Chapter 8
Moon Rabbit
After the incident on the train they stayed off the main roads and cut through bushes to not attract any more attention to them. She knew their were others that would come for her now. The woods seemed to close in around them. It became so thick daylight could not pierce through the trees and every time they were walking they would hear whispers and shadows moving at the corners of their eye.
" I don't have a good feeling about this place " said Sally.
A rolling fog moved in around them as they walked. Their were no sounds of birds chirping or frogs croaking. Bunnie's eyes shifted around scanning the area.
" Strange. Ah see cuts in the trees and pieces of broken arrows and moved soil. Somethings been going on here " she said.
Sally stepped forward when the soft ground underneath her broke and she fell into a deep pit. At the last second Bunnie leaped and grabbed her arm.
" Hold on sugah Sally! I'ma get you out! "
Sally clung on for dear life. She looked down and the pit was filled with wooden spikes. Bunnie hoisted her out of there.
" Who would set traps like these! " she asked, still in shock.
" Good question. Why don't we ask them village folks down there " she said pointing to the now visible village just at the bottom of the hill.
The huts were made of bricks and the roofs of straw. There were a few bigger buildings made of wood with aome chimney smoke brewing from a few of them. There had to be people there. Thank god for civilization. As they advanced they took caution of any more traps around them. There was something strange about the village. It seemed to give off a eerie feel to it. There were no children and the streets were deserted. Almost all windows were boarded up. As they walked in they could feel themselves being watched with hostile eyes through the cracks in the boards.
" Guess they don't get out much? " said Bunnie in a whisper.
A couple dry leaves blew around and a couple shutters slammed back and forth in the gust of wind. Suddenly there came a rush of footsteps and they found themselves surrounded by rifles pointed at them in every direction; all were men carrying them. Bunnie looked quite annoyed.
" Who are these outsiders! " one the men asked.
" And why is that thing that is with you? It's a goddamn robot! "
The others shouted in unison raising their weapons. Bunnie growled.
" That aint no way to show hospitality to strangers. "
" You aren't taking us alive! " one shouted.
Bunnie went in with a crescent kick, knocking the gun out of his hands sending it spinning in the air. Her foot swooped under his ankles, tripping him and slammed him down to the ground twisting his arm back and then caught the gun and pointed it at his head. He let out a whimper of panic struggling futility under her might.
" A man who points a weapon should be prepared to die by one. "
The others gasped but then growled, pulling out their guns at their heads, the safety clips being cocked back. But then a voice called out amongst the rowdy distrusting folk.
" Stop! Don't you dare hurt them! They are not our enemies! "
The circle broke as a man rushed in. He was a brown colored squirrel with deep red messy hair. He wore tiny glasses with a fancy black coat with a white shirt underneath. A long bushy tail portruded from behind, swaying gently with each step he took. He had a heavy british accent to him with gentle blue eyes.
" Lower your weapons everyone. They are not with them. They are unarmed and do not bear his emblem. "
" What about that clanker there? You know they always take and destroy wherever one shows up. Destroy it before it calls for reinforcements! "
Bunnie's fist tightened and then broke the gun in half.
"Ah think we should all calm down before things get dicy" she warned.
They gasped, taking a step back.
" Please, please forgive them! " he begged. " They are not usually so paranoid but, they can be...excitable. There have been ...some troubling times here. "
" Troubling? " asked Sally.
" I will explain later but for now I welcome you to the village of Oak. My name is Elias. I am the town doctor. "
" I'm Princess Sally and this is Bunnie, my friend. "
" Ah, a princess gracing us! Where are my manners? Quick, come inside before you catch a cold. "
He took them across the village to a large house. It was made out of stones, with a small garden of his own assortment of herbs he was growing with tomatoes. A modest little project for himself. It was nice and warm inside. There was large cabinets of books all sorts, ranging from medicine to knowledge of cadavres and plants. After all, he was a doctor. There were three fireplaces going warming the place. He set down some baked bread from the oven for them.
" Since we rarely see outsiders you may stay here as long as you like " he said smiling.
Sally bowed. " Thank you for taking us in Doctor Elias but...are you sure its alright us staying here and all?"
" Don't worry, their is more room here than I know what to do with. This used to be an inn but I look after it now. The manager disappeared and not enough people come around these days to make any money. "
He sipped his tea and looked at Bunnie.
" So Bunnie is it? Tell me, how can a machine look so pretty? " he said smiling.
She blushed abit. " Aw, your sweet, sugah doc. "
She cleared her throat and began to speak. " Ah was wondering doc, if you knew anything about why I am the way I am? "
" What do you mean? " he asked naively.
She explained to him. How that her metal body can turn into flesh and blood under the glow of the full moon and how she has no recollection of her past and her gut feeling that she wasn't always this way. The aching longing to become normal like everyone else, to not be cast out as a simple ' thing ' or ' tool '. Elias sipped his tea slowly, hanging onto every word. She talked about her run ins and fights with other machines and how she met Sally on the train and them ending up here. After, when she finished explaining he rubbed his chin looking at her with curious eyes.
" Hmmm...well I'm no scientist but if you say that you were once normal at a period but now aren't my only guess is that someone did this to you either through some strange sorcery or powerful technology. It's utterly clear that no virus, sickness, or disease could turn organic matter into mechanical. At least, nothing I have encountered. If I were to treat you as organic you would appear completely healthy. Your body seems to heal and regenerate as it should, perhaps even faster than normal. You also tell me after a full moon any and all wounds are fully gone? Fascinating. "
Sally decided to pipe up. " Pardon me,doctor - - "
" - Elias " he said with a nice guy smile.
" Elias, you mentioned hard times have been happening to this village? "
His face grimaced and he looked down searching his mind for a clean way to explain things. He sighed and pushed up his glasses.
" Well...there have been some disappearances of the children. Their is a hogwash legend about creatures in the woods abducting children every thirty years that is riling up the townfolk. "
" Creatures? " Sally asked.
" There was this ranger who passed by not too long ago. He had a heavy french accent and wore strange looking gear. By the time this started to happen and help was needed he was long gone. I remember his name was Antoine. Perhaps you two met on the road? "
Sally sprayed the wine she was drinking. Elias and Bunnie raised their eyebrows at her.
" Antoine!? How long ago did he leave! "
" Well...he left three days ago. If you wish to catch up to him he headed north. Is he a friend of yours? "
Sally smiled abit. " One of the best. "
She turned and her face turned into deep worry as she began to think about Sonic. Bunnie noticed this and it bugged her. They had a quick meal and he gave them a room to stay in. It was a modest kept room and rather large. It was plain though, missing furniture and proper wall decorations. White walls with brown floor boards. But it had a nice marble carved deck freshly polished with some vinal foliage growing on the sides. Sally took the bed near the window. She felt so lost. Five days it had now been since she woke up here and so much has happened. Knothole completely gone, everyone missing or dead, her worst enemies now transformed into creatures of hate, so much has happened. So much has passed in this short span of time. She felt lost, until she felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder and grip her back to reality. It was Bunnie. She gave Sally a sympathetic look and caressed her cheek.
" Cheer up, girl. Ah'm sure we'll find this Anthony boy of yours. "
" Antoine, and thanks. But that isn't whats troubling me. "
" Shoot then. "
" I know I have such a long road ahead of me. I was lucky to come across you, but I still think back to Tails and how I failed to save him. What if I cant save the others when that time comes. "
Bunnie shrugged. " Ya'll worry too much about things. Ya'll gonna be gray before you even find any of 'em. But ya know, ah think you got things pretty good all things considering. Heck, I'd love to be in your shoes if it meant I could be rid of this damn body. "
Sally had been so wrapped up in her own worries she never even thought about the struggles she must go through.
" Every girl wishes she could be a princess, and you sure as heck don't need no fancy dress to look like one. "
Sally gave a small laugh. " Well, I'm not one dresses anyhow. "
Bunnie gave Sally's hand a gentle squeeze as she moved closer. She wrapped her arms around Sally hugging her. Sally was surprised at this sudden move. What was happening?
" Bunnie? "
" Truth to be told. It's gets real lonely being me. No one likes being near robots and you're the first to give me a chance. Since ah trust you I'll let you see something special" she said.
Bunnie stood up and opened the window up wide letting the glow of the moon wash over. Bunnie often was afraid during the full moon since it meant she was vulnerable, but tonight was special. The rays shined in bathing her metallic body. Sally was in total awe at her beauty. Bunnie held onto the curtains and shut her eyes clenching her teeth embarrassed for what was about happen. Her body began to glow with a heavenly light and sparkles danced around her. Sally did not take her eyes off her as she felt mesmerized by her beauty. There then Bunnie stood bare for her eyes to see. Sally's jaw dropped. Sally had been with Bunnie lots but she seemed even more heavenly than before.A beauty hidden from her eyes for so long like a blindfold. She seemed so fragile and innocent now.
Her fur was golden and her hair draped half way down her back. Her black eyes were now a sparkling emerald green. They shined like two light bulbs. Her ears drooped past her face, hanging freely. The shadows crawled along her curvy body making her even more seductive and mysterious. What surprised Sally the most is that her breasts were much larger than she remembered them to actually be and she hardly had a bust when she was robotic. Perhaps she just never noticed or stared at them back home and just realized now. As Sally stared and Bunnie stared back their was this weird feeling that began to overtake her. Sally often felt this when she looked at Sonic. She was now feeling this same feeling. Was this mere lonelyness or something more?
" You look beautiful " she said.
The two embraced giving each other a long hug. Both lonely souls wandering in a storm that had found one another. Sally gave a sigh letting these weird feelings take hold. Her hands moved down and felt her smooth body, Bunnie leaning in giving a kiss. It was a welcome gentle exchange. In a land of nightmares a flower bloomed in the moonlight.
" S-should we stop? " Sally asked, her face red.
" That isn't what your hands are doing " Bunnie said, noticing they were now clutching her breasts. They were certainly warm and heavy, she noted before leaning in for another kiss. As the night went on the two made fiery love together. The two eventually fell asleep in a embrace, Bunnie returning to her metal body when sunlight came.
The next morning they were awoke by startling cries from outside. Bunnie Sally jumped up awake and fled to the balcony to see what was happening. A mother was at her doorstep crying.
" My baby! She's gone! They've tooken my baby! " she wailed.
The men went pale and they raced all around the village for the missing raced downstairs and were greeted by Elias.
" Hello girls. I hope your rooms were comftorable. "
" Elias, whats happening? " Sally asked.
He bowed his head and sighed sadly. " Three of the children have gone missing last night. As I said before about every thirt years children seem to just up and vanish. It seems to have started up once again. "
" Could they have been taken? " Sally asked thinking possible Robotnik behind the treacherous act.
He shook his head.
" No, that wouldn't be possible. Somehow the doors unlock by themselves and then no sign of footprints coming in or out of the village. Even if someone came and covered their tracks the doors could not simply just unlock on their own. Most would have to be unlocked from inside the house and the children here are not tall enough to even reach the door handles! "
Sally and Bunnie thought this over.
" Sounds like a real mystery this town has. No wonder they acted so hostile towards us " Sally said.
" Yes...I'm rather sure they wouldn't have acted like this towards you and your friend but you can understand the loss of a child or those close to you " Elias said.
" Yes..I can relate, actually " said Sally.
" If wish to pursue that Antoine I suggest you leave by noon today. There is a storm coming again and I'd hate for it to slow you down. "
Sally rose from the chair and with fires of determination in her eyes.
" No. Antoine can wait. I'll go after whoever's responsible for this and find out whats going on. Its my duty as a princess and as a Freedom Fighter to protect her people! "
Elias was rather surprised. He took one look and knew their was no talking her out of it. He just sighed and drummed his fingers on the table.
" You can try but I fear you will get no farther than the rest of us. "
" We'll wait till night comes and wait for the ones taking them to come and then this village can be safe " she said. But then suddenly she wondered for a moment. Even if she did all this how would she protect them from getting captured or killed by Robotnik? Then she began to wonder just what unspeakable evils has Robotnik been doing and if there are any freedom fighter groups.
Bunnie and Sally spent the day searching the village and outskirts of the forest for any clues. They got plenty of mean glares but they didn't care. As they searched they could feel this feeling that something from within the darkness was watching them. The trees seemed bigger and seemed to close tighter around the village strangling the life out of it. The sky thickened with a dark black cloud and thunder crackled and boomed from the depths of the dark clouds. Sally looked up in the sky. Not a drop was raining.
Everyone had long since gone inside and locked their doors. Flashes of light exploded out from the clouds and thunderous booms that seemed to shake the very rocks beneath did not feel like no ordinary thunderstorm. Each time she heard the thunderous booms instead of terrifying her it now moved her. It lifted her. She felt much stronger than when she ended up here six days ago but she knew in her heart that there is going to be many trials facing her ahead. She paused and a flashback of Mr Snively appeared in her mind grinning devilishly standing over top of her with his whip while she could only lie frozen on the ground weak and helpless.
" I couldn't save you, Tails. I was too weak and afraid. But I know now what I must do. I'll get stronger to protect my friends and my people from harm. I swear it! "
