"Unlikely Allies" A work of Sonic the Hedgehog "Fan-faction" by Ian 
Patterson A few technicalities... I've read enough fanfic to know what 
title 17 (the copyright law) does and does not allow; you can't change the 
text in any way or charge anyone money to read this without my expressed 
written permission. All situations and characters from the Sonic the 
Hedgehog Saturday morning cartoon series, as aired on ABC, are copyright 
SEGA, DiC, and/or Archie Comics, and are used (or at least referred to 
here) without permission, except the characters created by yours truly, 
which are copyrighted by me.



UNLIKELY ALLIES

	

	The rusty attack cruiser shot across the Great Unknown, disturbing 
the sand and other creatures that made it their home.  Aboard it, Bunnie 
and another Freedom Fighter named Beak, were piloting a load of supplies 
that they had received from the Eastern band of Freedom Fighters.  Ever 
since the Dark Queen had risen to power, supplies had been scarce, and the 
Freedom Fighters were glad to get any whenever they could.
	"Can't yah hurry it up, Beak?", asked Bunnie, leaning back in her 
chair, and getting severely stiff in her joints.
	"I'm pushing this rust-bucket as fast as it'll go, Bunnie", said the 
cardinal beside her, "We're weighted down and can't go as fast as we did 
coming out here."
	Bunnie just sighed.  She'd been stuck in the cruiser with Beak almost 
half the day, and he wasn't much of a conversationalist.  She still wasn't 
quite sure why Sally had picked her to head the mission up, but then, she 
wasn't sure why Sally did a lot of things.  Sally's ability to lead the 
Freedom Fighters was questioned after she had lost her sister and father 
both in one day.  Some said that she only wanted vengeance against the Dark 
Queen and wasn't concerned about Mobius.  Bunnie, however, knew better.
	All of a sudden, the proximity alarm went off.  Beak about flew out 
of the cockpit when it did.  Bunnie straightened up, and looked over at 
the shaken pilot.
	"What's wrong?", she asked.
	"We've got a bogie coming up on our rear", he said, "Coming up fast."
	"Are they friendly?", asked Bunnie, hoping.
	Before Beak had a chance to answer, a missile tore by the ship.  Beak 
barely had enough time to swerve out of its path.  He looked over at 
Bunnie.
	"I'd take that as a 'no'", he said.
	Bunnie put the headset on, and tried to contact help.
	"Hey!", she yelled, "Anybody awake out there?"
	She waited for a response, but heard only static.
	"No answer", she said.
	"They must be jamming the signal", said Beak, "We're in trouble."
	He pulled the stick back, and the cruiser whined as it climbed 
higher into the Mobian sky.  Bunnie looked down, and saw another missile 
cruise under them.  She turned her head, and tried to look out the back to 
see the other ship, but it crept out of view.
	"They're hailing us", said Beak, "Find out what they want."
	Bunnie picked up the headset, and put it on.
	"Freedom Fighter ship", said a metallic voice, "Land your cruiser and 
prepare to be boarded."
	"Listen here, Buckethead", said Bunnie, "We ain't settin' down for 
nobody, least of all you!"
	"Insolent little worm!", said the voice, "You will die for that!"
	Three more missiles fired from the ship.
	"Aw, geez!", said Beak, pulling the ship hard to the right.
	The missiles missed again, but Bunnie heard a loud explosion from
the right side of the ship.
	"What was that?", she said.
	"We lost the right stabilizer!", said Beak, feeling the cruiser
start to lean to the right.
	He pushed the stick to the left to balance them out.  
	"This sucks!", he said, "This really sucks!"
	
	In the other cruiser, the pilot watched the old cruiser start to
list.  He put his thumb on the missile button.
	"You are so slow", he said, and pushed the button.
	The black cruiser fired two missiles at the ship.
	
	"BEAK!!!", screamed Bunnie, watching the missiles close in on them.
	"I-ugh-can't-move!!", yelled Beak, pulling one the stick.
	Too late.  The missiles slammed into the rear of the cruiser.  There
was a huge explosion as it started falling towards the desert floor.  Beak
pulled back on the stick, but to no avail.
	The damaged cruiser hit the ground, and slid for several meters,
leaving a huge trail behind it.
	Bunnie lifted her head up, and leaned it back against the headrest
on her chair.  She forced herself to open her eyes.  The glass on the
windshield had shattered, and was all over the cockpit.  The control
panel was shorting out, and on fire.
	"Uhhhhh", she moaned, unstrapping herself, and falling out of her
chair, "Beak, wake up."
	Beak didn't move.  Bunnie put her hand on his neck, and felt no
pulse.  She closed her eyes tight, and gritted her teeth.  
	There was a loud boom in the rear of the ship.  Bunnie staggered to
her feet, and made it to the hatch.  She had to get out of this thing
before it exploded.
	"Those creeps're gonna pay fer this", said Bunnie, pulling her robotic
arm back.
	She slammed it against he hatch, and it flew away from her.  She 
stepped out into the light, and moved away from the damaged cruiser.  She
heard a screeching sound in the sky.
	"Wha?", she said, looking up.
	The black cruiser that had shot them down was still flying around
up there.  Bunnie backed into the hatch again, hoping that they didn't
see her.

	"Ah", said the pilot, "A survivor.  Arm the plasma cannons."
	"Plasma cannons armed", said a female voice, "Fire when ready."
	The cruiser fired a line of plasma bolts at the downed ship.  Bunnie
reacted by running away from the shattered hulk of the ship.  The black
cruiser flew by, and soared straight up around for another pass.
	"This ain't good't all", she said, covering her head with her
robotic arm.
	The black cruiser let loose another volley of blasts at the old
wreck.  Finally, the fuel line burst, and caught fire.  There was a huge
explosion as the cruiser's fuel tanks ignited.  The blast threw Bunnie
forward onto her chest.  She shook her head, and saw the cruiser soaring
past.
	"Now, for you", said the pilot.
	Bunnie knew that she didn't have a chance against the cruiser now.
She had nowhere to run, and no way to fight.  
	She saw something move out of the corner of her eye.  Bunnie turned
her head, and saw six or seven orange spheres flying right at the black
cruiser.  Her jaw dropped.
	"LOOK OUT!!!", yelled the second figure in the cruiser.
	It was a bit too late.  The spheres hit the cruiser, and caused a
huge explosion in the rear of the vehicle.  The cruiser just hung in the
air for an instant, and then fell straight down to the ground.
	Bunnie covered her eyes.  The downed machine wasn't more than twenty
meters from her.  She felt the heat singe a bit of her fur.
	"Whew", she said, wiping her forehead, "Ah thought ah was a goner
there for a second."
	A huge explosion hit the ground behind Bunnie.  She flew forward,
and looked back at the huge hole in the ground.  She looked up, and saw
someone standing on the top of one of the mountains.  Whoever it was, was
a good half mile away.  Bunnie couldn't make out any features.
	"Hey, wait!", said Bunnie, waving her arms, "Ah'm not with them!"
	Three more blasts hit the ground right under Bunnie's feet.  She
flipped out of the way.  
	"Not too hospitable in these parts, are they?", said Bunnie, setting
her arm to its blaster mode, "Try this!"
	Bunnie fired several plasma blasts at the figure.  They hit the rock
face that whoever it was was standing on.  When the smoke cleared, they
were gone.
	"Serves ya right", said Bunnie, morphing her arm back to normal.
	There was a loud bang behind her.  She turned, and saw the hatch
on the black cruiser fly away from it.  A figure jumped out, holding another
one over its shoulder.
	"Maybe I should keep this out", said Bunnie, going back to blaster 
mode.
	Bunnie dropped down to one knee, and aimed her blaster right at the
two.  She closed one eye, and waited.
	The figure got a sufficient distance from the cruiser, and stopped.
It laid the other one down on the ground, and started examining them. 
Bunnie decided it was time for a face to face with her attackers.
	She jumped to her feet, and ran right at them.  She jumped, and 
slammed right into the one that was still up.
	"AHHHH!!!", he yelled, falling backwards, "Get off of me, you little
maggot!"
	He flipped Bunnie off of him, and flipped backwards.  Bunnie kicked
herself to her feet, and dropped into a fighting stance.  Her eyes opened
when she saw who it was that she had just jumped.
	"Hurricane", she said, "Fancy meetin' y'all here."
	"I don't know how you managed to shoot us down, Rabbot", said 
Hurricane, "Or who your little friend on the mountain with the neutron
missiles was, but if Mist dies, you're joining her."
	"Mist?", said Bunnie, looking past Hurricane.
	There was Mist, alright.  She was laying on her back, and seemed to
be having a hard time breathing.  Hurricane stepped back, and knelt down
beside her.
	"What's wrong with her?", asked Bunnie, relaxing.
	"She got hit with a piece of metal when we were getting out of
the cruiser", said Hurricane, not even looking at Bunnie, "I think it 
damaged her life-support system.  She can't breathe!"
	Hurricane opened Mist's chest up, and saw that the hose going from
Mist's vents to her lungs had been severed.  She really was suffocating.
	"Damn!", said Hurricane, trying to reconnect it, "Don't just stand
there, Rabbot!  Help me!"
	"Blow into the tube until I can get something to patch it with", 
he said, "Just suck the air into your mouth and into the tube.  Don't inhale
it completely."
	Bunnie did as she was told, and started breathing for Mist.  She 
saw her chest rising and falling.  Mist stopped convulsing slightly.  
	Hurricane opened up his arm, and pulled out a roll of adhesive 
wrapping.  He looked over at Bunnie.
	"Give her a big breath", he said.
	Bunnie pushed as much air into Mist's lungs as she could hold in her
mouth.  Hurricane then pulled the tube away from her, and connected it to
the other half.  He quickly wrapped the tape around it several times until
he was sure it was airtight.  He then heard Mist start to breathe on her
own again.  Hurricane closed her chest back up, and fell onto his back.
	Bunnie just sat there, staring at Mist.  She hadn't noticed until
now, but the cyber was holding onto Bunnie's robotic hand.  Bunnie patted
Mist's hand with her normal one, and looked over at Hurricane.
	"Alright", she said, "Ya got a lot of explainin' ta do!"
	Hurricane lifted his head up, and looked at Bunnie.
	"What the hell are you talking about?", he asked.
	"Ah'm talkin' about shootin' us down!", Bunnie yelled, "Ya killed my 
pilot and destroyed an entire load of supplies, ya moron!"
	"Oh, excuse me for doing my job!", hissed Hurricane, "I don't know
if it's sunk into that hillbilly head of yours, Rabbot, but the Dark Queen
owns this planet now, and she doesn't want you cockroaches crawling all
over it.  That's why she sends us out to squash you all!"
	Bunnie just glared at Hurricane.
	"Would you two shut up?", whispered Mist, turning her head to look
at them both.
	"How're ya feelin', Kid?", asked Hurricane, sitting up.
	"Like crap", she said, attempting to sit up, "I see you've made a new
friend while I was out."
	"Don't bet on it", said Bunnie, standing up, "Unlike y'all, I don't
like watching living things die."
	"I suppose you want us to thank you", said Hurricane, helping Mist
sit up.
	"No", said Bunnie, "What ah want ta know is who the heck shot you
guys down, because they were shootin' at me, too."
	"Were they?", asked Hurricane.
	"Look", said Bunnie, standing up, "Ah don't care if either of ya 
believe me.  But ah doubt whoever it was is gone for good."
	"She's right, Hurricane", said Mist, "We have to get out of here."
	"So, why do we need her?", asked Hurricane, "Lemme waste her, right
here."
	"Just try it, Ugly", said Bunnie, dropping into a fighting stance.
	"I'd love to", said Hurricane, aiming his lightning discharger at her.
	"Knock it off!", yelled Mist, "RIGHT NOW!!!"
	She stopped yelling, and coughed several times.  Bits of blood flew
out of her vents with each cough.
	Bunnie stood straight up.  She looked over at Hurricane, who lowered
his discharger.
	"Alright", said Bunnie, "As much as ah hate this, we're gonna have
ta work together if any of us are going to make it outta here."
	"I still don't see why we need you at all, Rabbot", said Hurricane,
folding his arms.
	"From what y'all just did", said Bunnie, "Ah'm gonna take a stab
in the dark and guess that alla ya cybers look out fer one another.  Ah'm
also guessin' that you want Mist to make it outta here, too, right?"
	"What's your point?", asked Hurricane.
	"You can't carry her and fight off whoever's out ta waste all three
of us", said Bunnie, "And I probably can't take whoever it is on all by
mahself.  Like it or not, we need each other on this, Hurricane."
	"She's right, Hurricane", sputtered Mist, "I'm in no condition to
walk 20 miles."
	"20 miles?", asked Hurricane.
	"The Great Forest is 20 miles to the north of here", said Mist.
	"Who said we had to go to the Great Forest?", asked Hurricane, "Why
not just use our personal homing-beacons and wait for a recon?"
	Mist pointed around them.  Hurricane looked, and cursed under his
breath.  He saw the mountains surrounding them.
	"Those mountains are going to block any signal we send out", said
Mist, "They're also going to block any incoming signal.  We have a better
chance of hiking it to the Great Forest and trying to find one of the 
squads of Drones there."
	"What about little ol' me?", asked Bunnie, "Are y'all just gonna
turn on me?"
	Mist tried to sigh, but ended up in a coughing fit again.  Once
she had it under control, she looked up at Bunnie.
	"Once we reach the Great Forest", she said, "You go your way, and
we'll go ours.  As long as we get the same promise from you."
	"Mist!", said Hurricane, "We can't just let her go!  The Dark Queen
will have our transistors if we let her get away!"
	"She's a cyborg like us, Hurricane", said Mist, "That has to count
for something."
	"Yeah", said Hurricane, "It means that it'll be just that much harder
for me to break her neck!"
	"Zip it", said Mist, "If you can't be rational about this, then I'm
going to assume command."
	"Alright", said Hurricane, "The rabbit can come.  She can help you,
and I'll deal with our ichy-trigger-fingered friend out there."
	"Fine", said Bunnie, "Just don't double-cross me."
	"We are cybers of our word, Ms. Rabbot", said Mist, extending her 
arm to Bunnie.
	Bunnie took Mist's hand, and pulled her to her feet.  Mist immediately
started to topple over.  Bunnie caught her, and then put her arm over her
shoulder to keep her up on her feet.
	"Forget it!", said Hurricane, "I'll take Mist, YOU watch for trouble!"
	Hurricane scooped Mist up in his arms, and started walking.  Bunnie
stayed right beside him.

	Up on the cliffs, a figure moved alongside the mountains, keeping
the trio perfectly in view.  A set of black, clawed fingers set down on
one of the rocks.
	"Death to my enemies", a voice hissed, "And to those who harbor 
them."
	
	About an hour later, the sun had reached its full height in the sky,
meaning that it was about noon.  The temperature had jumped almost fifteen
degrees in a matter of minutes.
	Bunnie wiped some sweat from her forehead, and looked over at the
two cybers, who seemed to be just as hot.
	"Aren't y'all hot in that stuff?", she asked.
	Hurricane looked at her, and then shook his head.
	"We have our own cooling units built into us", he said.
	"Then why don't ya turn 'em on?", asked Bunnie.
	"If we run them while we're walking", said Mist, "They'll overheat.
Trust me, they'll be the first things to go on when we stop."
	"Which sounds like a fine idea to me", said Hurricane, sitting Mist
down up against a rock.
	Bunnie leaned up the rock, next to Mist.  She took a huge breath,
and started fanning herself with her hand.
	"Hmmmm", she hummed, "Maybe ah shoulda had Rotor put a fan in my
arm, too."
	Bunnie heard a humming noise coming from Mist and Hurricane.  She
guessed that it was their cooling units.
	"Ahhhh", said Hurricane, laying on his back, "That's so much better."
	"Rub it in, why don't ya?", said Bunnie, panting.
	She looked down, and saw Mist running her hand along her robotic
arm.  Mist looked up at Bunnie, and tilted her head.
	"You are quite an enigma, Bunnie Rabbot", said Mist, "Might I ask
how you came by these robotic parts?"
	Bunnie let out a laugh, and leaned her head back against the rock.
	"I got these confounded things a while back", she said, "Robotnik
caught me out in the Great Forest, and took me to Robo-Tropolis.  He
stuck me in the roboticizer, and started to turn me into a robot.  Luckily
for me, Sonic busted in and got me out."
	Bunnie held up her robotic arm, and looked at it.
	"I guess better late than never", she said, looking at Mist, "How
'bout you two?"
	Mist looked over at Hurricane, as if asking for permission.  He
slowly nodded his head, and Mist looked back at Bunnie.
	"We used to be Mobians like you and your friends", said Mist, "Until
the Dark Queen offered us the chance at immortality.  Before, I was a 
scrawny little chameleon, and Hurricane was just an ordinary hawk.  Now,
we're gods among Mobians."
	"And y'all don't have those brain things like Khaos does, huh?", asked
Bunnie.
	"No", said Hurricane, "That's why we can remember our lives prior
to cyberization.  Now, I think that's all we need to tell you about us."
	"Fine", said Bunnie, stretching her arms over her head, "If yah
don't wanna be sociable, that's fine by me."
	"Are we out of the canyon yet?", asked Hurricane.
	Mist looked around, and shook her head.
	"No", she said, "We have to go another seven or eight miles before
we can send or receive any signals."
	"I hate roughing it!", said Hurricane, lightly pounding his head on
the ground.
	Mist looked around, and shook her head.
	"It's getting late", she said, "I think we should sleep for a few
hours.  The temperature will drop, and it'll be easier to walk."
	"Fine by me!", said Hurricane, rolling on his side, and putting his
arm under his head.
	Within a matter of seconds, he was snoring away.  Mist and Bunnie
just looked at each other.
	"Does he always do that?", asked Bunnie, smiling.
	"Usually", said Mist, "But he's never been this quiet before."
	Bunnie caught herself laughing.  She noticed Mist chuckle as well.
Bunnie tilted her head, and looked at Mist.
	"You cybers are strange critters, aren't you?", she said.
	"That we are", said Mist, nodding, "That we are."
	"It's kinda weird", said Bunnie, looking up at the sky.
	"What?", asked Mist.
	"That you and I can sit out here right now and joke with each 
other", said Bunnie, "When just a few hours ago, we were trying to kill
each other."
	"War works like that, Bunnie", said Mist, "However, I think the
reason that you and I can get along like this, is because this isn't OUR
war."
	"What do you mean?", asked Bunnie.
	"I mean that this conflict is more the Dark Queen's and Princess
Sally's war", she said, "The two of us are just soldiers who happened to
be on opposite sides of it.  You never know, the two of us may have been
friends if not for this."
	"Maybe", said Bunnie.
	"However", said Mist, "It doesn't mean that we still can't be."
	Bunnie looked over at the gray cyber, who was staring right back at
her.
	"Are you sure that crash didn't damage yer brain?", asked Bunnie, 
"Ya just got through sayin' that we were on opposite sides of a war, and
now you want to be pals?  Ah don't think that the Dark Queenie or 
Sally-Girl'll go for it."
	"There's one thing that you're going to have to learn about me,
Bunnie", said Mist, "And that's that I don't always give a hoot about what
the Dark Queen wants.  She owes the five of us a huge debt.  She also
knows that without us, she'd be up the creek without a paddle."
	"Couldn't she just build more of you?", asked Bunnie.
	"Hah!", laughed Mist, "She's already tried with Khaos, and I don't
really think that he came out too well, do you?"
	"What's the difference between the five of y'all and Khaos?", asked
Bunnie.
	"I'm probably not supposed to tell you this", said Mist, "But if I
do, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone, especially Princess
Sally."
	"Ah don't know", said Bunnie, "They are gonna grill me when ah get
back."
	"Let's just call it a secret between two friends, okay?", said Mist.
	Bunnie looked at the cyber, and grinned.
	"Alright", she said.
	"The five of us wanted to be cyberized", said Mist, "Khaos was 
forced into it, and that's why his programmers shorted out and he got 
loose.  I'm not quite sure on the specifics, but that's the size of it."
	"Interesting", said Bunnie.
	"Remember", said Mist, pointing at Bunnie, "You promised."
	"Fine", said Bunnie, "Ah'll keep mah mouth shut about it."
	"Thank you", said Mist.
	"HEY!!", said Hurricane, looking up at them, "Shaddup, and go to
sleep!!"
	Bunnie and Mist both sighed in unison.

	Several hours later, all three of them were sleeping soundly.  The
moon had risen into the sky, and was covering the Great Unknown in a 
brilliant white light.
	A shadow moved up to where Bunnie and the two cybers were sleeping.
It looked at the three of them, and then folded its arms.  A clawed hand
tapped on its arm.
	"Sleeping like babies", hissed the figure, "Good.  I hope you all
have pleasant dreams, because the real nightmare will begin when you wake
up, hee hee hee."
	A single red eye lit up on the figure's head.

	Bunnie felt horrible.  Not only did she have a head-ache, but her
neck was stiff, and her arms felt the same way.  This was the last night
she spent out in the Great Unknown.
	She opened her eyes, and saw that she was in some type of cave.  There
was a small fire built in the center of it, a makeshift bed in one corner,
and several hydes and sculptures all over the place.  
	"What the?", she said, trying to move her arm.
	It didn't move.  Bunnie looked up, and saw that it was tied to a
bolt in the side of the cave.  Her robotic arm was secured with a huge
restraint.  Bunnie couldn't even budge it.
	"Oh, great!", she said, pounding her head back against the cave wall.
	Mist and Hurricane started to stir when she spoke.  Hurricane lifted
his head up, and realized that he was restrained as well.
	"HEY!!", he said, pulling and jerking at the restraints, but without
success, "What the heck is this crap?"
	He looked over at Bunnie, and glared at her.
	"Don't you even try and blame this on me!", said Bunnie, "As if ya
didn't notice, ah'm in the same pickle!"
	Mist opened her eyes, and looked around.
	"Anyone care to explain?", she said, looking at both of them.
	"Don't ask me!", said Hurricane.
	Suddenly, a voice thundered from another chamber in the cave.
	"All of you, SILENCE!!!!"
	"Ah know that voice", said Bunnie, narrowing her eyes to slits.
	"I would hope so, Bunnie", said a figure, who appeared from the 
chamber.
	The figure was about the same height as Hurricane.  They were 
completely covered by a blue cloak.
	"Who are you?", said Hurricane, still pulling at his restraints.
	A black, clawed robotic hand came out from under the cloak.  It
pulled the hood back so that just the face was visible.  Mist and Hurricane
gasped at the partially robotic wolf underneath.
	"Moon", said Bunnie.
	"Ah", said Moon, smiling maliciously, "You DO remember me.  That's
just wonderful!"
	"You know this lunatic?", asked Mist.
	"Of course she knows me", said Moon, flashing her robotic eye red,
"We're old friends, you see."
	"Friends mah foot!", said Bunnie, "Yah almost killed us all!"
	"Hey", said Moon, "I was willing to go the distance to waste
Robotnik.  It's not my fault that you and your friends got in my way."
	Hurricane started growling.  Moon looked over at him, and tilted
her head.  She chuckled insanely.
	"You and your friend there are funny robots", she said, "I've never
seen the like."
	"We aren't robots, you psycho", growled Hurricane, "We're cyborgs.
You would do well to remember that, because when I get loose, I'm gonna
tear you limb from limb!"
	"I wouldn't count on that", said Moon, walking up to Hurricane,
"Cause you aren't going to get loose, hee hee hee!"
	She patted Hurricane on the side of his head, and dropped down to
her knees.  Moon scooted over to Bunnie, and got within a few inches of
her face.
	"I haven't forgot what you did to me last time I saw you, Bunnie",
she said, still smiling, "In fact, I've been waiting for this moment for
quite a while, now."
	Moon pinched Bunnie's cheek, and stood back up.  She straightened
her cloak up, and folded her arms.
	"Now", she said, scratching her chin, "How to make you all suffer
the most, hmmmmm."
	Moon's ears perked up under her cloak.  She turned her head, and
looked back into the other chamber that she had come out of.  She grinned,
and looked back at the three.
	"You'll have to excuse me", she said, "I'm needed in the other room.
Don't worry, I'll be back reeeaal soon, hee hee hee."
	Moon turned, and started skipping to the other chamber.  She soon
disappeared into the darkness.  After she was gone, Hurricane looked over
at Bunnie.
	"She's dead meat!", he growled.
	"Calm down, Hurricane", said Mist, "You aren't going to be any good
to us if you're all worked up."
	"Fine", he said, "I hope you have a plan, Mist, 'cause I sure don't!"
	Mist looked up at her restraints, and chuckled.
	"Fortunately", said Mist, "Our mentally disturbed friend didn't
count on capturing someone like myself."
	"What do you mean?", asked Bunnie.
	Mist's eyes flashed red, and she pulled her wrists right THROUGH the
restraints!  Bunnie's jaw dropped when she did that.  Mist's arms looked
like they were composed of nothing more than smoke.
	"Hoo-wee!", said Bunnie, "That's a nifty trick there, Mist."
	Mist returned to normal, and looked over at Bunnie.
	"Molecular shifter", she said, "Why do you think they call me 
'Mist'?"
	"Hurry up and get us outta here!", said Hurricane.
	Mist got up on her knees, and then suddenly fell onto her side,
groaning.
	"What's wrong?", asked Bunnie, genuinely concerned.
	"I, ack, think I hurt something else in the crash", groaned Mist,
"And it REALLY freaking hurts!"
	"CRAP!!", said Hurricane, kicking the dirt, "Now, we really are in
it deep!"
	Bunnie looked over at her normal hand, which was in a restraint just
like her robotic hand.  She knew that Mist couldn't do anything to get them
free, now.  Hurricane seemed totally useless at this point.  Bunnie guessed
that it was up to her to get them all out of this situation.
	She started wiggling her wrist back and forth in the restraint.
Hurricane looked at her, and tilted his head.
	"Exactly what do you think you're doing?", he asked.
	"Tryin' ta get outta these things", said Bunnie, gritting her teeth.
	It worked.  Bunnie's normal hand slid right out of the restraint,
minus some fur that she ripped off.  She waved it back forth for a few
seconds to let the pain subside.
	"Nice one, Rabbot", said Hurricane, sarcastically, "Did you forget
about your OTHER arm, or what?"
	Bunnie just looked at the green cyber.  She then looked down at her
shoulder, and started doing something to it with her normal arm.  
	"Now what are you doing?", asked Hurricane.
	Bunnie didn't say a word, she just twisted a certain way, and pulled
her torso clean away from her robotic arm.  If Hurricane had a jaw, it
surely would have dropped.
	Bunnie got to her feet, minus her left arm.  She moved over to 
Mist, and knelt down next to her.
	"Are ya alright, Mist?", she asked.
	Mist lifted her head up, and looked at Bunnie.
	"I'll be okay", she whispered, "Just get me out of here."
	"With pleasure", said Bunnie, standing back up.
	"And how exactly are you planning on getting me out?", asked 
Hurricane.
	Bunnie stared at his restraints for a few moments.  She then scratched
her chin with her only arm.  
	"Well?", asked Hurricane, "Hurry it up!"
	Bunnie snapped her fingers, and walked up to the restraint.
	"What are you going to do?", asked Hurricane.
	Just as he'd said that, Bunnie twisted around, and rammed her foot
into the wall only inches away from Hurricane's restraint.
	"YAAHHH!", he yelled.
	
	Moon turned around from where she had been standing.  That wasn't
a good sound.  It meant that Bunnie and her new friends had escaped.  It
suprised Moon.  She was certain that Bunnie would have gotten loose before
now.  The girl must be losing her edge.
	"Don't worry, North Star", she said, balling her hands into fists,
"I won't let them get away.  What?  What's that?"
	Moon turned, and looked at a life-size statue of her sister that
she had hand-carved.  She smiled when she looked at it.
	"Whatever you say, Sister Dearest", she said, "I'll make them all
suffer."
	
	"What're you trying to do?!!", yelled Hurricane, looking at his
hand, "You almost crushed my hand!"
	"What are ya complainin' about?", asked Bunnie, "Yer loose, aren't
ya?"
	Hurricane pulled the other restraint off of his hand, and looked
right at Bunnie.  He got to his feet, and then tore the restraint off of
Bunnie's robotic arm, which was still fastened to it.  
	"Thanks", said Bunnie, picking it up, and snapping it back onto
her torso.  
	She moved the fingers around for a few seconds, to make sure that
they all still worked.  Confident that they did, she looked over at Mist,
who was trying to get up.
	"Help Mist", said Hurricane, "I'll keep an eye out for Miss Nutbar."
	"Come on, Mist Honey", said Bunnie, helping Mist to her feet.
	Bunnie put Mist's arm around her neck to support her weight.  Mist
didn't look it, but she weighed quite a bit.  Bunnie supposed it was
all of the hardware she had.
	"I don't see a way out from here", said Hurricane, looking around
the cavern, "The mouth of the cave is probably through there."
	He pointed at the opening that Moon had disappeared through.  Bunnie
looked at Mist, who returned her glance.
	"I don't like this", said Mist, "She had to have heard Bunnie kick
the side of the cave."
	"Think she's waitin' for us?", asked Bunnie.
	"If she is", said Hurricane, holding his lightning discharger up,
"The she's in for a real SHOCK!"
	Hurricane took a step into through the opening.  He looked around,
aiming his discharger wherever he looked.  
	"Nothing", he said.
	"Except that", said Mist, pointing at the statue.
	The trio walked over to it, and gazed at it.
	"Looks like Moon", said Mist, "But the face isn't right.  I don't
know what it is, but it's not her."
	"That's gotta be her sister", said Bunnie, "Moon had a real hang-up
about her."
	"What happened to her sister?", asked Hurricane.
	"She got roboticized when Robotnik took over", said Bunnie, "I guess
that's one reason why Moon's a little crazy."
	"Hmph", grunted Hurricane, "If you ask me, she's a lot crazy."
	"I think we should be getting out of here instead of admiring the
art", said Mist.
	"Sounds like a good idea ta me", said Bunnie, "Look, there's the
mouth of the cave over there."
	Hurricane looked, and saw the light peeping out fom behind a corner.
He moved towards it, and saw the Great Unknown outside.
	"Bingo", he said, "Let's get outta here."
	A shadow moved over top of him.  Hurricane looked up, only to see
Moon lunge at him.  The two fell to the ground, and proceeded to roll 
around a bit.
	"You crazy freak!", yelled Hurricane, trying to get Moon off of 
him, "You are really asking for it!"
	Moon grabbed Hurricane by his throat, and started slamming his head
on the ground.
	"OW!!", he yelled, "Cut it out!"
	"I'm gonna show you just HOW crazy I am!", growled Moon.
	Bunnie let go of Mist, and rushed Moon.  She grabbed the wolf by
her neck, and threw her across the chamber, and into the wall.  Moon lifted
herself up, and wiped the blood away from a small gash on her head.  She
curled back her lip, revealing a row of razor sharp teeth.
	Hurricane leapt back to his feet, and dropped into a fighting stance
next to Bunnie.
	"Alright, Freak!", said Hurricane, "Let's see if you can handle the
both of us!"
	Moon crouched down, and jumped right at Hurricane and Bunnie.  She
landed only a few feet in front of them, and sweeped their feet right
out from under them.
	The two of them crashed to the ground.
	"Watch the floor!", laughed Moon, "It's easy to fall, hee hee hee!"
	Moon grabbed Hurricane, and threw him over her shoulder.  He slammed
into the wall, and slid down it.  Moon then turned her attention to Bunnie.
	"You're the one I want", she hissed, "Once I get finished with you,
your two friends are next."
	"Hey!", said a voice from behind Moon, "Over here!"
	Moon looked, and saw Mist standing right next to the statue of 
North Star.
	"Get away from her!", yelled Moon, forgetting about Bunnie.
	Mist's eyes flashed, and she slammed herself against the statue.  It
broke away from the floor and started to tip over.  Moon's eyes got as
wide as saucers.
	"NOOOOOO!!!", she screamed, lunging for the statue.
	Moon dove for the statue, and slide right under it to break its
fall.  The huge slab of granite slammed right down on top her chest.
Mist cringed as she heard the very audible sound of Moon's ribs cracking.
	"I've got you, North Star", cooed Moon, petting the statue's head,
"I won't lose you again."
	Mist lifted herself up, and staggered over to Hurricane, who was 
still laying on the ground.  She knelt down beside him, and looked right
into his eyes.
	"Are you alright?", she asked.
	"I'm fine", he said, "But I'm gonna have a killer headache later."
	Bunnie came over beside the two of them.  
	"Ah think we better get our tails outta here before she gets loose",
she said.
	Hurricane picked himself up, and then scooped Mist up in his arms.
The three of them started to walk for the mouth of the cave when Moon
shouted after them.
	"NO!!", she yelled, "You can't leave!  We're not finished!!  GET
BACK HERE!!"
	Hurricane looked at Mist, who only shook her head.  He then looked
back at the mouth, and walked through.  Bunnie was the last to leave.  She
turned, and looked back at Moon, who was still struggling under the statue.
In a way, she kind of pitied Moon.
	Outside the cave, Bunnie joined Hurricane and Mist.
	"Now what?", asked Bunnie.
	"Now, THIS!!", said Hurricane, pulling his lightning discharger up,
and firing it at the mouth of the cave.
	A bolt of lightning exploded from Hurricane's arm, and hit the rock,
causing it to collapse and burying the mouth of the cave.
	"Takes care of Miss Attitude", said Hurricane, "I never liked her
anyway."
	"Let's get outta here", said Mist.
	Bunnie and Hurricane were both in agreement.

	Several hours later, the trio could see the edge of the Great Forest
in the horizon.  
	"LOOK!", said Mist, pointing at a cruiser coming for them.
	"Ah", said Hurricane, "Our ride's finally here."
	The gray cruiser landed on the ground.  Bunnie was getting nervous.
Now was the time to see if Hurricane and Mist would keep their end of the
bargain.
	The hatch opened, and Anthrax walked out.  He looked at Hurricane.
	"Finally found you", he said, "Where have you been?"
	Hurricane set Mist down, and stormed passed the yellow cyber.
	"Don't ASK!!", he snapped, stomping up the ramp into the cruiser.
	Several drones came out of the cruiser as Hurricane disappeared
into it.  Anthrax looked at Bunnie, and flashed his eyes.
	"Secure the prisoner", he said, pointing at her.
	The drones started to move towards Bunnie, and she started to back 
up.
	"NO!", said Mist, "Delay that order."
	The drones stopped, and relaxed.
	"WHAT?!", said Anthrax, "What are you doing, Mist?"
	"We had a deal, Anthrax", said Mist.
	She turned, and looked at Bunnie.
	"I assume that you can find your way through the Great Forest without
assistance?", she asked.
	"Yeah", said Bunnie.
	"Good", said Mist, "You're free to go.  Thanks for all your help.
We may not have made it without you."
	"Heck", said Bunnie, "Without me, ya probably wouldn't have gotten
into so much of it."
	Mist giggled, as did Bunnie.  Bunnie turned, and started walking
towards the Great Forest.
	"Hey, Bunnie!", said Mist.
	Bunnie turned, and Mist tossed her something.  Bunnie caught it,
and looked back at Mist, who was already up in the cruiser.  
	Anthrax looked at Mist.
	"Ariel's gonna be pissed", he said.
	Mist looked at the yellow cyber.
	"She can get over it", said Mist.
	The cruiser lifted off the ground, and flew off into the morning
sky.  Bunnie's ears blew in the gust of wind that it caused.  She looked
down at what Mist had tossed her, and saw that it was one half of a 
friendship necklace.  One half of her mouth worked itself into a smile.
She opened a hatch in her robotic arm, and dropped the necklace into
it.  Then, she started walking towards home.  She had a very long story
to tell Sally and the others.

	Moon lay in the darkness, still holding onto her sister.
	"Don't worry, North Star", she said, "They can't bury Crescent Moon.
It comes back, it ALWAYS comes back."


THE END