"How much longer is this goin' to take, Porker?"
The pig leaned back from the open panel on her left thigh and lifted up his goggles, glaring at her. "Don't call me that! I already get that crap from Fang, so I don't need it from you!"
Bunnie rolled her eyes while leaning her upper body up to observe the leather jacket and white-t-shirt wearing pig. She was laid out on a table that had a white sheet over it. Parts of cars and extreme gear were spread out on the floor around them, with rock music blaring from the speakers hanging on the walls. Apparently it was from some old human band, Elastics or something like that.
Fang had brought her to his mechanic, and then turned around and left with the Marvelous Queen. She was supposed to call them when she was done, that way he could bring his air bike for its own repairs.
He along with Bark didn't exactly want to be within the blast range should the bomb go off, and she couldn't exactly blame them for feeling that. The last thing she wanted was to get them killed because of her own naïveté.
Bean, however, wanted to stick around but got dragged away so that the woodpecker wouldn't bother the mechanic while he did his work.
"Well, at least it gets a reaction out of ya!" The rabbit pointed out. "You've been just mumblin' and mumblin' about a bunch of nonsense and ignorin' mah questions!"
"Well, excuse me if I was a bit focused on hacking into your limbs' OS and making sure I didn't fry you while I was messing around in here!" The pig rolled his eyes as he tapped on his laptop. "Seriously, this thing is just as bad as those bloody smartphones and tablets made in the United Federation!"
"Well, the little furball who made this thing wanted to make sure only she could upgrade it." She said with a grunt before laying back down. "Wouldn't be surprised if she took lessons from them humans."
"That, and you didn't exactly tell me what I'm trying to look for here." The mechanic brought back down his goggles. "Just told me to go looking for anything that didn't look like it belonged. Do you have any idea how vague that…?"
He paused, causing hope and fear to well up within Bunnie. "Well?"
"I think I found it…" The pig picked up the wire cutter. "Give me a minute."
The hooligan closed her eyes and her hands clenched into fists.
This was it. The moment of truth.
It was time to see if that badnik in Studiopolis was telling the truth… or was just lying to make her back off from a huge payday.
If the former was true, then she would finally be free. Free from the chains that bound her for years.
And if the latter was the truth… then at least she would be free in a different way. Even if the mechanic would unfortunately go with her.
She heard the cutting and the scraping of metal against metal before…
"And it's out!"
Bunnie opened her eyes and looked to her left. The pig was holding up a black orb with a red insignia of the Eggman Empire on it. Around it were little ports that had the frayed ends of the cut wires, making it look like an alien nut a Ricky would eat.
"Never seen something like this from the rotten egg before." The mechanic inspected it in the palm of his hand before handing it over to her. "You mind tellin' me what it is?"
Numbly, Bunnie raised her left hand and plucked the bomb out of the pig's hand. She stared at the black orb.
She couldn't believe it. This was the thing that had held her life in Thunderbolt's hands. This was the bomb that forced her and her uncle to work like slaves to work off an impossible debt, that made her dream seem more and more like just a dream with each passing day and payment.
And now… now it was out of her. She was staring at it.
Bunnie Rabbot was free.
Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes and she closed them. "Thank you. Thank you, Lewis."
'Porker' Lewis the Pig seemed to be surprised by her reaction. "Uh… sure. No problem, luv." He shook his head. "A-Anyway, what is that?"
Well, no use hiding it now. Bunnie opened her eyes and placed the orb carefully down next to her. "A bomb."
"WHAT?!" Lewis screamed, nearly falling out of his chair while staring at her with wide eyes. "You… you crazy…! I could've blown us both up to kingdom come! What the bloody heck were you and Fang thinkin'?!"
The hooligan sighed. "If we told ya, you wouldn't have done it."
"You got that right!"
"Ah'll pay ya extra for your trouble." Helped that she wouldn't have to use the money she had saved up already to pay off the crazy chinchilla. She ignored Lewis' indignant cries as she took out her phone and sent a message to Fang and the rest of her crew.
Bunnie - I'm fine. Bomb's out. You can come over.
Fang - Good! Last thing I wanted was to lose the Queen's mechanic and you!
Bunnie - Well aren't you sweet.
Bean - Aw… I wntd 2 c te boom.
Bark - 👍
It didn't take too long for Fang to bring the Marvelous Queen and the other two members of the gang back to the front of the mechanic's garage. Lewis grumbled while taking out his remote for the garage doors and opened them as he put the finishing touches on Bunnie's leg, reattaching the panel to her left thigh.
Fang grinned as he drove the air bike inside as he waved to the pig. "Porker! Buddy! Sorry about all that! Just had to wrap somethin' up real quick and…"
"Like gettin' clear of the blast radius?!" Lewis screamed while he began stomping over to the air bike. "I oughta kill ya, you stupid jerboa!"
"N-Now, now! Let's not be hasty!" Fang laughed nervously while bringing his hands up in surrender. He leaned back and whispered, "Help me, scarf mook!"
Bark crossed his arms and smirked at Fang, and Bunnie could instantly tell he was trying to say, "You made this bed. Now you lie in it, Fang."
"Ooh! Is that it!? Is that the shiny big boomy?!" Bean leapt out of his sidecar and bounded over to the table just as the rabbit got off. The woodpecker picked up the bomb before anyone could react and held it up to the light. "Ooh! This is nice! I can already feel the untapped potential!" He looked at Bunnie and his eyes grew wide and watery. "Can I keep it, Bun-Bun? Please? I promise to feed it and take it out on walkies and name it Jamie!"
Bunnie had to stop the words, "HECK NO!" from escaping from her lips.
For all his craziness, Bean has never let a bomb go off if he didn't want it to go off. He was nuts for explosions, sure, but he was intelligent enough to not want to kill himself or anyone he wasn't supposed to with them.
If it was going to be safe with anyone, it was probably going to be him.
"Sure, hon." The rabbit shrugged. "Just make sure you don't go wavin' it around."
"YAY!"
"Hey, I didn't agree with this!" Fang was pushing the still angry Lewis aside as he pointed at Bean. "Get rid of that thing! I don't want to go flyin' around with a bomb that isn't one of yours!"
Bean puffed out his cheeks. "Well, let's put this up to a vote!" He raised his voice. "All of you who want me to keep the bomb, raise your hands!" The woodpecker then pointed past the mechanic and other two members of the Hooligans. "That includes you guys!"
Everyone froze at that statement and followed Bean's gaze to the outside of the garage.
There, crouched low and carrying a variety of weapons, were several figures garbed in black. They looked like they were ninjas from one of those foreign cartoons she watched from time to time, complete with headbands that had the carved-in insignia of a cloud and a lightning bolt on the surface.
Bunnie was the first to speak. "What in tarn-?"
The window overhead burst, and Bunnie looked up to see a lynx wearing purple and a straw hat glaring at her with red and black eyes.
"RAIJU CLAN!" The lynx shouted as Bunnie raised her arm to block the kick that was aimed for her head. "STRIKE!"
"This can't be happening."
Bunnie stared at her uncle as he stood at the doorway of this strange house filled with Sonic's crazy friends, a badnik that kind of looked like Sonic, the even crazier badnik that acted like she knew her, and the singer whose bounty started all of this.
She had woken when that badnik that looked like Sonic but with weird metal head fur started yammering on about his story. She had been angry and bewildered, her mind racing and trying to figure out where the heck she was. But she knew that she was not in a good position. If she wanted to get some real answers, she needed for one of her 'rescuers' to get in close enough to become a hostage.
In hindsight it was probably the concussion talking. The minute she had put her finger gun to the hedgehog lady's head was the minute Bunnie realized all the stuff that Sonic's supposed mother pointed out herself.
So she had simply laid there, listened, and grew more and more confused.
A bunch of voices screaming and the world changing color before a big evil voice spouted a bunch of vague nonsense? A magical skunk that revealed Sonic and some human that called himself Mega Man stopped Eggman from rewriting reality or something, only for the mad scientist to wreck Sonic's clean-up of the mess? An entire city of an old world was now in the middle of the desert?
That she… wasn't the 'right' Bunnie?
It didn't make any sense! It was just plain nonsense! There could be no way there was another Bunnie! She was Bunnie Rabbot!
Was that why the chipmunk badnik kept acting like she was someone else during their first fight?
But all those wild thoughts and denials came crashing to a halt as she started at Beauregard Rabbot smiling sadly at her while clutching her cane.
"Wait, who are you?!" The lemur cried out at her body tensed. "Friend of yours?" She asked while turning to the hedgehog woman and the badnik. "I mean, he doesn't scream friend with that entrance but…"
"No." The badnik, Jules if she remembered right, said coldly. "He's not."
"He's one of Geoffrey's thugs!" The woman, Bernadette, spat out. "Charles told us all about him. He's the 'sheriff' of New Mobotropolis. Helping to beat down anyone who doesn't toe the line…!"
That couldn't be right. "Uncle hated hurting people unless there was no other way. Even if what we were doing was already sinful, even though we were stealing, he said that we didn't need to be monsters…"
Her uncle winced at the accusation. "Ah don't deny that, ma'am, but you have to understand that the situation around yer home is… complicated."
The cat, Blaze if she remembered the news right, narrowed her eyes. "Complicated in what regard? From our understanding you serve a tyrant."
"Uncle?" Bunnie whispered through shaky lips, interrupting before her uncle could even respond to Blaze's accusation. "Uncle Beauregard, is that really you?"
Her uncle gave her a look, one she did not recognize. The hooligan expected many things, even though she had never intended to see the man again. Relief, most likely. Maybe mixed with a LOT of anger, since she did run away and never attempted to reach out to him or her aunt after that day.
She even expected some sadness… but not the kind that she saw in his eyes.
Uncle Beauregard looked at her as if she was a sad, pitiful thing. Like a little puppy he found shivering in the cold sitting inside a cardboard box.
There was recognition, sure.
But it wasn't the same.
"Those aren't his eyes…"
No, that couldn't be true! Uncle Beauregard was right there! Right in front of her!
"Yes and…" Her uncle hesitated. "…no. It's very complicated, sweetheart."
Complicated?
She then registered other things. Like his arm!
"What…?" Bunnie reached out right her left arm and pointed it at her uncle's right arm. "What happened to yer arm?! Why do you have that?!"
Her uncle gave a grim smile as he raised his mechanical limb. "Well… to be honest, it wasn't mah choice. Y' see, the boss man likes to give… Legionaization to folks like me. Ones that remind us of the way things were meant to be."
Legionization?
The way things were meant to be?
"How do you know about Legionization?" Silver the Hedgehog raised his hands, the palms glowing turquoise as he asked, "Do you… remember?"
Her uncle barked out a laugh. "Remember? Boy, to me it was like yesterday!"
"What are you talking about?!" Bunnie shouted at the older rabbit. "Uncle Beauregard, start makin' sense! Why are you actin' weird?! Why are you here?! Where… where is Auntie Lulumae?!"
Her uncle's wife, the black-furred rabbit who treated her so kindly when her uncle brought her to his home. The rabbit who had been there for Bunnie when she began to weep at the dinner table the first night in her 'new home', who acted so much like Mommy but wasn't so it made things okay even though they weren't. Who had encouraged her to go to school and, even though she yelled at her uncle for going along with the deal with Thunderbolt, had rolled up her sleeves to do her part.
Uncle Beauregard and Auntie Lulumae were in love. That was obvious even to a young foolish girl like her.
If her uncle was here, then surely…
The older rabbit sighed and tipped his hat down, shielding his eyes. "Darlin', that woman… she… isn't here. Ah don't know where she is."
That statement might as well have been a slap to her face.
"Uncle Beauregard would never call Auntie Lulumae 'that woman'."
"Tell me…" The crazy badnik, Princess Sally, said in a voice that was devoid of emotion. "…Are you Beauregard Rabbot, Grandmaster of the Great Desert Dark Egg Legion?"
"Used to be." The rabbit admitted. "Not anymore, and with luck ah'll never be that again."
"What's a Grandmaster?" The sniper, Whisper, asked in her quiet voice.
"Servants of Eggman who watch over territories he controlled back on Mobius." The lynx responded immediately, her voice filled with caution. "The closest comparison I can make to this world is Dr. Starline and Infinite."
"Oh great." Tangle growled out. "So either a loony fanboy or a psycho for Eggman. Wonderful."
"Ah can assure you ah'm no fan of the doctor's!" The thing that claimed to be Uncle Beauregard snarled out. "Ah resent that comparison! Ah did what ah had to do for th' sake of mah people!"
"So Bunnie said you claimed in her report to us." Bunnie felt her eye twitch as the badnik crossed her arms. "Tell me something, Grandmaster Beauregard… Bunnie is acting like she knew you in this world. But the way you're acting to her…" The mechanical eyes narrowed. "Are you the Beauregard Rabbot that lived here with some newly acquired memories? Or are you Beauregard Rabbot, who was Grandmaster of the Great Desert Egg Legion of Mobius and just found yourself here with a body that wasn't your own?"
The room went silent at that.
Bunnie didn't need what the badnik was saying spelled out for her.
This thing… it was wearing her uncle's skin like a damn costume!
"No way…!" Tangle muttered, her eyes wide and horrified. "D-Does that mean…?"
The older rabbit sighed. "Ah…"
Bunnie let out a scream as she activated her jets and shot forward.
The imposter in front of her didn't even have time to raise up his metal arm before she hit him in the stomach with a fist. Grabbing his shirt, she pulled him outside and flung him to the ground.
"Who are you?!" The hooligan shouted as she loaded a bullet into her left arm and landed on the ground in front of the gasping imposter. "What did you do to mah uncle?!"
"Bunnie, don't!" The badnik shouted from behind, but she sounded miles away. The blood was rushing through Bunnie's ears as she stomped forward. "You can't…!"
"D-Darlin…!"
She kicked the thing in the stomach, snarling as tears formed in her eyes.
This was wrong!
This was all wrong!
"Answer me!" Bunnie screamed as she aimed for the imposter's head. "What did you do to mah Uncle Beauregard?!"
She stared into his eyes and remembered her uncle hugging her when he picked her up from the gas station Connery had brought her to.
She remembered the twinkle in them whenever he made silly jokes at the dinner table.
She remembered their softness whenever Bunnie felt at her lowest, when she was disowned by her father and mother,,,
"We're family, Bunnie. And family… true family… loves one another in spite of any disagreements. No matter what… Mah home will always be your home."
"Well now." A new voice spoke up. "I can see diplomacy has failed."
Bunnie Rabbot whirled around and saw, dressed in black, was a green True Folk king cobra snake with yellow markings on his head. He had a scar running down his right eye, which contrasted against the haughty smirk on his lips. He wore dark brown slacks, a black button-up shirt, a black rawhide jacket, and a black cowboy hat on his head.
She recognized him.
He was one of Uncle Beauregard's friends!
"Now it's my turn." Mordred Hood said before the yellow markings inside his hood began to glow. "As for you…"
"What's happening?" Bunnie thought as she stumbled back, clutching her head. The world felt like it was turning and drawing back. The noises and colors blending in together with only the cobra in front of her being the only real thing. "I feel funny."
A voice like Gaia's then said one word.
"KNEEL."
"What the…?!" Tangle shouted as she ran right behind Sally, "Who the heck is that?!"
For Sally, it felt like the answer came instantaneously.
Upon laying eyes on the snake, she had the vague feeling that she had seen him somewhere before. And maybe that helped to instantly search through the memories within her brain. Or did her new robian body turn it into a system? Did that make her memories just files within a computer? It was a disturbing thought.
A circle appeared around the cobra's head and a line connected it with a small picture of a cleaner and somehow even more haughty cobra wearing black armor.
Red text instantly began to appear underneath the photo.
GRANDMASTER: Mordred Hood
DARK EGG LEGION CHAPTER: Mercia
MOBIAN ABILITIES: Natural low level hypnosis. Can induce temporary vertigo and nausea within any organic through hood emissions. Nature of species allows for Mordred Hood to extend and bend his neck at multiple angles.
LEGIONIZATION IMPLANTS: Legs.
LOYALTY: Shaky at best. Eliminate at the first sign of disobedience.
Yes, now she remembered! She read a report about him when trying to map out Eggman's empire!
"Mordred Hood!" Sally shouted to her friends and Sonic's parents. "He's another one of Eggman's Grandmasters! Don't look at him!"
"Too late, fools!" Mordred snarled as he turned to face them. The yellow circles in his hood were already glowing "ON YOUR KNEES, PEASANTS!"
Cursing, Sally turned around and could see everyone besides Jules and Blaze were already beginning to sway before crumpling on their hands and knees. Their eyes already glazing over and almost shaking from the vertigo. Blaze was still on her feet, but she was now staggering back with a hand on her head and winding in pain.
"Nicole? Where…?!"
I'M HERE! Nicole shouted inside her mind, and she could see the small image of her friend dismissing the next summarizing the cobra's profile. I RETURNED TO YOUR BODY THE MOMENT HOOD BEGAN TO HYPNOTIZE BUNNIE! I FIGURED WE WERE IN FOR A FIGHT.
"Yeah, no kidding!"
"Hood, wait!" Beauregard cried out while clutching his stomach. "Ah can…!"
"Silence!" The cobra shouted, glaring at the rabbit. "You had your chance at solving things 'peacefully', Rabbot! Now it's my turn!"
"If you had just given me a few minutes…!"
So Beauregard had been hoping to convince them to come with him?
Why? What could he have possibly have said that would make them do that? Especially after they had learned how he was inhabiting the body that belonged to his 'new' self?!
And the rabbit's situation now seemed to apply to Mordred Hood as well.
He was certainly acting like a haughty evil noble of Mercia.
"Nicole?" Sally asked in her mind as the two Grandmasters continued to argue. "How come I'm not feeling any effects?"
MORDRED HOOD'S ABILITIES RELY ON ALTERING ORGANIC COGNITION. Her friend explained calmly. IT ALSO DISRUPTS AND MANIPULATES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX AND THE LARGER NEURAL NETWORK. BUT DUE TO YOUR STATUS AS A ROBIAN WHERE YOUR VISUAL SENSORS CANNOT BE MANIPULATED AND YOUR MIND ONLY RELYING ON HARD DATA IT WILL NOT AFFECT YOU.
Well now.
It looked like Mordred Hood got the worst matchup in his life.
"You…" Sally slowly said while clenching her fists. "Just made a big mistake, Hood."
Mordred blinked and seemed to register her. "What?!" He screamed. "How can you not…?!"
"Never tried out your abilities on a robian, did you?!" Nicole activated her jet boots and she rocketed towards the snake. He let out a yelp and reached down for Bunnie, but she was too fast for him. Rather than aim for the head, she went for his body. The robian kicked out with her right leg, causing the cobra to scream as he was launched to the left and rolled on the sandy floor in front of the abandoned buildings. "That was for hypnotizing my friends!"
"Ugh…" She turned her head to see everyone beginning to snap out of their trances. Mina was rubbing her eyes with one hand while clutching her stomach with another. "What happened…?"
Jules was by his wife's side and helping her up, but he turned his head to Blaze and asked, "Are you alright, ma'am? You weren't affected like the others but you don't look good."
"Fine. Just…" The cat shook her head with a grimace. "I wasn't prepared for the hypnotism, but I would have recovered in a few seconds had Sally not struck that cobra."
Good. It seemed like everyone was safe.
Which meant she could deal with the two Grandmasters.
"You…!" Mordred Hood hissed out. "You dare to strike…?!"
"I can dare to do a lot worse, Hood." Sally said coldly while extending her right arm. Nicole had the arm blade pop out and activate. While it probably wasn't smart to use more of her power, it had the intended effect. The cobra gulped in fear and his eyes didn't leave the blade. "I didn't come here expecting to see… Grandmasters." Her eyes flicked to Beauregard who was getting onto his feet but eying her with caution. "Why are you here?"
As if she had just flipped a switch, the haughtiness returned to the cobra's eyes. He was smirking at her, as if he had all the power again. "Heh. Curious, princess? Are you curious as to how we were reborn into this world?"
"Yes we are." Blaze replied coldly as she stepped beside Sally, her arms crossed as she observed the two. "We want answers. Now. How are you here? How can you be in those bodies, when they should belong to the individuals who have lived in this world with no recollection of Mobius? Answer us." She raised a palm which then burst into flame. "Or…"
"There is no need for that!" Beauregard shouted, waving his hands in the air. "Yer highnesses, we cannot tell you! We don't know ourselves!"
"Silence!" Mordred hissed in anger. "You were not supposed to tell them that, fool!"
They did not know?
PERHAPS… Nicole said cautiously in her head. THEY DID NOT HAVE A CHOICE IN THE MATTER?
"Probably." Sally frowned. "If that's the case, then what has been done to them? How could this be possible? What kind of magic could possibly…?"
She heard a gunshot, and Beauregard ducked as a bullet whizzed by his head. Turning on her heel, the princess saw Bunnie on her knees with her mechanical arm outstretched and with the barrels of her finger gun opened.
"Ah don't give a crap about that!" The rabbit screamed, tears falling down her eyes. "What did you lot of freaks do to mah uncle! Why are you wearin' his skin! Tell me or…!"
"Bunnie, that's enough!" Sally raced over and reached out with her right hand while the blade retracted. Before the rabbit could aim her weapon at her, the chipmunk gripped Bunnie's metal wrist and raised it up. "This won't solve anything! It won't get us answers!"
"An' just askin' nicely an' makin' empty threats will?!" Her rebooted friend shot back while glaring at her. "He's pretendin' to be mah uncle! Ah want answers an' ah want 'em now!"
Sally grit her teeth. Bunnie wasn't wrong. While Mordred Hood and Beauregard Rabbot were likely intimidated by the fact they were outnumbered and outgunned, there was the simple fact that they weren't truly scared of her. And she could see why. After all, she was the one that let Eggman go back when she had him dead to rights more than once.
Bunnie, however, was someone they couldn't predict or read as easily. They knew she was 'rebooted' from the way Beauregard talked about her, and a quick glance at the older rabbit showed that he was more than a little concerned as he stared at his niece. Even Mordred seemed more concerned of her and Blaze than of Sally.
It was actually kind of annoying.
Sally shook her head. "If you kill them, you won't get any won't find out what happened to your uncle." She stared Bunnie in the eyes. "Please."
It was the only thing she could say. She couldn't deny Bunnie's rightful anger at this whole situation.
But she couldn't just let Bunnie kill her own uncle. Even if the one in the body wasn't 'her' uncle.
Bunnie glared at her for a few seconds before spitting out, "Fine."
Sally let go of the rabbit's mechanical arm and helped her to her feet. Bunnie dusted off her legs but turned her glare onto Beauregard.
"You better answer 'em, or ah'm gonna do what the bucket of bolts doesn't have the guts to do." Bunnie growled as she lowered her hat. "An' you better do it fast."
Beauregard let out a shaky breath. "Alright. Alright, dar-."
"Don't…" Bunnie bared her teeth. "Don't you dare call me that."
The older rabbit grimaced and looked away. "…Okay." He said softly. "But… we can't answer all of 'em. Only the…" His hands clenched into fists. "…king can do that."
"Indeed." Mordred got to his feet and grinned. "In fact. We're here to escort you to him."
"…Funny way to invite us." Tangle said flatly. "I mean, sure we'd totally have no problems with you after you tried to hypnotize us and kneel to you."
The cobra glanced at the lemur in disgust. "Oh, who asked for your opinion?"
Sally couldn't help but smirk when the lemur stuck out her tongue at the grandmaster.
"And what about us?" Bernadette asked as she stayed close to her husband. "If you think we'll go willingly…"
"That won't be necessary." Beauregard raised his hand before his fellow grandmaster could say anything. "Our orders were to get the princess an' her companions. He didn't say nothin' about you two."
"If it weren't for these annoying pests I would…" Mordred hissed, but the sound of Whisper taking aim with her wispon caused him to gulp and silence himself.
Knowing the wolf, she was probably still aiming for his head.
THIS IS LIKELY A TRAP. Nicole told her. THOUGH I DOUBT I NEED TO TELL YOU THIS.
"Yeah, I know…"
Sally looked back at Bunnie, who was still shielding her eyes from view with her hat. She couldn't even imagine what the rabbit was feeling.
Anger?
A dull horror as she kept trying to figure out why a stranger was inhabiting her uncle's body?
Despair over maybe never getting him back?
"But… it's the only way we'll get answers."
"So that Hood guy basically sold out his king and kingdom to Eggman because the lower classes were being treated like regular people?" Tangle asked as she hooked the wire of the solar battery to Sally's back while her tail raised the back of the robian's shirt and jacket. "Seriously? That's his motivation?"
"From what I heard, yeah." Sally let out a sigh. "Unfortunately, some people don't have a good reason to do what they do. Sometimes they are just evil jerks."
The lemur glanced at Whisper, who was silently leaning against the wall with her mask covering her face. The wolf made no indication that she was listening, but she knew her friend. She knew that the sniper was already thinking about Mimic.
About how the octopus betrayed her and the rest of his team for such an evil, selfish, and entirely understandable reason.
"He tried to kill all of them just to save his own skin." And the worst part was that, from the way Whisper described him, Mimic actually pretended to be friends with all of them. He joked, bantered, and celebrated with all of them after missions or when they were cooling down. For him to just up and say they were never really friends was probably one of the cruelest things he could've ever done to Whisper, who probably did constantly wonder why her friend and comrade did what he did.
From the way Sally described Mordred Hood, it seemed like the cobra didn't even bother to be friendly with the people he eventually betrayed. Honestly, it sounded like he was a deeply unpleasant snake to be around who just considered himself above everyone just because he happened to be born into royalty.
"Was his new self anything like that? Or was he someone else completely?"
"I've met nobles like that." Blaze sounded like she was talking about the garbage as she sat cross-legged across from Sally. "People who believe we allow 'peasants' too many freedoms and that the Sol Empire should rule with an iron fist. Apparently there were a few plots to depose my parents back when they ruled."
Well, it seemed like power hungry nobles were a multiversal constant.
"Aren't you supposed to be the guardian of the Jeweled Scepter, though?" Silver asked with a raised eyebrow. "Like, isn't it something that kind of needs you to be around for? How did they plan on guarding it if they got rid of the people who know everything about it?"
The cat smirked. "Well, I never said they were smart. There's a reason why I am still a princess and will become the empress when I come of age."
It was still crazy how she had not one, but two literal princesses as friends!
"Still, I doubt that Mordred guy and…" Mina stopped her petting of Bowie who glanced at Bunnie. She was still rummaging through the weapons that Sonic's parents had stockpiled, inspecting the bullets and pocketing the ones that met her standards. "…That other guy will be the only people we'll have to deal with."
"Yeah." Tangle grimaced as she lowered the shirt and jacket. "That wouldn't make any sense. Hood and Bunnie's uncle… old uncle… whatever… were just the welcome wagon. They have to have more guys hanging out in the actual city."
And how many of them were like Mordred and Beauregard?
Remnants of the old world but in new bodies?
"There's that lynx that took mah crew." Bunnie muttered without looking back at them. "She's some kinda kung-fu woman. Had a bunch of ninjas at her beck an' call."
Honestly? In spite of the situation, the idea of facing off against a kung-fu bad guy and some ninjas sounded pretty cool.
Nicole appeared to Sally's left and said, "From your description, and based on the presence of two former Grandmasters, the one who attacked you and the other Hooligans was the Bride of Conquering Storms."
The lemur blinked. "Wait, that's her actual name? It sounds super made up."
"It's a title." Sally explained quickly. "She was another Grandmaster for the Eggman Empire. She is the leader of the Raiju Clan, a clan that respects strength above all else."
"So… evil ninja clan. Got it." That at least simplified things. But it also opened a whole other can of worms. "Wait, does that mean this Geoffrey guy did to them what he did to…?"
Tangle saw Bunnie stiffen and she clamped her mouth shut.
Right, she needed to walk on egg shells. Sally had managed to talk Bunnie down from killing Beauregard and it also made the Hooligan their temporary ally, but if she said the wrong thing it could ruin everything.
"…We can't discount that possibility." Sally quietly said. "I don't know much about Ixis Magiks, but what I do know they will make Geoffrey a dangerous opponent." She looked up. "I don't buy that Naugus is dead. There is no way he would sacrifice himself for the kingdom, and Geoffrey claiming the crown is… It's not like him."
"…You suspect something, don't you?" Whisper asked in her quiet voice. "About why he's doing all this."
"I have a theory." The princess admitted, and Tangle could see the robian's shoulders were sagging. Just what did she think happened? "But we don't have time to talk about it. Right now what you need to know is that one of Naugus' spells allowed him to encase inorganic objects in crystals… and he can control whatever he crystallizes. While the Power Ring in me probably would've allowed me to shrug off his magic, the way it is now… I can't guarantee it'll happen. If a fight does break out, I cannot be on the front lines. I can't risk the possibility of me becoming a tool." Her eyes hardened. "Never again."
"Don't worry!" Tangle blurted out, putting her hand on Sally's shoulder. As the robian turned her head the lemur smiled and thumbed at herself. "We can handle ourselves! We've faced and kicked bad guy butt before! There's no way we'll let this Geoffrey guy or Naugus take you!"
"She's right!" Nicole declared, moving closer to Sally and looking at her with determined eyes. "I won't let them take you, Sally! I promise that no matter what, I'll never let you go through that again!"
Honestly, that declaration lifted Tangle's spirits up.
As did the determined looks on Silver, Blaze, and Mina's faces. Sure, Whisper wasn't taking off her mask but she was giving a slight nod which was just as good! All of them were on the same wavelength. Nothing more needed to be said.
"Alright." Bernadette exited the kitchen area and brought several canisters in her arms with the robot-like Chao following her. She went over to Whisper, who began taking them and placing them inside her cloak. "Here are all the flash and smoke bombs we have. Honestly, I would recommend you take some grenades. But…" The female hedgehog glanced at the rest of them and smirked. "…You kids probably have more than enough firepower between you."
"Yeah, you should see Blaze go when she goes all Burning!" The lemur laughed and pointed to the cat, who blushed slightly. "Seriously, no grenade can match her fireballs!"
"I only do that when it is necessary. And, if this wizard is as skilled as you suggest…" The otherworldly princess glanced at the robian. "…it would be best if I do not flaunt the power of the Sol Emeralds."
"I'm not sure if the Ixis Magiks can affect your fire. He has control over the elements, but I cannot say if that includes cosmic fire." Sally admitted. "And you're right, we can't show our hand too early. But we also cannot hold back."
"If yer done yappin', ah think it's about time to go." Bunnie declared as she stood up. "Ah'm tired of waitin'."
Tangle glanced at Sally, Nicole, Mina, and even Bernadette. All of their faces lost whatever cheer they had. Now they just looked depressed. She knew that all of them had known Bunnie, or at least their Bunnie, and it was probably hard on all of them to continue to see how different this version of her was from the one they knew.
"Does she even see the similarities? How they are going through what she is?"
Sally shut her eyes as if to get control of herself. "Right." She got up and Tangle picked up the batter with her tail, holding it closely to Sally's back. "Okay, so Nicole, Tangle, and Mina will go with me into the Grandmaster's vehicle. Silver, Whisper, and Blaze will go with Bunnie. You'll travel behind us and keep an eye on the vehicle… and provide us with long range support if necessary."
"Yer lucky Fang's not here. He'd have somethin' to say about you folks travelin' around in the Marvelous Queen." The rabbit muttered as she walked to the door. "Now come on."
"Well, this is going to be fun…" Silver muttered as he got up with Blaze and Whisper before following the rabbit.
Whisper seemed to hesitate and Tangle offered her a small smile. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."
Her friend gave a small nod before going with the rest of her group.
"I wish we could go with you." Bernadette said with a frown. "We could…"
"Don't." Sally placed her hand on the hedgehog woman's shoulder. "You can't put yourself at risk. And if we don't make it back, the Restoration will come. They need someone here to meet them and tell them what's going on."
"…" The woman that was Sonic's mother bit her lip before nodding. Then, she pulled Sally into a hug and patted her back. "Please be safe, Sally."
Tangle had to suppress her own tears as, slowly, her hands wrapped around Bernadette and hugged her back. "I'll come back as soon as I can, okay? And… and I'll make sure to bring him once all of this is over."
Tangle didn't need to be a genius to figure out who she was talking about.
The two women released one another and Bernadette smiled at both Tangle and Mina. "Take care of yourselves, girls. And make sure you watch her back."
The lemur wiped her eyes and smirked at the woman before giving her a thumbs up. "You can count on us!"
"Thank you for everything, Mrs. Hedgehog." Mina nodded and clenched her hand into a fist while looking at Nicole. "I promise I won't fail another friend."
Nicole smiled before she disappeared into a stream of data that flowed into Sally.
"Okay, girls…" Sally then began to move with Tangle following close behind her. "Let's get moving."
As they exited the home the Hedgehog couple were occupying, Tangle made sure she was walking step by step with the robian. They were trying to hide the fact that Sally needed to recharge herself from the two Grandmasters. As Sally explained it, they needed to keep all potential weaknesses close to the chest.
"Lets just hope that this little battery will give her enough juice if a fight does happen."
Beauregard and Mordred were inside a car that looked like an SUV, observing them as Bunnie went into the driver's seat of the Marvelous Queen while the others went into the side cars.
Jules was standing a bit off, keeping the Grandmaster's vehicle in his sight. However, he did take notice of them and nodded at Sally. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah." Sally walked up to Jules and hugged him. "Thank you for everything. And be safe, Jules. I promise we'll make things right."
The other robian shook his head. "Just do the best you can. That's all we can ask of you."
"Honestly, Sonic's parents are so freakin' cool!"
Sally released the hug while Mina and Tangle offered Jules simple waves goodbye. They walked to the SUV, making sure that the battery was hidden behind the robian's back and her tail looked 'natural'. Sally opened the back seat and crawled inside with Tangle quickly following after her. Once Mina was inside, she slammed the door behind her.
"This…" Tangle grinned as she tried to shift herself in a way that didn't nail her elbow in Mina's ribs to move her left foot so that it wasn't stuck between the side of Sally's right foot and the back of the driver's seat. "…sucks! Couldn't you guys have brought a bigger car?!"
"Sorry." Beauregard declared as he shifted the gear. "We didn't come expectin' all three of you to come inside."
"And stop your complaining!" Mordred hissed while rolling his eyes. "Honestly, what is with peasants? You should be grateful you're even being escorted by us!"
The lemur narrowed her eyes. "…You know, that right there? That's why nobody likes you."
The cobra glanced back and glared at her. "You best watch yourself, lemur. The next time you run your mouth…!"
Beauregard then pressed his foot on the gas pedal, and Mordred let out a scream as he was flung forward and hit his face on the dashboard.
Tangle burst out laughing, and to her relief so did Sally and Mina. Heck, even Nicole was giggling from the PDA on her hip!
"Should've put on your seatbelt." Beauregard chided, but there was a small smirk on his face. "They install those things for a reason."
The cobra let out a growl, but said nothing as he did as he put on his own seatbelt.
"So… they don't like each other."
That was a good thing… right?
They drove on, and Tangle turned her head to see the Marvelous Queen following behind them while in the distance Jules, Bernadette, and the Chao waved after them.
"We will come back." The lemur promised herself. "And when we do… everything will be alright."
They drove through the desert without any music playing save for Bowie's humming. To be honest, it was understandable why. What could possibly be said between them? The two men in the front of the car were enemies, once working for Eggman and now working for the guy that took over Sally's home.
Not only that, but they were also people inside bodies that didn't belong to them.
Tangle knew that to Sally and Mina, it was strange and disturbing to see Bunnie. But there was at least some comfort knowing that she was wholly her own person. That the Bunnie that lived now was a product of her life in this world. It wasn't much comfort, but it was something they could wrap their heads around.
With Beauregard and Mordred, that was not the case.
They were people of the old world inhabiting bodies that didn't really belong to them. Not completely. It wasn't like Silver where they just got their 'old' memories back and became sort of like a mish mash of their old and new selves. No, these were the old personalities and, apparently, they only had the old memories.
What happened to the Beauregard and Mordred of this world?
Were they still in there?
Just what had this Geoffrey guy done to them?
"It's actually kind of scary when you think about it."
"You know…" Beauregard broke Tangle's thoughts and she saw him looking at the rear view mirror towards them. "…Ah never expected to be travelin' with a member of the Acorn family."
"Life's full of surprises." Sally admitted evenly. "Like, for instance, you even being here."
The rabbit nodded. "Not like ah asked for it. But here ah am and ah'll deal with the hand I was dealt the best ah can." He frowned. "Like, for instance, mah niece…"
"…She isn't your niece." Sally responded softly. "She was the niece of the Beauregard Rabbot that lived in this new world. The one whose body you're in."
"No." Beauregard said firmly, his eyes hardening. "She is. She's just confused is all. Doesn't understand that the life she lived isn't the right one. That she lived a happier one… even if she is married to one of our oppressors."
"She isn't confused!" Tangle blurted out, glaring at the mirror. "Bunnie is just who she is! Sure, she's kind of a jerk that fought us and Sonic…" She looked at Sally and nervously smiled. "…No offense, Sally."
The princess merely looked away and the lemur felt like kicking herself. She needed to get to the point. And fast!
Coughing, Tangle declared, "But she's her own person who lived her own life! She just saw because of you that her uncle now has someone who might as well be another person controlling his body!" The jabbed her right finger at the rabbit. "So why are you acting like her life here doesn't matter?!"
For a few seconds, Beauregard didn't say anything.
Instead, his hands tightened on the steering wheel before he coldly said, "Tell me somethin', lemur. Can you imagine looking at the face of someone who was like a daughter to you, and seein' a stranger? One whose eyes belong to a woman who is completely miserable? Now just imagine that once upon a time, that same woman was still the little girl you raised but one who had come to you, beggin' you to cut off her newly flesh and blood limbs because she felt useless. Because she had to sit back and watch as the man she loved was put into a coma. Who you tried to help in the only way you could… only for it to mean nothin' because the madman you pledged allegiance to decided to reboot the universe. Now you're back, and the little girl you raised is gone… but not really."
He glared at the rear view mirror at Tangle.
"If you had the means to bring back that same little girl… wouldn't you do it?"
Tangle, for a moment, didn't know what to say.
What could she say to Beauregard? What he just described… it was something just as bad as what Sally and Mina were going through. It was a complete opposite reaction to what Bernadette and Jules had when learning about how Sonic wasn't really their son anymore.
He was just… acting like the new Bunnie was a bad dream or something. One that looked like Bunnie, one that he saw as his Bunnie… but not really? Not until he did whatever it was they wanted to do?
"If you do bring her back…" Sally said, her voice like ice that cut through the air. "…she will hate you for what you have done to the Bunnie of this world."
Beauregard said nothing in response.
Mordred, however, snorted. "Bah! As if I care for what Rabbot wants with his precious little niece! As for the Mordred Hood that lived in this body… he was only good for keeping this thing living until I reclaimed it!"
"Are you serious?!" Mina shouted in anger. "He was you!"
"No, I am me." The cobra raised a finger and smirked condescendingly. "And so long as I exist, that's all that matters. My only regret of this whole situation…" The smirk gained a darker edge. "…Is that Rob o' the Hedge no longer exists. If he did, I would have him here with us so that I may laugh in his face."
Tangle only knew the cliff notes of who Mordred Hood was. How he stole the kingdom of Mercia from the royal family, which included Rob o' the Hedge who was the rightful king to the throne. He was also basically Robin Hood, which was kind of cool, and Amy's cousin, which was weird to think about.
But that was enough to know that while before she merely saw Mordred Hood as some evil jerk, now he was just plain evil.
"First chance I get, I'm punching him through a wall."
"You…" Mina grimaced, and then said nothing while Bowie shook one of his tentacles at the snake. He also let out a few musical notes, which Tangle was pretty confident was some sort of alien curse.
"Ah still can't believe critters like that exist here." Beauregard shook his head. "Eerie."
Before Tangle could question them about their knowledge of Wisps, she noticed something. On top of the dunes were green crystals. Some of them held badniks in them like they were insects trapped in amber, while others were shattered. The green pieces mixed with the sand as they were covered or blown away by the wind as they passed by.
"So that's what happened to all the badniks that were wandering around the island during the war."
It made sense. From the way Jules and Bernadette described it, there was nothing stopping the various robots from entering the field and exploring the desert for any hidden Resistance bases.
"And because of the war going on, Eggman probably wasn't paying attention to the badniks he sent here not reporting back…"
Then, a dark thought entered Tangle's head which turned her blood cold.
"Wait, did any zombots come here?"
"Tangle?" Mina asked next to her. "Are you…?"
Before the lemur could answer Beauregard declared, "Well, we're here!"
Tangle blinked and leaned forward to look through the windshield. They were at the top of a sand dune, which allowed for her to see their destination in all its glory.
In the distance was what appeared to be a city with massive beige walls that curved at the top. The buildings, even from a distance, looked like a strange combination of modern and old stuff, including a castle at the center. However, there seemed to be a forest that surrounded the city.
Or, at least, there used to be.
The trees were now husks of what they once were. What leaves they used to have had long since died, leaving bleached skeletons that swayed in the wind. At random points there were giant spirals of green crystal that practically glittered in the sun, as if to make up for the loss of greenery.
She had expected a gate made of iron or wood that would allow people inside. However, instead she saw that the gate was two giant doors that appeared to be completely made of green crystal.
"Welcome home, princess." Beauregard Rabbot said, and even Tangle could tell there was a slight trace of pity in his tone. "Welcome to New Mobotropolis."
The side of Conquering Storm's open left palm crashed into the side of the member of the Raiju clan who had been selected to spar with her. He let out a cry of pain as he was launched to the side, rolling on the mat as if he were a stone thrown across a pond.
She ignored the pain and raced towards him. He was getting back onto his feet, not complaining for that would dishonor him in her eyes. He kicked at her with his left leg, and raised her right arm blocking the blow before it could strike against the side of her head. Her arm throbbed, and she grit her teeth to power through it.
She would not show weakness. Not in front of any member of her reborn clan!
Swatting the leg aside, the member of her clan spun like a dancer before Conquering Storm shifted her stance. She thrust out her right open palm into his back, putting more force into the blow to test her limits. He let out a gurgle as her blow hit his spine, and he crumpled onto the floor.
She glared down at him and crossed her arms. "Again."
"H-Honored Matron…" Her subordinate let out a cough. "F-Forgive me, but I cannot…!"
Conquering Storm sneered at him. Here she was, weaker than she had once been, and yet this fool could not handle a simple sparring match? Still, she could not punish him too harshly. This was simply sparring, rather than a duel of honor. "Very well." She then raised her voice. "Get this fool to the healers! I expect him to be fit for service when the sun rises!"
Two other members of her clan dropped from the rafters, ones who were assigned to observe the match and take away those that could not leave themselves. They picked up her sparring partner by his arms, bowed, and left without another word.
The lynx glared at her left hand, opening and closing it to study the pain. It was beyond frustrating. It was humiliating. Her body hurt and ached as if she were a child once more, beaten around by her trainers before she became their masters. And yet she knew how her body was supposed to be!
"I must claim it for myself." Conquering Storm whispered before turning on her heel and walking towards the wooden training dummy. The portions that were indented and splintered were proof that she was, at least, better than she was when she was reborn into this world.
Though the splinters in her hands were certainly annoying to get out.
"It is not that weakling's body anymore."
Taking in a deep breath, she began hitting the body of the training dummy while raising her arms and legs to 'block' the three arms that were jutting out in the front. The wood creaked and groaned as her strikes gained more speed and force. She made a mental note to have two minor members of her clan go out and get her a new one.
This one had finally reached its limit.
Imagining the dummy to be that fool Lightning Lynx, Conquering Storm shot out her right fist and struck it in the area that would've been his midsection. The wood splintered and broke while her knuckles screamed in pain. The top half swayed before falling to the side, now broken forever.
Hissing, Conquering Storm brought back her right fist and unclenched it. Her fingers were shaking and twitching, in shock from the unfamiliar sensation. Taking in a deep breath, she held her wrist and focused. She needed to be in control. This pain was nothing! It was the pain of a weakling who had never fought in her life! Who led a soft life, one devoid of the strength needed to not just survive but thrive in this world!
She was not her!
"I am Conquering Storm! And I am the master of this body!"
Slowly, the fingers ceased their shaking and twitching. The pain turned into a dull ache before subsiding completely. Then, she let out a breath and allowed for her arm to fall to its side.
She felt the paper slip from its place in her gi and, before it could hit the floor, she snatched it and stared at its surface.
It was a photo of the weakling that once held her body. She was smiling, her orange eyes happy and not yet corrupted by technology. She was wearing a purple dress while holding the child in her arms, his mouth forming an o-shape while trying to comprehend what was happening. They were sitting in front of a pond, likely within a park of some sort.
The stench of gasoline filled Conquering Storm's nostrils as she stared at the photos on top of the small cabinet.
The child was safe, deposited in front of a house that this body felt secure in. She did not know the lynx she saw open the door from her hiding spot, but from her features she could assume it was perhaps this body's sister.
A sister she never had.
No matter. The child would be safe until she collected him in the future.
Conquering Storm had returned to the house she had been reborn in, and knew what she had to do. She had taken the container of gasoline that sat next to a generation and began dousing the rooms with the can's contents.
She needed to burn this old life so that her rebirth could be complete.
She must have no connection to the soft life this body had lived.
And yet…
And yet she felt… that she needed to take at least one of the photos here.
It was stupid. It was a sign of weakness. It was unnecessary. It…
Why had she taken this thing?
She should just burn it.
There was no room for unnecessary things within the Raiju Clan.
She should…
Conquering Storm heard the telecrate turn on and in a swift motion placed the photo within her gi. Turning on her heel, she kneeled down and lowered her head.
"Ah, good. You're not slacking off."
"Of course not. I train so that I may transform this body into the temple it should be." She said before looking up. "How may I serve?"
Honestly, saying those four words made her sick.
The human grinned, his bushy reddish-brown beard shifting to show his amusement at her attitude. "Princess Sally Acorn and her companions will be entering New Mobotropolis soon. The king wishes for you to enter the throne room so that we may greet them."
"Very well." She nodded. "I will assemble the members of the Raiju Clan so that we may be ready for battle."
"Remember." The worm raised a finger and scratched his long beak-like nose. "Your primary targets will be Silver the Hedgehog and Blaze the Cat. Neutralize them, but do not kill the cat just yet. This is an order from the king. We have… plans for her."
Hm. That was odd. The original target they had been preparing for was supposed to be Shadow the Hedgehog.
Still, she wouldn't question it. For now, she would simply serve and observe.
However, should things go south for her new masters…
"Very well. I shall relay your orders to the clan." She stared at the screen intently. "Is there anything else you require?
It was strange, staring at the worm now.
She remembered back when he had at least a few hairs on his head, rather than being completely bald.
And the beard was certainly new.
But the smug and completely unearned look on the diminutive human's face told her that this was the same idiot that the Iron Queen had once played as a fiddle.
Snively Robotnik grinned at her. "No, that will be all. Run along now and perform your tasks. We have much to prepare for…"
And with that, the screen turned black.
Slowly, Conquering Storm got up and began walking to the screen doors to relay the new orders to the Reborn Raiju Clan.
"Soon, all shall be as it should. Serving that worm and his master is only temporary. But should they fail…"
A smirk formed on the lynx's face.
"I shall take great joy in punishing that worm for daring to order me around like a dog."
To Be Continued…
Notes: Well it was a lazy Sunday and it's raining like crazy outside, so after doing some chores I decided to speed through this newest chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it!
Man, I just LOVE throwing these characters through existential nightmares! And having the universe bully Reboot Bunnie. Seriously, something within my mind has it out for the girl despite loving her. It's weird and scary.
Hope you all enjoyed that, even though I feel like it sort of dragged on a bit. There's just so much to get through!
Anyways, hope you all leave a review and add to the TV Tropes page!
Until next time…