On My Mother's Grave
A Sonic the Hedgehog story
Written by Kris Kelley.  Story by Kris Kelley and Craig Fox.

This story is protected by copyright laws.  Feel free to distribute this story, 
but the authors do not allow any unauthorized alteration of the story or 
distribution for profit.


     ..."MOMMY!!!"...

     And, all these years later, the pain still remained.  The pain, and the 
bitter, driving desire for revenge.

* * *

     "Did you get it?"
     "Of course we got it!  Let's juice!"
     Sonic, Sally, and Bunnie raced over to a nearby alleyway, hiding themselves
in the shadows.
     "Okay," Sally said, "I hope this works!"  She looked at the timer displayed
on Nicole.  "10, 9, 8, 7..."

     Tolouse looked at his chronometer.  Hoping that all was going as planned, 
he began counting down at the time they said the charges would be armed.  "...5,
4, 3, 2, 1!"  He looked up.
     The explosion rocked the city, engulfing the coolant treatment plant in an 
angry display of fire and thunder, reducing it to a pile of twisted metal and 
jagged concrete in mere seconds.
     "YES!" Tolouse shouted, his voice drowned out by the din of the blast.  
"YES!" he shouted again, clapping his paws and howling with victory.

     "ALL RIGHT!" Sally shouted and grabbed Sonic in a victory hug, a lovely 
sight silhouetted by the fire consuming what was left of the plant.
     Bunnie giggled.  "Ah don't mean to interrupt y'all, Sugarhog, but we need 
to be gettin' out of here!"
     Sonic chuckled.  Sally regained her composure (after giving Sonic a quick 
kiss) and spoke into the com-link.  "Tolouse?"

     Tolouse pulled out his com-link.  "Yes, Sally?"  They could hear the 
excitement in each other's voices.
     "We did it.  Meet us over by the building rubble on the northern side of 
the plant."
     "I'm on my way."  He gave a quick look around, and left his hiding place, 
cautiously making his way down the streets toward the rubble, eyes continually 
going back to the demolishment of the plant.  It was while he was looking at the
destruction when he ran into something, or rather somebody, and both he and this
other figure fell to the ground.  Tolouse immediately looked for a hiding place,
but then he noticed what he had run into.  It was a fox!
     "W-who are you?" this other fox said.
     Tolouse was about to ask the same thing.  The two foxes studied each other 
for quite some time when the com-link broke their concentration.
     "Tolouse, are you okay?  Where are you?"
     Tolouse, still keeping his eyes on the other fox, took out the com-link.  
"I'm okay, Sally.  I'm coming."  He holstered the com-link and said, "We can't 
stay here.  Come on."  He motioned for the other fox to follow him.
     As the two made their way to where the others were, Tolouse said, "My name 
is Tolouse.  What's yours?"
     The other fox was silent for a moment before finally saying, "Todd."
     "And what are you doing here in Robotropolis?"
     Todd shrugged and then said, "Well, what are you doing here?"
     Tolouse was thinking about what to say when he heard a new sound.  Looking 
back, they saw a fleet of hovercraft heading towards the remains of the coolant 
treatment plant.  "We better get out of here!"
     Tolouse ran the rest of the way, with Todd following.  They soon reached 
the rubble, where the others were hiding.

     "Here he comes!"  Sonic said.  "And...he's got somebody with him!"
     Sally and Bunnie looked as well.  Tolouse was running towards them, with 
another fox running along behind him.  "I wonder who that is," Sally said.
     Tolouse was soon there, and he spoke.  "Hey.  We need to get out of here.  
There are a bunch of hovercraft coming.  Oh, this is Todd."
     Todd gave a small wave, but kept quiet.  Sally studied this new arrival, 
but not for long.  "Hello Todd."  Addressing everybody, she said, "Okay, let's 
get back to Knothole."  And they began making there way back to the city limits,
where they could safely hide in the junkyards as Sonic transported them home.
     As they left the city, Todd said only one more thing.  "Knothole?"  There 
was a look of hope in his eyes.


     The group was soon back home in Knothole, and they all went to Sally's hut 
to congratulate each other, and to become acquainted with Knothole's newcomer.
     Todd's spirits had lifted when he entered Knothole, and he was looking 
excitedly around, taking it all in.  He still wasn't saying much, though, and 
Sally decided to prompt him.
     "So, tell us about yourself, Todd," she said.
     Todd looked at her and shrugged, saying, "I've just always wanted to find 
this place and meet you all.  I've heard a lot about you."
     Sally smiled.  "Well thank you, Todd, but that doesn't tell us much about 
you.  Where are you from?  How did you know about us?"
     "Yeah," Sonic chimed in, "and what were you doing all alone back in 
Robo-ville?  That's not a way to easy living, you know!"
     Todd sighed and looked away from them.  "It's a long story."
     "Hey!  We got time," Sonic said, and the others nodded in agreement.
     Todd turned around, his face looking weary, having lost some of the 
enthusiasm.  "Okay."  He looked for a place to sit, and did so.  "Should I start
at the beginning?"
     "That's usually the best place."
     Todd nodded.

     "I used to live in a small village close to the edge of the Great Forest, 
north of what I guess used to be Mobotropolis.  It was just me and my mother, 
because my father had disappeared when I was real young.  I don't really 
remember too much about it, I just know that I was happy and my Mom loved me.  
And then...that day...it was my sixth birthday, no less..."

     Todd's mind went back to that fateful day nearly a decade ago: the day of 
the coup.  After taking over the city, Robotnik's forces, with Packbell in 
command, quickly spread all over the northern continent, enslaving the 
populations of every city and village they could find.  It was Packbell himself 
who had seen to the areas surrounding Mobotropolis, including the Great Forest, 
and Todd's village...

     Cammy held her young son close to her.  She, her son, and the rest of the 
villagers (those who had survived the raid) were in a hovercraft, being taken to
somewhere in the newly rechristened Robotropolis.  There was no sound, save the 
whine of the hovercraft's motors and the occasional sob from somewhere within.  
The raid had been very quick, and in under ten minutes all the villagers had 
either been forced into the hovercraft, or were dead.  Now, they were being 
taken away, and none of them had any idea where.  Cammy cradled her son, trying 
to shield him from the fear that was tearing her apart.
     Todd, having no idea what was going on, buried himself in his mother's 
chest fur, not wanting to look out.  What was supposed to be a day of 
celebration for him had turned upside down, and now, all he felt was fear.  He 
cried, and Cammy held him tighter.
     Eventually, the hovercraft stopped, and the villagers were hoarded out of 
it and soon found themselves in a wide open room, housing nothing but a raised 
podium.  There they were made to wait, as if dared to imagine what their unknown
fates were.  And then, Dr. Ivo Robotnik and his android commander entered the 
room.  Robotnik stepped up to the podium and Packbell stood by his side, laser 
rifle in hand.
     "Citizens of Mobius," Robotnik began, "I am sure you are all quite confused
and curious about what is going on here."  He chuckled.  "It is all very simple 
really.  I, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, formerly known to you all as Julian, Minister of 
War, have decided that his majesty King Acorn is unworthy to rule, and therefore
I have...persuaded him to step down and allow me to take his place.  Now, what 
does this mean to you all?"  He paused, looking around at the frightened faces, 
grinning with evil pleasure.  "I am pleased to tell you that your lives will 
become much easier to live.  No longer will you be burdened with the uncertainty
of deciding what to do with yourselves.  Gone will be the regrets of having 
taken the wrong steps in life.   Thanks to modern technology, something that 
King Acorn never had an appropriate appreciaton for, you will be sent through a 
process called 'roboticization', where you will become living robots, existing 
only to serve my purposes."  Robotnik could still see fear in the faces in the 
room, but he also noticed disbelief and anger in a few as well.  That will 
change, he thought.  "Perhaps some of you have not heard about the work of Sir 
Charles Hedgehog and do not believe that such a thing is possible.  In that 
case, let us go ahead and demonstrate this remarkable technology to you all.  
Packbell."
     The android nodded in reply, and motioned to the Swat-Bots at the edge of 
the room.  Soon, the crowd was escorted out of the room and deeper into the 
building, finally coming to a room not quite as big as the one before, dominated
by machinery surrounding a huge glass cylinder.  Robotnik rubbed his hands 
together in gleeful anticipation.  "Now, citizens, who wants to be the first 
volunteer?"  His eyes slowly scanned the room, finally resting on a trembling 
female squirrel near the far edge of the crowd.  "You.  Swat-Bots, bring her 
here."
     The young squirrel shrieked in terror, but Robotnik seemed deaf to it as 
the Swat-Bots literally dragged her from the crowd up to the glass cylinder.  
Robotnik pressed a button, and the cylinder slowly raised, allowing the 
Swat-Bots to place her on the pad the cylinder had surrounded.  Before she could
react, the cylinder slid down again, imprisoning her inside, her screams no 
longer heard outside the encasement.  Robotnik pressed another button, and a 
steady whine gradually increased in volume.  The roboticizer was charging.  
"Now," he said slowly, deeply, "watch carefully."
     The crowd was taken completely by surprise as the squirrel was suddenly 
engulfed in a searing yellow light, and they gasped in horror as she transformed
right before their eyes.  Fur and skin became metal.  Eyes glowed red.  Her 
arms, which had been pounding against the cylinder in panic, ceased their 
movement and hung loosely at her sides.  Finally, it was over, and the cylinder 
slid up again, revealing a robot where a living squirrel had once been.  
Somebody screamed.  Somebody else fainted.  Cammy clutched Todd even tighter, a 
tear wetting her cheek fur.  
     Robotnik only smiled.  "The process is a quick one, as you see, and it is 
not specific to gender, age, or species.  Remarkable, is it not?  Now, who will 
be next?"  Once again he made a point of looking around slowly, until finally he
chose a male fox, not much older than a kit, being held in his mother's arms.  
"You."
     "NO!!" Cammy screamed, holding Todd away from the Swat-Bots' reach.  "I 
won't let you!  He's just a child!"
     Robotnik slowly walked over to her and glared, emphasizing every syllable 
as he stated, "There is nothing to gain from resistance, for you will be 
roboticized as well.  Now.  Give - him - to - me!"
     Cammy shouted her denial again and then, in her panic and anger, the 
vulpine instincts of her ancestors took over, and she clamped her muzzle down on
Robotnik's arm.  Todd fell out of her arms and quickly ran behind her, only to 
be roughly picked up and held by the Swat-Bots.
     Robotnik howled in pain and surprise, but Packbell was swift, rushing over 
and forcefully removing her from his arm.  Robotnik doubled over, his other arm 
clutching the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.  But then, he looked 
back up, and slowly began walking over to where Packbell was holding her.  He 
stopped in front of her, doing nothing but glaring at her for one long minute.  
Then, he seized her out of Packbell's grasp, one hand getting a firm grip on her
neck.  He turned and looked at Todd.  "Say goodbye, young fox."  Anger burned in
his eyes as he tightened his grip until...
     *SNAP*
     "MOMMY!!"  Todd cried out.  He struggled against the Swat-Bots and somehow 
found himself freed from their clutches.  Todd wanted to run to his mother, but 
in one quick second he looked at her, he looked up at Robotnik, and something 
inside him took over.  He found himself bolting for the doorway, running as fast
as he could.
     Almost instantly Packbell had the laser rifle aimed, but before he could 
fire, Robotnik pushed it down.  "Let him go," he said.  "He will learn his 
lesson soon enough.  He'll never make it out of the city alive."  He dropped 
Cammy's lifeless body to the floor, and glared at the remainder of the crowd.  
"Packbell, see to it that the rest of these prisoners are processed smoothly, 
using any means necessary.  Swat-Bots," he pointed to Cammy, "see to that."  He 
turned and walked out of the room, holding his wounded arm.
     Robotnik had been wrong.  Todd, by nothing short of a miracle, had managed 
to find his way out of Robotropolis.  It was a small victory, however.  He was 
now completely on his own, and he had not the slightest idea where he could go 
or even what he needed to do to stay alive...

     Todd paused.  It was difficult to continue.  "I don't remember what 
happened right after that too well.  I was in the Great Unknown somewhere, 
half-dead when I was found by a group of travellers also escaping Robotnik.  I 
was with them for several years after that, as we wandered all over, trying to 
stay away from the patrols.  One of them, a wolf named Sebastian, was a master 
of many martial arts, and the others had looked to him as their leader.  He 
liked me and trained me to fight.  We lived as best we could, hiding where we 
could, and constantly moving so Robotnik wouldn't be able to trap us.  And then 
one day, a few months ago, we met up with another group of travellers.  They had
a storyteller with them, and that night we all sat around a fire listening to 
him.  One of his stories was about a village somewhere in the Great Forest, 
where a hedgehog who could move faster than sound led a group of animals in 
fights against Robotnik."  Todd smiled.  "You guys."
     "Whoa!" Sonic said.  "Ya hear that, Sal?  They're already writing stories 
about us!"
     Sally merely rolled her eyes, chuckling.
     Todd continued.  "Soon after that I decided to leave, and I found my way 
back to the Great Forest.  I wanted to find you guys, to meet those who were 
actually putting up a fight against Robotnik, and maybe..."  His voice trailed 
off, but that look of hope was again in his eyes.
     Sally was pretty sure what he was about to say, but there was still one 
unanswered question.  "So, Todd, what were you doing in Robotropolis?"
     Todd looked down.  "I had wandered all over the Great Forest looking for 
this place, but I never found it.  And then, this morning, I found myself near 
the edge of the forest, looking at the city.  I thought about what Robotnik did 
to my mother..."  He hesitated.  "I just wanted to find something, anything I 
could do to hurt him."
     Sally shook her head.  "You wouldn't be able to do anything, alone like 
that.  You're very lucky you weren't captured and roboticized."
     Todd shrugged.
     Sonic tried to cheer him up.  "Well, you're here now, bud!  Come on, we're 
gonna have us a party tonight!"  He turned to the others and threw his fist in 
the air.  "We did it!"

     That night, the Freedom Fighters and most of the villagers sat around a 
campfire.  Sonic was telling the story of their mission with his usual bravado, 
receiving gasps of astonishment from many, as well as the occasional snicker 
from those who had been with him.  Todd was there as well, and he had been 
introduced to many of Knothole's residents, and his spirits were high.  He had 
finally found Knothole.  Did he finally have a place to call home?  More 
importantly, he thought:

     Will I finally be able to pay Robotnik back?


     At the time that Sonic and the others were returning to Knothole, sounds of
destruction could be heard within the Robotropolis Command Center.
     "SNIVELY!" Robotnik's voice boomed across the room.  "TELL ME!"  He grabbed
his nephew by the collar and picked him up to look at him face to face.  "YOU 
TELL ME!  HOW COULD THEY HAVE DONE IT?!  HOW??!!"
     Because of you! Snively wanted to shout at him.  You should have foreseen 
this and increased security at the plant the very day that freedom fighter was 
captured!  Don't whine to me about something that is completely your fault, 
*sir*!
     But out loud, Snively only said, "I am looking into it, sir."
     Robotnik held him there for a moment longer before finally releasing 
him...by tossing him into a nearby wall.  He turned to say something more, but 
then turned back around and sat in his command chair, tapping his fingers, 
leaving Snively to glare at his back.
     From the entranceway, Packbell stood, watching all this.  Packbell always 
enjoyed tormenting Snively, and he would have been enjoying the abuse Robotnik 
was dealing Snively now, were it not for the circumstances.  Packbell had come 
to the same conclusion that Snively had:  The loss of the coolant treatment 
plant was the result of Robotnik's short-sightedness.  The fool had made yet 
another mistake, he thought.  Only this time, we're all paying for it.  He 
turned and walked away, making his way to his private quarters.

     It is time for a new plan of action.

* * *

     Late that night, Packbell sat at his workstation.  File after file appeared
on the screen as Packbell called them up, as if at random.  He wasn't really 
reading them, though.  His mind was elsewhere.
     How to stop the Freedom Fighters?  Too many times they have gotten away, he
thought, and though Robotnik's poor strategy has a lot to do with it, there's 
something about them that seems to give them the upper hand.  What?
     Packbell thought hard, working on theories.  It couldn't just be the desire
to overthrow Robotnik.  Packbell had easily dealt with such ambitious people in 
the past.  He didn't think it was just their talents, either.  Sure, things like
Sonic's speed, Sally's cunning, and Bunnie's strength were all important 
factors, but again, it wasn't anything that Packbell felt he couldn't handle.  
Then what was it?
     Packbell's eyes focused on the screen, and he found himself looking at a 
file detailing one of Robotnik's excursions from a few months ago.  Robotnik had
succeeded in kidnapping Sally and Tails, but instead of dealing with them in a 
timely manner, he had simply held them in the hopes of trapping Sonic as well.  
Sonic had appeared, but only to succeed in rescuing them, not to be captured.  
Yet another example of Robotnik's superb planning, Packbell thought 
sarcastically.  The same could be said about what had happened recently.  
Robotnik's desire to "play" with the Freedom Fighter they had captured had only 
resulted in his being rescued by Sonic.  If only Robotnik wouldn't insist on 
putting off what needed to be done *when* it needed to be done...
     Suddenly, it hit him.  That's it!  That's what kept the Freedom Fighters 
going strong.  Comradery.  They were always there for each other.  Whenever one 
of them was in danger, the others always tried to help in any way possible, and 
usually (again thanks to Robotnik, he thought darkly) there was such a way.  
Now, how would they react if they couldn't pull off such a rescue?  Not just 
anybody of course, as Robotnik's forces had captured and roboticized Knothole 
citizens before, but one of the main group.  Yes, he thought, what would happen 
to their precious egos if they watched one of their own die, slowly, painfully, 
knowing there was absolutely nothing they could do to help?  An evil smile came 
to his face.  An excellent idea, he told himself.  Now, who should it be?  
Sonic?  No; although the lack of Sonic's speed would certainly hurt them, they 
would probably use his death as a reason to band together and fight that much 
harder.  Sally?  No, for the same reason.  His mind went over each name, 
dismissing them for one reason or another until finally he thought of:  Tails.  
Yes, Tails, the young fox who was always looking up to the Freedom Fighters.  To
see their young friend vanquished before their very eyes...  Packbell began to 
chuckle.  It was almost too perfect.  With Tails' death weighing on their minds,
he was certain their morale would be destroyed.  And soon after, so would they.
     Packbell typed in a set of commands, and the information that the computer 
had on Tails appeared on the screen, including a picture.
     "You are my key," Packbell said to image on the screen, "to disposing of 
the Freedom Fighters once and for all!"


     "No, no, Antoine!  Like this!"
     Todd demonstrated the kick yet again as Tolouse and Tails looked on.  Then,
again, Antoine tried to mimic it, with disastrous results.
     Tails giggled and Tolouse shook his head and chuckled as Antoine picked 
himself up from having fallen over.  Again.
     "Zat was better, yes?" Antoine asked.
     "Uh...  Maybe we should try something else," Todd suggested.
     "No no really, I am wanting to learn zis.  Here, I try again."
     Tolouse helped Antoine back up from another attempt.  "Yeah, let's do 
something else..."
     It had been two weeks since Todd had first arrived in Knothole, and in that
time, he had made himself at home.  Perhaps it was because they were all foxes, 
or perhaps it was because their histories were similar, each having lost family 
to the forces of Robotropolis, but in that time, Todd, Tails, and Tolouse had 
become good friends.  Now, they were out on a camping trip, deep within the 
forest and quite a distance from Knothole.  Antoine had come with them as well.
     "Why not?" Tolouse had said.  "The poor fox is lonely.  Besides, we could 
use the entertainment."  The others had laughed in agreement.
     Todd was showing off his skills again.  He whirled around, and a nearby 
tree branch was splintered by a kick.
     "Cool!" Tails said in awe, and the others were equally impressed.
     None of them noticed a small device hovering behind them in the darkness.

     "Sir, rebel freedom fighters have been sighted," the Swat-Bot stated. 
     Packbell looked at the screen and chuckled.  "Excellent!  That is the one 
we are looking for."  All but ignoring Todd's show, he focused the spy-bot's 
camera on Tails and smiled.  Tonight, he would set his plan into action.  And to
kidnap him out from underneath the noses of three of his friends, he thought in 
anticipation.  How will they be able to live with themselves, knowing that poor,
poor Tails was taken from right in front of them, and then killed for all of 
them to see?
     It's an easy question.  They won't.
     Not as long as I have anything to do with it.
     "Swat-bots, start with the preparations for our guest.  Then let me know 
when our campers have fallen asleep."
     "Yes, Commander," was the automatic reply.

* * *

    An android hand slipped quickly over his muzzle, and before Tails was even 
fully awake, he felt himself being carried off into the night.  He tried to 
scream, but no sound could emerge from his closed mouth.  He soon felt something
that was all too familiar:  the clamp of a Swat-Bot's metallic hand.
     "Keep him quiet until we have left the area."
     Tails squirmed helplessly in the Swat-Bot's grip as Packbell's hovercraft 
left the area, the engines as quiet as Packbell could make them.

     Back at the campsite, the remaining three foxes slept on.

* * *

     "Tolouse, Antoine, wake up!  He's gone!"  Todd was near panic.
     Tolouse struggled to clear the haze of sleep from his head.  "Who?"
     "Tails!  He's gone!  I can't find him!"
     Sleep was winning the battle.  "He probably just went into the woods."
     "No, he hasn't.  He's gone!  Look at this!"  Todd handed Tolouse a pad that
he had found where Tails had been sleeping.  Tolouse slowly managed to focus his
eyes...and they flew open wide when he did.

     Attention Freedom Fighters:

     If you want to see your friend alive again, you will come to the old
     Museum of Arts building by the end of the day.

     Sincerely: Commander Packbell

     Tolouse quickly got up.  "Okay, let's get back to Knothole and tell the 
others."
     Todd shook his head.  "No way.  I'm going after him!"
     "Do what?"
     "I know where that building is, I remember seeing it when I was in the 
city.  I'm going now!"
     "Todd, wait!  Sonic will be able to get us there much faster, and he and 
Sally need to know about this!"
     "Fine, you tell them, but I know if I start now, I can make it there in 
plenty of time."   He took off into the woods, at a sprint that Tolouse knew he 
wouldn't have been able to keep up with.
     "Todd!" he shouted, but the fox kept running, and was soon out of sight in 
the dense forest.  Tolouse sighed, but he knew what he had to do.  If they were 
lucky, they could make it back to Knothole before the sun was too high.  
"Antoine, wake up!"


     Tolouse didn't even bother knocking.  Sally nearly dropped Nicole in 
surprise as he burst into her hut.
     "Tolouse, what in the---?"
     "Tails is gone!  Packbell took him!  Look at this!"  He handed the pad to 
Sally.
     She read it.  "Oh no.  Where's Todd and Antoine?"
     "Antoine's back at his hut.  Todd...  He went after them."
     "He did?"
     "There was nothing I could do!  He said he knew where the building was and 
then he took off before I could stop him."
     Sally rubbed her forehead.  "This is *not* good.  Okay, go get Sonic.  We 
must act quickly."
     Sonic was soon there, and the three worked out a plan.  Sonic gave his 
usual suggestion.  "I say we go bust him out now!"
     "Sonic, you don't have any power rings, remember?  You used them in your 
little show yesterday, and the next one's not for another three hours!"
     "I can run fast enough without 'em, and we need every second we got!  No 
telling what Packbell will do if he sees Todd alone!"
     Sally had to admit Sonic was right.  "Okay then, we should get going."
     Sonic shook his head.  "You're staying here, Sal."
     "I beg your pardon?"
     "Look, this isn't some carefully planned mission.  It's gonna be dangerous 
and I don't want you getting hurt.  Let me handle 'im like only I know how."
     Sally thought and again admitted to herself that Sonic had a point.  They 
shouldn't risk both of their lives on this one.  "Okay, but you're not going 
alone.  I suggest that you take Bunnie with you."
     "Bunnie's sick, remember?  She got a cold."
     Sally rubbed her forehead again.  This was looking worse with each passing 
minute.  "Alright.  Tolouse, will you go?"
     Tolouse had little desire to face Packbell again, but he would not hesitate
to help Tails or Todd.  "Of course."
     "Good.  Okay, get going!"
     "C'mon, Tolly!  Let's juice!"
     Sally watched from her doorway as the blue streak melted into the woods.  I
don't know why, she thought, but I have a bad feeling about this.

* * *

     Todd tore through the woods, his years spent on the run allowing him to 
keep up a brisk pace.  As he ran, his mind was also in high gear.  There were 
many memories: his home, his mother, the years spent with Sebastian and the 
others, and finally, his time at Knothole.  It seemed that at the end of each 
happy memory, there was a traumatic one waiting to be relived, and in every one,
Robotnik or Packbell played a central part.  There had been many times like 
this, when the memories played themselves out, and each time, Todd's hatred of 
Robotnik and Packbell had grown, and not a day had gone by that he didn't dream 
of making them pay for what they had done -- by any means, at any cost.  Had 
Sally and the others known just how immense this hatred had become, they would 
certainly have worried about him.  It is sometimes impossible to tell just how 
far one will go when all other goals, all other thoughts have been tuned out, 
save one.
     This time was different, though, for he had not one goal, but two.  Tails 
was his friend.  He considered the young two-tailed fox to be one of the closest
friends he'd ever had.  Packbell's going to pay for ever even thinking of 
kidnapping him! he thought.  Todd would stop at nothing (NOTHING!) to make sure 
that no harm came to Tails, and that Packbell would suffer for what he'd done.
     Packbell, I swear to you, on my mother's grave, you WILL NOT GET AWAY THIS 
TIME!
     He pushed himself harder, running as fast as he could.  Finally, he found 
himself outside what used to be the Mobotropolis Museum of Arts.  He was the 
first to arrive.

     Tails shivered in silent fear, wavering in and out of consciousness, as 
Packbell busied himself at a portable terminal, making sure that his other 
duties were taken care of and that he would not be missed while his plan was 
being carried out.  They were in the main display hall, where the works of 
Mobius's legendary artists had once resided.  The museum had been neglected 
during the time of the Great War, and one of King Acorn's hopes had been to have
the museum restored back to its full glory when the war ended.  Robotnik, of 
course, had had other ideas when he staged his coup, and now the building was 
just one among many others, decaying and forgotten in the outskirts of the city,
far away from the main activity of Robotnik's factories.  Which, of course, made
it an excellent place for Packbell to carry out his plan without any worry of 
Robotnik interfering.
     Packbell checked the status of his projects, as well as the of the 
rebuilding of the coolant treatment plant.  Good, everything is on schedule, he 
thought.  By this time next week the plant will be operational again, and I can 
finally turn my attention to---
     "Packbell!"  A voice broke the silence.
     Packbell turned around and saw a lone fox standing in the distance 
entryway.  He casually stood up and picked up his laser rifle as he said, "And 
who are you?"
     "You should remember me, Packbell, after what you and Robotnik did to me.  
And my mother!"
     Packbell, of course, had every face that he had ever enountered memorized, 
but even for an android it is easier to recall some faces more than others, and 
he didn't feel the need to waste time scanning his memory for this particular 
one.  "Spare me the bad monologues and tell me why you are here, and I might let
you live that much longer."
     "I have come for my friend Tails and to make sure that you are never able 
to pull anything like this again."
     Only one fox, and not one of the main Freedom Fighters at that?  This was 
not the rescue party Packbell had figured on.  Perhaps the others were on their 
way, and for whatever reason this one decided to strive ahead.  Personal 
vendetta, maybe.  Packbell chuckled to himself.  There's one in every crowd, and
they all got what they deserved eventually.  Now, however, was not the time.  
Holding the rifle with both hands, he said, "I'm afraid that you are a little 
more than helpless to retrieve your friend here.  As you can see, he is quite 
restrained and any motion towards him or me will be quite painful, I can assure 
you.  Now, run along and make sure your friends are here by sundown, or there 
will be no hope of rescuing him."
     This quick dismissal was certainly not what Todd had expected, and his 
anger began to boil, consuming him.  "NO!!  I will NOT be ignored so easily, do 
you hear me?!"
     Packbell, now irritated, turned back around.  "Did you not understand me?  
Get out of my sight!"
     "You will face me, NOW!  You owe me that much for all the misery you have 
caused me!"
     Something about this one, Packbell thought.  He's different.  So, he 
scanned his mind, and eventually came across the memory of a young kit during 
the time of the initial coup.  He gave Todd a chilling grin.  "Ah, now I 
remember you, and I must admit I am impressed that you are still alive.  You 
know, I have to tell you it was a lovely sight seeing Dr. Robotnik deal with 
your mother the way he did.  Seldom does he get that involved in dealing with 
prisoners, and it is always a pleasure watching him when he does."
     Todd trembled.  "Shut up!  I swear you will pay for that!"
     Packbell sneered.  "I told you to spare me the speeches.  I can easily 
guess what you're here for."  Packbell then thought for a moment.  "But can you 
imagine what I am here for?  Have you stopped to think about why I kidnapped 
your young friend here when I could just as easily have taken any or all of you 
last night?"
     Todd refused to listen.  "All I know is you are not going to get away with 
it!"
     Packbell chuckled.  "Oh, I think I will.  Let me tell you my plan..."

     Meanwhile, two more figures had slipped quietly into the display hall, from
an entranceway on the opposite side of the room.
     "There they are," Tolouse whispered.  "And look, there's Tails!"  He 
pointed to where the unconscious fox sat tied to his chair.
     Sonic looked.  "Packbell's got his back to us, and it sounds like he's 
bending Todd's ear.  C'mon!"
     "Where're we going?"
     "We're gonna get Tails out of there super fast.  Then we'll get Todd and 
blow this hole."
     The two crept stealthily over to Tails and began working on his restraints.
Much too close for comfort, Packbell continued detailing his plan to Todd.

     "...You see, far more times than I would care to remember, your precious 
Freedom Fighters have succeeded in their plans, resulting in their continued 
existence as well as the destruction of much of Robotnik's property.  I began 
looking for ways end their luck, and I believe I have found one.  What do you 
think would happen to the Freedom Fighters if they witnessed both the kidnapping
and..." he paused, chuckling, "...the killing of one of their closest and 
youngest friends, right in front of them, while they were utterly helpless to do
anything about it?"
     Todd shuddered.  "You would really... just to see how they would react?  
They would do everything they could to destroy you!"
     Packbell chuckled.  "I think not.  Why, to have their free-spirited friend 
here *crushed* before their very eyes?  How would they sleep at night?  How 
would they be able to look at themselves in the mirror?"  He took a step towards
Todd.  "And, how would they fight?"
     "You-- I won't let you do this!"
     Packbell chuckled and said with a hideous whisper, "Watch me!"

     Tolouse was sweating bullets.  "Sonic, are you done yet?"
     "One more to go, bud.  Here, help me with this...yeah, that's it.  Now 
pull."
     Tolouse pulled, and the final restraint gave way, but not silently.
     CLICK!!
     Oh, gods...

     Packbell turned, his eyes instantly focusing on the source of the sound, 
and then on Sonic.  "You!"
     Sonic was quickly on his feet.  "Yeah, me.  Who'd you expect, the cleaning 
lady?"
     Packbell was in even less of a mood for Sonic's attitude than normal.  He 
raised the laser rifle.  "I guess I will just have to execute my plan that much 
quicker.  Say goodbye, hedgehog!"
     Sonic prepared to dodge, but he noticed the rifle was not being aimed at 
him.  "Huh?  Now wait a Sonic sec---"
     Tolouse's heart pounded as it looked like the rifle was pointed at him.  
"Oh my---"
     Packbell focused his aim, ready to pull the trigger.
     All thoughts and actions were broken by a scream.  Todd howled as he raced 
across the display hall.

     What happened next took place in much less time than any of those present 
remembered it.

     Tolouse darted sideways, bumping into Sonic.

     Sonic grabbed him and quickly pulled him down behind him, then reached up 
for Tails.

     Packbell hesitated slightly... ever so slightly... before pulling the 
trigger.

     Todd jumped in front of Tails, still howling.

     Packbell pulled the trigger.

     A blinding flash.  Thoughts of panic, wondering if these were the last 
moments.

     The howling stopped.

     When he realized that he was still alive, Tolouse looked up.  "TODD!!"

     Sonic didn't waste anytime at all.  With adrenaline adding to his strength,
he scooped up Tolouse in one arm and Tails in the other, and raced out of the 
display hall before Packbell had another chance to fire.

* * *

     It was several minutes later before any of the participants were thinking 
clearly.  By that time, Sonic was passing the city limits with his two 
occupants.  Tails was easy to carry, as he was still unconscious.  Tolouse was 
another matter.
     "We can't just leave him back there, Sonic!  We can't!"
     "There is nothing we can do," Sonic replied, all hints of his famous 
attitude gone for the moment.  "I'm sorry."
     They moved on, toward their destination of Knothole.

     It was several minutes later before any of the participants, carbon-based 
or otherwise, were thinking clearly.  By that time, Todd was breathing his last 
breaths, and Packbell stood over him, exploding with anger.  Packbell was going 
over the events in his mind, and with each replay, his anger and frustration 
deepened.  He couldn't deny the truth to himself.  He had hesitated.  Todd's 
scream had distracted him, and although he recovered in a slim fraction of a 
second, it had been enough.  It had been enough for Todd to block his shot.  It 
had been enough to allow Tails and the others to escape.
Now here he was, watching the foil of his plan die at his feet, and still not 
getting any satisfaction from it!
     He roughly picked up Todd and was ready to shout at him, to threaten him.  
But what could he say?  'I'll kill you for what you did'?  He was already dying!
All he could think to say was, "Don't think I'll stop here.  Take to your grave 
the knowledge that I will win!  Do you hear me!  I *will* win!"
     But Todd didn't respond to that.  Instead, he mustered all of his remaining
strength to raise his head, look Packbell eye-to-eye, and whisper one last 
sentence, which he did with a smile.
     "I beat you."
     Then his head fell, and Packbell knew there was nothing more he could do or
say to scare or hurt Todd.


     Sonic knocked weakly on Sally's door.
     "Sonic!  What happened?  You okay?"
     "Tails is fine.  We got him back, and Bookshire's looking him over right 
now."
     Sally breathed a huge sigh of relief.  "Oh, that's good to hear.  Are 
Tolouse and Todd okay?"
     Sonic looked down.  "Tolouse is okay.  He's over at Bookshire's, too."
     A cold chill went down Sally's back.  "W-what about Todd?"
     Sonic looked up at her again, silent for a long time.  Finally he spoke, 
his voice even quieter than before.  "Tails is fine," he said again.  "Todd...  
Todd saved his life."  He fell silent again.
     A tear came to Sally's eye.  "Oh, no..."
     Sonic only nodded.

* * *

     Tolouse climbed slowly up the tree, ready to start his turn of sentry duty.
It was late at night, and the sky was both cloudless and moonless, the stars 
proudly displaying themselves without any competition.  When he reached the 
platform, he found Antoine snoring away.  Tolouse decided to let him sleep while
he looked out at the sky.
     Tolouse tried to think, but he couldn't form his thoughts any more 
coherently than he had his words that day, which was to say with any 
comprehension.  His mind recycled the same scenes over and over from the past 
couple of days: the... "event" itself, coming home, explaining to Sally, 
Bookshire and the others what had happened, the little memorial service they had
had for Todd, his feeble attempt at saying something at the service...  Finally,
his mind pushed out one clear thought, and he sighed, looking at the stars.

     Goodbye, Todd.

* * *

     ..."MOMMY!!"...

     And the pain was finally gone.

The End.