Mobian Legends
Story is (c) 2004-2008 John CoonFox, SethLeopard, and SallyGirl
SatAM Sonic characters are (c) 1992-1994 DiC Entertainment
Archie characters are (c) 1993-2008 Archie Comics Publications
Sonic The Hedgehog is (c) Sega/Sonic Team 1990-2007
Snively Fox is (c) "Spug" ("spug at dirtybaka dot com")
Bookshire Stormfire Draftwood is (c) 1994-2008 "Serinthia and Bookshire Draftwood" ("serinthia at foxcoon dot com")
SatAM Research and story: SallyGirl
Chief Writer: MetaLeopard
Writer: John CoonFox
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Timeline: May 12, 3241 - Tails' Adventure
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Chapter 3 - Trouble Downunda
The young fox wakes up. He rubs his eyes and yawns, seeing Barby and Walt lean over him.
"Ahh! who are you guys?" Tails asks, crawling back a bit.
"Aww... isn't he cute?" Barby giggles, slightly annoying Walt.
"I guess so." he says, not too thrilled.
"I'm Barby Koala, and this is my boyfriend, Walt Wallaby." She says, introducing herself and her friend.
"What's your name?" Walt asks. "I'm Miles Prower, but you can call me Tails." The twin-tailed fox replies.
"Where am I?" He asks, standing up and looking around at the trees and bay.
"You're in Botany Bay, mate. This is the continent of Downunda." Walt explains.
"It's nice... but it looks like there's been a war down here..." Tails says, noticing a few of the bombed-out buildings.
"Yeah... about that... We've been trying to deal with one of Doctor Robotnik's latest creations, Crocbot." Walt replies to Tails.
"What's he?" The twin-tailed fox inquires.
"He's a vile, sinister robotic reptile. Crocbot was made by Doctor Robotnik to enslave our proud nation, much like how he's done to the rest of the planet. We are the last standing group of resistance." Barby says.
"I have some good news, guys. You're not alone. The Kingdom of Acorn survived, and there are pockets of resistance elsewhere on Mobius." Tails says.
"That's good news! We're not alone in our fight, but we still need help to get rid of Crocbot and restore our country." Barby sighs.
"Don't worry. I'll help you get rid of Crocbot." he says.
Under the murky waters of Botany Bay, a long, metallic tail cuts through the water quite easily. He watches as he swims through the water, careful not to make a splash, or hit a rock.
"Crocbot to Robotnik. I've started to destroy the village of Botany Bay. The Freedom Fighters there are putting up a very futile fight. They should be taken out by tonight." The robotic reptile says via comlink to his creator.
"Excellent, Crocbot! Keep this up, and I might let you rule Downunda as your own province. Robotnik out." he replies, closing the link.
The robotic crocodile swims, chuckling to himself. He approches shore, seeing three mammals. A grin spreads across his metallic muzzle.
"This should be perfect." He says, crouching low under the very shallow water.
He watches as Barby and Tails joke around, with Walt somewhat skeptical, his arms folded and tail staying still. He waits for her to take another step or two closer to the water, and then he snarls, jumping up with a loud splash and grabbing Barby with both arms. She screams and squirms, trying to get free.
"BARBY!" Tails and Walt both scream. The vulpine snarls and grabs his arms, trying to get Barby free as Walt curls his tail around Crocbot's left leg, pulling away to trip him, causing Crocbot to lose grip on Barby as he falls back into the shallow water.
Barby performs a backflip, landing back onto her feet with a brief moment of grace onto the dry land. Tails and Walt look to her.
"Are you alright?" They ask.
Barby nods hesistantly.
"I'm okay. Other than nearly drownin'..." She replies before Walt turns and calls out to the robot, angered by the sudden attack on his friend.
"You rust bucket, get out here and fight!" Walt clenches his fists as Tails looks out over the water in dismay.
A moment of silence passes before Crocbot sudden launches 20 feet into the air with a sonic leap, landing several feet from the three with a heavy, dirt-cracking thud.
"What luck, three furs ripe for the picking right in front of the bay." He says with his back turned to the others.
Walt doesn't hesistate at the opportunity, pulling a boom-erang out of his pouch and throwing it toward the Croc.
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" He shouts as the weapon hurdles toward the robot.
Crocbot grins and turns around to face the Freedom Fighters just in time for the boom-erang to contact him with a loud explosion.
"That'll teach him!" Walt cheers. Barby smiles, hugging him.
"Way to go Walt, he never even saw that one coming." She says to her cheering boyfriend.
"Yeah, that's what happens when you turn your back on me." The wallaby says triumphantly.
Tails, however isn't sharing the glory of the moment, as he is looking onward to the cloud of smoke surrounding where Crocbot stood with with straight and concerned face as he patiently swishes his twin tails. He waits for the dust to settle.
"That weird..." He mumbles aloud. Walt and Barby turn to him, somewhat confused.
"What's the problem, mate?" Walt asks.
Tails just shakes his head. "Heh, nothing I guess... just find it strange that he didn't even bother to dodge it."
Just as Walt's about to speak a robotic laughter echos from the smoke cloud, just in time for the form of Crocbot to appear amoungst the thinning shroud.
"Fools, did you think it would be THAT easy?" The three now facing Crocbot, a clear feeling of frustation coming over them as they all notice that there isn't a single scratch on the robot's armor.
"I have to admit... before that would have been a problem, but my new upgrades made that feel like little more than the tickle of a feather." Crocbot grins with a robotic growl.
"What!?" Walt gasps, growling in his own tone.
"I can't believe it, your boom-erang hit him dead on!" Barby adds, mouth wide open.
Tails scowls, remaining quiet as he takes in the gravity of the situation.
"Don't look so suprised... I managed to stay around this long, what makes you think that it'd be over just like that. You're pathetic!" Crocbot laughs out, the seams of his armor beginning to glow a bright green.
Walt snarls and runs up to Crocbot, thrusting at the robot with a fierce leaping kick. Contact is made with loud clank of metal but to little avail. The bot once again does nothing to defend himself and not without justification as the kick does little more than scoot him back slightly, while the wallaby is tossed to the ground by the robotic reptile.
"Idiot... little do you know that you are now completely incapable of defeating me. You should have beaten me while you had the chance." A splatter of blood comes from Walt's muzzle as the robot throws an incredibly fast punch to the wallaby's face, effectively pushing him a couple steps back and falling to the ground.
"Aaaaggghhh!" Walt crys out.
Barby quickly runs over to him.
"Walt!" she crys out, kneeling beside him.
Tails stands in amazement, growling softly.
"Something's not right here... this isn't like Robotnik's robots at all. I feel something... strange coming from him."
Crocbot begins making slow strides toward the downed wallaby and koala.
"When I'm through with you both, there won't be anything left of you. It's time for payback for all the times you've gotten in my way." He spits out in his mechanical tone.
Tails darts forward with incredible speed, coming to a halt right in front of the two, forming a barrier between the robotic machine and his organic prey.
"No you don't!" Tails calls to the robot.
Walt looks up, clenching a bloody muzzle in his palm. He winces slightly from the pain.
"Kid, get out of the way! ...you're only gonna get hurt..." The wallaby calls out to the kitsune.
Tails glances back with a stern look. "If he wants you guys he's gotta go through me first."
Crocbot continues closing in as they argue.
"We can handle this Tails." Walt says with a look of concern.
"We beat him before and we can do it again, upgrades or not." Barby growls, and in a fit of anger pushes Tails aside, making a charge at Crocbot.
"Hahaha, that's right, come to me... you're making this all so easy!" The robot taunts the charging Koala.
Barby jumps up and lashes at the robot. The end result... claws completely broken off of the glove. Barby lands, eyes wide in fear and amazement as her glove claws are snapped off effortlessly.
"No way!" She yelps.
Her words are soon followed by a scream of pain as she feels the sharp sensation of a metallic appendage forced against the flesh near one of her kidneys. She falls to her knees, cradling the spot on her back with a paw.
Walt jumps back to his feet.
"Monster... keep your metal mits off of'fa her!" He yells, chargint at Crocbot.
The robot holds his sinister grin before brandishing a heavy metal paw against the koala's temples, rendering her unconsious to the ground with a small trickle of blood from the afflicted area. Tails stands, very tense, teeth clenched as he watches things unfold.
"I've gotta do something..." He says, tensing his body completely, beginning to feel the warmth of the power building within him just like he did before during the practice encounter at the temple.
"Barby!!! No!" Walt cries out as he watches his girlfriend's unconscious body fall limp to the ground, making another dash at the robot.
A slap from the back of the croc's metal paw being all it took to rip Walt off of his feet, just to land face flat into the dirt. He's so pent up with rage from the robot that he feels very little of the numbing pain from his muzzle's injuries, broken in two different places now.
"You... you couldn't be one of Robotnik's robots, He could never make something as fierce and evil as you." Tails tells him.
Crocbot gives another robotic laugh at Tails' comment. "Little do you know, fox..."
Tails' fur beginning to glow a yellowish color as the anger and kitsune energy begin to swell within him. "I don't care what you are... you're not going to hurt them any more!"
Crocbot's sensors now beginning to pick up the mystic energy that now flows through the kitsune's body.
"What... what is this?" The croc mumbles to himself.
Tails thrusts forward a paw, a yellow ball of destructive energy soon forming in his palm. "Let's see if Robotnik knows anything about this!"
The yellow manifestation of energy is sent shooting forth. Crocbot looks onward, confused at this light trick. He fails to avoid the blast, this time out of pure confusion rather than confidence. The energy shoots straight through the armor, leaving a gaping hole in the croc.
"What the hell!" The robot yells out, immediately noting the extensive damage to his systems. "This is impossible... nothing can penetrate my armor!"
Tails lowers his paw, fur still glimmering with energy.
"This is not over, you haven't seen the last of me!" The croc roars out before engaging a still in-tact propulsion system on his back, taking to flight and shooting off with great speed into the horizon.
Tails sighs and lets the aura of energy fade from him.
"Whew... that worked better than I hoped." He says to himself before turning and running over to the downed freedom fighters.
The sensations of pain course through Barby's furred body as she lays on the bed in the First Aid Station of Botany Bay. She feels a cool damp cloth wiping away the blood from her injuries, bandages all around her waist from the injury she recieved to her back, with an IV-drip of protein and medicine to fight off an infection. She hears muffled, echoing voices in the small building. Barby tries to figure out what happened, where she is, and she slowly starts to open her eyes, seeing Tails and walt standing at her side, protecting her.
"W-what happened?" The injured koala asks, trying to sit up.
Her head hurts greatly, throbbing and pounding from the concussion she recieved from Crocbot.
"Ooooh, my head..." She groans.
"Barby, you just lay there. You're injured." Walt says, not too concerned of his own injuries.
Tails turns and walks to a windows staring out with a dazed look in his eyes. "This can only mean one thing..." He mumbles to himself before adding. "Robotnik's back, and by the looks of it... madder than hell."
Walt perks his ears and looks over to him. "Yeah... I hate to admit it but I think you're right, kid."
A doctor comes through the door and requests them to leave for a moment while he checks on Barby, the two nod and hesistantly exit the room.
Walt glances over to Tails as they walk through the hall. "It's a good thing you came along, Tails... I hate to say it, but it seems we'd have been in a lot of trouble back there without you."
Tails shakes his head. "I'd had this strange feeling recently, that this is where I needed to be. It's obvious now why."
The vulpine stops suddenly as he recalls. "...and then, there was the dream. It was a vision of some kind."
Walt stops a well and looks to him with a confused look. "What? A vision?"
Tails shrugs and sigh softly before replying simply."It's a long story."
Walt turns and begins to walk out of the door. "I'd love to here it, mate... but I need to go check the area and see what other damage croc did before he zoomed off."
The wallaby turns back and requests. "As soon as their done in there, let Barby know where i've gone... and make sure she relaxes." Adding before bolting out of the door.
Tails gives a slow nod before turning and walking back to the room where Barby is being treated.
High above the Planet Mobius, the International Space Station orbits silently and calmly. A much smaller, green, reptilian robot is seen approaching it from the ground below. It positions itself near an entry hatch, walking in when the hatch opens.
"Crocbot to Doctor Robotnik. I've arrived on the Space Station." He speaks into his comlink.
Robotnik's face appears on a monitor in the hallway of the orbiting space station.
"Welcome to my home away from home, Crocbot. Have you eliminated the Downunda Freedom Fighters?" He asks.
"Well, no, not exactly." the robotic reptile says.
"What??? Why not?" Robotnik asks, shocked. "what are you DOING down there?"
"Sir, I was in the process of killing the Freedom Fighters when a two-tailed fox showed up and helped them." Crocbot explains.
Robotnik thinks about this for a second.
"Hmm, that must have been Tails... he shouldn't have been any problem." He says to himself before "Sir, the fox seems to be able to use some sort of power, like a Power Ring. He even shot a hole through me." He growls angrily, pointing to the large gaping hole in his chest and back.
"What!?" Robotnik leans for to see the extent of the damage before offering a 'Hmmm' of thought.
"I see... it seems every time I improve my methods, the miserable rodents find a way to trump me." Robotnik stands up and begins to pace a bit as he explains. "Forunately, I am far from defeated... you see, all these years out in orbit have caused me to rethink my methods."
He sudden stops and turns shaking his fist in a bit of mock triumph. "Now, FINALLY, I am on my way to making a creation that not even the blue hedgehog could ever hope to defeat!"
The round doctor finally calls out. "Sakura! Enter!"
A moment passes before a door to the command center opens and steps forward a cyborg, a female bodied half robot, half grey fox.
"This lovely lady will deal with the two-tailed menace. You, on the other hand Crocbot, will ensure none of the others get in her way. Not that I'm concerned about their pathetic resistance with my latest creation around." He says.
Crocbot stands still, a bit appauled by the idea of being nothing but an escort to a half flesh freak.
"But sir..." the robot replies hesistantly.
"Just because she's half mobian does not mean she's weak. Oh no... she's quite capable indeed. Now don't waste any more of my time, unless you want to be rebuilt as can-openers." Robotnik says, pointing towards the door, ordering them to leave.
"Just wait, fatman... soon, I'll kill you and take over." He says under his breath.
"WHAT was that, Crocbot?" Robotnik asks.
"I said 'just wait, great one... soon, you'll rule this planet'." Crocbot lies as he leaves with Sakura, stepping into the capsule that will depart and land back on Downunda.
As Crocbot steps into the space capsule, she turns to Doctor Robotnik.
"We have a deal, Doctor." She says to him, glaring at him, particularly scary with her one red eye.
"Yes, and i've been keeping my end, Sakura. You bring me the dead body of Tails, and I will restore you back to your gray-fox self." He says.
"Good. I see that we have an agreement you intend on keeping." she says to him, following crocbot into the capsule.
The water of Botany Bay is calm, clearly reflecting the clear blue sky. A red-furred, gloved paw dives into the water, disturbing its tranquility. The wallaby sniffs the water and looks at it.
"It's not contaminated... what could he want with Botany Bay?" He asks himself as he pours the water over his head and face, cooling himself off as well as cleaning his now-bandaged muzzle.
He walks back into the first aid building, where Barby is resting.
"Looks like the water's clean. I have no idea why bolt-head would send something like that here without doing any real damage to the village." Walt says.
"It's likely just a test." Tails says.
Walt arches an eyebrow. "A test?"
"He was only interested in us, this 'Crocbot' is obviously weilding some kind of new technology. The Knothole freedom fighters never encountered anything like that, even at Doomsday."
Tails continues. "It's been years since Robotnik had staged any kind of attack, that undoubtably means he's had all this time to work on more dangerous machines."
Walt nods slowly. "Well, it's obviously paying off... I dunno what we'll do if something even tougher than that is in the works."
The wallaby looks down to the resting qualla and brushes a paw over her forehead, feeling no sign of a fever.
The fox suddenly turns and walks to the door. "I have to get back to the Knothole, Sonic and the others must know of this."
Walt looks up, a sudden uncomfortable feeling washing over him... one he'd never felt before, one of distinct fear.
"Wait... Tails! If Croc comes back, there's a real chance we won't be able to deal with him... especially Barby out of it. We have other fighters here, but none of them are up to the challenge of facing that thing."
The fox stops and turns, walking back over... giving a sigh, knowing he's right. "Well, alright... but i've got to notify them somehow, and soon."
As the tiny capsule orbits the planet, it passes over the northern hemisphere. Crocbot looks out of the window, observing the planet.
"Doctor Robotnik, I'm reporting as I orbit the planet. I can see skyscrapers in the area of Mobotropolis. I think the furs may have rebuilt their city." Crocbot says.
Doctor Robotnik chuckles with delight. They don't know that the city is still abandoned at this time, however.
"Perfect. They've given me something to destroy... and if they have NOT rebuilt... destroying the city, and their dreams along with it, would still be a delightful victory." He says.
"Crocbot, just keep in mind that you need to destroy the Downunda Freedom Fighters. That's something you have failed to do ever since Robotnik fled, 8 years ago." Sakura reminds him.
A few hours pass, and they orbit the world a few more times, waiting for the perfect time and place to re-enter.
"Just remember to stay out of my way, Crocbot. You can kill whoever you want, but the two-tailed fox is MINE." She says to him.
"Yes, yes... but I get the others." He chuckles, replying to her.
By this time, night has fallen over the continent of Downunda. The furs sleep in their huts. If they were awake, they'd see the capsule falling to earth overhead, like a meteor. It crashes in the desert of the west, far from anyone that would hear it. Crocbot steps out of the capsule with Sakura and types a code in on the numeric pad on his wrist.
"What are you doing?" She asks him.
"You'll see, robofox." He says, aiming his hand at the capsule.
It starts to change modes from a capsule into a tank.
"Robotnik and his robots never travel underprepared. This should help us out." He says.
"Well then, this is bound to be blast." She says, folding her arms.
The robotic reptile hops into the tank with silver, and attaches a wire from his right hand to its connection console. The tank roars to life and starts to move as he steers it.
"Goodbye, Botany Bay. Hello, slave labour camp." He chuckles as he drives through the desert, towards the jungle.
The tank drives slowly through the brush, and fording a four foot deep river towards the bayside community. Soon, Crocbot's tank passes through the hills, decending them towards the bay around sunrise. He parks his tank on the northern "hill" of the gate to the bay, which at one time in the distant past was the Sydney Harbour Bridge. He shoots a shell into the town, blasting the armoury and defense building.
"Wow! This one's more powerful than I thought!" He laughs.
The furs run in terror from the blasting, hiding behind some of the buildings.
"What's going on?" One dingo asks.
"I don't know! I think we're under attack!" the female dingo replies, covering her head with her arms as a few bricks fall, the building having sustained another direct hit.
Walt and Tails hear the destruction occurring to Botany Bay. Walt looks out the window.
"He's back. And he has a tank!" Walt growls.
"I'm coming to help." Tails says, walking out of the First Aid station with Walt.
Immediately, Sakura sees Walt and Tails.
"You're mine, kitsune." She says, running towards him through the dusty streets.
Tails and Walt split up, with Walt running towards the bay to help some furs into the evacuation canoes, and Tails running towards Crocbot, in his tank. As he turns the corner, he runs right into a half-robotic, half-gray fox hybrid. They both fall to the ground. Tails rubs his head.
"Oh! I'm sorry... I didn't mean to--" tails says as he rubs his head, pausing when he sees her, noting her cybernetic apprehisively Sakura analyzes Tails, noting his twin tails and kitsune power strength.
"Oh, it's okay... Are you Miles Prower?" She asks. Tails stands up slowly, nodding.
"Yeah... but i prefer to be called "Tails"." He says, taking a step back, feeling that something is just not right.
"How do you know of me?" He asks her.
"Tails, your adventures are LEGENDARY. How can anyone NOT know about you?" She says, extending her paw in "friendship".
"I'm Sakura." She says. Tails keeps his hands close to him.
"I'm sorry for not shaking your hand, but I find it hard to trust you..." he says.
"Why? is it my robotic half? You shouldn't judge furs by their appearence." She says.
"No no... it's not that... I just don't know if you're trying to trick me, use me... or if you work for Robotnik... or you may be a good fur. I just can't tell yet. I mean, we did just meet afterall." He says.
She pauses for a moment to take in the finding from her robotic sensors, thinking to herself 'Incredible, his whole body is shrouded in some kind of energy, let's just hope he knows to use it... i'm not in the mood for some pushover.'
"We gotta go help everyone!" Tails says, taking her hand, trying to run. Sakura remains still.
"Huh, why aren't you leaving? He's trying to kill everyone!" Tails says.
"You go ahead, Tails. I can hold my own. I'll meet you later at the Bay." She says, letting Tails free her hand from his grasp.
"A-alright..." He says, cautiously running back towards his friends near the beach.
He watches Sakura turn around and walk away slowly.
"Crocbot, he's as good as dead." Sakura says. Crocbot becomes angry.
"You mean he's not dead YET? Sakura... Doctor Robotnik will destroy both of us if he doesn't get the body of Tails..." Crocbot tells the robotic fox.
"I know. Don't worry. I intend on seducing, then destroying him." She says.
"You clever girl. Playing with his heart, then ripping it out of him, both figuratively, and literally." He says.
"Crocbot, you're not as hopeless as I thought. Just stay away from Tails." She says.
"I know, Sakura." He replies. She starts to walk away, towards the bay.
"I'll contact you when I'm ready." She says to him. Crocbot controls his tank once more, driving it down one of the streets, aiming it at a building, then down a street.
He sees Tails pushing one of the canoes into the bay, from a far distance.
"Perfect." He grins, keeping with Tails in his crosshairs as he drives, firing his tank's gun.
He stairs in shock and amazement as the bullets bounce off of him, deflected as if his fur was bullet-proof.
"WHAT??? IMPOSSIBLE!" He shouts, hiting his fists into the controlboard of the tank.
Sakura runs towards Tails, seeing as he's shot, but unhurt.
"Oh no! Tails! Are you alright?" She asks, feigning concern quite well.
"Y-yeah... I'm fine. The bullets just bounced right off me..." he says, surprised as he feels himself over.
"Crocbot. That no-good scaly sneak." She growls, running off, leaving a startled and somewhat confused Tails on the beach.
Walt runs up from behind after beaching his canoe.
"Tails! Come on! We'll look ya over on the other side of the bay. Come on!" He says, pulling tails by the arm into his canoe, pushing off.
Sakura walks through the dust towards the tank.
"What are you doing with my bounty? I'm supposed to be the one to get him." She asks him.
"I'm taking care of him, since you have failed. That's the thing with organic beings. You're weak and you let your emotions get the best of you." He chuckles, much to the anger of Sakura.
"You don't seem to listen well. Are you audio sensors malfunctioning, Crocbot, or do you just like seeing me ANGRY?" She asks, standing on top of his tank.
"If you won't do your job, then I Will, silver." He says, opening the hatch and crawling out.
"That fox is TOO dangerous to let live." he growls.
"You just don't get it, do you? I have a plan, you obsolete dinosaur. You keep messing it up for us!" She snarls, stepping closer to Crocbot, who actually steps off his tank, backwards onto the ground, nervous, if a robot could experience emotions.
"I told you not to get in my way. You disobeyed me and Doctor Robotnik. He gave me the right to terminate you if you messed up again, and this was the last straw." She grins, her red robotic eye glowing as her metallic claws sharpen.
"Terminate? You can't. I'm robotnik's District Governor for Downunda." He replies as his wrist-mounted guns open, for self-defense.
"Were." She says. When Croc shows his guns to try and defend himself, she smirks and suddenly lashes forward, grasping the robotic hand and thursting a leg on crocbot's chest plate. She suddenly gives a powerful tug with completely rips the robot's left arm from it's socket.
The crocbot looks at the removed arm with astonishment. "No way! How..."
"Do you really think you can stop me? Your weapons are nothing but toys compared to me..." She gives maniaical laughter before suddenly walking back to the tank and actually picks it up off of the ground, holding the many ton weapon over her head.
"You're outdated and incompetent. All you'll govern now, is a scrap heap, Crocbot." She suddenly throws the tank with great force toward the robot who tries, with great futility to protect himself from the hurdling object.
A loud crash happens as it impacts, the combined wreckage of what was once a tank and robot landing around them.
"One down, two to go." The soft-spoken words echo lightly off the walls of the houses nearby.