Chapter 6

A warm wind coursed it's way through the trees surrounding the village of Knothole as the triumphant group returned, with Bunnie shouldering the full-sized girth of the Mobanana Tree on her shoulder. With a hefty grunt, she heaved the weighty wood into a plot of land set aside for crops, brushing her hands off afterward.

"Ah reckon with some tender love and care, we'll have a whole new grove to feed this little village of ours!" Sighing deeply and wiping her forehead, the rabbot turned to rest with a content smile, soon focusing her gaze on Antoine. "Sally-girl...Nicole... I think me and Sugar-twan are gonna have a little heart-to-heart if ya don't mind."

Nicole's eyes drooped as she stared at the flashing green light emanating from her chest. Her and the chipmunk nodded silently to each other, with the latter once again propping the lynx onto her shoulder as they headed off towards a nearby hut. Turning back to her friend once more, Sally waved with a wide smile and cried out, "Don't have too much fun, you two!"

We'll see about that, Sally-girl...

–

Antoine was beside himself as he was led down a short trail just off the road leading out of the village. Bunnie gripped his wrist tightly but gently as they went, thankfully with the non-robotic limb. For all he could ascertain, there was no sign of anger or disappointment in her mannerisms, and a spark of anticipation began to grow within him!

Arriving at their destination, the area around had a degree of familiarity but the coyote scratched his head as he struggled to understand why. It soon dawned on him. as Bunnie rapped the side of the massive oak before them, where they were! "Congratulations, Antoine. I think you're ready to graduate from yer self-defense training."

His eyes widened as she presented him with a black cloth belt with a coy smile! "Oh! This is..." In his excitement, he immediately flung himself into a series of exaggerated chops and kicks as the rabbot took a few steps away from the audacious display! "Ha ha! I did it...! I am now a master of 'King-Fu'!"

Suddenly, he felt a peck on his cheek from Bunnie, and turned to see her blushing heavily. She moved to cover her face in embarrassment and the guard caught her wrist and, in one swift movement returned the gesture. Bracing themselves up against the tree, the half-metal lady raised a finger towards him with a warm expression. "Now, now. We can save that for later, Twan... We've got a ol' family recipe to make up for the others."

"Ah, oui! We must enjoy the fruits of our labor, non...?" He stood up and brushed himself off, tugging at his collar as Bunnie began to head back down the trail leading back. She giggled and turned back with a wide-eyed look.

"You actually got that phrase right, Antoine! Ah'm impressed, sugar!"

He bowed before her with a sly grin as he picked up a nearby fallen branch and began to make small thrusts with the improvised weapon.

"I'm a new man, Bunnie! Sonic is going to have trouble keeping up with this one, mon cheri!" She instantly buried her head in her good hand, and rolled her eyes in response, as the coyote smugly grinned at the rabbot. He radiated with a glow of self-satisfaction as he brought the "rapier" up to his elongated muzzle, stopping just short of the tip of his nose.

"Now I know how Sally feels about this kinda thing! Sheesh!"

–

"What's all that noise comin' from over there?" Sonic mused aloud as he witnessed a small crowd gathering around Bunnie's hut. Sniffing the air, he caught the hint of something new...and delicious. Licking his lips, he sped off and cleared a pathway for himself through the growing mob of Mobians. The sweet aroma of freshly baked bread and sugar assaulted his nostrils as he watched the rabbot pull off the cloth covering the mysterious dish!

"Wow! What is that!?" He exclaimed as he felt a tap on his shoulder, spinning around to see good ol' Antoine staring him down with a scowl. Gesturing backward, the hedgehog could feel the weight of numerous irritated looks from those lining up to taste test this recipe!

However, that was not the only surprise awaiting the young man, as he watched Antoine walk up to Bunnie and plant a kiss on her cheek! "Whoa! Hold up! This can't be happening..."

"Isn't it romantic, Sonic?" The voice of his chipmunk sweetheart reverberated in his brain as he struggled to come to grips with...whatever this was!

"I'm gonna chunk, Sal. What did he do to get on her good side?" Sally giggled at the hedgehog's reaction and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Believe it or not, Antoine's a big time hero now." Sonic crossed his arms as the two slid back into the crowd, heading toward the back of the line, catching the rabbot drawing in the coyote for a embrace as they kissed each other on the lips!

"Oh man. That's what I get for sleeping in...!"

–

The young boy picked himself up from the brushes he fell into as blaster fire hurtled over his head. As he ran, tears streamed from his face as he struggled to grasp the tragedy now befalling them! He was leaving his family, his home and everything he wanted to be, as it all came crashing down around him. His foot caught a stray root of the old tree he and his father had practiced underneath all those years. In one act of betrayal, that same oak sent him hurtling down the nearby hill as he tumbled head over heels down the incline!

Coming to a rest at the bottom, Antoine struggled to get to his feet as he felt the pull of two yellow-furred arms yanking him to a standing position. Through a bout of dizziness, his vision began to focus as the figure of a young lady rabbit came into view! "Bunnie...! Oh, it is nice to see you again-" A hand shot up and covered his mouth as she stared overhead at the hover units passing by. After they flew off into the distance, towards the center of town, she gave a silent nod to the lad. "Oh. Oui, yes yes. Let us be getting out of this terri-ble place...", he whispered as they stealthily moved through the battle scarred Mobotropolis.

Content with their relative safety, Bunnie hunkered down on a nearby stump and the two gasped for breath as the adrenaline began to wear off. "Y'all had me...worried there for a minute. The rest are waiting for us. Sonic wanted to leave you behind...said your pops would take care of you. Clearly...that ain't the truth." The boy began to snivel and sob and hugged the surprised rabbit tightly and she pulled him in closer as he heaved around in her arms.

"Tank you... Tank you so much!" It was all Antoine could muster as he shivered with a mixture of relief...and fear at what was coming next. As they pulled apart and began to race off toward an unknown future, he clenched his fist tightly and gritted his teeth. Bunnie had given him a second chance and he would not let her down. Maybe one day, he could be a hero worthy enough to protect them all...

END OF ANTOINE'S QUEST