FicWad

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Rouge gathered in the dusk filled sky of Robotropolis. The three were looking at the former best friends with uncanny looks. Neither of them was dead or seriously injured. They weren’t even arguing – as much. The Freedom Fighters were also confused at who was leading the team. The Blue Blur wore his permanent cocky smile as he wiped the area under his nose.
“Okay this is what’s going to happen.” said Sonic the Hedgehog. “Since Tails has told me everything that happened in the five years without me, I’m leading this team to resolve all the issues. It’s what Sonic did years ago and it’s what Sonic will do five minutes from now.”
“Uh…” started Rouge.
“First thing we’re doing is tracking Shadow, no one puts Knothole in trouble and gets away with it.” Sonic added. Tails lay his head in his palms.
“Okay Sonic, where do we start?” asked Amy through snickers.
“Uh…” said Sonic.
“As passionate and extremely idiotic that plan is I’d rather have Tails leading things.” Rouge started again, “We made it here in partial pieces, why not just take out Robotnik now?”
“Truth be told Rouge, If Robotnik was alive he would have played his hand already. Look at us. When have we ever stood in Robotropolis without cannon fire?”
The Freedom Fighters took a step back and looked around.
Robotropolis was just resting here; an abandoned city devoid of the tyrant who ran things.
“I guess he’s right.” Knuckles went on.
“Yeah.” Amy realized. “So what do we do now.”
“We finish this mission.” Tails commanded. “At least give me some closure before we downward spiral into oblivion.”
“Is that a diss toward me!?” Sonic interrogated.
“Amy, check a nearby terminal for any user activity. Rouge, check your sources satellites, see if we can get some activity. Knuckles, see what the Chaotix knows about this. And you…”
Sonic stepped in front of Tails.
“We’re gonna search this place.” Tails turned toward the horizon.

_|_|_|_ Queen St. John enjoys her day of relaxation _|_|_|_

Queen Sally slid her and her bikini into a mud bath. This was the luxurious life she had been putting off for some time. Sure she was the princess, the leading lady of Knothole for years, but she was always busy. Whether it was directing citizens, or rebuilding the village she never once sweated over things or lost sleep. Now it was her turn to lose herself. She was being pampered at a spa within the confines of New Mobotropolis.
“Queen St. John, the drink you requested.” said an owl handing her the full glass of raspberry lemonade.
“Set it down please.” the queen said through moans and sighs. The owl left with her tray in hand and a smile across her face. The lynx appearing in the room looked on with questionable doubt.
“This is most unlike you, Master.” said Nicole almost cracking a smile.
“Hello… Nicole… how are you today?” Sally asked while adjusting the cucumbers on her face.
“I do not have an answer for that question but I do have other answers.” said Nicole wetting Sally’s conversational appetite.
“Can it wait Nicole, they’re preparing for my massage in few minutes… I hear the de-clawed bear they have in there has the hands of a god.” Sally said nearly sliding into the mud.
“I’ve found two members of the rebels in conversation in the central square. They were only talking but…”
“So it was nice chat among friends.” Sally straightened up.
“Not exactly. They kept mentioning something called The Reckoning. I’ve checked database after database but nothing came up as extraordinary. I fear dark times are ahead of us.”
“The Reckoning?” Sally questioned. “This doesn’t sound good at all. Who were the ones talking?”
“It is not good at all. The ones talking were a pig named Hamlin and a porcupine named Archie. They spoke of reform and democracy.”
Sally rose out of the bath. “I need to talk to Geoffrey.”

The Freedom Fighters had gathered again.
The original five assigned to this mission were all smiles in the palace halls of Echidna Village. Bunnie’s left side had been patched up and healed completely. Since most of organic body was only upper torso her healing rate had gone up. She was fitted with mechanics from Julie-Su which provided better lateral movement on her legs. Bunnie wasn’t the only one with upgrades.
Rotor wore a titanium plated vest over his huge torso and had many places for pistols within it. On his back was a new flight capability known as the winged jet pack. He abandoned his jet bets and placed more pistols alongside the normal combat boots he wore. His fatigue pattern shorts hang loosely from his waist. The huge cannon he normally carried was strapped over his jet pack. He was battle ready at every turn.
“Hey guys.” Sonic nonchalantly greeted.
“Sugah-hog!” Bunnie sprung off the handle and hugged him. “Ya’ll are okay now?”
“We came to an agreement.” Tails explained.
“Yeah that’s what we’ll call it.” said Amy.
“And what are we?” Rouge eyeballed Amy. Knuckles would have joined the burn session but he was focused on the Queen coming down the hall. His eyes were wide but quickly hid them in a gruff clearing of the throat.
“Queen Julie-Su.” Knuckles greeted with a passionate kiss. Julie-Su nearly melted but kept her composure. She returned the kiss as the others rolled their eyes.
“So what’s been going on?” asked Rotor.
“A new mission, my good walrus.” said Sonic. “We’re going Shadow hunting.”
“Heh, is this guy serious?” Rotor asked while looking at Tails. “Im getting too old for this.”
“Sonic is correct…” Tails sighed, “But I’m still leading this team, no matter how idiotic the mission is.”
“Actually we just a call from home base, not too long ago.” started Bunnie.
“Yeah It was, what, about a few days ago.” Rotor added.
“Nicole wants us to head ‘em up, move ‘em out, and jam back to New Mobo.” Bunnie explained.
“Regroup?” Tails questioned. “Sounds good.”
“What for?” Sonic asked. “As long as we’re not in the wrong, we can run the Freedom Fighters however we want.”
“Nope.” Amy interjected. “King St. John commands that he and the Queen be informed of our doings. I mean it only makes sense, right?”
Sonic sighed.
“Kings, Queens, commands, this doesn’t seem right.” Sonic mumbled. “We used to do whatever we wanted.”
“Times have changed Sonic, what can you expect?” said Amy.
Sonic crossed his arms.
“You’re so cute when you’re mad.” Amy whispered.
He held his tongue which had become the normal fashion for him. The Freedom Fighters he remembered were a no-holds-barred kind of team. They were relentless and had plenty of attitude to take on Robotnik. Now they were this strict group who always followed this new command; five years ago the Freedom Fighters were the command.
“So when do we go back?” asked Tails
“Yesterdays Rooster crow.” Bunnie simplified it.
“Nicole said things are getting intense at home and some of us are needed there.” Rotor explained.
“I guess we’re stationed here.” Knuckles said while clutching the hips of his Queen.
“I may as well wet my appetite for drama and leave with you guys then.” said Rouge. “And I may not look it but I’m an excellent tracker especially for black hedgehogs.”
“Okay we get you chatty bat.” Julie-Su stated.
Rouge started to unleash the anger she had stored up for the Queen.
“Let’s make this trip a short one.” Tails said while nudging Rouge along.
“Wait.” said Knuckles. “I’m not too sure about this but…”
Everyone looked on questionably.
“I’ve seen you do things in the past that were simply amazing.” started Knuckles. “Like the three times you stopped the Death Egg for example. And I know one thing that I’ve learned about that black hedgehog, he’s after the Chaos Emeralds. I’m giving you my Chaos Emerald so that you can take out that poor example of a hog.”
He withdrew the Chaos Emerald from the invisible Chaos Energy surrounding himself and handed the jewel to Sonic.
“It’s gonna weaken things here at home but my people are fighters. If Shadow comes stomping in here were gonna give it all we got and send him to the pits.” Knuckles stated.
Sonic accepted the emerald and stored it in his own energy.
“My man’s cool!” Sonic and Knuckles shook hands.

_|_|_|_ Shadow appeared in the Great Forest _|_|_|_

Shadow appeared in the Great Forest.
He surveyed the edges of the giant trees just before entering. The place was literally rotting with each day. The trees were splintering and the leaves were withering. The Great Forest wasn’t so great anymore. Shadow had walked a great length into the forest when he felt a presence. He kept his eyes forward as if nothing were troubling his senses. Shadow leapt when the ground exploded. He landed on a tree branch up above when he saw what was causing the explosions. A rocket was flying toward him when he leapt again. Shadow landed on the ground when he looked up to see multiple projectiles heading his way.
Shadow turned tail and lead the rockets his way. He ran through multiple underpasses of fallen trees and parried through the uprights of trunks. Shadow did it all at lightning fast speed as the rockets started to collapse the trees. A section of the Great Forest was toppling down as Shadow stood amidst the fallen wood.
“Who are you?” asked Shadow.
“Hedgehog located. Initiating elimination process.” the machine stated. The hands switched on the robot and it started to charge a laser.
Shadow started to walk toward the robot unafraid of the ominous glow of the light.
“What are you?” Shadow asked calmly.
“Laser fully armed.” it stated.
The laser blasted a head line straight through the forest. It cleared away at least seventy miles of forest before it dissipated. The smell was sweet like a campfire but the sight was a huge scar in the woods.
The robot’s legs exploded in a flurry of Chaos Energy.
It fell to its back as it started to aim up above. The arms of the robot then followed with an explosion of periwinkle and orchid light. All it was now was a torso and head.
“Epsilon.” Shadow said after landing close to it. “The E-series robots sent to assassinate hedgehogs. Where are your brothers?”
“Sending collected information to surviving units. Data sent.” Epsilon stated. “Self-destruct initiated.”
Epsilon blew up and took a mile radius of the forest with him. Shadow stood among the flames and sighed.
His pocket started to vibrate.
“Is this what you wanted?” Shadow calmly questioned.
“It is actually?” said the contact.
“Who are you?” asked Shadow. “A timid hedgehog with a hold on my emeralds.”
“I am a dreamer with goals to achieve now Shadow. My dreams can’t come true if those robots are in the way. Once you eliminate all five you’ll get your hands on just one emerald. From there we can talk about the next two that I have.”
“Who is this?”
“I swear you are a difficult ultimate life-form. Just do as you’re told and the emeralds are yours.”
“I don’t like being led on. If I find out this is a joke I will annihilate you!”
“I welcome your arrival then.”
The contact hung up.
Shadow shoved the phone back into his pocket and disappeared by means of Chaos Control.
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