"Princess Sally, we're glad that you could make it on such short notice," Shade greeted, kneeling before the princess as she and her friends climbed out of their vans.
"Just 'Sally' is fine," Sally said, "And please, don't worry about formalities. My title doesn't really hold much weight these days, anyway."
"Even so, I am indebted to you for heeding our call for help." Shade smiled as she rose to her feet. "Most other Resistance factions are keeping to their own, afraid to compromise their positions by reaching out to allies."
"Can you blame them?" Fiona asked. "Eggman's got checkpoints all over the world, and the more of our people he captures, the faster his robots can be produced. Things really aren't looking good for us."
"Love the positive attitude," Ash said dryly.
"I'm just saying, unless we start scoring some major wins, morale's gonna keep dropping everywhere."
"Then let's do just that," Sally said with a grin. "Downunda is on its last legs. If we can turn this situation around and drive out Robotnik's forces, word will spread, and people will see that there's still hope!"
Shade nodded. "Yes, it won't be enough simply to hold out anymore. We need to show Eggman that we haven't lost yet."
"So, what's the current situation?" Rotor asked. "How big an army are we talkin', and how have they spread themselves throughout the region?"
"Come this way. The leaders of the Downunda Resistance will explain everything to you."
"You are not ze leader?" Antoine asked as he and the others followed Shade.
"No, I'm just here to lend a hand. I've been holding off Metal Sonic as well as I can, but no matter how many times I destroy him, he just comes back as good as new. And that's not the strangest part; every time I defeat him, his body just vanishes. Not even a trace remaining."
Rotor scratched his chin. "That is strange. Does Eggman have some method of long-range retrieval set up? But then why wouldn't he use it on his other badniks?"
"I have no knowledge of any such technology in my database," Nicole stated.
"And even if he did have something like that, how can he repair a robot as sophisticated as Metal Sonic so quickly?" Sally asked, grimacing as a thought crossed her mind. "You don't think he's mass-producing them, do you?"
"But then why send only one at a time?" Shade asked, and then silence passed over the group.
"We can theorise 'til the flickies come home, but that won't help us defeat Doctor Eggman," Fiona said. "Let's just focus on what we do know, which is the forces giving you trouble here in Downunda."
"Right," Sally agreed. "We'll shelve this topic for later. Uncle Chuck might be the best person to ask about it, anyway."
The group were led to a room where two people were waiting for them – a brown-furred, male wallaby wearing a tan explorer's jacket, and a white-furred, female koala wearing a black belt with red gloves and boots. The wallaby noticed the group and smiled immediately.
"Well paint me red an' call me Susan! You lot actually came ta help!" He shook Sally's hand. "S'ppose I should introduce myself, eh? Name's Walt, Walt Wallaby. This is here is Barby Koala, my second-in-command."
"Your timing's impeccable," Barby said. "Our scouts have just returned a report and it looks like Eggman's forces have started pulling back a bit. Dunno what spooked 'em, but if they're retreatin' then it's the perfect time to launch a counterattack!"
"So what's the plan?" Sally asked, and Barby pulled up multiple images on the large screen before them.
"The biggest problem we have is the main base that Eggman's usin' to oppress the people of the region. It's well-defended, both by the natural terrain and all the systems it has installed. It sits on the Outback River, which is important for transportin' supplies and securin' freshwater. Power Rings are also created at the Chao Gardens upstream and flow down that river, giving Eggman an ample supply."
"But bigger than all that, it sits near the Great Crater," Walt said, bringing up an image of a large crater. He enhanced the image to show several tunnels being dug into the side, with both robot and mobian workers mining the area. "The Great Crater is a mine rich in ore, and that slime Eggman is using our people to dig it all up, and then using that to build more machines! Only way we're bustin' 'em out is if we capture the base, first."
Barby continued, "Even if we attack the smaller forts in the area, so long as Eggman controls this main base, he'll be able to send backup quickly, and reclaim whatever territory we do capture before we can stage a proper assault. The only way we're gonna make any progress is to capture this base. To do that, we need to do something about the powerful shield protectin' it. The shield is powered by two generators, each spread far apart."
"So we attack each shield first, then move on the main base," Sally surmised, but Walt shook his head.
"If ya just take out one generator, Eggman's robots'll just repair it while we attack the other. His robots're very quick, and the generators themselves aren't anything complex. Meanin' we gotta attack both at once. That, or leave enough forces behind to guard whatever area we hit first. But either way, we'll need the bulk of our force to storm the main base after, and we just don't have the numbers for anythin' like that."
"Our forces are good, but not that good," Barby said. "They're mostly civilians, and many haven't been fightin' for long. Some have only been fightin' for a few weeks now. And we're all startin' to feel the burn of these constant attacks. That's where you all come in. We want your team to handle the generators, while we focus on the base. Sorry to put you on the side-lines like this, but…"
"I understand," Sally told them. "This is your region, after all. You need to prove that you can defend it, and show your forces they can do amazing things. We won't step on your toes here. Just give us a target and we'll take it down."
"Bonza! The first generator is located here." Walt brought up an image of what appeared to be a collection of warehouses on the screen. A map of Downunda appeared next to it, with an area highlighted red. "This used t' be a place where Downunda stored medical supplies, to be distributed to hospitals all across the region. Now it's used to store 'niks."
"The other generator is located at a garrison," Barby said, bringing up an image of a small, decimated village surrounded by large, stone walls. "This is Priscilla Village. It was one of the last villages to be taken by Eggman's forces. The villagers there defended it well, and now those defences are being used by Bill to safeguard one of the shield generators."
"Bill?" Rotor asked, and the mood in the room suddenly turned grim.
"Duck 'Bill' Platypus," Shade said, approaching the computer and bringing up an image of a teal-feathered platypus, wearing a purple uniform similar to the one worn by Doctor Eggman. "He used to be one of our comrades."
"He was our friend," Walt spat, closing the image. "But then he betrayed us. Sold us out to the Eggman Empire. Saved his own scrawny hide and left the rest of us t' die! Bleedin' coward…"
"That's another reason why we want to be the ones to take the main base back. It's… personal," Barby said, and the group from Knothole simply nodded in response. "Anyway, we'll leave the logistics of attacking both sites to you. You're the experts here, from what we've been told."
Sally analysed the data on both locations for a few minutes, before turning to Nicole. "Can you find any maps on the warehouse area? Something that shows what's inside each building."
"I'll have a look." Nicole retreated into her handheld, and the group waited in silence for a few moments. "Found it!" A holographic image of a map was produced. "As Walt said, most are just used to store badniks. They're all deactivated, but will wake up when the alarm is raised. The generator is located near the back, and is heavily defended, as you might imagine. Getting to it might be a problem in itself, as the road leading there is lined with Egg Pawns."
"Can we approach from any other angle?" Rotor asked.
"The area around those warehouses is swampy," Walt explained. "Go ahead an' try, if ya don't mind bein' alligator chow."
"Thank you, Nicole," Sally said, and the image of the map was replaced with Nicole, who beamed at the praise. "The warehouse isn't going to be a problem. It's a standard infiltration job, the kind I'm used to. I can sneak in, take out the generator, and be out in a flash. I just need somebody to cause a distraction, and to clear the way there." Sally turned to Mina. "You're perfect for both of those jobs."
Mina nodded. "You bet! Eggman thinks he's so smart, lining his robots up like that. Just makes it easier to blast right through 'em."
"Ash, you'll be with us. You're still new, so I want you to stay close. You'll be responsible for watching my back while we find the generator."
Ash swallowed, feeling his stomach turning as he looked at the sheer number of robots marching around the warehouses. "Sure, I can do that…"
"Then I guess that leaves us with the garrison?" Rotor asked. "How are we gonna get in?"
Sally turned to Walt and Barby. "I know you said you need your forces for the main base, but you think you can spare just a few? Since we need to be quick, the best solution would be a swift assault. Rotor and Fiona can stage a feint to lure the badniks away, and when there's an opening, Antoine and Bunnie can storm the garrison. They'll just need a few soldiers to cover them as they find the generator."
"We can spare you some men, sure," Walt said.
"Who's gonna lead the garrison attack while you're at the warehouse?" Fiona asked.
"Antoine will."
Antoine jumped. "Excusez moi?"
"You've got this, man," Rotor said, giving his friend a strong pat on the back. "It's in your blood, after all!"
"My fathair was a trained General! I do not 'ave ze same qualifications as 'im, I can't just-"
"Antoine, I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't sure," Sally said. "I have faith in you."
Antoine's face reddened. "I-If you say so, Princess, then I shall… I shall do my best!" Antoine saluted, standing straight but still shaking like a leaf.
"Rotor, Fiona, Bunnie," Sally began, "I'm trusting you all to look out for him, and follow his orders to the letter."
"You can count on me," Rotor said.
"Sure thing!" Bunnie replied.
Fiona looked at Antoine uncertainly, who was looking pale as he studied the garrison's defences in detail. "I've got a bad feeling about this…"
"Question, Princess," Antoine began. "What if Metal Soneec were to suddenly appear?"
"We won't be able to run away, so naturally the only option will be to fight," Sally answered.
"We should mobilise right away," Shade said, donning her black helmet that matched her armour. "There are some vehicles you can use in the garage."
"Thanks." Sally turned to Antoine. "I'll leave Team B in your hands. Make whatever preparations you need. We'll go on ahead."
Antoine saluted. "I shall be doing my best, Princess. I wish you all ze luck."
Sally, Ash and Mina entered the garage, led by Barby. Inside were a few mechanics working on the vehicles that the Resistance faction had available to them. Many had been badly-damaged, and some were even falling apart, but so long as they ran, that was all that mattered.
"This one'll get ya there, but it's not built for fightin'," Barby said, presenting them with an off-road jeep. "This's strictly an escape vehicle, so try not to take too many hits with it."
"Thanks. We'll try to bring it back in good condition."
Barby laughed. "Just gettin' back here with all of you alive and well is all you need to worry about. Well, that an' shuttin' off that generator, of course."
"Barby!" A short, yellow-furred wombat approached the group, armed with a Laser Wispon. "You guys just about t' head out?"
"We are," Sally confirmed.
"Ripper! I'm Wombat Stu, or just 'Stu' for short! Walt asked me to join ya. He was a bit worried with only three of you goin' out, 'specially since you said somethin' about this guy being a newbie." Stu motioned to Ash, who huffed in response. "I got quite the eye, if I do say so myself. I'll shoot down any targets that try to sneak up on ya."
"Thanks. I'll be counting on you, then."
Mina began stretching as the doors opened, revealing a long stretch of road before them. Sally looked through her binoculars, and could see the Eggman robots lining the road up ahead, as well as appeared to be a barricade. Mina didn't seem concerned. "Okay, quick warm-up, and…" She crouched, placing her knuckles to the ground and getting ready to launch herself forwards. The engine of the jeep started revving, and Mina ran. "GO!"
A yellow streak was all that the others could see as Mina boosted on ahead, kicking-up wind behind herself and tearing through the first barricade with ease, as well as all of the robots in her path. Any that she didn't destroy herself were launched into the air by the turbulence she created, and were sent flying into the treacherous swamplands to either side.
Sally stepped on it right away, following the trail of destruction left by Mina. The road was bumpy and uneven, causing her to grip the steering wheel tightly as she drove.
"We can't even see her anymore," Ash grumbled.
"She'll be okay on her own," Sally assured him. "Just focus on the road. We could be ambushed by a rogue badnik at any moment."
Mina jumped to avoid a spike trap and used her homing attack to wipe out the badniks around her, then stopped for just a moment to remove the trap before blasting off again.
Up ahead, a squad of robots lined side-by-side, armed with shields marked by the Eggman Empire insignia. As Mina ran into one of the shields, she found herself bouncing high into the sky, taunted by the sounds of mocking laughter. But even as she saw the robots pointing their guns up at her, she wasn't worried. Instead, Mina curled into a ball and dodged every shot coming her way as she performed a drop dash, crashing to the ground and launching herself into the robots.
Meanwhile, the jeep travelling behind Mina drove at full speed, as Stu used his Laser Wispon to pick off any badniks still scurrying about along the road, and Ash held his Burst Wispon at the ready.
As Ash took aim at a lone Egg Pawn, a sudden bump in the road caused his arm to jerk, missing the robot entirely and alerting it to their presence. "Can't you drive a little slower?!" Ash asked. "Er, Your Highness."
"Don't blame me! These roads are crazy!" Sally argued. "No offense!"
"None taken!" Stu replied. "I was saying it for years that our roads are utter rubbish!"
The Egg Pawn tried to chase after them, but Stu was able to take it out before it could get close.
"Another Egg Pawn ahead," Sally said. Ash took aim, and as they drew closer to the badnik, he fired. The Egg Pawn fell to its front and then exploded as they passed it.
"Bonza!" Stu cheered, shaking Ash's shoulder. "You make a good Freedom Fighter!"
"A what now?" Ash asked, batting away Stu's hand and readjusting his glasses.
"A Freedom Fighter! We're called the Resistance, but I always fancied the name 'Freedom Fighters' better! Really makes it clear what we stand for!"
"A bit of a mouthful, if you ask me," Ash said, "But it does have a nice ring to it." Two more badniks stood ahead of them in the road. Stu took out one whilst Ash handled the other, laughing as he looked at the destroyed badnik in the rear-view mirror. "Hah! Take that, Doct-" Another bump caused him to bite his tongue, and he clasped a hand over his mouth, muffling his scream.
Stu laughed uncontrollably in his seat behind him. "Careful there, mate! Man, you guys're a riot!"
The three eventually arrived at the factory, where Mina was waiting outside of the front gates, a collection of trashed robots around her. "Hold onto something!" Sally said, increasing their speed. Ash and Stu grabbed onto the sides of the vehicle, bracing themselves as Sally rammed right into the gates, crashing through them and skidding to a halt inside. Mina ran in afterwards and joined her friends as alarms blared.
"Alright, just as we planned!" Sally jumped out of the car, pulling Ash along with her. Ash used his Burst Wispon to clear a path over to an alleyway, whilst Mina used her Rhythm Wispon to jam the robots' sensors temporarily, leaving them effectively blind.
When Sally and Ash were clear, Mina stopped singing and let the robots gather around. "Sorry fellas, I'm all out of autographs today." Mina used her spindash to tear through the robots as Stu supported her with his Laser Wispon.
Sally and Ash were able to make great use of the distraction; as the rampage prompted every robot in the area away from them, they were able to infiltrate with little resistance. "Nicole, which way to the access point?"
"Through this alley, then it'll be the large building across the road. But it's securely locked. You'll need proper clearance to get in."
"Will my boot suffice?" Sally asked as she saw the building come into view. It was guarded by only a few robots. She and Ash ducked behind some crates, staying hidden within the shadows.
"Sorry to say, but no. That door's lined with Power Rings."
"In that case…" Sally looked at Ash, waiting for him to follow her train of thought.
"… Oh!" Ash realised what she was getting at. He removed the Burst Wispon from his arm, replacing it with the Drill Wispon in his backpack. "Okay, so I get in there, find the switch, and open the door from inside, right?"
Sally looked back over to the building one more time. "Maybe it would be better if I go in."
"You? I guess… You do have more experience at this stuff than me, but…" There was an explosion behind them. The two turned to look, waiting to see or hear anything else. The sounds of fighting confirmed that Mina was alright, and that the explosion was probably her doing. Ash gripped onto the Wispon, and called, "Drill!"
"Ash, wait!" Sally tried to stop him, but he was already tunnelling underground before she could. "Guess he's going for it. All we can do now is wait."
"Do you think he can handle it?" Nicole asked.
"Probably. We don't know what's waiting for him inside, though, but if it's just the run-of-the-mill badniks then…" Sally emerged from her hiding place, sprinting across the road. The badniks guarding the warehouse took notice, but by the time they were able to respond, she was already flying their way, driving her boot into one of them and swinging her energy blades at the other.
The door opened, and Sally raised her guard. Ash poked out his head, and she relaxed. "That was fast," she said.
"Yeah, it's uh… empty," Ash said, going back into the warehouse, and Sally followed him. As he said, the entire warehouse was empty! "Nicole, are you sure this is the right place?"
"Positive. The access point is up ahead. How strange they would leave it so underdefended."
"It reeks of a trap, but we're this close. We're just gonna have to set it off."
Ash switched back to his Burst Wispon and followed Sally to the terminal. There, Sally planted bombs on the generator, enough to not only destroy it, but to also leave it in pieces. As the two left the warehouse, Sally expected an army to be waiting for them, but there was nothing there.
"… Okay, this is definitely a trap." Sally said, detonating the bombs once they were clear of the warehouse. "But we've done what we need to. Let's go, but move carefully. We'll contact the Downunda team on the way."
"Sally, there's a communication coming through," Nicole said, and static began to crackle in Sally's earpiece. "I can't stop it!"
Through the crackling static, a voice, clearly using a filter, said, "Head's up: Metal Sonic is on his way to your location."
"Who is this?" Sally asked, but she received no answer. "Nicole, can you trace the source of that transmission?"
"I can't," Nicole said. "It's hyper-encrypted. I can only deduce that it came from an Eggman facility, but I can't imagine who or why."
"Maybe one of the Resistance's spies?" Ash suggested.
"Maybe," Sally replied, but her tone was uncertain. "Well, no use pondering it now. If they're right, and Metal Sonic is coming here, then we have no time to waste!" The two hurried back to where Stu and Mina were still keeping the robots distracted. "Mina, we've got company! Metal Sonic is on his way!"
Mina smashed two robots together as she jumped over them, and then ran over to her friends. "Metal Sonic? So we're fighting him, then?"
"If we don't, he'll just chase us," Sally said. "Or head over to the main base once he realises we're attacking the generators. Stu, you be our backup. Ash, keep the car ready for a quick getaway."
"I'm not fighting?" Ash asked. Not that he was particular eager to fight such a powerful foe, but he felt even worse about being side-lined.
"Support is just as important, and with an enemy like Metal Sonic, it's better to have as few people attacking at once as possible. Otherwise, we'll just end up hitting each other."
Ash looked at Mina uncertainly, but when she simply nodded, he trusted the princess' words. "Okay, but don't be reckless!"
"Nicole, can you detect anything coming?"
"No, I- Wait, yes! There's something approaching very fast from the north!"
"Mina, go find some cover. I'll create an opening, then you hit it fast and hard."
"I can do that, but will you be okay fighting alone?"
"Oh yeah, I'll be fine… I've been waiting a long time to deactivate this metallic faker!"
Stu looked around, sighting a lookout tower by the gate they had busted through. "I'll find a vantage point and wait for a clear shot."
Mina took Nicole's handheld and ran for some nearby barrels, where she hid and waited. Soon enough, the sounds of engines running could be heard, followed by a tremor as something crashed into the warehouse area, kicking up a lot of dust.
"You must be Metal Sonic," Sally said, staring at the blue robot with a look of disdain. "I've heard about you, but seeing you in person is a different matter. It makes me sick to my stomach, seeing such a twisted version of my childhood friend."
Metal simply stared at Sally, his eyes glowing as he scanned her. He thrust forwards, swiping his claws, but she jumped back to dodge them.
"Not much of a talker? I see. Robotnik built his ideal version of Sonic: obedient, merciless, and completely silent!" Metal attacked again, and Sally blocked. "All of his best qualities stripped away and inverted." She attempted to kick him, but he was already rounding her before she could lift her foot off the ground, attempting to attack from the side.
Sally moved fast, swinging her blades to parry numerous attacks from Metal Sonic. He pushed forwards, forcing her to retreat backwards as they fought. Sally's speed started to drop, whilst Metal showed no signs of slowing down.
A shot from the lookout tower halted Metal, who turned to look at where the attack had come from. Now having an opening, Sally attacked Metal's core, causing the robot to stumble backwards and clutch his chest. "Now!"
Mina emerged from her cover, rushing Metal Sonic. She delivered a kick to his torso, sending him flying upwards and crashing to the ground. She then charged a spindash and leapt at the downed robot, aiming for the core on his chest. However, Metal Sonic quickly moved out of the way, and as Mina struck the ground, he grabbed the mongoose by her hair and threw her at Sally.
Sally caught her friend, but both were knocked to the ground by the impact. "Owwwww!" Mina cried, rubbing her head. "I don't get it! The core is supposed to be his weakness. One good hit there and he should be stunned!"
"Well, we've missed our opening," Sally said, climbing to her feet and offering a hand to Mina.
"Sorry…"
"It's not your fault. You did a great job. Look." Sally pointed to the dent on Metal Sonic's body, where sparks were flying out, along with some unknown, red-and-black particles. "You hurt him, at least. Now we just have to finish him, two-on-one."
"This time, I'll create the opening," Mina said. "I've seen Sonic fight Metal before. I couldn't keep up then, but I'm certain I can now."
Sally nodded, and Mina dashed towards Metal Sonic, delivering a kick. Metal blocked it and then tried swiping her. She dodged, and then tried a punch. The two continued to exchange blows for a short while, until Metal Sonic attempted to grab her with both hands. Mina countered by catching his hands with her own, and the two pushed against each other at equal speeds. "Now, Sally!"
Sally rushed around the two and swung at Metal's back. She struck him, stunning the robot, and then Mina used another spindash to strike his core. Metal fell onto his back, and the two nearly celebrated, before he quickly climbed to his feet, clutching his chest. "He's still going?!" Sally groaned.
"He's definitely more resilient than I remember," Mina said, wiping the sweat from her brow.
Metal moved suddenly, reaching Sally before the two could realise what was happening. She brought her energy blades up just in time to protect herself, but the force of Metal's attack still knocked her down. Mina threw a punch, but Metal parried and countered with his own, pushing her back. As he loomed over the two, sharpening his claw, he received another shot from the tower. Turning around, Metal saw a bright line suddenly shining over him. It was a car, driving right towards him. Metal extended his claws, stopping the car as it attempted to run him down.
"Hey, buckethead!" Ash leaned over the front of the car from the driver's seat, holding a Burst Wispon directly to Metal's face. A hot stream of fire engulfed Metal Sonic, causing him to release the car and stagger backwards. "Sally!"
Ash threw a Wispon over Metal Sonic, which Sally caught. She ran to Metal and slid to get under him. "ROCKET!" The Wispon and Sally fused, turning into a rocket, which launched into Metal's chest and carried him into the air. As the rocket reached its peak, it exploded. Sally fell, a parachute extended from the Wispon slowing her descent, whilst the pieces of Metal Sonic rained down all around her, some disintegrating into those same red-and-black particles that she had seen earlier.
As Sally landed, she turned to Ash, who was helping Mina to her feet. "Is the car still running?"
"Car's fine, Princess," Ash confirmed. "Are you okay?"
"I am, thanks to you."
"Looks like we got him," Mina said with a smile. "That'll make storming the main base easier." She turned to Ash with a grin. "Hey, that was really cool, what you did! Kinda scared me a little, though…"
"Well, now you know how I feel," Ash replied, adjusting his glasses. The two laughed. "Seriously though, I think I scared myself with that stunt. But it looked like you needed help, so…"
"You made the right call," Sally said.
"Even though I disobeyed you?"
"We can't always predict how things will go on a mission. Sometimes, we have to improvise."
"Looks like you're all in one piece," Stu said as he re-joined the group.
"All thanks to Ash!" Mina said, grabbing her boyfriend's arm. "Drinks are on him tonight!"
"Bonza!"
Ash blushed, smiling at the praise he was receiving. It took him a few seconds to realise what Mina had just said. "Wait, why am I buying?!"
"As generous an offer as that is," Sally said, returning to the car, "We have to complete this mission first. Let's hurry." Sally paused as she studied the pieces of Metal Sonic strewn about. They were lined with the red-and-black particles she had seen during the fight, and didn't look very robotic.
"What's wrong?" Ash asked.
Sally retrieved one of the pieces, and then took her handheld back from Mina. "Nicole, do you think you could analyse this for me?"
"Sure, just give me a moment to- Huh?" The piece evaporated in Sally's hand, along with the remaining pieces scattered around them. "Well that was… odd."
"Could this have something to do with what the Downunda fighters mention earlier? You know, about how Metal Sonic always seems to come back after being defeated?"
Ash groaned. "Great, so we're not done with him after all?"
"You know, I heard a rumour," Mina began, "That there was a group that managed to defeat Shadow, but he came back the next day, no injuries or anything. I thought it was just something made-up to scare the rookies, but what if it's true?"
An uneasy silence fell over the group. "We won't learn anythin' just standin' here," Stu said. "Let's just do what we can, an' worry about the complicated stuff later."
Sally nodded, though the concern never left her mind even as they drove away from the facility, driving towards the main base. She took out her phone and dialled Walt to report their success.
Meanwhile, Antoine D'Coolette was leading the charge into Priscilla Village. Rotor had used a Void Wispon to create a hole in the wall, raising the alarms and prompting the robots there to come out. When they had all attention drawn on them, Fiona drove off away from the village, keeping her speed low enough that the pursuing badniks didn't lose sight of them.
Although the feint didn't draw the attention of all the enemies, it was enough for the Downunda fighters to storm the village, aided by an aerial assault from Bunnie Rabbot. As they filtered into the village, the Downunda fighters used Cube Wispons to create some cover, and began returning fire with their Laser and Rocket Wispons. One of the more-seasoned fighters used a Drill Wispon to tear through the enemies, creating a path for Antoine to run on ahead.
Antoine cut through the enemies in his path, and Bunnie took out the robots attempting to follow him as she followed from the air. The two saw the command centre ahead, where they knew the generator to be. As they drew closer, a roar that shook the village prompted them to stop, and a wolf with white fur emerged from inside.
The wolf saw the two and grinned, leaping out to intercept them and flexing a prosthetic arm. "You guys don't look like you're from around here. So, the Downunda crew got themselves help from another Resistance faction, huh?"
Antoine froze as he stared at the wolf. "You! You are Drago Wolf!"
Drago looked at Antoine for a few seconds. "Ah, I recognise you! You're the Princess' friend, Antoine D'Coward!"
"Eet is D'Coolette!"
Drago laughed. "Yeah, you wish! Ain't nothin' 'cool' about you, or yer old man!"
Antoine glared at Drago, his hands trembling. "You… scoundrel! You are working with ze Eggman? Ze Princess was worried for you!"
"Hey, what can I say? I wanna be on the winnin' side, and it's clear the Doc's just one step away from total victory."
Bunnie landed next to Antoine, and studied Drago's prosthetic arm. The metal plating and wires spread even beyond his shoulders, moving towards his face, and covering half of his jaw. "What happened t' yer arm?"
Drago grinned. "Another perk of sidin' with Eggman. His tech is killer! These diamond-tipped claws can rip through anything, and the arm is stronger and tougher than any flesh-and-blood one! I see you got a few upgrades, too."
"'Upgrades'?! Hardly! The Doctor turned me into a freak, and ah intend ta make him pay! What I don't get is how y'all can be happy t'look like that!"
"Might not be the most handsome mug," Drago said, feeling the area where wires protruded from his chin, "But hey, when you've got power, looks don't matter!" Drago readied his claws, laughing. "When Eggman wins, he's promised to let Sally live as my bride! And because I've got power, it won't matter if she wants to or not!"
"You will never 'ave ze Princess!" Antoine charged Drago and swiped. Drago parried with his metallic claw and then swiped with his flesh one. Bunnie swooped down and lifted Antoine out of the way, and after releasing him, fired a volley of shots at Drago. As Drago dodged, Antoine charged again, this time thrusting as he got close.
Drago grabbed the blade with his organic hand, gripping it so tight that Antoine couldn't pull it away, and then raised his metal claw, the diamond tips glinting as he brought them down. Antoine released his sabre and crouched, then pushed himself forwards, ramming his head into Drago's stomach. The blow winded Drago, causing him to drop his attack, but it also gave Antoine a powerful headache that made him stumble.
Antoine retrieved his weapon and jumped back, holding his head as he recovered. Bunnie took advantage of the opening to fly in, aiming her fist at Drago. The wolf saw this and unleashed a powerful roar, the force of which slowed her down enough for him to swat her out of the air. As she crashed to the ground, she skidded several feet away.
"Feh! You two're just wastin' your time! You ain't ever gonna beat me, and even if you did, Eggman'll get you one day! He's already conquered ninety percent of this world, you really think he's gonna let some snot-nosed brats that wanna play heroes stop him?"
"You are mistaken!" Antoine replied. "We are not just playing heroes, we are ze heroes!"
"Heroes, huh? What, like your pops? Yeah, some hero he turned out to be! He was the whole reason Mobotropolis fell!" Antoine froze, his blood boiling as he simply stared Drago in the eyes. "Heh, too bad I couldn't be there to see it. I heard it was quite the 'blast'!"
"Bite your tongue!" Antoine cried, charging Drago once more.
"Antoine, wait!" Bunnie shouted, but it was too late. When Antoine reached Drago, he attempted to slash him, but his attack left him completely open. Drago swiped with his metallic claw, and Antoine fell, crashing to the ground with three, long gash along his chest, bleeding heavily. "ANTOINE!"
"See that? Just like your dad and rest of 'em; you talk a big game, but against real power, you're outta your league!" Drago raised his claw to finish Antoine off, but was stopped by a sudden blast at his feet from Bunnie's cannon. Bunnie flew to Antoine, holding him in her arms as she glared at Drago. "How sweet, ya wanna die together! Well, who am I to-"
"CUBE!"
Drago gasped, looking up to find a large, blue cube appearing above him. He jumped back, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the block. "Who the hell did that?!"
Two of the Downunda fighters ran to Bunnie and Antoine's side. "We'll cover you! Get out of here!"
Bunnie wiped the tears from her face and nodded. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it," one of the fighters said, smiling. "We gotta lookout for each other, right?"
Bunnie smiled back. "Right ya are!" Carrying Antoine in her arms, Bunnie flew away from the battlefield, racing back towards the base. "Rotor, y'all hear me? Antoine's been hurt, bad. Ah'm takin' him back to the base fer healin'. We couldn't reach the generator; some guy named Drago is guardin' it!"
"Drago Wolf? Okay, just focus on getting 'Twan back to the base! We're done with our diversion so we're heading back there now! I hope the others can hold out 'til we get there."
Antoine groaned, and Bunnie increased her speed. "Just hang in there, silly boy. Y'all are gonna be just fine, and then ah'm gonan give you one heckuva scoldin' for doin' somethin' crazy like that!"
"Fathair…" Antoine mumbled. "Eet wasn't your fault…"
Bunnie frowned, and remained silent the rest of the way back to the Downunda base.