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Josh finished flipping through the magazine and reading the tech articles. His stomache churned. He looked again at the locket. He needed to get out, get some fresh air, and relieve some stress.

"Well I've got the munchies anyone else want or need anything while I'm out", He asked.

OOC: Still here...but I just gave myself a MASSIVE black eye this morning so...I'm a little out of it with all the meds I'm taking and the pain and stuff...May reply sometime later tonight....

IC:

I...I'm sorry to hear about your aunt....She went missing? 204 hugged the young kit, in an effort to keep him warm.

OOC: Sory..all I could think of....*shrug*

IC:

Silence was still panting and breathing heavily as she tried to get her fear under control enough to go back to sleep. She and her siblings were used to being woken up in the middle of the night by now. It seemed sleep was a very dangerous thing for little Silence...But she needed it also...more so than some...

She waved off her concerned family, "Go on...I...I'll be fine...Let Myth stay with me...I..."She yawned and drifted back off to sleep again as her brother, sister, and father reluctantly wandered back to thier beds...

Back in knothole...

Sonic was bored. He hadn't had a good adventure since he escaped that trap years ago. Okay...so his injury wouldn't let him run anymore...So what? He was STILL a hero...and he didn't like sitting around like an invalid waiting for something interesting to happen.

He was also worried. When his son had returned, acting...way past strange...he'd begun to get worried about Serenity. Sure, most people assumed she was dead, but...He just couldn't assume that. He knew her...she was his daughter...It took more than a few hundered hunters to bring down HIS little girl...Maybe she was in trouble...in need of his help...

He stood up, and hobbled to the door.

Sally sat up, concerned. "Sonic....what ar you doing?"

All he said was, "I'll be back...My ol' legs need stretchin..." With that...he tried to run...and fell flat, wincing in pain. Grumbling, he stood up again, limping off in the direction of one of the secret village's exits.

Sally stood and tried to follow, but he was already halfway through the exit. "Sonic, come back! You're not the hedgehog you used to be! You'll get killed out there...." But by that time he was already gone. "Grrraaahh!" Sally threw her arms in the air in exasperation.

TBC

OOC: Got a little mini-plot with him here...no interferance...

The kit nodded, still shaking as he lent into 204s warm fur yesh..She disappee-odd a week ago Andwoo god wost an she went to wook for him wit the othows bud.. bud she didnt comeback with them an they wouldnt tell me were she was. Aunt sally told me I had to stay wit hur. Bud I wanted to wook for aunt nicky an tats when I wen into the fowest. Sally told me nod to go *moan* She gona be weally mad at me.
It was clear from his injuries that he needed medical atention, coughing again on the water he was still bringing up from his lungs. Sobbing, the kit hugged closer to 204 I miss nicky he whimpered. Not even atempting to hold back the tears this time, he finaly brokedown and started crying into the confused refugeas fur.

--At the hotel

If it was one thing that Tobias hated about nighttime, it was the insatiable boredom that it brought. In the forest, hed hunted through the day and usually returned to his cave to cook something and boil his trophies as darkness fell. Now, however, he was stuck behind four walls of sleeping companions with not so much as a squirrel to talk to wonder what Chitters is doing now? he thought, remembering how the wild squirrel visited his cave for leftovers and a squeak. What was more confusing was the fact he was actually feeling tired, something he hadnt experienced in a while and thus didnt really know how to react to its constant nagging.
About three hours into his watch the Fulf practically leapt out of his fur when a yawn caught him off guard. He shook his head to clear it and stood at his post, determined to see her through the night.

Josh grew impatient on waiting for anyones reply to his question. He threw on his jacket and gloves, Slid his 9mm inside in his jacket, grabbed his helmet and walked out the door. He walked out the hotels door and came up to his bike. He stuck the key into the ignition and started it up. Josh got the odd feeling he was being watched.

Jonnon stood in his room laying aganist the door of his room. He couldn't sleep - a while ago he had put on some headphones and decided to listen to some of his favorite mobian rock band, "Citidel 49"

But even the hard-pounding rock music in his ears coudln't make him sleep so he had tossed the headphones aside and turned the CD player it was connected to off.

He sighed.

"Can't sleep..." was it because he was paranoid of the 'human' Josh he had seen a few momments before.

OOC: ACK!! No alowed dying on me!

Will edit with something more substantial soon...

ooc: Yay violet isnt gonna let it die.

OOC: FWASH! I return. Now, let's get this out of the gutter, shalL we? My college days are numbered, this being the second to last quarter that I will be here...and I have not had the chance to get a job yet....and my parents are threatening that if I end up living with them, I will not be alowed on the net at all...so...I can't afford to waste any more time...*rolls up sleeves* *gets some good music in the CD player* Here I go...

IC:

204 didn't know quite what to do. Sure, she'd cared for her numerous siblings, but...Well...this wasn't THAT much different. She placed a comforting arm around the distraught kit, and let him cry into her chest for as long as he needed to. "It's alright...I'm sure she's fine..." There was a hint of sadness in the cream-colored kitsune's voice...In times like these....though she didn't know that much about the outside world, she did know, from her mother's stories, that if someone vanished in the woods...chances were, they would never come back...

However, she didn't want to frighten the kit any more than he already was...so she said nothing more, concentrating on comforting him.

Morning came, the wan rays of the winter sun streaking the floor where they could sneak past the closed draperies. Nothing more eventful had happened that night; Silence had slept the rest of the night through without any more heart trouble.

The rangers gently knocked on the door of each of their sleeping charges, informing them to prepare themselves. The day of the hearing had arrived! The day that held the fate of the by now very endagered mobian hedgehog in the ballence. Events of this day would decide whether the species was awarded globally protected status...or whether the Rocky Vally Hedgehog Sanctuary's rangers would continue to fight a loosing battle for them on their own.

Wordlessly, the triplets, Surge, and Blackrose allowed themselves to be lead, by leash, through a secret passageway out of the suite and down to the armored vehicle that would take them to the courthouse where their fates were to be discussed.

Alcor hadn't slept at all. This hearing...it meant a lot to him...but he still was not quite ready to trust these humans...A positive outcome would be good...but it still would bring him no closer to bringing his sister's killer to justice...That would require...an act of vigilente-ism. That normally wasn't a problem for him...but...how to get from here back to his solitary life of grim hunter-pestering...that was the real delemma....

Besides...something kept nagging at the back of his mind...He hadn't had such a strong desire to return to Knothole since...he didn't know when. And he didn't know WHY either...There were too many painfull memories there...

But...whatever it was...he felt drawn back to Knothole....back...home.

He mentally cursed himself. WHY had he decided to do this?! He KNEW he was too old...and disabled...but...STILL! He was a HERO! A well known one! Why was fate so cruel? He sneered in contempt at his cane...his crutch. The hedgehog kicked at a small bolder...with his bad leg...and cursed at the resulting pain.

He stumbled.

Tripped.

...And bludered right into a steel trap!

*CRRRRUNCHT!*

Sonic swore even louder as he fell to the ground. He looked back. The trap had him by his lame foot. Knitting his brows and gritting his teeth in an effort to hold back the pain, he sat up, attempting to free his leg. Just as he suspected, the jaws were too strong to be pried open.

Next, he looked for the peg that held the chain attached to the trap in the ground. Finding it, he tried to pull it up. Unfortunately, it was wedged between two large bolders, unreachable.

He sighed, flopping down on his belly. That was it. He was doomed. He should have known better than to go off in search of Reni in this state...Heck...she was probably dead by now anyway...and the only thing that could console him was the fact that he'd soon be joining her....

OOC: Little bit more to be added here...no interference, pleaze...

TBC

James Prower had prepared for this moment well, both in appearance and in the duty of protecting his young charges. His normally dull armor had been cleaned and polished, making it gleam, and his cloak had been freshly washed. As for the protection of the royal familly, he has a few tricks up his sleaves in case things went terribly wrong. He wasn't about to let his guard down around these humans. And the royal guardsman wasn't going to be left behind.

Reluctantly, he allowed himself to be restrained by a leash and collar, which contrasted with his impressive uniform and his proud walk. He could endure it a little while, if it ment it would make the humans feel safer. Not that the collar would make any difference if he wanted to hurt them.

--back at knothole--

It took a good ten minuets for the kit to calm down. In the absence of adrenalin, hyperthermia had begun to set in and the youngster was already showing signs of a concussion to boot. His breathing was getting steadily more and more labored, coupled with violent shivering that abruptly stopped even though it was clear the kit was still far colder then was healthy.
Why is it so cold he whined weekly, gravitating toward what little heat he could feel coming from the cream kitsune. He started sobbing again, much more quietly this time, a sure sign of fategue "... I wana go home"

--Buisness sweat of the hotel--

Tobias was puzzled. Having spent the night awake, as normal, he now found that for some contradictory reason he was yawning and feeling drained of energy. To anyone else it would have been perfectly normal, but considering the fulf hadnt slept consistently for years it was a most unusual sensation.
He watched with disapproving eyes as the humans attached the collars to the triplets, whincing at the click of the leash. Before they left, he wandered, still with that slight camber that made him look older then he was, over to the old royal guard Its a noble thing you do today, James razed an eyebrow, was that a hint of respect in the fulfs voice keepum safe, and raze hell for me if things go south, Ill join you there soon after.

With that he turned and walked over to the main room, curling up by the fire in that same fox like position he'd used the night before.

--Earlier In room 12A--

WAKE UP YOU LAZY DOGS!

There were several incoherent moans from various parts of the room, mostly from those who had slept where they collapsed after a night of gratuitous drinking and pleasurable company.

Get you Buts out of comatose, I wana see you ready to move in ten, do you get me!

Once again a dim response, though now at least there was some idle movement about the room and some complaints about being allergic to sunlight. Slowly the merks roused, gathering their scattered equipment and getting change out of beer stained civilian clothing. In fifteen minuets they were ready for combat, stood in a well, a line of sorts, though most were either leaning on the nearest wall or swaying in a rhythmic fashion. This, however, was a commendable effort on their part considering the diverse severity of hangovers each of them had. One was even in the process of swallowing a whole pack of ibuprofen, much to the complaint of those around him.
Phender stood before his so called troops, unimpressed to say the least, but thats what he got for giving them a free tab at the bar.
Right, I received a com at 0800 hours from our benefactor, with orders, recon intelegence on our primary mission objective and of cource payment info, which I can asure you gentelmen will alow us all to retire extreamly early if we do this right. The time is now 1000 hours, there will be a briefing on the mission at eleven hundred. I expect you to have woken your selves up and be ready to move out by then And Jones"

There was a snort from the lutenent with dreadlocks "Hu? Err, yes sir!"

"For gods sakes man take a shower, the rangers will smell you coming a mile off, never mind our primary target.

--Present in room 12A --

Am tellin ya man. Room numba tirtean, awful music in ta hevins an' terrible room service, bad omens man. Ya ask me no good will come of this.

OH will you stop it with that @#%$ accent Jones!

Yeah, you sound worse than my girlfriend

And how do we know he aint your girlfriend? Another round of laughter went around the small room. The furniture had been rearranged to make room for the projection screen and most of the merks were now sitting back against various chairs and sofas, waiting for Eligh to finish setting up the briefing. Phender stepped back into the room along with Priest who had returned from recon and the room went quiet. Their leader had a slight smile at the edge of his mouth as he walked in and picked up the button to switch the projector slides around.

Gentelmen your attention please. The lights were switched off as a dull click indicated the projector powering up, the photo of the group entering the lobby came on shortly afterward. Ahh the miracles of PowerPoint.
As we don't have much time to get on with buissness I'll make this quick. This is a Live capture job. You'll be going in with the dart weapons that our benifactor provided along with Nightvission gear. No live amunition. We are to infiltrate, secure the primary target and exfitrated without leaving so much as a fingerprint. I know you are used to freestiling, but we can't afford any screwups, so any of you so much as brakewind with out it beeing on the mission roster I'll have your testiculs nailed to my trothy wall. *a loud falce farting noise is heard from across the room*
As yet this is what we have from recon and reserch. At 1500 hours yesterday, this group of furs was brought vire covert means into this hotel. They resided over night in the business sweet several floors above this one *a few clicks of the control and the display showed numerous pictures of the inside of the business hall* Its a wide open hall area makes for very little cover on the aproch to the rooms, so well have to cut the power before we move in. Theres a storm brewing outside, so itll be throwing it down by the time were ready to go, this should aid us by cutting out most light from the outside. The hall is bordered by numerous large rooms, the grandest of which is the penthouse where the furs are located. Priest reports that they left at 1038 hours*another picture of the group leaving was displayed for a moment*, they were taken to armoured transports waiting in the ally at the back of the hotel. Their destination is unknown, however, they are not our concern. We now have but one fur remaining in the hotel sweet

The projector clicked again and three pictures were displayed on the white screen. One was clearly the security photo from the fur farm, an anthro shown stealthily moving down a corridor inevitably not stealthily enough. To the right of that one was the groups arrival again, this time a digitally painted red ring circling the uncollard fox standing between uncatchable and the armoured kitsune. And the third, sitting below the centre of the first two, was a photograph of a small girl hugging a small fox kit, the dog tag on his collar just large enough to make out the word Kit engraved on its serface.

Mr Phender chuckled, an evil little smile growing at the corners of his mouth Ladies, meet your primary objective, Kit Keystone

arriving at the hotel... again.

The sun rose as the black BMW M3 sedan shot through the twisty roads leading back to the hotel. Josh had driven and rode the bike all night to switch to something a bit more comfortable and capable of carrying more cargo. A little top speed was sacrificed but the roads had way to many turns to really get on it. He parked at the hotel next to a large vehicle and went inside. He held a breakfast sandwhich in one hand and a soda in the other and danced up to his room while listening to his mp3 player. He went inside and got his things. Josh then sat on the end of his and finished his meal. He grabbed his bags and removed the Sig 552 He slung it over his shoulder keeping it at his side with the stock folded to the side of the rifle. He made his way back down to his car getting a few odd looks from people staring at the gun. He arrived back outside and popped the trunk. He threw the bags in the back. and made his way back to the room rifle still at his side.

ooc: Writers block and bad typing.
also for those curious as to what josh's rifle looks like.

OOC: Still here...I've just been bombarded with homework again recently... X.X

IC later....

hurry up and post something im bored. same in survival too.

OOC: Must...post...something... *pant, pant* hmmm...can I bring myself to do the huge hearing post now? We'll see...

IC:

204 looked at her young charge, alarmed. It was clear that something was wrong, but she didn't know what. Having lived in a tiny cage all her life, she had not had the opportunity to learn about the world and everything in and of it. She looked at him blankly for a minute, unsure of what to do. Should I take him back to Knothole? But he said he didn't want to go back there? Oh what should I do? He feels cold...I...I don't think it's naturally what should happen...But...Oh, Mother, I wish you were awake...you could help tell me how to care for him... She looked down at the kit, trying to hide her ignorance. "You're cold? I...I should take you back to the village then?" She was lost, clearly, in how to help the young fox. If i'm this clueless with him...how am I going to care for my own child? The worrysome thought popped up into her already uncertain mind.

The armored van stopped outside the courthouse, and the rangers helped their important refugee-witnesses out, clustering around them protectively as the mobians were lead toward the building. More Rangers had arrived; armed and armored guards, an imposing living wall of stern protectiveness against opportunistic snipers just waiting to bump off a hedgie or two...or three, four, five or even all seven in order to acquire a fast fortune in pelts.

The seven hedgies and one fox could see crouds beginging to gather beyond the safety of the Ranger vanguard, though whether their interest was out of averice or just curiosity was hard to tell. Many of the city humans had not seen many mobians, if any at all, save for the small amount of canines and felines they'd thought they had domesticated, so, naturally, a crowd was begining to gather. The guards held them off with stoic devotion to duty as the refugees were guided into a modestly-sized room. The outer door was closed behind them as the guards dispersed somewhat, several left standing by the door while others went to secure the area and scout for possible threats to the Rangers and Mobians cause.

At the other side of the room was another door, currently open. Curious, Tranquility snuck to the side and peered out into an immense courtroom, filled with rows and rows of desks and chairs. It was already begining to fill with important-looking people and media personnel. The balconies were also beginging to fill -- with spectators. This was evidently going to be a large, very imprtant, public - and publicized - hearing.

One of the Rangers shoo'ed the curious youth back from the door, as a guard closed it and stood in front of it. It was clear that they would have to wait until all attendies were seated and the formalities were exchanged before they'd see anything. "It's for your own safety we have you in here." the guard said, somewhat condecendingly. Tranquility sighed and sat back down on the benches they had for seating.

Electra grumbled and started tapping a foot. "What's the hold up? Can't we just get this over with already?" Her father shushed her. Silence and Blackrose both had far away looks in their eyes, as Alcor stood, brooding, by the one, small, tripple-paned, bullet-resistant, window, staring out of it back toward the snowy forest from whence they had come. The sky was grey and mirrored the one-eyed hedgehog's mood...

OOC: Ok...next post will have the hearing itself. talk amongst ourselves while we wait. ;p

Cruncht, chruncht, cruncht

The sounds of boots sinking into the snow came closer, ever closer. He wasn't sure if they had seen him yet, but he was sure they would. He stuck out like a blood-stained blueberry in this snow.

With each cruch of the boots, his inevitable fate crept closer. Oddly, he didn't seem to care much anymore. He was already ruined. He was old. He'd outlived his usefullness, obviously. For now the once-hero had turned into yet another nameless victim...

There was a gasp from the closest human, and a quickening of pace from all of them. They'd seen him.

This was it. He could almost feel the rifle against his head now...

He winced, waiting for the sharp pain and then the nothingness that would seize him soon...

It was taking longer than he'd expected to come. The hunters were clearly excited, as evidenced by their shouts of victory and their nervous prancing about in the snow. They spattered some of the pinked frozen water up onto him in their zeal. He instinctively flinched.

"Uh oh...boys...it's still alive..." One of them said.

"Who cares? Its a hedgehog. Turn it over and get to work on that pelt!" another, clearly the leader, said, excited.

Sonic squeezed his eyes shut as he felt himself bodily turned over. This is it...Reni...Daddy's coming soon... he thought fuzzily, waiting for the knife's pain.

It never came.

"Uh, guys...problem..." said the hunter that had turned him over. The others crowed around, as the hunter continued, "This old guy's no good. Look at this massive scar. It runs completely across his pelt. The fur's ruined."

"Hmmm..." mused the leader. "Can't we just cut it in half at the scar and sell the halves?" The man's voice, which had been as cold as the wintry landscape, was now sounding the slightest bit dissappointed.

"No good, boss. He's got other scars all over the usable pelt area. Looks like he was a verteran of some war or something."

"Don't be rediculous, Fred. It's an animal. They don't fight wars. They only exist to be skinned for profit." However, the man's voice softened a bit.

The remark had, for an instant, rekindled Sonic's old fighting spirit, but the spark died away almost as quickly as it had come. The constant pain in his leg reminded him of his current state of helplessness.

The leader was silent for a while.

"Sir?" Inquired the hunter kneeling by the trapped hero.

The leader waved his hand disinterestedly. "Aah...let 'im go. He ain't worth nothin to us now."

The trap was then removed from the leg of the more than astonished blue hedgehog. He sat there with his mouth open, staring at the hunters for what seemed like forever. They...'re letting me go? he thought, flabergasted.

The leader bodily lifted the retired hero by his arms, setting him on his feet, and handing him back his dropped cane in an act of surprising kindness. "Go on, old fellah," he said, "Yer a lucky one. That there scar of yers jest saved yer life. You ain't worth bounty now."

Stunned by the words, which were both kind and degrading in the same breath, the old hero began limping back into the woods...headed deliberately AWAY from Knothole, in case those hunters got it into their heads to follow him to the Mobians last refuge.

TBC

--in knothole--

It was clear that the cub hadn't heared a word of what the refugee had said. His head was starting to bob as though he were fighting to stay awake, his eyes taking longer and longer blinks.
"I.. I wana go home" he whined, bearly cohearant in his nire unconsious state. The kit mumbled somthing that sounded vaguely like 'Mom'ma' before his eyes closed and his body went limp, still breathing but unconsious in the cream kitsunes arms.

(ooc:more to add here, don't finish the hearing in one post Vi, I need things to happen at the hotel before it end)

Josh awoke with a jerk and glanced at the clock. He grabbed the rifle and his remaining belongings and ran downstairs out to the bmw m3. The armored vehicle was gone. "Crud", he thought to himself. He threw his bags in the backseat and jumped in the drivers seat. Smoke poured from the screeching tires and the car screamed down the road. Within 35 minutes Josh found himself again parked behind the armored vehicle. He slid a silenced pistol into his jacket, grabbed his laptop, and walked inside the courthouse. He found a seat where he was able to keep an eye out for trouble.

ooc: I got writers block toward the entering of the courthouse.

There was a distant electrical hum as the power was turned off from the breakers in the hotel basement. Lights on all levels flickered for a moment before their glow failed, plunging corridors and rooms alike into total darkness. The only illumination came from the raging storm outside, the occasional flash of lighting feeding the sense of foreboding that seemed to ooze from the air itself. The rain beat against the tall windows of the business sweet, accompanied by the wind that whistled around the old buildings angular structure. And yet, curled up in front of the fire, a fox slept quite soundly though the storm, de-tagged ear twitching slightly as he dreamed of chasing rabbits. Sophia, one of the Rangers had been gently petting the slumbering Fulf for over an hour, completely unaware of the creatures violent nature. In fact, she was lead to believe quite the contrary as Tobias had started making affectionate whining noises in his sleep. Stranger still, he had woken up on no less then too occasions, yet had never even complained about her actions, merely resuming his sleeping position after taking a groggy glance at her.
As the light in the room was already off, the two didn't directly notice the black out, though Sophie had seen the desk light in the bed room go out.
It was however, the sound of a door closing in the hall way distance that woke her from thoughts. It woke Tobias too, who sat up and glared toward the door, ignoring the humans hand still pressing against his back in mid stroke.
The woman got up and patted the Fulf on the head, whispering "I'll take a look, you stay here" as she walked out, closing the door to the room behind her. Myth didn't like this one bit. Tobias was quite content to just sit there though and let the human deal with whatever the disturbance was...
The draft from the closed door alerted his senses. The pungent smell of male human sweat practically coerced though the air. There was a muffled whisting sound from beyond the door that sounded distinctly like an air gun, followed shortly by body fall on hard wood. A low growl pulsed from Myth's throat as he stood and headed for the vent shaft he'd seen in the shower. The game was afoot, and someone wasn't playing by the rules.

James stood ridgidly at parade rest, his gaze periodically scanning the room, his ears looking like radar dishes as they twitched at the smallest sound. He was on high alert, and for good reason. Protecting the hedgehogs was his highest priority, and they were in the middle of the most dangerous place they could possibly be. He hoped things went smoothly; even a cyborg royal guardsman would be hard-pressed to escape a city that was gunning for him, much less him and seven other charges.

He scratched absently at his neck; the collar was making it itch.