Attention: Edited version once again. Must thank Zycho32 for Beta-reading with me on a good part of this. Ended up adding a lot more to this While I was looking to get rid of things. Shows how much my style has come along.
This is the very first chapter and start of this project/arc and is a bit fast in introducing my character from the get-go. However, the story afterwards is what counts after this. I am editing as much as I can on the other chapters: some might lessen, others lengthen.
Enjoy.
Legal Stuff: I totally observe the original characters from the games and the comics from their creators.
When a Stranger Comes
By: Mauser
"So what is it you want me to do Mr. Hare?"
Downtown Ebony Hare looked up from the inventory sheets on his desk, clasped his hands in front of him, and smiled under his grey fedora. He liked dealing with hit-men. No long talks, just to the point and "where's my money." He glanced over to his muscle-dog, Blackjack; an overbearing grey bulldog that wore a matching grey suite. He nodded at him before he continued. "I need you to retrieve a certain individual for me. You see, this girl has been a hamper to some friends of mine, and I want you to bring her back in one piece." He paused for a brief second and gathered his ruthless thoughts. "Well, at least still talking. I'll pay you a thousand credits now and the rest upon delivery," Ebony rubbed his hands in eagerly fashion and squirmed in his chair before closing the offer:
"We have a deal?"
The stranger nodded, his black fedora shadowing a good portion of his face, no thanks to the back lighting from behind him. Ebony Hare could just make out part of the hit-man's broad, tan snout and black nose outside the shadow.. The long black coat concealed the strangers body; probably for theatrics, Downtown thought. He made a mental note to change the lighting and soon. To his puzzlement however, his eyes traced what looked to be dreadlocks dangling around the neck of the Mobian with a few resting on top of his shoulders. He wasn't quick sure if they were hair or flesh and blood tissue. But he was sure of something. He couldn't be more than 3 foot 8 inches, Hare thought to himself, even guessing somewhat correctly just by sitting down while his next business associate stood. The last features he observed were the black pants with two cargo pockets on either side of his legs; his right thigh sporting a drop-leg pistol holster while his left held a similar rig configuration that carried what appeared to be his spare cells. The stranger stood on a pair of big black boots that were anchored down with two metal fasteners on either boot. His chest was covered with a vest of body armor, and under it a green shirt that traced up to his neck.
"So who's this skirt you want?" the dark figured asked, his voice never fluctuating to any degree of malice nor charm.
Hare couldn't help but bring more of a smile to the conversation and dealings. "Her name is Rogue. She's a white little bat but with a figure that is...all so nice. She can be dangerous in soo many ways, so watch your back and that heart of yours–if you have one to throw around."
What does he want with a spy? the dark figure asked in surprise to himself. His information about her wasn't sketchy but wasn't clear either. He knew enough to be somewhat alarmed at Ebony's mentioning of her. In the times that courage beckoned him to come out from his hole–one he was desperately trying to dig himself out of–he did his emotional best to stay on the up-and-up of the new war, only paying attention to the things that could effect him.
"Last known whereabouts?" he asked, only sighing to himself.
Ebony leaned back in his chair, putting his shoeless feet on his desk, and clasped his hands behind his head. "Knothole Village I heard last. She seems to be hanging out with that Freedom Fighter crowd. They don't like her very much so it should be easy to snatch her up."
Knothole!? The dark figured breathed to himself crisply. Do you really want to go that far and get this vermin's job done for him? The stranger glanced over at Blackjack, who just gave him an encouraging nod under a carefree smile. Better play along bub. You've got bigger fish to fry with this contact. Besides, he won't be there...he's home. The stranger sulked, nodding in affirmation.
"Very well! To make your job easier me and my pal, Blackjack here, will be passing through there. We'll pick her up for you and give you the rest of your payment. If all goes well, we can definitely do more business. If not, and we have to grab her ourselves, payback won't be cheap. Get my drift?"
"I still owe for my debts, so I shouldn't disappoint." Except for my true colors, you doper! Maybe I should kill him and his friend now? the Mobian pondered to himself, feeling his black pistol in the concealed shoulder harness becoming heavier with vengeance rather than weight. His decision helped snap him back to the subtle reality. Nope, need him alive to get to a certain individual. But what are you going to do about Rogue? He took a little longer to let the thought roll around in his head, coming up with nothing for a conclusion. You'll think of something.
Ebony Hare stood up, still sporting a smirk that irritated the black stranger. "Great!" he said, pulling out a stack of bills and tossing it onto the desk. Next, he picked up a stray pen and scribbled the grid position where the meet-and-swap would take place on a pad before handing it to the supposed hit-man. "We'll find you here," he grinned, "and we'll talk more business from there."
Never caring to count, the dark figure quickly pocketed the cash, tipping his hat as a symbol of goodwill, though he never had it with the likes he just took as bait, and shifted his way around to leave the square, particle board office. As this stranger turned to his left in order to exit, Ebony could finally confirm there were indeed dreadlocks around his neck. One of them had been crudely severed in half.. He was alarmed at first, but questions soon formed in his mind that killed his anxiety. Strange, an echidna doing this work...and that mug sure does look familiar though, he stated to himself.
The stranger closed the door behind him and headed towards the door that lead out to the streets of Station Square from the one-story lobby. The site that Ebony had chosen for his new underground operations–like most people in the rabbit's line of work–was buried in a part of town that no one ventured around without a gun...and still made one wish they filled out their wills.. Sunlight didn't shine through the windowed doors, for the decaying, abandoned buildings across the street harbored shade as if it were a precious commodity. The rabbit's shop, a day labor business that was used to launder money in from his "lemon juice" sales–and was illegal as all get out, even in the time of war–was a nesting ground for those who looked to be villains, and others just looking to be rich by means that weren't clean. But the rabbit's accumulated friends were what interested the echidna and his skills that took life without remorse above all. Those friends happened to be a considerable influence the war, and the echidna was finally reverting back to his old-self to make competition in the game of life-and-greed. He was now depending on his long absence from this type of work, along with his new face that he grimaced at every time he saw himself, to easily take him inside these rotten underground operations...and possibly to keep up with a promise he held for many years, but felt slip away in his heart.
A promise... Facing his thoughts in a glooming manner, he sighed and pressed on to the windowed doors.
There, he noticed a amber-furred female fox waiting on the sofa to his right, sitting with her legs tightly crossed. She was dressed casually; a high-riding skirt and a tight sleeveless blouse that exposed the broad line of her cleavage from the wide crescent cut over her chest. If he felt normal and past his cold, betraying feelings, he would have thought nothing of it to gawk further down her figure. Maybe even try to peer under her skirt. But he only nodded to her as he went outside, watching the girl just stare at the him as he strode out, his body rigid and expressionless of feelings. Her face was mixed with what seemed like sympathy and awe as she couldn't get over the long scar that slashed across his snout, driving down from the center of his broad muzzle and across his cheek. She also couldn't help but noticed two smaller streaks behind his right eye. Her mind marveled at the quarter inch that separated the lines which grew bold in contour, resting just mere inches from his eye and lightening as they traced back towards his first lock. She remained speechless as her trailing eyes lost the dark figure from around the wall.
"Yo Foxy, get in here!"
"Alllleeuuutiiiann..."
He shot up from his pillow in a heartbeat, finding himself sweating profusely in the cool room. He panted as he adjusted his eyes to his darkened surroundings, feeling his heart pounding against his chest wall. His dreads pranced around his back as he fought to slow his breathing, spurting whimpers and light grunts from every exhale. The blue glow from the early traces of sunlight fought through the drawn shades, only able to draw silhouettes of the furniture upon the walls. He rubbed his hand gently over his head, whipping his face from the sweat of his dream.
His name still echoed in his mind. The voice, he realized with another deep breath, was feminine. He knew it sounded familiar, but for the life of him he couldn't place the image of the girl in his drowsy head. Regret seeped into his racing heart from the vacant search, tightening a haunting, longing feeling he had. He wished it would go away.
He toured his heavy eyes around the still blurry room, stopping when the digital clock on the dresser to his right pierced through lifting darkness. It read five-twenty. With another pressing rub of his head that followed down his long, deep scar, he realized grudgingly that he needed to get ready for his day. So far it was off to a better start than others he had experienced. And already today somehow felt different in the early hours of the morning. Something called to him that made his yearning spirit profess the feeling he felt.
The echidna wanted nothing more but for that feeling to ring true...he'd been wanting for so long.
Sighing, he leaned over and reached out with his left hand at the other object that laid beside him in the bed. "Hey babe, need to get up for–"
His hand fell on the cold pillow that laid beside him. Somehow, in the night, he must of placed it there as he tossed and turned through his slumber. Through his haunting dream. He snapped his head over, looking at his hand and the pillow as his lips, eyes, and soon his body started to tremble with grief. The warm body he thought he was going to arouse wasn't there. Instead, nothingness that was covered with the white sheets. He trembled at first at the sight of emptiness in the bed that he now sat in, but with his tightening chest and his burdening heart, he soon placed his hands over his face...and wept a mournful cry that only the walls would hear.
Julie-Su wasn't in one of her happier moods and she was on the prowl for the reason why. When she rounded the corner of a hut, her tempered disposition honed in to source of her anger. Rogue. The bat had pulled Julie's tail for the last time. The pink echidna stopped just paces away from the hut and noticed right off that the thief, with a good set of curves, was getting a little too friendly with a certain blue hedgehog. "First my Knuckles, and now Sonic. Maybe Sally might come to her senses now and just get rid of her; send her back to Station Square."
Julie-Su was about to let her presence be known, but before she could let loose her rage, someone else far off from the right of her called out to the same trouble maker first.
"Miss Rogue, we need to talk," came the low but cool voice. Julie-Su's heart skipped a beat when she turned and quickly sized up the dark figure standing in the open field. Something about him made her instincts come alive.
Sonic glanced over Rogue's shoulder and winked at the dark figure before turning his attention back to her. "Looks like our little chat is done for now. See ya' around babe." With a fast smirk across his face, Sonic left the small field the way he normally does...in a blur
Rogue turned around to see the new arrival to Knothole City. Her gaze caught the flapping over coat of the dark figure, who had his hands resting at his sides, and wearing a straight face that met all business. The look made her tense for a brief moment, but she calmed herself down, trying ever so hard not show any hints of fear. "So what does a boy like you want with me?" she said, placing her hands over her hips.
"Not me, my employer," replied the dark stranger, his voice never flinching from the dead monotone he took.
"And who is your employer, Stranger?" asked Julie-Su, "Not that I don't mind you taking Batty here, but a reason would be nice." At that span of time of waiting for the dark figures' reply, she desperately wished Sonic had stayed instead of jetting. She could see the figure, even under all the black, was an echidna. The waving dreads and the tan muzzle gave that away, but she had a different idea of what was under the furred skin.
Sally Acorn slowly made her entrance into the stand off behind Julie from around a hut, causing the stranger to fidget for some oddly reason that had now put Sally on high alert. The squirrel made her way to the field after Sonic had told her that Rogue was in some sort of trouble with some "dude" in black. With the warning came her request that he'd stay close and keep an eye on things before she went to see the new arrival. Most Mobians around Knothole wouldn't mind seeing Rogue getting her come-upings, but serving the right justice was in her best interest.
With Sally's arrival, the echidna entertained just briefly the notion that he shouldn't have come, unknownly his expression changed to fit the beckoning thought. "Mr. Hare wants Rogue and I'm here on his behalf. How I get her is up to you all's corporation," he replied evenly, hoping they would cooperate.
"That wouldn't be a Mr. Downtown Ebony Hare would it?" Julie-Su asked deliberately slow, remembering the last time she had the pleasure–or miss-pleasure of dealing with him.
The echidna turned his head slightly toward Julia-Su. "The rabbit in the cheap suite?" he coldly quipped. Julie-Su nodded in her reply. "Afraid so, ma'am," he conceded, his voice turning eerily serious.
Never breaking her stare from the echidna in black, Julie-Su leaned back to Sally and whispered a request that she hoped the Princess would fulfill in a heartbeat. "Go get my boyfriend and do it fast."
"You got it," came the squirrel's whisper reply.
As Sally left, watching her back in the process, Julie-Su continued to barter for time with the other echidna. "Look, again, as much as I don't like Rogue here," she began, smirking at the white bat, "I am afraid that she is with us and she can't go along with you kicking and screaming; much to my displeasure."
Great, she has been promoted to comrade status. Well... The echidna pulled his long handled blaster from his drop-leg holster and pointed it squarely at Rogue. His thumb navigated the selector switch from safe to stun on the left side of the weapon all the while taking a steady bead on the female bat as he placed his finger over the trigger.
Julie-Su's muscle memory never lapsed with the stranger's draw instigating the retrieval of her double barreled blaster from her boot. Clenching both hands solidly around the grip and a digit over the trigger-guard for extra control, she took a trained, steady aim on the dark echidna. "Okay, drop it whoever-you-are, and do it now!"
The dark figure twitched his head further over towards Julie-Su, his heart pounding a little faster when she produced her weapon. "Look," he began somewhat annoyed, "I need her, and I'm taking her anyway I can right now. Besides, I'll have her back by nightfall in one piece."
"I don't care!" Julie fired back, "New guy in town or not, you don't go pulling weapons on people here. We have a justice code here, unlike a certain fat Overlander, and you might be seeing it real soon. Now drop your weapon and any others you're carrying!"
Rogue was shaking in her boots by now but was trying hard not to show it. There were two gun pointing maniacs not more than ten feet from her, and both didn't seem to like her very much.
This was a bad idea, bub! You should have... the echidna was about to tell himself that he should have stayed home that week, when a voice came from behind him:
"I would insist that you comply with her request fellow, echidna," said Knuckles, approaching cautiously from the rear of the dark clothed echidna.
The echidna squeezed his eyes shut in annoyance, the twin scars behind his right eye almost conjoined into one as he did so. The odds were stacking up against him as more people came into play; and it wasn't sitting well with him. This was a very bad idea! he hammered at himself. Forcing his eyes opened he began to turn around. Who he saw behind him next changed his whole paid purpose in Knothole in an instant. No! It can't be! What's he doing here? he questioned himself in disbeliefhis voice echoing at whom he was seeing with his widened eyes. He wouldn't have asked the question if the echidna his eyes were locked with hadn't bore the white mark of a Guardian...and a particular young one at that.
The crest burned deep within his brain, provoking his next thought that he couldn't hold back with the best of his inner strength.
"What are YOU doing here!?" the stranger asked harshly, shifting his stance towards Knuckles as he lowered his blaster to the ground.
"Looks like I'm bring peace to--"
"NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE! You are supposed to back home defending it!" the Echidna shouted, pointing hard at Knuckles with his free hand as he almost bolted towards him, stopping himself before he did.
Knuckles was now locked in a staring contest with one of his own kind who seemed to very interested with his purpose in life. This echidna was now challenging Knuckles' sacred duties back on Angel Island and it wasn't sitting well with him. At that tense instant he wondered if his father, Locke, had sent this dark figure to bring him back. He couldn't put it past him.
"Did Locke send you for me?" Knuckles asked, his voice deepening with his ever present rage.
"No," said the stranger, his voice raising a disable, "but I am sure he'd be glad I snatched you up anyways," He held a quick pause before dropping his voice back to one of resolve. "Maybe I should bag you instead of the Bat," he said as he motioned to Rogue behind him with a wavering thumb. Julie-Su was now lowering her weapon with the same shock that Knuckles was feeling.
As the dark figure narrowed his eyes, debating of what he was going to do next, he noticed the surrounding trees began to Knuckles' back start to wave against the wind. His instincts overpowered reason and he found himself maneuvering his blaster towards the tree-line, his finger already depressing the trigger. His move was fruitless. With one hard pull from his hand the blaster was gone. All he saw was a blue blur that violently kicked up the wind so hard that it flapped his coat in the harsh turbulent air, blowing his fedora off his head in the process, exposing his stubbed dread lock on his left side that fluttered around with its brethren.
Julie-Su just froze in awe upon seeing the scars on his face.
Leaving nothing to chance Knuckles pounced on him with an assaulting leap, landing his right fist across the echidna's jaw as he clamped onto the black coat with the other. The crushing feeling and sound of flesh-on-flesh and bone-on-bone was unmistakable to Knuckles, and quite possibly to the gathering audience. Pure fighting energy bolted through Knuckles' body as his assailing blow sent the stranger going over onto his left side. Somewhere in this combating ballet, he felt guilty that it actually had to come to this. But the thought collapsed along with his trumped battle plan. To his surprise the stranger wasn't without his tricks. Using his falling momentum as a boost, he slammed his right open hand into Knuckles' chest, propelling him high in the air to get him clear off his chest. Letting his dreads work their magic, Knuckles' moment of flight was short lived as he glided back towards the ground and planted both feet firmly into a low, striding defensive stance. Fists out, low, close-in. Ready.
Changing tactics to the offensive with a split second of judgement, he was about to close the gap between them until the echidna offered his next move as rethinking point to Knuckles' upcoming assault. Throwing his coat off in one fast, fluid motion, the stranger's hands seized two blasters from their holsters inside the sleeves of the coat, and unveiled them to all of Knothole. To Knuckles' adding anxiety, wrapped around the echidna's chest was an additional pistol, clutched in a tight fitting shoulder holster, exposing the polymer handle only as a reference of what it was.
Great! Three more. How on Mobius am I going to disarm this guy? He grumbled in the air. His prayers were answered by a certain, speeding blue hedgehog yet again.
The dark echidna felt the wind begin to kick up again. He tried to prepare himself for what was to come, but he knew he was too late to react for a second time. Shame on me... he scolded at himself for making the same mistake twice.With the same hard tug as the last, his two back-up blasters disappeared in a sea of blue. Letting one threat go and concentrating on the other, he turned his head back around to keep track of Knuckles. He was only quick enough to see the Guardian drop down from the air, slamming him to the ground that expelled a grunt from his lungs.
Wow, he's fast! His inner-self struggled to concluded after his head impacted the soft, grassy floor.
Knuckles didn't skip a beat while his opponent was stunned. Taking a firm grasp at the handle, he pulled the last gun out the shoulder harness and threw it behind him and out of the fray. Sally skirted back when the long barreled pistol bounced on the ground and landed nearly at her feet. Knuckles then grabbed hold of the echidna's body armor with his left hand. The black armor had four horizontal ribs that were meant to absorb plasma fire by displacing the heat and energy impact. But now it was a nice thing to hold on to. With his free right fist, he swung at the echidna's head, but his effort was cut short by a block from his opponent's left arm, side swiping Knuckles' strike away and at the same span of time, upper-cutting Knuckles with his right open palm dead center at his chest.
This sent Knuckles flying through the air and falling just short at the stranger's feet. In a blink of an eye, the other echidna got up and moved into Knuckles, his hands opened and hovering down in front of him, anticipating anything at this point When the he moved in close enough though to somehow manage a hold on Knuckles, he was met by a driving strain that soon became intense with pain just above his knee. The stranger grunted to the sharp pain as he fell to the ground, catching a glance of Knuckles' right foot implanting against his right knee. Not a moment was spared when Knuckles shot up to his feet and posed himself to pounce on his opponent yet again. But the echidna was just as fast. With his right leg going under his left knee, the echidna shot up quickly, putting his naked red hands in a close defensive position as he gained his balance, spreading his feet wide. Letting his opponent decide his next stance, Knuckles brought his mittens up to his face and narrowed his eyes to the scarred echidna, taunting what he had perceived as the ego-maniac that thrived inside him.
They closed the gap between them at a feverish rate. Knuckles struck out his right fist, but the other echidna pivoted his torso to the side, causing Knuckles to overshoot his swing, leaving him exposed. Before his opponent could deliver a sweeping blow from his right hand, Knuckles--with his right arm still following through his first punch, back-handed the stranger with his left hand. With the other echidna stunned from it, Knuckles then cocked his right fist and pushed it hard into the echidna's face. The force of the punch created two, light puncture marks as his knuckled spikes implanted into the stranger's cheek. This sent the echidna back to the ground once more, and without giving him another chance, Knuckles sprawled on top of him and took a stronger grasp on the echidna's shirt collar. There, he cocked his right fist, ready to hopefully give the final blow. However the other Echidna was too quick. He blocked it again and opened palmed Knuckles in the chest. His hopes of loosening Knuckles's grip the second time was partially a success, but the outcome this time was not what he wanted...and never wanted. Knuckles did fly back and away like before, but instead, his grip on the stranger's collar caused the shirt to rip down the center, stopping only when the fabric met the resistence of the body armor.
Just when Knuckles was becoming one with the Mobian gravity, his emotions of victory fell to utter shock. During those few seconds of suspended animation, his eyes gazed on the newly exposed chest of the echidna. For a brief moment, he thought he saw white over the red fur of the echidna. It was then that Knuckles' eyes slowly widen as gravity came back as factor in the fight. Disbelief had muscled its way past his fighting sprit, commanding his mouth to gap open in the shock he perceived was coming after the fight, hoping the his opponent hadn't witnessed the change in his face.
But the pinned echidna saw Knuckles' changed expression. A sudden feeling of fear sent shivers throughout his body, his eyes widening in terror at what he realized Knuckles' had seen. At what was about to be discovered of him that he tried so long to hid when others told him not to. But something sparked inside him. Something that felt of yearning to seize the moment to surrender filter into his psyche. And before Knuckles' slammed his fist across his face, he unknownly smiled before the blow was dealt.
Then came blackness.
Knuckles let the urge to breath the sigh of victory die as the echidna went limp under his legs. His disbelief trumped his next action. Pulling back the flap of fabric he expose what he feared he witnessed on the echidna's upper chest during that moment stillness. A white crest.
This can't be...a Guardian!? he shouted and stuttered out to himself in horror.
By now, Sally, Antoine, Sonic, and Tails had gathered around as they watched some hit-man get his tail handed to him. "Antoine, restrain him before he wakes--" Sally began to order, only to be cut off by a very frustrated Knuckles.
"...Who are you!" he shouted while pulling back on the echidna's torn shirt, lifting the limp body off the ground.
"Ah, hey Rad Red, he can't hear since--"
This time, before Sonic could state the obvious, Knuckles repeated his last phrase to the point of crying. "WHO ARE YOU!?"
Julie-Su stepped forward before anyone else could reach him, knowing something was dreadfully wrong from the sound of her beloved Knuckles' voice. "Honey, what's wrong?" she asked with a very sincere voice, hoping to calm her lover down. When she got closer, she could see why he was almost to the point of tears.
"He's a Guardian Julie-Su!" he said, choking back his emotions. He took a long breath and repeated his findings to himself in disbelief. "He's a guardian..."
"I don't get it Knuckles," said Tails as he gazed at the wooden floor of Uncle Chucks' Café, "I thought we'd traced back your whole linage of your family?"
A couple of hours had passed and Knuckles found himself just starring at his grape soda that was warming up with each passing minute in his hands. The pain from his chest had finally let up from the fight he had undertook. He sure hits like my Father from the few times we spared, he thought to himself. Tales was right, he was sure that there weren't any other grandparents that had been kept secret from him. And for the Guardian that they had locked up in the jail; he looked too young to be any of that. So who was he?
"I don't know Miles," Knuckles said, nervously scratching his forehead, "Antoine said he'd come get me when he came to. So, hopefully we can get some answers."
"And why is he working for Ebony?" festered Julie-Su from beside him, "Something is not right about this."
Knuckles just shook his head as he took another pull from his drink.
Antoine D' Coolette stepped inside the main holding block, which didn't have much in the way of cells. The blue uniformed coyote held a tray of food, mostly containing grapes and other fruits for Knothole City's newest resident in the jail. As he crossed the corridor to the middle cell Antoine could see the new echidna in town was still out cold, lying motionless on his left side on the small bed with his back against the wall. Frowning at the limp body, Antoine knelt down and started to slid the tray underneath the floor bar. Time stood still all of a sudden as his hand was restricted by strong grasp from inside the cell. His head shot up to see the echidna at his nose, bearing a look of great discontent. He didn't even hear him come off the bed.
"Give me the keys–now!" the echidna demanded with a harsh, stern voice.
"I'm zorry Monsieur, I cannot do zhat,"replied the Royal Guardsmen in his thick French accent.
The echidna took his free hand and reached over the floor bar, grabbing Antoine's arm with it, then moving the it and Antoine up to a little higher level of conversation. "Give me the keys now, or it's not going to be fun."
"No, Monsieur! Now let me go!"
Antoine struggled to release the grip from the very agitated echidna but the stranger's hand was steadfast. The Guardian pulled Antoine's arm further inside the cell and slammed him up against the cold steel bars. The impact stunned the coyote for a brief moment. The echidna then pushed the coyote's arm forward before once again bringing him back against the bars, all the while extending his fist through the cell at Antoine's head. The move put him out cold in an instant with his body slumping to the floor.
The echidna quickly grabbed the keys around Antoine's belt, and reached around the bars to unlocked the cell. After freeing himself, he proceeded to put his captor's body in the cell before locking the door and throwing the keys down the short hallway, making sure that someone would see them. Giving no forethought about the subtle feeling he had for Antoine, the echidna slowly made his way through the complex, looking for any signs where his gear might be. He soon came upon a room that said, "evidence and seizure," Got to be here, he considered to himself before kicking down the door. Time to say good-bye again with your silence...
Moments later, Bunnie gracefully strolled into the jail as best as her mechanical legs could manage, her two pistols riding on her hips as she wondered why Antoine hadn't returned. She found the reason slumped inside the cell that their visitor was supposed to be in. Without a moments hesitation, she ran to the entrance wall and pushed the alarm that would soon bring most of Knothole's heavy hitters to the jail. But the first to show up wasn't Sonic as usual, but Knuckles, knowing full well what probably had happened.
He saw Bunnie helping Antoine to his feet as he passed by the cell. "How's he doing?"
"Little bump on the head 'sug, but he'll be alright."
"Ohw, my head," came a groaning Antoine. "Unhand me Bunnie, I needz to getz zhat..."
Knuckles looked over at Antoine as he marched by them. "Stay here 'Twan, I'll take care of him," he said as he headed towards the door with his brows slumped in determination.
As he reached the hall to the busted door of the evidence room, he heard the other echidna operating his weapons and securing them in their holsters. Will he shoot me if I enter. Probably not, but nevertheless, make noise so he isn't trigger happy, he cautioned himself. He shuffled his feet through the door and gazed upon the echidna who was busy putting his body armor on over his ripped green shirt. Knuckles noticed that Antoine didn't even bothered to secure all of the scarred echidna's gear, but instead, left it all scattered on the table. Need to talk to him about that.
"So you're just gonna to leave?" Knuckles asked.
The figure glanced over his left shoulder and shrugged. "Why shouldn't I, looks like you have everything under control." Checking his last blaster, he quickly holstered it into one of his sleeves of the long black coat that laid upon the table. He then dawned on his shoulder rig that had the other pistol securely holstered, spare mags at the ready on the right side.
"You gonna apologize to Antoine before you go?" inquired Knuckles with a sharp voice.
"Why? He could've just given me the keys!" the echidna quipped.
"He has a duty you know–"
"...Yea, and so do YOU young Guardian!" he shouted, turning and marching right up to Knuckles, squinting his eyes with rage. "You haven't answered my question, why are you here?"
"I'm fighting Eggman to help save Angel Island."
"So, why aren't you doing it at home instead of here," the other Guardian asked, "and whose guarding the emerald and the Floating Island anyways?"
"The Dark Legion is–"
"...The Dark Legion!" shouted the now furious Echidna. "Sounds like you are doing a great job, oh Prominent One!" Turning back to the table with a curt grumble, he grabbed his long black coat and struggled into.
"Well, partly. But, we've identified the common enemy and the Dark Legion is helping me to secure the future," Knuckles stated, purposely forgetting the civil war end of the conflict.
The echidna considered Knuckles' sound reply as he adjusting his collar and smoothed out the wrinkles. His agreement was swallowed by his own, haunting question. So, are you gonna pop the big question there Guardian? he asked at the table.
"But who are you to talk about sacred duties when you wear the white crest?" Knuckles jumped.
The echidna put his hands flat on the table in front of him and sighed. "I made some choices long ago, dear Knuckles." And Locke still keeps secrets from his family, he added in his mind.
He knows my name? Knuckles breathed out in his psyche. "Then who are you to talk about my--"
The echidna turned to Knuckles with a stare that could have burned a hole through him. "...Because you have a destiny that I could NEVER HAVE!" he growled, his teeth chattering from the sudden explosion of anger. Shifted back to the table, fighting to slow the thoughts that were racing through his mind.
The cat was out of the bag now. Knuckles knew through the history of his ancestors that they all had a destiny that they "had" to fulfill. His came through a dream that his father had envisioned with a little assist from the Ancient Walkers. He still questioned if it would ever come true from all that has happened and the choices he'd made.
But here before him was another Guardian, and he was sure that this echidna was.
An idea sparked in his mind. One he couldn't disregard. With all the space time continuum that has been happening over the years, the Guardian in black could possible a Grandfather from another zone. It was a possibility.
But it didn't explain the choices the dark echidna said he'd made.
All this sparked the prime question that the other echidna was waiting for. "Who are you fellow Guardian?" Knuckles asked, his voice digressing to calmness and sincerity.
The other Guardian shifted his head back towards Knuckles, his face expressionless, "Locke still keeping secrets? What of Lady Lara-Le? Is she keeping things from you as well?" he asked, his scarred face putting words to meaning. "Have you ever considering if she wanted you to grow up happy?"
A surprised stare. "How did you know what my mother wanted for me?" Knuckles gasped, his mouth plummeting to the floor.
The other Guardian sighed before speaking. "I know a lot about you Knuckles. I know a lot about you then I ever care too sometimes. If you want the answers then let the light of truth be your guide. That's what you have been taught, right?" Knuckles just nodded his head. "Then you can start by asking your father about me. Tell him that you saw another Guardian and that we had this conversation, and then you can tell him all the scars you have seen upon my face." His last sentence came out as a breath. "Then I want you to carefully watch for the look of sadness in his eyes."
"And if he gives me the run around?" Knuckles asked, crossing his arms.
"Then you best forget about me!" he said, turning sharply and stepping closer to Knuckles. "You forget about me and you continue on with your sacred duties, and your much happier life than mine."
The stranger turned his back once more and was about to dawn on his fedora when Knuckles decided that he had had enough of taking deceptions for answers. He grabbed the shoulder of the other Guardian and spun him around. Grabbing both sides of his collar, Knuckles then pressed his snout closer to his unknown family member's, triggering his inner chaos energy to let the fire of his determination for answers be felt.
"So he does have the power! Locke was successful..." the other guardian concluded rather quickly, feeling the slight burning sensation across his chest.
"WHO ARE YOU AND DON'T LET ME ASK AGAIN!" Knuckles harshly demanded.
The Guardian starred back into Knuckles's eyes, seeing the frustration that was painted on them. His were wide now as well, and searching for what he was going to do or say next. Knowing full well of what happens if his family's ultimatums are challenged, and feeling the power that Knuckles possessed through his coat, he decided it was worth the risk of letting loose the forgotten past.
"Do you really want to know? You might get hurt if you do?" the echidna calmly stated
"And it might hurt me more if I don't!" Knuckles quickly retorted.
The Guardian shifted his gaze to the floor for a brief instant, searching for what he was about to say next. Looking back up and with a stare of confidence in his decision, he took in a deep breath:
"Knuckles," he began, "my name is Aleutian...and I am your brother."
Knuckles' eyes went wide. The shock of the words dredging through his mind sent shivers to his hands that commanded the release of the other echidna. Backing himself up against the wall, he braced it as if he was going to fall. No! he exclaimed to himself, this isn't true. I only have a half brother not a full one. Why would my parents keep him a secret from me?
"That's a lie!" was the only thing Knuckles could spat out from the horror that he felt.
"I'm afraid not dear brother," Aleutian shakingly said as he paused to lift himself off from the table. He waited a little while longer to make his words hit home. "My Father is the Guardian Locke. My Mother the Lady Lara-Le...the same as yours. Knuckles...I'm brother Aleutian."
Knuckles just stood there, his month opened in utter shock. As the questions raced through his mind, Aleutian grabbed his hat, pulled it hard over his head, and started to walk out; like he did several years ago. Passing his stunned brother he stopped, his eyes lower with his heart. Aleutian hung his head down in deep sympathy in the course of his feelings, placing his hand over Knuckles's shoulder to comfort him.
"I am sorry that you had to find like this," Aleutian said with a quiet whisper before taking his leave out of the room, leaving his brother stunned against the wall.
The mid-afternoon sun grazed his scarred face with it's warmth as Aleutian walked out of the jail. The wind had picked up a little and he could feel it through his dreads. As he turned to the east, he noticed Antoine looking around while he was hunched over Bunnie's shoulder. It wasn't going to be easy getting out of Knothole.
"You there, zstop...!" Antoine shouted, struggle to get free from Bunnie to teach Aleutian a new lesson.
"Hold it Antoine," said Knuckles coming up from behind Aleutian, "let him go."
Aleutian turned his head back to Knuckles and nodded his thanks. As he past Antoine, he stopped and let his expression turn to one of sorrow. "You are very brave, sir, for resisting me. I am very sorry for any discomfort I have caused you and to your friends. Please take my apology at will."
And with that, he continued out of Knothole City.
"So you're just going to leave?" Knuckles shouted, the anger in his voice could be heard thundering across the field; Sonic, and Julie-Su taking note of it as they stepped onto the field.
"That old question again," Aleutian said, looking back at Knuckles with a smirk, "I have things to do, and you definitely don't want my company," he said as he turned away once more, trying to let things end somewhat on a good note.
"Yes I do, and if you leave, I will track you–"
"...DON'T!" Aleutian screamed as he turned around yet again, pointing at his brother with his gloveless right hand, "you may not like what you see of me, and I don't care to expose you to it. You have a lot going on for you here, and if you are sincere in defeating Eggman here instead of home, then stick to your duties instead of me!"
"Jeeze, you'd think they're siblings the way they're fighting." came Sonic from behind Julie-Su.
"I think there might be something to that, Sonic," replied Julie-Su, catching what Aleutian was saying.
Aleutian gave Knuckles one last hard look before turning away from him again. Knuckles watched as his new found brother disappeared into the forest. At least he thought he was.
Julie-Su gracefully walked up to him and placed her hand over his shoulder. "Who was that Knuckles?" she asked in a soft whisper.
Knuckles just looked down at the ground as he reached up with his left hand and placed it over hers before he replied in a whisper. "I don't know...but I want answers." He then looked over at Sally who showed up in time to see the dark echidna leave to her great pleasure. "Sally, get the ship ready, I need to go to Angel Island for some answers."
"It's still dangerous to go Knuckles–"
"I don't care!" Knuckles barked out with his frustrations, "if I have too, I'll go myself! I want answers and I wanted them yesterday!"
Sally considered his request then nodded her approval.
Julie-Su looked at Knuckles with sadness in her eyes. Something was dreadfully wrong and he was hiding it from her. For once there might've be a good reason behind it, she thought, but she wanted to go with him to comfort and hopefully in due time, to find out what was troubling her equal.
You idiot! You know he's going to be coming back after you. Aleutian shouted to himself. You left way too many questions unanswered to keep him away from you.
He was about a quarter mile away from the city, his mind racing from seeing his brother after so many years; grown and not where he was suppose to be. But knowing what your father said that he could do, did you really want to find that out on your own? For all you know, he could be thinking that you're some sort of an imposter anyways, came his subconscious.
His ripped shirt was starting to flap around in the breeze, exposing his white mark of righteousness that he wished he was never born with. He covered it back up quickly so it wouldn't remind him of the shame that he felt:
But the ones knowing of my shame are my parents, and what is left of my friends. But my friends have never considered me as dishonorable. Ever!
Now my brother has seen me. What does he think of me? What will he think of me when he finds out what has happened, and who've I'd become? I hope this encounter hasn't set things in motion that could be very bad for Mobius. Hopefully he forgets about me...if, he does.
You can't stop freewill Aleutian. That was something that you'd fought for and believed in a long time ago. That was your choice...remember. Now look at you! You're a lost warrior without any direction. Just a loner, doing a cold job for what, self-righteousness? Revenge? You definitely haven't been helping the cause like you did once before.
He stopped and turned to look at the setting sun behind him. The warmth that it was still generating made Aleutian wonder if this was an omen. An omen that felt like this day was the end his cold ways and to begin a renewed start. But to what? The wind was starting to pick up a little more and it helped soothed the tears that were starting to stream down his scarred face. After all these years, it's now hurting, It has never hurt before, but today of all days, it is now. Maybe you should've done what she asked of you!? The last phrase made his heart sink. Her...
Just then he heard a speeding hover car traveling behind him. He turned around to see a very expensive, silver limo tearing through the forest. Ah great! I forgot about him. It was Downtown Ebony Hare and Aleutian knew he was looking for Rogue and possibly him too. That is a tough crowd back there Aleutian. I'm sure they can take care of themselves, he concluded to himself.
He started back on his journey home but his subconscious stopped him yet again. But Blackjack is definitely with him, and Blackjack could hurt someone badly before he's taken down. Aleutian thought hard, only realizing:
And they probably torched your hover car since you didn't meet them for some reason. It's a long walk back home, Aleutian.
Aleutian took a deep breath and turned back for Knothole City.
Julie-Su was rounding a hut with her backpack in her hands, motivating towards the hangar-bay, her face boarder-lining on frustration and puzzlement. Her journey was cut short when a big grey hand took hold around her throat and lifted her off the ground. When she blinked from the reaction of the sudden jolt, he eyes fixated on a very familiar dog face.
"Want to see if you can escape from my hands, there Dollface. No place to catch your fall this time!" came the gruff voice of Blackjack.
Julie-Su dropped her bag and reached for her boot where she kept her double-barrel blaster. Blackjack caught the move out from the corner of his eye and increased the tension around her throat. She stopped her movement instantly and began reaching for Blackjack's hand, trying to pull it away from her throat. The constricting grip began to cut off precious oxygen to her lungs.
"Not so fast there little one," scorned Blackjack with a smile.
"Way to go Blackjack! Nice way to get us a barging chip," came Ebony Hare from behind him. "GATHER AROUND FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND LET ME DEMONSTRATE REAL MUSCLE!" he decried at the top of his lungs.
Knuckles' wasn't far behind Julie-Su when the request got his attention in a hurry, sensing the voice sounded somewhat familiar. He ran to the open circle where he had first met Aleutian and stopped dead to see Julie-Su dangling in the air, grasping at the arms of a goon that was strangling her. "Put her down!" he shouted with venom in his voice.
"Ah, our fearless leader is making demands," squinted Ebony.
Sonic bolted up behind Knuckles, and sported a crocked grin. "Actually I am the fearless leader and I say you put the girl down."
"How about this, you give me a certain Bat named Rogue and I'll make sure Blackjack here, doesn't snap her neck off," fired back Ebony, showing that he was holding the cards.
"Oh, her again...," grunted Julie-Su with what little air she could breath out, "...just take her and go away...please?"
Rogue made her way towards the shouting contest and stepped into the open, her hands on her hips and flashing a smile. "What do you want, Downtown?"
Ebony Hare turned and smiled at her. "Why you of course. Some friends of mine would love to speak with you."
"Ah, let me think about that for a second, Ebony." she said, putting her finger on her lips.
"Oh, great...I'm doomed!" grunted Julie-Su,
Knuckles was rolling his fist and getting himself ready jump on Blackjack when a cool, calm, and collective voice came out from the wood work:
"Put the girl down Blackjack," ordered Aleutian firmly, standing a good ways into the clearing with one of his guns pointing at Blackjack. It was the same weapon Knuckles saw him holster in the shoulder harness before they had their "talk." Aleutian held the fat barreled weapon with one hand as he steadied the sights over Blackjack's head. His finger was placed gently over the trigger.
"Oh, YOU!" shouted Ebony with surprise, "I see you couldn't get the girl like you promised. So, WHERE"S MY MONEY!?"
"Is that all you care about Mr. Hare?" Aleutian said, his voice not even fluctuating from the added stress of the situation.
"Mostly. Now give me my–"
"...Blackjack, put down the girl now, or I can't guarantee your safety," interrupted Aleutian, raising his voice a disable to get his ultimatum across. Centering his front site on the head of Blackjack, he placed both hands around the handle of the pistol while adjusting his right leg back behind him. Come on Blackjack...do it...let her go, he pleaded in his mind.
"Blackjack works for me, not you!" fired off Ebony Harre, "Blackjack, snap her neck!" he ordered with a hard nod.
Knuckles turned his attention towards Blackjack. He clenched his fist and lowered himself to jump on top of the grey bulldog. As he did so, Julie-Su felt Blackjack's grip increase and it was making it hard for her to stay conscious. She looked over to Knuckles with a look of sorrow and defeat, and forced out what she thought was her last dying breath, "...knuckles..."
I loud snap was heard across the open field. Knuckles's heart skipped three beats upon hearing it and thought he was too late to save the one he loved.
Julie-Su fell to the ground on her side, coughing hard, and trying desperately to breath. Down with her went Blackjack...lifeless.
Ebony saw the end result of his hired muscle and he didn't like the outcome. He started to reach inside his coat for the double barreled revolver that he kept in a small holster. If he hadn't stopped dead, he would have been as Aleutian turned his pistol in the rabbit's direction:
"Don't even think about, Ebony. I am pretty good at splitting hairs with this." he said, adding the pun to show that he was in total control.
Ebony Hare slowly retracted his hand from the inside of his jacket, holding it open to hopefully satisfy Aleutian.
"Now go!" Aleutian ordered.
"What about my money!?"
Aleutian took the wade of cash out from the pocket of his coat, bit down on a single bill, and pulled it out from under the clip before throwing the rest at Ebony's feet.
The rabbit picked it up and looked over at Aleutian. "Why you keepin' that one?"
"Bill for the bullet. Now go!" Aleutian growled, still keeping his weapon pointed at Downtown.
Hare turned with a grunt and started walking off when Aleutian stopped him cold yet once again:
"Wait...you're forgetting something?"
"What do you mean!?"
"Take your trash with you," Aleutian said, motioning to the lifeless body of Blackjack, his head looking oddly different from before.
Ebony Hare reluctantly walked over to the body, grabbed the back of his collar--that was now stained in his purple blood–and started dragging him towards the limo that was beyond the woods. "You'll pay for this Echidna!" he barked as he huffed the large dog across the ground.
"I still owe for my debts," the Guardian said, his voice deepened with disgust.
After seeing Ebony Hare walk away to the forest, Aleutian holstered his weapon inside his coat, and walked over to where Knuckles was helping Julie-Su. Sally was about to approach him when Aleutian shot her a cold gaze that made her stop dead in her tracks. She almost trembled at the scarred look. With his head down he could see Julie-Su was breathing hard to replenishing the oxygen that was robbed from her lungs. "Is she going to be okay?" he asked Knuckles with a comforting but stern voice.
What Aleutian didn't see was Knuckles clutching Julie-Su's blaster that already had the gas canisters loaded into the twin barrels. Good girl!
"Yea. Just a little rattled but she'll be fine." And with that, Knuckles spun around and doused Aleutian with a cloud of gas. Aleutian stumbled backwards, stopping the muscle memory in his arm from going to his pistol to shoot his brother. He coughed to expel the sleeping gas from his lungs, but his site was becoming blurry with each passing second.
Before Aleutian passed out onto the ground, he looked over at his brother as his vision was fading away:
"So this is how you say thank you..."
The Guardian hit the ground, his fedora falling off from the impact, rolling away with the wind.
Knuckles lowered Julie's weapon along with his eyes that were filled with deep sadness at Aleutian. "Just this once."
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