MerendinoEmilano: I'm trying to find a middle ground, where he can be serious without necessarily turning into Shadow.
/*-*/
The votes were cast in. As the morning rose, Sonic knew that the nobles had decided to remove Nagus, which he wouldn't take lightly. Nagus wouldn't accept their decision, so it would be civil war. Sonic made sure to eat a good breakfast with Christina and Sally, before they went to the computer.
Nicole had set up the connection already, so Sonic looked up at the screen as Sally stood before the foul king.
"What, Acorn? Have you called me to protest your official disbanding?" Nagus cackled, grabbing a bowl of grapes and munching on them.
Sally growled, before sighing, "Ixus Nagus, By order of the right of council, you have been deemed unfit to rule our lands."
"What right of council? I dissolved the noble council, and the republic is no more. This kingdom is mine! Hear me, MINE!" Nagus shouted, swinging his scepter and knocking over the bowl full of the purple and green berries.
Sonic shifted, and knew what was coming.
"Ixus Nagus-" Sally started again, sounding clearly angry with Nagus over his tone and actions.
"THAT IS KING NAGUS TO YOU!" The troll shouted angrily, his chest heaving, his mouth panting as Nagus's face snarled angrily.
Sally frowned, and repeated herself, "Ixus Nagus, if you do not abdicate the throne to the noble council, then you will be removed by force. Two out of three nobles have come to support our cause. If you do not abdicate, you will have to fight most of the kingdom."
"Traitors, all of you." Nagus shouted standing up, "I'll show you all. You have proved me for the last time!" He swung his scepter against the camera.
The camera cracked and the call cut out.
"Fool" Sally growled, before looking at Sonic, Tails and the Freedom Fighters who had gathered to prepare for the event, "Well, let's get ready. Start getting provisions in order, get rifles and ammo, go talk to the Wolverine and see if he has any thing for us. Sonic, you need to mobilize the villages and city."
"M-Mobilize." Sonic asked, thinking he knew what that meant, but he didn't want to confirm it.
"You need to make them ready to march. There should be a local army you can muster, along with any free hands you can pull. We need as many men as we can get." Sally sighed, before seeing Sonic's worried expression.
Sonic's whole point of doing heroic stuff was to keep people out of danger. Instead, he felt they were going to get thrown into danger because he chose to help.
"Sonic, this isn't as simple as hero work. War… even within ourselves… it's going to have… costs." Sally explained, sighing in frustration.
Sonic frowned, "I don't want anyone to get hurt." He sighed at that thought.
"Sonic, if we win with overwhelming force, then the civil war will be over quickly." Sally tried to explain.
Sonic didn't like that idea, "Why can't I just go and smack Nagus around? I'll be in and out in like five seconds."
"Because the last time you fought Nagus alone, It didn't exactly go as planned." Sally grumbled, clearly not liking his complaint.
"I know but-" SOnic started before Sally growled.
"Sonic, it's time to start being a lord. You can't go out there and get shot, none of us want that. Go and gather volunteers, that's all we need. I don't want you to conscript unless the fighting gets really bad." Sally explained in her agitated voice.
Sonic thought carefully. What if the fighting does get bad though?
Sonic knew they needed to beat Nagus, and probably quickly, but he was supposed to protect those people in the town. If Nagus stayed king though, they would never be safe. The hedgehog sighed, "Alright, I'll be back soon."
Sonic ran into the town, that was starting up its morning bustle, with people moving around with so much to do.
Eyes stopped when Sonic walked into the center, and people began to look at him. Sonic opened his mouth but the words were hard in his throat. Fighting Eggman was one thing, but asking these people to go and die for his girlfriend's throne… it felt wrong.
Sonic gasped, "I… I have to ask you all for something… But I don't know how to ask it…"
A beaver looked at Sonic with a simple nod and smirk, "Tell us what you need, and we'll do it."
Sonic gulped, before opening his mouth, and explaining the problem.
/*-*/
Fiona walked through the Town of Apalsa, and visited the local militia training grounds. They had the simple double-barreled rifles that Fiona had become so familiar with before being given the new rifles from the Wolverine.
The local militia was taking pot shots at targets.
As she walked in, the militia glanced at her, "Ma'am, can we help you?"
"Yeah, I want to shoot a little. I feel like I'm getting rust, can you big boys help me?" Fiona smirked at them.
A few of them looked her up and down, "Can you handle it?" Asked a Pig with a smirk, seeming to eye her up and down perversely.
"I think I'll manage." Fiona smirked, avoiding her frustration at his comment.
The pig blinked at her, and handed her his rifle. He stepped aside, and Fiona picked up the rifle.
She fired hit the bull's eye on of the targets. She then walked the row, scoring three edge shot as the militia looked at her awestruck. Fiona walked away knowing that she hadn't lost her shooting ability.
As she continued to walk, Fiona saw a couple of possums, a mother and daughter who may or may not have needed some money to start a bouquet business. They were waving at her. Fiona walked over to them, and the mother held out a bouquet of orchids, mimulus, honeysuckle and cranesbill.
Fiona blinked, "You made this for me?"
"I hope you have a long life, full of joy and friends." The mother possum gave her a smile, "Thank you for helping us."
"Well, I hope your business is booming." Fiona smiled at her.
"It's doing fine, my lady." The possum smiled.
Fiona returned with her bundle of flowers. She found herself hoping for peace. Apalsa would be fine, and if it fell, then the capital was probably already gone and the war was over.
Fiona shuddered at that thought.
Consider me a good alternative.
Fiona shook her head at that thought… although Scourge would be able to keep her safe…
She was taken out of her thoughts when Alister ran up and hugged her, "AUNT FIONA!" her breath was taken out of her lungs as she felt a red ball of fur slam into her.
"What's up?" Fiona gasped.
"There's something in my closet!" Alister jumped up with a smile, "I need you to get rid of it!"
"Something in your closet?" Fiona asked, before her eyes went wide. She remembered the darkness that had attacked Alister, and then the Black Creatures.
Fiona grabbed a lantern and shouted, "Show me!"
Alister ran along, laughing? Why was he laughing?
Fiona ran with Alister to his room, "Alister! DO NOT GO IN!" Fiona burst into the room.
"SURPRISE!" Fiona jerked up with the lantern, ready to burn whatever creature would dare hurt her nephew. To her surprise, Fiona found that Olivia was standing in the room with a cake, some dried meats and cheeses. Two of the cooks of the household
Olivia recoiled slightly at Fiona's lantern, but smiled, "Sorry, I felt a need to throw a bit of personal party. I am aware that I was not too keen on you coming around my family, but I can see you are good at heart."
Fiona blinked as her adrenaline slowed down and she nodded, "R-Right. Thanks, I guess."
"Cake?" Olivia gestured, and a cook held up a small plate with cake and icing on it.
Fiona finally calmed down, "I'll just… take some meat and cheese."
Olivia seemed to falter for a moment, before nodding to the cooks. They cut some food, and had a small, personal little gathering. Fiona at some meat and cheese, Alister was enjoyed the cake well enough, and Olivia sat by Fiona. They were wined and dined, as was the privilege of the nobility.
Something told Fiona, that despite how nice Olivia had been, that this wasn't simply an apology. Fiona's suspicious senses were tingling, telling her to watch for the ulterior motive. Olivia just smiled as Alister played with another watch he had "found". Fiona wasn't going to rat on him… or maybe he just got it as a gift.
Still, Alister left to go to the bathroom, leaving Fiona, Olivia and the cooks together. Fiona turned to Olivia, "Alright, what's this really about."
"I'm simply throwing a party, to celebrate your return and apologize." Olivia muttered, glaring a bit at Fiona. Fiona raised an eyebrow, making it very clear how much she believed that.
"Nice try, but I don't think you'd go through this much trouble simply to say 'sorry' to me. I think you like me now, but I don't think you feel too guilty about that suspicion." Fiona smirked at her sister-in-law.
Olivia forced a smile and nodded, "You are correct. Alister is starting to notice his father being away for a long time."
Fiona blinked, and slowly nodded. She had that little bit of fear in her heart as well, that something had happened. In a brief moment of pure paranoia, she thought about if Scourge had done something to her brother. She dismissed the idea, as Scourge doing that. The odds of him finding and attacking Frederick of all people…
"I'm worried, and I wanted to get my mind off Frederick's absence. I know he will come back to me, but I just can't help but feel like something terrible has happened." Olivia sighed, and Fiona could feel her frustration.
Please, Lord, don't let my brother be dying out in some stupid field somewhere Fiona mentally prayed. She wished they had a holo-link to get in touch with the Freedom Fighters and send Sonic out after Frederick.
He had been gone for so long, Fiona was almost terrified to try and find him. The idea of not finding him breathing was… rough.
"I'm sure he just had something come up. Who knows, he might just be talking with a ton of bureaucrats, wishing he was here instead of out there." Fiona tried to laugh.
Olivia smiled and nodded, "We will have to have a party when he gets back. I think he needs to know how much Alister and I missed him."
"Sure, we'll have a nice happy little get-together. Maybe a picnic by the old tree." Fiona laughed, trying to keep spirits high, if nothing else to avoid any worry she might have about Frederick.
"Indeed, that sounds marvelous. When he returns, we will have peace and joy." Olivia smiled, before sticking her fork into a slice of cake.
Alister came back, and showed his clean hands. Fiona smiled, and Olivia also smiled but she pulled out a box from behind the bed, "Alister, I have something for you."
Alister turned to his mother, and looked a little wary, "Am I in trouble?"
"No, it's a gift, not a punishment." Olivia smiled, shaking her head.
Alister walked over to her, and Olivia handed him the box. Alister looked at Fiona, "What about her? Doesn't she get a gift, this is her party."
Olivia blinked, but Fiona stepped in, "As and adult, you don't get a lot of gifts and stuff." She laughed to try and sell it.
Alister blinked and frowned, "Being an adult must suck."
Fiona didn't have to fake a laugh at that.
Alister opened the box, and Fiona was surprised to see a full sized alarm clock. Olivia smiled, "Your father and I saw you playing with that watch so much, we thought you would want to play with something a little bigger."
Alister's face lit up… then frowned, "Where is daddy?"
Fiona and Olivia both looked at each other. A single slip of the tongue and now they had ruined the purpose of the little party.
Suddenly, a voice filled the halls, "OLIVIA, OLIVIA PACK EVERYTHING WE NEED!"
Alister, Olivia, and Fiona all stood up. That was-
"DADDY!" Alister shouted, and threw the box on the bed.
Fiona, on the other hand, was a little more hesitant to go rushing down the halls. He sounded worried. Olivia looked nervous as well, and stood and quickly walked down the halls. Fiona, of course, pursued.
"Alister, hey buddy, we're going on a trip to Uncle Sonic's, ok?" Frederick quickly told Alister, before looking up to see Olivia, "OLIVIA, GET EVERYTHING WE NEED TO GO, AND PACK IT!"
Olivia paused, "What's wrong!"
"DO IT NOW, PLEASE, I'LL EXPLAIN LATER!" Frederick shouted, causing Alister to shrink and flinch.
Olivia, got the message, and Fiona ran to do the same. She gather her outfits, soap and a some salted meat for the road. Frederick sounded scarily desperate. She was about to leave when Fiona saw the box of jewelry she had… acquired.
Fiona didn't need it… but it was hers. She shoved it in her luggage and carried it out. When she got outside her room, Fiona saw Frederick talking to the militia and what appeared to be levies, "We are heading out, anyone who stays behind, do not put up a resistance! Let the Royal army in, and let them occupy the town! Please!"
The militia began to nod.
"We are going to leave through the south gate, and head to Roja. Do not engage the enemy, unless fired upon first!" Frederick commanded, sounding panicked, which wasn't doing great for the morale, "Get ready to move!"
Fiona brought out her luggage, and Olivia did the same. They boarded the carriage, and set off. What was different then their last campaign was that cavalry was actually joining their escort. The beasts of the fields were being brought on.
Fiona asked Frederick inside the carriage, "Alright, what is going on? You didn't come home for a week after you were supposed to. Everyone's been kind of worried about you!"
Alister clutched Olivia desperately, looking at his father with a bit of fear in his eyes.
Frederick frowned, "I went to the noble council, and Nagus passed some decrees. He then dissolve the noble voting rights. I went to an assemble started by Lord Sonic and Princess Sally, and Nagus essentially ordered the disarming of the nobility."
"He can't do any of that." Olivia stated, clearly upset by the story.
"He did, somehow, Nagus convinced enough nobles to support him to dissolve the voting rights." Frederick growled, frustrated.
Fiona thought about it for a moment. Money was a pretty powerful motivator, but Nagus wasn't exactly ripping his pockets with his wealth. He would needed a benefactor for that.
"Now, the nobles at the Acorn council have agreed to remove Nagus from power!" Frederick exclaimed, looking out the window of the carriage.
"You couldn't have voted with them!" Olivia asked in disbelief. Frederick Remained silent.
"So we're fighting for the Acorns again? Neat." Fiona slumped back. She didn't really hate the idea, but she didn't love it either. Then again, Nagus didn't strike her as a particularly good man. It might be best for a change in leadership.
"I can't believe you agreed to do that!" Olivia scowled, balling a fist, "Did you think about what would happen to Alister or me? You endangered your family for this-"
"I DID THIS FOR FAMILY!" Frederick shouted, before clutching his face and sighing.
Olivia stopped and blinked, before backing down. Fiona didn't want to touch this little argument.
Frederick sighed, "I came back as fast as I could. Nagus will likely have an army coming back home. At least this way, I can get you out if Nagus decides to take the city."
Olivia sighed, "I know you didn't make this decision lightly. I'm sorry I berated you." She leaned over and they touched foreheads. Alister seemed to calm down at the sight of that, which was good because it looked very bad from Fiona's position.
"Frederick, do you think they can win?" Fiona asked. She felt kind of stupid for asking that question, because the Freedom Fighters had Sonic. She didn't know where the Wolverine stood.
"We have the Wolverine, Sonic, and two thirds of the nobility. I believe we can win, but I don't think it will be easy. I wish I was a fighter like dad. He would have known what to do. " Frederick clutched his head in regret and frustration.
Fiona snorted, "I don't think dad could have done any better. We'll come back for Apalsa. We'll be fine." Fiona placed a hand on Frederick's shoulder, and kept a smug grin.
Unfortunately, time was not a friend to confidence. They stay out, camping as Fiona looked up at the sky. She wasn't sure what to pray for, she wasn't sure what to hope for.
They had camped out by the river, with lush green bushes and berries. Fish swamp up river in the darkness as Fiona lay awake in the night.
How did she get here? Back with her family, back with her friends. It seemed like a few days ago she had been plotting with Scourge to destroy Sonic.
Fiona's ears perked up as she heard a vibration in the air. She sat up and walked around the camp. She scanned the area around them. Green quills swayed behind a large fir. Fiona walked out, "I told you to stay away."
"I know, I know. I just came by to see you. A little birdie told me things are getting nice and rough out here. I was wondering if you felt like getting out before it got good." Scourge smiled at her, holding out a hand with a cocky grin.
Fiona looked at that hand. She almost wanted to take it. There was no sense in her dying for the Acorns' war. It made more sense to leave while the going was tough. Fiona turned back to see the camp where her brother and nephew were.
Fiona had lost her family, she had lost her home. Now she had it all back. If she left now, and her brother did die…
The Vixen shook her head, "Stop it. I'm not coming back with you. I have a family here."
Scourge growled, "You're going to fucking die out there! It's not worth your pretty face over Blue-balls' princess. Heck, I thought you hated her?"
"Scourge, I've made up my mind. Do you want me to raise my voice." Fiona threatened her ex-boyfriend.
"You wouldn't, you love me." Scourge scowled, tensing up.
"I wouldn't?" Fiona challenged, raising her voice ever so slightly.
"You little- this is the thanks I get for coming to save you?" Scourge growled, balling his fists.
"No good deed goes unpunished." Fiona smiled at him.
Scourge stomped, "Fine, take your time." He turned around and ran.
Fiona returned to her bed, already knowing that this was not over. It was unfortunate, but if Scourge hadn't given up by now, he wasn't going to. She found that a hard thought to sleep to.
Eventually exhaustion won out, about the time that it was time to wake up. So Fiona sat in the carriage, barely awake, drifting back to sleep before being woken up by the bumps on the road, causing Fiona to groan in frustration.
"Did you sleep well last night?" Frederick asked, cocking his head to the side as though he were examining her.
Fiona weighed her options. She couldn't hide how tired she was, so she went with a partial truth instead of an outright lie. "No, I had a little trouble." Fiona mumbled.
"Worried about, or the coming conflicts?" Frederick asked with a weak smile.
Fiona blinked, before nodding ,"Yeah, that's it." She whispered, before leaning her head against the window of the carriage.
They eventually reached Roja, and Fiona stepped out onto the dirt road. She blinked as the sun began to set. She saw several mobians firing at targets with the rifles the Wolverine supplied. She saw some that definitely looked familiar, like they were from the city.
Fiona didn't think much of it, and walked up to the Manor, where apparently everyone was staying.
She knocked on the door, to find it was opened by Sonic. Her voice caught as he blinked at her.
"Oh, hey, what's up?" Sonic asked with a smile, which betrayed a bit of fear in his voice.
Fiona coughed, "Well, We're staying here, right?"
Sonic nodded, "Y-Yeah, a lot of nobles are while we're "rallying the armies"." Sonic mumbled, before opening the door wider, "Come on it."
"Right, can you show us to our room?" Fiona asked, blinking a little bit.
Sonic nodded, and took her to a room across the hall from his. Sonic opened the door, and Fiona saw a second bed had been set up for her, "It's… uh, not much, but I think you'll find it comfy enough."
"It's great, I'm going to bed." Fiona smiled, walking over, and flopping on the bed. She slid out of her outfit slowly.
"Are you sure, it's barely dinner time. Don't you want some of Christina's cooking?" Sonic offered, as if trying to incentivize her to into more exhaustion, by talking and eating. Still, Christina's food was tempting, and their rations weren't exactly great.
"Look, I've had a long trip." Fiona mumbled, "A girl needs her beauty sleep."
"Yeah… Sorry, rough trip huh?" Sonic laughed nervously; he sounded kind of exhausted as well.
Fiona straightened up as thoughts of Scourge entered her mind. Fiona thought to the worst possible scenarios if Sonic found out. He didn't really need to know, did he?
"Yes, the trip was a bit much. If you really want to talk, I can stay up a bit." Fiona mentally kicked herself over the idea. She was way too tired to talk, much less avoid certain topics.
Sonic was quiet as Fiona felt her eyes lull into her head. Then she remembered she was half naked, "Whoops", Fiona grabbed her top and shorts and put them back on, much to a very covered, embarrassed Sonic.
"Sorry." Sonic mumbled, "I wasn't really looking until… uh…" There wasn't a good way for him to get out that. Fortunately for him, Fiona wasn't in the mood to over-act.
"Just… let's just talk." Fiona mumbled, feeling exhaustion wear on her.
"Well… Sally has been suffering from a bit of an infection." Sonic mumbled, "It's been giving her mood swings, I'm honestly worried I'm messing things up. I mean… I feel like I've been making her mad… or… I don't know."
Apparently, restrain and easing someone in was new to him. Fiona thought for a moment, and realized that restraint really wasn't Sonic's style. She just decided to roll with it and try to stay focused.
Fiona curled up, "Look, She'll be back with you when it's over…" Fiona yawned as her eyes got heavier, and she closed them, "They always come back for us… even when we tell them to stay away…" Fiona's eyes lulled to sleep.
Sonic continued to talk as Fiona slowly slipped into sleep.
/*-*/
Johan watched as the men continued to reload their rifles. Indeed, these were not warrior's from birth, which presented challenges of its own. They had not taken onto themselves The Trail, and he could not vouch for their endurance or strength.
Still, they were bodies, and they could hold a rifle. Strength could be taught.
Johan told himself that as they continued to miss their targets.
"Holdings of steady, grippings the firmly!" the small wolf shouted at the men and women.
Johan watched as a lady-sheep switched the rifle in her hands, holding the trigger with her left hand and pulling the bolt back with her right.
Johan shot his hand forward as the rifle swayed to her left from the weight falling on one hand. He watched as the bolt slammed forward, and her finger tightened. The Girl looked panicked as the trigger pushed in, causing the bullet to fire out of the gun.
Johan's palm closed around the barrel as he felt the impact of the bullet against his hand. It felt like it would bruise, but Johan would live.
Johan grabbed the gun out of the lady-sheep's hands, and snarled.
"It was an Accident, I swear, I didn't mean to-" The sheep squeaked.
"Hold with your left, pull with your right!" Johan snarled, grabbing the rifle's bolt, and pulling it back, before pushing it forward six more times. The bullets all lined the ground as the Sheep with the very frilly hair watched and shuddered nervously. She was quivering under Johan's gaze as Johan finished unloading the rifle.
He then handed her the rifle, "Practice without bullets." Johan handed her the rifle.
She took it, and aimed at the targets, before glancing back up nervously at him.
Johan walked off to the headquarters to find the princess. She reeked of garlic, which was strange, but Johan could smell something different underneath. Something was different about her.
Johan found them at the large house, with Sally standing over a large table that appeared to have been used for eating, "We need to quickly move and take out the capital. If we can get Nagus out of the picture, the rest of the nobility will fall."
"We agree, but to engage a full army in open combat, I can not imagine the amount of casualties." The prince explained.
"My home is being invaded, We need to move to protect it!" Shouted a Goat.
"My City will be sieged soon!" Shouted an Angry nobleman.
"Apalsa will fall, I have told them to abandon any resistance." A red Fox explained at the table.
"TIME OUT!" The princess shouted and the nobles went quiet, "Frederick, did you give up Apalsa?"
"I did, I didn't want for my people to suffer." The fox exclaimed.
"We needed Apalsa! It was going to be our launching point for the capital!" The Princess shouted angrily. She seemed to be less composed, Johan would have to pay attention to that. Perhaps he might need to change his plan.
"Is this city important?" Looked down at the map. There were red flags and blue flags. Johan saw the red flags as the enemy, and the blue flags as allies. Johan saw them remove a blue flag right next to several flags.
"It was a launching point to attack the capital. Now, we're in a war of attrition. And it's not good." Sally growled, before taking a deep breath.
"I thought we had most of the nobles." Sonic asked, sounding slightly panicked.
"Yes, but Nagus has a lot of the richer, more populated lands on his side. The nobles see a lot to gain if they mobilize against us. If we lose, all the lands we had have to go somewhere." Sally pointed out, before growling, "They'll likely take and fortify the city."
Johan saw her slump, before nodding, "Very well, Send me and an army."
"What?" The heads turned to gaze on Johan as if he were a fool.
"This city needs to be yours. I will deliver it to you. Give me… six hundred men, and I will have the city before the week is over." Johan vowed.
Sally scowled, before shaking her head, "I don't need you wasting my men's lives. You'll be out number at least four to one."
"And they will need twice that to deter me. Think of all I have done in the desert. I have live long enough to see you born and die a hundred times. I assure you, I have had many years to perfect my battle plans." Johan growled, glaring into her eyes.
"Fine, What do you need." The princess glared at Johan suspiciously.
"I need bodies, food… and shovels." Johan growled standing proudly.
"Elias, can you get him what he needs?" The princess groaned, clutching her head a little, "And Wolverine, no bodies if you can help it!"
A foolish request.
Her brother nodded, and Johan met with him outside. Elias, however, made it clear what he thought of Johan, "I don't trust you, not one bit. You are up to something, and I know it."
"What can you do to stop me?" Johan asked, with a smirk. He could not help his feeling of superiority. The boy was powerless against him.
Elias scowled at Johan, "Not even the shame to deny it."
"I am no coward." Johan growled. The two stared at each other before Elias gestured to the fools who couldn't even hold a rifle.
"These will be your men and women." Elais proclaimed with a certain smugness that would have made Johan split his skull in another life… or another time.
Johan could protest, but the boy clearly did not understand the ideas of tactics. Johan would make him look more the fool for underestimating Johan's abilities
Johan gazed at the sheep, who was slowly getting better at reloading, "I will take them."
"Alright, LISTEN UP! YOU WILL BE LED BY THE WOLVERINE, LISTEN TO HIS COMMANDS!" Elias shouted, before turning around and going to a storage area to gather shovels.
Johan looked at the men he was given. They were not particularly accurate with their rifles at any considerable distance, but at close range, that did not matter. He would need to get them close to the enemy before engaging.
Johan growled, "Go, make your arrangements to set off, we will leave when I return." Johan growled, before turning around and returning to the war room.
As he entered several nobles shifted uneasily. Johan simply looked at the princess, "What is the ground like around the city?"
"Well, the city has mostly forests surrounding it, with rocky hills in the south and plains in the north." The red fox who's name Johan had already forgotten.
"The enemy will come from the north?" Johan asked looking at the plains.
"Most likely." The princess explained.
Johan left at that, and gathered the shovels. He then went to his airship, and visited his Red Garden Defenders. He saw Ezra standing there as he prowled in, "I want armor for my men, six hundred chest pieces."
"We're almost out of steel, this will be the last bit until you either bring us more badniks or the kingdom starts forking over some stuff." Ezra grumbled, placing her hands on her hips.
Johan looked up at the roboticizer, before looking down at his head slave, "Give me the armor." Johan demanded. She nodded slowly.
Johan looked over and saw another Red Garden Defender, the one who had been designing weapons for Johan. Johan saw his troubled face. "Speak, what troubles you?"
"It's the gun, I don't think it will work." The Garden Defender yelped, shifting. He was afraid of Johan.
"The Gun will work." Johan growled.
"I mean, I don't think we've planned for the ship to take it. That's a big gun, with a lot of recoil." The Red Garden Defender explained, squeaking.
Johan growled, "The Gun will work." The ship would be fine. He had re-enforced it.
He returned to his men with the Armor, and saw the sheep hugging a small lamb, "Shshsh, Mommy has to go on a little trip, ok?"
The Little lamb looked up at her before looking at Johan, and clutching her leg. A strange thing was the little lambs fur looked familiar. It was a blue that seemed to remind Johan of someone…
Still, the sheep explained to her son, "I have to go now, ok, I'll see you when I get back."
The child went up to the base as Johan approach her, "It is time to go."
The sheep turned and looked up at Johan, before nodding. Johan delivered the boxes of armor, and the set out over night.
Johan addressed the sheep, "You should not be fighting. The boy's father should be on this frontline, not you."
The sheep tensed up, "He should be." She muttered quietly.
"Did he desert you?" Johan asked, cocking his head at her as they walked.
"Please… stop." The Sheep whispered, her fist over her fair chest as she shook slightly.
Johan continued forward. They set up camp and slept out in the forest to avoid a possible attack. When they arrived at the city, Johan was surprised to find it… free, at least from occupation.
The gate was open and the militia simply stood out. Johan's army walked out and the militia held up their hands, "We are ordered to not put up a fight!" Shouted one.
"We are from the princess, not the king." Johan growled up at them, "Has the city not fallen yet?"
"You aren't… what? No, we haven't been hit yet. An attack is on the probably, but we haven't found anything!" Shouted the militia officer.
Johan thought carefully, before turning to his exhausted troops, "We are going into the city, we will sleep, and prepare to attack." Johan growled. He had a tactic planned, and it would deal with the lack of training quite effectively.
As the night rolled over, Johan found himself looking up at the moon. His mind turned to Gewis. How he did not want to fight the young man. He was a good man, a man who acted with strength and honor.
"Can't sleep?" The sheep asked as she came out into the courtyard.
Johan growled, "It is not time. You shout rest." Johan felt his tail thrash the ground.
"I guess you're thinking of family, friends, a loved one?" The sheep asked, sitting down next to him.
"I suppose." Johan growled, "Go to sleep. You will need your rest for tomorrow."
"I… I have dreams myself." The sheep mumbled, "Sometimes I stay awake, wondering how I got to where I am. It's scary." She muttered softly.
Johan looked down at her, "Don't. Worrying about how you got here today is pointless. Think about where you want to be tomorrow, and make it reality." Johan growled at her.
"I.. I want what I had in the past. I don't think I can get it tomorrow." The sheep mumbled leaning against Johan.
"Then forget about it. What you had before only serves to burden you. Move on, with hope for the future." Johan growled, "Go, sleep."
The sheep looked up at him, slightly upset, before strangely smiling, "That's the most honest answer I've gotten in a while. I'm Lanolin, by the way."
"I am Johan, the Sax- Wolverine. I will lead you through the fire." Johan groaned. The sheep had gone, and Johan laid down. He had been shocked by the lack of attack from the kingdom. He did not want to get shocked by the movement of their troops.
Once everyone was asleep, Johan sat up, and moved out to north of the city under the cover of darkness.
/*-*/
Alright, everyone got a little love this chapter. Sonic got to feel the weight of other lives directly in his hands, Fione is once again going back to little boy blue, perhaps with more baggage than she originally though, and Johan… well… Wait till next chapter.
Please leave a review. I love hearing from my audience, and I do welcome criticism/advice, or just to hear you talk about your favorite part of the chapter.
