The Harder They Fall

‘So this is Robotropolis?’ Xenin thought absently to himself. He didn’t care for it. The technology, impressive in some ways, was ultimately flawed. Echidna technology was far superior. It was more efficient and environmentally friendly. Robotnik’s attempts had left the city virtually unliveable. The place was a filthy, putrid, disgusting mess.

The cyborg glanced at Knuckles. He had never realised how formidable the young Guardian could be. His plans were much like the boy himself. Swift, efficient, brutal. They’d taken out his friends in the forest so quickly it could barely be considered a battle. ‘I wonder what he has in mind for the overweight Overlander?’

A Legionnaire who had been on reconnaissance approached the Legion’s new second-in-command. Knuckles listened stoically to his report, nodding occasionally, but saying nothing. Finally he turned to Xenin. "The troops have their orders," he said. "You are to come with me."

Xenin nodded, following without question.

~~~~~

Thanks to the Legion’s new stealth technology the somewhat miss-matched pair made their way through the city without incident. Knuckles led the way to a well-secured, highly secreted room. "Can you bypass the security system?" He asked quietly.

Xenin studied the set-up for a moment. "Easily." He announced.

"Then do it." The young Guardian ordered.

Xenin did as he was requested, and the door slid silently open. Xenin’s organic eye widened at the sight before him. The walls were lined with dozens of dormant bodies, each resembling the techno-tyrant that they’d come to defeat. "Clones?" He asked softly.

"Yes," Knuckles confirmed. He raised a brow as he studied one of the lifeless shells. "He certainly has a particular preference." He noted. "You’d think, given that he can create any style he wishes, he’d go for something just a little bit more attractive."

"What are your orders?" Xenin asked.

"Dimitri told me that if his body is destroyed, Robotnik will just download himself into one of these spares." He smiled almost wickedly. "And we can’t have that."

"Destroy them?"

"No. Just deny him access." His smile deepened. "Think how much more torturous it will be for him to know his salvation is so close, and yet, so far."

Xenin allowed himself a chuckle. "How sadistic. Lord Dimitri was right," he said, "you seem far more his descendant than his brother’s."

~~~~~

"What the blazes is going on?!" Robotnik yelled at the top of his ample lungs.

"We are under attack..." A swatbot began.

"I know that you imbecile!" He growled. "But who would dare? Those pesky Freedom Fighters don’t have this kind of artillery. The only ones with this kind of power is..."

"The Dark Legion?" A familiar smug voice finished for him.

"Knuckles?" The oversized Overlander stared wide-eyed at the black-clad echidna. "Since when did you work with Dimitri? You despise each other."

"Oh, my uncle can be very convincing."

Robotnik chuckled. "I knew you were never the sort to play nice with that blasted hedgehog and his cronies. But if you want my help..."

"Oh, please," Knuckles rolled his eyes. "I’m not here to form an alliance."

"But Dimitri and I..."

"Times change." Knuckles cut him off. He glanced at Xenin, who was attaching a small, computerised device to Robotnik’s main computer terminal.

"It is ready." The cyborg announced.

"Then activate it," Knuckles smiled wickedly at Robotnik.

Xenin flicked a toggle switch on the device’s side. He studied the readouts, allowing himself a brief smile. "We are in control."

"In control of what?" Robotnik demanded.

"Everything." Knuckles told him. "Swatbots..." he ordered Robotnik’s silent automatons, "Hold him." He pointed at the techno-tyrant. Robotnik backed up as several of his creations converged on him. They took a firm grip on the Overlander’s oversized arms.

"You will pay for this!" Robotnik snarled.

"I’m shaking." Knuckles chuckled. "Today is the beginning of a new world order, and I’m afraid there’s no place in it for you." Knuckles rubbed his chin as he studied the now fuming Robotnik. "But what to do with you?" He raked the crystal on his chest with his long fingernails, an evil smile forming on his face.

"Of course," he said. "You’ve always coveted the power of the Emerald," the strange glow in the crystal began to dim as the two smaller crystals set in his gauntlets began to brighten. "Well, then," he raised his hands, his long fingers reaching out towards the tyrant. "Feel it."

Emerald lightening shot from the echidna’s outstretched fingertips.

"How in the world..."

Robotnik never got to finish the thought.

"Well," Knuckles mused, "that was surprisingly easy. And extremely satisfying, after all the crud he’s dumped on me." He turned to Xenin, who had been watching silently. "Let’s go home." He spun, his cloak flaring out behind him.

Xenin fell into step behind him. The cyborg was stunned. He knew Knuckles to be an honourable being, but he had just fried Robotnik without a second thought. He even seemed to enjoy it. True, the Overlander had probably downloaded himself into his computer system, but without access to his army of clones, he was effectively trapped there.

~~~~~

Kommisar watched the caged Freedom Fighters with detached disinterest. She was annoyed that Knuckles hadn’t allowed her to have any fun with them. But she also knew Dimitri would be angry if she did anything to them as well, and she didn’t fancy having to explain herself to either one.

She noticed the auburn haired female was watching her rather intently. Knuckles had said that she was the group’s tactician. ‘She must be trying to think up a means of escape.’ Kommisar thought. She smiled wickedly and said, "Why don’t you take a picture, it’ll last longer."

"We have more effective means of pest control than a picture of your mug." Sonic sneered.

Kommisar bristled for a moment, then laughed. "He told me about you," she said. "You like to try and make your enemies angry so they’ll make a mistake. You’ll find the Legion far wiser than that."

"Well spoken, my child."

"Dimitri." Sonic hissed as the cyborg strode into the room.

"Ah," he smiled, "you remember me. I’m touched."

"What on Mobius did you do to Knuckles?" Sally demanded in a low threatening voice.

"What makes you think I did anything to him?" Dimitri asked innocently.

"Oh, I dunno," Sonic tilted his head to one side. "The guy hates your guts, you hate his guts, and suddenly he’s playing on your team. I think that indicates some kind of foul play."

"I merely taught him to see things with different eyes." Dimitri smiled. He reached through the bars and touched the hedgehog’s face, taking note of his injuries. "I must say, he does good work. He carved you up in such a way that it hurt like the dickens, but didn’t allow you to bleed to death. I am impressed."

"Stop," a voice said from behind him, "you’re embarrassing me."

Dimitri turned to see Knuckles, arms folded across his chest, a smug smile on his face, leaning against the doorframe.

"Back so soon?" Dimitri smiled.

"Are you kidding? ‘Bot-butt was even easier than these losers." He jerked a thumb at the prisoners.

"Excellent." Dimitri beamed.

"So what’s next on the itinerary?" Knuckles asked, ignoring the scathing look he was getting from Sonic, and the tearful one from Sally.

"Cat Country, I believe."

"We are already on our way, My Lord." Xenin bowed respectfully.

"At this rate, the entire planet will be ours by..." Dimitri did some quick calculations, "...the end of the week." He laughed loudly and clamped a hand on Knuckles’ shoulder. "My boy, I should have turned you earlier."

"Yes," Kommisar purred. "You’re so much preferable like this." She draped her hand over his other shoulder and smiled at him suggestively.

He picked up her hand between his thumb and forefinger, handling it as if it was something that repulsed him. He let it drop, fixing her with a look that clearly said he was not interested. Sally smiled inwardly at his actions. Despite her obvious flaws in the character department, the red female was still a very attractive echidna. Knuckles disinterest in her gave Sally a small amount of hope, that the decent guy she knew was still in there, somewhere, beneath all the armour and leather, under the cruel smirk and bad attitude. All they had to do was find him and bring him back.

~~~~~

Tails landed soundlessly beside Amy Rose and Julie-Su, his downcast expression spoke volumes.

"What happened?" Amy asked fearfully, even though she had the feeling she wouldn’t like the answer.

"The Legion..." the little fox’s eyes flickered towards Julie-Su. "They decimated Knothole... they took Sonic and Sally and Bunnie and Rotor...it was awful..."

Julie-Su frowned at the way he kept looking at her, afraid to truly catch her eye. "What are you not telling us?"

Tails looked awkwardly around, his tails twisting nervously as if he were readying himself to bolt.

"Tails?" Julie-Su glared at him. He glanced at her again, still not able to hold her stare.

"TAILS!"

He lowered his head and spoke so quickly and softly the two females had to strain to hear him. "The Legion attacked, Mighty and Espio were helping them, and Knuckles..." he trailed off, his eyes darting.

"What about Knuckles?" Julie-Su said, her voice getting more than a little threatening.

Tails took a deep breath and finally raised his eyes to meet the echidna’s.

"He was leading them."

Amy Rose gaped at him as Julie-Su slowly sank to the moss-covered rock she’d been sitting on. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. How could Knuckles possible turn against his friends? His heritage?

And what did it mean for her?

"They must have done something to him." She said softly, shuddering at the thought. She knew what the Legion was capable of, and she was sure their technology had advanced somewhat since she’d left them. She hated to think what they’d put him through.

"I think they did," Tails agreed. "His eyes were creepy. They were this strange sort of gold colour. He looked right at me, and smiled in that real nasty way he sometimes does..."

"I thought you said his eyes were violet?" Amy looked at Julie-Su.

"They are," she confirmed, "and I can’t think of any technological means that would change the colour of his eyes. Not even nano-technology would do that."

"But technology’s what they do," Tails reasoned. "What else could they have used."

"Magic."

The trio turned, shocked, at the sound of the voice. It belonged to a bright-faced fox, who smiled at them warmly. Tails frowned at the sight of the newcomer.

"Who are you?" He asked, hesitantly. "You seem awfully familiar."

"That is of little consequence, young cloud dancer," the fox said. "But if you must know, my name is Merlin. What IS of consequence is what has been done to our mutual red-furred friend."

"You know Knuckles?" Julie-Su asked.

"We’ve met." Merlin confirmed.

"You said the Legion used magic." She said. "That’s not exactly their way."

"The fire child is far from ordinary," Merlin said. "The Dark Legion’s usual means of...persuasion...would have no effect on him."

"How do you know they used magic?" Amy Rose asked.

"I felt it." He replied. "The spell they used is a particularly powerful one. A cruel one. A dark one. It wraps around its unfortunate victim’s core being, and turns them inside out."

"Is it...painful?" Julie-Su asked quietly.

"Like nothing you can possibly imagine."

"Can it be broken?" Tails asked.

"All spells have a counter-spell." Merlin said. "Unfortunately, I believe this one’s is lost."

"So Knuckles is gonna be evil forever?" Amy Rose asked.

"Every spell has its conditions, too." Merlin said. "If the terms of the spell are met, then it will also be broken."

"Do you know what they are?" Tails asked.

"No," Merlin admitted. "But we can find out." He turned towards the dark woods, gesturing for them to follow.

"Can we trust this guy?" Amy whispered.

"I dunno," Tails admitted. "But if what he says is true, it may be our only chance of getting Knux back. I say we risk it."

~~~~~

The foxes poured over Merlin’s numerous volumes on the dark arts, trying to locate the spell, and the means to counter it. Amy Rose had offered to make everyone some tea. Fearful of the effects of dabbling in such things, she wished to stay as far away from the books as possible. Though she believed in magic, she wanted nothing to do with its darker side.

Julie-Su stared out the window. She’d been raised to believe in only one type of magic. The magic of technology. But what if it was true? What if Knuckles had been turned inside out, as Merlin had said? Would it effect the Soultouch? Would it turn their blossoming love to hate?

"Is this it?" Tails asked. He pointed to a page in the oversized book he’d been studying. He began to read aloud from the book.

"STOP!" Merlin yelled forcefully. Tails stared at him, frightened by his tone of voice. "Never read a spell out loud. Who knows what natural talents you might posses? You could end up casting it on someone." Tails swallowed. Merlin smiled and moved to sit beside him. "Now then, let’s see what you’ve got." Merlin quickly scanned the page, his expression becoming more and more distressed.

"What’s wrong?" Tails asked, noticing the older fox’s worried look.

"The herbs needed are rare, and time is short." Merlin said. "If the spell isn’t broken within forty-eight hours..."

"It can’t be broken?" Tails asked with concern. Merlin’s expression confirmed his statement. "Well, that just great!"

"Dimitri never did do things by half," Julie-Su said softly.

"What about true love’s kiss?" Amy Rose asked. The trio looked at her. "Well, it always works in the story books." She said softly, more than a little embarrassed.

"Actually," Merlin said, stroking his chin. "It is a pretty potent remedy. Works on just about every spell. But honest to goodness true love is so hard to find. Does he even have one?"

Tails and Amy Rose looked at Julie-Su.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Well..." Tails began. "You and he are sorta...well...you know...aren’t you?"

"What would it matter if we were?" Julie-Su growled. "If he’s been turned inside out by that spell, he must hate me now."

"Not necessarily," Merlin said. "The opposite of love isn’t always hate."

"Then what is it?" Julie-Su demanded.

Merlin looked a little sheepish when he answered. "Lust." He said quietly.

Julie-Su’s jaw dropped. Knuckles had always been shy about his feelings. A perfect gentlecreature. If the spell had darkened him, rather than turned him completely around, it made sense that he’d been freed of all his inhibitions, that he’d act purely on physical attraction and nothing else. She found the thought quite chilling.

"By the Walkers." She whispered.