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Epilogue
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"Attention all civilians. Human and Mobian alike." Everyone within the vicinity of a television or radio was puzzled when their programs disappeared. Across screens all over the globe, the image of a man with short cropped grey hair and one blue eye and one brown eye appeared. He was wearing a G.U.N uniform so everyone was expecting another Hexagon propaganda broadcast. Instead they got the opposite. "My name is Jericho Mandarin; Chief Commander of the G.U.N military. I am making this broadcast because as of this moment, the unjust martial law enforced by my soldiers all over the globe is now coming to an end." Crowds had gathered outside as the large overhead screens showed the commanders transmission. "I have ordered the withdrawal of all military personnel and equipment out of civilian areas." Even as he spoke his words were drowned out by a loud mechanical roaring. The crowd glanced back to see Walker mech's rise from their guard posts outside major public buildings and into line in the middle of the street. Soldiers in trucks and several on a collection of tanks quickly joined them and the convoy made a start for the cities freeway entrance. Nobody could believe it at first even though it was right in front of their eyes. "All forces with be drawn back to their respected bases and you have my word that the army will not infringe on the homes of unarmed civilians ever again."
All over the world similar things were happening. The robots marching through the streets were recalled, loaded back into trucks before speeding away. Military planes crossed the skies in great numbers before vanishing from sight. People, who had been almost too afraid to step outside their doors with the armed soldiers on the streets, stepped outside to watch in amazement.
"The control exercised by Hexagon is over. That organisation has been disbanded and its leaders, the ones responsible for the corruption in the first place are now under arrest." Jericho stepped side and two soldiers marched another man into shot. There were gasp all around the world as people saw President Jones forced to stand in front of the podium at gun point. "Go on… Mr. President." The Commander added with a small grin. Jones looked angry, very angry; but with rifles pointed at him he had little choice.
"I nearby declare my resignation from Federal office and the handover of all power within all Governmental affairs to the G.U.N Commander; Jericho Mandarin." There was a brief moment of silence all over the entire world; before half the population; mostly mobian, began cheering. One of the soldiers jabbed his rifle into the man's back once to remind him of something. "Also…" Jones began again half stammering. "I wish to apologise to the mobian community and anyone else that suffered because of rash decisions made by Hexagon." The cheering did not stop.
"I never thought G.U.N had the guts…" Chuck muttered in amazement, listening to the broadcast on the radio transmitter on the bridge of the Blue Typhoon. This was nothing short of a fully fledged coup.
Fang the Sniper watched the broadcast from the centre of the crowd in Central City, his face set in a frown. Hexagon had made business for him very good. Now that G.U.N had taken charge it was going to be hard for a guy in his line of work to make a living.
"You may consider yourself impeached." Mandarin told former President and the soldiers lead him away. The commander faced the camera once more. "Also, I am reporting to the public that all democratic elects will be postponed until after the Confederate Invasion has been repelled. To ensure that this corruption is never repeated certain changes are being made." Nobody seemed to care what he said from that point on. They were all far too happy. Parties were breaking out in the streets. Kegs of bear were being wheeled out and dished out for free. Even the people who owned it were simply too happy to care about payment. "Until the planet is secure, the Government is being reorganised into the G.U.N Federation." A digitally layered icon appeared behind the Commander, a blue flag with the military's 'G' symbol directly in the centre with roman style leaves arching up doth sides.
"Pretty speech." Jones muttered when the transmission was cut off. "But do you really think this coup of yours is going to last?" His face set itself in a sneer. "You're too soft. Before too long someone like Eggman is going to snatch this victory away from you. That's how the world works." The commander turned around to face the former President. "You're a pathetic visionary from ARK, a colonist who took to looking at the stars for too long. You're dreaming Mandarin. Democracy doesn't last when you're trying to survive."
"Is that what you call what you were doing?" He asked. "Survival?"
"Of course." Jones replied without a moment's hesitation. "You really think that with the hard time we had fighting the Black Arms that the Confederates are going to be any easier? No, we both know their fleet outmatches ours with ease. Unless this planet puts all its efforts into defence, with no room for 'equality', they'll walk right over us." Jericho was left staring at the former President in disgust.
"You're as bad as the Elite and the Foundation." He stated. "Take him away." With that all said and done, Jericho now found himself as ruler of the world. Un-official ruler, but he was still making the big decisions. There was just one thing left to do to finish this first piece of business.
"Send a communication to the Blue Typhoon." He ordered. "Inform its crew I wish to meet with them."
-
Jailos had been successful in manufacturing a cure for the Dragon Blood after extensive study of the complex genetic engineering used to create it. The biological agent she produced was at once released over the Earth in a gaseous form. Any microbes of the deadly virus were killed as it encountered them and anyone even remotely infected was cured.
The world had been saved from a horrible fate and hardly anybody was the wiser.
"Accept us." Vector stated proudly putting his hands on his hips. "Because of our top notch detective skills we gave that Mandarin guy all the evidence he needed to bring down Hexagon." Espio made a gesture to ignore him and most took his advice.
Once the Blue Typhoon had picked up its crew who had gone for the trip, Chaotix had arrived shortly after. The two groups had been exchanging information on the situation and it seemed on both ends to have been resolved.
Knuckles and Rouge had disappeared as well. Knuckles had returned to Angel Island, that they knew for certain but whether Rouge went with him or not was unknown. All bets were 'with'.
"What about Fellena?" Amy asked. "We can't leave it overrun with Dragons."
"You leave Fellena to me." Void stated, folding his arms as he glanced out over the ocean from the bridge of the ship. "Even as we speak an investigations team from Maginaryworld is on their way to assess the situation. With the genetics expertise of Jailos we should be able to combat the Dragon Blood there as well." He glanced down at his feet. "Given a lot of time." He turned around to face them with an irritated look on his face. "And before any of you start, I'll admit it; ok, I was wrong. Happy?" Everyone stared at him feigning innocent expressions. "Fellena was huge dimensional breech. Are you all satisfied now?"
"Marginally." Sonic replied with a flick of his wrist.
"What about Blaze and the other felines?" Amy asked. "Have you found another home for them?" Void sighed irritably, folded his armed and turned away.
"They said they weren't going anywhere."
"They said what?"
"They told, in their own words; to leave them alone." He cast them all a glance, narrowing a single large eye. "They've decided they want to stay here."
"I though they hated this… 'Ape' world?"
"They don't want to be treated like refugees even more. It goes against their 'warriors' pride."
The decision to stay here in the Apes world was not one taken lightly. Most felines found it polluted, over-populated and hardly suited to their needs. Still, they refused to be treated as refuges and voted to remain where they had set themselves down.
The loss of their home and the shattering of their belief in the Arcanum had been horrific emotional blows for all the survivors but it had brought them together as a people; re-forged the spirit of the warrior within them all. The belief in the Asgard, which had been slipping with the supremacy of the Arcanum, suddenly became wide spread and offerings of a nights hunt up to Thor and Odin were being conducted.
Not all of the Apes world, or Earth as they were forcing themselves to call it out of courtesy, was as bad as the city's they had hunted through on this arrival here. There were jungles, forests, woods, deserts; a huge expanse of different hunt grounds and preys to stalk.
On Fellena their hunting had been restricted by the dragons in and around their island, but here; without that threat hanging over their heads. Moving to another dimension to escape the Dragon Blood would have been impossible on their own… and… Jack was forced to admit… loosing more than half their respected population helped lessen the energy requirement too.
"Blaze…" The large feline began, suddenly realizing what had been nagging him. He glanced up around the camp. The felines had fortified it with a wooden fort wall arched in a circle around the entrance to the caves they were setting themselves up inside. It lacked whatever they amassed in the way of technology but for now they felt great pride in what they had built.
Blaze was nowhere to be seen, and Jack could not sense her presence within the cave system. "Have you seen the mistress?" He asked, calling down from his look out.
"She was down by the cave entrance a minute ago, using a fire to heat up a piece of metal." A feline from below called up. "I think she was forging a new sword." Jack looked up but could not see Blaze anywhere around the cave entrance. The embers of a fire were still burning. "Cover for me." The large cat announced, before sliding down the side of the wooden look out tower and landing with a thud on the muddy ground.
He found that by the fire were hot metal shaved as a recently used forging hammer. Blaze had been making a new sword for sure. But where as the feline herself?
"There you are sir." A voice began. Jack glanced up to see a feline approach him. He was one of the soldiers that had been injured in the battle, his leg bandaged with bloody wrappings and he had a limp; his weight balanced on a crooked branch he was using as a walking stick. "The mistress asked me to deliver this to you." He handed Jack a rolled up piece of parchment. It was held by a piece of red ribbon and sealed with wax, an imprinted icon pressed down into it.
Jack did nothing at first but look at it. Then he drew a claw through the wax seal and opened it. It was a letter written in their rune alphabet.
"My dear and devoted soldier…" He began out load reading it. "By the time this reaches you I will already be far away.
I lead my people obliviously into a trap and are capable of doing so again. I will not risk it by remaining in power and so I am abdicating." Jack was silent for a moment, his mouth hung open at that last word. He didn't even notice the felines gathering around him to listen. "I am turning over the reigns of leadership to you as clearly, as a cat respected by soldiers and villagers alike you are far more capable of the task than any of my bloodline."
By now Blaze was miles away, crossing the outskirts of the Mythic Ruins; following the setting sun westward; her new sword strap across her back. The swords she had written on the letter still repeating themselves in her mind and she found herself reciting them.
"The throne is your task, but I still need to find my own mission; my own journey; and I can not find it if I stay." She glanced up at the sky, a darkening blue with flaxen yellow, orange clouds slowly eclipsing the young golden sun. How could she have only seen the ugly side of this world before, missing all this? "I have diverted from Loki's path and I have to make me own."
"Please respect my wishes and do not try to come after me." Jack continued. "I know you will lead our people with honour.
Do not morn the lost. They have died in battle and have been admitted into the gates of Valhalla.
If I join them there one day is dependant on the path I choose now. You have been a commendable comrade who has maintained my honour through these trails and for that I am eternally grateful. Now I must use the chance you gave me to find my own destiny.
Your friend throughout time…. Blaze." He stopped reading and lowered his arms with a sigh. No one around him had the nerve to add anything to that.
---
"Sonic, are we expecting anyone?" Chris asked, glancing up from the communications seat on the Blue Typhoon's bridge. The blue hedgehog crossed over shaking his head.
"No why?"
"Several G.U.N ships are heading this way; they're escorting a civilian carrier. It's asking for permission to dock with us." Instantly Chris was surrounded by everyone on the bridge, looking over his shoulder at the screen. It showed that several vessels beaming out a G.U.N identity signal was rapidly approaching from the coast.
"It's got to be some kind of trick." Hare commented, distrustful of the military after they spent so long running from them.
"Nope." Vector replied with a smile spreading over his scaly lips. "Its looks like Mandarin wants to have a word."
Within minutes they could see them. A convoy of about five ships, four of them battleships belonging to the military space fleet and the one in the centre was a simple carrier for use in various airports. It had the G.U.N logo printed on it. Slowly it approached, leaving the escorting battleships behind at a distance to show did it not mean any harm.
"I thought General Saddler was…err… had been, the G.U.N Commander?" Bean asked looking a little confused.
"He was, but only in name." Topaz replied. "Sadler was little more than a figure head with a few hired thugs. But Mandarin is the one with the real official power. Once we busted Saddler for being Eggman's little flunky, Mandarin took the name and official position.
The Commander is the one who formed G.U.N in the first place, so you're going to find that a lot of the soldiers are almost fanatical in carrying out his orders."
Meeting the carrier as it landed was Okida, Topaz, Hare, Bean and Shadow, the others hanging back to watch; all of them armed just in case Hare was right and this was a trap of some kind. Void decided it was not in his best interests to make himself know to the 'powers that be' on this planet and made his scarce.
When their guests arrived onboard it appeared for a moment to be an invasion, several armed soldiers marching out first; followed by their commander.
Shadow blinked when he saw him. The two locked gazes on each other for a moment the black and red hedgehog saw creeping hate pass briefly over the humans' face. But it wasn't the look on the face that got him. It was the eyes.
One sea blue and the other chocolate brown. Shadow frowned. They seemed familiar but he could not pick out from his patchy memory from where. Slowly the commander turned his attention reluctantly away from the black and red hedgehog to face the others.
"Major Okida I believe."
"Former." The vampire bat corrected him. "I resigned." The commander forged a hurt look.
"I hope you did that because of Hexagon's policies and not because of G.U.N itself."
"I had other reasons as well." Okida looked him straight in the eye. "But you're not here to discuss my career choices."
"No of course not." Instead of talking there in the corridor they went to the bridge, where it was relatively more private. Jericho's soldiers went with him of course. Shadow wished they hadn't. He kept catching the commander sending him hostile glares. Why did he seem so familiar?
"These, are warrants issued for the arrest of the Blue Typhoon's crew." Jericho began once they arrived and one of the soldiers handed him a black file folder containing several pieces of paper. "They call for the immediate imprisonment of any and all people involved with the ship and the execution of the ringleader." He shot Okida a glance. "...which would be you." The vampire bat maintained a stern expression.
"And?"
"Why am I am here is quite simple." The commander replied. "I am dropping any and all charges these warrants contain." Without another word he tore them up in his hands. "You are being granted port access to all cities and naval stations in G.U.N territory and…" He reached into his uniform and withdrew what looked like a credit card. "This gives you access to a bank account we seized from one of the Hexagon bosses when we arrested him. He was hoarding a lot of cash illegally in it. It's now all yours." He flipped it up and it handed in Okida's hand. The vampire bat looked stunned.
"Exactly how much money are we talking about here?" Hare asked looking over Sonic's shoulder.
"I haven't been told the exact amount but it should cover the cost of the ships rearmaments and repairs." Considering how long they had gone without repairs that price figure had to be into the millions. Hare's mouth dropped and one should almost see his eyes spinning like fruit machines until they arrived with dollar signs. "The pin number is 5-6-0-2."
"Let me have it, let me have it!" Hare begged; struggling to catch the card away from Okida; who tossed slid it into his jacket pocket.
"What's the catch?" Topaz asked bluntly.
"No catch. You were unjustly persecuted and hunted. Think of this as my way of apologising." The commander said. "Oh; and we have a collection of combat mechs for you to chose from. Just in case any of your own were damaged by our forces."
"Why is he being so nice to us?" Amy asked. Those who hadn't met their boarding party were watching using the security cameras all over the ship.
"Because he wants to use us in the militaries plans to defend the Confederate invasion that's why." Chuck replied. "So he's giving us all these presents as bribes."
"And what a bribe!" Vector remarked. "Six million dollars? He must really want our help badly."
"So you guys are going to help us then?" Chris asked. The crocodile simply gave him a thumbs up.
"Who can say no to that much cash?"
"Not me." Espio replied without a moment's hesitation.
Seemingly satisfied with that, the commander made plans to leave; inviting the Blue Typhoon to follow them back and officially and legally re-enter American air space. The carrier unloaded the replacement Nova, Anubis and albatross mechs and once they were loaded into the hanger bay preparations were made to get underway.
Shadow did not like Jericho. The hedgehog could sense the strange feeling of displacement and de-ja-vu when around him. And the Commanders' clearly hostile attitude towards him did not help.
That was why he did not like the scenario when he found the two of them standing alone together at opposite ends of a corridor. They both froze, sight kept locked on one another. Neither of them blinked as that long silence endured.
"Out with it." The commander stated with a furrowed brow. Shadow's eyes followed him as he moved closer. "Why are you here?"
"I don't know what you mean." The hedgehog replied.
"Don't play games with me!" He snapped. "We both know you're not one of these guys." Shadow was silent. "You can strut about trying to be a good little super hero all you want but we both know that's not who you are. It's not what you were made for." The commander leaned in close. "I know what you are." He hissed. "You are your father's son."
"Just what do you know about the professor?" Shadow asked back now just as angry as Jericho.
"Enough." The human replied. "Enough to know he was a homicidal maniac that did nothing but create evil." He jabbed a finger in Shadow's direction. "Enough to know that you are the culmination of his madness when he sold his soul." Both of them grew silent, the anger in their faces refusing to leave. "While the now denounced General Saddler was the Commander of G.U.N officially, I have been its driving force for over forty years. I took over the title when he was exposed as a traitor." Jericho continued. "I welded G.U.N together into the organisation it is today because I knew I had to protect the world from evil's Robotnik created; the Biolizard, the Eclipse Cannon and of course, you!" Jericho's hand whipped around and almost instantly a gun was between his fingers. Shadow side stepped, his legs tensed ready to jump. That hostile moment only lasted a brief moment it was then the hedgehog saw that Jericho had no intention of firing.
"You're bluffing." He started with a cold smile.
"My hands are tied. The crew of this ship thinks you're an asset to them and I need good relations for my defence plans." The commander stated narrowing his eyes. "But if I ever get the chance." Jericho lowered his gun and turned away. "Don't think this is the end of it." With that he brushed past Shadow and walked away. Shadow watched him go, his eyes never leaving him for a moment until the Commander was completely out of sight.
"His hate is strong and his reasoning behind it personal." A voice stated. The hedgehog glanced back to see Tikal standing there behind him, her gaze kept past him after the embittered human commander. "I can no longer sense why exactly, but for you he holds nothing but contempt. He believes you are to blame for the suffering he endured so long ago."
"I only met him today." Shadow replied irritably.
"Sure of that?" Tikal asked giving him a side glance. "How much of your time on the ARK space colony do you recall, and how much of that can you be sure are not falsified by your creator?" In answer that question, Shadow found that he had no reply.
-
Blaze had been travelling for some time with no direction in mind. The sun had set and the stars were peeking through the sky one by one. Neither fatigue nor the need for sleep hindered her mind and she kept going, passing through the trees and bushes, going on and on. The unfamiliar world, so different from Fellena, was bothering her less and less now. The smells from the forest around whirling around her as she ran through them; becoming familiar with each one in turn.
Breaking through the bushes, she came to a stop on the almost white sand of a beach. The moon was shining above, its mechanical half absorbing most of the sunlight and darkening the night. She stopped there, breathing the sea air deeply; the wind lashing against the tide throwing her head fur back.
"You want to go, but have no destination in mind?" She glanced up and saw that hovering nearby over the sand was Void.
"It's my path." She replied. "I'll thread it even if I do not know the end." A brief smile passed over the imp like beings face.
"Then perhaps we should talk." Blaze said nothing, her gaze locked unblinkingly on him. "Magianryworld is concerned with the events on Fellena, and your discovery that Loki is the mastermind behind the scheme disturbs us.
Ragnarok, the 'real' Ragnarok, could be on the horizon."
"If you have it in your head that Ragnarok can be prevented then cast out that thought." She told him. "The battle of the gods is unavoidable."
"Perhaps." Void omitted. "But you've been known to be wrong before haven't you." Blaze adopted an unimpressed frown. "There are other gods besides the Asgard, who have no wish to see the end of all worlds. While you and your people would not shy away from the sight, I am certain you do not wish to see them destroyed." He offered her his hand. "This is a crisis where I need all the help I can get. Perhaps you might be interested?" Blaze stared at his hand. The water broke several times around her feet before she moved.
"You called the Giants something before." She began. "You called them…
"Titans…" Void breathed slowly, casting out a glance towards the horizon. "That is their name to us." He paused. "Their race, after all this time…." The very idea seemed implausible. They had been gone for eons; defeated and sealed away; at least according to the ancient legends. Well, legends by those as young as himself; but spoken history to the elders.
A spoken history that came from the mouth of Illumina herself but whose lips were known to utter a lie now and then.
Perhaps, it occurred to Void, the stories had simply been ancient propaganda and the Titans were not as defeated as the legends would have them think or if they had ever been defeated at all.
Regardless, if it was true; it was 'them'; then it could only mean one thing.
The day they had feared for so long was almost upon them. 'Reckoning…' That was the word Sebastian had used before he was killed by his masters own creatures. The day of Reckoning was predicted long before Void's own birth as the day of ancient retribution.
With no being to serve as her polar opposite in their mythology, Illumina's adversary had always been the day of Reckoning and whose coming that signified.
"Void, are you there?" Lumina Flowlight's voice asked inside his head through the telepathic link they shared.
"Yes I am here." He replied thinking inward. "Have you arrived at Fellena yet?"
"Yes and it's just as bad as you said it was." Lumina showed through her eyes the devastation before her. The dragons, now without any food source at all had been forced to resort to cannibalism. They were tearing each other apart for the meat. The fallen pieces of the felines flying island were in the valley below her crashed into the ground scaring it. Some other agents were there taking samples from the fallen bodies, careful not to get too close in case they caught the virus. "I just don't understand how we missed this."
"I think I do." Void replied. "I have a few loose ends to tie up here before I go. I'll be dropping off the Black Arms cure for the virus on my way back to Maginaryworld."
"You're going back already?" Lumina sounded surprised.
"I have to have a word with the queen." He replied glancing up at Blaze. "I have someone here she's going to want to meet." The feline was watching him intently. "Well?" He asked out load. "Shall we go?"
"To plunge into the marching legions of the Giants in a vain attempt to stop them and to stand defiantly before Loki?" She asked. Void just nodded once. A smile spread over her face almost at once. "Lead on."
-
It came as no big surprise to Becoe and Decoe that dimension travel was added to Doctor Eggman's list of 'things-that-aren't-worth-inventing.' Right now, The Doctor decided the best thing for his nerve's was to play it safe.
Instead of working on anything ground breaking, he simply concentrated on the general output of the factories and ship yards on the Eggmoon. By the time the Confederates reached Earth, his Egg Fleet would be completely rebuilt.
Sitting in the main control room of his orbiting fortress, The Doctor watched the assembly line for his ships. Put together on the factory floor, the backbone of his feet was assembled by thousands of microscopic robots networked together and programmed with molecule construction. This system sped up production ten fold and allowed the Doctor to produce his ships and weapons almost as fast as Sonic could smash them down again.
Metal Sonic was the only one who had mastered using the nano-bots in any other way. The robotic hedgehog kept them inside his body and they were able to rearrange the molecules in his body to repair damage during battle. That was technology derived from Black Arm hardware and so far the Doctor had failed to comprehend just how it worked.
Still, before too long that was going to change.
"We have the deep space transmission link ready for you Doctor." Becoe told him and Eggman watched as a holographic screen appeared before him; the image buzzing with static. "Adjusting frequency…" The image blurred and twisted, before clarifying. Glaring back at the Doctor was a Fesonian; a reptilian race with green to black scaly skin; their eyes large and flaxen yellow, convexly curved.
"Just who are you?" The alien asked, his words being translated through the communications uplink; the subtitles appearing below in white letters.
"My name is Doctor Eggman." The doctor replied, his fingers interlocked in front of himself; the surface of his glasses gleaming in the light from the monitor. "Am I addressing the Admiral in charge of the Confederate Empire's sixth attack fleet?" The alien looked a little confused, wondering just what language was being used. Someone else on his end was busy translating and as soon as the words could be interrupted, a reply was sent back.
"I am Admiral Baal." The alien said simply straightening his shoulders. "Our sensors read that you are broadcasting from the planet we intend to attack. If you are communicating to negotiate peace terms then you are wasting both your time and mine." His arm moved to discontinue the com-link.
"Oh it's nothing like that." Eggman assured him quickly and the admiral stayed his hand.
"Then what do you want?" Baal demanded now irritated. The Doctor leaned forward, his face set in a thick evil sneer.
"Admiral; I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse."
-
Well, it wasn't so much a movie as a story between series. Sort of a Sonic Rush adaptation, with nothing to do with the rush plot… yeah well sue me. Feed back is appreciated.
Arcanum: Think, Sol Emerald from rush only less lame.
Ragnarok: I was trying for a redesigned version of Black Bull.
Nega-Eggman: Lame excuse for a new bad guy in my opinion and he conflicted with the story so he was cut out.
Fate of Cosmo: Ah you just wait and see… (I am king of the evil cliff hangers!)
Authors notes:
Coming soon is the final instalment of the series; Combine Wars. For a preview check my DeviantART Page. It'll feature stuff from of Sonic Riders, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic OVA and a few surprises from Sonic X season 3. I'm going all out on this one so watch this space. It'll be ready for reading in March both here and on DeviantART.
Thanx for being such great reviewers.