This fiction is a parody/cross over of both Sonic the Hedgehog (property of Sega, using Archie Comic's universe) and Gungrave (property of Red Entertainment). I make no profit from it, and it is purely for the enjoyment of the fans, along with developing my writing technique.

Episode 04 – Maul / Seed

A group of villagers had gathered around the huge red motorcycle that Grave had ridden in on. They dispersed, of course, when the Wolf returned and roughly set his coffin down in the side car. The old machine groaned under the strain, but amazingly held. He was about to mount the bike when he heard a voice calling out to him.

"Grave! Grave, wait!"

He stopped and turned as Bunnie approached, casting a questioning glance in her direction. To her credit, Bunnie didn't immediately scold Grave for going on what was apparently a suicide mission without support. That waited until after she had slapped him, which inadvertently sent his glasses flying.

"You said you weren't gonna leave me! An' that's just what you were about to do!"

Unfazed by the slap, Grave shook his head before stooping to pick up his glasses. "I will return, because I will protect you."

"A lotta people've said that! Or something close ta that… They all got captured and Roboticized… Like Ah almost was…" Lifting her metal arm, Bunnie stared at it with little enthusiasm. "And… and Ah don't want to happen to you!"

"Bunnie!" Sonic quickly set a hand on Bunnie's shoulder, grabbing her attention with just as much force as calling her name had. "I don't think yelling at him will change his mind! Ease up!"

"But Ah --! …Ah guess you're right… Ah'm sorry…" Pacified for the moment, Bunnie took a step back and looked at the ground. The rocks and dirt there were extremely interesting until Grave's hand clasped her shoulder softly. "…Grave…"

"…You're rules say that you cannot use weapons, but Princess Sally does not see me as one of you… I can fight at full strength because of this, so don't worry." He squeezed her shoulder one more time before mounting the bike and starting it, the aged machine sending a choked roar that reached throughout the village as its engine began moving once again. "…Goodbye…"

The engine roared once again as Grave planted his boot on the accelerator. A cloud of dust followed him as he rode away, leaving Bunnie and Sonic standing alone. A short silence that followed was about to get longer, but a grunt from the blue Hedgehog ended it.

"Grave's got guts, I'll give him that! I'm going with him!"

Bunnie's head snapped away from the receding dust cloud, looking wide-eyed at her companion. "Sonic, are you out of your mind?"

"Nope!"

He smiled before dashing off, following the wolf's path. Bunnie bowed her head, grinding her teeth before crying out. "You're both idiots! And so am Ah!" Foot thrusters burning, she gave chase.

Syringes. They were everywhere, attached to mechanical arms along with a variety of other tools. They were not meant to help Ash, however. No, Dr. Robotnik would never allow his precious instruments to help the inhabitants of Knothole Village. They were created to serve their master, and they were doing just that. Though trapped in a tank and surrounded by a clear liquid turned red by the surrounding lighting, Ash still found himself thinking about Mina, and what he planned to do when the others rescued him. Others meaning the Freedom Fighters of Knothole Village of course. Unfortunately, his planning was interrupted by a one of the previously motionless Syringe arms moving to the side of the tank, where a vial waited. The needle entered the vial, pulling out the blue liquid before returning to Ash and plunging itself into his chest. Had he been able to, he would have cursed loudly at the madman sitting just beyond the glass, but something within the injection made him drift into a very deep sleep. That was when it started…

Grave stopped the bike a good distance from his target. It wasn't that he didn't want to be detected by his foe; he just wanted his ride home to be intact when he returned. That idea soon disappeared however, when his foe from the previous night rose above the metal skyline and began blasting his general area. This, unfortunately, destroyed the bike within seconds. On the bright side, Grave had just enough time to slam his coffin into the ground and use it as a shield before the energy bursts hit. The attacks bounced harmlessly off of Grave's coffin, often hitting the ground and sending huge plumes of dust into the air. The wolf waited until the barrage subsided, then lifted the coffin out of the ground as his guns shifted out of coffin holsters. With a speed that rivaled Sonic's feet, his mighty hands curled around the grips, yanked them out and began firing on the aircraft as the dust cleared away. With both the Left and Right head of Cerberus roaring as he repeatedly pulled the triggers, Grave centered his aim on what would have been the cockpit of the machine, hammering it over and over again with massive slugs specifically designed for the twin firearms. Even with the sheer power of these weapons the armor covering the Hawk barely bent in response, much less broke under the onslaught. Realizing this, Grave changed his tactics. Shoving the weapons in their respective hip holsters, he swung the coffin from its hanging position on his back to the top of his shoulder. The eyes of the skull blazed as the metal shifted, revealing a mean looking RPG Launcher in the opposite end while a handle and trigger mechanism popped out below it. Hunkering down, Beyond the Grave gripped the handle and raised his aim…

In his control room, Dr. Robotnik was only able to get one thought out before the Wolf pulled the trigger. '…This cannot be a good thing…'

Grave's entire body rocked with the recoil as the Grenade launched, rushing toward its target and slamming dead-on into the front of the aircraft as its shell was ejected from the coffin. Milliseconds later it exploded, destroying the entire front end of the machine before the blast died down. Needless to say, the Hawk sunk like a rock without its control systems to support it, letting another cloud of dust fill the air as it smashed into the ground. With yet another burning hulk of metal in front of him, Grave let the coffin return to its normal form and slid it to the resting place on his back. Almost unnoticeably, one of the lights on the coffin dimmed slightly. He pushed up his glasses before walking away from the warped remains of the machine Dr. Robotnik had so carefully crafted.

"…I liked that bike…"

With gloved hands he reached again for his guns, pulling them out of their holsters before letting them hang at his side. He moved toward what appeared to be the front gate, watching it with a piercing eye as he approached it. Grave paused as the gate began to move, sliding slowly into the ground with a wail akin to that of fingernails against a chalk board. The wolf continued walking, gaze sharpening even further as the gate finally reached bottom. A tunnel greeted him, one filled with Swat Bots armed to the teeth. He raised his weapons, aiming with deadly accuracy that could not be matched. That's when the bullet casing began to fall in a brass rain, and flashes of burning gunpowder accompanied by the thunder like echoes kept a steady beat as the battle progressed. Several violet beams shot out from the metal soldiers, but a well timed swing of his coffin deflected the deadly rays away. As the coffin swung back Grave shoved the Cerberus into their holsters and caught the massive weapon by the pistol grip, the end opposite of the skull bottomed out slightly with the machine gun end extended forward. There was no hesitation as Grave pulled and held the trigger, liberally spraying the lifeless soldiers with armor piercing rounds that punched through dozens of them at a time. When the last Swat Bot spasmed and fell to the floor in pieces, the mighty wolf released his coffin. The entire hallway, once filled with Robotnik's minions, was now littered with shrapnel. Wordless, Grave continued into the fortress, his nose leading him to the fear he had just created…

Sonic and Bunnie found Grave's bike burning in the wastelands. A bit mortified, Bunnie had immediately raced over to the remains in search of the Wolf, but stopped when she noticed the other burning pile of scrap metal.

"Well, I guess that proves he can take care of himself, eh Bunnie?"

She shook her head at the Hedgehog, smiling a bit as a thank-you. The echo of gunfire across the barren plains removed that smile, however. "We've still got to catch up, and from the sound of it, pretty soon!"

They raced on, following the path of destruction.

Grave was a blur of motion, firing in almost every direction as mechanical minions poured into the room. It was almost like a dance as he spun, sidestepping a roboticization beam, back-flipping over a rocket while destroying another tin soldier with a bite from Cerberus. His boots crushed half a dozen shells each as he landed, the twin pistols ejecting even more brass as he continued the attack. Before long the room was filled with smoke, the unmistakable smell of gunpowder, burning silicone, and sweat. Grave relaxed for a moment, letting his senses rest as he sniffed the air. Yes… his prey was close now. Just a few more rooms and Dr. Robotnik would be within his reach.

"Grave!" Bunnie's voice pierced the air, and he turned to see both her and Sonic cautiously approaching.

Sonic was all smiles, seemingly unafraid of their surroundings though he knew they were right in the heart of Robotnik's power. "Wow, man. That was some wicked gunplay. Where'd you learn all those fancy moves, Grave?"

"…Experience…" Grave shrugged, thinking nothing of it.

"Heh, should have known..." The blue blur nodded, smirking.

"…We're close. Be careful."

Bunnie nodded. "We will Grave. Sonic and I can handle ourselves if things get rough."

The Wolf smiled and turned, walking on. The two Freedom Fighters kept pace with him, eyes bouncing to every dark corner that they came near. Amazingly, there were no surprises thrown at them, only a huge metal door. One door wasn't going to stop the wolf however. With a few mighty swings of his coffin, Grave brought the door down.

"Wow. That's one heck of a knock! Anyone home…?" Sonic chuckled at his own joke, but suddenly stopped when he noticed the figure waiting for them on the other side. "Oh great. It's Metal."

The twin heads of Cerberus were locked on the metal being, which carefully eyed Grave in return. There was a deafening boom as two bullets raced from the barrels, streaking toward the mockery of Sonic. They never reached their target however, as an electromagnetic shield forced them off course. The Wolf grimaced.

"Well, looks like it's time for a little fun, eh Metal? Grave, you take Bunnie and go after Ro-butt-nik; I'll handle this fake!" Before anyone could voice disagreement or caution, Sonic charged at his nemesis. The two crashed together with a bang, their fists and feet swinging at speeds Grave had never thought possible. He didn't hesitate for more than a moment however, grabbing Bunnie's wrist and dragging her toward the next room at a full sprint.

"Hedgehog, your time has come to an end!" The mechanical mockery punctuated the remark with a massive roundhouse, which hit nothing but air.

"Not if you're going to use moves like that!" Sonic smirked, giving the robot a knuckle sandwich that sent it rolling. "Let's get serious Metal. It's been a while, after all, and I'd hate to disappoint Robotnik by not showing up before the fireworks are over!"

The fear was close. Grave could feel it filling the air as they approached the end of the hallway. Something wasn't right though. A familiar smell permeated the air… They stopped just after passing through the gate, Bunnie's jaw going slack at the horrid sight. A gate slammed down behind them, sealing the two in.

"Oh mah God… Ash!" Bunnie could still vaguely recognize his figure, even beneath the mass of muscle and spines that now covered his body. "…What in the world happened…!"

It struck Grave suddenly, the memories overwhelming him, forcing him to kneel from the pain in his head. Faces, thousands of white faces… Creatures created from Seed. Just like Ash had become. Still, there was hope if…

"Ah! I see my guests have finally arrived." Above them, Robotnik watched with a mocking grin. Grave looked up, still recovering from the burst of remembrance. "I would have thought that Metal would have slowed you down a bit more, but evidently not. Still, I'm sure you'll enjoy playing with my newest warrior Mr. Grave!"

The tank opened, and what had once been Ash stumbled out. White, furless legs supported the titanic form he had assumed. The glasses Ash once wore clattered to the ground, only to be crushed beneath a massive foot. His eyes were aglow with hellish light, red-hazed vision centered on the nearest prey. Bunnie…

…and Grave wasn't about to let anything happen to her. Stowing the Cerberus in the coffin, he leapt into the air and brought his coffin down hard. The beast blocked the attack with its forearm, countering with a punch that would have flattened any normal creature. Grave took it in stride however, vaulting over the haymaker punch like an Olympic champion and swinging the coffin around for another strike. This time its bulk caught Ash in the neck, knocking him to the ground. The blow wasn't enough to finish him off however, just enough to keep him down for a few seconds. A hidden compartment on the coffin slid open, revealing several strange looking devices… He grabbed one, removing the seal and revealing a deep red liquid inside of a syringe. With an accurate throw, the needle sunk into Ash's back and injected the fluid without problem.

"…What? What is going on here?" The mad scientist leaned forward, studying the strange happenings with his test chamber. Just what had the Wolf done?

"G-grave? What…" Bunnie edged closer to the giant, a bit fearful of its demonic form.

"Anti-Seed. He will return to normal if the change hasn't been completed."

"WHAT!" The doctor's jaw dropped. He slammed his fist down on the console, growling fiercely as Ash's new body began to return to the old. "…Darn that Fangoram! Why didn't he tell me there was a way to reverse it…? No matter. I have his DNA, so there's no need for the original!"

With the push of a button, several normally harmless gasses flooded into the chamber and mixed to form a deadly poison. The hair-raising hiss was more than enough motivation for Grave to make an exit. Jumping into the air, his coffin extended at both ends, splitting into thirds as the two end segments swung away. Braces shot out of them as Grave landed, facing the gate they had come in from. Huge rail guns extended from the ends, the twin heads of Cerberus acting as the triggers for them with the center segment of the coffin fueled them with power. Electricity crackled around the barrels before deadly bursts of light exploded from them, punching holes the size of a tank through the door.

"Woah…" Bunnie had kneeled next to the slowly normalizing Ash, trying to see if there was anything she could do, but the light and sound had caught her off guard. Robotnik too was impressed by the display of raw power, but hit it beneath an angry grimace. There was nothing more he could do.

Wordless, Grave picked up the unconscious Ash and hoisted him over his shoulder. The coffin's lights had gone out completely as it returned to its normal shape, but there was no time to notice or worry about what it meant. The two ran for dear life as the gas floated after them, threatening to envelop and strangle the life from both wolf and rabbit alike.

"Grave, do you know the way out of here!" Bunnie was yelling over the wind as the air rushed passed them, the noise almost deafening the rabbit as her boosters propelled her down the hallway. Grave gave an almost unrecognizable nod, but she trusted his instincts and questioned no further.

The battle had been a game of tag as Sonic and Metal raced around the massive complex, but the latter was slowly being worn down by the blue Hedgehog. With one last spin dash, Sonic sent the robot hard into the outer wall; so hard in fact that he broke through it. Metal crashed to the ground, weakened legs snapping upon impact with the broken earth below. Standing high above the defeated robot, Sonic gave it a satisfied smile.

"Nice seeing you again, bolt boy, but you'll never compare to the real thing. Now if I can just find… huh?"

Something caught Sonic's eye just before he left the makeshift window. There was a giant of a man pointing something at him from far off in the distance, and whatever it was had a big hole on its end…

"Holy--!" That was all the blue blur got out before diving to the side, barely evading a mammoth shell the size of his gut. Just avoiding it wasn't enough however. The round exploded on the inside wall with an enormous bang, sending shrapnel everywhere. A few pieces dug into Sonic's skin, cutting through fur and flesh alike. He cried out in pain, but managed to keep his head and stay still. The silence that followed was almost a blessing as Sonic's ears recovered from the unearthly noise. Hesitantly, he crawled up to the hole in the wall to see if his new enemy was still waiting for him. Much to Sonic's relief, the titan was gone. "What in the world was that…?"

Episode 04 – Maul / Seed fin

Episode 05 – Finality / Keeper is next. "An old nemesis. Animal and Man fight once more. Should the dead continue to live? This is a wolf's decision."