Part 5

Orbiting out in space, just behind the moon lies a large spaceship. Its presence is unknown to the others but its influence will soon be known the world over.

"Status report on those energies on the surface." A large, white-scaled Draconian calls down to his science officers.

"At last apex, there were four class 3 entities, two class 4 entities and a single class 6 on the surface in the lower density realm." The lesser reptilian reports.

The white dragon clasps his long-digit hands together as he sits in the raised captain's chair. "I see, and the progress with the many-tailed adversaries?"

"Their middle-class is almost completely sold on our ideals. It will not be long before the council and the class 10 entities will be under our control."

"Excellent," the larger Draconian says with a cackle.

"Sir, what are the orders for the assault team?" Another one steps up with a bow, to ask.

The white-scaled leader reaches back to a side pocket on his chair and holds up a small vial of an odd liquid. "Proceed as planned… bring all class 5 and greater entities back to the rendezvous point and instruct officer Black to bring me the elderly interloper, I have a special plan for him."

"Yes, sir!" The soldier offers before standing up before running elsewhere to the ship.

"So, these hybrids have become a formidable force. It's time to fight fire with fire, and the old coot will give me exactly what I need. We will soon have our own super soldiers and then, not even the kitsune themselves will be able to withstand us." He adds with a dark chuckle.

Back upon the surface of the Mobian dimension, the four hybrids, and the now rogue kitsune meet up on the outskirts of the village where Duke had recovered.

"So, what do we do now?" Darrien asks.

"I guess we just have to find the other hybrids." Tails says with a confused rub of the back of his head.

"They could be anywhere, how will we ever be able to find them?" Fiona adds impatiently

"I believe I can help you there." Contessa, the dark blue kitsune tells them as she hovers just within earshot of the conversation.

"Why should we trust you?" Duke calls out, taking a step closer toward her.

"Because I am now perfectly disposable to the Draconians. If I didn't help you, my own survival will be at stake." She explains simply.

"Ridiculous, first she was telling Tails that she was going to wipe us all out. Now she's saying she wants us to cover her tails!" Duke retorts.

"What do you make of this, Tails?" Darrien asks the twin-tail.

Tails stops and walks up next to the kitsune and looks her square in the eyes once again. After a moment of searching for her thoughts, he simply nods and walks back over to the others.

"We can trust her, she has no real motives. This all must be as much of a shock to her as it is ourselves." Tails replies.

"How will having her help even be beneficial to us?" Fiona asks with a bit of sarcasm.

"As it was explained to me by Genra, pure-blooded kitsune have a greater sense of their own kind than we do. We can only detect them from short distances but she can track them down over most of the world." Tails explains to her.

"That settles it then, let's get going," Darrien says before powering up, the others doing likewise as they prepare to follow the kitsune wherever they lead them. The bunch then shoot off to the north, taking a high altitude for a long flight.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on Mobius stands the lone protector of the Master Emerald on the Floating Island at the base of the staircase with two other echidnae standing by his side. So far it's been a typical, quiet day but something is visibly bothering Knuckles.

"What is it, Knux?" One of the others asks.

"It's nothing..." He states in reply, having the odd feeling that they were being watched.

It's then he looks to the sky and notices something odd about the sky above them, he can almost make out the signs of something moving, so kind of unnatural mirroring going on in the horizon. It's just then that a dark figure appears in the sky, floating down rapidly toward the island and landing about 100 feet away with a thud.

The figure is none other than the kitsune from the Mammoth Casino, his numerous tails flaring out as he looks wordlessly to the three before him.

"Who are you and what are you doing in this sacred spot?" Knuckles breaks the silence after about a minute and begins walking toward him.

The other looks on quietly before suddenly making his intentions known with once quick action. He moves past knuckles and knocks out the two other echidnae with one blink of an eye. The two bodies falling to the ground.

"What, how dare you!?" Knuckles turns around to see the two others down. "You're going to pay for that!" The echidna charges upon the kitsune, spiked knuckles out and ready. He quickly bridges the gap and swings out wide in a big punch which the kitsune quickly subdues with one hand.

Knuckles grows furious and continues swinging wildly at the kitsune, who easily blocks and dodges every blow thrown at him, a confident grin in his features.

"Child's play..." He says merely before offering a flick to the forehead to the echidna, causing him to be pushed back several feet from it, a trail of blood leaking from the new wound.

"What, how?" The echidna feels over the wound and the blood trailing from it.

"All those muscles and still so brittle." The kitsune says to him mockingly.

"What is it that you want?" The echidna calls out.

"Just your emerald, that's all." The dark-furred one calls out.

"Over my dead body!" Knuckles calls out before charging at the other once again.

"That can be arranged." The other says before charging in himself.

The two rapidly begin to move in a dance of fury, the kitsune entertaining himself as he trades blows with Knuckles, the kitsune clearly having the upper hand and landing one final punch to his maw which puts the echidna on the ground several feet back.

"How can this be..." He says weakly amidst coughing up blood. "My fists are the hardest on Mobius, but his feel like they're made of steel. No… it's even more than that." He grunts, struggling back up to his feet.

The kitsune stands, his fists engulfed in equally black energy, revealing to the echidna his true advantage.

"I will admit, you're pretty tough for a Mobian, but that's all the praise you're worth." He says before giving a sonic kick to his side, making Knuckles cry out as he falls back down, rolling several times from the blow. "Now be a good little insect and hand over the emerald. Heh, not like you actually have a choice." The dark one mocks with matching laughter.

"D-Damn it!… I have to… stop this guy." Knuckles grunts out as he tries to stand once more.

"Stubborn idiot, how more outclassed do you have to be before you realize that you're done in."

"I told you… I will protect the emerald with my life." Knuckles says, cringing as he takes a stance once again and puts up his fists.

"So be it." The kitsune says with a scowl, putting out one hand flatly, glowing with the dark energy just as before. Knuckles finds the strength to finally charge before coming to a sudden halt as he looks up to the sky, a large set of doors opening amidst the sky, showing some kind of cargo hold.

A beam shines down over the emerald and it begins to float up toward the craft. The large gem is easily plucked from its pedestal by the mostly invisible energy.

"No!" Knuckles calls out as he makes one final desperate charge, only to be cut short by a sudden blow to the back of his neck, being effectively disabled just like the two others.

It's then that the kitsune hops up on the floating gem, accompanying it inside of the craft as it's fully lifted up and the doors close behind it. The whole craft becomes visible then and Knuckles wakes up from the blow early, having just enough strength to look up to the sky and see the craft as another door opens up, this one having a bright green energy seemingly charging up in it.

"Damn it… Damn it, Sonic where are you!?" He cries out as the island is absorbed in the green light, resulting in a massive explosion that rattles the horizon. The entirety of the floating island blasted to mere bits. A giant cloud of smoke and particulate being the only things left over… save for a falling, battered echidna body which plummets through the air to the ocean below, being caught at the last moment, saved from certain death at the bottom of the sea.

The unknown helper flies through the air under a similar power influence to a kitsune though his looks are far from one. A mobian lizard covered in an electrified golden aura flies with the echidna in his arms, one of them being metal

The unknown Mobian finds land after several minutes of flight and swoops down, dropping Knuckles off.

"I apologize, I don't have time to tend to your wounds. Be strong, and you will survive." He says simply to the downed echidna before looking to the horizon. A flicker of his electrical aura given off as he concentrates on the faint feelings of other energies. "Don't worry, my brothers, I will set things right." He states simply before flying off in a new direction.

As the four hybrids soar through the sky, now in the frozen north of Mobius. The land below them teaming with snow and ice.

"Brrr… it's cold up here." Darrien says with his arms closed tightly over his chest as he flies along.

"Hey, fire ferret, send some of that warmth back here!" Fiona demands from Duke at the center of the formation.

"It's not my fault you're turning into a bitch-sicle," Duke replies.

"What did you say!?" Fiona replies angrily.

Tails, meanwhile near the head of the pack is focusing on the kitsune in front of them, wondering how she is doing up there.

A few more minutes pass before the groups come to a stop.

"She is down there..." Contessa points to an encampment below.

"Great, let's go!" Tails calls out before being cut short by the kitsune again.

"That's not a good idea… this tribe treats males as objects, they are committed to breeding and servitude only. None of you three would be welcome down there." She says, looking over at the males.

"Fine, I'll go then," Fiona says before flying up next to the kitsune.

"Huh, I guess we'll wait around back here," Tails says to the two.

"A regular tribe of lesbians, aside from the whole forced servitude thing, I could totally get behind that," Duke says with a chuckle before the others merely shake their head, calling him along as they head toward the snowy ground, some distance away from the camp.

Fiona meanwhile enters the camp, walking into it calmly, still a bit chilled from the cold weather. She walks up to a group of others in their winter jackets.

"I want to see the hybrid," Fiona states in a matter of fact way.

The others look to each other before one adds. "She must mean our general."

"An outsider wanting to speak to the general, absurd… you'll have to make an appointment, she can't be bothered by just anyone."

"An appointment?" Fiona scoffs dismissively before adding. "Consider it urgent."

"Look, I'm telling you to get out of here… our general doesn't have time for miscreants to pester her with outsider nonsense." The main speaker finally says, motioning for the vixen to get out.

Fiona tenses up in anger. "Miscreants, you say?" Her dark aura begins to leak out, pushing away some the snow where she stands and she begins to float. "That's certainly not what I would call the planet's last hope for survival."

The three others as well as several others in the area turn to look in Fiona's direction in awe.

"Now stop fooling around, where is she!?" Fiona speaks impatiently.

"You… you have that power too…" One gasp is given before another speaks up. "Alright, don't get testy, she's up on that hill." The woman gestures up to a lone figure standing up on the largest hill in the area.

The hybrid calms down and settles back down onto the ground before taking the long approach toward the other, which undoubtedly knows of Fiona's presence now thanks to her previous flare-up. She walks up behind the other, seeing an armor-clad lady snow leopard sitting Indian-style on a large rug.

"Another Mobian that's like me… I was beginning to suspect I was the only one." She says back to Fiona while holding her gaze ahead.

"Yes, and there are others..." She replies before asking. "So, you're a general, huh?"

"That is correct. I am the general of my tribe and the lord over my faithful servants, as well as their male peons." The elegant cat explains.

"As much as I admire the idea of males being subservient, I'm afraid that the others like me are male."

"It's comforting to know that there is at least one other truly capable being out there… as for your male friends. I have no need of them nor would I accept them as anything remotely close to equals." The feline replies.

"You should, they're strong." She adds with a deviant grin.

"Nonsense, no male swine could ever be like us." She dismisses.

"There's one male, that I wager, is stronger than you." She continues her trickery.

This causes the leopardess to jump up to her feet and growl.

"I don't care to hear your opinions on the matter… but if you're sure, then bring him to me and I shall see." She retorts with a wrinkle of her nose.

"It's just an idea… you see, we could use the help of a fine lady warrior such as yourself. If for nothing else, then to keep the boys in check." The dark aura clad hybrid speaks out.

"Tempting… but I have more pressing responsibilities here to tend to." The feline hybrid says before looking away once again.

"Well then, I guess I have no choice… I will fight you for your own subservience to me." Fiona adds with a grin, popping her knuckles.

"What, you dare come here and threaten me?" She turns toward her fully and draws her sword.

"I gave you a chance to come quietly, now we will duel… if you win, I leave here and never return… but if I win, you're coming along with me whether you like it not." Fiona adds, taking a stance.

"Very well, I accept your terms… but know this, you're going to lose!" She says before flaring up her icy-blue aura and taking a stance with her sword, the area already feeling a little bit colder.

"We'll see..." Fiona says, before flaring up her dark aura in a potent jump in strength, it cracking the ground beneath her.

"Woah, Tails are you seeing this?" Duke calls over to Tails from their hiding spot.

"I see it alright, I hope she knows what she's doing or this could be a disaster." He says, huddled closely to the flaming aura of the other to keep warm.

The two females stand readily, staring each other down with their auras flaring accordingly.

.oO(I must keep my sense of determination strong, she can't beat me if I stay focused) The vixen thinks to herself.

It's just then that the leopardess swings out with a powerful blow of her sword, which Fiona sees and jumps back just before giving a rush at her of her own. She strikes out at the others muzzle, which is quickly blocked by the flat side of the blade. The vixen then jumps back again, narrowly parrying another sonic swipe of the others sword.

The two continue their dance of attacking and dodging, all happening as quickly as the previous battles between the hybrids. The battle seeming to be a draw this far as each blow is blocked or dodged skillfully. The two jump back, still at a stance as they look each other down again.

"So this is what it's like to fight the strong ones like myself." The feline says simply before leaping back in with another slash which Fiona catches between her hands and kicks the other back, sliding back several feet.

It's then that Fiona does a quick blow, throwing a fast moving wave of energy at other with her hand. The wave hits the feline and she is knocked back, almost to the point of falling down. Her awkward body posture remaining for a moment before returning to her formidable stance.

It's then that the leopardess strikes out in a quick blow with her hand, which Fiona dodges only to be caught by surprise with another slash of her sword. This one is energy backed which slashes through Fiona and slashes a tree behind her which slowly falls apart, torn in two by the swing.

"Fiona..." Tails mumbles to himself with concern.

"Don't worry about her, the look in her eyes hasn't changed. She's still as confident as ever." Darrien adds as he too watches the duel.

Fiona looks down to her side, a clean gash along her side beginning to leak blood from the attack.

.oO(It hit, but it wasn't good enough to finish me) Fiona thinks to herself, looking at the wound for a moment.

"That should've killed you!" The leopardess gasps, seeing the other still standing tall.

"I remember that you said something about the strong ones, now you see it for yourself. You're used to fighting regular Mobians, aren't you? Those rules don't apply here." Fiona says, taking a lick of the blood her hand picked up from the cut.

It's then that the vixen takes a stance again and claps the palms of her hands together, dark energy seething between both of them. She then draws them slowly apart, a black-coated, straight-bladed sword appearing the middle as she parts them. She then takes the blade into her right hand with a quick swipe.

"What the… I didn't know she could do that..." Tails mumbles before realizing that she must've been holding back the entire time in their previous fight.

Fiona then takes a side stance, her left leg stepping back and her left hand resting behind her back, as her armed right-hand takes the forefront. The look in her eyes as full of resolve as ever. The leopardess was taken aback for a moment before lashing out once again, using full force and it caught against the vixen's dark blade.

The two blades screech along each other's surface for a moment before the battle resumes, the blades quickly colliding into each other as they strike at and parry each other.

"Heh, looks like we have another swordsman, or should I say swordswomen, in our troop now," Duke remarks to Darrien.

"Potentially two," Darrien replies. "If she can hold up against the armored cat for long enough."

"The look in her eyes… it's different than when we fought, she had a hesitant look in her features, but now, she shines with determination." Tails adds from his hiding spot next to the other males.

The leopardess is knocked back once more by Fiona's blow, this time, blade to blade.

"Enough playing around, let's see how tough you really are." The feline says, her icy aura flaring up brightly and wrapping its way around her sword. The blade begins to freeze over until it looks crystalline in nature, seething with the other's energies.

"It's about time." The vixen replies, running out of patience. Her own energies swirl up into her blade and grow into a pitch-black sword-shaped cloud which flickers violently with her energies.

The leopardess then charges, swinging her blade with both hands and hits against Fiona's blade, the contact of energy making a giant snap like the sonic boom of a whip's tip. Fiona struggles to hold it but manages to block it with only one arm, the other remaining behind her back.

The other sees this and presses in with all of her might, the energy crackling and arcing between them both.

"Heh, heh heh… you're still not giving your all are you? You're afraid you'll break me." Fiona then looks up and looks into her eyes. "First rule of fighting the kitsune way, never fight with anything less than the intent to kill." She says as she powers up further, pressing down into the ground as it begins to break beneath her, her fur beginning to grow black at its tips.

The vixen begins to pry the sword off of her own with sheer strength.

"Wha-what is happening?" The leopardess calls out with shock as the other overpowers her with only one arm.

"Your resolve is failing you, that's what's happening." The vixen replies darkly, now staring down the other with black-backed golden fierce eyes, pupils elliptical and narrow against the darkness.

The leopardess leaps back in fright before giving one final slash over her sword, using her energy once again, going all in with the slash with her frustration. The blast from the sword seemingly missing the now seemingly gone hybrid in front of her. The end result of the uninterrupted slash parting all of the trees for a mile in front of her. The sudden miss and devastation causing her to become hesitant to move for a moment, giving Fiona enough change to strike her from behind with the flat of her blade, knocking the leopardess clear off of the hillside and causing her to come crashing down in the encampment below.

The soldiers jump up at arms and charge up to their general while Fiona floats down next to her. The soldiers aim their spears and swords up in Fiona's direction.

"General!" one exclaims while another questions, "What is she?" looking at the darkness-clad vixen in horror as the other three hybrids charge through the encampment, abandoning their hiding spot to rush into the action.

"Fiona!" Tails calls out to her as he arrives with the others in tow. They look up the startled other the leopardess now out cold.

"Don't worry, Tails… she's with us now." Fiona says simply, her serious demeanor turning into a smile as she looks to him with her demonic-looking eyes, still clad in her dark power. The twin-tailed fox can feel the intensity of her strength before she ultimately powers down, her black-bladed sword disappearing with the energy.

"You're… you're strong… you never showed me this in our battle." He says as the other hybrids look between them both.

"Heh, come on, I can do better than that," Duke says with a playful tone.

The rat retorts. "Whatever..." to the ferret hybrid before looking back to Tails and Fiona. "Well, what are we going to do now, we've got a small army between us?" He adds as the soldiers look between both the hybrid group and Fiona in confusion.

It's then that they pose their attack, the soldiers surrounding both the group and Fiona in front of them.

"You don't want to do this, you've seen what we can do," Darrien warns them softly.

"Let them go." Calls out one of the leaders of the group. "Our general couldn't even hold out against one of them and if they all have these powers, we wouldn't have a prayer." He tells them all before motioning them back. The group does so, gradually falling back and dispersing.

Fiona picks up the leopardess in her arms, prompting the captain to call to her.

"What are you going to do with her?" He questions a bit nervously.

"She has a new battle to face now," Fiona tells him before walking to the others.

"Don't worry, she's in good hands." Tails says to him reassuringly.

"But what are we supposed to do now? We'll all be in disarray without a leader..." He says with a shrug.

"Then I guess it's time to appoint a new general," Duke replies.

The four then turn around and walk out with the fifth being carried along. They then quickly power up slightly and take off into the air.

"Oh man, HQ's never going to believe me when I try to explain this." The captain says worriedly.