Chapter 2

Vulpine's Request

Sonic stayed quite throughout the entire flight home. When they got home, he immediately when to his house and locked the door. Even Princess Sally, Sonic's girlfriend, was not allowed in. He continued his solitude for days, which turned into weeks. It soon became evident that seeing Maurice, who's story was recounted to all of the Freedom Fighters by Millie and Miles Prower, had shocked Sonic. They decided that until Sonic felt better, life would return as usual. However, across the planet of Mobius, in the land named Mobian Earth, a dark figure stood at the peak of Spear Temple. His black coat billowed in the wind. His coat and black jeans kept him warm from the freezing snow. Even without these clothes, he would have been warm, covered in jet black fur. His tail's tip matched the color of the snow. He was a loner. A renegade. A banished prince.

The fox gripped his silver bo staff. It kept his hands warm. Across his back was a pure black sword, and against his side, on his belt, was a silver dagger. He stared at the temple, waiting for the spirit to appear. She had met with him before, along with the leader of the Rebestite Tribe, who lived in the mountains. Soon, a figure of a young, bright orange echidna approached him from inside the temple. A pure black foxette, wrapped in the leather armor of a tribal warrior, followed her. They were both dressed the same, uncovered only at their head, their arms, legs, tail and stomach. All else was covered in heavy leather.

"We have talked much," said Tikal, the spirit. She appeared as a fifteen year old. The girl beside her was Sinia, who was actually fifteen, the fox's age. "And have agreed to assist you." Vulpine almost smiled. He never went by his first name, always by Vulpine. "But, ye must return a favor. Sinia asks that ye help her bear a child." The black furred foxette looked down, blushing.

"I beseech ye," she said, "I have no heir, and I have no lover. I ask not only for your seed, but your love." Vulpine gave her a soft look. It had been the first kind action he'd presented since he was four, when he rescued the slave girl. He took her soft hands in his own.

"I cannot provide ye your requests at this time," he said softly, "I have no citizenship, and no legal way to propose. I am an outcast, so-"

"I care not for what the law says of this," Sinia retorted, "Please, let me be yours." Vulpine shook his head and started walking away.

"When I return, then we shall be-" he started. He was abruptly turned around, and he felt his lips touch Sinia's. She'd just forced him to marry her! A kiss was the sign of the two being wedded in Mobian Earth. She pulled away and blushed, a sad look on her face.

"I already know your plans," she said, "I will not let ye go alone. Not against that evil man."

"I didn't need your help, Sinia," Vulpine sighed, "Please, leave while ye still can." The foxette gave him a defiant look, and drew her bow, cocking it and pointing it straight at his head.

"Make me leave," she said. Though her look was fierce, he saw the fear in her eyes. He could have easily taken her. After what the being, Black Doom, had told him, he was near invincible, skilled in fighting. But he didn't care for that. Sinia was his legal fiancé, and he was not about to hurt her.

"Fine," he told her, sighing, "I wish… Ye were less pushy on such matters." She laughed, putting the bow away and hugging him. He'd known her since they were both two. Se was his closest friend, and he was glad she'd forced him to marry her. He knew he wanted it, he just was too afraid to go through with it.

The two walked down the mountainside, heading west, towards Arthisgad. Their destination was past that, to the Otherland. That was where the base of the man named Ivo was, where they would destroy the evil man, once and for all. He had been providing a chilling challenge since he invaded the land of Mobian Earth twenty years ago. And if Vulpine succeeded, he might just be able to return home with his honor. It was a long way down, and would likely take months to even get to the edge of Mobian Earth, to sail to the Otherland.

"What happened of that one girl, Siri?" Sinia asked Vulpine one night, when they were almost at the bottom of the mountain. He gave her a sad look, lit dimly by their campfire.

"I hear stories," he replied, "Of someone like her. If they are true, I can conclude this story. After I rescued from slavery, she turned to a life of illegal action. Stealing. Violence. But nothing could catch her. She was like a whisper in the wind. Seen by nobody, but definitely felt. Men would wake up in the middle of the night, stripped of their possessions, their windows wide open. On the wall, a single mark. A white tail with a black tip." He looked out from the musty cave they stayed in. "I wonder what would have been different if I had stayed to help her. Befriended her. Maybe her crime streak would not exist."

"Do not blame yourself," Sinia said, scooting closer to her fiancé, "she is lost, and the past cannot change." Noise came from the front of the cave, inducing two turned heads. At the entrance stood two silver creatures. One was a hedgehog, with the head spikes of a marijuana plant, and the other a minx with the same fur, but it looked almost as if around his neck an orange fur scarf was wrapped around him.

"Dammit, Silver!" the minx yelled, "You HAD to make noise!" Silver looked at the minx, innocently.

"Aww, c'mon, Venice," Silver replied, "Didja forget we came for their help? Sheesh! You're too serious, sometimes!" Venice facepalmed himself, then walked towards the couple sitting around the fire.

"Hello, there," he said, offering his hand to the now standing foxes, "I'm Venice, and this is my younger brother, Silver." He indicated the hedgehog, "We came from the future to help you defeat Doctor Robotnik." There was a steady silence for a second. Then Vulpine drew his sword. Quickly, a pulse came from the twenty-two year old minx. The silver sword flew out of Vulpine's hand and clattered against the ground. "Please, let us help you, Vulpine!"

"How the hell do ye know my name?" Vulpine yelled, "and what sorcery allows you of that power?"

"My bro and I were born with it," Silver stepped forward. He gave the two a naïve smile, despite being twenty-one. "And seriously, we're from the future! Please, let us help you." The two brothers stared at the couple. Sinia grabbed Vulpine's shoulder.

"I think we should trust them," she said.

"What?"

"My love, think. We could use all the help we can get on this mission." Vulpine thought her words through, than reluctantly nodded.

"Fine," he said, still facing the brothers, "I concede. But I will keep an eye on ye two."