Forces: Deadly Reasonable Reasons is the next set of chapters that I was nervous to submit. Why? Because Sonic, Tails and Chris/Wally story has come to an End. Everything has all come full circle for them. Especially for Tails. They're not going to be around anymore. Even if it's set in the Sonic Forces Universe, the tone remains the same and so is the realism.
Now it's time for someone new to take center stage.
10 months has gone by after the chaotic events that happen within the dense forest near Nue Heaven. Ex-BOA Saboteur, Craig now having to spend his remaining life behind bars at the Resistance Correctional Prison. Can there be anything to free him? Even if its for just one day? Could it take just one letter?
A MAJOR thanks to the Beta-Reader here on that helped me put this into words and to fix it as much as possible till I felt confident with it. Thanks to...
Cyberpolaris
Ivyshade24
Omesta
RevenantTP
Thank you so much.
WARNING/DISCLAIMER! This is written with TEENS to ADULTS IN MIND. Bad Language is UNCENSORED.
The Story is Drama first, Suspense and Action. In that order.
Another thing is that there aren't any Wisps elemental weapons of power. The weaponry is typical weapons used in military. Knives, Pistols, Assault Rifles, and Shotguns.
Chapter 1 Word count is: 4,033
The OC Cast is: Main: Craig(Fox) More will be added.
Side Characters: Will add later.
New Chapter will be submitted EVERY FRIDAY.
Forces: Deadly Reasonable Reasons
Chapter 1: Dealing With What You Once Were.
Status Report and Whereabouts of:
First Name: Craig; Last Name: UNKNOWN
Currently Held At: Resistance Correctional Prison
Reason: For Crimes Involving; Aggravated Assault, Arson, Theft, Impersonation of Elected Official(s), Fraud, Attempted Murder, Murder, Homicide, Voluntary Manslaughter and Excessive Jaywalking.
Sentence: Death, but was dismissed due to being involved in saving the world alongside Sonic in taking down the BOA, The Leader and destroying Infinite's Phantom Ruby.
Has Acquired Psychological Mental Trauma.
Reason: Being involved with the BOA under the influence of The Leader, who was in possession of Infinite's Phantom Ruby.
Also known for saving the life of: (Classified).
Sentence was changed to: Life.
Reason: Many counts of Murders, Aggravated Assaults and Excessive Jaywalking.
Time Spent: 10 Months.
Current Location: Resistance Psychiatry Monthly Session.
At the Resistance Prison Psychiatry Session…
Four inmates sit in a square while a psychiatrist sits in the middle of them all. The psychiatrist adjusts his glasses and looks at his clip board.
Inmate #2-5-8-0 First Name: Gregory, Last name: Keppler, Species: Bear
Inmate #2-5-8-1 First Name: Justin, Last Name: Leong, Species: Squirrel
Inmate #2-5-8-2 First Name: Craig, Last Name: Unknown, Species: Fox
Inmate #2-5-8-3 First Name: Bobak, Last Name: Ruiz, Species: Hawk
Taking his eyes off of the clip board, he then looks over to one of the inmates and says, "Inmate Number 2-5-8-2 Cr-"
"Don't say my name," he quickly requests.
Hearing his request, the psychiatrist looks up at the slim fox inmate with is head held down. "Are you ashamed of it?"
He gives off a slight shake of his head. "No. That life and name… I've done questionable things with it. I've hurt a lot of people… even killed a lot of people with it. It belongs to someone that's a mon-"
"Alright, we get it. You're an asshole with it," another inmate says.
The Resistance psychiatrist glares at the inmate to shut him up. He asks, "Why? Why do you see yourself like that?"
He whispers just loud enough to understood, "I don't. I don't see myself like that… because it was never me that did it in the first place."
"But you just said that you did."
"Yeah… The fear made me do it. It was all his fault."
"His fault? Are you talking about-"
"Yes," he quickly answers, stopping the psychiatrist before mentioning him.
"But he's gone now. You saw what happened. You helped destroy the ruby. How you make it sound like… like he's still around."
"Yeah… I know… He might be gone but… his influence and fear… I can still feel-" A bell rings causing the session to be over.
"Well… session is over. I'll be seeing all of you next month," the psychiatrist says, getting up and showing them the door. He gazes to the Fox. "You… wait."
The Fox inmate turns around not making eye contact.
"Are you still ashamed about your name?"
He shakes his head.
The psychiatrist speaks softly, "He's gone. You know it… I know it… and so does everyone else." He walks up to the Inmate. "Craig. It's over. He's gone." About to place his hand on his shoulder, but Craig avoids it and walks away, exiting out.
The psychiatrist watches Craig limp down the hallway as he lets out a concerned sigh. He closes the door, muttering, "Not the worst case out of all of them, but certainly not the best either. If only I knew what was holding him together. It must be those letters that he gets every month."
Craig limps down the hallway towards the exit and catches up with the other three inmates. "Couldn't wait for me or do you guys like seeing me get my ass chewed out by the guards?" he asks.
"Both," one them answers, but then another turns around, towering over the other two, and glares down at him.
Craig quickly backs off worried, looking up at the bear inmate.
With his deep voice, he threatens, "The only real reason why everyone doesn't kick your ass and make your life a living hell here is that everyone knows that YOU-" He shoves Craig, causing him to stumble back. "-saved a kid's life turning against the BOA's." He raises his fist right up to Craig, showing that it's almost the size of his own head. "If it wasn't for that, then this fist would've been greeting the side of your head every… single… day."
Craig nods trying not to show fear. "Good to know… where everyone's priorities are."
The inmates head to their prison cells but Craig just stands around for a while before following them again, keeping his distance.
Up until what happened about a year ago, Craig was part of BOA - A military group that was run by a mad man who went by the name The Leader. He led the group with fear and discipline. A fear strong enough to cripple even the strongest will or courage anyone can have. After the event that happened to him at the BOA's base, almost getting killed and left emotionally scarred, he tries to forget that it ever happened. Hard to do when every time he looks at his right leg he sees a knee brace on it, immediately reminding him. His knee cap was blown off with a shotgun trying to save a kid named Peanut. Without the knee brace he wouldn't be able to stand, let alone even walk.
Entering the building, he limps down the narrow hallway lined with other cells housing their own inmate. Reaching his cell, it opens by itself and once entering, it automatically closes behind him.
"How'd it go?" the Otter inmate across the hallway asks.
"Same as any month," he answers.
Annoyed by his response, he says back, "Any month? Dude… you've been here for almost a year."
"Yeah… I know. Today was my time to talk… but I think I said too much. It's best to just keep things to myself." He sits on his bed. "Well at least I figured out why no one kicks my ass every day." He lies down to go to sleep. "See ya tomorrow."
"You know what tomorrow is, right?"
He smiles. "Yup… mail."
Late at night while asleep, an alarm rings out, jolting him awake. He rises up, looking around in the darkness as the alarm blare warns with red flashes of lights. He gets up and approaches the bars. Getting close to them, someone quickly runs past them followed by two others.
The Otter inmate across the way asks in concern, "What the hell is going on?"
"I think there's a-" He hears a click on his cell door making him back off as his cell door opens. He looks back at the inmate. "A prison break?" Stepping out into the hallway, every prisoner also exits out of their cells and rushes to the main exit. Craig quickly backs off, going back into his cell not to get trampled.
The inmate across the hall exits out with clear excitement. "HECK YEAH! Let's go. C'mon."
Despite the Otter's enthusiasm, Craig simply walks back to his bed instead. "Go have fun. I'll be seeing you back in a minute."
In disgust, he mocks, "You seriously want that letter… don't you?"
He lies back down on his bed. "It's not about the letter. I just don't want to let him down."
"Pffft, whatever." He runs off towards the chaos.
Lying on his bed, he hears heavy footsteps approach his cell door. He focuses, seeing a huge figure standing there. Even being dark with the red lights flashing, he knew who it was standing there. He asks, "What?"
Speaking in sign language he does a couple of signs.
"I'm fine."
He does more hand gestures.
"No. At least you weren't afraid of him. He treated you different."
The figure turns around and leaves.
As he hears his footsteps get further away, Craig shouts, "LEVI!"
He hears him come back.
"Close my door." He hears his cell door close and his footsteps walking away again. He closes his eyes and tries to go back to sleep with all the chaos happening.
Upon waking up, he looks across the hallway and sees the Otter inmate back in his cell holding his head. He cracks a smile. Rising up from his bed, Craig teases, "So how far did you make it?"
"Grumble mumble!" he mutters angrily in pain while giving him the finger.
He gets up to approach the bars. Able to see what time it is, He nods. 'Almost breakfast.' He patiently stands there and waits. Minutes later, a click sounds off as the cell opens. The cell across from his also opens. Craig steps out and so does the other inmate.
A speaker activates as the microphone is heard being picked up. The warden orders angrily, "YOU!"
Both Craig and the inmate look at the speaker.
"Not you Craig, YOU!"
The inmate cautiously points at himself.
"YEAH, YOU! GET THE FUCK BACK INTO YOUR CELL!"
The inmate slumps his shoulders and heads right back into his cell. Craig follows him as he goes back, with him still holding onto his head. The cell then closes. "Go ahead. Make a joke and leave," the inmate says, sitting back down.
"What, is it because I was right?"
The inmate looks back. "You were right."
Unknown to the warden, his speaker was still on, and they were able to hear him being talked to by his receptionist. "He's the one that flooded your office? H-how? The facilities were electronically locked."
Failing to contain his anger the warden growls, "I don't know how he managed to get into my office, but when I GOT MY HANDS ON HIM-"
"Sir… the mic is still on."
The mic is heard being lifted as the speaker transmission is turned off.
Craig slowly turns his head back to the inmate. "I thought you were going to escape."
"I never said that I was going to," he utters back, looking away from him with his hand over his head.
"So out of all the things you could've done, you went with that instead?"
"We all have issues…" He looks up at Craig. "I like breaking into places and flooding them."
Craig slightly shakes his head, "And I thought I was dangerous."
"Whatever… either way, the person who tried to escape managed to pull it off."
"You know who it was?"
"Yeah, it was some major crime aficionado." He laughs. "This crappy place is a joke. No way can it keep someone like that here."
Craig looks at the exit with bunch of inmates in line, with a guard waiting for him. He looks back at the inmate and asks, "Want me to bring you something back?"
Surprised by the offer he asks, "Why are you being nice for after I just treat you like shit?"
"It helps to keep karma out of the way when I need things to go my way."
He chuckles, "Hash Browns or Tater Tots… and thanks."
Craig limps to the exit and stands in line to go get breakfast.
Craig and the other inmates head off a single file line. Once they get past a certain gate, everyone breaks out of line and they head to wherever they need to go.
Craig heads straight to the mess hall to go get breakfast, starting his day-to-day routine.
Stand in line… Check
Get food… Check
Optional: Steal 2nd Hash Brown… Failed.
Attempt to Charm… Success.
Attempt to ask for the 2nd Hash Brown… Check.
Go sit down to eat food… Delayed.
He stops and sees Levi approaching him.
Levi has that intimidating stroll that he does when he walks around. Being a muscular, massive Rottweiler standing at 7'3, how couldn't he come off as intimidating? Levi was also part of the BOA, and he also turned against them. Even though what he did was considered good, it still wasn't enough to keep him out of here as well.
Once reaching Craig, he gives him a thumbs up, wondering if he's okay and in a better mood.
Craig looks up at Levi. "Yeah, I'm doing good. What about you? Why didn't you join the crazy party last night?"
Levi begins to talk in sign language, "I'm better off being here."
"Better off here?" He chuckles. "I bet you are. First day here, you basically decked whoever was in charge not putting up with any of their shit, making you top dog of the place."
Levi laughs back and right when he was about to do more signs, something gets his attention. He looks at Craig and then points.
Craig turns to check, seeing what it is. "No way… they're actually letting him out to come eat?" They both look at Infinite sat down at a table to eat. "I'm… going to go say hi," he says taking a step forward.
Levi grabs his shoulder and warns, "I might be top dog around here, but even I don't have the balls to do that."
Craig ignores his warning. "You don't need to be tough to talk to him, when there's nothing to be afraid of in the first place." He walks off making sure to have the last word, ending with, "And weren't you knocked out on a fucking bush somewhere?" He grins hearing Levi growl behind him.
As he's about to reach Infinite, there was a guard standing next to him - a massive Great Dane watching over him that was heavily armed.
The guard sees Craig approach. He gets in the way and demands, "Don't even think about it. Back off."
Still holding onto his tray of food Craig says, "I just need to talk to him for a couple of seconds."
He shakes his head in refusal and demands again, "Not going to happen so just turn around and-"
Craig puts his tray down and grabs one of his hash browns and holds it up to him. "I just need one minute with him. I'm not going to do anything stupid."
The guard looks at it and grabs it. "Fine, make it quick."
Infinite watches him approach. "I remember you. I never gave you my thanks for freeing me."
The guard overhears this while eating. "You freed him?"
Craig glares at his question and asks back rudely, "Do you mind?" He turns his attention back to Infinite as he says, "I never needed your thanks." Watching Infinite eat the barely edible prison meal, he wonders about last night's prison escape. He glances back to the guard as he asks Infinite, "You didn't bother trying to escape last night?"
"I didn't attempt to," Infinite answers while eating. "But… I did have to plea to them… that I wasn't going to try anything."
That explains why they let him out to see the sun, and it also explains why it was so easy for whoever it was to escape. They were too focused on Infinite. But what did he mean about "try"? Craig looks over to the guard, noticing that he was also wondering about the same thing. "Try? What do you mean by that?"
Infinite gives a slight grin as he says, "Between me and you…" He turns his gaze to the guard. "and you as well; if I wanted to escape… I would've done it a long time ago." He takes another bite of his breakfast ending with, "So… very… easily too."
Even though Craig had nothing to fear, Infinite's words still managed to shake him to his core. 'Can he really have his powers back… even without the ruby?' He glances over to the guard and saw how terrified he was. 'That hash brown that he ate is probably in his underwear right now.' The guard even had his hand over his gun.
The guard stared right back concerned, acknowledging Craig to keep on talking.
Craig needed to think fast to calm the guard down. "So… what's stopping you?" he asks Infinite.
Infinite takes yet another bite as he then answers, "A pathetic feeling that I wound up acquiring being around all of you. A feeling called… guilt."
Craig glances at the guard again, seeing his hand move away from his gun. He was calming down. Craig then snickers and mentions without thinking, "Well… that shit happens when you try to destroy the whole fucking planet, only to be brought back and get saved by the very same people that you tried to kill."
Infinite completely stops eating and places his fork on the plate releasing it. He slowly looks directly at Craig and just holds it on him not uttering a word back.
'Oh shit, good one dumbass. Go and piss off the one person with insane powers with a superiority complex.' Trying to remain calm, he looks to the guard slightly, who shakes his head right back in disapproval with his choice of words.
Trying to keep his temper in check, Infinite asks, "Did you approach to lecture me or do you have anything important that you want to ask?"
Craig remained calm, trying not to show any hint of fear or to anger Infinite even more. He couldn't leave; he needed to ask his question no matter what. Regaining his nerves, he asks, "Ever since that one night about a year ago, something's been bothering me that only you can answer."
He notices Infinite's mood change. Infinite leans back in his seat, grabbing his fork as he taps the plate with it. "What is it?"
With his nerves back intact, Craig asks, "When you were… well… all in pieces of particles, how did you cope being like that?"
"You mean if I was aware? Yes… and no. It feels like you're asleep and unable to wake up." He sits straight up stopping eating. "You're concerned about him aren't you?"
Craig stands there surprised about his insight. He worriedly nods. "I just… want to make sure that he's really gone. To make sure that even in particles, he can't cause any harm. Both physically or… mentally."
He takes another bite from his breakfast. "He's not entirely gone but he's gone. He will remain gone. The only reason that 'I' am back, is because of Chris. Someone wanted 'him' back. Bad enough to bring 'me' back." He places his fork down. "I can guarantee that no one is going to want him back." He gets up as the sound of metal handcuffs cling against the table, walking up to Craig.
The guard moves slightly, getting cautious.
"Whatever hold or influence he has over you…" He raises his hands and pokes Craig on the side of the head. "It's all up here. Not him. He can't hurt you. In other words… it's all you. You need to get over it. It might be hard but you'll be able to do it." He turns back and sits down to finish. "Was that everything you needed me to answer?"
Craig nods, feeling more relieved with himself. "Yeah, that's everything I needed to know. Thanks." He begins to walk away.
"What's your name?" Infinite asks.
Grabbing his tray, he answers, "It's Craig." He looks at the guard knowing that he's heard everything.
The guard nods back with respect and approval with how he handled everything.
Craig nods back then heads to the exit.
As he leaves the Mess Hall, he heads straight back to his cell in the prison. Limping down the hallway, he stops in front of his cell, waiting for it to open. He holds his tray with one hand and grabs the last hash brown with the other hand. He holds it up to the hidden camera showing them what it is and then hands it to the inmate. "Here you go."
The inmate, confused after what he just did, points while asking, "Th- there's a camera right there?"
Craig just smirks. "Yup," he answers.
The inmate grabs it, staring at the camera in concern. He looks back to Craig and asks, "How dangerous are you that they have to do that?"
Craig simply turns away, not answering, and enters his cell. He hears the inmate mutter worriedly, "Shit… I hope they didn't hear me."
Craig sits on his bed and begins to eat. After finishing he just sits there and waits for the mail to arrive.
An hour later, the warden passes mail around. Reaching Craig's cell, he looks at him. "Sorry Craig. Not this month." Once giving him the bad news, he continued on his way.
Craig sits there, trying to hide his unhappiness.
But the Inmate was still able to tell that he was regardless. He knew he had to let him know. "The life behind bars," he utters as he looks at his own bars. "Being forgotten by the outside world. You said he was a kid? Sooner or later the letters are going to stop. Guess that time is now."
Hearing what he just said, Craig tries to deny it… but he knows it's true. He lays down on his bed to come to terms with it.
The warden walks by again, "Oh, that's right. You might not have a letter but you have an audio message."
Craig quickly rises up with a smile. He looks at the inmate and flips him off.
The warden tosses him a recorder.
Craig catches it. Looking at it, he takes a moment to hit play, getting ready to hear his voice again.
"Hello Craig," a voice of a female Resistance informant is heard greeting him instead. "You have been summoned to escort and spend the day with a child named Shawn Plummer, who would like to be referred to as Peanut. Have yourself ready at twelve hundred hours to be picked up and transported to the Resistance Base," she informs.
Craig tried to contain his laughter, after hearing Peanut's name for the first time. 'Shawn Plummer? That's his real name?' He gets up and walks up to the bars handing the recorder back to the warden. "Is this some kind of joke?" he asks.
"Nope, it's real. Someone pulled some heavy ropes to have this happen. So get ready to leave. They should be here soon." He opens his cell as he orders, "Whatever they have planned for you, you'd better cooperate, behave and do what you're told… got it?"
Craig nods in agreement, "Got it."
"Don't stay away for too long…" The warden then turns to the inmate. "…Don't want to have this crappy place miss you."
The inmate releases his cell bars and slowly backs away.
The warden walks away, continuing to pass mail.
While looking at him walk away, Craig points at the inmate and gloats, "Karma. What'd I say?"
"You're a lucky bitch. That's what you are," he says back, jealous.
Craig shrugs. "Karma or Lady Luck, they both have the hots for me and this is proof of it," he gloats again, strutting to the exit.
"Have a terrible time asshole."
Upon exiting out, Craig sees a Resistance helicopter already landing. With his focus mainly on the helicopter, someone then punches him on the shoulder snapping him out of it and startling him from it. He quickly turns backing away putting his arms up in defense, but the culprit winds up being Levi. "What… what is it?"
Levi points at the helicopter and gives him a picture.
Taking it and checking it out, he sees a pony figurine on it. Confused by it, he asks, "What's this for?"
He does a couple of signs, "Want you to get this for me."
He looks at the picture again and says out loud, "A purple pony with-"
Levi quickly grabs his snout and places his massive fist onto Craig's forehead. Slowly, he pulls it back.
Craig eyes widen trying to pull away. He quickly apologizes with a muffled voice, "Oh fuck, NO! OKAY! OKAY!"
Levi removes his hand and points at the helicopter again.
"OKAY! I'll find it."
Once hearing Craig agree, Levi simply walks away.
He grumbles folding the picture and complains, "Is this because I made fun of you earlier?" he sighs and puts it into his outfit. He looks at the helicopter again and heads to it. 'Okay Peanut… what are you planning?'
End of Chapter. Thanks for Reading.
Next: Chapter 2: A Good Fun Time... Right?