This is my fist 'fic, please include in that fantastically coooeel site (did I mention its my first fic?) Mobius_Springheart@yahoo.com All characters are copyrighted (exception: Ark-Ngel) and credit goes to all people whose characters I use. (I'm new, what, do ya think I know who does all these guys?) Bookshire Draftwood is in here, but he is trademarked by someone, I don't know. Don't be offended by the use of your characters. DiC = Creators of The series Sega = Creators of characters This is entirely fictional (yadah yadah yadah) and all of the story is created by me and is exploited by me. But I don't care if it gets used or abused. THE ARK-N/GEL Chronicles. Section 1 A FIGURE APPROACHES In the cold night on Mobius, a figure clothed in rags was running. Where to? It couldn't care as it was being followed by a dozen of dark swat sentries. It had been running for three weeks. How could she have been so careless? He said he loved her, would protect her. And yet... He betrayed her. She retorted, at least he got what came to him, a full on phaser blast to the chest. A sign of thanks from the general, from one slimeball to the next. She was getting tired and needed sleep but knew that her pursuers would kill her at the first chance they got. She stumbled. Noooo! She struggled to get up but the sodden ground just slipped away. She gave up and screamed... Sonic Maurice did not like losing to people. Especially to someone annoying. The Knothole basketball trial was going at full pelt. But Sonic wasn't. He was banned from going too fast to be fairer to the other players. He hated it but Sally had said that the village needed a little break from the action seen at Robotropolis, and this seemed to be the greatest way to run everyone down. But that didn't bug him. What bugged him is that somehow Antoine had managed to slip one by and score one last basket in the last ten seconds. The first day was over and Sonic had lost. LOST. A bitter feeling swept him and he threw a stone into the lake. Nothing needed doing and Sally was out on a nature ramble with the school. Tails was with them so no chance to race him. Action was thin on the ground and he would accept just about anyth... A scream filled his hearing, and full of anticipation, he raced to the source, Swat bots and a girl. Action at last. "Stand aside, cool hog stormin' by," he remarked. With his normal dexterity and finesse, he finished the bots with not so much as a scuff on his shoes. The girl had fainted clean away but he picked her up and raced back to Knothole. Who was she, why was she being chased, and who wanted her??? Little did he know the nature of the girls destiny... or how it would affect his own. Part Two. Epiphany And Trauma "Well we seem to have gotten ourselves quite a situation, if you don't mind me sayin' so," Bunnie says to the others who are crowded around the still unconscious figure on the doctors' table. "Whoever she is, she must be wanted really bad by Packbell, else there would never have been so many sentries after her," states Sally. "We need to be sure of her identity. Bookshire, can you get an image of her on the personal record files on the computers?" "That's a big negative, Sal. She seems to belong to another part of the planet," replies Bookshire. "But I can ask around. There are quite a few groups who have set themselves up around these parts. Over ten have moved in this year." "Do it. I must ensure her and our safety," Sally answers. "She might be important!" Robotropolis, 10:30 AM 3426. General Packbell's Quarters. "WHEN DID YOU LOSE HER, AND HOW!?" shouts an enraged Packbell. "Oh nine hundred and thirty three hours 33 sec," replies the 'bot. "Never mind the small units, how did she go missing? WAS IT THE MISERABLE EXCUSE OF A PIN CUSHION???" "Affirmative. Outlaw rescued fugitive at oh nine hund..." "NEVER MIND THE TIME, GET HER BACK...IMMEDIATELY!" demands Packbell. The SWAT sentry turns and walks out the room, unperturbed by the circumstance. Packbell leaves his seat and gazes out the window. "Yes, she must be here immediately for the conclusion of her..." He pauses, and turns to a table across the room. It has electrical equipment standing next to a roboticizer. "TREATMENT..." he adds dryly, and walks off down the corridor to find out the status of the 'hunting'. Knothole village outpost. 12:30 AM. Central gathering at bonfire. "So you aren't from any of the outposts or groups from around here. So where do you come from? Er...What's your name anyway?" The stranger peered across the fire and replied in a soft tone. "I was a member of the Sarandreas tribe in Southern Mobiantropics. My family was kidnapped, including me, and sent to the tyrant, Packbell, as slaves. My mother, father and brother were roboticized. I was to play an important role in Packbell's experiments." "What experiments did he torture you with? And why?" asks Rotor, as fascinated as everyone else. "Packbell wants to give his troops greater mobility than ever before. He has been... toying with the concept of wing-aided robotic assaults." They all gasp in horror. "Robots with wings, a lot faster and mobile than any on the ground," states Sally in amazed horror. "Just one snag... the wing design was incompatible with swat bots. So he began experimenting with...semi-roboticized subjects. That's where I came in. I was his subject to work on. That's how I got..." She pulls down her coat and everyone looks on in amazement. Mounted on the stranger was a pair of metallic but beautifully large wings. "Somehow, the fury from my families... fate and sheer willpower kept my memory intact. I had to get out of there by acting as a robotic slave." Sally asked her a question. "How many did Packbell...Do? Test subjects I mean." "Over 15 designs were put down. All 15 subjects were used. Only one of them was compatible with the subjects. "Only I lived through the horror. And my name is Angel Arche. Call me Ark-Ngel." LATER THAT DAY. Sally and Charles were holding a videocom meeting. "So it is true that Packbell is experimenting on animals for more than roboticization?" Sally says with amazement at the horror of it all. "Well, Packbell has felt that his army is a little immobile on their feet. I suppose it was only a matter of time before he updated," replies Charles. "Have you disarmed the homing beacon?" "WHAT?? There is a homing beacon?" asks a worried Sally. "All the big projects need one to be easily found. If you haven't disarmed it then you could be in danger!" stated Charles, seriously concerned. But he was speaking to the air as Sally raced to find the visitor. It was going to be the start of the biggest mission she could imagine. Part Three. War and Hate in a Madman's World. Packbell was occupied. At least he was doing something to track her down. The tracker was not being picked up. Puzzled, he looks up the file encoded BOtcOm: Track100/wngz. An analysis was shown up of the structure of the tracker. The battery wasn't due to run out for at least another ten years. At last a reason was found. Limited reception. It could trace her to 1100 meters and she was recorded to be at least ten beyond it. "No matter, she will return, and when she does, we will snare her like a fox in a trap. WITH BRUTE FORCE," Packbell mused. His other project was on completion. An inter-dimensional space continuation vortex. He went to see it. And to welcome back an old friend. "Unit 1700 metal series s1200/57B, you have returned to me. I am your master now. Obey this directive," orders Packbell. "Bring the freedom fighters to me and DESTROY Sonic the Goddamn Hedgehog." The 'visitor' nodded and went. 5.30 PM. Knothole living area "Sonic, we have to anaesthetize her until we remove the tracker. I'll get Rotor and Dr. Ken Tuccy onto it right away. You will take Nicole and make your way to Robotropolis to get the inside from Chuck. We think the digital signals are being scanned so vidcom discussions are no longer an option until we switch to a new channel." "And the billion dollar question, Sal, is what is the inside info for?" asks a bemused and strangely amused hedgehog. "To find out what Packbell is doing. We should have been investigated and destroyed by now, and yet there is no one here. Find out why?" asks Sally. As she finished speaking, she looks up to look at the sky to get the time based upon the position of the sun as she regularly did. "Wait a minute, what in thundering Heavens is that?" she says, pointing to a blob in the sky. "It looks like something familiar, and is desperately going at mach 2.7, ...Like....ME, it looks like me." "NO, no no no! It can't be!" stutters Sally, beginning to feel worried. "IT'S him! It's another Metallica! Sonic, Sonic, what can we do now? Why am I asking you?" remarks Sally "Because I'm so good lookin' and handsome an' all," replies Sonic. "GET DOWN, EVERYONE, WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!!!" shouts Sally. 7.00 PM. Robotropolis prison cells. "This way, you outcasts. Don't you like this? Well, this is your future. I have you at last, soon-to-be-ex 'Queen' Acorn," sneers Packbell. The attack had been horrendous. 50 civilians had been killed and dozens captured and roboticized. Sally was in a state. Her fate uncertain but bleak. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, YOU INHUMAN...MONSTER!" "Thank you for the compliment. You shall all be roboticized at dawn." "Sonic will rescue us," replies Sally. "How? Sonic is dead. Metallica finished him personally. Very messy as well," answers Packbell. They all fell silent. Tails lay down and cried. So did Sally. The others left her. They saw what had happened. They were doomed. Packbell had won. The planet was doomed. But fate had a way of working things out. Metallica HAD attacked the village. He HAD attacked Sonic. BUT he had been manually set to stun. And once set manually, he must be set manually. Sonic was injured badly. He did not get a hit in. Metallica had been savage on him. Bruised, bleeding, and slowed to a crawl, Sonic realized that his loved ones were in a whole heap of trouble. At least he was alive. But no damn good that was. Knothole had been annihilated, and soon, assimilated. Packbell had Metallica, SWATbots, and possibly the new flying bots out. Sonic had not got a ring from that morning, but now he wished he had picked it up. This gave him an idea. The ring was still at the bottom of the lake. He could try to get it. Just as he started, he realized that he was not alone. He saw Ark-Ngel land just ten meters away. "I'm so sorry this happened. The village looked so peaceful. I haven't been at peace for more than I remember," remarks the droid. "Yeah. Just one question. Do you bring total devastation to all the villages you visit?" says Sonic with a huge hint of sarcasm. "This was my fault, I know, but I am not able to help you. I must not return to Robotropolis. If I do I will most certainly be captured," says Ark with great remorse. "Well, now I gotta get back and de-capture my entire village while getting past an army of 'bout seven thousand SWATs, STEALTHs, and God knows what else. So thanks for your 'assistance.'" Sonic had the feeling that he was being too harsh. "Aww, man. It's not like I meant to say that but it's just that I gotta straighten this thing out. Ya' SURE you aren't able to come? I can give great protection." "Well, I should really try. Sure. Why not? It's time to give old Pack' the revenge treatment anyhow," smiles Ark. "COOL. Now I jus' gotta pick up somethin'. I'll be back in a sonic second." And with that, he staggers off to collect the ring. The battle was about to begin. Part 3. Trivial PURSUITS and a deadly game. Robotropolis. 19.00 Hours The prison cells were bulging. No one else was due to the roboticizer till dawn. Sally wished she had. This was too much pain to bear, losing the war and her village to boot. Bunnie tried to comfort her but she was thinking of what there was she could do. Any hope would have been better than no hope. Bunnie was tired. Out of boredom she filed her nails with one of her Robotic arm implant devices. Sally suddenly pulled it together. A plan was already forming. "Bunnie?" she called, "I have an idea. Come here for a minute." The great forest. 19.00 hours Sonic was excited. Not that there was anything to get excited about. He was excited because, secretly he had wished that something would happen. It had been granted. "Sonic, do you have a plan for this outting or is it a simple smash and dash tactic?" inquires Ark. "I think that a plan WOULD be helpful, but that's Sal's department. I'm gonna be there and back before anyone knows I had gotten in," answers Sonic, in a highly exuberant tone. "Okay, then do you know where they would all be?" asks Ark. "To be absolutely and totally honest, I think they would be in a highly secret prison encampment just recently built," answers Sonic. "And where would that be exactly?" asks Ark, now concerned about Sonic's preparation, or lack of it. "To be totally and absolutely honest... I haven't gotta clue!!!" he says. "Great. At least we still have a chance. Sonic, I am slightly worried," she comments. Sonic stops and stares. "What about?" "You," replies Ark. "ME? Why would YOU worry about ME? I can take care of this." "I don't doubt that. It's just that there is no plan or strategy to your actions. You're impulsive, hasty, and rash at decision making and you have a habit of denying all." "NO, I DON'T!" retorts Sonic. "Okay. Now I have a vast knowledge of first aid. Let's get you all patched up before we go, eh?" she answered. Over the canopy of the forest, Robotropolis loomed. And a stealth orb went back to the central tower. It had been watching the two unwary animals non-stop. Robotropolis.19.35 Packbell was having a ball. Sonic was dead, and the ENTIRE Knothole group was captured. He no longer wanted to gloat to Sally about it. He was too busy looking at the figure of his latest experiment. He was pleased and went to see the chemicals department about THEIR contribution. (Author's note. This is a reference to an unknown, and developing story. Stay tuned for more.) But as he was about to leave, a stealth orb flew in and showed the contents of its film. "Oh, this looks INTERESTING. He survived the attack. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!" he demanded. "No matter. I have a big surprise if he thinks he can rain on my parade..." cackles Packbell. He walks out, leaving stealth orb pieces everywhere. After all, it was a case of shoot the messenger. ******* Sonic and Ark were in the outskirts of Packbell's domain, and Sonic was scoping the area for escapees. No one... No one had got out. Ark froze. She had a feeling of being followed, but her robotic sensors picked up no life signs. She shrugged and followed Sonic, a bit more jittery than ten minutes ago. The figure stood and looked on. He thought he saw someone, but wasn't sure. It set off to look. Sonic saw a reflection and dived behind a cooling tower. He dragged Ark behind him. "YOW, that hurt. Whattareyadoing?" she blurted. Sonic hushed. "I don't know but I think we got company. Stay low. I'll nab whatever or whoever it is." And so, he looked round the corner, and socked the guy right in the eye. The guy, not really seeing Sonic too well, responded with a left hook to the face. This sparked off a minor five minute brawl, until eventually, the dust settled, and there was Knuckles, sitting on Sonic's chest, who was attempting to break the now no-longer-mysterious figure's leg. "Sonic, Bad Blue?" asked Knuckles "Knuckles, Rad Red?" asked Sonic. They got up, brushed themselves down, glared at one another, and eventually Knuckles crooned. "Do you always hit a fellow animal as a welcome, or is it a passing fancy?" Sonic just adjusted his gloves, got out a brush and started to brush off his muddy and rather brown quills. **** Packbell's prison encampment. 16:09 "Well that oughta' do it. The radio control should only last eight seconds, but it will short out the locks, although the alarm will still be alert," said Bookshire. "Ah don't mind all the jabberin' about ya plan, but all this junk tied into my arm is heavy. Ah needs tah stretch," commented Bunnie. Sally looked at her and said, "Bunnie, we need you to stay where you are, honey. You are in perfect alignment with the electromagnetic locks on this cell. Okay, let's do it..." "To it," added Bookshire, and turned on the device. He started to type furiously on the keypad on Nicole, who was rapidly heating up after being connected both to Bunnie's arm, and a small electrical computer socket on the wall. "Almost got it, almost, a little more." The alarm went off, and the door creaked open. "Bookie, hun, Ah might be glad to get outtah' here, but yah ain't evah gonna use mah arm for nuttin' again," grinned Bunnie. Her arm was aching all over. They disconnected all the electrical equipment and split the area. No one was caught, but then a new challenge was before them. They were homeless. *** Sonic heard the alarms first. "Sounds like they got out. Let's find them, before any 'bots do," Ark said. **** It was full alert, and Packbell was so angry, twenty 'bots were thrown, literally, across a five meter radius as he made his way to the command console. "I UNDERESTIMATED YOU, SALLY," he said through a speaker. "But you can't get out, not when a have a nanoshield up. I will have you as a slave TONIGHT!" Sally saw the shield go up. "OH GOD, we're stuck. We can't go out through the shield." "SALLY, SALLY!" Sonic shouted. "Sonic, SONIC, YOU'RE ALIVE! THANK MOBIUS!" yelled Sally, then blushed because she had never done that before. "That's a totally bogus shield, what can we do?" asked Sonic. "SONIC, I've had an idea. D'you bring a ring with ya?" Inquired Bookshire. "YEAH, 'course, stupid," Sonic replied, slightly baffled. "WE may be able to short it by using the ring, but the generator could be a million miles away," says Book, not sure about his own idea. "I... I... I...Believe I may be of service to you, you small rodent," came a familiar voice. They turn round, gasping at the sight of... Snively. He had been sleeping rough, and he looked it. He was just wishing to corrupt anything Packbell owned. "I know how and where to get to the generator, but I will need help. "I will need Sonic for a fast discharge, the rabbit for a short circuit, Knuckles, well, to keep the guards..." he smiled "... occupied, Sally for her level headedness, and the fat walrus for some major system treatment." Rotor looked at Snively. He did not like the term 'fat'. "We can't be sure if he's telling the truth. We can't be sure to trust him, but I don't see how it could get worse. I feel, I feel we should go along," Sally decided. Ark was looking at the shield. She scanned it. "Hey, guys, I got to tell you, that shield seems to be full of badass crap," she said. "Like what..?" asked Sally. "Like micro-atomic devastation devices. I think the shield is rigged to blow," she replied. *** The Sonic chapters. ARK N/GEL files. pt 4 : THE RAT TRAP "YES, THEY'RE ALL IN MY TRAP. NOW FOR THEIR DESTRUCTION," shouted Packbell. "ALL BOTS IN ALL SECTORS, DESTROY ALL NON ROBOTIC LIFE FORMS IN SECTOR 7G." ***** As the fighters backed away from the shield to reconsider their options, Knuckles looked to see if the shield penetrated the ground. It did. They scanned it harder for any weak spots. None. No way out. They were about to turn around, when more SWATbots are seen than they have ever seen before. "Moi prinzess, ah 'ave but something to zay," whimpered Antoine, who had kept quiet 'til now. "And what would that be?" asked a nervous Sally. "WE ARE DOOM-ED, we aire goink to dai laik a...how can we say zis, in a 'orribley fashion," double whimpered Antoine, who was getting seriously hysterical. Sally remained cool and unclipped Nicole. She was sweating with grim determination. "Theoretical and hypothetical question: as Sonic activates his ring energy, a shield appears. Explain," she asks. "Shield energy is actually semi quasi-temporal tear in the continuum space time. Subject creates a semi-space warp, although this shows nothing to explain Sonic's burst of speed. In vortex, 15 seconds is spent outside of normal space, allowing passage through all time obstacles. Theory based on the space-time non space vortexxian theorum of 3612 ad," replies the device. "That's what I wanted to hear. SONIC, activate the ring when I say and hold hands with someone...EVERYBODY, hold hands....NOW ACTIVATE THE RING!" cries Sally. "RUN THROUGH THE SHIELD, SONIC, WHEN THE RING ACTIVATES!" Sonic rummages inside the backpack, finds the ring and prepares to juice. "HOLD TIGHT!" He extends his hand with the ring. The ring starts to glow. "AND WE'RE JUICIN'!" At once, he runs as fast as he could. Antoine closes his eyes, and everybody starts to do the same, Sonic at front, heading straight for the ring. "5," thinks Sally. The Nanoshield is still a long way away. "4." It got closer. "3." Closer still. "2." REAL close. "1, may Chaos save us all." There was an explosion. Not just an explosion, but something big enough to call a big bang. T O B E C O N T I N U E D IN THE NEAR FUTURE What happened, did they survive? This is the part where you find out you have to go to part two. Well, find out what happened WHEN I type it up. ***...To Be Continued...***