"A Rabbot's Tale" Authors: Robert Brown and Francis Tolbert Disclaimer: This story uses characters created and copyrighted by Sega of America, Inc. and Archie Comics (except where noted, in which case they were created and copyrighted by us.) The authors hereby give permission for this story to be downloaded and/or printed at 1 copy per user. Any attempt to steal ownership or make profit from this story will be considered a violation of copyright law. Author's Note: Hey again ppl! You'll probably be seeing Author's Notes at the beginning of each story(a habit picked up from my favorite author Piers Anthony). If these things get too long or boring, let me know and I'll probably stop. Otherwise, just skip ahead to where you see the number. But now for why I'm writing this. It's come to my attention from re-reading the stories on Bookshire's page that some of our characters bear a name resemblance to other characters you've read on here. I assure you that is where it ends. All of our stories will either contain characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon series (ABC), the Sonic the Hedgehog video games, or are my or my friend's creation. These characters were in place long before I encountered this page. As mentioned in our first story, these stories are going to be chronological only concerning the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon series as first broadcast on ABC. We are not intentionally following or using any plotline here or in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series as published by Archie Comics. We will more than likely make reference to things that were in the comics and not in the cartoon. For instance, we have just recently learned that Acorn is Sally's family name and that Antoine is a fox. But that is the only concession we make to the comics. If we are unconsciously drawing from other storylines, or state something which is in direct confrontation with accepted facts about known characters, please e-mail me and let me know, and we will do our best to correct the situation, if it becomes one. While revising this story, I came across another piece of information which is going to conflict with things elsewhere. I don't know if this is in the comic book, again, we don't read them, but in some stories, Princess Sally is referred to as a ground squirrel. In our stories, we treat her as a vixen. This is because Sally's father in both "Blast to the Past" episodes and the "Void" episode is most definitely a fox. We have discussed both points of view at length, but decided to keep Sally as a vixen in our stories. Two last things. Characters marked with three asterisks are my creation. Those with three "pound signs" are my friend Francis'. Also, I'm not saying all this to try to sound superior or snotty. I'm just trying to figure out all I can about this cartoon and sidestep any problems that may occur before they do. All we want is for you, the readers, to read our stories and enjoy them. Happy reading. Robert Brown Cast of characters(in order of appearance) Antoine Bunnie Rabbot Miles "Tails" Prower Sonic Hedgehog Rotor Dulcy Princess Sally Acorn Dr. Robotnik Snively "Princess" Sondra "Acorn"*** #2 Antoine knocked on the door to Bunnie's hut, a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a water balloon in the other. It had been less than a week since their re-admissions of love for one another, but already Antoine felt renewed. A part of him had been missing since that terrible occurrence eight years ago, one he hadn't even been aware of until its return. And now, he was determined it would never be lost again. Antoine knocked again, growing just a tad impatient. He knew she was home; he had seen her walk in just moments before. He knew he was early for their date, but he wanted to surprise her. He tried the doorknob. The door swung open silently. Antoine poked his head inside. "Bunnie?" he called cautiously. Bunnie's hut was well-furnished; a rarity in these times. She had apparently been able to salvage most of her family's possessions after Robotnik took over. Where she had found them and how she had got them, he would probably never know. Singing from behind a door caught his attention. Antoine smiled. Bunnie was singing a song he had taught her when they were children. It was the first thing he had given her to show his affection. Perhaps it was not so surprising she remembered it after all this time. Antoine allowed himself to relive some moments from the past before his past self took over. Laying the flowers he had brought on a nearby table, he clutched the water balloon in his hand and crept toward the closed door, trying not to make a sound. It felt good making people laugh again, but the water balloon gag wasn't nearly as funny as it was eight years ago. Perhaps it was time to update his tricks. A loose floorboard creaked under his weight, and Antoine froze immediately. Bunnie's singing stopped for a split second. Antoine held his breath, thinking that even that sound would give him away. After an almost interminable delay, or so it seemed to Antoine, Bunnie resumed singing as if she had heard nothing. Antoine let loose his breath in a barely audible sigh of relief and continued creeping. So engrossed was he in his own movements and Bunnie's singing that he never noticed the other sound from behind the door: the sound of running water. Antoine crouched outside the door, hand on the doorknob, listening to her sing. Her southern accent combined with the words of "Frere Jacques" to create an interesting, but not unpleasant, melody. He smiled as her voice sent a wave of chills from the base of his spine up to his head. Yes, he thought, it was good to be back in love. He tensed in his crouch, ready to spring the trap. He pictured her face when he jumped in and nailed her with the balloon. Of course she would be furious, but it would give her an excuse to chase him, something she had taken a liking to this past week. Antoine threw open the door, springing from his crouch and yelling, "Gotcha, Bun..." His voice trailed off and the water balloon fell from his suddenly nerveless hand. His jaw fell slack and his eyes bulged as he used the doorknob to support his weight and keep from falling. There, standing in front of him, with an expression of mixed surprise and disbelief on her face, was Bunnie. She was caught completely off-guard by Antoine's intrusion, and completely in the nude. She had spent the day clearing trees knocked over by a storm before Sally had ordered her to go home. She had just been taking a shower to help relax her stiff and weary joints before going out with Antoine later that evening. It didn't matter that most of the joints were metal, they had been waterproofed by Rotor almost the day she had got them, and a hot shower helped just the same; it was a psychological thing. But the last thing she had expected to happen was this! Antoine just stood there, not wanting to look, yet unable to turn away. He backed up ever so slowly, apologizing profusely though no words could be understood through his accent. His face was as red as a beet, and the color was starting to extend downward. What jarred him into faster motion was the look of anger that crossed Bunnie's face and the fact that her left hand, the robotic one, was curling up into a fist. Antoine burst through Bunnie's door, screaming like Death himself was chasing him. Bunnie immediately followed, wrapped in a couple of towels she had grabbed on instinct. She stood in her doorway, screaming curses at Antoine and throwing some very heavy objects at him with deadly accuracy. Antoine zigged and zagged, barely avoiding the missiles, as he headed for the sanctuary of the Great Forest. Bunnie, down to her last shot, hefted a nearby boulder and launched it. Immediately, she was sorry she did. Her aim was too true, the stone too large. Antoine would be crushed beneath it, and she could do nothing but watch as it arced through the air toward her beloved. What happened next, only Bunnie was witness to. Sensing his doom, Antoine dived out of the way as the boulder came smashing down. Bunnie winced as it came down on his right arm flush, knowing it would smash his bones to powder in seconds. The boulder impacted Antoine's upper arm with a bone-breaking thud. But instead, the boulder broke cleanly at the point of impact and crashed to the ground in two separate halves. Antoine glanced momentarily at the boulder, then looked quickly around to see if anyone had seen what had just happened. He ran off into the forest, pumping his arms as if the boulder had never even touched him. Bunnie's mouth opened in a small "o" of wonder. She walked back inside her hut, bemused and confused. By all rights, Antoine's arm should have been crushed beyond the point of saving. Of course, she was glad it wasn't; saved her from a nasty guilt trip, but it made no sense. Bunnie hated when things didn't make sense. Bunnie considered it as she dried off and got dressed. She made up her mind to track down and find Antoine for two reasons. First, she wanted to know what had just happened. Second, she wanted to apologize for losing her cool. She really did not mind being viewed by Antoine like that; she had, in fact, secretly desired it for years. It was just that she had wanted it to be on her terms, not by accident. She went outside her room and saw the unbroken water balloon lying by the bathroom door. "I might just have a use for this later," she thought and put it carefully in a pocket of her jumpsuit and walked after Antoine, forcing herself to go slow. She knew he could not have gone far, but she wanted to give him a chance to recover from his fear and didn't want to seem like she was coming after him for blood. Just after entering the Great Forest, she came upon Tails leaning heavily against a tree. His eyes were making small circles and his tails twitched in obvious discomfort. "Tails, honey," Bunnie said, concerned, "wha' happened?" "I'll...be right with you, Bunnie," he said, trying to focus on her. "All three of you." He shook his head violently, trying to clear the cobwebs. "I hate it when that happens," he muttered and sat down against the tree. "Wha' happened?" Bunnie asked, sitting down next to him. "I was practicing my flying when Antoine ran by me like a bat outta Hell! Knocked me into a literal tailspin." He clapped his hands over his mouth. "You ain't gonna tell Aunt Sally I cursed, are you Aunt Bunnie?" Tails asked, using his most innocent voice. "Sonic'll get in real trouble." "That innocent routine ain't gonna work much longer, sugah," Bunnie said, laughing. "We all know you're just about comin' of age. Have you had that 'talk' yet with Sonic?" Tails made a face like he had just tasted something really sour. "Uh-uh, no way. I don't ever wanna grow up and date GIRLS!" He spat that last out. "Besides, I don't think Sonic wants to have that talk with me. He gets all nervous whenever Sally mentions it." "Figures with that sugar-hog. Always nervous about that subject, even with us grown-ups." She held her smile a moment longer, then her face turned serious. "But I can't figure out why you don't wanna grow up. Why when I was younger than you, I couldn't wait to grow up!" "How come you never talk about that?" Tails asked, quickly changing the subject. "I've never heard you talk about your life before you got roboticized. How exactly did that happen?" Bunnie grimaced slightly, but almost immediately returned to her cheerful self. "I'm not one much for talkin' 'bout stuff like that," she said slowly, choosing her words. "It's kind of a painful subject." "Aw, c'mon Aunt Bunnie," Tails cajoled, turning on the charm. "You know what Sally says. 'Sometimes the only way to heal a wound is to reopen it.'" Bunnie gave Tails a crooked half-smile, sending them both into fits of laughter. "My stars, Tails, you're gonna be a heartbreaker real soon with the girls, whether you like it or not," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "OK, you win. I'll tell you about it, but only if you promise not to interrupt." Tails held his left hand up. "I promise," he said solemnly, "cross my heart and hope to die. Just don't hold me to that. Now, tell me." Bunnie settled back against the tree. "I'm not surprised you don't remember this Tails, seein' as you were only two or three at the time. Hope you don't mind, but there are some gaps that I can't fill in. I was out for part of this, and only Antoine knows the rest." "What does Antoine have to do with this?" Tails asked. "Was I to be hearing my name?" Antoine asked, walking out from behind a bush. Seeing Bunnie, he started backing away. "M-Maybe I should be, how you say, juicing?" "Hold it right there, you," Bunnie yelled, standing up and marching toward a suddenly motionless Antoine. "I have some unfinished business with you concerning that prank of yours today." "Oh goody, a fight." Tails got on his knees, both tails wagging in anticipation. "B-B-Bunnie, I assure you, I did not mean to..." Bunnie stifled Antoine's reply with a big, wet, sloppy kiss. "Eeew, gross!" Tails remarked, tongue sticking out. "Don't you guys ever get tired of that stuff?" Bunnie pulled away after a moment. "Forgive me?" she asked, looking into his eyes. Antoine cleared his throat, flustered. "I am ze one who should be asking you zat question," he said. Bunnie waved it off. "Come over here and sit down, lover. I was just about to tell Tails how you saved me from being roboticized, and I need you to fill in the blanks." "Saved you?!" Tails exclaimed. "This I gotta hear." Antoine's face grew very serious. "Are you sure you are ready for zees?" he asked, sitting down with her on his lap. "You do not have to be doing this yet." "I know, I know, but I've held all this inside for too long, and it's getting near the boilin' point." "Hey," a voice called from above, "can we join the party?" All three looked up and saw Sonic and Rotor riding Dulcy with Sally flying along beside them. Dulcy came in for a landing and, with Sally's guidance, managed to land safely. "You get a better feel for this when you see it from her perspective," Sally remarked, landing beside Dulcy as the men got off. She looked at Antoine holding Bunnie and sighed. "I'd forgotten how close you two were back then," she said, smiling. "Y'know, in a way, I almost miss you and Sonic fighting over me, Antoine," she said in mock seriousness. "Too bad, Sally girl," Bunnie said jokingly. "I finally got him back, and I ain't never letting him go." Everyone had a good laugh at that. Bunnie might have forgotten why they were there if Tails hadn't cleared his throat. "Aunt Bunnie was just about to tell me how she got roboticized, Aunt Sally," he said. "No kiddin' little bro?" Sonic asked, sitting near Tails. "Hey, mind if we stay and listen?" "Yeah," Rotor said, "you two have been awfully tight-lipped about this. And I never did believe that story you cooked up, Antoine." Bunnie looked at Antoine and he shrugged. "I guess, how you say, ze dog is out of ze bag." "That's 'cat' Antoine," Bunnie admonished softly, wagging a finger in his face. "Y'all make yourselves comfy, and I'll get this story started." "Oh goody," Dulcy said, "story time." She sat down next to Tails and curled her tail around her legs. Rotor sat next to Dulcy and Sally jumped on Sonic's lap. "You OK, sugar-hog?" Bunnie asked, seeing Sonic's look of pain. "Yeah, fine," Sonic replied in a slightly higher pitched voice. He cleared his throat. "Man, Sally," he said, his voice back to normal, "you puttin' on weight? Must be all those chili dogs you been scarfin'." "Excuse me, Sonic Hedgehog?" Sally said, looking at him in fake shock. "You're the one that got me started with them, so you got to deal with the consequences. Besides, you ain't all that thin yourself." "I think you both need to go on a diet," Bunnie said, laughing. "Maybe you could come and train with Antoine and me." "Actually, that's not such a bad idea, Bunnie," Sally replied. The two females would have probably launched into an entire discussion on the merits of learning the martial arts if Tails had not voiced his impatience. "Would you stop stallin' and get on with the story?" he asked, his anger obvious in his voice. "Tails!" Sally said in her most motherly tone. "You have no call to talk to Bunnie like that. "Apologize immediately!" "No, Sal, Tails is right. If I don' get on with this story, I might just lose my nerve altogether." "How could you to be losing your nerves?" Antoine asked, slightly confused. No one paid him any attention, and he chalked it up to not keeping up on Mobian slang. Bunnie sighed as everyone settled back and got comfortable. Tails, grateful to Bunnie for that bailout, found that if he closed his eyes, he could see the events unfold as Bunnie and Antoine described them. Eight years ago, when everyone but Tails was eight or nine, Bunnie had been a cute little kid, or so she thought, and ever anxious to grow up. She had been trying on different clothes all day, finally settling on the purple jumpsuit she is known for wearing today. She was on her way to ask her best friend in the world, Princess Sally, what she thought when she heard an all too familiar whistling sound. Quickly stepping aside, she watched as a water balloon flew through the air and exploded on the ground right where she had been standing. "You're gettin' slow, Antoine!" she called into the treetops. A dissatisfied rustle of leaves told her she had just identified her attacker. With a smug smile, she continued toward Sally's hut, glad she had finally caused Antoine to miss. Just as she took her first step, her foot brushed against a fine wire stretched out between two trees. "Uh-oh," she thought, looking skyward. A bucket that had been precariously perched on a limb of a nearby tree tipped over, spilling its contents. A gallon of ice-cold water fell on Bunnie and she just stood there letting it drip down her body and soak her suit. The final insult came when the bucket fell and landed upside-down on her head. Someone jumped from the tree and landed beside her, laughing. "Ah, mademoiselle Bunnie," Antoine said between laughs, "it appears you are having a new nickname to match your new clothes. I am thinking we should now call you 'Le Buckethead'!" He tapped the bucket a few times and walked away, laughing. Bunnie lifted the bucket off her head and glared at Antoine's back. "One of these days you'll get what's a-comin' to you, Antoine!" she yelled, but he only laughed harder. Bucket in hand, she stalked over to Sally's hut and slammed the door behind her. Sally looked up from her computer, Nicole, and saw Bunnie seething. "Antoine gotcha again?" she inquired offhandedly. Bunnie threw the bucket in a corner and flopped on the bed. "I swear, Sally girl, Antoine is dearly starting to tick me off," she said, head buried in a pillow. Sally closed up Nicole and sat next to Bunnie, not minding the fact Bunnie was soaking the entire bed. "I feel the same way about Sonic," she said consolingly, laying a comforting hand on her friend's back. "Sometimes he can be so frustrating, but I do love him." Bunnie sat up and looked at Sally. "Sally girl, why is it that the boy a girl like us wants to give her heart to is always the one who annoys her most?" Sally smiled. "Because that's the only way immature boys like them can express their feelings for us mature women," doing her best impression of their nanny, Rosie. Bunnie tried to hold a straight face, but couldn't. She and Sally dissolved into laughter, hugging each other to keep from falling on the floor. "To hear us talk," Bunnie said, still giggling, "everyone would think we're a couple o' ol' biddies instead of eight-year-olds." "Yeah, I know," Sally said, her mirth subsiding. "But these are hard times, Bunnie. Like it or not, I am still Princess, and I have to act like it. I'm the only member of the ruling family still alive, and everyone's looking to me for guidance. Besides, with most of our families gone, we've had to take over as role models for the younger ones. Like Miles, for instance. We found him all alone in the Great Forest, no memory of how he got there or who his parents are. The only ones he's opened up to so far are me and Sonic. Sonic isn't the greatest role model on Mobius, so I can't let him down." "A strange one, that Miles, with two tails and all. What do you think it could mean Sally?" "I don't know about that, but I do know one thing. Maybe it's time for this princess to stop being so prim and proper and help her best friend get revenge on a certain annoying male with a penchant for pranks." Bunnie's smile turned wicked. "Now that's the Sally I know and love. So, what're we gonna do to him?" Sally's face stayed neutral, but her eyes glinted mischievously. She put her arm around Bunnie's shoulders and drew her close. She spoke in low, whispered tones, during which Bunnie's eyes lighted up in pleasure. When she had finished, she leaned back and let Bunnie soak it all in. Bunnie looked at Sally in amazement. "I never knew you had such a mean streak in that li'l ol' body of yours, Sally girl," Bunnie said in mock disapproval. "Glad you approve," Sally replied, grinning evilly. "Now, you go set it up and I'll lure our target in. Looks like Antoine is about to find out that payback can be such a bitch." "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute!" Tails exclaimed, opening his eyes and sitting up immediately. "Aunt Sally actually said that??" "I thought you said you weren't gonna interrupt, sugah," Bunnie said, tilting her head slightly. "I also said don't hold me to that promise. So did she really say that?" Bunnie chuckled to herself. "Yep, she did. Just came right out and said it. Probably wouldn't've remembered it, if it wasn't for the fact that it was so out of character for her." "Thanks a lot Bunnie," Sally muttered as Tails looked at her, eyes wide in amazement and the corners of his mouth twitching as if they expected him to break out in a huge smile anytime. "Looks like he gotcha this time, Sal," Sonic said with a laugh. Sally poked him in his ribs with an elbow, cutting off the laughter. "Yes, Tails, I did curse, but there was a good reason for it at the time," she said, thinking fast. "But you were even younger than I am now, and you said there are no good reasons for a kid to curse." "Umm...er...continue your story, Bunnie," Sally said nervously, purposely avoiding Tails' gaze. Tails sat back as Bunnie picked up her tale and closed his eyes in satisfaction. He had the feeling that one of Sally's favorite restrictions to place on him had just been rescinded, and he was looking forward to exploiting it in every possible way. Bunnie grabbed the bucket from the corner and took off for the Great Forest while Sally walked around, trying to find Antoine. She stopped by the Power Ring Pool and filled it to the brim. As soon as she reached the spot Sally had described, she climbed up a tree and placed the bucket between two branches. She tied a rope to the handle and threw it over a branch of a tree across the path. She half slid, half fell to the ground and hid near where the rope was hanging. She settled herself down to wait, hoping it wouldn't be that long before Sally got Antoine there, but determined to wait no matter how long it was. Antoine took over telling the story at this point. He was sitting in the shade of a tree, contemplating a water balloon he held in his hands. He liked Bunnie, liked her a whole lot, and she knew it too. Whenever they weren't busy with other things, they were almost as inseparable as Sonic and Sally. But while those two always bickered, he and Bunnie were able to show their feelings more. He sighed contentedly and closed his eyes. What he and Bunnie shared was more than friendship, that much he knew. But love? What did he know about love anyway? He was only nine, just turned nine in fact. But the feelings she stirred inside his heart were indescribable. They had used the term "love" when referring to each other before and it seemed right, but he had always wondered. "Maybe I should go to be asking Rosie for advice," he thought. Just then, someone grabbed the water balloon out of his hands. He opened his eyes and saw Sally standing there, tossing the balloon up and down in one hand. "Eez there somezing I can do for you, Princess?" he asked quietly. "Just sitting there will be fine, Antoine," she said, smiling slightly. "It's payback time." She reared back and lobbed the balloon at Antoine's head. Almost lazily, Antoine reached up and caught the balloon without breaking it. "You really should not try to be doing things for which you are having no stomach for," he said, as if toying with her. "Please allow me to be showing you how to properly drench someone." He jumped to his feet just as Sally ran off. He walked slowly after her, knowing that even if he didn't find her now, he would always see her later. He heard a loud crash and a yell of pain just behind a hut to his left. He calmly walked around it and saw Sonic and Sally lying in a heap on the ground. "Hey, why don't you watch where you're goin' Sal?" Sonic asked, trying to get out from underneath her. "Me watch where I'm going? Why don't you watch where I'm going?" "Typical female logic. Now will you get off me?" Sally stood and helped Sonic stand, more biting remarks on her lips. Seeing Sonic wince in pain and pick a foot up, though, her expression changed from anger to concern. "Sonic, you're hurt!" "No duh," he said, limping over to a bench. "Musta turned my ankle when we collided." "Where were you going so fast anyway?" "Did you forget? It's time for your princess lessons. Rosie sent me to fetch you and believe me, she's not in a good mood at the moment." "Omigosh, I did forget. Sonic, this is important. Bunnie's waiting for me in the forest. You gotta find her and tell her to forget the prank. I gotta run. Thanks Sonic." She gave him a quick kiss and ran off toward Rosie's hut. "Please do not be concerning yourself with this, Sonic," Antoine said. "I overheard what Sally told you, and I would be happy to tell Bunnie." "Thanks Ant. I better go have one of the adults look at this ankle." He got up and limped unsteadily toward a nearby hut. "Man, I hate walking," Antoine heard him say as he disappeared inside. Antoine walked toward the Great Forest, humming happily. He had had a feeling that Sally was trying to set him up, and now he had a chance to turn the tables on Bunnie. He searched the treetops as he walked and saw a bucket pretty well-hidden among some branches. "Clever," he thought, taking to the trees himself, "but not quite clever enough. I think I will just wait here until Bunnie gets impatient and have some fun." An hour passed, and Bunnie stayed put. Another hour passed with similar results. Antoine had to give her credit, even he did not have this much patience with most of his pranks, unless they were big ones. He mulled it over and decided to let Bunnie off the hook. He was just about to jump down and trigger the trap when a siren caught his attention. Antoine froze in terror. He knew that sound; it was a SWATbot in a hover ship, searching for more animals to roboticize. He stayed perfectly still, hoping that it would merely pass over him and saw Bunnie doing the same. He watched as the hovership flew right past him and breathed a sigh of relief. Then, in horror, he realized that it was flying right into the rope Bunnie had strung across the path. He tried to call out to Bunnie to warn her, but his throat constricted and he could make no sound. The ship flew into the rope, pulling down the bucket and forcing Bunnie onto the path; she had forgotten to let go. The ship stopped immediately and two SWATbots stepped out. "FREEZE ORGANIC LIFEFORM," one intoned as the other grabbed for Bunnie. Still frozen in terror, Bunnie could not move or get out of the way, and so was easily captured. Fear for Bunnie's life prompted him to action. As the SWATbots carried her inside the ship, Antoine leaped on top of it and rode it all the way to Robotropolis. Left behind on the forest floor, now forgotten, was the water balloon Antoine had carried. Once the ship docked in the holding bay, Antoine jumped off and hid behind some crates. He watched in silence as the robots brought Bunnie out of the ship, now struggling for her life. They started walking toward an open doorway when they suddenly snapped to attention and Bunnie went limp with shock. Antoine peered around the crates and caught his breath when he saw Robotnik standing there with Snively by his side. "Well done, SWATbot unit three," he said in a whispery voice. He grabbed Bunnie's chin and lifted her face up to meet his. "Well, well child. Do you know what fate awaits you?" Bunnie shivered in terror and huddled up into a ball. A cruel smile spread across his face. But then, slowly, Bunnie's face hardened in determination and she straightened herself out. She shook her face free from Robotnik's hand and stared at him hard. "Whatever y'all are gonna do to me, get on with it," she spat. "I may be just a kid, but I ain't gonna give you no satisfaction from seeing me squirm Ro-BUTT-nik!!" "Such fire and spirit! I must say I am impressed. Snively, arrange for this animal to be put in a holding cell and energize the roboticizer. She will serve me well as a worker-bot." "Yes, Sir," Snively said in a nasal tone as Robotnik walked off to continue his tour. "SWATbot unit three, take the prisoner to cell 13-A immediately." "YES, SIR," the robots droned. As they left, Snively stood watching, a smirk on his face. Seizing his opportunity, Antoine crept up from behind and grabbed Snively. Snively opened his mouth to call the guards, but Antoine clapped his hand over his mouth. He dragged Snively behind the crates and held him on the ground, still covering his mouth. "You are going to tell me where they have taken Bunnie," Antoine said, the hardness of his voice obliterating every trace of an accent, "and you are going to tell me now, or by all that I believe in, you will not see another sunrise." Snively gulped, sweat pouring down his face. "Through that hall, third left, can't miss her," he gasped when Antoine moved his hand from Snively's mouth. Antoine shoved him into the floor and ran down that hallway as fast as he could. "Intruder alert!" Snively's voice came over the intercom. "All units to cell block A at once!" Antoine knew he didn't have much time. He found Bunnie's cell and ran to it. "Antoine!" Bunnie yelled gladly. "What the hoo-ha are y'all doin' here?" "There is being no time for that now," he said, trying to break the lock. "There are SWATbots coming." When the lock wouldn't give, he fiddled with the control panel entering in numbers at random. After the third try, he smashed his fist into the panel in frustration. Instantly, a paralyzing jolt of electricity shot though him, rendering him instantly unconscious. "Antoine!!!" Bunnie screamed in fright. She tried to tear through the bars, screaming his name like a wild woman. Just then, a unit of SWATbots came around the corner and charged up to the cell. Seeing Antoine lying there, the robot in the lead held a scanner next to him while two others unlocked Bunnie's cell and cornered her. "TARGET TERMINATED," it said. "NO!!!!!" Bunnie screamed. She tried to get to Antoine but was caught between the two SWATbots. "Send cleanup crew to block A, cell 13," the robot continued into a communicator in its forearm. "TAKE HER TO THE ROBOTICIZER," it told its two companions. "ANTOINE!!!!!!!" Bunnie yelled at the top of her lungs as they dragged as off. "No..." Sobs wracked her body as she passed out, exhausted. The electrical jolt Antoine had suffered had sent his body into a state of shock. He was still alive, but his body had for all intents and purposes shut down. When he heard Bunnie scream his name, though, it was as if he had been hit by another jolt. Antoine rolled over on his side, coughing spasmodically. He was weak from lack of oxygen and his right arm tingled painfully, but he was glad to be alive. Antoine stood up unsteadily. He staggered in the direction he thought they had taken Bunnie, following the sound of footfalls. Whether by luck or skill, Antoine found the roboticizer room just as Bunnie was being strapped to the table. "Stand back," Snively told the robots, "the roboticizer is ready to go." The hum of machinery filled the air and a purple beam began the slow trek from the bottom of Bunnie's feet to the top of her head. Antoine shook free the remaining cobwebs and ran into the room. "Yah! A ghost!" Snively exclaimed as he jumped from his seat. A SWATbot grabbed for Antoine, but he shoved it aside, causing it to tip over. The SWATbot fell into a control console and shorted out the machine, filling the room with smoke. In the ensuing confusion, Antoine felt his way to Bunnie and freed her from the table. Just as he picked her up, a short blast fired from the roboticizer, catching Antoine in his still tingling right arm. He winced as it struck, expecting to see his arm roboticized. It was not however. "Must have misfired somehow," he thought and ran out of the room. He somehow made it to the loading bay, and set Bunnie down against the side of a hovership. He fiddled with its keypad and managed to get the door open. He turned around for Bunnie, but he stopped in shock. She had been partially roboticized! Both legs and her left arm were now gleaming metal. But curiously enough, her right arm and torso were untouched. And when he picked her up, he found that her groin and backside had also been spared. "Freeze, fox," a whispery voice said behind him. He turned and saw Robotnik aiming a laser rifle at him. "Don't move, or this time you really will be dead." Antoine had a split second to decide what to do. He dived into the ship as Robotnik fired. The laser hit his right arm, and bounced off, striking Robotnik in his good arm. "All SWATbots, open fire!" Robotnik screamed, obviously in pain. This time, it was Rotor's turn to interrupt. "Wait a minute," he said, scratching his head as Tails opened his eyes, "bounced off your arm? How can that be? Your arm should've been toast!" "Oh yeah," Bunnie said, twisting around so she could look at Antoine's face. "When I threw that boulder at you today, it hit that arm and split in two. How come?" "You threw a boulder at him?" Sonic asked. "What made you do that? Did he catch you in the shower or something?" Both Bunnie and Antoine immediately turned such a bright shade of red that everyone there knew that Sonic had hit the nail on the head. Everyone just stared at the speechless couple, speechless for their own reasons. Bunnie found her voice first. "Well sugar-hog, that story will keep for another time. Antoine still has to explain about his arm." "Oui, oui," Antoine said quickly, anxious to get off the subject. "It seems that the electric volt I received protected my arm from being roboticized. Or at least, that is what I was thinking. I figured out that my arm is normal blood and flesh until, how you say, the adrenaline rushes?" Antoine rolled up his right sleeve. He grabbed Bunnie suddenly and kissed her hard. Bunnie was taken aback for a few seconds, but soon was kissing Antoine just as hard. Everyone there wondered what this was all about, but they soon got their answer. Small bolts of purple lightning surrounded Antoine's arm. In seconds, his entire upper right arm was cold metal. "Voila!" Antoine said as he pulled away from Bunnie. Everyone stared wordlessly at Antoine's arm. "Why didn't you tell someone about that, Antoine?" Tails asked. "That, my friend, will be revealed in the next part of the story. Please to be having some patience while I conclude our tale." Antoine laid Bunnie in a chair and just started hitting buttons at random. The engines roared to life and the ship rose above the ground. He somehow managed to guide it out of Robotropolis and flew it into the Great Forest where he promptly crashed. He dragged Bunnie out of the wreckage just as the residents of Knothole were gathering. "Antoine? What happened?" Sally asked. "I found Bunnie in here," he called, lying through his teeth. "She was muttering somezing about becoming captured by Robotnik and escaping half of the way." Seeing Bunnie over his shoulder, partially roboticized, no one questioned his story, and they all hurried her back to Knothole. Antoine had decided not to let anyone know what had truly happened. He blamed himself for everything, and bore his cross in silence. "Wow!" Tails said, regarding Antoine with newfound respect. "Then what happened?" "Well," Bunnie said, picking up again now that she recovered from Antoine's kiss, "without going into too much detail, I woke up the next morning and almost lost my sanity when I saw what ol' Ro-butt-nik did to me. I just wanted to give up and be completely roboticized so as I wouldn' be a freak. But Sally wouldn' let me. She made sure I found the strength each morning to get up and keep going. Took me a long while to adjust to my new bod, but it was all worth it in the end." "Musta been hard, huh Aunt Bunnie?" "Not really, sugah. Everyone helped me through it in some way, except Antoine, who stayed away from me the whole time. I thought he blamed himself for not being able to saving me in time, but now I know the whole story." "Oui, oui. I blamed my own fyoolishness and recklessness for causing what happened to Bunnie, and I vowed never to let it happen again. The only way I figured that could happen was if I forced myself out of love with her, and acted like a coward from then on. But I was only partially successful." "So that's why you started chasing me?" Sally asked, nodding her head as if she had jsut found the final piece to a puzzle which had eluded her for years. "I thought it was you couldn't handle the way Bunnie looked, and that's why you kept getting a cold shoulder from me." Antoine nodded. "Ah, but if you had known, you would have tried to, how you say, set us up again. I could not be allowing that thing to happen. I never stopped loving her, I just buried it." "And I couldn't say nothin' 'cause it was too painful. I was just glad to be alive and that Ant was alive. I tried confronting him about this after all the hubbub had died down, but he didn't want to be near me. That hurt more than anything Robotnik coulda done to me." A tear crept from her eye. Antoine hugged her closer. "Do not worry, my love. I will never let you go again." "Awesome, Ant," Sonic said, the awe audible in his voice. "I never thought you had it in you. Way past cool." "It was nothing, Sonic. Besides the point, you would have been doing the same thing for Sally. Yes no?" "Of course," Sonic said, "but don't downplay what you did. I once heard that a true hero is the last person to realize that he is a hero." "Why Sonic," Sally said, affecting surprise, "I never knew you could be so deep." She gave him a little hug of encouragement. "So, what do you plan on doing now, mister hero?" Antoine smiled a smile Sally hadn't seen on him in years. "Other than spending as much time as possible with my precious little doe here, I am thinking that maybe it is past time for "The Prankster", as you used to call me, to return." The others looked uneasily at one another, not entirely thrilled with his answer. Bunnie sighed and looked at Antoine. "Well, I guess I'll just have to welcome him back," her voice dropped to a sultry level and her eyelids closed halfway, "with a special gift." Antoine's smile broadened as he drew Bunnie in for another kiss, never noticing that she was reaching into her pocket at the same time. Sploosh! Bunnie smashed the water balloon into Antoine's face. "Welcome back!" she said happily as everyone started laughing. Antoine sat there, frowning. "How could I be falling for the oldest play in the book?" he said unhappily. "Maybe I should better to be brushing up on my technicals." Bunnie was going to correct him when a loud crack as of thunder split the air. Everyone searched the sky and, seeing no clouds, looked at each other worriedly. Everyone except Dulcy, that is, who had fallen asleep during the last part of the story. "Five more minutes, Mom," she murmured, sticking her thumb in her mouth. Another crack sounded, louder this time. Dulcy awoke with a start. "I'm up, I'm up." she said. "Sounds like it came from there," Rotor said, standing up and walking toward the sound. The rest followed and in a few seconds came upon what looked like a ball of purplish-blue quills in the center of a blasted out circle. Sally walked up and touched it, jumping back when it moved. The bundle unfolded to reveal a diminuitive female hedgehog. Her face looked like that of an eleven-year-old, but her body was already very well formed. She was injured severely; scartches and bruises covered her body. Her clothes were torn and partially missing, but Sally could tell that her dress had once been quite regal in nature. "Dulcy, get her back to Knothole, quick," Sally said. "We'll follow on foot." "Gotcha Sal." Dulcy picked her up and placed her on her back. "But who's gonna keep her from falling?" "I'll do it," Tails said quickly. Without waiting for permission, he climbed on Dulcy's back and she took off, winging for Knothole. Unseen by everyone, the female hedgehog opened her eyes for just a moment. In that moment, her eyes sparkled with all the colors of a light passing through a faceted crystal, then she shut them again and played it off as if she were unconscious. "C'mon guys, let's get back," Sonic said, and took off at full speed. Sally was about to follow when Rotor held her back. "Hey Sally, take a look at this," Rotor said after the others had left. He held up a small golden ring that looked suspiciously like the one she always wore on her finger. Sally grabbed it from his hand. "This is my family's signet ring!" she said, shocked. "Where did you get it?" "It fell off that girl's finger," he said. Sally took off her own ring and held the two together. She could not tell any difference between them. "But this is impossible," she thought, laying them down on a nearby tree stump. She took her computer from her boot and opened her up. "Nicole," she said, voice shaking slightly, "scan these two rings for any differences other than size." "Scanning now, Sally," Nicole answered, followed by a few beeps. "I didn't want to mention this before," Rotor said slowly, "but when I first got here, it looked like a Void portal was closing up." Sally's mouth opened as she tried to form the words to her next question. "Scan complete, Sally," Nicole interrupted. "The rings are 98.5% similar, not including size. The only difference lies in the inscription on the band." Sally picked up both rings. On the hedgehog's ring, in her father's own handwriting, were inscribed the words, "Princess Sondra Acorn". A tear appeared at Sally's eye, but she brushed it away in anger. Without another word, she placed her ring back on her finger and stalked back to Knothole. She had the feeling someone was playing a joke, a cruel terrible joke, and she did not like it one bit. If she found out this was a hoax, someone would pay, and pay dearly. But what if it wasn't? What was this girl was doing with a signet ring, especially since they were obviously not related. This girl, Sondra, looked more like she could be related to Sonic than a vixen like herself. But Nicole had confirmed that it was real, which meant she could have only have gotten it from her father. She didn't see how it was possible, but Rotor had said he saw a Void portal. Sondra had not begun to turn to crystal, but then neither did Ari. Maybe she hadn't been in long. Maybe her father was trying to send a message. She hoped the girl would recover so she could ask. Until then, all she could do was wait. But that...is itself...another story.