Chapter 30: Aliens
Location: Ildathach
One hour later...
Sally was vaguely aware that she was not where she should've been, instead she felt comfortable. Clawing her way back from unconsciousness, she opened her eyes and pushed herself into a seated position. She glanced around her immediate surroundings, finding that she had been sleeping in a structure constructed out of wood and thatch. Letting the animal hide to fall from her body, Sally sat up and took a moment to give the room a chance to stop spinning.
"Sally-girl?" the unmistakable voice of Bunnie asked.
She turned and found the cyborg seated on what resembled a cot, her inorganic arm hanging in a sling.
"What happened," she asked, her mouth dry as bone.
"The X-Tornado went down over the jungle," the Rabbit replied, "Ah was able to adjust the fall enough to prevent a fatal crash, but mah cybernetics were damaged."
"How bad?"
"Ah nearly died, but let's keep that between you and me."
Cowardly and skittish, it was understandable why Bunnie didn't want to needlessly worry her husband.
"Any idea where we are or what happened to the others?"
"Tails and Chris were the first to regain consciousness. They headed back to the X-Tornado's crash site to retrieve a toolkit. Ah won't be goin' anywhere until mah cybernetics are fixed," she replied, "As for where we are...well it's hard to say. We were brought to the village of a species that not native to Mobius. They were the ones who pulled y'all from the wreckage."
"What about Sticks?" Sally asked, dreading the answer.
Bunnie gestured to an adjacent cot where Sticks was resting peacefully, though her unconscious ramblings weirded them out.
"She had to be restrained and sedated," Bunnie eventually stated, "She was ranting that our alien-lizard-men rescuers were out to replace her with a doppelganger."
"Why am I not surprised?"
The flap that separated them from the outside was suddenly parted aside, allowing a figure to step inside. He was a humanoid with purple skin, with a thickly muscled tail, and ears that ended in points. His platinum-coloured hair hung well past his shoulder, pulled backwards so that it cascaded down his back. His only attire consisted of a belt of woven cloth fibers, with tasseled end that hung low enough to cover his genitals.
"Princess Sally, I'm pleased to see that you've finally awakened," he said, bowing respectively to her.
"Should I really question how you're aware of my identity?" she asked.
Bunnie would've told them her name, but for security purposes would never have let on that she was Heir Apparent to the Kingdom of Acorn.
"The nature spirts like to gossip," he replied, "They've whispered your name, including that of a certain blue Hedgehog."
"Uh...okay," she said, clearly confused.
"It is fortunate that those nearby came to you aid as quickly as they did. It took the strength of myself and Mother Sruthanna just to keep your friend from death."
"You seem to know an awful lot about me, yet you've not even introduced yourself," she stated.
"My apologies, I am Ghrian; Archdruid of the Olog-hai."
"I'm not familiar with your people."
"Our world was assaulted by a race of hostile race calling themselves the Plax," the Druid stated, his mood darkening.
"I-I'm sorry to hear that," Sally apologized.
"It is of no fault of your own."
The flap was suddenly pulled open, and Tails entered with Chris in tow, a dower expression on the young Fox's face. He refrained from uttering a single word as he marched over to Bunnie's side, his toolkit tucked under his arm.
"That bad?" Sally asked Chris.
"The X-Tornado won't be flying any time soon," the Human whispered, "And even if he could get it into X-Cyclone mode, there's no way it'll be able to traverse the landscape."
Sally could understand Tails' foul mood, the X-Tornado was his pride and joy, and he didn't wish to see his 'baby' damaged in anyway.
"Is there any way to radio the others?" she asked.
"The transmitter in the X-Tornado was busted in the crash," Tails grumbled.
"And my cell's not getting any reception," Chris added.
Sally glanced over to the table next to her, finding NICOLE's handheld form resting atop its wooden surface.
"NICOLE, are you able to contact the others?" Sally asked, snatching up the device.
"No. For whatever reason something appears to be blocking all outgoing transmissions," the AI replied.
"Wonderful," she sighed, "Guess that means we'll be walking to our destination."
"My nephew's estate on the eastern side of the island," Ghrian stated.
"Your...nephew? I don't recall ever meeting with any member of your people."
"Not in the biological sense. It was he who evacuated those of us who survived the Plax's onslaught. Decades previously, his Father and Grandfather travelled to our world and a friendship formed between our two races."
"Well, we were supposed to meet with someone here on the island. You wouldn't happen to know who this person might be?"
"If he felt the need to withhold that information, I won't go over his head," Ghrian stated.
"Ah don't suppose you could somehow help us reach our destination?" Bunnie questioned.
"We won't be going anywhere until Tails repairs your cybernetics and Sticks regains consciousness," Sally reminded, "What did you give Sticks anyways?"
"Something she'll wake up from in the next twenty minutes," he stated, "I wouldn't recommend departing at this point in time, the sun will be setting soon, but if you're intent on reaching your destination, I'll be your guide."