The Knothole Mobotropolis Exploits: New Teams Arise

(A/N: There is one more chapter after this in the story. That last chapter will end on a cliffhanger, of sorts, and be continued in the next story I do, which will be better than this one, probably, by far. This chapter answers some little uncertainties I brought up in the chapter where Team Shield and Team Knothole were formed. Now you'll see it wasn't so much overprotective parents as it was longing for the past, which can be dangerous. There will be a battle near the end, but it won't be long or powerful, and you'll see why soon enough, so don't get too upset. There will be better ones in the future. Please enjoy the second to last chapter.)

The Mobian Sanction

"Your highness, we're being contacted by Sir Charles. He's found Titus and Argus. Team Knight is waiting," Amadeus said, hurrying in to the king, Rosemary right behind him along with the Hedgehogs. Alicia was first to rise, Max quickly following.

"Put them on," Max demanded.

Jules held out his hand and projected an image onto the wall. There stood Chuck, Argus, and Titus. "So you were able to form the team," Max remarked, after a moment.

"You doubted?" Charles questioned.

"Not for a moment," Max said with a smile.

"Team Knothole, Team Shield, it's been years," Argus said.

"So it has," Rosemary remarked.

"We want to meet you all somewhere," Titus declared.

"Really?" Alicia asked.

"Yes," Titus solemnly said. Max sighed.

"Where can we find you three?" Bernadette questioned.

"Where else? The Hanging Gardens of Mobius that Aleena built for her children before they were born." Charles replied.

"A fitting location," Jules agreed. "We will be there by tonight. Signing off."

Sure enough, as Team Knight waited, standing just outside the gardens, Teams Shield and Knothole arrived, silent as ghosts. The nine stood, silently appraising each other. After a moment, Argus remarked, "Not quite what we once were. We're short a few key players."

Solemnly Jules and Amadeus bowed their heads. After a moment, Amadeus muttered, "Ah yes, the Mobian Sanction. We were once made up of all the parents of the children, as well as those still working with us such as Quentin. There were old friends in Mobotropolis, as well. Rudy, Sheila, Berlock, Windermere, Katrina, Albert; pretty much all the adults the Underground once knew. We were powerful and nearly unstoppable, until Eggman."

"How well we remember," Chuck agreed.

Jules then stated flatly, "Locke is dead, as are all the other echidna's, except for their children, Knuckles and Julie-Su. Most of the other parents have been… well, you get it."

Argus and Titus' eyes flashed sadness. Argus swallowed over a lump. Sadly, looking down, Titus said, "It was only a matter of time, I suppose."

"The Mobian Sanction has definitely decreased in size," Bernadette said sorrowfully.

"Who all is left?" Alicia asked. "I've long ago lost track."

Rosemary remarked, "Surely there can't be so few of us left, the original heroes of Knothole and Mobotropolis? We thought we could take on anyone."

"We were wrong," Argus stated.

"Let me see, there is us, and besides us there are the inactive's," Max began.

"Who are…" Alicia pressed.

"Lady Windermere, Countess Katarina, Mayor Winniham, and most of the living adults the Underground ever met," Chuck narrated.

"The dead?" Rosemary asked.

They looked down sadly. After a moment, Jules replied, "Locke and his family, as well as most of the parents, Windermere's sister and nephew Albert, more than we care to think about."

"There is us, Doctor Quack, Rudy, Sheila, Berlock, Captain Squeege, the Duke of Alconia, and the remaining living adults the Sonic Underground met, as well as the ones still fighting alongside us, all still active. Vanilla and Aleena are still on our side as well. Gods it's been so long…" Max said. They fell silent, respecting their fallen comrades and savoring old memories. Tears came to their eyes as they looked back over the years.

The aura was suddenly broken, however, when seemingly from nowhere a laser shot, and they heard evil laughter! They whirled instantly and paled. "Metal Sonic!" Bernadette cried.

"He survived the fall of the Flying Egg Fortress," Amadeus grimly said.

"He won't survive us! Come on, let's get him!" Argus declared. They had nothing to lose at this point, so they each prepared for the battle.

"Fools, you will not defeat me," Metal rattled.

"Where did he come from?" Rosemary asked. "Surely not Eggman, he turned on him."

"Who knows? Let's deal with him. He's only normal Metal Sonic," Chuck declared. "Team Knight, come on!" Instantly Chuck surged forward with Argus and Titus.

"Team Knothole, with me!" Max ordered as he too surged ahead, Amadeus flying behind him, Jules following.

"Alicia, are we helping?" Bernadette asked.

"We can't afford not to," Alicia replied.

"Let's go!" Rosemary declared, flying instantly towards Metal, the other two following.

It was strange that Metal said nothing. He simply charged up his guns and fired. The speed members, Chuck, Max, and Alicia, split up and surrounded him on all sides. He shot at them all, but they were serving as distraction enough. Meanwhile, the flight members, Rosemary, Amadeus, and Titus, were flying towards Metal, high above him.

"Preparing to release," Jules said from his position holding onto Amadeus. Jules, along with the other power members, Bernadette and Argus, prepared for the drop.

"Now!" Rosemary declared. Instantly the power members dove at Metal. He could hardly look up before they plunged him to the ground. The robot became furious, quickly fighting back against them all, but every one of them ganged up on him, not even giving him a break. Whenever there was one, someone covered it. Metal still said nothing. In fact, they all realized too well that he didn't even seem to be fighting to his full potential. Things were drawing to a close too quickly.

"What on earth is he doing?" Chuck questioned Jules.

"I do not know, but it seems as if he is being controlled," Jules replied.

As if to confirm this point, they managed to finally send Metal Sonic flying back and onto the ground, hard. The robot rose swiftly and looked at them. They expected him to charge once more, but no. Instead, Metal took off into the sky, flying elsewhere without a boast or a word.

"What? He's running? He's not the type to run," Alicia said, every one of them surprised at the easy fight.

"I don't like this," Bernadette solemnly said.

"Let's not think on it now. We have other things to discuss," Amadeus stated, as the group once more fell silent and headed up into the hanging gardens, so as not to be spotted so easily.

"Such as…" Rosemary pressed her husband after a moment.

"The past and present," Amadeus simply said, as they found a spot and sat down.

"There ain't much to cover in the present. Most of us know where they are, incidentally at Station Square, Argus, Titus…" the two started in surprise, but before they could speak, Chuck continued, "but we can't let the kids know. For Aleena's sake we can't," Chuck said. "As for the threat, all we can do is wait."

"Then let's go to the past," Max declared.

"Such as?" Jules guardedly said, sensing where it would go and feeling a surge of protection go through him for his little sister's sake. Why did Aleena always have to be dragged into this conversation?

"Such as the Sleet Aleena angle," Amadeus said.

"Not again," Chuck sighed.

However, Titus said, "There's not much there either. They were in love, he was supposedly executed, she never saw him again until the Sonic Underground came back together."

Continuing the narration, Argus added, "On seeing him she was devastated. After all that time, she found out that he was alive, only to realize that he was after her children with intent to kill, and her as well, always her. If there was a chance to go for her, then Underground was forgotten. She wasn't surprised, just hurt. She began to hate him, he already hated her, now they long for the day that the other is killed."

"Can we drop the subject of Aleena now?" Jules asked.

"No, Jules, we can't," Max stated.

"We've covered it all," Chuck protested.

"What will happen if they ever face off against each other alone?" Alicia questioned.

Chuck and Jules looked uncertainly at each other. "Have faith in Aleena," Bernadette supported.

"She won't make the same mistake," Rosemary agreed.

"It was never a mistake to start with. She knew the potential costs," Chuck reluctantly admitted. To this they could say nothing, just look up at the moon.

"Time will tell all," Jules finally said.

"Time is cruel," Titus remarked. The partial remnant of the once great Mobian Sanction, stared silently up at the sky, letting their thoughts turn around in their heads.