Author's notes: I own nothing except that I list, everything else belongs to its respective owners. I only own this story and listed characters.
I only own Klaxon and a character that will be replacing him for awhile later down in this chapter
Chapter 31
11:00 PM, Hidden Freedom Fighter makeshift base in mountains, command center tent...
Sonic sighed in annoyance as he had gathered everyone available to discuss the situation involving his Uncle Chuck's (1) situation within Robotnik's operations. They were down several members. Tails due to Mecha-Sally taking him offline which technically killed him as long as he was so, Shade due to him traveling through time with Eggman, said reformed doctor also being gone to not obeying Sonic's orders. TD because it has been assumed he went with due to his Mobian form's injuries. That just left the animatronics, Rotor, Antoine, Bunnie and Sonic himself as the real hitters for the rescue operation. And Klaxon, if he could be found anyway as the last report of his location was that he was "hunting weird-looking rabbits" given by one of the few scouts that hadn't been injured in the retreat from Knothole.
"So...we're down several members and we don't know how long we have before Chuck gets caught." said Sonic calmly despite the situation.
"It vould seem so." said Antoine as he polished his sword before putting it back in its sheathe at his hip.
"Well, might as well go myself."
"WHAT?!" yelled everyone present.
"Hey, I've already died so what's the worst that can happen?" said Sonic shrugging nonchalantly and everyone present face-palms.
"That is the most hair-brained idea you've ever had!" said Rotor slamming one of his hands down on the table.
"No, trying to drink chili through a straw was."
"Vhat happens if zhey are expecting you? Hmmm? Vhat then?" said Antoine crossing his arms.
"I use my new gravity powers to crush them."
"And if zhey are resistant to it?"
"I run."
"You're slower in this state."
"I'm still fast enough to outrun a few robots."
"You won't have any support." said Rotor impatiently.
"I've done stuff solo before. Nothing new."
"I don't think we're going to convince you otherwise, are we?"
"Nope."
"Well, when you are TRULY dead, don't come back to us and complain from the afterlife."
"Like that'll happen." said Sonic scoffing at the idea before he zoomed out of the room, sending papers flying and everyone scrambled to collect them.
Robotropolis Junkyard, 10 minutes later...
Sonic skidded to a halt behind a large pile of metallic scrap within the junkyard and cautiously took a peak out to see how much time he had to rescue his uncle. He saw a team of four SWATbots being led by Mecha-Sally as they ransacked one of the Sir Charles' many failsafe safehouses. Judging from the damage to the junkyard, they had destroyed about 5 of the seven which left only two likely places left. Sonic cursed at how little time he had. He went back into hiding and began to think of a way to lure them away. He began to think so hard, his head began to hurt before the pain suddenly went away yet his head spun for a second before he recovered from that too.
He then noticed that it felt like something was watching him and he looked only to find himself staring back at him. He had to keep himself from crying out in surprise at seeing himself before he noticed that this second version of him was just staring blankly ahead and not moving. He waved his hand in front of its head and it punched him in the stomach as it mimicked the action and he staggered back from the hit. He recovered and then got an idea and mentally thought of what to have it do.
The clone then turned around and ran into view of the SWATbots.
"Priority One: Hedgehog." said the robotic search and capture team as they chased after the fake Sonic, giving Sonic some time to search for his uncle.
"Okay Uncle Chuck, which of the two are you at...?" asked Sonic to himself quietly before he ran to the entrance of the current area's failsafe safehouse and knocked on the door to the tune of "Shave and a Haircut" yet got no response so he decided that it was the last safehouse. He bolted to it and arrived. He wondered why his uncle had built this safe house and only told him about it too. The safehouse was built near one of the recycling smelters for destroyed SWATbots and Kill Bots as well and built inside a huge pile of destroyed bot parts. He had no idea how Robotnik hadn't noticed it either but now wasn't the time for thinking on that.
He ran up to the door and knocked to the tune as before but this time, got an answer.
"What's the password?" came a robotic yet old sounding voice.
"Password? Since when do you use passwords?" said Sonic in surprise and the door opened.
"And that's how I know it's not a robo-Sonic." said Uncle Chuck as he exited the safehouse, armed with a makeshift laser pistol, "What happened to you?"
"Long story uncle but right now, we need to get you out of here."
"You're right. We also need to get out of here before Robotnik's latest creation shows up."
"I can handle any robot he throws at us."
"Sonic, he's not a robot. He's a cyborg AND he's a Jackal (2)."
"Wait. A Jackal? You mean the species that hated Hedgehogs BEFORE Robotnik took over? The ones with the claws and reflexes? THAT Jackal?"
"Yes. That Jackal."
"Shit. I'm in no condition to fight one."
"Nor will you survive anyway." came a new voice that caused chills to run down both Sonic and Sir Charles' spines and they looked to see said Jackal hovering over the safehouse, red-lens covered yellow eye glaring down at them.
"Uncle, run. I'll hold him off." said Sonic before he throw a small ball of scrap at the Jackal who moved out of the way at the last second, "You Jackals always liked to show off."
"Yes, we did, didn't we. Unlike you hedgehogs until some of your species developed super speed."
"And then Robotnik showed up and the Jackals agreed to put the species grudge aside."
"You're right. They did. Past tense."
"Wait, are you saying-"
"That I killed them all before joining Robotnik? Yes."
"What the heck?! Just what kind of psycho are you?"
"One that enjoys death and destruction and you and your broken Resistance group will be fun to break more before finally snapping what remains of its neck. Oh, and if you think you can save your uncle, you're wrong." said the figure before he pulled a rusted lance out of the scrap heap below him and hurled it at Sir Charles. The lance was deflected by a gravity blast from Sonic.
"Chuck, run! Now!" said Sonic and the old robotic hedgehog took off running as the cybernetic Jackal had several more rusted lances and even rusted spears rise out of the junk heap below him and hurled them all at Sir Charles but all of them where deflected by Sonic's gravity attacks.
[Sonic Forces OST- Infinite First Battle Theme]
"So, Robotnik's theory was true. New state of being has given you control over gravity or a similar power yet it has rendered you slower than before." said the Jackal calmly, his eye glaring at Sonic.
"What was that about not being able to save my uncle?" said Sonic, smirking lightly before it disappeared as the cyborg began to laugh darkly before he activated his comm-link built into his helmet.
"All SWATbots, capture target sighted. Heading east from my position. Converge. Ignore any other blue hedgehogs."
Sonic turned to go help his uncle but found the cyborg Jackal in front of him before he jumped back, avoiding the titanium-alloyed claws swung at him but not the second swipe. Blood splattered onto the rusted metal scrap pile nearby and Sonic grabbed his chest in pain as his blood dripped between fingers.
"So you can still bleed." mused the cyborg Jackal as Sonic backed up slightly before a spin kick sent him spiraling to ground. Sonic got up slowly before a titanium alloy foot stomping down on his back forced him back down, "You shouldn't have really come alone."
"Heh. Alone was the best idea. Sure, it left my uncle exposed but I get to learn some things about what Robotnik's got planned. Guess you're one part of it all." said Sonic, chuckling softly.
"Are you always positive, even when facing death?"
"No. In fact, I haven't been very positive lately either. Things have been getting to me but then you don't care, do you?"
"Not really. I just enjoy taunting my victim."
"Well, some victims know how to taunt back." said Sonic before his back quills became rigid and cut through the lowest part of the Jackal's cybernetic foot and the cyborg quickly took his foot off Sonic, jumping back as he looked at the damage and Sonic got up and turned to face the cyborg.
"Will have to inform Robotnik on this development with the cybernetics." muttered the Jackal before he turned his attention back to Sonic before avoiding a punch meant for his head at the last second and kneeing Sonic in the stomach in return. Sonic staggered back from the stomach hit but quickly recovered and went for a leg sweep only to get a jump kick to the jaw instead, "Your reflexes are slower as well. Not just your speed."
Sonic shook off the jaw hit and curled into a spinning blue ball and zoomed towards the cybernetic Jackal. The Jackal sidesteps the spin dash attack and then kicks Sonic, knocking the hedgehog out of ball form and sending him flying before he crashes into a pile of scrap metal, recent scrap metal not rusted. He grabs his side as he tries to get up and feels cold metal and looks to find a metal spike stuck in his side.
"Where's Klaxon when you need him?" muttered Sonic before a piece of paper appears in his hand and he reads it silently.
"Dear Sonic,
Sorry for disappearing without notice, or disappearing in general when you're in such a bad situation in your world but I left to deal with another threat. Rabbids, or as your scout described them, "weird looking rabbits". But, I did call in a relative to replace me. He's the son of Claw, or Klaww as he's also called. I would have gone with either of Claw's nephews but both of them are dead and I figured this guy would be the better of the two available. Anyway, good luck."
Sonic groaned as he dropped the piece of paper and tried to remove the metal spike in his side before grabbing his head in pain as the cybernetic Jackal summoned a red-purple orb and the gem-like crystal grafted into his chest pulsed a pink-red-purple color.
"The Phantom Ruby's activation effects you? Interesting." said the cyborg as he summoned another one and Sonic grabbed his head in pain again, "Maybe I don't need to use the ruby's powers to kill you."
He dispersed the orbs and advances towards Sonic who is recovering from the pain, his vision blurred from it.
"Well...I learned something else...I really can't fight you after this. Oh my head." said Sonic, trying to get up despite the metal still impaling him in the side.
"And you won't get another chance to fight me anyway." said the Jackal as he grabbed Sonic by the neck and began distorting the world around both of them, causing them both to gain "photo-negative" colors and causing Sonic to scream in pain.
*Record scratch* [Jerry Whitman- Too Bad You're Crazy]
The Jackal stops causing the world distortion as he grabs his ears, trying to cover them to prevent the song he's suddenly hearing being heard.
"What the heck is that music?!" snarled the Jackal before he turned and got a Boxing-glove shaped stone fist to the face, shattering the red lens on his helmet and sending him flying away.
"IT'S MY THEME! HAHAHAHAHAHA! DON'T LIKE IT?! TOO BAD! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed a Kangaroo/Dragon Hybrid as hopped into view. The Kangaroo/Dragon has red scales, brown fur and red eyes with slits and serrated black back spikes. He's wearing black shorts and a sleeveless biker jacket, the sleeves having been shredded. Under the biker jacket are the remains of a straight jacket.
"What are you? Some sort of escaped mental asylum patient?" said the Jackal as he got up, holding the side of the helmet with the broken lens before the Kangaroo/Dragon proudly showed his old asylum nametag.
Nametag: "Hi! My name is 'Razor' and I'm an escaped Mental Patient!"
Razor burst out laughing hysterically before he ripped the metal spike out of Sonic's side, causing the hedgehog to yell in pain and clutch the wound to try to stop the bleeding.
"Go help your uncle." said Razor turning to Sonic who limped off. Razor then turns towards the Jackal whose yellow eye was glaring daggers at him.
"Oh, so we're doing a staring contest? OKAY!" said Razor before he locked eyes with the cyborg and the cyborg cries out after a split second and holds his eyes in agony, "Oh yeah. Dad said not to do that. Something about the Devil's Eyes being like Ghost Rider's eyes or something, only fifty times worse. It's really bad when you've got two of them! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The cyborg growls as he extends his claws and then appears in front of the Kangaroo/Dragon and tries to slash at him only for Razor to deflect the swipe and then slap him. The Jackal tried again, this time with both claws but again, the Kangaroo/Dragon Hybrid deflected the attacks before clapping the Jackal's ears with his clawed hands and the Jackal staggers back, his ears ringing.
"My turn!" said Razor before he goes for a overhead slam on the cybernetic Jackal only for the Jackal to avoid it. Razor follows it up with a uppercut which also gets avoided.
"HOLD STILL YOU CYBERNETIC FREAK!" yelled Razor, his more violent personality, Rampage, taking control as he began throwing wild punches that the Jackal could barely avoid until he got an opening and tried to cut off one of the Kangaroo/Dragon's arms only for his claws to get stuck between the scales.
"What the heck?" said the Jackal before the scales roared to life like a chainsaw and cut off the tips of the claws, sending the Jackal reeling. He looks at his now broken metal claws in surprise before he looks at Razor with a yellow eye filled with confusion and disbelief, "Chainsaw scales? That doesn't make any sense!"
"I know! Ain't it great!" said Razor with a big smile on his face before he swung his chainsaw scaled arms at the Jackal who avoided the deadly things before he sent a stone-covered fist down on the Jackal's head, earning a yell of pain from the Jackal as the hit causes it to slide down the Jackal's head a bit, ripping through the grafting a bit and causing blood to flow, "Ooh. That's grafted to your head? My bad."
Razor then puts the helmet back into place before sitting on his tail and sending the Jackal flying back through a wall leading into the city with a good solid kick. The Jackal groans as he gets up, holding his helmet in place as blood leaks around it. He watches the Kangaroo/Dragon hop off, humming the music that's still playing. The music slowly fades as the Kangaroo/Dragon disappears.
"SWATBot capture teams, report." said the Jackal into his comm-link, agitated by this newcomer but he got no response, "Capture teams report!"
Again, nothing.
"Mecha-Sally report!"
"Unknown Hybrid Entity attacked. Unit damaged beyond movement capability. All Capture teams destroyed. Target escaped." came Mecha-Sally's response and the Jackal growled in anger. He turns and heads back for the flying fortress, walking for once since his augmentations.
END CHAPTER
Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to read, review, follow and/or favorite. Only CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is welcomed. DESTRUCTIVE isn't.
I own Razor and Klaxon.
(1) Despite reading how SEGA stopped wanting ties with characters, Sir Charles is Sonic's Uncle in this not "everyone's".
(2) For those who play Halo and think the Jackal is a Halo Jackal, wrong Jackal. Imagine a Egyptian Jackal.