Picking Up The Pieces

From Bunnie’s Journal

Late spring

3235

I still can’t believe he’s gone. Even with the funeral and everything, it’s so hard to except. His dad was real stoic, but I could tell he was just putting on a face, I could see the tears in his eyes. And his mom was so devastated. It can’t be easy to lose your only child.

Vector’s song was beautiful, I had no idea he could sing like that. And the song was perfect too. But I can’t help but worry bout Julie-Su. I mean, she loved the guy, even though we didn’t know it. I know if I lost my Twain, I’d be a lot more upset than she appears to be. Sal’s brother reckons it’s just the echidna way, that they ain’t prone to blubbering and so forth. I don’t know though, maybe a part of her died with him? I kinda think she’s burying what she’s feeling, or something. But then, she’s been great help for me…

~~~~~

For what seemed like the thousandth time that day, Bunnie landed unceremoniously on her backside with a loud ‘whump’ of escaping breath.

"This is beginin’ to seriously tick me off." She growled as she glanced back at the silent pink echidna, the source of all her latest bruises.

"You were the one who asked for help in combat training." Julie-Su said, the merest hint of a smile curling her beak.

"Ah know," the rabbit moaned as she hauled herself to her weary and aching feet.

It had been a strange thing to get used to, feeling all the little sensations in her restored limbs. The delightful feel of the wind through her fur. The lap of the water when she dipped her toes in a stream.

But then, she could also feel pain now. She remembered the first time Antoine had stumbled, clumsily stepping on her foot with his heavy boots. It had been a somewhat unwelcome return of a long forgotten sensation.

It had even taken several weeks just to get to walk straight. She’d grown so accustomed to her robotic limbs, their weight, their strength, to suddenly find she was just ‘normal’ was something of a shock.

In battle, she had always relied on her metallic parts. And she realised now just how little she knew about fighting. That’s why she’d approached Julie-Su. The Dark Legion was an extremely regimental organisation. They knew how to fight. And Bunnie was determined to pull her own weight in the Freedom Fighters.

She also thought it would be good for Julie-Su. It would take her mind off what she’d lost. Strangely though, as Bunnie had soon discovered, the echidna didn’t seem to be feeling any loss at all. She didn’t smile much, but Bunnie wasn’t sure if that was an expression of grief, or whether she’d always been like that. She’d only previously met the echidna on two occasions, and she hadn’t been particularly forthcoming with any kind of information about herself.

"You wanna try it again?" Julie-Su asked as Bunnie turned to face her.

"Not really," the rabbit admitted. "But Ah gotta get through this." She dropped into the fighting stance her sparring partner had taught her, and braced herself for the next attack.

~~~~~

Geoffrey St John watched the two females spar from the window of his hut. Bunnie had improved under Julie-Su’s not-so-gentle tutelage, but he still wasn’t sure it was enough.

He turned away, walking to his desk, he sat down heavily. He looked at the files and reports that filled it to overflowing. He wasn’t sure what to handle first until he saw the one with King Max’ Royal Seal.

He opened the seal immediately and began to read his liege’s request, his expression becoming more and more distressed the further he read. He put down the document, leaning on his elbow he ran his hand through his thick white hair. "Oh, streuth." He mumbled to himself.

He picked up his nearby communicator, flicked it open and waited for a response.

"Yes, Commander?" He heard Hershey’s voice inquire almost immediately.

"Could you bring me all the information we’ve got on Miles Prower, Antoine D'Coolette, Bunnie Rabbot, Rotor Walrus, Amy Rose and Julie-Su?"

He could almost hear Hershey’s frown over the communicator, brought on, no doubt, by the tone of his voice. "May I ask why, Sir?" She asked, an edge of concern in her voice.

"Just do it please, Hershey." He said.

"Yes, Sir." She said before signing off.

He returned to the window, sighing as he watched Bunnie and Julie-Su. The echidna was still easily evading the rabbit’s blows, but Bunnie was not taking hits nearly as often as she had when the pair had first started training together a month and a half ago.

He lowered his head as he leaned against the window frame.

"They’re gonna kill me." He said softly to himself.

~~~~~

Sally sighed deeply as she looked at Sonic’s serene face. She’d never seen him look so peaceful. She glanced at the tubes connected to his body, following them to the machines that kept tabs on his vital signs, that fed him, that kept him alive.

She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of his breathing, slow and steady, like any being that was in a deep sleep. She focused on the almost irritating ping of his heartbeat, amplified through the monitor above his head. She opened her eyes and watched the little green dot make its way across the tiny black screen, the trail of its passage fading seconds before its cycle restarted.

The Brotherhood had only just transferred him from Haven, now that he was stable enough, believing he would have a far better chance of recovering in familiar surroundings. Their tests led them to believe there was no brain damage. Sonic’s brain wave patterns were somewhat erratic, but there was definitely evidence of unconscious thought. But their highly advanced equipment was designed for echidna physiology, and despite some modifications made by Ellie-Za as per Moni-Ca’s instructions, it was difficult to get any solid data.

They’d just have to wait until he woke up.

‘If he ever DOES wake up,’ Sally thought glumly.

Even though she cared for him deeply, there had been times in the past that she had wished he’d be quiet. There were times when his attitude and flippancy had truly annoyed her. But now she’d give anything to hear his voice.

"I don’t know if you can hear me," she spoke softly to him. "Doctor Quack says it’s possible that you can. I don’t know if you know what’s happened. What we’ve gained…what we’ve lost…

"There’s been no sign of Robotnik, but his swatbots have got control of the city, so we all figure he’s around somewhere, plotting something…

"Everybody’s hopeful that you’ll wake up soon, the doctors, here and on the Island, everybody here in Knothole, the Chaotix, they ask about you all the time, especially Mighty…"

She paused, not knowing whether or not to mention Knuckles. She knew the pair had never been the best of friends, but since they’d settled their differences, they’d always been there for each other. She closed her eyes again as she felt the tears come. It still hurt her to think of her friend. She looked at Sonic’s still peaceful face. She kissed her fingertips and placed them to his lips.

"Please," she whispered, "come back to us…to me…I couldn’t bare it if I lost you both…"

She sighed again and settled herself more comfortably in her seat. She rarely left his side now, and when she did it was only for the briefest of times. She yawned in a very un-princess like fashion, her eyelids drooping as she continued her vigil.

~~~~~

From Bunnie’s Journal

Mid summer

3235

It’s been a couple of months now, since everything went all screwy.

Sal’s been like a ghost, we hardly see her out these days. She don’t eat, she don’t sleep. She don’t leave Sonic’s side if she don’t have to.

And there’s been no change in the sugarhog. He just lies there like some kind of sleeping beauty. I wonder if he can hear us? Doc Quack says that folks in comas can do that sometimes, that they know exactly what’s going on round them, but they can’t do nothing bout it, cos they can’t move or talk or nothing. Sal says not to mention nothing bout what happened to Knuckles round him, just in case. I reckon Sonic already knows anyhow.

I’m still worried about Julie-Su though. We all miss the red guy, but it’s gotta be different for her. I still remember the way she screamed when he died. It was like Dimitri had cut HER heart out. But since then the girl ain’t shown squat bout how she’s feeling. She’s marginally better than Sal, she eats at least, though not much. But at least Sal’s got hope. Sonic could come out of that coma at any time, but there ain’t no way on Mobius we ever gonna see Knux again. She don’t show it, but I know she’s hurting. Hurting bad. Maybe that’s why she’s so rough on me when we’re sparrin.

I reckoned from the first time I saw the two of em together, they’d fall for each other, I always been good at spotting such things, even though I never spotted me and Antoine, guess I wasn’t looking that close. Now I wish I’d been wrong, then she wouldn’t be hurting so bad. I don’t know how close they got, I never saw em show any real affection to each other, but the way she’s internalising right now, I reckon they were pretty intense. And she did break the whammy Dimitri put on him, and all the storybooks say only true love can do that.

Sal told me once that echidnas are real big on their privacy, so I ain’t pushed her to talk about it or nothing. But I wish she would. If not to me or Sal, then to one of those two echidna girlfriends of hers. They both seem pretty cluey, and they’ve known her a lot longer than we have. I’m sure it’d help her.

~~~~~

Tails sat quietly, staring at the distant towers of Robotropolis. He thought about his destiny. His position as the Chosen One. He’d always thought he’d have Sonic and Knuckles to back him up. He’d always taken comfort in that. It was a frightening prospect, being the saviour of an entire planet, but he’d always felt better in the knowledge that he wouldn’t be going through it alone.

Mammoth Mogul had said the trio were destined to reach a divine status. He didn’t really know what that meant. Were they going to become gods of some sort? Like the Ancient Walkers.

The Future Walkers, maybe?

‘Maybe that’s what’s happened to Knuckles,’ he thought suddenly. ‘Maybe he’s reached his divine status.’

Tails smiled to himself. It made him feel a little better to think of Knuckles as having gone on to a higher purpose, that the echidna might still be looking out for him, for all his friends, in a way that they just couldn’t sense.

"Whatcha doin’?" The sudden sound brought him out of his reverie. He turned to see Amy Rose looking at him with a curious expression on her face.

"Just thinking." He shrugged. "What’s up?"

"I was sent to come find you," the pink hedgehog explained.

"What for?" Tails asked as he climbed to his feet.

"Dunno," she admitted. "But we’ve got a royal audience."

"The King wants to see us?" Tails raised a brow. Sally’s father had been almost as reclusive as his daughter of late. He and Locke were still working on their idea to unite the kingdoms of Mobius. Most kingdoms had been very positive about the concept. Mercia, Downunda and the Mysterious Cat Country had all agreed to join, as well as several nations he’d never heard of.

"Yeah," Amy Rose confirmed. "So we better not keep him waiting."

~~~~~

When Tails and Amy Rose arrived they found the Freedom Fighters assembled in their entirety, minus Sally and Sonic of course. Even Julie-Su, though she had distanced herself a little, looked on with a curious eye.

The King was in a hushed conversation with Geoffrey St John. Neither looked particularly happy.

"What’s going on?" Tails asked as he came up to stand beside Rotor.

"I’m not sure," the walrus shrugged. "I was in the middle of some pretty delicate circuitry work when Stu comes in and tells me to report to the King."

"What did Stu tell you?"

"Nothing. But I don’t think he knows what’s going on any more than we do."

The skunk stepped away from his King, glancing sadly at the Freedom Fighters.

"Is everybody accounted for?" Max asked as he glanced about at the collection of beings.

"Yes, your Majesty." Geoffrey said in little more than a mumble.

Everything about the skunk, his expression, his mannerisms, the tone of his voice, screamed bad news. Tails’ eyes widened.

"You’re probably wondering why I called you all here…" Max started.

"This is something to do with Sonic isn’t it?" Tails blurted, forgetting all about royal protocol. "He’s taken a turn for the worse!"

"No, young Prower," the King smiled slightly, "Sir Sonic is as he has been for the past few months. No better, no worse. This meeting is in regards to your little team.

"I set Commander St John the task of assessing you as a unit, as you are right now," he glanced around at their expectant faces. He sighed before he continued. "Though it pains me to say it, until further notice, the Freedom Fighters are disbanded."

~~~~~

"Ah don’t believe this!" Bunnie grumbled. "Ah been bustin’ my hump to get in shape, and it was all for nothin’."

"I do not know," Antoine raised a brow suggestively. "You are looking tres beau to me."

Bunnie bushed slightly and leaned towards him. "Not in front of the kiddies, sugah."

"The King said ‘until further notice’," Tails mused. "I’m guessing it’s not a permanent situation."

"It’s not."

They all turned to look at the skunk, the skunk who had sold them out. None were too happy to see him.

"You would dare show your face ‘round ‘ere?" Antoine demanded. "After you ‘ave been so cold to us?"

"Guys…" he held up his hands in an effort to placate them. "I didn’t do it to be mean, or out of some misconceived belief of jealousy or something." He sighed. "I’ve looked at your files, I’ve seen you all in action. And there isn’t one of you I wouldn’t be honoured to have by my side as I walked into battle…

"But the King asked…heck, he ORDERED me to assess you, as you are right now as a unit, as a team. And you can’t function as a team at the moment."

"Sez you." Tails growled.

"Yes," he turned on the fox. "Sez me. As I said, you’re all excellent fighters, even you two kids," he looked from Tails to Amy. "But you’re followers. None of you is a leader."

Eyes widened and jaws dropped as what he was saying began to sink in.

"Until the hedgehog wakes up, and yeah, I want him to wake up just as much as you do." He glanced at Julie-Su. "We’ve suffered enough losses. Until you get Sally back, you can’t function as a team.

"I didn’t do it for me, to improve my own team’s status amongst the locals. I did it for you. I didn’t want to see any of you get hurt if an operation went sour and you had nobody to think up a way out." He shook his head. "I knew you’d react this way…"

The Freedom Fighters glanced at each other. Their gut instincts had made them side against his recommendation, but his words had bought clarity. As much as they all hated to admit it, he was right.

"So," Tails said finally. "It IS temporary, right?"

"If the hedgehog were to wake up now, you’d be reinstated a heartbeat later." A slight smile curled his face. "And if any of you would like to work with us," he gestured towards Stu and Hershey who were taking together just out of earshot, "until such time as you’re ready to go again, you’d be more than welcome."

The Freedom Fighters exchanged a glance.

"We’ll see." Tails smiled, slightly wickedly.