FoxFire Studios Presents

Sonic The Hedgehog:  Blood and Metal--Haunted Fantasies

Installment III

Sonic the Hedgehog by Sega of America
BAM and HF by David Gonterman [DGonterman@aol.com]
David "Davey Crockett" Kintobor and Pippkin by David Gonterman
MechTail by Paul Lapensee [butcher@iaw.on.ca]
Kickaha by Edward Becerra [edward@genesis.org]
Old Man Coyote adapted for BAM by David Gonterman and Edward
Becerra
Sonia Hedgehog by Emily Smith [soniadah@aol.com]
__________________________________

Visit the FoxFire Studios WWW page at:
http://users.aol.com/dgonterman
__________________________________

     "You're begging for forgiveness?!" He roared, red eyes
stabbing into Kat's.  "YOU'RE BEGGING FOR FORGIVENESS?!?"

     Sometimes David Kintobor can sound so much like his father,
it can be downright scary.

     "Where the phrack is *MINE*?!  Where was it when that
nnnnnnnnniii--black witch shot off my arm?!"

     Sometimes people would wonder if he'll finally snap and
roboticize someone himself.  Others would say that, if it would
be Snivley, they'll gladly pay the cable fee.

     "Where was it when my *other* arm was in that [censored]
biological lock?!"

     As Princess Sally played this back on her new wrist computer
(which wasn't as snazzy as Nicole, but since that old computer of
her's actually attaining sentience, she needed a replacement.),
she noted that Kat is still in therapy over this.

     "WHERE IN GOD'S NAME WAS *MY* FORGIVENESS FOR BEING THAT
BASTARD'S SON?  AND YOU SAY THAT *YOU'RE SORRY*???  DAMN YOU!!! 
<Davey throws Kat out the window, clear out of Knothole, and
almost to Robotropolis>"

     Sally sighed as she turned to MechTail's face.  "You're not
the only one in Knothole feeling like a monster over what he or
she has done in the past.  But with David, I fear that it's
worse.  It's not like being forced to roboticize 'x' people, or
something.  That can be forgiven, or at least resolved.  What can
you do to redeem yourself from being Robotnik's son?"

     MechTail was stunned silent.  He didn't know about David
Kintobor other than as a friend that pulled him out of a cursed
costume.  (And by the way, where is that thing, he ponders)  The
thought that he's *related* to the cause of all what's going down
on this planet.  It reminded him of that Skywalker guy he heard
about.  "I guess . . . that he has a good reason not to get out
of bed in the morning, does he?"

     "He just wasn't the same after that day.  He was all bright
and cheerful before that, glad to be alive on this planet,
fighting the bad guys and all.  But after that, <sigh> it's like
he has a dark cloud hanging over him wherever he goes.  He was
hurt and angry, he became withdrawn.  He was afraid to look
directly at any of us or even his own reflection.  One time I
asked him what he saw in that mirror:  Davey Crockett or
Robotnik?  He couldn't answer."

     "I've heard of cases where if the father was a drunk, the
chances are likely that his children will become drunks as well. 
I guess that goes the same for mad tyrants as well."

     "Buuuuut, he was been improving over the weeks recently. 
<Sally, points to Davey, who was walking through a nearby
orchard, smiling for once.>  He started to get more like the
Davey Crockett I know and love after Kickaha took him on a vision
quest. . . ."
___________________________

     >You're probably wondering why I dumped you a sample life as
one of those yippers.  (I think that's the right term. . .) [Old
Man Coyote rummages through that help pamphlet on Cyberspace]<

     -I was wondering that.  I assume that's common with Newbies
to this spirit world--kinda like the Net at times--I know I'm not
supposed to talk about it, but what *am* I supposed to do with
them?-

     >Keep them, Grandson.  In your heart and soul.  Draw
strength from them.  You needed something better to hold on to
spiritually other than the legacy your dad gave you.  That's why
I brought you to it.<

     Old Man Coyote's words echo in Davey's head as he strolled
around the trees.  His mood was noticeably lightened as of late,
ever since Davey returned with the Kickster from that trip in the
spirit world.  Wasn't it back on Earth that he'd always hope that
God would get off his high throne and show up to him in person,
even if just to hump on his couch and snarl at him.  At least
he'd know that his faith in Christianity wasn't in vain.  Instead
he got this Jack De Lancie wanna-be who claims to have never met
him outside of said high throne--after giving an accurate
description of both God and Jesus including the latter's life as
a flesh-and-blood human--who could very well hump his couch and
snarl at him. (He had to give 'Grandfather Coyote' the ground
rules:  "There are plenty of eligible females for *you,* Gramps. 
Sonia Hedgehog is *mine!*  You molest her at your peril."  Coyote
gave him the Bronx Cheer, but nevertheless stayed off her, but he
has reported to be with Sally on more than one occasion)  Davey
resolved that it had to do.

     'Back on Earth?' Davey thought as he reached up for some
grapes.  'When was that?  A year ago?  A lifetime ago?  Was I
ever there at all?  I feel that I've been here all my life . . .' 
He saw Antoine at mid-thought, and motioned for him.

     "There you are, Lieutenant.  I have word from zee locksmith. 
That knife you ordered ezz nearly finished.  The vest too."

     "That's great, Ant."  He reached into his shirt and took out
a slip of paper with writing on it.  "Be sure to put this with
them when they're given to Kickaha."

     "Kickaha, right, but may I ask why, Misu Crockett?"

     "I may not know all about that broken knife, Antoine, but I
know enough of Native culture to guess it has something to do
with being kicked out of his original tribe.  I talked about it
with Sal, and we thought it'll be nice to offer our quote-unquote
'tribe' in it's place."

     "Ze House of Acorn?"  Antoine thought about it.  "I never
expected it to be zat way . . . but . . . "  He took a deep
breath and found his words.  "Ze part I like about serving with
ze Acorns ezz zat we tendz to be like zat Foreign Legion you once
mentioned.  King Acorn just asked for anyone who'd volunteered to
be in hiz army.  Even ze misfits and ze mutts as well as ze--ahem--upper class.  I even know some zat, like you, have joined
to leave behind zee broken heart.  Ze good King thought zat all
we needed ezz zomething for us to stick together by."

     Davey smiled knowingly as his arm beeper sounded.  Rotor
needed him in his lab.  He was ready with Sally's new computer.
________________________

     Sally did a double take when he heard Reynard speak.  "It
sounded just like Daddy."

     "It should.  I styled it's speech pattern after him.  How's
that info-dump going, Nicole?"

     "Almost done, David."  The bobcat said, with one arm ending
into a cord connected to that computer, which looked like Nicole
did originally.  "Reynard will have the exact same memories I
have, Sally, but his 'personality' will be his own.  He can be as
good a computer as I am."

     Sally didn't speak.  She just stood there, with a sad look
on her face.  Rotor went up to her and placed a hand on her
shoulder.  She looked right at him.

     "We all know that you want the old Nicole back, Sal, but I
think none of us has the right.  Nicole has just become a living
breathing creature now, something that has never happened to a
computer before.  Do you think we should make her give that up?"

     With that Davey added, "I'd pay good money to see that
happen over at my planet.  Nicole's special, Princess."

     "I know, David, it's just that. . ."  Sally was quiet,
looking down.  Then she looked up to her new computer.

     Reynard began to speak to her.  "Bean,"  It was her pet
name.

     She went up to the computer and held it in her hand.

     "I know I can't take the place in your heart *of* your Dad,
but I can make do until he returns.  And he *will* return; these
Knothole Freedom Fighters, and those King Acorn has on Earth,
will see to that.  Until then, Sally . . . you think you can put
up with me?"

     With a soft "Thank You" to all in the room, she cradled
Reynard in her arms, like a newborn baby.  Davey and Nicole
looked at each other and smiled.  They both said "Yes!" over
their Internet connections.

     "I think we need to get to know each other,"  Sally said as
she left the lab.
_______________________

     "I trust that you got that dream inducer up and running
again, Packbell?"

     "Yes I did, Snivley, and I found another victim to test it
on:  None other than David Kintobor!!"

     "Kintobor!?  But he is not *here*!"

     "He doesn't have to, stupid.  I got him by his greatest
weakness.  Ironically, it's also his greatest strength."

     "His Internet connection!!"

     "Exactly, it was child's play hooking it up to the Net. 
Now, the next time he does one of his extra-long sessions, he's
gonna get a big surprise coming to him!  HAHAHAHAHA!!"

     "Er, Packbell . . . "

     "HAHAHAHA--*WHAT?!*"

     "Check the monitor."

     A wide variety of bogeymen was thrown all over the place,
from Freddy Kreuger to Ryan's so-called 'Dark Side,' in variable
degrees of death.  The camera followed the carnage to find Davey
punching the lights out of none other than Robotnik!!

     "I heard of dysfunctional families, Snively, but *this* is
ridiculous!"

     POW!!  Davey finishes his 50-hit combo with a tubby-launching Mortal Kombat-style uppercut with signals the "FINISH
HIM!" sign.

     Davey set a finger next to his nose.  "Let's see; I took his
head off, set him on fire, ripped out his heart, impaled him,
exploded him, imploded him, turned him into ice cubes . . . what
haven't I dine to him? . . . I know!!  Kids, don't try this at
home!!"

     He took out a harbero pepper, chomped down on it, and
breathed on Robotnik, which promptly melted into molten slag.

     "Damn.  Remind me not to do that in real life." Davey spits
out the harbero, than noticed someone off in the distance
complaining about the Freedom Fighters using chemical warfare. 
It took him a while to recognize the voice.

     "And what the hell are *you* doing, huh?!  Trying to get at
my head with a dream machine, Packie?"

     'Oh, Snikt, he spotted us!!'

     " . . . not nice . . ."

     'Better do someth--'

     "Command Firewall Engage!!"
_______________________________

     It will take Snivley all day to reactivate Packbell, all
month to replace the lost chips fried by the Intrusion Counter
launched by Davey, and the rest of the week to keep him from
scorching all of Mobius just to get Mr. Kintobor.
______________________________

     Nevertheless, the now-a-molten-slag dream inducer did its
job.  Davey's right arm was sore from all the pounding at what
became of his father.  He went to the infirmary to get something
that would even smell like Ben-Gay, only to find Foxglove
Wingtail in the blood supply bin, snacking on a bag of AB-negative.

     -*I* just hope that bag's HIV-*negative*!!-

     By the shock and terror on Foxglove's face when she saw him,
Davey knew he saw that out loud.
______________________________

     MechTail hugged the sobbing disheveled bat tightly as he
told Sally about being abducted by a bunch of vampire bats, who
shoved a lot of the red sticky stuff into her.  He rescued her
from them, taking out their leader along the way, but not without
the damage being done.

     "Judging from the look of things," Davey commented from the
sides, "Foxglove's showing the clear signs of addiction."

     "You've got a point there, David,"  Reynard added. 
"According to my file on bats, blood is like alcohol to them."

     "Got any 12-step programs, Princess?"

     "12-step programs?  What on Mobius do you mean?"

     "He means taking Miss Wingtail into treatment, once we
cleaned her off that is.  Those red stains on her are not
sanitary."

     "Leave her to me, Sal," MechTail said as he walked his bat
girlfriend out the door.

     Sally gave Davey a weary look.

     "It seems like everything's going on tonight, David.  I
break in a new computer, Packbell creates a nightmare machine . .
."

     "He tried that on me too, Sal, but it didn't work out like
they planned,"  Davey favors his right paw.  "Exactly."

     "And then you popped open that firewall . . . what's a
'firewall?'"

     "A programmed defensive barrier against Internet attacks
like viruses, or snooping bad guys with mind-altering toys."

     "Whatever, you popped that right on Packbell while he was
doing just that! . . . I'm not going to talk about it now, I'm
too tired tonight.  I just don't want anything else to happen
until morning."

     "Too late, Princess.  I just caught someone trying to sneak
off with Sammi."

     Sally sighs.  "Where?"

     "Just out of Sammi's room.  I got them on a motion detector,
they'll be coming at us from out that--Holy Phrack!!"
______________________________

     What came out of that door--he was about to say that word--walked out a white rabbit in a tuxedo, top hat, and cape.  The
rabbit looked like he had fake fur, and the clothing were made of
polyester.  Davey was shocked.  He's seen him before, but he just
couldn't put a finger on it.

     It was the same feeling in the deep and empty recesses in
his mind.

     "Oh, hello there," The rabbit said.  "Allow me to introduce
myself.  My name is--"

     "Pippkin."  Davey finally spat out, his jaw continued to
hang.

     The rabbit's eyes lit up.  "Davey?  Davey Crockett!?  So
*there* you are!  I was wondering where on this planet you live. 
I've been looking all over for you."

     "You know this guy?"  Sally asked Davey.

     "Does he?"  Pippkin answered for him.  "We were like
brothers back on Earth.  [He puts Davey's jaw back in place.  The
texture of polyester made Davey shudder.]  He was lost and alone
as a little boy, and I took him in.  We became inseparable."

     "You can say that," Davey retorted.  "You've been a
psychological pain in my brush for over a decade."

     "Owwwww, I'm hurt.  That shrink still got you around her
little pinky, Davey?"

     "You see a shrink here?"

     Pippkin looks around.  "Why, no, I don't, and that makes me
wonder what you're going to do for that bat.  You're sure aren't
doing much for a hedgehog I know."

     At that came Sammi, floating through the air.  It resembled
one of those levitating lady tricks magicians do.  She looked
peacefully asleep.  "What are you doing with her, mister?"  Sally
demanded.

     "Why, to my mansion, of course.  In the Green Hills.  You'll
probably heard of it.  It just appeared a month ago."

     At that point, Davey whispered to Sally, 'That's where you
sent Liz, Vixie, Mighty, Kickaha, and Bunnie last morning.  We
never heard one peep from them all day."  He looked right at the
rabbit afterward.

     "What did you do to them?"

     "Do to whom?--OH, those five who visited me this morning. 
Why, they're still in my mansion, as my honored guests, except
for . . . one . . . he's much of an odder.  Trying to outdo a
trained professional, he did.  I had to send him . . .
somewhere."

     At that point, Davey grabbed Pippkin by the collar and
lifted him right to his face. "Where, Pippkin?  So help me, if
you--"

     "uhh-uhh-uhhh, Davey. . . If you break my concentration on
Sammi, she'll drop like a rock and wake up from the best nap she
had in years.  And if she finds out that *you* woke her up . . ."

     Davey slowly set the rabbit down.

     "Besides,"  He took off his cape.  "I was just about . . ."

     He draped the cape over Sammi.

     " . . . To drop him off!"

     THUD!!  Kickaha dropped to the ground under that cape. 
Sammi has vanished.  Again, like one of those magic tricks. 
"Ow!!!"  Kickaha looked all right, favoring his rump.

     Pippkin leered ominously at the Coyote as the cape
reattached to his tux by himself.

     "Wow!"  Kickaha said as he got up.  "This is the first time
something spat *me* out!"

     "Yeah," Davey said as he got in front of his friend, "I
reckon,  where are the others?"

     "With that rabbit!  He cast some kind of spell on them."

     "And now he has Sammi as well."

     It was Sally's turn to get in Pippkin's face.  "What did you
*do* to . . . them . . . "   Pippkin was staring holes into
Sally's blue eyes.  " . . . you . . . daddy . . . is that . . ."

     Davey pulled Sally away, snapping her out of what looked
like an hypnotic trance.  "Still up to your old tricks, I see?"

     "Your friends are safe in my care.  After all, they're *are*
my guests.  Feel free to join them if you like.  Especially you,
David.  I've been waiting to be with you again for a long time. 
Farewell."

     With that he threw the cape around him, which imploded into
thin air.  Pippkin was gone.

     "MechTail's over at Foxglove's, Kicker.  Once he gets her
asleep, take him to my hut.  Sally, I'm afraid I have to explain
something.  About that fake rabbit."

     "Fake?"

     "Yes.  Pippkin is just a costume . . ."
________________________________

     " . . . I had when I was about five years old.  I was a very
lonely kid then, fresh out of a divorce [of Julian Kintobor--Robotnik--and his mother] and no friends, so I made one of those
invisible ones out of my imagination.  I pretended that a rabbit
Halloween costume was alive, and can let me wear him to ride
shotgun on magic shows."

     "Ride shotgun?"

     "It would be *my* body in Pippkin, but *he* will have
control over it.  He'll also have magic powers like Blackstone,
Doug Henning, David Copperfield, all those hot shot magicians. 
We had a ball for about seven years, until I was sent to
counseling for being out of touch with reality.

     "With counseling, I was able to grab enough self-esteem for
myself, that I don't needed him anymore.  I got rid of that
costume and got on with my live.  I would be a late bloomer, yes,
but at least I was back to normal, for a human, that is."

     "But if Pippkin is,"  Sally asked, "as you say, an imaginary
friend, how'd he came to life?"

     "I know!"  Sonia said.  "The Chaos Emerald that hit him a
while back.  It's powers must've pulled Pippkin out of your
memory, David, and created him, just like the mansion.  It all
came out--"

     "--of my head!!  JAMNIT!!"  Davey slapped himself.  "So
*that's* what's missing from my head!!  Damn, I'm sorry, Princess
Sally.  I'm afraid that when I came here, I brought all my
emotional baggage with me."

     "Don't blame yourself, son."  It was Julian, Davey's
computer, which Kickaha pulled out of his pocket.  "It can't be
helped.  What you got to do is rescue Liz, Vix, Mighty, and
Bunnie from this puppet master and break his spell."

     "Especially Liz," Sonia added.  "I sensed her when I scanned
Pippkin.  She must be wearing him.  [Everybody shuddered at the
thought]  She's doesn't sense any danger.  In fact, she was in
heaven.  I'm wondering why--"

     "I do," answered MechTail.  "When I arrived at his mansion,
I was still overwhelmed in guilt over what I did as a Workerbot. 
Pippkin offered to take the guilt away, while he was casting his
hypnotic spell.  He managed to put me in his fake bodysuit before
I powered out of it.  I went out a window and stumbled my way
over to you, David."

     "Oh great," Sally threw up her hands.  "Just what I need: 
Another Robotnik!!"

     "Not exactly, Princess."  Davey raised a finger.  "I know
this guy more than anybody.  He's not your generic bad guy.  At
least not in *his* eyes.  What we wants to do to a kid in
emotional pain is to take that kid away from whatever's giving
him or her that pain, be it from a broken family to a guilty
conscious."

     "But it's not solving the problem that's giving that person
pain," Sally added.  "You'd be running away from your problems. 
It won't be *real*.  You're right, David, we have got to get what
Pippkin has in his spell out of his fantasy world and back into
reality."

     "In all due respect, Princess . . . what do you mean 'we?' 
He's *my* stray thought running amuck on Mobius, snatching up
folks like my dad.  *I* should be the one to be responsible for
him."

     Everyone gave him the look.  "Are you kidding?"  Sally said.
__________________________________

To Be Continued

You can E-Mail David Gonterman at [dgonterman@aol.com]
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