Disclaimer: I acknowledge the Sega Characters to their original creators and also the characters of the comics and SATam to their aurthors, and they are not my own.

The Constant Mourner

by: Mauser

Julie-Su was in a very joyish mood...she was finally clean. Four long baths finally purged the diesel smell out from her fur. Granted she did miss Mathias and mourned his loss along with the Plunger; but she didn't miss the smell. With her top and belt adjusted to her liking, she half marched to the front door of the hut that she, Knuckles, and the Chaotix called home at the moment. Dodging the sofa that laid in the middle of the small living room, if she could call it that due to its cramped size, she stopped at the door and began to open it, wondering where the last missing member of the final crew of the Plunger was.

She was about to find out.

Aleutian's hand almost knocked Julie's head instead of the door when she opened it. He snapped his right hand back instantly so he wouldn't give the pink echidna a bad and painful greeting.

"Mornin'," he said with a smug grin.

"Hey! Was wondering where you went off to," Julie-Su said, returning the smile.

Aleutian nudged his eyebrows up as his eyes fell to her boots. "Yea, sometimes I ask myself the same question." His gaze slumped further towards the ground, "Umm, is my little brother around?"

"He's sleepin' in today."

"Huh, I can fix that," Aleutian joked, "Our father and Archy are here as well. He went off to find one of the Kings. Said he needed to have a talk with them about home. Afterwards, they will be cleaning up a mess."

"You I take it?" stated Julie-Su.

Aleutian smiled, his scar on his broad snout lifting up as his cheek muscles tensed, "Smart and beautiful. I think my brother has found a keeper."

"Darn right he does!"

She lead Aleutian to their small sanctuary that they called a room. She opened the door and exposed the full size bed at the far back of the room with Knuckles sawing logs in it. Aleutian walked over to the left of it, looking down at his sleeping brother who was laying on his left side under the white sheets and yellow comforter, his head pointing towards the door. The picture was almost reminiscent of the day from over sixteen years ago of Knuckles lying in his crib.

"Oh Prominent One," Aleutian slyly called out. "Hey little brother," he now whispered, shaking Knuckles's shoulder to arose him from his slumber.

The younger Guardian felt himself being shaken awake. When his eyes opening to the mid-morning sun that shown through the lone window of the room, his blurred vision caught the glimpse of another echidna hovering over him. When his eyes began to clear, he saw the scars, but this time, a smile was projecting with them.

"Hey...I didn't think you'd come back," Knuckles said with a joyful surprise.

"Like I said, I'm never leaving you again, dear brother," Aleutian replied, reenforcing what he had said on the Plunger. "Locke is here with me as well, but he is hopefully talking to Elias."

Knuckles sat up, throwing the sheets back that exposed his bare feet. "Is it true that you two are friends?"

"Yea. Been awhile since we've seen each other but yes, we are still friends."

"Far out," Knuckles said in awe.

Aleutian stepped back to give his brother some space before stating the obvious, "You like it when things come full circle?"

"Especially when it involves me," Knuckles answered as he slowly got out of bed. He stood on the wooden floor, stretching his back and arms in the air. "So, what are your plans for the day?"

Aleutian took a deep breath then sighed it out, slinging his duffel bag on the floor along with it, "Dad, Archimedes, and I need to have a long talk," he began, "then I'll go from there. Probably go back home for a little while. Need to keep an old promise."

"Why don't you stay here with us and help us fight?" came Julie-Su from the other end of the room.

"I might do that as well. I know some things that could greatly help you all training wise, I think. But from what I know of Sonic, Tails, and the rest of the Freedom Fighters, I'm not too sure if y'all could use me more than what is needed at home."

Knuckles placed his mitted hand on his brother's shoulder, "We can use people who are great leaders. That is something we all see in you, brother."

With grimaced face, Aleutian quickly replied, "I'm afraid you all are blind. If I possessed any traits for leadership, most of my friends would still be alive, and so would Mathias."

"But Aleutian," countered Knuckles, his voice softer, "you saved a bunch of people, all because you saw a problem and you got us up and motivated us to solve it. Death happens, but it is something that you take as a harsh lesson and continue on to victory."

Aleutian swallowed hard at his brother's words, "Coping with death hasn't been an easy thing for me lately."

Knuckles nodded his head with his eyes, "I can understand that."

"Anyways," Aleutian snorted with his emotions still relevantly present. He unzipped his bag and produced the wooden box that held his pistol. "I need you to hold on to this for me for awhile. Spare mags and bullets are in the bag, and that too, I am leaving with you as well."

Knuckles swallowed hard before he took the box. The weight surprised him. Most weapons that he had held before were somewhat light, but his brother's weapon had a good weight behind it. With the box exchanging hands, Knuckles remembered the one he was given from his mother. Placing Aleutian's pistol under his bed, he grabbed the cardboard box beside it.

"Mom said to give you this when I thought you were ready," he quoted. "I think you are."

Aleutian took the box from his brother's hands and looked at it. He tried to pry the box open but the brown tape stopped his efforts. Looking at his brothers mitted hands, Aleutian tilted the top of the box towards his brother and gave him a smile as if saying "please." Knuckles took his right hand and slid one of his sharp spikes down the center of the box, cutting the tap clean down the middle.

"Thanks..." Aleutian cut himself off when he opened the box and peered into it. Balancing his left hand on the bottom of the box, he placed his right hand in it and took out one of the contents. A clear plastic bag dangled in his hand. In it, a pair of white gloves. Looking back into the box, he could somewhat make out the outline of shoes from the shadow of the box.

Placing the box down, Aleutian pulled the bag open, releasing the sealed air to the outside world. He studied the thick white gloves for a moment before he pulled them on, tugging them taunt up to his wrists. The fit was a little loose, but not by much. Unlike his brother's mittens, Aleutian had all ten of his fingers to grace the air with. But what Aleutian saw at the end of his knuckles were two protruding spikes. He rubbed his hand over the other, feeling that the spikes were indeed a little sharp and very hard. Being like a little kid again with a new toy, Aleutian jabbed and punched the air, feeling his new gloves, plus his excitement, with every swing. This made Knuckles and Julie-Su smile.

Peaking back into the inside of the box, Aleutian reached in and plucked out the shoes he briefly saw at first. The sun exposed a pair of high tops that resembled much like his brothers in color and pattern; but instead of a yellow strip across the center, his was green. Sitting down at the edge of the bed, Aleutian unsnapped his boots and took them off. When he sunk his green socked feet into his new shoes, he felt more excitement come over him. He sported the same bolt laces that his brother had on his. Not knowing how to clamp them on, Knuckles gladly showed Aleutian how to. When they were snug, he stood up and began to pace the room.

"Need to get used to not having the ankle supports like I've got in my boots," he said with a smile. He took two more steps before giving out his final conclusion. "Need to also break them in and hopefully they will quiet down a little," he said, rolling his ankles around that produced the creaks of the new leather. "But other than that, I like 'em. In fact, I like it all."

Julie-Su saw Aleutian's darkness slowly begin to lift, and she was sure that Knuckles was seeing it as well. The new gloves and shoes that Aleutian now wore was a stark contrast as to how he first came to them. His brown jacket with the charging griffin on the back also made him as well, but it was the new digs that he wore that began to signified of who he was supposed to be; a Guardian.

Knuckles patted his brother on the shoulder once more. "You are now well on your way."

"Sure beats the hell out of this morning," Aleutian said to himself, only nodding at his brother's reply.

Knuckles turned to Julie-Su and walked up to her. He was about to kiss her until she stopped him dead in his lip locking tracks. "Nope, not with that morning breath you don't. Clean lips kiss these lips, sweaty."

"Can I at least get a hug?" he asked with a grin.

Julie-Su embraced her soul-equal briefly before he went on his way to freshen up. Aleutian felt joy but more so of grief when he watched the affair. Julie-Su could see the look in his eyes. "We shouldn't have done that in front of you, Aleutian. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he almost whimpered out as he stared down at the floor, "at least I know he is happy."

The pink echidna glided her way over to Aleutian, stopping short at the bed frame, "You really miss her don't you?"

"I don't just miss her Julie, I long for her everyday," he said with the entrance of tears coming down his face. "I have been having a real bad morning thus far. She cried out to me in my dreams last night, and I nearly killed myself this morning so I could be with her and away from myself."

"What made you stop," Julie asked next, almost gasping after hearing that Aleutian tried to take his own life.

Aleutian traced his birthmark across his upper chest as he looked onwards at the wooden floor. "Your boyfriend and our people. Every promise that I have made or the things that I have said that I would do, I have never gone back on. I wrote a letter to my parents the day that I ran away. I told them that I would help Knuckles in my own way, and so I have up until now. Even my Emee helped me in keeping my word to him. When she died, I think the old Aleutian died with her."

"I don't believe that," came back Julie-Su, "I think I see the old Aleutian still in you."

"And how do you know? You've never seen him?"

"Oh yes I have," Julie festered in a heartbeat, "I saw him come out on the sub, I saw him smile at his new shoes and gloves, and I saw him smile at my Knuckles. He isn't dead Aleutian...you've just misplaced him in your cold heart."

The image of his dark self reappeared from his dream, pointing his own pistol at his head. He questioned if he was battling that echidna within himself, or had it been a message to end his life altogether.

"Aleutian..." whispered Julie-Su, "of all the things I could say to help you, it would be to let go. You need to you for your sake."

He grimaced at her words before he stood up and faced her, "My weapon needs cleaning, if you'd be so kind. If you lift the blue liner from the box, there should be a cleaning kit and everything else you'll need underneath it."

With a small bow, he grabbed his backpack out of the black duffel bag, placed his journal and book in it, and took his tearful leave.

Julie-Su watched him walk out the door with her arms crossed, calling to him before he completely exited, "Aleutian...let go."

Walking around Knothole again bewildered Aleutian for a quarter mile. The first time he traveled here brought the chance encounter of his brother, but his motives were entirely different than what he shyly felt now. He felt as if he was a pilgrim in an unholy land, each step feeling as if he didn't belong there due to being some sort of heathen.

After asking for directions from Amy, who carried her large hammer that made Aleutian almost chuckle at the sight, he trudged on to the castle, only to be stopped at the tall wooden doors by two sentries.

"Can we help you, sir," asked one of the beavers, to Aleutian's left. He stood at attention with a spear that leaned up against his right shoulder and arm. To Aleutian's right, a brown fox stood in the same manner, her tail almost as erect as her back.

"Looking to see King Elias," Aleutian replied with a polite voice for once, "and no, I don't have an appointment."

"We think he has been expecting you sir," came the fox this time with somewhat of a stern voice. "Orders from the watch this morning included to look out for a Guardian Echidna..."

"...But did one already pass?" Aleutian tested.

"Yes, but our instructions included scars of a warrior."

This put Aleutian aback for a brief moment, staring at the two armed sentries before he asked his next question, "So, why are you armed with spears and not weapons that could do more justice in case of an attack? Kinda like bows and arrows against the lightning?"

"Training sir!" snapped the beaver. "You might say we're new."

"Ah, okay. Well, don't let me get in the way then. Carry-on," said Aleutian with a smug face.

They opened the doors for him and gave their salutes by placing their free arms paralleled to the ground, their hands knifed as they settled them across the timbered staffs of the spears. Aleutian passed through the entrance hall, gazing at the tapestry of middle aged armour and paintings of kings and queens of old. Rounding to the right to the main hall, he traced his hand up against the wall, seeing the whole castle with his sight; seeing where his father and his friend Elias were. His slightly blurred tunnel vision brought forth the two, plus General Amadeus Prower behind them, walking and talking from a corridor down and to the left from Aleutian. He hurried his pace, pivoting his torso and head around at the entrance of the long hall. The trio stopped as they gained sight of Aleutian, with Elias breaking the halt after seeing his friend.

"We were just talking about your home, Aleutian," he said in a excited voice as he strolled up to Aleutian, clapping down on the scarred echidna's hand with his own.

"I imagined so," Aleutian nodded as he looked toward his father, returning the hard friendly handshake.

"Nice to see that you are still with us young man," complemented Amadeus as he stepped past Locke. He too shook Aleutian's hand as he held a scabbarded sword with his left.

"In the flesh at least," commented Locke as he smiled at his son.

Aleutian briefly gazed down at the decorative tiled floor before raising his head, "Yea, been having a rough day so far."

"We were about to make ours the same as well," said Amadeus with a solemn tone in his voice. "We were on our way to visit Maximilian and tell him of Mathias."

Elias gazed at Aleutian and frowned with his conclusion. He snapped his finger at Prower and pointed to the sword that the one-eyed fox clutched in his hand. He gave it to the acting King without hesitation.

"I think you should tell my father about Sir Mathias Drake. After all, you knew him better over the past years than us," Elias insisted with a soft voice.

Aleutian took the sword reluctantly, nodding in agreement before he turned and followed the trio to the suite where King Max was spending his ill days. With a simple knock from Elias, the door was answered by his mother. Alicia stood proud before them, but her eyes reigned with sadness.

"How is dad today, mother?" asked Elias.

"Better than yesterday. He is slowly gaining his strength back, but he still needs his rest," she replied with her eyes looming over her proud son.

"We need to speak with him, Your Highness." came Amadeus. "It's about an old friend."

Alicia opened the door fully to the let the four Mobians inside. She bowed her head at Locke but became stunned as Aleutian passed. He lowered his head as well in respect, but said nothing as he walked inside.

Elias pressed on to his father's bed. The ill-king laid in it with his arms out to his side, only picking them up to cough in his hand. Aleutian could detect the beginnings of bronchitis in Maximilian's forceful coughs.

"Father?" came Elias. "We have guests."

King Max turned his weary head over and gazed at Locke with a frail smile, "Aw, hello old friend. I take it you are here to take back your son?" he said in a voice that sounded as he looked.

"Not today, Your Majesty. I wish I was, but other matters have brought me here before you," Locke replied with a solemn bow.

Maximilian gazed passed Locke and saw Aleutian standing behind him, starring hard at his scars. "Knuckles, where on Mobius did you get those blemishes?"

Aleutian took in a deep breath of confidence that he hoped he still had left in him, and slowly made his way over the bed ridden King. He could smell the fowl odor from someone who hasn't had the strength to get up and cleanse their body with soap and water as he stepped closer to the lavish bed. The King's eyes twitched as they studied Aleutian, tracing the long scars across his muzzle and chest. With his mind fastly concluding that the Guardian he was gazing upon wasn't Knuckles, he smiled inwards knowing that he his health was getting better.

"So who is this one, Locke?" Max said, knowing full well that the younger Guardian that stopped in front of his bed had been to hell and back and opted for a second trip.

Aleutian answered first as he dropped down to one knee, holding his adopted father's sword in a presentation form in his hands. "Sir," he began in a soft commanding voice, showering the King and Sir Drake's name with honor, "my name is Aleutian, and I bring you the sword of your Knight; Sir Mathias Drake."

"Why is my old friend not here to give me this?" the King asked next in his quivering voice, more so from being sick than knowing what the sad news was.

Aleutian took a deep breath to calm his sadness. "He is with his son Chester and his wife Faith. He fell fighting to the end sir. His thoughts of you and your family with him to the bitter end."

Maximilian looked up to his son and Amadeus and said, "Help me sit up, please. I now have the strength to address this battered warrior formally."

With his weaned strength that he could see Aleutian also possessed, but not by illness of the body, Elias and the General helped him up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. They stood back along with Aleutian, but he was halted by a wave from King Max's hand.

"Come here lad," he said. Aleutian stepped closer and got back on his knee again. The Monarch traced his scars over his face, making Aleutian feel as if his blemishes were public property. He stared at the King with a proud look mixed with sadness and bitterness, watching the King's hand move around his face as he did so.

"Have you helped my family as well?" Max asked next, smelling the tall tell odor of the diesel fuel that still lingered over Aleutian's fur. "I still remember that smell from the time we launched my Plunger, so please don't lie to me."

"That was never my intention sir," Aleutian softly replied, his statement striking a hidden nerve in his father who just watched in his silence. "I served with Mathias and his crew for seven patrols, sir."

The old squirrel Monarch twisted Aleutians head over and looked at his severed lock, then asked in the same sincere but breathless voice, "Where is he buried? I would like to at least pay tribute to my lost friend and knight."

"The sea, with his body entombed in the iron coffin of the Plunger," Aleutian said in a small quivering voice. His face soon tightened with more bitterness over the thought that he couldn't have saved him. But the end result did buy them time to escape the floundering sub. "One life for the lives of many," Aleutian painstakingly thought to himself.

Max released his weak grasp from Aleutian. The scarred echidna still kept his fragile emotional attention to the King, his face still painted with a mix of sadness and a touch of bitterness.

"I can only fathom what you have done by the looks of your scars. They tell me that you have seen your fair share of death, and from the looks of your face and body that are littered with the signs of depression, Death has claimed the people that have mattered most in your young life. But yet, you kneel and stand proud before me. Tell me young Guardian, do you wear these blemishes as if they were medals, or do you wear them as a sign that you are defeated in life?"

The King's words hit home to Aleutian. He never thought about them that way. He mostly saw them as a reminder of a promise that he has only halfway kept. But as medals or defeat? The question made him look to his inner self at that instant. Most people usually got accustomed to their scars over time, but for Aleutian, every time he looked at himself in the mirror or felt his long scar on his muzzle tense when he made a facial expression, it reminded him that he had triumphed over death with only his scars that he would carry for the rest of his life while his friends and his beloved lied in their graves. With that thought, they definitely weren't medals, but he also didn't feel that he was defeated in life either.

"Honestly Your Majesty, I don't know the answer to that," he replied after a long thoughtful pause.

Locke let out a sigh of relief after hearing the answer. He knew it didn't feel right to think it but, he was actually hoping for that answer. The Dark Legion wore their battle disfigurements and their cybernetic attachments and replacement parts as war trophies against his family. He was glad that Aleutian didn't have that same idea. Equally satisfied with the answer was that his son was looking for a way out from his cold depression. He then realized that the two toned eyed lop was right, Aleutian was finding a way out, and that he had already tried the easy way.

"Your Majesty," Locke proclaimed, "this is my eldest son, Aleutian. He ran away over sixteen years ago when he was just six sessions old."

"Are you proud of him, Locke?" asked the frail king, catching the elder Guardian off guard.

"I don't know Max. I don't know why I should be proud of him because he hasn't told me much of his past," Locke replied as he gazed at the back of his son. He could barely make out the painting under the backpack that Aleutian still had strapped on his back.

Max took in a deep trembling breath, "What else have you done Aleutian?"

Aleutian stood up but kept his head bowed to the ill King, "I have helped your family sir, so in turn, I could help mine in the end."

"And have you succeeded?"

Aleutian grimaced before he wept out his reply, "Up until two years ago."

Seeing Aleutian fall prey to his battered emotions, Elias, Amadeus, and Locke walked up behind the now crying echidna and took him by his arms and massaged his shoulders to comfort him.

"It's okay Guardian," came Amadeus. "We all loose our will and way sometimes, but it is how we get back that is important."

"That is something that we are going to find, no matter how long it takes," came Locke as he rubbed both of Aleutian's shoulder blades.

Aleutian nodded his head in agreement as he wiped the tears from his face. "I just don't know if I have the courage to bear the pain of telling what has happened to me and what I have done."

King Max looked up at Aleutian and gave him an assuring smile, "When your courage is better, please, come back and tell me about Sir Drake. I miss him and his son."

"I will sir. From the time that they saved me from the cold waters of the ocean, to the final dive of the Plunger."

"Good, now be on your way," commanded the King before he laid back down, "and I bid you good luck on your perilous journey. I know how depression can be the killer of souls."

Okay, so now we know what was on the box that Knuckle's mom gave him. Please leae your thoughts and reviews, tell me how I'm doing and how yu like the story. Next; why Aleutian was working for Ebony Hare. For all you Shadow fans out there...there's going to be a fight.