A Sonic The Hedgehog Fanfic Story...
"The Darkness Within" Part 1, The Rise of Queen Blackhand
By King Torrid
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Disclaimer:
    Sonic the Hedgehog, and all related characters are trademarks of SEGA.
    c 1999 SEGA, Archie Comics Publications Inc, Sega of America, and/or DIC
    cartoons.
    Tarlex Starenhilde, Travis Torric, Talkon, Detrao, and Detrax
    characters/personality are property of c Robert H. Hasenzahl
    Any and all similarities between any characters and actual persons, or
    other characters by other authors (Living or dead)in name or in
    personality are completely coincidential.  No one may use any of the
    characters Robert H. Hasenzahl has created, without written permission
    of the author.
    All rights reserved
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This story is rated PG-13 by the author, due to:
Excessive violence
Adult Language
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Foreword:

Bunnie's hut
Tuesday
8-17-99 Earth date equivilant
12:02pm
Foreword:
	Bunnie and Sally were discussing Travis' departure.
	"I still think you should have been there." said Sally
	"Ah' think it was a bad idea to let general Mhortek live." said
Bunnie.
	"Is it getting stuffy in here?" asked Sally "Or is it just me?"
	"It is a bit stuffy in here, Ah'll open a window." said Bunnie.
Bunnie opened a window.  Sally yawned.    
	"You've had a long night, reading those books and all..." said
Bunnie.  There was a knocking at the door.
	"Who is it?" asked Bunnie.
	"It's Tails.  Who's going to make lunch?"
	"Uhm...  Sally girl will be out in a moment." said Bunnie.  Bunnie's
ring started to glow.  Bunnie felt as if she could tell what Sally was
thinking.
	<>
Sally thought to herself.
	"You need to go out and make lunch, before everyone gets too hungry"
said Bunnie.
	"That's exactly what I was thinking!" said Sally "This is so wierd."
said Sally.  Sally left Bunnie's hut and went to the mess hall.  Bunnie's
ring quit glowing.


Knothole messhall
    1:12pm

	Sally was cleaning off the table.  Bunnie walked up to Sally and
spoke.
	"Hi Sallygirl."
	"Hi Bunnie." said Sally.  Bunnie's ring started glowing again.  Tails
was getting ready to ask Bunnie to help him with a damaged board in his
roof, but thought it would be polite to wait untill she was done talking to
Sally.
	"I'll be with you in a moment." said Sally "I need to clean up."
	"Ah'll wait in my hut." said Bunnie.  Bunnie left the mess hall.


Bunnie's hut
	1:45pm

	"You wanted to see me?" asked Sally
	"Uhm...  Ah'..." said Bunnie.  Bunnie's ring began to glow
	"Ah' wanted to know if you wanted to... uh..." said Bunnie
	"My signet ring!!" said Sally "Where did you find it!?"
	"Ah'... Ah' don't know." said Bunnie
	"I lost it last night!" said Sally "Thank you so much!"  Sally picked
up the ring.
	"Ah...  You're welcome." said Bunnie.  Bunnie's ring stoped glowing.
	"Sonic and I are going for a walk." said Sally, walking out of
Bunnie's hut.
	Bunnie went through her dresser and found a bunch of things that
shouldn't be there.
	<> Bunnie thought to herself.
Bunnie found some of Rotor's tools, one of Tails' paintings, one of
Antoine's medals, the crystal Dulcy keeps next to her sleeping mat, one of
Geoffery's pocket flask, and one of Sonic's power rings.  Bunnie spent an
hour returning the items she found in the drawer.


Bunnie's hut
	2:20pm

	Fiona was standing outside Bunnie's hut, knocking on her door.
	"Come in!" said Bunnie.  Fiona came in.
	"I saw you walking around late last night" said Fiona "I'm glad you
got your arm and legs back."
	"What time last night?" asked Bunnie
	"Around midnight." said Fiona "You were walking in and out of the
other huts." 
	"But everyone keeps their doors locked." said Bunnie.
	"I don't know how you got in, but you did." said Fiona
	"Maybe you were dreaming." said Bunnie
	"No, I wasn't dreaming." said Fiona "I got up for a drink of water,
and accidentaly poured some water on the bed.  It was wet when I woke up."
	"Maybe you wet the bed." said Bunnie
	"If I would have wet the bed it would have smelled like urine."
said Fiona.
	"Was Ah' carying anything while Ah' was walking around?" asked Bunnie
	"It was too dark." said Fiona "But you had a tiny pink light in your
right hand."
	"A light?" asked Bunnie
	"I think you were sleepwalking." said Fiona. "You might want to talk
to Doctor Quack."
	"Ah' think Ah' should." said Bunnie.
	"And you were talking in a strange voice before you opened peoples
doors, it was scarry" said Fiona
	"What was Ah' saying?" asked Bunnie
	"It sounded like 'an block'" answered Fiona
	"Ya' mean 'a block'" asked Bunnie.
	"No, you said 'an block', in a strange voice." answered Fiona

Knothole, Ring Pool
	2:21pm

	An eery, thick, shallow fog filled Knothole, and the surrounding
forest.  The ground was no longer visible.  The sky became cloudy as well.
	Sally and Sonic were talking about their plans to restore
Mobotropolis, among other things.
		"So what happens when we get your dad back?" asked Sonic
	"Rotor's still working on opening the a portal to the void." said
Sally "It could take a long time."
	"So what do we do 'till then, Sall'?" asked Sonic
	"There's not much we can do." said Sally
	"I hate just sitting around." said Sonic.  Sonic and Sally sat down on
the log.  Sonic put his arm around Sally's shoulder.


Tails' hut
	3:01pm

	Fiona walked into Tails' hut.
	"Where is everyone?" asked Fiona.
			"I don't know, but I don't think it's good." said Tails
	"We should stay here, I don't think it would be safe to go anywhere."
said Fiona.
	"We should look for Sonic and Aunt Sally." said Tails
	"I don't think that's a good idea." said Fiona.
	"I'm going out to look for them." said Tails.
	"Then I'll go with you." said Fiona "But I have a realy bad feeling
about this."
	"Let's look for lightning." said Tails "He's the strongest one of us."
	"I agree." said Fiona "Let's look for him."  Tails and Fiona left
Tails' hut.


Lightning's shack
	3:08pm

	Fiona entered Lightning's shack, not knowing what to expect.
	"What do you two need?" asked Lightning
	"You wouldn't know what's going on with everyone by any chance, would
you?" asked Tails
	"No, I don't." said Lightning "But it can't be good."
	"Let's find Sonic and Sally." said Fiona
	"We'll split up." said Tails "We can cover more ground that way."
	"Bad idea." said Fiona "Safety in numbers."
	"I agree with Fiona." said Lightning "We stay together.  Who knows who
or what is out there?"  The three left Lightning's shack.
	"Sonic and Sally hang out at the waterfall.  let's go there first."
said Tails.  Tails was a little bit ahead of Lightning and Foina.  Tails got
a glimpse of Sonic and Sally standing in the fog.
	"What were you thinking, Sonic Hedgehog?!!" screamed Sally
	"You said you wanted to..." said Sonic.  Sally interupted.
	"You should know what I mean!" said Sally.  Sally hauled off and
backhanded Sonic in the face.
	"That's for taking advantage of me!" Sally backhanded Sonic again
	"And that's for violating royalty!" yelled Sally.  Sally began whaling
on Sonic.  Sonic didn't fight back, he just did his best to block the blows.
	"Uhm... Princess..." said Lightning.  Sally interupted.
	"You stay out of this!" said Sally
	"It's not his fault.  It was the fog." said Lightning
	"Come again?" said Sonic.  
	"I'm sick of your jokes, Sonic." snarled Sally "And that'll be your
last one!" Sally gave Sonic a right hook.  Sonic fell to the ground,
unconcious.
	"You made me cut my hand!" yelled Sally.
	"That's his blood." said Lightning.  Sally droped to knees, and began
breathing heavily.
	"Sonic should have known better than to take advantage of me like
that!" said Sally
	"It wasn't Sonic's fault that happened." said Lightning "It was that
wierd fog,  it's been affecting everyone.  Except for Tails, Fiona, and
myelf."
	"Why weren't we  affected?" asked Tails.  Sally sat down next to
Sonic, crying.
	"I'm sory, Sonic." said Sally. "I'm so sorry."  Sally cried.  Sonic
continued bleeding.
	"I don't know." said Lightning
	"And where did the fog come from?" asked Fiona.
	"Is that you, Travis?" asked Lightning, looking behind himself.
	"No, it's me, Tails." said Tails
	"I could have sworn I sensed Travis." said Lightning
	"It must be the fog messing with you." said Tails
	"I guess." said Lightning "The fog is gone now, and the sky is
clearing up."
	"Tails and I are going for a walk." said Fiona
	"I'll carry Sonic to the infirmery." said Lightning.  Lightning
carried Sonic back to Knothole, Sally followed.
	"Where are we going?" asked Tails.  Fiona hugged Tails
	"I love you." said Fiona
	"Oh no!  Not you too!" said Tails
	"No, I'm not going to..." said Fiona "We're both too young."  Tails
sighed in relief.  The two followed the trail.
	"Look! an pear tree!" said Fiona "I love pears!"  Fiona reached for an
unusualy large pear."
	"Be careful, Fio." said Tails. "Don't fall down that hill."  Fiona
lost her ballance, and fell down the hill.  Tails wound up his tails, and
flew after Fiona.  Fiona made it to the bottom of the hill, and stoped
rolling.  Tails cought up to her.
	"Are you okay, Fio?" asked Tails.
	"Yes, but my arm hurts." said Fiona.  Tails carried Fiona into the
light, and notices a large green thorn protruding from Fiona's left arm.
	"OH NO!!!" exclaimed Tails
	"What is it?" asked Fiona.
	"A poison spike tree thorn!" said Tails
	"This is bad, right?" said Fiona "It doesn't hurt much."
	"The poison from that thorn is killing off your nerve cells, that's
why it doesn't hurt!" said Tails
	"Am I going to lose my arm?" asked Fiona, in tears.  Tails pulled out
the thorn, and placed his hands on Fiona's left arm.  Tails' hands heated
up, warmer and warmer.  After a few minutes, Fiona's wound was healed.
	"How did you do that?" asked Fiona.  Tails regained his senses.
	"Do what?" asked Tails
	"You healed my arm." said Fiona "Just like Travis does."  Tails didn't
recall the incident.
	"If you say so." said Tails.  Fiona showed Tails the thorn, still
dripping with green pioson.
	"I hope Robotnik goes to H*ll for making those d*mn plants!" yelled
Tails.  Fiona was surprised to hear what Tails said.
	"Uhm... Tails...  I think Robotnik's allready there." said Fiona
	"Let's go back to knothole." said Tails
	"Could you get that pear for me?" asked Fiona
	"Sure!" said  Tails.  Tails flew up and plucked the pear from the
tree, then gave it to Fiona.  Tails and Fiona walked back to Knothole
village.


Knothole infirmery
	5:21pm

	Sally, Tails, and Fiona were in the waiting room.
	"Sonic's awake now." said The nurse. "And he wants to talk to you,
Sally."  Sally walken into Sonic's room.
	"Hi, Sall." said Sonic.  Sally sat down in the chair by Sonic's bed.
Sonic's nose was bandaged up. Sally reached for Sonic's nose.  Sonic
flinched and backed away from Sally.
	"I'm not going to hit you." said Sally
	"And don't worry about what happened happening again..." said Sonic
"I'll NEVER do it again!"
	"I don't know what came over me." said Sally "Anyway, I may want it
again... some day."
	"Just give me a weeks written notice, and fill out a disclaimer" said
Sonic.  "You hit like Knuckles!"
	"Okay." said Sally "I won't hit you again... Ever."
	"Good." said Sonic.  Doctor Quack walked in.
	"I don't know what you did to Sonic's face..." said Doctor Quack "But
if I didn't know better, I'd say you busted him in the head with a sledge
hammer."
	"What?!?" asked Sally
	"You crushed part of his upper jaw." said Doctor Quack "It'll take
months to heal, and Sonic won't look like he used to."  Sally teared up
	"These two wanted to see Sonic, Doctor" said the nurse, accompanied by
Tails and Fiona.
	"Hi big guy." said Sonic, quietly.
	"What's wrong with your face, Sonic?" asked Tails.
	"Sall' whacked me a good one." said Sonic "At least it doesn't hurt."
	"That's because you're loaded up on codeine" said Doctor Quack
	"Let me try something..." said Tails, placing his hand on Sonic's
nose.
	"Whoa!" said Doctor Quack "Who do you think you are? Travis Torric!?"
	"I healed up Fiona's arm an hour ago." said Tails. there were light
crunching sounds coming from Sonic's nose.  Sonic reached to his nose.
	"Don't touch your nose, It's shattered." said Doctor Quack.  Sonic
applied pressure to his nose, it was solid.  Sonic pulled off the the
bandages.
	"Don't DO that!" snapped Doctor Quack "That took an hour to
reconstruct!"  Sonic snapped his teeth together, making a clicking sound
	"It's all better, doc." said Sonic.  Doctor Quack burries his face in
his hand
	"Just what we need, another Travis..." said Doctor Quack, half
jokingly.
	"Think I could stick around, and help out, Doctor Quack?" asked Tails
	"Okay, but no funny stuff with Fiona." said Doctor Quack, Fiona
groweled.
	"Speaking of funny stuff,  Did anything happen here around three o'
clock?"
	"There was some wierd fog outside then," said Doctor Quack. "But
nothing else."  Bunnie walked in.
	"How're ya'all doin'?" asked Bunnie
	"Tails healed Sonic's face." said Fiona "Just like Travis does."
Bunnie placed her hand on Fiona's shoulder. Fiona backed away from Bunnie.
	"I'm going to take a shower... A long shower!" said Fiona. Fiona left
the infirmery and went to the girl's showerstall.
	"Hey, Bunnie, your fur's back, on your arm and legs." Tails said. "But
the fur on your right hand is orange."
	"Ah' noticed." Bunnie said. Bunnie started rubbing Tails' shoulders,
then his back. Tails fealt very uneasy.
	"Bunnie! Stop!" said Tails, in a strong, assertive, authorative
voice...  Not his usual timmid, childish tone.  Bunnie noticed qualities in
Tails that she only knew from Lightning. Bunnie backed away.
	"What's wrong, shugga' Tails?" Bunnie asked.
	"You're not yourself." said Tails "And I don't like the way you're
acting!"
	"What are ya' talkin' about?" asked Bunnie, already knowing Tails'
answer. Bunnie tried to read Tails' mind, just as she read Sally's, but it
didn't work.
	"I sense something bad in you, since you got that ring."
Tails said.
	"Ah' don't know what you're talking about..." said Bunnie. Bunnie
backed away from Tails' and ran out the door.
	"That was not very nice, Tails... "said Doctor Quack "But come to
think of it, Bunnie's been acting strange since she got that ring."
	"I'll fix that little fox!" mumbled Bunnie "What am ah' talkin
about?!?" Bunnie walked up to Sally.
	"How're ya' doin', Sallygirl?" said Bunnie.
	"Fine." Said Sally "Would you mind going to the mushroom field for
some mushrooms, Bunnie?"
	"Ah' wouldn't mind." said Bunnie. Sally gave Bunnie a basket, and
Bunnie left.

Knothole Mess Hall
	6:00pm

	"Where's Bunnie and Antoine?" asked Sally, who was serving stuffed
mushrooms. Fiona ate one of the mushrooms before everyone else got to them.
	"Fiona... It's customary for a person to wait untill the food is
served to begin eating." Said Sally
	"I'm sorry, I... I... AKKK!" Fiona dropped to the ground, choking.
Sally smelled one of the mushrooms.
	"POISON!!!" exclaimed Sally "Gravestone mushrooms!"  Tails ran to
Fiona.
	"There's nothing you can do for her, Tails...  I'm sorry." said Sally.
	"Yes there is!" said Tails "AN NOX!!!"  Noticing the commotion,
Lightning ran to the mess hall to see what was going on.
	"What happened?" asked Lightning
	"Fiona ate a gravestone mushroom!" said Sally.
	"You kids can't stay out of trouble for one minute!" said Lightning.
Five minutes later, Fiona quit choking, and began to breathe normaly.
	"She should have died in less than two minutes!" said Sally "I don't
understand."
	"I'm sensing that there was a mid-level spell cast here, one that
could have only been cast by a healer... Or a starknight!!!"
	"I think Tails cast the spell." said Dulcy.
	"How do you know?" asked Lightning.
	"Some dragons have spellcasting ability. My mother was one of them."
Said Dulcy. "I recognized the words Tails used... An nox."
	"That's one of the more powerful cure poison spells.  Tails must be a
starknight." said Lightning "Sally, why didn't you check the mushrooms
before cooking them?"
	"Bunnie picked them in the mushroom field. Gravestone mushrooms can
only grow in swamps." Sally said.
	"Bunnie must have picked them at the swamp then." said Tails.
	"Bunnie wouldn't do that, Tails!" said Sally.
	"Yes she would. Bunnie is BAD!" said Tails.
	"I won't have you saying things like that about Bunnie! Go to your
hut!" said Sally.  Tails got angry.
	"The ring Bunnie is wearing is evil!" Tails yelled
	"I'll talk to Bunnie." said Lightning.
	"Go to your hut!" said Sally.
	"I'll go to my hut, Sally, only because you are a princess." said
Tails. Tails went to his hut.
	"That's funny... Tails always calls her 'Aunt Sally'" said Rotor.
	"I know... Maybe I was too hard on him." said Sally.


Bunnie's hut
	6:30pm

	Lightning knocked on Bunnie's door.
	"Who is it?!?" asked Bunnie.
	"Lightning." answered Lightning.
	"Uhm... Come in." said Bunnie. Lightning entered.
	"Fiona was poisoned at the messhall... By a gravestone mushroom." said
Lightning.
	"Oh mah stars!" said Bunnie.
	"Trans Wis!" said lightning, casting readmind.  Lightning had visions
of the swamp, a quarter mile southwest of Knothole, and visions of
gravestone mushrooms.
	"Daytok Fiend!" said Lightning, casting detect evil. Lightning sensed
great evil from Bunnie's ring, and mild evil from Bunnie.
	"I am sorry, but I must detain you, Bunnie." said Lightning
	"No!" said Antoine "You will not touch Bunnie!"
	"I am truely sorry." said Lightning, grabbing Bunnie by her shoulders.
	"Let me go!" yelled Bunnie "Help me 'Twan!" Lightning looked at
Antoine.
	"An Con Zu!" said Lightning. Antoine fell to his knees, then got up
and drew his sword.  Antoine swung his sword at Lightning, and cut into
Lightning's leg, making a hole, but causing no damage to the wireing.
	"An Con Zu!" said Lightning, casting sleep again. Antoine fell to his
knees again.
	"An Con Phantas Zu!" said Bunnie, casting nightmare sleep.  Lightning
fell.
	"'Twan... Come with me." said Bunnie.
	"Where to, Bunnie?" asked Antoine.
	"Ah' don't know. We'll know when we get there." said Bunnie.
	"Bunnie! What happened to Lightning?" asked Sally. Bunnie hit Sally in
the mouth, and ran out the door, into the forest.


Rotor's workshop
	7:09pm

	"Here's the problem. He's stuck in sleep mode." said Rotor.
	"Can you fix the problem?" asked Sally
	"Sure, I just have to do this..." said Rotor, hitting one of
Lightning's inside switches. Lightning awoke screaming.
	"What happened?" asked Sally.
	"Somehow, Bunnie cast nightmare sleep on me." said Lightning.
	"I didn't know Bunnie had magic." said Sally.
	"They came from the ring." said Lightning
	"How do you know that?" asked Sally
	"I recognized the ring. It is the ring of Kyrax. A ring powerfuly
tied to the forces of evil." said Lightning.
	"Tails was right!" said Sally.
	"What does the ring do?" asked Fiona.
	"It is a ring of regeneration. It also allows mind control. In the
hands of a Rabbit it causes those around it to lose control of their
Ids.  IT caused that strange fog. IT CAUSED the incident with Sonic and
Sally by the ring pool." said Lightning "It also gives the wearer imunity to
most attack magic.  The only spells that will affect her will be elemental
spells."
	"What's an elemental spell?" asked Sally.
	"One tied to one of the four elements, or a combination of them." said
Lightning "Wind, water, earth, or fire.  Bunnie will eventualy take on one
of these elements.  Once she has taken on an element, she will only be
affected by the opposite element."
	"So if she takes on fire, all we have to do is throw a bucket of water
on her." said Rotor.
	"No. If she takes on fire, you will have to freeze her, then jam an
icicle into her heart." said Lightning.
	"What if she takes wind?" asked Sonic.
	"She will be immune to almost any spell I can cast. You will need a
flint knife to kill her. said Lightning
	"Earth?" asked Sonic.
	"Hit her with a few lightning bolts, and kill her with an icicle."
said Lightning.
	"Wait! What's all this talk about killing Bunnie?!?" asked Sally
"Isn't there a way to get her back?"
	"Her ring must be taken from her, and given to another. Making them
more evil than her." said Lightning.
	"What about water?" asked Sonic.
	"I pray she doesn't take on water. Contrary to comon belief, water is
the most powerful of the elements. Fire can evaporate water, but it will be
water again. But water can destroy fire. Earth can make water into mud, but
water can carve the hardest of stone.  Wind and water realy don't affect
eachother. You will need a rare fireblade to stop her." said Lightning.
	"Than we look for a fireblade." said Sonic.
	"They are forged from a metal called Terrinium." said lightning.
	"Then we make one, and Antoine can use it against her." said Sonic.
	"Hello! This is Bunnie we're talking about!" said Sally.
	"There are several problems with that plan.  First, it takes years to
forge. Second, if we had a terrinium sword, terrinium is toxic to non-fire
users. Third, it takes a master swordsman to wield the sword well enough to
defeat a water user." said Lightning
	"I em a master swordsman." said Antoine. "The Bunnie I knew is
lost..."
	"The problem with that is, Bunnie bonded with Antoine. He won't be
able to destroy her. If he's within a one hundred feet of Bunnie, any damage
caused by a torrinium blade to Bunnie will inflicted on Antoine." said
Lightning
	"Then we'll just have to hope she doesn't take water." said Sonic.
	"The problem is, most females take water." said Lightning.
	"Most?" asked Sally.
	"Ninety one percent." said Lightning.
	"Then we hope for the nine percent." said Sonic.
	"The nine percent were all foxes. Bunnie will take water." said
Lightning.  Sally began to cry.
	"I'm sorry. The only hope we have is to hunt her down, and kill her
before she takes her element." said Lightning.
	"Wait! Tails is a fox, and so am I. Neither of us were affected by the
fog. Could one or both of us take fire?" asked Fiona.
	"You would need a fire ring. They are hard to find." said Lightning
	"Have you ever seen one?" asked Fiona.
	"No... Yes! The ring of Sir Lotek!" said Lightning. "But I gave it to
Travis."
	"Then we find Travis, and get the ring from him." said Fiona.
	"How do you know I bonded weeth Bunnie?" said Antoine.
	"When I casted sleep on you, it didn't work." said Lightning.
	"Maybe you were low on power." said Antoine.
	"I'm a level twenty wind mage.  Sleep is one of the wind spells.  I
used enough sleep magic to knock out an army." said Lightning. "Offensive
spells no longer work on Antoine."
	"We..." said Sally, eyes watering up "Will have to locate Bunnie...
and... Put her down."
	"Antoine, I'll have to cast sleep on you." said Lightning. "If Bunnie
gets to you, you will be totaly loyal to her. You will willingly do anything
she says. You will even kill."
	"You said magic doesn't work on Antoine." said Sonic.
	"If Antoine consents, it will work." said Lightning. "Antoine
DeCollete, do you consent to the spell An Con Zu, the spell of sleep, being
cast on you, lasting for five hours?"
	"Yes, I do." said Antoine.
	"An Con Zu!" said Lightning. Antoine fainted, Sally cought him.
Lightning carried Antoine out the door. Tails was standing at the door.
	"Princess Sally, I am sorry I left my hut, but I was woried about you
and Lightning."
	"It's alright. I'll keep a watch over Antoine while you look for
Bunnie." said Tails.
	"I'll stay with Tails while you guys are gone." said Fiona.


Meating area
	8:00pm

	"We... will meet here at midnight." Sally said. "Everyone, check your
plasma rifles.  Make sure they're loaded. Good luck."  Everyone went into
the forest.
	Bunnie was hiding in a cave near the ring pool.
	<> Bunnie
thought to herself.  Bunnie went back to the Mobius side of the portal.
Bunnie walked southwest, towards Robotropolis.
	An hour later, she heard the engine of a skysled, it was Nack Weasel.
Nack pulled up next to Bunnie.
	"I wonder how much money I could get for a Freedom Fighter?" asked
Nack.
	"Would you like me to turn you into an ice sculpture?" asked Bunnie.
Nack grabbed Bunnie's arm.  Bunnie's ring was no longer pink, it was pure
blue.  Nack's glove began to get cold, so he jerked his hand away.
	"My glove!  It's cold!" Nack screamed. Nack took off his frozen glove,
and threw it on the ground. "How did you do that?"
	"I'm a water sorceress." said Bunnie "That was a fraction of my
power."
	"So what do you want me to do?" asked Nack.
	"Give me a ride to Robotropolis." answered Bunnie. "And I'll give you
whatever you want."
	"Why would a freedom fighter want to go to Robotropolis, alone?" asked
Nack
	"I'm not a Freedom Fighter any more." said Bunnie.
	"We've got a deal!" said Nack.  Nack picked up his glove, let Bunnie
on his skysled, and headed off towards Robotropolis.


Robotropolis
	12:00Noon

	"Okay, we're here, now where's my payment?" asked Nack.
A large combot commender looked towards Nack's skysled.
	"You lead me into a trap!"  Nack snarled.  The Combot ran up to the
skysled.
	"It won't start!" said Nack, who was begining to panic
	"Stay back, clicker!" Bunnie shouted.
	"By order of Robotnik, combot unit zero three seven will remain idle
untill ordered to do otherwise." said the Combot commander.
	"It's taking orders from you?!" said Nack, surprised.
	"I guess so." said Bunnie.  Bunnie's ring flashed.
	"I order you to escourt me to the control room." said Bunnie
	"Are you CRAZY?!" shouted Nack "You'll get us both roboticized, or
killed!!"
	"Yes, master." said the combot
	"I thought the Freedom Fighters' virus knocked out all of Robo... I 
mean, all of my computers and robots." said Bunnie.
	"Snivley used countermeasure programming to remove all viruses." said
the combot "Follow me."


Robotropolis Control Room
	12:37pm

Bunnie was sitting in Robotnik's throne.
	"Hard but comfortable.  Bring Snivley here." said Bunnie.
	"You're pressing your luck, lady!" said Nack "I don't want anything
enough to die for it!  I'm outta' here!"
	"Not so fast..." said Bunnie "I need someone, someone who's not a
robot."
	"Well, I could stick around for awhile." said Nack "Just don't screw
me over!"
Snivley entered the control room, Bunnie had the back of the throne turned
to him.
	"Welcome back, sir." said Snivley "I see you've got Nack here."
Bunnie turned to chair to face Snivley.  Snivley gasped.
	"Looks like I'm boss now." said Bunnie.
	"Guards!  There's a Freedom Fighter in the control center!" Snivley
shouted.
	"Ex-Freedom Fighter!" said Bunnie "The Freedom Fighters want me dead
as badly as they want you dead."
	"Do you expect me to beleive that?!" said Snivley
	"You don't have any choice." said Bunnie, aiming her ring at a
swatbot.  A blue light shot from Bunnie's ring to the swatbot, and froze it.
The swatbot fell down, and shattered all over the floor.
	"You either do what I tell you, or you end up like that swatbot over
there, all over the floor." Bunnie said, grinning.
	"Y-y-yes sir, I-I mean, ma'am" Snivley stuttered.
	"Now that we understand each other, let's get down to business." said
Bunnie.
	"What would that be, ma'am?" asked Snivley
	"I left a few things at Knothole that I'd like to recover." said
Bunnie, admiring her ring.  Bunnie noticed that the fur on her right hand
had turned jet black.  Two swatbots walked into the room.
	"DOCTOR-ROBOTNIK-I-HAVE-YOUR-LUNCH.  EGGS-BENEDICT-WITH-KETCHUP" said
the swatbot.
	"That's disgusting!" said Bunnie "And quit calling me Robotnik!"
	<> Bunnie thought to herself.
	"DEFINE-A-NEW-IDENTITY" said the swatbot.  Bunnie hesitated.
	"The swatbot wants to know what you'd like to be called, Rabbit." said
Snivley
	"Call me..." Bunnie trailed off, looking at her ring <>
	"Call me 'Queen Blackhand'." said Bunnie
	"IDENTIFICATION-CONFIRMED... QUEEN BLACKHAND."
	"Bunnie Rabbot is dead, I am now Queen Blackhand!" shouted Bunnie.
	"So, now that you have Robotnik's empire, what will you do?" asked
Nack.
	"I'll...  Is it hot in here, or is it just me?" asked Queen Blackhand
	"It's freezing in here!" said Snivley.
	"You'r an overlander." said Bunnie "Nack, is it hot in here?"
	"I'd have to agree with Snivley, it's cold in here." said Nack
	"The air conditioning has malfunctioned." said Snivley "I think it's
about fifty degrees farenheit in here."
	"I want it cooler!" said Queen Blackhand "Somewhere around fourty
would be nice."
	"I'll lower the temperature." said Snivley
	"Let's see, I need a new wardrobe." said Queen Blackhand
	"I'll get one of the replicators to make you something." said Snivley.
	"I can select what I want?" asked Queen Blackhand
	"Yes, you can." said Snivley.  Snivley directed Queen Blackhand to the
replicator.

An hour later

	"How do I look?" asked Queen Blackhand, wearing a tight leather skirt,
and a leather haltertop with chain straps at the neck.  She also wore high-
heal leather boots, and a hooded blue cloak.
	"You look like a floozie... Ma'am" answered Snivley
	"I wasn't asking you." said Queen Blackhand "Nack, how do I look?"
Nack was drooling.
	"You're won't be getting what you're thinking of, Nack." said
Blackhand.
"I just wanted to know how I look." The ring began to flash.
	"You look...  Lovely!" said Nack, now under some sort of enchantment.
	"Would you do me a favor, Nack?" asked Blackhand
	"Anything..." answered Nack.
	"I'd like to know where you live." said Blackhand
	"I have a hideout near the vilage of NeMagnika, just a mile to the
north.  My sister, Nicollete drops by there to visit me on Thursday nights."
said Nack.
	"Who else knows about your place?" asked Blackhand.
	"Nobody, it's a secret." said Nack, now in a stupor.
	"What time does your sister visit you on Friday nights?" asked
Blackhand.
	"Usualy just after sunset, so nobody will know about it." said Nack
"She also brings me a fresh blueberry pie once and awhile." answered Nack
	"Nack, would you wait in that closet there, and cover your ears?"
asked Blackhand
	"Certainly." said Nack, walking to the mop closet.
	"Remember to close the door!" said Blackhand.  Nack went into the
closet, closed the door, and covered his ears.
	"What a sap!" said Blackhand "Snivley, would you do me a favor?"
	"Um, yes, ma'am." answered Snivley.
	"Drink that bottle of ten w fourty over on that shelf." said
Blackhand.
	"Certainly not!" snapped Snivley
	"Why not?" asked Blackhand.
	"I don't know what you did to Nack, but it won't work on me!" answered
Snivley.
	"I see that my charm doesn't work on overlanders." said Blackhand
"Very interesting, interesting indeed."
	"Should I get you something to eat?" asked Snivley.
	"Yes.  I'd like a large salad." answered Blackhand "And while your at
it, send eight Combots to Nack's hideout, and have them wait there, and
capture Niccolette the weasel."
	"Understood, sir, er, ma'am!" said Snivley.
	"I think I like this job." mumbled Blackhand. "Oh, tell Nack he can
come out of the mop closet now."
	"Yes, ma'am." answered Snivley.  Snivley opened the mop closet, pulled
Nack's hands off of his ears, and told him he could return.  Snivley left.
	"Stupid furface b*tch..." Snivley mumbled, halfway down the hall.
	"Snivley!" Blackhand called out "Would you come here?"
	Snivley walked back to the control room.
	"Would you step up to my chair please?" asked Blackhand.  Snivley
steped
up to the chair.  Blackhand backhanded Snivley half way across the room.
	"I will not tollerate disrespect!" said Blackhand "I heard you in the
hall!"
	Snivley got up, noticing a nosebleed
	"Yes, ma'am" said Snivley, trembling with fear.  Robotnik had picked
Snivley up by the collar, and had even shaken him, but Robotnik never hit
him.
	"Now take care of your nose, and mobilize the combots." said
Blackhand.
	<> Blackhand thought to herself <>


Robotropolis Control Room
	3:45pm

	Snivley and Nack stood in front of Queen Blackhand, wearing heavy
winter coats, and shaking.
	"Now this is nice!" said Queen Blackhand "Now for the matter of
getting my stuff..."
	"You know where Knothole is?" asked Snivley
	"I should slap you for that!" snarled Queen Blackhand "Of course I
know where Knothole is!"  Snivley was silent
	"I want twenty combots to go to Knothole, and bring Antoine D'Coolette
to me. UNHARMED!" shouted Bunnie.  "And send two prisioner transport
vehicals as well."
	"Why two?" asked Snivley.
	"In case the Freedom Fighters destroy one." answered Queen Blackhand.
	"Yes sir... er, ma'am" said Snivley.
	"Remember, if Antoine is harmed," said Queen Blackhand "I WILL KILL
YOU!"
	"Y-y-yes... Si... Ma'am" said Snivley, feeling the icy hand of fear.
	"Combot!" said Blackhand, to the combot at her left "I want this chair
upholstered with pink plush, and it needs cushions, too"
	"YES-MI'LORD" answered the combot.
	"I'm going to look around, and see what I have here." said Queen
Blackhand.


Knothole, Rotor's workshop
	9:32pm

	"How ling will it take to repair Lightning's flight system?" asked
Sally
	"I don't know." answered Rotor "The dammage on the circuit board is
heavy, It's a mirical his memory boards didn't get cracked."
	"Could you hurry up with that board?" asked Lightning "I get this
nasty tingling feeling without it."
	"I'll put it back in, but you won't be able to fly until it's
repaired." answered Rotor. "We'll need parts from Robotropolis to repair
it."
	"I wonder what Bunnie's doing?" asked Antoine.
	"I don't know." answered Sally "I hope she's okay."I'm going to get
something to eat."

	The alarm sounded...

	"We're under attack!!!" shouted Tails "COMBots!  Lost of 'em!!!"

	"I thought we destroyed all of Robotniks systems with Detrax's
viruses?!" said Rotor
	"I've got to defend Knothole!" said Lightning
	"Lightning, you're in no condition to fight off Combots" said Rotor.
"You'd be better off taking cover." said Rotor "If they get hold of you,
they'll learn how to build robots like you."
	"Where's Sally?" asked Lightning
	"She went to the mess hall, I guess." answered Rotor "Didn't you hear
her?"
	"No." answered Lightning.  Lightning ran to the pantry


Knothole Mess hall
	9:47pm

	"Sally!" shouted Lightning "Are you here?"  Lightning sensed a combot
standing behind him.  Lightning turned, aimed his fusion cannon at the
combot, and saw the combot holding Sally.
	"BACK-OFF-OR-THE-RODENT-GETS-IT." said the combot, holding a plasma
rifle to Sally's head.
	"AN..." said Lightning, but his spell was interupted.
	"CEASE-SPELLCASTING-OR-THE-RODENT-GETS-HER-HEAD-BLOWN OFF!" said the
combot, backing towards one of the prisioner transport vehicals.  The combot
threw Sally into the vehical.
	"NOOOOOOO!!!" shouted Lightning.

	The combots were gone, just as quickly as they came...

	"Where's Sall'?" asked Sonic.
	"The combots took her." said Lightning "I've failed..."
	"They got Antoine, too!" said Tails.
	"How did they know where to find us?" asked Sonic
	"They must have captured Bunnie, and got her to talk." said Fiona
	"We need to meet in the war room." said Tails


Knothole War Room
	9:47pm

	"They must be trying to cripple us by taking our strategy experts."
said Lightning "And they're doing a good job at it."
	"This was a carefully planned attack." said Tails "If they interogate
Sally, they'll be able to find all the other Freedom Fighter factions."
	"My question is, Who the H*ll's behind all this?!" asked Sonic
"Robuttnik's trapped in the underworld."
	"I'd assume it's Snivley." said Rotor "He's a greater threat than
Robotnik ever was." said Lightning.  "We must rescue them, before Snivley
gets what he wants from them."
	"How do we do that?" asked Sonic "We don't have Sally and Nicole, we
don't have Antoine, we don't have Bunnie."
	"Use your divination thingies, Lightning!" said Tails
	"I can't cause them to happen, they come and go.  So far all I've seen
is a male purple weasel with gauntlets, and a cowboy hat" said Lightning
	"What kind of gauntlets?" asked Sonic "Heavy gloves, with metal
plates?"
	"Yes!" said Lightning "You've had visions too?"
	"No." said Sonic "But I know the guy you're describing.  His name's
Nack Weasel."
	"A friend, I take it?" asked Lightning.
	"Erm, not really." said Sonic.
	"In the visions, I see you, and this Nack fellow shaking hands." said
	"That's never happened before, and it's not happening now." said Sonic
	"Then it is to be." said Lightning
	"Impossible!" snapped Sonic. "Nack's too self-centered."
	"I don't get that many future visions, they're very rare.  But they're
very accurate when I have them. And I KNOW this is one of them." said
Lightning.
	"So what do we do?" asked Sonic "Wait 'till H*ll freezes over, then we
join forces with that back-stabbing weasel?!"
	"I don't know." said Lightning "I'll need rest, if I want to receive
more visions.  I only get them in the deepest stages of meditation."
	"That's what I wanted to know!" said Tails "Go to your shack, and
start meditating."
	"I'm not even going to say anything about that one." said Sonic


Robotropolis, Control Room
	12:00MN  8-19-99 E.D.E.  Thursday

	Queen Blackhand had her cloakhood to where her face couldn't be seen.
Queen Blackhand was also wearing black elbow-length gloves.
	"WE-HAVE-THE-PRISIONERS-YOU-REQUESTED-MY-QUEEN" said the combot scout.
	"Prisioners?" said Queen Blackhand "I only requested ONE prisioner."
	"Bring Antoine D'Coolette." said Queen Blackhand.  The Combot scout
left the room.
	"SNIVLEY!!!"  called Queen Blackhand.  Snivley ran into the room.
	"Yes, Ma'am?" said Snivley.
	"I'd like you to get me a glass." said Queen Blackhand,
licking her cuspid teeth.  This disturbed Snivley.
	"What would you like in it?" asked Snivley.  Blackhand slaped Snivley.
	"I told you to get me a glass, not a glass of." said Queen Blackhand.
	"Yes, ma'am." said Snivley.  Snivley went to the pantry, and returned
to the control room.
	"Here's your empty glass." said Snivley.
	"Thank you." said Queen Blackhand.  The cup began to fill with water.
	The combot scout entered the room, followed by two other combots,
carying Antoine.
	"THIS-IS-THE-PRISIONER-YOU-REQUESTED." said the combot scout
	"Release him!" said Queen Blackhand.  The two combots released
Antoine."
	"You won't get anything from me, whoever you are!" said Antoine
	"You don't recognize me, 'Twan?" asked Queen Blackhand.
	"No! I don't!" shouted Antoine.  Queen Blackhand removed her hood.
	"Bunnie?!" Antoine gasped
	"Surprised?" said Queen Blackhand.
	"You're the one who ordered tha attack against Knothole?!" asked
Antoine.
	"It wasn't an attack." said Queen Blackhand "If I wanted Knothole
destroyed, it would have been reduced to rubble by now."
	"What do you want from me?" asked Antoine.  Queen Blackhand's ring
flashed.
	"Your help, in restoring order to this world." said Queen Blackhand.
	"Oui, I can help you." said Antoine.  Another combot entered the room.
	"NICOLETTE-WEASEL-HAS-BEEN-APREHENDED." said the combot.
	"Please show Antoine to my bedroom." said Queen Blackhand to her
swatbot guard.
	"YES-MAAM." answered the swatbot.  The swatbot lead Antoine to the
room Queen Blackhand selected for sleeping in.
	"Bring the weasel to me." said Queen blackhand.  The combot brought
Nicolette into the control room.
	"What have you done with my brother?!" shouted Nicolette
	"Oh Naaack!" called Queen Blackhand "Come here!"  Nack entered the
room.
	"What do you need?" said Nack, smiling unnaturally.
	"Take this plasma rifle..." said Queen Blackhand.  Nack took the rifle
from Queen Blackhand.
	"And shoot her!" said Queen Blackhand.  Nack pointed the rifle at his
sister.
	<>  Nack fought against the hold Queen
Blackhand had over him.  Nack powered up the rifle, hearing the frequency of
the powerup rise.
	<>  Nack continued fighting.
	"DON'T DO IT NACK!!!" shouted Nicolette
	<>  Nack won.
Nack aimed the plasma rifle at Queen Blackhand, and fired.  A burst of pure
energy shot from the rifle, and burned Queen Blackhand's chest, killing her.
Nack fired at the combot holding Nicolette.
	"You okay, Sis?" asked Nack.
	"Yhea!  Let's get out of this armpit!" said Nicolette.  The two ran
for the exit door.  They were almost free, when Nicolette triped an alarm.
	"They're going to be on us soon." said Nicolette, looking back at
Nack.  Nicolette didn't look where she was going, and stepped into a trap.
Nicolette fell.
	"Run!  Get help!" shouted Nicolette
	"No way, Nic.  I'm not leaving you here!" said Nack, pulling out a
laser knife.  "I'll have you free in no time."
	"It'll take you an hour to cut that piece of metal!" said Nicolette
"The guards will be here in a couple of minutes!  Run!"
	"I'll get help, and I'll be back!" shouted Nack.  Nack ran out the
door, and made for his skysled...  he made it.


The Great Forest
	2:00am

	<> Nack thought <>


Knothole Village
	5:07am

	Nack was standing in the middle of Knothole, when Tails walked by.
	Tails saw Nack, and was getting ready to scream.
	"Shhhhhh!  Please listen to me before you call the others." said Nack.
	"Why?!" asked Tails "You've done nothing to help us!" said Tails
	"Listen, I'm sorry for being a jackass.  But I need your help." said
Nack
	"Me?" asked Tails "That's the dumbest plan ever, to capture a Freedom
Fighter."
	"Get the others.  I'll wait here." said Nack
	"Why should I?!" snapped Tails
	"Listen, Queen Blackhand has my sister" said Nack "If I don't save her
soon, Queen Blackhand will do something VERY bad to her."
	"Am I supposed to believe that crock a' bullsh..." asked Tails.
	"Please!  Help me rescue my sister!" said Nack "Please!"  Sonic and
Rotor heard Tails talking to someone, and went to investigate.
	"Who are you talking to, litl' buddy?" asked Sonic
	"Nack." answered Tails "He wants us to help him save his sister."
Sonic looked at Nack.
	"Running low on ideas I see." said Sonic
	"If you don't beleive me then..." said Nack, reaching for his pistol
"Here."  Nack handed Sonic his gun.
	"Is it going to explode?" asked Sonic.
	"Here's the deal, you help me...  And you can grind me up, or do
whatever you want to me." said Nack
	"Hmmm...  Nope." said Sonic
	"That is so inconsiderate!" shouted Fiona
	"You look familiar, do I know you?" asked Nack
	"I don't think so." answered Fiona.
	"It could be a trap." said Sonic
	"Then we'll ask Dulcy." said Tails
	"There's no time for this!" shouted Nack.
	"Get Dulcy." said Tails.  Sonic Whistled.
	"Pleeeaaaase!!!" cried Nack.  Nack was crying.
	"Two words...  Pa-thetic!" said Sonic
	"You are THE most inconsiderate person I have ever met!" said Fiona.
	"Me?" asked Sonic.
	"Yes you!" said Fiona.
	"Nack only cares about personal gain." said Sonic
	"What's left to gain?  The monetary system's shot!  Gold's worthless!
Gemstones can only be used for lasers!  Please help me!!!" said Nack
	"What will you give us in return, if we decide to help you?" asked
Sonic.
	"I have some information you might find useful.  If you agree, I'll
tell you what I know." said Nack
	"Deal!" said Sonic, extending his hand.  Sonic and Nack shook hands.
	"I heard Queen Blackhand giving orders to bring a Knothole Freedom
Fighter to her, unharmed." said Nack "I think his name is Antoine D'
something.  I also overheard about another 'prisioner', but I don't know his
or her name."
	"Antoine and Sally!" Sonic chattered.
	"I don't think Blackhand will harm Antoine...  But the other prisioner
was not expected, so I'm not sure about the second prisioner's safety" said
Nack.
	"You guys need my help?" asked Dulcy, walking up to the group.
	"I don't think we'll be needing your help.  I think I trust Nack, just
this once." said Sonic
	"Who's Blackhand?" asked Tails
	"A blond rabbit.  Pink nose, dark green eyes, on ear lop..." answered
Nack "She runs Robotropolis now."
	"Bunnie?!" asked Tails "Bunnie's Queen Blackhand?!"  Lightning walked
up to the group.
	"So, Sonic, I thought you said you'd never shake Nack's hand." said
 Lightning.  "I've been watching you kids for the past ten minutes"
	"We know where Antoine and Sally are!" said Sonic "We need some ideas,
Lightning.  We can't think of any."
	"What is the most logical solution?" asked Lightning
	"Go to Robotropolis and rescue them?" said Tails
	"Get your propulsion system running?" said Rotor
	"Relocate to another area?" said Fiona.
	"There you go!" said Lightning "You didn't need my help for that
problem, did you?"
	"Let's get to work!" said Sonic "We need to hurry, every second we
waste, the worse off we are."  Sonic returned Nack's handgun.


Robotropolis, Control Room
	5:30am

	Queen Blackhand sat up, her haltertop was heavilly burned.  Five
combos stood at guard.
	"How DARE HIM!!!" shouted Queen Blackhand "He'll pay for this!"
Queen Blackhand's ring glowed brighter.
	"YOUR-ORDERS-MASTER?" asked one of the combots.
	"Bring me the other prisioner!"  shouted Queen Blackhand.
	"WHICH-PRISIONER?" asked the combot "THE-FEMALE-WEASEL-OR-THE-FEMALE-
SQUIRREL?"
	"Both of them!" said Queen Blackhand, grinning.  A few minutes later,
four armed combots brought in Nicolette and Sally, blindfolded shackled and
shivering.
	"Remove the blindfolds." said Queen Blackhand.
	"Bunnie?!" said Sally "Why?!"
	"Why did you order the Freedom Fighters to kill me?" asked Queen
Blackhand
	"That ring you're wearing, it's evil!" said Sally
	"I'm getting tired of that excuse!" said Queen Blackhand  "Combots!
Take her to the cellblock... A Five!"
	"NO!" shouted Sally.  Two of the combots carried Sally away.
	"I'll need to confiscate this..." said Queen Blackhand, removing
Nicole from Sally's Vest pocket.
	"Now for you, Nicolette..." said Queen Blackhand.
	"Only my brother can call me that!" shouted Nicolette. "I prefer to be
called 'Nic' Capiche?!"
	"You're in no position to be making demands!" said Queen Blackhand
"Take her to cellblock A five."  The other two combots carried Nicolette
away.
	"You'll pay for this, you stupid b*tch!" shouted Nicolette
	"We'll see, 'Nic'." said Queen Blackhand, grinning.


Cellblock A-5
	6:02am

	"It's cold in here" said Nicolette
	"I hate this Cellblock!" said Sally "I spent over a year in that cell
you're in."
	"Was it always this cold?" asked Nicolette.  Nicolette could see the
moisture in her breath, as it fogged the air.
	"No.  It was cold, but not this cold." answered Sally
	"I wish they'd give us blankets." said Nicolette.
	"They won't." said Sally, curling up.
	"How long do you think Blackhand'll keep us here?" asked Nicolette.
	"Until we rot." said Sally
	"I'm hungry." said Nicolette
	"I hope Bunn... " said Sally, beginning to cry
	"It's alright, my brother'll get us out." said Nicolette
	"Who IS your brother?" asked Sally, doing her best to stifle her
crying.
	"His name's Nack." answered Nicolette
	"The bountyhunter?!" asked Sally
	"He doesn't have many friends...  He acts tough, but he's really nice,
if you get to know him." answered Nicolette "It's been hard for us, since
money is worthless now.  We do what we can to get by."
	"I guess I understand." said Sally
	"I'll tell ya' what, first chance I get, I'm gonna' rip her d*mn head
off!" said Nicolette
	"She was my best friend." said Sally
	"For a princess, you've got bad taste in friends." said Nicolette "I'd
hate ta' see what your enemies are like."
	"She wasn't always like this..." said Sally "Bunnie wouldn't hurt
anybody."
	"Well, now she's like Robotnik" said Nicolette "Like it or lump it."
	"There's got to be some way out of here." said Sally
	"Maybe I could squeeze through these bars." said Nicolette
	"I wouldn't try it if I were you." said Sally "The bars could be
electrified.  Touch the wrong two, and you'll get a serious jolt."
	"If I could get a piece of metal, or wire, I could short-circuit the
bars." said Nicolette
	"That's a big IF." said Sally "We don't even have our clothing."
	"D*mn that prisioner protocol!" said Nicolette 
	"I'm thinking..." said Sally
	"Any loose floor tiles?" asked Nicolette
	"No, not in these cells.  A dash five is maximum security." answered
Sally.
	"If only I had my lock pick set..." said Nicolette
	"I remember 


Robotropolis, Control Room
	6:21am

	"I'm getting tired, I'm going to bed." said Queen Blackhand
	"UNDERSTOOD-MY-LIEGE" said the combot next to Queen Blackhand.
	"Snivley, I'm leaving you in control...  Don't f*ck up!" said Queen
Blackhand.  Queen Blackhand went to her new bedroom.


Robotropolis, Queen Blackhand's Bedroom
	6:55am

	"Something wrong, 'Twan?" asked Queen Blackhand
	"I don't like this place." said Antoine
	"Would you like a separate bedroom?" asked Queen Blackhand
	"I meant I don't like this city, it's scarry." said Antoine
	"I'm going to sleep.  Wake me up if Snivley comes in." said Queen
Blackhand.
	"Oui." said Antoine.


Cellblock A-5
	8:02am

	"I'm tired...  Going to sleep..." said Nicolette
	"Don't... do it!" said Sally "If you... go to sleep... in... this
cold... you... won't wake up!"
	"We're dead... anyway..." said Nicolette.  Something cought Sally's
eye.
	"Nic!  Look!  A thermostat!" said Sally
	"We're... too far... from it." said Nicolette
	"If only... we had... something... to throw at it..." said Sally
	"How good are you... at shooting rubberbands?" asked Nicolette
	"Very." said Sally "When I was little... I could shoot... very well."
	"I could give you... the rubberbands... I keep in my hair." said
Nicolette.
	"There... are some rocks here." said Sally "I could... slingshoot them
at...  thermostat...  But it could get colder..."
	"We're dead... if the current temperature... holds..." said Nicolette.
	"Let's... do it." said Sally.  Nicolette removed a rubberband from her
hair, and shot it to Sally's cell.
	"I've only got three rocks..." said Sally
	"Better make 'em count." said Nicolette.  Sally shot the first rock,
and missed.  Sally shot the second rock, and hit the PA speaker above the
thermostat, knocking it loose.  Sally shot the last rock, and hit the PA
speaker again.
	"Oh well, we tried..." said Nicolette, drifting into unconciousness.
	"There's got to be some way to...  get heat..." said Sally.  Sally's
hands and feet were getting numb.  Sally became unconcious.  The PA speaker
fell off of the wall, and hit the thermostat.


Knothole, Rotor's workshop.
	9:02am

	"It'd be nice if Tails could fix robots like he does non-robots." said
Sonic, shifting his weight back and forth from left foot to right foot.
	"I'll be done with Lightning's flight circuitry in about twenty-four
hours..." said Rotor.
	"That's too long!" shouted Sonic.
	"Hollering won't help the situation." said Lightning
	"I guess it won't..." said Sonic "But I'm sick and tired of all this
bullsh*t! Why can't they leave Sal' alone?!"
	"I't goes with the job, Sonic." said Lightning "But from what Nack
said, I don't think Sally was even a target."
	"It doesn't matter!" shouted Sonic "They've got Sal'!"
	"I'm not close to Sally, like you are, Sonic" said Lightning "And it's
my fault Sally was captured."
	"Your fault?" asked Sonic.
	"If I would have followed Sally, like I was sworn to, she wouldn't
have been captured." said Lightning.
	"You can't be her shadow." said Fiona
	"They took her, right in front of me..." said Lightning "And I
couldn't do anything about it, because they had a gun to her head."
	"What's done is done." said Tails "We have to worry about now.  We
must continue with our plans to re-locate.  We might also consider going to
Earth to get Travis."
	"That's a harder task than you'd think it would be." said Rotor.
	"What do you mean?" asked Tails.
	"First, we need an emmitter." said Rotor "And I don't have the parts
to make one."
	"And?" asked Tails
	"And, if one of us DOES get to Earth, there's the problem with the
overlanders there." answered Rotor
	"What kind of problems?" asked Tails
	"On Earth, we would be considered aliens." answered Rotor "If one of
us were aprehended there, chances are, we'd loose them... in adition to
failing to get to Travis."
	"Heard anything from uncle Chuck?" asked Sonic.
	"No." answered Lightning "He's probably trying to stay hidden, like we
told him to.  Queen Blackhand is a bigger threat than Robotnik.  She knows
all our protocol, all our backup plans, and she knows where Knothole is."
	"Where do we re-locate to, Tails?" asked Fiona
	"I don't know." said Tails
	"I know of a place." said Lightning
	"Where?" asked Tails.
	"There are some underground tunnels to the east of Knothole.  They
were carved by by an underground river." answered Lightning
	"It's a veritable maze down there..." said Tails "It might work!"
	"How do we get down there?" asked Sonic
	"I could drill a hole with my fusion cannon." said Lightning "Then we
need something to cover the hole."
	"Ohno!" said Dulcy "I'm claustrophobic."
	"Me too, especially with this huge robot body." said Lightning
	"Didn't you used to be a hedgehog?" asked Sonic
	"I'm a wind mage," said Lightning "Most wind mages are claustrophobic,
and I am no exception."
	"Start drilling that hole!" said Tails "We don't have much time."
	"What about Lightning's flight circuitry?" asked Rotor
	"Lightning, I know you're not going to like this" said Tails "But
you're going to have to give Rotor your flight board."
	"I understand." said Lightning.
	"I'm sorry I have to do this, but..." said Rotor, removing Lightning's
flight control board.
	"I'll need to look around, for a good place to start drilling." said
Lightning.
	"Do it!" said Tails "All availiable Freedom Fighters are to meet in
the war room at Noon sharp!"
	"How much mana do you have, Lightning?" asked Tails
	"None.  My sleep mode is damaged.  Without all my parts intact, I
can only sleep for about five minutes, then my damage detector wakes me up."
	"Can you disable the damage detector?" asked Tails
	"No." answered Lightning "I could end up in a comatose condition."
	"Alright.  If you don't feel safe doing it, then don't." said Tails
"We need you to drill that hole."


Robotropolis, Cellblock A-5
	9:30am

	"Hmmm...  Uhhh... Nic...  You okay?" asked Sally
	"I... think so..." answered Nicolette.
	"It's warm in here..." said Sally
	"I wonder who turned on the heat?" asked Nicolette
	"I don't know." said Sally, looking at the thermostat, then looking at
the the demolished PA system below it "I think the Speaker on the wall hit
the thermostat."
	"So, instead of freezing, we get to starve." said Nicolette.
	"That sure is a negative way of looking at the situation." said Sally.
	"It is a negative situation!" said Nicolette
	"Then you're just making a bad situation worse." said Sally.
	"Could you shoot my rubber band back here?" askde Nicolette.
	"Sure." said Sally.  Sally shot the rubberband back to Nicolette.
	"Thanks!" said Nicolette "We need to find a way out of here."
	"Trust me, this is the highest security prision in Robotropolis" said
Sally.
	"And I'm the best escape artist on the planet!" said Nicolette,
pulling a metal hair pin from her hair. "Looks like they forgot to take this
from me!"
	"What else do you have hidden there?" asked Sally
	"Usually I keep a lock pick or two there, but it looks like they got
my picks." answered Nicolette.
	"Is the pin long enough to touch two bars?" asked Sally
	"Let me check..." said Nicolette, unfolding the hair pin "No, it's not
long enough."
	"At least it's not freezing in here anymore." said Sally


Robotropolis, Queen Blackhand's Bedroom
	10:25am

	"Greetings, Queen Blackhand." said a deep voice.
	"Who's there?!" asked Queen Blackhand
	"I am known as Kyrax." said the voice
	"Show yourself!" Shouted Queen Blackhand
	"Who are you talking to?" asked Antoine. 
	"Can't you hear him?" asked Queen Blackhand
	"He can't hear me...  only you can hear me." said the voice "You might
want to send him out of the room."
	"Antoine, would you leave the room?" asked Queen Blackhand "Just wait
outside the door"
	"Oui." said Antoine, as he walked out the door.
	"Now that I have your full atention..." said the voice "I have a... a
proposition to make."
	"What is it?" asked Queen Blackhand "What's the deal?"
	"I can double your powers, if you do me a favor..." said the voice.
	"What do I have to do for you?" asked Queen Blackhand.
	"There's a book on the bottom floor of this fortress.  Bring it to me,
and I'll double your powers." answered the voice.
	"How do I get there?" asked Queen Blackhand
	"I'll guide you." said the voice.


Robotropolis, Portal chamber
	10:45am
	
	"This is Robotnik's portal chamber..." said Queen Blackhand.
	"Correct." said the voice "The book is hidden behind a loose brick."
	"Where?" asked Queen Blackhand
	"You'll have to find it, the room's not that big." said the voice.
	"I'll look." said Queen Blackhand.  Queen Blackhand's ring drew her to
a torch holder.  Queen Blackhand pulled on the torch, and the wall moved,
revealing the tome of insidious acts.
	"Is this the book?" asked Queen Blackhand
	"Yes, it is." said the voice. "Now, take it to your bedroom."


Robotropolis, Queen Blackhand's Bedroom
	11:05am

	"What part do I need to read?" asked Queen Blackhand
	"Any part will do." said the voice.  Queen Blackhand began reading the
book, then something dreadful happened...


Queen Blackhand's mind
	Time: unknown...

	"What am ah' doin' here?" asked Queen Blackhand, who was dressed like
Bunnie.
	"You just turned command over to me...  Lord Kyrax!" said the voice
	"No!" shouted Queen Blackhand.
	"Yep!  I run things now!  You were easier to take over than I thought
you would be!" said the voice.
	"No!" shouted Queen Blackhand
	"The only way you'll get control back, is if the ring is removed...
and I'm not going to let that happen!" said the voice.  Queen Blackhand
began to cry.
	"I guess I'll let you rest with your thoughts, and I'm going to test
out my new body!" said the voice.


Knothole War Room
	12:00Noon

	"You all know why we're here, so I'm going to make this short.  We're
re-locating to the lower tunnels.  The tunnels are dangerous, because it's
easy to get lost.  Lightning has found a large dome-shaped area, we will
stay in that area untill we are better aquainted with the caverns.  Bring
what you're taking with you.  There will be signs showing you where to go."
said Tails.
	"Are we allowed to take what we want?" asked Amy Rose.
	"Yes, but take the things you value most first." said Tails.  "We've
already moved the power stone that makes Sonic's rings down there.  We will
also need to bring as many torches as we can get, because it's dark down
there.  Rotor has rigged the power stone to supply energy to the new base,
but if we conserve enough energy, it should be able to make one power ring
every three days, for Sonic."
	"I'm going to start moving my tools after I get Lightning's flight
systems working." said Rotor.
	"I'll stand guard at the lookout tree." said Lightning
	"I'm going to help Doctor Quack, get the medical equipment moved,
since I don't have much property of my own." said Fiona.


Robotropolis, Control Room
	12:05pm

	"YOUR-LUNCH-MASTER." said the servant robot.
	"What is this?!" asked Queen Blackhand
	"YOUR-FRESH-SALAD-MASTER" said the robot.
	"I want meat!" said Queen Blackhand.  Snivler became nervous
	"THERE-IS-A-LARGE-STOCK-OF-FROZEN-MEET-IN-THE-PANTRY. IS-THAT-
SATISFACTORY-MASTER?"
	"That'll have to do for now." said Queen Blackhand "I'd also like a
few other things, as well."


Cellblock A-5
	12:09pm

	"Wake up, Princess Sally." said Snivley
	"Hm... Ugh.." Sally yawned "What do you want?"
	"I have a few things for you." said Snivley
	"Why are you doing this?" asked Sally
	"I have a concience, unlike Queen Blackhand." answered Snivley,
pulling out two blankets, and a few cans of food.
	"Blankets!" said Sally, eyes widening.  Snivley gave Sally a blanket,
and two self-opening cans of food.
	"Wake up, Nic!" said Sally "Blankets!"
	"I'm giving you these blankets because it's going to get cold again"
said Snivley
	"What?!" said Sally
	"Queen Blackhand knows that the PA system fell on the thermostat."
said Snivley "It's a good thing too, or you two would have frozen to death."
	"Why is Queen Blackhand keeping the cellblocks cold?" asked Nicolette
	"She's keeping the entire fortress cold." said Snivley "Why do you
think I'm wearing a heavy winter coat?"
	"I'm hungry." said Nicolette
	"Here's the deal, I can give you a few cans of food each, but you have
to make them last." said Snivley "It could be a day or two before I can get
more food for you two."
	"Thank you, Snivley." said Sally "I'll remember this."
	"Think you could let us out?" asked Nicolette.
	"Don't push it." said Snivley "I don't want to be the next thing on
Queen Blackhand's dinner menu."
	"What are you takling about?" asked Nicolette
	"Queen Blackhand doesn't know I'm giving you two these things." said
Snivley "She's getting worse.  Last time I saw her, she was drinking
something very red.  I'm not sure what it was, but it looked like blood."
	"That's disgusting!" said Nicolette
	"Yes, it is." said Snivley "I'd try to put an end to her, but Nack
killed her once, and she just came back to life."
	"Thanks for the blankets." said Sally
	"I hope it's not too cold after the air conditioning comes back on."
said Snivley
	"If this conflict ends in our favor, I'll remember your kindness."
said Sally
	"Honestly, I hope you do win." said Snivley.  Snivley hit a few keys
on the door, opened it, and left.
	"I was NOT expecting that one!" said Nicolette.  The vents started
blowing cold air.
	"Me neither." said Sally.
	"What now?" asked Nicolette.
	"We wait." answered Sally

============================================================================



============================================================================
As you can see, I've gone back to writing fanfic.  I should have the next
chapter of "The Darkness Within" finished sometime soon.  I hope you've
enjoyed reading my works as much as I have had writing them.  Untill next
time...

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