Chapter 2: Lil' Leon the Freedom Fighter
The night I burned that flag, I thought my life was over. That I shouldn't have survived that attack. We knew about Robotnik's coup, and how he was taking over town after town. But we did nothing about it. And our idleness cost us dearly.
But then, I heard approaching footsteps. Thankfully, it wasn't a swarm of SWATbots. Instead, it was the Freedom Fighters, as they were known then. Unfortunately, they had arrived too late. Much too late. And Tig Stripe, their leader, knew it perfectly well. Ultimately, the group took me under their wing, and they called me, "Lil' Lee".
I became acquainted with the members of the group. Beyond Tig Stripe, who became my mentor, there was Sir Peckers the Woodpecker, Spot Long the Giraffe, Private Trey Scales the Snake, and MP Bull Bones the Bulldog. The Original Freedom Fighters laid down the foundation of who I am today.
I will now list each of the Original Freedom Fighters, and what they added to the team.
Colonel Tig Stripe: Strategist
Sir Peckers: Informant
Spot Long: Reconnaissance
Trey Scales: Speed and Agility
MP Bull Bones: Muscle
Leon: Tactical Espionage
Together, we all performed several successful operations in Robotropolis. But despite our efforts and triumphs, we were still far from freeing the world from the threat of Robotnik. And it all came to a head when King Maximillian Acorn was kidnapped by Robotnik's forces. Tig Stripe suggested we mount a rescue mission.
Little did we know, that this mission would be our last together.
I remember, one after the other, members of our group were overrun and carried off by SWATbots. First, was Spot Long. He didn't last long. Then, Sir Peckers was caught, despite being able to fly. Even the burly Bull Bones couldn't outlast the SWATbots. The only person that I didn't see get dragged off was Trey Scales.
Only Tig Stripe and I managed to make it to Robotnik's fortress at the center of Robotropolis. Trey was waiting for us there, along with everyone else, and a legion of SWATbots. Tig Stripe gave me an order, which turned out to be his last.
"Leon, RUN!"
Despite an army of SWATbots in my way, I managed to evade capture. But Tig Stripe wasn't so lucky. He was overwhelmed in moments, and I watched from afar as he, along with the rest of the Freedom Fighters were dragged off. Trey Scales was always out for himself, and now he had gone too far.
Once again, I was running for my life. But when I reached the outskirts of Robotropolis, I fell into a chasm. At the bottom, mountains of robotic scrap broke my fall. No doubt about it. This was Scrap Valley, where old creations of Robotnik were cast aside.
There, I saw the faces of many mobians, horribly captured in lifeless robotics, now lacking even eyes. Firsthand, I witnessed the legacy of Robotnik, and I knew he had to be stopped. Until…
I saw my parents. Just as I had feared, they had been roboticized. And now, here they were. Laying in this pile of junk, unceremoniously scrapped and left to rot. Why would anyone ever do this? What kind of monster would be so heartless?
Before that day, I wanted Robotnik stopped. I wanted him dethroned, and brought to justice. But after seeing my parents in that grisly state, I wanted him dead. I wanted him strung up and choked on live wires. As long as the black heart of that morbidly obese lunatic still beats, the scales of justice could never be righted.
It was at this point where I heard a rustling sound. It slowly approached, and I dove out of the way when Trey Scales jumped out at me. He was holding what I later identified as a Silence Projector. A prototype weapon specifically for sending people directly to the Zone of Silence.
Trey, however, was no match for my superior combat abilities. Despite his incredible speed and agility, I managed to disarm him. And at gunpoint, I got him to tell me that Warlord Kodos, the lion who ran the Acorn Ministry of War, was working with Robotnik and the wizard named Naugus, and had put Trey up to the task of betraying the Freedom Fighters.
I rewarded him as a traitor deserved. One shot, and a one-way trip to the Zone of Silence was what awaited Trey. I took the empty heads of my parents, and left Scrap Valley behind.
Knothole Village, our Headquarters, was cold and empty. So, again, I was alone. The only member of the Original Freedom Fighters left. I remember myself standing there for the longest time. Tig Stripe would know what to do, but now, it was all up to me.
That was the day I decided my fate. The day I would cast away my old self. With the equipment still left in Knothole, I fashioned myself into a force for good. I took Tig Stripe's old Stun Baton, and made it my own, as well as Bull Bones' old combat gloves, and Spot Long's old stealth jacket.
And at last, I placed the robotic head of my father upon my head. Leon the Panther was no more. He, too, was lost to the Zone of Silence. At least, that's what I'd tell the King once I rescued him. From then on, I was a warrior. One who would work in the darkness to restore the light. The one who would right the scales of justice. I was the fulcrum.
I… am Fulcrum.