are a fragile child, after what happened last year, So I'll try to be as brief as I can. I wish to talk about marriage."
Sally was stunned. "M-m-marriage."
"Yes, I wish to find a suitable man for you after what that beast Sonic did to you in front of all of Knothole." King Acorn spoke. "And I believe that the most suitable man would be Antoine."

At the mention of his name Sally felt giddy. Her father had for a long time wanted her to marry Antoine.

"But why daddy?" Sally asked
"Now, now my girl. Antoine distinguished himself in the war. You need a man that look after you. Not like that beast Sonic." The king uttered with disgust in his voice.
"Yes I guess you're right." Sally said. She didn't want her father to find out that she had been seeing Sonic for the best part of two and a half weeks.
"Have you seen that ruffian lately?"
"No daddy, I haven't." lied Sally.
"That's good, because if he did he would wish he hadn't."
"Is that all you wanted to speak to me about?" Sally questioned.
"Yes, that is all. One more thing Alicia. Now that me and your mother are home it would be nice if you could spent some time at home."
"I will daddy. Farewell."
"Farewell Alicia my daughter."
With that, Sally took leave of her father and re-entered the coach.

After Sally got back to Knothole, she counted herself lucky that her father didn't suspect anything. As she re-entered the base, she found Sonic waiting for her.

"I saw your carriage when I was out on one of my runs." He told her. "Anyways I found a tasty piece of info that you might like. It concerns a shipment of parts as well as prisoners."
"Go on." Sally said.
"Well they'll be moving the parts through the Southern region while the prisoners are going to be shipped through the Northern region." Sonic finished.
"Have you sent word to the other Freedom Fighters in those area's."
"Rotor was going to do it. He must've finished by now." Sally felt more relaxed.
"So what did the King want?"
"Oh daddy wanted nothing in particular." Sally said.
"Did you tell him about us?"
"No, not yet. Besides, he still doesn't think very highly of you." Sally told him.
"Why, what did he say?" Sonic asked, now getting a bit flustered.
"O, nothing. That he called you a bad choice for me."

Sonic was silent for a moment. "Don't you worry. He will see a definite change in you." Sally said.
"I hope so. I would hate to lose you. Like I did last time."
"I'll tell daddy when the time is right." Sally reassured him. "When are the operations going to go ahead?"
"The operations are going to go ahead in 2 hours time. Every ones ready, the other Freedom Factions are going to provide us with remote cameras so that the data collected can be used for training purposes."
"That's a good idea, who came up with that?" Sally asked.
"One of the Northerners, you know how they always brag about being 'on the front of technology'." Sonic said.

Sally laughed at Sonics impersonation of a Northerner. Sally had to admit that they were stuck up but they were the best allies she and the others had. "Let's go inside, I'm feeling a little hungry." Sonic said. "You read my mind." Sally replied. So, hand in hand, they walked back into the base. After a meal of poached eggs, waffles and bacon, for Sally and five chilli dogs for Sonic the Freedom Fighters got a call over the Comm. To say the operation was to start.

"That's odd." Sally said, looking at the clock. "There's still an hour before the operation." Everyone moved to the Comm. Centre to get a better look at the remote camera feeds. Sally, Sonic, Rotor, Bunnie, Tails and Antoine gathered to see how the missions would go.

The attacks were to be launched separately. First would be the northerners and the prison convoy, then the Southerners and the spare parts supplies. Everyone was glued to the top monitor which showed a small valley. The convoy came into site. As the prison barges got close to where the Northerners were, they sprung out of hiding and charged down the mountains toward the few Swatbot sentries. But as this was going on, the spare parts had also reached the designated target spot, and the Southerners charged. Something was not quite right,. The convoys were supposed to have a ten minute delay but they arrived nearly both at the same time. As the southerners charged the supplies, the Northerners were busy dismantling the Swatbots. Some of the Northerners had got to the prison barges and started to free the prisoners. The Southerners had engaged the Swatbots and a fierce melee started. Most of the Swatbots on the supply route had been smashed to resistor and diode pieces.

The prisoners were slowly being released from prison convoy when something happened. As the Southerners were getting the upper hand, one of the barges popped open and out poured a load of new robots that none of the Freedom Fighters had seen before. It looked like a Swatbot but not as flimsy. As the Southerners started at this new enemy, they opened fire. No sooner had the bots appeared then some appeared in the prison convoy as well.

The radios were clogged with messages from the panicking Faction members. The battle raged on. The Northerners only had to get the last two prison barges open. They had taken heavy casualties but they held out. The Southerners weren't doing too well. They were rapidly losing men. The bots, although outnumbered had superior fire power on their side. Soon the order to retreat was called. The southerners made for the hills. The northerners mean while had opened the last of the prison barges. They had managed to take a few of the new bots down, but now that the prisoners had been freed they called the retreat. The Southerners weren't so lucky. As they ran the bots cut them down. Soon both battles ended. Both sides had taken massive casualties. The Northerners had lost nearly one third of there men in the raid, but most of the prisoners were willing and eager to sign up according to the update that was broadcast to them. The southerners weren't so lucky they were slaughtered to the man.

Everyone watched in silence as they watched the bots pick through the corpse's. The northerners had switched their remote camera off, and the TV screen showed a snow-blind pattern. But everyone was glued to the bottom monitor. They watched as one of the bots came over, bent down to look at the camera and then bring his foot down on it.

Everyone just stared at the two blank monitors. Sally advanced and turned off the monitors.

"What happened Sal?" Asked Sonic. "I-I don't know." Sally replied.

"There's nothing more to see. It's a sad day, a sad day." Rotor spoke as everyone filed out of the Comms. Room. Sonic and Sally were the last to leave.

Sally had folded her arms in front of herself. She was afraid. Sonic came up and put an arm round her. "Something troubling you Sal?" Sonic asked.
"Those Swatbots were too organized and those new Swatbots."
"I know. It seems if they were expecting us." Sonic said.
"I guess we underestimated them. I mean we didn't really know what was in those supply barges except spare parts. And the prison barges were likely to be heavily defended. If Dr Robotnik is making some new Swatbots then we had better be careful." Sally responded. She shivered slightly. "Here, let me get you a hot drink. " Sonic said. "You just got a nasty shock. We all did." And with that he took Sally toward the Mess hall to keep his word.