"Iridal's Tear"
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 or by another and we have
permission to use them). The authors hereby give permission for
this story to be downloaded and/or printed at 1 copy per user as
long as (1) no changes to the story are made without our express
written(not e-mailed) permission and (2) no attempt is made to
profit from this story. If either or both rules are violated, it
will be considered a violation of copyright law.
Author's Note: First things first. I want to apologize to any of our fans who
did not receive an e-mail from me after writing to us. As many of you know,
Francis and I live in New York City, so the effects of September 11th hit very
close to home. Fact is, I was supposed to be there that morning, but I slept
in really late. That experience can change a person's life fairly quickly.
But in addition, my sister has recently been diagnosed with cancer, and my
father has just had a minor heart attack. Both are OK, but as one might guess
the last few months have been very draining on me.
Another change taking place in my life is the fact that I am
returning to college this February to get my degree. It's been a long time
since I've been in a classroom, but if I get through these last 2 classes I
will graduate in June 2002. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it.
As far as Francis is concerned, he's doing well. There's still
no trouble with his transplanted kidney, and it's now been almost three and a
half years. He wants to thank everyone for the support they've given over the
years, and we promise to keep you better updated through faster stories. Take
care everyone, and till next time, Happy Reading!
Cast of Characters (in order of appearance)
Maurice Hedgehog***
Patricia Hedgehog***
The Unholy One***
Tanin###
Destín###
Maxwell###
Hugo###
Krella###
Charisma###
Nadia Osaya***
Donovan Osaya###
Sir Charles Hedgehog
Tanis Shi-rat***
Rosie Shi-rat
Angela Shi-rat***
Prince Juice Hedgehog***
Darrin D'Coolette***
Princess Alicia Rose Hedgehog***
Desirée D'Coolette***
Queen Sally Alicia Hedgehog
King Sonic Hedgehog
DJ Osaya###
Antoine D'Coolette
Bunnie D'Coolette
Knuckles Echidna
Julie-Su Echidna
James Echidna***
#31
Just outside the Desolate Sands lay a range of snow-topped mountains
known to some as the Icy Peaks. While the name was quite accurate, it did not
tell the whole story. In the lee of the mountains, the sides where no wind
blows and which face the Sands, the rocky outcroppings are as dry and hot as
the Sands themselves. But with all the rock around, the heat continues well
into the night and the next morning, where the sun starts the process all over
again.
Legends have been told about these mountains, speaking of ruins with
immense power, more than has ever been found on Mobius before. It is here we
find a group of tents, far away from the comforts and familiarity of home,
looking for what may...or may not be there.
Maurice sat inside the central tent, out of the heat. Even though they
had been glad when the war ended, he and his wife never lost their love for
adventure. That was why they had jumped at the opportunity when the queen...
no, when Sally had offered them the chance to head up a team of archaeologists
exploring these ruins.
Maurice sighed, fanning himself with a stack of papers he was supposed
to be filling out. "What I wouldn't give to take a nice long swim in the
pool," he thought, tossing the papers on the desk in front of him. "I don't
know why we're even out here. This place has been so well looted I can
guarantee we won't find anything of value. At least--"
"Maurice, come quick!" Patricia yelled, sticking her head inside the
tent flap. "We found something you need to see."
Maurice rolled his eyes as he stood up. "No sooner did I say that," he
muttered with a chuckle.
"What'd you say," Patricia asked, smoothing back some blonde hair-quills
that were going grey.
"Nothing dear," Maurice said, wiping some sweat from his beard. "Let's
go see what they found this time."
"Try not to be so excited," Patricia needled her husband with a smile.
"You could give yourself a heart attack."
Maurice had to chuckle in spite of himself at that. "So what is it now?
Some old pottery shards?"
"Much, much better," Patricia answered, leading him down a recently
excavated tunnel. "We've found what appears to be a burial chamber, one
that's still sealed."
"Still sealed? After all this time no one's found it?"
"See for yourself; we're here."
Maurice looked at the massive marble door before him in awe. "This is
outstanding," he said, running his hands over the runes chiseled right into
the stone. "I can't believe it's in such good repair. So what are we
waiting for?"
"Hold it," Patricia said, grabbing his arm before he could try to force
the door open. "There's something you need to see." She pulled him over to
one of the walls and brushed away some dirt from one of the many carvings.
"What do you make of this?"
Maurice looked at the carving and gasped. It seemed to be two symbols
carved in such a manner as they appeared intertwined. The first symbol was
unique, a symbol he had never seen before. But the second was one any citizen
of Mobius would know. It was the sign of the House of Acorn. "I've never
seen two symbols carved like this in my life," he whispered.
"I was afraid you'd say that," Patricia said, rubbing her eyes in
frustration. "We'll check the archives when we get back; I've already made a
charcoal relief of it."
"Good thinking," Maurice said, studying the symbols around the door.
"I can't read all of it, but it appears to be a warning of some sort. Nothing
like what happened with the Kavenoff, thank the Almighty, just to be prepared
for what we may find inside...that 'some secrets may be better off left
undiscovered.'"
"You're lucky to read that much. I couldn't make heads or tails of it."
"Well, I've never found a secret that I didn't want the answer to,"
Maurice said confidently, striding back to the doors. "Coming?"
"Like you could leave me behind," Patricia smiled, placing her shoulder
against the door and setting her feet. "On three then?"
Maurice nodded. "Three."
Fully expecting that, Patricia pushed with Maurice and the doors gave
way easily. A powerful wind swirled through the opening, knocking both
hedgehogs off their feet. To the other workers standing there, the face of a
young, beautiful female mouse appeared. She appeared saddened for only a
split second, and then the image was gone; the area empty once more.
Maurice and Patricia got to their feet a touch shakily. They hadn't
seen the apparition, but they'd felt its power. "Are you absolutely sure we
should go in there?" Patricia asked her husband, pushing her hair-quills back
out of her face.
"As sure as I ever am," Maurice answered, taking the lone torch that had
not been blown out and walking into the chamber.
"Where have I heard that before?" Patricia muttered sarcastically,
following close behind. "And here I thought I was the reckless one."
"What can I say?" Maurice said over his shoulder. "Our son rubbed
off on me." Walking quickly ahead to avoid his wife's comeback, Maurice
nearly fell over what appeared to be a wooden box half as high as he was
tall.
Maurice put his hands on top of it to catch his balance and froze in
surprise. The box was glossy and had a rounded lid, remarkably good condition
for an artifact as old as it was supposed to be. But even that wouldn't
account for the shock he felt when he got a good look at it. The box...no,
coffin...seemed to nearly glow. Just from merely placing his hands on it,
Maurice felt a calm enter him like he had never felt. No, not never, but only
very rarely. In fact, the only time he had ever felt this peace was in....
"Sanctuary...."
Maurice looked up quickly, surprised to hear his thoughts spoken aloud.
Patricia stood just inside the doors, looking around in awe. "This chamber,"
she whispered reverently, "it feels like I'm in Sanctuary."
Maurice took his hands from the coffin and paused a moment. His wife
was right. Now that the excitement of the discovery had faded, he could tell
that the peaceful aura did not emanate from the coffin; it permeated the
entire chamber.
He took a moment to take in the chamber as a whole. The walls were
suffused with the same glow that came from the coffin. Sturdy wooden shelves
sat on each of the walls, in as good repair as the coffin itself. On each
shelf were artifacts that though completely ordinary looking, were assuredly
priceless. "But how?" Maurice asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"This chamber...it must be the burial chamber of a Holy One," Patricia
answered. "But no Holy One has ever been honored like this, unless...." Her
voice trailed off as realization struck. "No...it's not possible."
"You can't possibly think--" Maurice began before being cut off.
"It has to be," Patricia said, her voice firm. "This is the burial
chamber of Iridal Shi-rat herself; the one who forged the covenant of Tanak'
Shi-rat."
Maurice shivered slightly, and it wasn't from the coolness of the air in
the chamber. "We should leave," he said, his voice quivering slightly. "We
should leave and seal this place up like we never found it."
"But think of what we could learn," Patricia protested, picking up a
tightly wrapped bundle of scrolls. "Imagine the knowledge contained in these
scrolls alone."
"Fine," Maurice agreed reluctantly, "but let's not disturb anything
else, especially the coffin." He turned to leave when a flash of light from
the ground caught his eye. "What...?"
"What did you find?" Patricia asked, placing the scrolls carefully in
her bag.
Maurice dropped into a squat and poked around the dirt floor with a
gloved finger. He didn't see anything, but he soon felt his glove scrape
something. He closed his hand around it and picked it up. When the dirt
sifted away, a small crystal remained in his hand. "It's some kind of jewel,
I think."
Patricia looked over his shoulder as he stood up. "Might be just a
crystal," she countered. "Still, it's the only thing I can see in this whole
chamber not made from stone or wood. We should bring it with us, have your
brother look at it."
"Good idea," he said, slipping it into Patricia's bag. "Should we bring
anything else with us?"
Patricia looked around thoughtfully before shaking her head. "No, there
will be plenty of time for that later. I want to get home in time to get
ready for the party tonight."
Maurice smacked his forehead with his gloved hand. "I knew I was
forgetting something. As our son would say, juice time?"
"Absolutely." Patricia and Maurice walked outside the chamber out of
respect for the one who lay within. As soon as they were clear, she jumped
into his arms and he took off, a sonic boom stirring up some dust in the hot
air. What either one failed to realize, however, was a soft green glow coming
from Patricia's bag.
Someone else did notice, however, and the being smiled a cruel, evil
smile. "It begins," he whispered, his face hidden within the shadows of his
hooded robe. "Tanin!" he called, his voice echoing through the darkened
halls of his castle. "Attend me."
In a swirl of wind, a young mouse appeared. He wore dark black robes
shot through with red, much as the being before him wore. His raven-black
hair was cut short, almost blending in with his dark grey fur unless you
looked carefully. And though he could be no older than seventeen, the pain
in his dark blue eyes made one think he had seen tragedy far beyond his years.
"Father," he said, dropping into a low bow. "What do you wish of me?"
"Assemble your brethren," the being commanded. "The time is at hand
when we shall make our move."
"As you wish." Tanin bowed low once more and disappeared the same way
he appeared.
The dark being laughed, but it was a sound that chilled the bones of any
animal who could hear it. "Soon, Guardian," he whispered, "soon our score
will be settled."
Tanin appeared outside one of the many bedrooms the black castle
contained. "Destín!" he called, knocking on the door. After a minute with
no answer, Tanin sighed. "I should have known," he thought, opening the door
and letting himself in.
The room, like all the other bedrooms save one, had only the basic
necessities: a bed, a dresser, and a lamp. It looked unoccupied, but Tanin
knew better. He walked over to a cracked wall and thumped on it. "Wake up,"
he called, hitting the wall hard enough for small bits of stone to flake away.
A yawn could be heard from the deepest crack in the wall. "Go away,"
a feminine voice said, sounding both bored and tired.
Tanin rubbed his eyes and sighed. "Father is summoning us. All of us."
"Tell him you couldn't find me."
"You don't understand, Destín," Tanin said with more patience then he
felt. "It's time."
A scraping sound could be heard as a head poked out of the crack,
peering at Tanin with dull, grey eyes through hair nearly the same color.
"Are you serious?"
"Quite so," Tanin said, stepping back.
Destín sighed, slid all the way out of the crack, and stretched. As a
ferret, her body was slender and willowy. So it wasn't surprising that she
had fit that far into the crack in the wall. Her movements had a grace of
their own, like those of a gymnast's. She lazily brushed some dirt from her
fur, but it didn't help much because her fur was the color of the dirt.
Her clothing consisted of a vest, gloves, and a pair of sneakers all a
deep black. It was worn thin in a few areas, and looked like it hadn't been
changed in a while. But since Destín was known more for sleeping than doing
any sort of work, Tanin wasn't the least bit surprised. "All right, all
right," she said, sounding annoyed, "I'll be there."
"Soon, I hope," Tanin said knowingly. "I expect you to be there before
I return with the others."
"Yeah, yeah," Destín said, waving him away. "Don't let the door hit you
on the way out."
Tanin shook his head and disappeared in a swirl of wind, "accidentally"
knocking Destín over. "Show off," she muttered.
Tanin next appeared on the roof of the castle. Dark, menacing clouds
swirled overhead, occasionally cut through by jagged lightning. For most
Mobians, it would look like a huge downpour was getting ready to start. For
Tanin and the other denizens of the castle however, it was as normal as this
place ever got.
The only other occupant of the roof was a rat that might be considered
ordinary, except for its size. While not as big as Robotnik was, he was at
least a full head taller than a normal rat. He wore a tattered trenchcoat
over his blackish-grey fur, and his black hair was matted and unkempt. He
stared out into the perpetual gloom through eyes nearly as white as the
lightning that arced across the clouds.
"Maxwell," Tanin intoned, "Father is summoning us. It is time."
"Is it once again time to cause suffering upon this world?" the rat
asked, sounding oddly hopeful.
"Indeed," Tanin answered, pulling his robe more closely about him. "But
the misery we cause today will pale against what will come if we are
successful. Do not forget that."
Maxwell smiled, showing sharp and jagged teeth. Without another word,
he left his perch and started down into the castle, muttering something about
misery and pain.
Tanin waited till he was gone to alert his next cohort. He simply
stepped off the roof and appeared in the courtyard below. A large grey
bulldog, even taller than Maxwell, stood there punching a boulder aimlessly.
A black turtleneck covered his massive torso and a similarly colored skullcap
sat on the top of his bald head. His right eye was ringed by white fur,
making his black eyes stand out all the more.
"Hugo," Tanin called, his voice rising above the din. "Father has sent
for us. It's time."
Hugo paused in mid-punch and turned to look at Tanin. "Hugo crush?" he
asked slowly.
"Father will explain everything. Go to the meeting hall."
Hugo stared at Tanin a moment, dullness written across his features.
With a disinterested shrug, he shuffled off toward the castle, flattening
anything in his path.
Tanin sighed inwardly. Of all those he lived with, Hugo was by far the
most simple-minded. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing, but it could be
trying at the best of times. Unless it was limited to something Hugo liked,
namely crushing something, it usually took more than a few tries to get him to
understand.
Clearing his mind, Tanin focused on his next location, the library, and
was there in seconds. Being in the basement, the room had a musty, damp
atmosphere that any historian would tell you couldn't be good for preserving
books. But due to the nature of this castle, only a couple books showed the
first traces of decay.
In the middle of the enormous stacks sat a sturdy wooden table, piled
high with whatever couldn't be fit into the stacks. Though Tanin couldn't see
around the other side of the tomes, his ears picked out the distinct sound of
pages turning. "Krella," he called loud enough so that his voice would carry
around the books.
"Yes Tanin, what is it?" a softspoken yet distracted voice asked from
behind the books.
"Father is summoning us. It's time."
"OK, I'll be up there in a little bit. I just have to finish...." the
voice trailed off as Tanin' words sunk in. "Wait a minute. Did you just say,
'It's time'?"
"Indeed," Tanin answered patiently.
"Well why didn't you say so in the first place?" Tanin could hear a
chair sliding backward just before a female fox popped up into view. Bright
green eyes stared at Tanin from behind a pair of reading glasses, a slight
look of annoyance in them. Her dark red hair was pulled back in a bun, and
her orange and white fur was impeccably clean. She wore a loose, long-sleeved
blouse and a skirt that fell to her ankles, both a drab brown but crisp and
neat.
"I thought I did," Tanin commented, shrugging slightly.
Krella paid him no mind, her bushy tail twitching back and forth
excitedly. She hurried around, gathering scrolls and books while glaring at
Tanin. "Oh, never mind. Where do we have to go, what do we have to do? So
many plans, so little time. Did you get everybody yet?"
Tanin privately marvelled at the fact that Krella said all that without
having to take so much as one breath. Aloud, he said, "Everyone but one."
Krella twisted her lips to the side. "Let me guess the one."
"No need," Tanin said. "As for the rest of it, Father will explain when
we are all present. I'll see you there."
"Where is 'there'?"
"The meeting hall, where else?" With those words, Tanin disappeared in
a flash of light.
"Well, there was that one time he had us meet him in the basement,"
Krella thought, shouldering open the library door and stumbling into the
hallway. She made her way through the torch-lit underground hallways to the
single staircase that led to the ground floor. As she climbed the stairs,
she went over a number of strategies she had spent her free time putting
together for this eventuality.
So lost was she in her thoughts that she didn't really notice when she
passed the front gates and almost walked into someone. "Hey, watch where
you're going!" a feminine voice yelled, annoyed.
Krella's features twisted into a look of disgust. "Nice to see you
finally showed up, Charisma," she said sarcastically, peering around the books
she carried.
Charisma grinned and studied her long black fingernails, completely
ignoring Krella. From her name, it could be safely guessed that this cat was
somewhat on the attractive side; but that would be a serious understatement of
the facts. Her pure white fur was well cared for and looked as soft as silk.
Bright green eyes stared mischievously out from behind wisps of tawny hair
that curved around her shoulders to fall down her back. Her body was nearly
perfect in every way, and her colorful, tight clothing showed every curve off
in the best possible manner.
"Well?" Krella demanded. "Where have you been?" When Charisma
continued to act as if she hadn't heard her, Krella took a deep breath to stay
calm. "Well, OK I'll leave you alone." She started walking away, but said
over her shoulder, "But when Father wants to talk to you about not coming to
the meeting because it's time, don't come crying to me."
"It's time?" Charisma asked, surprised. "Then why did you just say
that instead of your usual rambling?" Without giving Krella a chance to
answer, she grabbed a dark black cloak from a rack nearby and put it on,
making sure it covered every hint of her bright clothing. "I'll meet you
there," she said, hurriedly wiping the makeup from her face.
Krella shook her head and continued down the hallway. Before she got
out of sight though, she heard Charisma call, "By the way, where are we
meeting?"
Krella sighed and called back, "The meeting room, where else?" Not
expecting any thanks, she turned the corner and continued on. It was bad
enough that she had to live with that girl, but she wasn't going to be nice
about it. After all, most things she stood for Krella couldn't stand.
Krella was the brains of the group, always strategizing, always planning
and researching, determined to make every variable accounted for. Charisma,
on the other hand, used her looks and wiles instead of her brains. She was
constantly perfecting the art of seduction to make any man fall under her sway
and reveal all his deepest secrets.
Krella sighed and leaned against the wall a moment. She knew they all
had a part to play in Father's plans, and Charisma was only doing her job.
And yet, it irked her to no end hearing the information Charisma had gathered,
knowing full well she had probably slept with a guy to get it. But surely
Father knew what was best, and that was all there was to it.
The one everyone referred to as "Father" sat in the meeting room,
awaiting the arrival of all his "children" before beginning. Destín, Hugo,
Maxwell, and Tanin had already gathered, and a book-laden Krella soon entered.
A moment later, Charisma followed, her black cloak pulled tightly around her.
He studied Charisma carefully a moment and he could see her flinch under his
gaze. One rule he enforced in his home was that no bright colors could be
worn within its walls, at least within view of him. Charisma was the only one
to test that rule, and then only because she could not carry out her duties
wearing black all the time. Satisfied that she had everything covered, he
rose from his seat and raised his arms. "The time has come my children," he
intoned in a voice that seemed to echo off the walls. "The first artifact is
found and must be recovered. It is time those weak fools felt our presence."
Looks of sadistic glee crossed the six faces before him as their eyes
burned with an unholy light. "You have been prepared for this all your
lives;" he called as wisps of pure darkness flowed from his upraised hands,
surrounding the Fallen Ones as he worked his magic on them, "do not fail me.
Go, my Fallen Ones, and bring Chaos to their lives."
Later that evening, a full celebration was in the works in Mobotropolis,
marking the anniversary of Robotnik's defeat at the hands of Sonic. And
though the whole city was celebrating, the biggest party by far was at the
palace. All the Freedom Fighters and their families were there, laughing,
eating, drinking, and having a great time. Well, almost everyone was at the
party.
"Donovan!" Nadia nearly yelled, tapping her foot impatiently. "The
party's already started. If we wait much longer we'll miss the whole thing!"
Donovan sighed and turned from the security console he had been studying
for the past fifteen minutes. "Nadia, you know we have to have at least two
security personnel here at all times," he explained patiently. "Until my
replacement arrives, I'm stuck here. You can go; I'll meet up with you
there."
"Fat chance," Nadia muttered, smoothing out her dress. It was the same
dress she had worn almost seventeen years ago at the triple wedding, and she
was more than a little proud she had been able to maintain her figure. Of
course, it was easy to do so between Bunnie's martial arts lessons and her
sparring sessions with Donovan. A slight blush rose to her cheeks as she
thought of where those sessions usually ended up.
Nadia was startled out of her thoughts by the door slamming open.
"Sorry I'm late, sir," a flustered chipmunk said, snapping to attention. "I
got--"
"I'm not interested in your excuses," Nadia said, cutting Donovan off
before he could even speak. "My husband and I should be at that party now
with our son instead of waiting for your sorry behind to show up. Now man
your post before I throw you there!"
"Yes, ma'am," the chipmunk stuttered, nearly falling into the seat
Donovan just stood up out of and whirling around to watch the monitors.
"Shall we go?" Nadia asked Donovan sweetly, taking his arm.
Donovan nodded and turned to the other guard, a hedgehog. "Make sure
you man the alarms. If anything shows up, anything at all, don't hesitate to
press it."
"Yes, sir."
Donovan nodded and turned to go, casting one last glance back at the
skittish chipmunk. "You know, he'd do a better job if you didn't scare him
half to death," he pointed out to Nadia.
"He's lucky that's all I did to him," Nadia muttered. "Come on, I don't
want to be later than we already are."
"By the way, how is the translation of those scrolls going?"
Nadia's eyes darkened slightly. She retained most of the knowledge she
held as a computer, it was just locked away in the back of her mind until such
time as she needed it. To keep herself busy during the day, she had taken to
translating all the old books that only a few select animals knew how to read.
So when the scrolls had been opened and the contents unreadable even by
computer, she was the natural choice to decode them.
"Slowly, if at all," she said with a sigh. "I translated the first line
easily enough, but the rest of it is unknown even to me. It seems like that
secret code of the Holy Ones I found that one time we were looking for
information on the Dragon's Heart, yet it is so very different. I get the
feeling there is a code within a code somehow."
"What was the line you translated? Perhaps it holds some clue."
"I doubt it. It reads, 'Contained herein is the diary of Iridal
Shi-rat.' Not much to go on, is it?"
Donovan looked thoughtful for a moment as they neared the ballroom. "I
see what you mean. It might be best to show Tanis this when you get a chance.
He might be able to help you translate it."
"All right, but after that we forget about work and enjoy ourselves,"
Nadia agreed. "And no arguments either, hear me?"
At the celebration, Uncle Chuck was talking to his brother about what
had been brought to him. "I've never seen anything like it," he admitted.
"It's like no other crystal I've ever studied."
"That's because it isn't," a quiet voice said behind him.
Maurice turned suddenly in surprise, but calmed quickly when he saw a
familiar mouse standing there. "You shouldn't sneak up like that, Tanis," he
said. "I'm getting too old for that."
"You're just a little younger than me, Charles," Maurice said with a
small grin.
"My apologies, old friend," Tanis said with a slight smile. "When I
heard from your sister-in-law what was found, and I had to rush over right
away. You see, there is a legend involving that crystal that has been passed
down from generation to generation in my family.
"It is said that on her deathbed, my ancestor, Iridal, was granted a
vision by the Almighty of the final judgement of the planet. As her last
breath escaped her, a single tear was shed, becoming the crystal you found.
No one knows if the tear was shed in happiness or grief though, though all of
my line have had their own theories. The only thing known is that once the
tear is removed from its resting place, a great change will overtake the
planet. And, as before, we don't know if it will be for good, or for evil."
"An interesting story," Uncle Chuck said, rubbing his chin. "Were it
not for what I've seen with my own eyes, I'd discount it as a mere fairy tale.
But I know better. Tell me, do you think you could unlock the secrets of the
crystal?"
"I'd certainly welcome the chance to study it."
"We'd welcome the chance," Rosie said, seeming to appear out of nowhere
at Tanis' arm. "Sometimes my husband forgets that we work as a team now."
"And how could I forget when you remind me so often?" Tanis joked with
a smile.
Rosie smiled sweetly, and Tanis immediately knew it meant trouble. "I
hope you find those benches comfortable tonight," she murmured just loud
enough for him to hear.
Tanis sighed and shook his head, ignoring the questioning glance from
Maurice and his brother. He opened his mouth to apologize to his wife, but
then he saw something out of the corner of his eye that made his expression
turn serious. "Uh oh," he sighed.
"What, what is it?" Rosie asked, concerned by Tanis' sudden change in
attitude. She turned to look where he was looking and stopped. "Oh boy," she
murmured. "Here we go again."
The objects of the stares of these two Holy Ones were oblivious to them.
But to be fair, they were oblivious to everything and everyone but each other
at the moment. One of them, a teenage white mouse dressed in a grey dress
that fell gently to her knees, murmured contentedly to her dance partner,
"This is where I've always been meant to be."
Her dance partner, a brown hedgehog the same age as her dressed in a
royal looking jacket, smiled as he led her into a turn. "You mean out here,
on the dance floor?" he asked.
Her hand met his shoulder just a bit harder than was needed as they
continued their dance. "You know what I mean Juice. Your arms are where I'm
meant to be."
Juice chuckled and stole a quick kiss from his partner on the next spin.
"I know Angela, but sometimes I like to hear it anyway."
Angela rolled her eyes as she completed the spin, the skirt of her dress
flaring out slightly. "So, any sign of our chaperone tonight?"
"You mean the one standing right over there?" he asked, darting his
eyes over to a nearby wall.
Angela followed his gaze and sighed. Standing so that he had the best
possible view of the dance floor, Darrin stood at full attention in his
guard's uniform, not taking his eyes off them for even a second. "You'd think
Antoine would've given him the night off to enjoy himself," she murmured.
"He probably would have, if Darrin had anyone to enjoy himself with."
"Good point. Still, it's kind of sad when you think about it."
"He'll find someone. If I can do it, he can."
"Yes, but will he be able to stay with the one he finds, like we--"
"Hush," Juice said, placing a finger over her lightly pink lips. "None
of that tonight. Let's just have fun with each other." Angela nodded and
kissed Juice's finger as they continued dancing under the watchful eyes of
Darrin.
Off near the refreshment table, Alicia and Desirée stood sipping some
punch and watching the couples on the dance floor. "I wish I had someone to
be out there with," Alicia said wistfully.
"Why don't you dance with my brother?" Desirée asked with a smirk.
They both wore simple dresses similar to what Angela wore, even though Desirée
would have liked to wear something more daring, but they had agreed to dress
alike for this party. While Angela's was a soft grey, Alicia's was sky blue
and Desirée's was a hot pink. The only thing one had that the others didn't
was that Alicia was wearing her tiara.
Alicia rolled her eyes at Desirée's comment and wouldn't even answer.
It was true that she and Darrin had had a crush on each other at one point,
but that was years ago. When they had shared a first kiss, they both decided
it was too much like kissing their siblings and agreed to leave it at just
friends. Since then, Desirée had often tried to jokingly get them back
together, but all it did now was remind Alicia that she had nobody.
"Hey, ease up, Alicia-gal," Desirée said, slipping into her mother's
accent with a smirk. "Squeeze that cup any harder and we'll be pulling glass
out of your hand for a week."
"Hmm?" Alicia looked down at the cup in her hand and saw a slight crack
near her fingers. Blushing, she quickly set down the cup and picked up
another one. "Thanks," she muttered, taking a sip.
"Don't mention it. Besides, getting punch all on that pretty dress in
front of your parents would have been really embarassing."
"In front of...." Alicia gulped and turned around, a smile quickly on
her lips. "Mom! Dad! I....err, didn't hear you."
"So it would seem," Sally said with a small smile. "Even though we were
calling your name for about a minute now."
Alicia blushed even more and looked to Desirée for help, but she was
nowhere to be seen. "Thanks a lot, Des," she muttered.
"What was that?"
"Oh, nothing. So, enjoying your party, Dad?"
"Yeah I guess," Sonic said, trying to loosen the collar of his jacket
somewhat.
"You know," Sally said in a stage whisper to her daughter, "by how he
acts now, you'd never know he used to be a glory hog."
"Cut it out, Sal," Sonic grumbled. "I just don't see the point of
celebrating something I did seventeen years ago. If they want to have a
party, it sohuld be for what we've done recently, keeping the planet at
peace."
"And if it weren't for you, my love, we wouldn't have peace to begin
with," Sally pointed out gently, giving Sonic a kiss on the lips. "That's why
we celebrate your victory over Robotnik like this. It was a rebirth of our
world, and of every Mobian we de-roboticized."
"Yeah, I guess."
"You know she's right, Dad," Alicia pointed out. "After all, she's told
you this every year for the past ten years."
"But he doesn't have to like it," Sally said before Sonic could, getting
a giggle out of her daughter. "Now that's better. No more moping tonight.
It is supposed to be a celebration after all."
"I'll try, Mom. I promise."
"Good. Now, if you'll excuse your father and me, we have to continue
making our rounds."
Alicia nodded and smiled as her parents walked away arm-in-arm. "I hope
I find someone like that one day," she thought.
In one of the least crowded areas of the room, DJ sat near the wall,
drinking a cup of punch. He had sat in the same spot every year since he had
first come to these parties, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible.
Of course, that was hard to do when you were using your tail as a chair. But
other than an odd glance here and there, no one paid him much attention. He
didn't mind being left to himself too much, especially because he didn't know
the first thing about dancing.
No sooner had that thought passed through his mind then he felt a hand
touch his shoulder gently. "Would you like to dance with me, DJ?" a very
familiar voice asked.
Startled, DJ jumped slightly and dropped his cup. If he had not already
finished with it, his white shirt and clip-on tie would be permanently stained
pink. He glanced over his shoulder and waved to the rabbit standing behind
him.
"Hello to you to," Desirée said with a smile. "So how about it? Care
to give this lady a dance partner?"
DJ twisted his lips to the side at the question. With one hand he
pointed at his left foot. With the other, he held up two fingers.
"Oh, I know you have two left feet," Desirée said, chuckling. "But it
won't matter with the next song coming up."
DJ raised one eyebrow in confusion, and Desirée just twitched one of
her long ears toward the band. Just then, a slow, romantic song started up.
His eyes widened impossibly as surprise and shock registered on his face.
Desirée hid a giggle with one hand, still holding the other out toward him.
After the reality set in that yes, she really was asking him, all he could
think about was why she wanted to dance with him.
"That's easy," Desirée said, reading his thoughts through his eyes.
"Because I want to dance with you. Simple enough?"
With no ready comeback for that, DJ simply shrugged and placed his hand
in hers. Desirée pulled him up and led him to a less crowded area of the
dance floor and they simply held each other and swayed in time to the music.
Back at the security room, the chipmunk sighed as he clicked through the
monitors one by one. "They're all having such a good time," he told his co-
worker. "I wish I were there instead of stuck here."
"I'll remember to tell the boss' wife you said that," the hedgehog said,
causing the chipmunk to cringe visibly. "Now quit griping and concentrate on
your job."
"Yessir." Five minutes later, another sigh was cut off by a soft
knocking at the door. "I'll get it," he said, jumping at any chance to
alleviate his boredom.
"You know it's against policy to open the door," the hedgehog warned.
"Use the monitor."
"Whatever," the chpimunk said, clicking on the monitor. Static filled
the screen, obscuring whatever it was supposed to be showing. "Stupid thing's
on the fritz again," he muttered as another knock was heard. "Ah forget it."
"Just call maintenance and...." the hedgehog rolled his eyes in
annoyance as his co-worker opened the door. "Idiot," he muttered, placing his
hand over the alarm button, just in case.
"May I help you?" the chipmunk started to ask before he got a good look
at who was standing at the door. A tight black spandex bodysuit hugged what
had to be the best figure he had ever seen. A pure white tail swayed
sensuously behind her. Locks of blond hair obscured the girl's face, but he
could still see bright green eyes peeking out from behind them. He let his
eyes roam over her form shamelessly, only bringing them back up to her face as
she started to speak.
"Why yes," she purred, identifying herself as a cat just by her voice,
"I was on my way to the party, but this is my first time inside the palace and
I got lost. I'm so glad I found the security room; surely you gentlemen could
help me find my way there, couldn't you?"
The chipmunk was stunned into silence as she walked past him into the
room, caressing his cheek with the tip of her tail. The hedgehog, on the
other hand, was outraged. "This is a restricted area," he said, almost
forgetting to keep his hand on the alarm button. "I'm going to have to ask
you to leave, now. I'll give you directions when you're on the other side of
the door."
"Oh, but you don't expect a beautiful girl like me to be dangerous," she
said, caressing the hedgehog's cheek with her right hand. "Do you?" she
asked, scratching him with the nail on her pointer.
The hedgehog flinched away at the sudden pain, then slumped to the floor
unconscious. "What the?" the chipmunk exclaimed, shaken out of his trance.
But before he could move, she spun and lashed out at him, cutting his cheek
with the same nail. The last thing he saw before he passed out was a death's
head staring back at him.
"Well, it's about time," Krella said, walking into the room and sitting
down at the console. Her normal attire was replaced by a vest shirt, slacks,
and overcoat, all pure black. Her hair was pulled back into a single braid
instead of the normal bun, and her face had the same glamour on it that
Charisma's did. But the most shocking change of all was her voice. Gone was
the softspoken, small voice she'd had at the castle. Now her voice was
authoritative and commanded immediate respect and attention. "We're starting
to fall behind schedule here."
"If you had told me there would be two of them, I could've been better
prepared," Charisma retorted.
"Whatever," Krella said, waving her hand dismissively. "Just go keep
watch in the hallway." She hooked up an earpiece that was hidden by the
illusion covering her face to the console. "Can everyone hear me?" she
called into the microphone as she pulled the tapes from the recording cameras
and replaced them with her own. Hearing affirmatives from the other four,
she said, "The plan is a go. I repeat, it is a go. You all know what to do.
And stay awake Destín!" she yelled as an afterthought.
"Fine, just give me the count," she heard Destín say irritably through a
yawn.
At the doors leading to the ballroom, a dark fog began to fill the
hallway. "What's going on here?" one of the guards asked, peering into the
fog. "Who's there?"
"Oh, no one special," a strangely tortured voice said. "Just your
normal everyday party crashers."
Those immediately inside the doors heard twin screams, and then a large
thud. The music cut off and murmurs rose from the suddenly uneasy crowd.
Without warning, the doors crashed open and in stepped two figures, a large
bulldog and a crazed rat. Both were dressed as they had been, but the death's
heads that replaced their faces seemed to grin with inhuman glee.
Some screams rose up from those nearby as everyone backed away, giving
these two seeming apparitions a wide berth. "What is the meaning of this?"
an elder guardsman said, forcing his way through the crowd to stand in front
of the trespassers. If he was at all perturbed by their appearance, he
refused to show it.
The two looked at each other and the rat stepped aside, nodding his head
to the bulldog. With unbelievable speed, the bulldog grabbed the guard's head
in one large hand and slammed him into the wall. Not a sound escaped the
unfortunate animal's lips as he slid to the floor, a smear of blood left on
the wall. "Hugo smash," the bulldog said happily.
The rat, meanwhile, was surveying the frightened crowd, looking for
someone in particular. When he saw Nadia, he stared at her until she looked
his way. Once their gazes met, she stiffened in fear, unable to look away.
Loosing an unearthly scream, she fell to the ground and curled up in a
shivering ball.
"Nadia!" Donovan yelled, dropping to his knees beside her.
"Now that we have your attention," Maxwell said, tilting his head
slowly to either side and holding his arm to the side, "it's time for the
misery and suffering to begin!" With that, a flaming runesword appeared in
his outstretched hand, which he brought down in a slash at anyone nearby.
Mass hysteria gripped the room as most within tried to flee. Antoine
and Bunnie were trying to marshal the guards to protect the king and queen,
but their voices could barely be heard over the panic. Maxwell saw what they
were trying to do and smiled. "Have you ever seen a speedster's head roll?"
he asked Hugo.
Hugo smiled that goofy grin of his. "Hugo crush." Together, they moved
through the screaming animals, moving anyone who lingered out of their way by
whatever means they could, heading straight for the royal couple. But before
they got there, a brown blur streaked in front of them, tackling Hugo down
hard.
"You're not going anywhere near them," Juice said, standing over a
slightly dazed Hugo.
"Your game is over!" Maxwell cried, swinging his sword at Sonic's neck.
Sonic grabbed Sally and dodged out of the way, but he saw he didn't have
to. Darrin had stepped in front of the rat, had turned away Maxwell's sword
with his own and now stood at the ready. "You want them? You get through me
first," he said in a low voice.
"You help Juice," Desirée said, stepping in front of him with Alicia and
Angela. "We'll handle the weird rat." Darrin nodded and ran over to where
Hugo was just starting to rise.
"No, it can't be," Tanis said, staring at the rat. As a Holy One, he
could see through the magic that guarded his identity to the evil underneath,
an evil he thought vanquished so many years ago. "It can't be him. We
destroyed him."
"Obviously he's back somehow," Rosie said, her magic crackling in her
fingertips. "Let's send that blasted Kavenoff back to the Abyss once and for
all this time."
"Like you sent my soul there, Mother?" Tanin asked, stepping out of the
crowd. Like the others, his face was a death's head, but again both Tanis and
Rosie could see through it.
"By the Almighty," Tanis breathed, stepping back. "I banished you!"
"That which can be banished can be returned. You above all animals
should know that, Father," Tanin sneered.
While Tanis and Rosie were distracted by the specter of their unborn
son, Desirée struck out at the new host of the Kavenoff spirit. While her
kick was blocked, she moved quickly to the side before he could strike back.
Her place was quickly taken by Alicia, who landed a quick double punch before
he could regroup. While he was reeling from that, Angela hit him with a kick
to the stomach and an uppercut.
It soon became like a dance to them. Striking, weaving, stepping to the
side in turn before lunging back in with another blow. Maxwell, for all his
fury, could not keep up with the constantly changing fighting styles and was
soon disarmed and prone on the ground. Angela cast a swift spell, binding him
to the floor before he could recover.
Juice and Darrin had an easier time with Hugo. For all his strength and
suddenness, his blows were looping and predictable. Between Juice's speed and
Darrin's sword, he didn't stand a chance, and was soon unconscious next to
Maxwell. "That'll teach you to wreck our party," Juice said, wiping some
sweat from his forehead.
Tanin looked over in concern, taking his attention from his "parents"
for a split second. "Now Tanin!" Krella yelled over the comlink. "Get us
out of here now!"
"Much as I would love to stay," Tanin smirked, a dark wind rising about
his form, "my new father expects us home. Until next time, Shi-rat." He
disappeared before anyone could stop him, taking all of his brethren with him.
"What?" Angela exclaimed, looking at where Maxwell had just been bound.
"How did he.... What just happened?"
"He ran away with his tail between his legs," Desirée said cockily.
"Guess they figured out they couldn't handle us."
Bunnie marched up to them and smacked each girl in the back of the head,
hard. "What were you thinking!" she yelled at them. "You never use your
best attacks in the first battle. Now they know what you're capable of, and
they can figure out how to stop you next time. And trust me, there will be a
next time. I am going to see all of you in my dojo at sunrise tomorrow or I
will come to your bedrooms and drag you there by your ears! Yes, even you
Angela, and don't think I won't!"
The girls looked down, chastised. They simply nodded, keeping their
head bowed.
DJ stood to the side, looking out over the carnage filled room. He
alone thought that something was wrong, that something was missing. This was
too simple and straightforward, with no seeming rhyme or reason. He knew
there had to be more. Little did he realize that his answer lay in the
security room, where one of the cameras focused in on the vault in the Science
Lab, opened and missing only one thing...Iridal's Tear.
Somewhere on the planet, a lone figure had watched all this through a
monitor. Switching it off, he murmured to himself, "So, the first move has
been made. Let's see how the 'Freedom Fighters' counterstrike.... If they
can."
Later that night, while the palace was still in an uproar, three
echidnas slept peacefully, unaware of what had transpired. Then, two of them
awoke, a sharp pain shooting through their heads. As one, they moved quickly
to the now empty Emerald Chamber and stood side by side. "So," the elder one
said, "you felt it too."
"Yes, Father," the younger replied. "But is it possible?"
"Anything is possible James," Knuckles said, as one of the pedestals
began to glow green. "And now we must prepare. We thought it was at an end,
but tonight, it has begun anew."
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