alright, all that legal stuff is on the first chapter and carries over for all subsequnt chapters, so don't start yelling at me. any way story down there so what are you doing reading this? you din't come here to listen to me rant so get to it!

A Visitor from Afar


Chapter 4:Can't We All Just Get Along?



Knothole Hospital, recovery ward….

Antoine sat on a chair reading a book he had brought with himself, every once in a while glancing over from his book to the strange being he had been assigned to watch over. It had been quite a shock to see when he first arrived at the hospital some hours ago. But after seeing how truly incapacitated it was, Antoine had been able to relax; even get a few more chapters into his book.

Lying on the hospital bed the creature stirred restlessly in his sleep. The drugs he had been given were wearing off now; and the pain from last night becoming all to clear to his consciousness. (Ugh…) "Ohh…" it moaned quietly. "Where am I?" he tried to adjust his position, but every nerve in the creature's body ached like nothing he had ever felt before. He tried to move his right arm, but the muscles sent agonizing pain in refusal. (Agh…) "That fat human really did a number on me."

The creature stopped trying to move and tried to instead, focus on his surroundings. The sore nerves heightened the creature's sense of touch and he could feel the blood flowing through every vein in his body. It was very discomforting. He tried to focus his attention away from the rhythmic beat of his blood, but noticed that he could hear an annoying beeping sound that seemed to follow the same pattern. He tried to open his eyes, but they too refused to respond. He tried to flex his arms again, this time with more success, the pain was still there, but he found he could ignore the pain. As he flexed his left arm, however, he noticed something odd. It felt like something imbedded through his skin on the underside of his forearm. This worried him greatly and forced himself to open his eyes this time. His vision was blurry; he needed to blink several times before his vision cleared. His groggily glanced around the small, light blue room. He was lying on some sort of bed from the looks of it, something strange to him; he had never been on a bed this comfortable before. The blankets were very soft to the touch of his extra sensitive skin, the pillow his head rested upon was very soft and comfortable; but as he moved his arm across the soft blanket, the pain of the object in his arm reminded the creature to take a look at it. He glanced down and saw a strange, clear tube attached to his arm, and held fast by white bandages. Looking to his right he saw some of his equipment sitting on a chair beside the bed. He also noticed a strange black box sitting on a table just behind the chair. It displayed a thin, broken, green line that changed as the strange beeping noise sounded off. Suddenly, movement out of the corner of his eye caused the creature to quickly look in its direction. What the creature saw was a short, tail-less coyote in a blue uniform.

"Sally, ze patient iz awaking." Antoine spoke into his hand held radio.

"Uh, oh that bozo just called for help. Well, they won't get the chance to torture me for info. I'll make sure of that! I swear it..."


Meanwhile…..

The Freedom Fighters entered the workshop of Rotor, finding him slumped over on one of his many worktables, fast asleep. "Man, only Rotor can fall asleep on his feet like that." Sonic joked as he saw walked into the hut. He walked over to the sleeping walrus and shook his shoulder.

"Uh, huh? …" Rotor awoke with a start. "Oh, Sonic, hey guys." Rotor greeted cheerfully, though a little groggy.

"Morn'n big guy." Sonic returned the greeting.

"Rotor, would you mind showing everyone that item I brought you last night." Sally asked.

"Sure thing Sal." Rotor replied turning to the work bench and plucking the shiny metallic armband off the counter. The others gathered around to take a look at the strange object.

"What is it Sugar?" Bunnie asked curiously.

"Its an vambrace, a piece of armor that covers the lower arm. It belongs to someone Tails rescued from Robotropolis last night." Sally explained pointing at the strange object.

"So that's what happened last night." Rotor nodded his head knowingly. "You called the med team for that person you rescued, not yourself, right."

"You knew about Tails calling for a med team and didn't tell me!" Sally yelled.

Rotor cringed at letting himself reveal that fact. "Sorry, Sal, I figured you might over-react if you found out. You were stressed out enough as it was last night." Rotor defended.

"Really? She was that worried about me?" Tails asked looking at Rotor with a surprised expression on his face.

"Sally-girl plum near wore a hole in the floor last night Sugar-Tails." Bunnie confirmed.

(sigh)"Rotor, did you learn anything last night?" Sally asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Well, as you already know, Sally, I couldn't find a way to get inside this thing and examine it properly, so I put it under this x-ray machine…" Rotor said as he placed the armband under the large machine. On the display screen a fuzzy white shape appeared.

"I don't see anything, Rote." Sonic commented impatiently.

"Just a sec Sonic." Rotor replied as he turned a knob on the machine. As he did the image on the screen changed. The center portion of the vambrace became more transparent with a white outline, showing the shape of the armband. Inside the border of the image two thick lines in the center of the object ran the length of the vambrace.

"What are those things in the middle?" Tails asked staring hard at the image on-screen.

"Hang on." Rotor replied. He reached down to the vambrace sitting on the machine and rotated it. As he did, the object on-screen rotated as well, showing the side of the vambrace. As it was rotated the two thick lines inside the vambrace became thicker, a small slit appeared in the middle of the thick lines, running the length of the thick metal within. One end of the line tapered upwards, like the tip of a knife.

(Gasp) "Rotor, are those what I think they are?" Sally exclaimed as the realization of what they were came to her.

"I'm afraid so, Sally, these things appear to be some sort of retractable battle claws." Rotor confirmed grimmly.

"That creature had two of these things when he came in last night…" Sally thought aloud. "...and I left the other one in the creatures room! And Antoine's watching him!"

The others slowly began to realize the gravity of the situation and gasped in shock as well. Sonic was less worried then the others however. "Relax Sal, you said he was unconscious didn't you, what's he gonna do, snore Antoine to death?" Sonic said sarcastically.

"Very funny Sonic, but this could be…" Just then Nicole chimed in. "Princess, Antoine is attempting to contact you." Sally's face showed great concern and worry. "Patch him though Nicole." Nicole beeped affirmatively and a moment later Antoine's voice came through on Nicole's speaker.

"Sally, ze patient iz awaking." Antoine said over the scratchy reception.

"Antoine, be careful the creature may be armed!" Sally yelled, hoping that Antoine would understand her warning.

"Exscuea'? He iz not… (ACK!)" Antoine's voice was abruptly cut short, followed by static.

"Antoine? Antoine are you there? Antoine, please respond." Sally shouted into the radio. Only static replied on the other end. She looked up at the shocked expressions her friends. "Something's happened at the hospital, let's go!" she ordered, and with no further instruction the Freedom Fighters bolted out of the workshop towards the hospital. As Rotor ran out the door he rushed back in with an after-thought and grabbed the vambrace, then raced back outside to the hospital.


At that moment...

"Alright chump, start talking!" the creature threatened, his voice smooth and deadly. The creature had grabbed Antoine from behind, grabbing one arm and holding the twin blades of his battle claws on his other arm against his throat. Antoine couldn't believe at how fast everything had happened, one minute he's speaking to Sally on his radio about the creature lying groggily on it's bed; the next it had grabbed its equipment, slapped them on, and leaped at Antoine, putting him in this life-threatening position.

Needless to say, Antoine was quivering uncontrollably in the grip of the creature. In fact he was so scared; he was babbling in French without even realizing it. The creature, confused by this, was getting more aggravated as Antoine continued babbling and muttering on in French. Finally the creature had enough and raised a hand back to strike Antoine in the back of the head.

Just before he did so, the door to the room burst open and the Freedom Fighters flooded into the room, Sonic and Sally in front. Rotor and Bunnie were next and Tails was behind them all, but was too short to be seen. "Hold it right there you freak!" Sonic shouted pointing a finger menacingly at the creature.

When the door burst open the creature had retightened his grip on Antoine, and returned his blades to Antoine's neck. Antoine cowardly babbled to Sonic to keep calm, and begged for help. "You're one to talk pal, but since I've got the hostage, how's about you stay put." The Freedom Fighters reluctantly eased back, not wanting to agitate the creature any further. "Good, first things first, tell me where my other battle claw is." The creature said clutching the body of Antoine tightly.

"It's right here." Rotor spoke out, raising the armband above his head so the creature would see.

"Good, how's about a trade, limp noodle here for my battle claw." The creature suggested.

"How are we supposed to know you'll give up Antoine if we do?" Sonic angrily pointed out.

"You have my word, besides, if you don't I could just kill him now you know." The creature replied bluntly, shaking Antoine's a little for emphasize.

"Alright, it's a deal. Rotor, give me the armband." Sally ordered. Rotor handed the armband to Sally, she started to take a step forward to the creature. "Nah, uh, uh, stay right where you are; just toss onto the bed beside me." He ordered. Sally stopped in her tracks and reluctantly threw the armband onto the bed.

The creature's right arm, the one with the battle claws already on, reached out and plucked the vambrace off the bed. He loosened his grip on Antoine with his other hand nad swung his free arm into Antoine's head, knocking him out cold. Before the Freedom Fighters could react he tossed Antoine's limp form across the small gap between the two parties. Sally and Sonic leapt forward to catch Antoine's body and brace it to the floor. In the brief second the Freedom Fighters were doing this the creature slapped his vambrace onto his left arm.

"Alright…" Sally began, trying to get the situation under control. "… you have you're stuff back, so how's about we talk about this out, nice and calm?"

"I won't be nice and calm until I get some answers…" he said, throwing his arm to the side, the blades within the armband sliding out with a soft metallic sound and struck up a fighting pose. "Like for starters who are you freaks?"

That tore it, Sonic had had it with letting this creep get his way, knocking out Antoine; now, it was on! "Why you!" he shouted as he exploded towards the creature with blinding speed. The creature was completely unprepared for this and took Sonic's right upper cut straight in the chest. The force of the speed-enhanced attack sent the creature flying though the window behind it. The sharp glass leaving dozens of cuts and gashes across its body and even a few on its' face.

Despite the blow the creature rolled with his momentum as he hit the ground outside, some of the shards of glass making new cuts along its back as he did so. He rolled onto his feet and threw his arms out to its sides again striking another fighting stance.

Sonic leapt out the window after his opponent, landing expertly on his feet outside the window. The other Freedom Fighters rushed out of the room and raced outside as fast as possible. Dr. Quack, who had come to investigate the commotion had come into the room and was now watching the fight unfold just outside the shattered window hile he tended to the Antoine.

People who had been walking by the hospital window stopped in their tracks and watched in amazement the spectacle before them. They all knew Sonic, but many were staring at the hedgehog's opponent, more in shock and horror.

The two combatants stared at each other for a few moments trying to see who would act first, or if the other would back down. The other Freedom Fighters now came around the corner and watched on the side lines as the two fighters stared each other down. The tension was thick, everyone watching was silent, everyone leery of the spectacle.

Sonic was the first to make a move. He surged forward using the same maneuver as before, hoping to send the creature into the wall behind it. Sonic closed the distance in milliseconds, but somehow the creature dived away at the last second, catching Sonic by surprise. Now Sonic had to hit the brakes fast, or he'd be the one crashing into the wall.

Sonic dug the heels of his special shoes into the dirt, coming to a screeching halt just centimeters from the wall of the hut. Sonic let out a sigh of relief, which proved to be a mistake. While Sonic had been stopping the creature had rolled out of its sideways dive, dug its clawed feet into the ground and lunged forward at Sonic. Everything happened so fast that nobody watching noticed that as the creature rolled away, he had retracted his battle claws.

Sonic looked back to where he had last seen the creature just in time to see its fist land a punch right square on his left cheek. The force of the punch sent Sonic flying through the flimsy wooden wall and crashed on top of a table inside, collapsing like a cheap piece of cardboard.

Believing that the creature had driven those foot long blades into Sonic's skull everyone gasped in horror; especially Sally... She stared in awed shock and disbelief; a small tear rolling down her cheeks. Then, something deep inside herself snapped, brining on a rage nobody had ever seen. "Sonic… YOU MONSTER!" she screamed, running full speed at the creature, tears of rage now pouring from her eyes. The attack caught the creature by surprise; he had been busy staring at the defeated body of Sonic, lying motionless on the crumpled table.

Sally planted a hand on the ground and did a flipping side kick at the creature. The creature turned reactively, the full force of the blow striking his already torn up and bloody back. "Argh!" he yelled in pain.

Sally did not stop there however, as the creature turned to face Sally; she threw a devastating right hook into his jaw. The force wasn't enough to break a tooth, but the pain was multiplied by the numbing pain of his electrocutions last night. He staggered backwards a step or two, but remained standing despite the violent punch. Hic teeth clenched together hard attempting to focus the pain. But the raging female he fought would not give him such a moment. She launched another punch into his gut, followed by a knee to his stomach as he bent over in reflex; knocking the wind out of him.

He fell to his knees gasping for breathe. His opponent circled as him like a vulture around a newly dieing carcass; a look of cold, merciless hate in her eyes. No, not hate; revenge. But as she circled him, he also observed her breathing heavily, she was tiring out; this is his chance. Summoning all the willpower he could he forced his breathing back under control, doing so as discreetly as possible to not alert his opponent. He waited until she passed behind himself, he swung his tail out; tripping her up.

Sally had not expected the creature to do something like that and was completely surprised when she felt her feet knocked out from under her. She fell to the ground hard, but using her years of sparring training, she broke her fall easily. She got to her feet even as her opponent did the same.

The two sized each other up while they circled each other, waiting for the other to make the first mistake. Sally was surprised to see that the creature had not bothered to extend his battle claws in all this time. Something she was grateful for. Sally struck first, leading in with a left hook, followed by a right upper cut into his chest.

Slasher could scarcely believe the ferocity of her attacks, she fought like she had nothing left to lose. He hardly had time to think about that much however as he tried to block her attacks. He spun around and, using his tail, swept his opponents feet out from under her for the second time this fight.

He tried to stomp down on her neck, but Sally rolled away before his clawed foot could connect. While still on the ground Sally spun on her hand to perform spinning back kick into the creature's back yet again. He howled in pain, but in that pain he became all the more determined to defeat this opponent. Rage filled the creature's eyes as Sally stood up and threw a left hook at his head. He blocked the punch with the back of his armored arm, and with his trained reflexes thrust the same arm at Sally's throat, grabbing her around the neck.

He flung Sally against an in-tact wall of the hut he had just sent Sonic through and pinned her against it. Sally clawed frantically at creatures arm with both hands, desperately trying to pry the strong arm from her neck; to no avail. Using his free arm the creature extended his blade and placed the sharp points to her stomach, preparing to stab them into her soft flesh.

Fear quickly flooded over Sally, replacing the boiling lust for revenge of a moment ago. Her eyes filled with cold tears that streamed down her cheeks from her shut eyelids. "See you soon Sonic…." She whimpered in her mind as her life flashed before her eyes. Everyone watching was holding their breaths in shock, "this can't be happening" were just some of the thoughts of the spectators. Not a word was spoken; time seemed to slow to a crawl.

Antoine, who by now had finally woken up looked out the broken window that a shocked Dr. Quack stared out of. What he saw made him gasp in horror, the Princess was about to be killed! In desperation he shouted out: "PREENCESS!"

The word froze the creature in his tracks; the rage in its eyes disappeared instantly. "Princess…" the creature repeated quietly to himself. What happened next was beyond anyone's belief.

Sally's every muscle was tensed preparing for the impending pain, her eyes were shut fast and she held her breathe. Suddenly she felt the grasp around her neck disappear completely; in fact she was even pulled away from the wall. She dared to take a peak with one eye, just to see what had happened. What she saw caused both eyes to bulge out to the size of saucers, and her jaw to drop. There before her, down on one knee, head bowed respectfully was the creature.

"Princess, forgive me; I didn't know." He said in the calmest, most sincere voice she had ever heard. Her amazement was equally shared in the gathered crowd; nobody saw that coming. After several moments of silence, the creature never raising its head in all that time, Sally finally regained her senses enough to make a response.

"Know what?" she asked her mind a loss of confusion.

"That you were royalty; please, forgive my rash actions." If the creature was scared of whatever repercussions Sally could possibly enact, he certainly didn't show it.

"Wait, one minute you're ready to kill me and the next you're bowing before me?" Sally said confused beyond belief.

"I am sworn to protect and serve the monarchy; had I known, I would not have attacked you, your highness." He replied, never raising his head. Sally's mind clung to his words, but abruptly Sally remembered about Sonic. "Sonic…" she whispered to herself, immediately turning on her heels and rushed to Sonic's side.

As she removed pieces of the table off of Sonic, Sally was relieved to see no stab marks on Sonic's head; and even more so to see him stir as she removed the debris. Sonic slowly sat up holding his head in pain; Sally tightly hugged Sonic, tears pouring down her cheeks. "Sonic, I was so scared…" Sonic had no idea what she was talking about, but he could see how badly shaken up she was, so he returned the hug affectionately.

As Sally's grip on Sonic loosened, she helped him to stand; placing his arm over her shoulders to steady him. As they walked outside the crowd let out a sigh of relief to see the hedgehog alive. The other Freedom Fighters ran up to the pair. Tails in particular ran up to Sally and leapt into her arms, giving her a big hug, combined tears of fear and relief streaming down his cheeks. Seeing the small kit crying like this made Sally start to cry again as well; her own relief at seeing him again sweeping over her. "(Shoosh) Tails its okay… (sniff) it's alright now…" Sally soothed quietly rocking back and forth to comfort the sobbing kit.

"Thank goodness ya'll are alright." Bunnie finally saind, sighing in relief.

"Ya, but what do we do with him now?" Rotor asked pointing to the kneeling figure nearby. Sally put Tails down and walked in front of the creature. She stared at him for a long time, her emotions battling for a decision. She felt rage towards the creature for nearly killing herself, but the feeling passed as she observed the creatures badly shredded back, and the many gashes across its body; her compassion for all life winning out.

"You! You say you are sworn to protect and serve the monarchy?" She asked pointing a finger sternly.

"Yes you're highness." He responded, never raising his eyes to meet hers.

"Can I trust you to not repeat this incident?" Sally asked in a very commanding, and authoritative tone.

"A Guardian is honor-bound to keep their word. You have my word, your highness." He responded.

Sally nodded approvingly. "Good, stand up and follow me." She ordered. He obediently stood up and followed as Sally walked away. Sally stopped next to the Freedom Fighters and like a trained puppy the creature stopped behind her. "Follow me guys, its time we get some answers!" She said to her friends sternly. Sally marched off towards the hospital entrance. The creature let the Freedom Fighters leave first, then fell in behind them. The crowd looked at each other in confusion and dispersed, returning to their prior tasks as the Freedom Fighters marched away and disappeared around the corner of the hospital.


End Ch 4

Whew instense wasn't it, and there'll be way more action coming your way in the future so don't even think about leaving this story. please feel free to submit a review to me, sighed on not i don't care, i love to hear the feedback.