Run with the Fox
A Sonic the Hedgehog Story
by Kris Kelley
This story is protected by copyright laws. Feel free to distribute this
story, but the author does not allow any unauthorized alteration of the
story or distribution for profit.
Part 6.
Tolouse was curled up into a ball, paralyzed with fear. He was in
Robotnik's private transport, and they were headed towards the Great
Unknown.
Robotnik had waited until Tolouse woke up again, and then continued
to explain his 'game'...
"...The ancient foxes that played in The Hunt usually relied on
their nose to find their prey. Unfortunately, humans cannot smell as
well as foxes can, and I have yet to master such technology for the
Swat-bots. So, just to make this as 'fair' as possible, I have decided
on this." He fastened a small device to Tolouse's wrist, locking it.
"This is a homing signal." He chuckled. "Don't worry, dear fox, it is
not a very powerful one. I still have to know your general location for
it to work. Think of it as my sense of smell. And...think of this," he
said, displaying a hover-scooter, "as my legs. Those ancient foxes
could run much faster than their poor prey, and I intend on making this
Fox-Hunt as close to the original as possible." Robotnik laughed
loudly, and Tolouse's jaw dropped in grim fear. His mind screamed, NO!!
But his voice would not work, and he could only stare at Robotnik
in helpless, fearful silence...
Tolouse felt the vehicle slow to a stop, and then he heard Robotnik
step out. Soon, the door to the cargo hold slid open, and Tolouse felt
the afternoon sun.
"Here we are, Tolouse. Let the Fox-Hunt begin!"
A Swat-bot forced Tolouse out of the cargo hold, and he stood on
the ground, his legs trembling.
"All right, now. Off you go, my dear fox."
Tolouse could only stare, his heart pounding and his mind
hopelessly confused by panic.
Robotnik glared at him. "I am giving you a head start, fox. USE
IT!!!"
Those last words got through, and Tolouse found himself tearing off
into the Great Unknown, running as fast as he could.
Robotnik snickered darkly, then, remembering to make this as 'fair'
and as exciting as possible, put his robotic hand over his eyes.
"One-Robotropolis, two-Robotropolis, three-Robotropolis..."
* * *
"Sally! Sally! Open up!" Bookshire pounded on Sally's door.
Sally finally opened the door, and she looked at the out-of-breath
raccoon. "Yes, Bookshire?"
"I think...I think I found something!" he huffed. "Robotnik's
private transport left about a half hour ago, headed towards the Great
Unknown."
"Yes?"
"According to the transport logs, it carried Robotnik, a Swat-bot,
and a 'nonroboticized fox'!"
Sally's eyes flew open wide. "What? Was it Tolouse?"
Bookshire shook his head, still breathing hard from running. "I
don't know. It didn't say. But Sally, whoever it is, they need help!"
"Right. Sonic?" Sally called back into her hut, and Sonic was
suddenly beside her in the doorway. "What's up?"
"Robotnik's in the Great Unknown, and according to Bookshire, he's
got somebody there!"
"Who? Tolouse?"
"We don't know, but you must find whoever it is before Robotnik
is... finished with them."
"Right. I'm outta here!"
"Wait! Do you have a---?"
They heard Sonic's voice say, "I've got a ring." But it might have
been an echo, because by the time they heard the voice, Sonic was
nowhere to be seen.
* * *
Oh gods, help me, HELP ME!!!
Tolouse was badly out of breath, and he was blinded both by the
spots that danced in his vision and by the tears that were soaking the
fur of his cheeks. Still, he kept running, knowing if he didn't, he
would never run again.
* * *
Robotnik climbed onto the hover-scooter.
"It is time to hunt!"
* * *
Sonic tore through the Great Forest, the trees passing above and
around him in a brown and green blur. "I've got to get to the Great
Unknown!"
He took out the power ring and held it above his head. The energy
coursed through his body, and his mind shouted, "Faster! Faster!
FASTER!!"
BOOM!!!
* * *
Tolouse felt the energy draining from his body, but he forced
himself onward. His mind had ceased all conscious thought several
minutes ago, but the fear was still there, instinctively telling him to
run...run...run...
All around him spread the desolate plains of the Great Unknown.
* * *
Robotnik began flying wider and wider circles around the
transport's location, waiting for the tracking device to start
signalling Tolouse's whereabouts.
"You cannot hide forever, my dear fox."
The tracking device began beeping.
"Ah, good."
He accelerated the hover-scooter, paying close attention to the
device.
* * *
Tolouse collapsed, his body refusing to further. His chest heaved
violently, his eyes were no longer working, and his body trembled from
fear, exhaustion, and the cold, bitter winds of the Great Unknown.
Why...why?
* * *
"HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE! HEDGEHO---"
The Swat-bot was soon lying in pieces on the ground.
"Not today, metal-head, I've got a fox to rescue! Now...where is
old 'Buttnik, anyways?"
Sonic picked a direction, and soon was off, leaving Robotnik's
transport vehicle and the dismantled Swat-bot behind.
* * *
Tolouse picked himself up, tried to run, and collapsed again about
20 feet from where he had been. His mind was trying to spur him on, but
now there was another voice as well, a less optomistic voice.
It's over, Tolouse. You tried...but it's over.
* * *
The device's beeping increased in frequency.
"You are close, dear fox, and you are getting closer."
Robotnik unlatched the laser rifle and held it one hand, his heart
beating faster as he anticipated the climax of the Fox-Hunt.
Yes, today is truly one of the best days I have had in a long time.
* * *
Tolouse refused to listen to that voice, and he tried to get up
again. His legs refused to support him. Denying that fact, he made
himself run, and managed to stumble forward in a combined run and crawl.
I don't want to die like this! I don't want to die...
* * *
Sonic stood on a small incline, worried. Robotnik and whoever he
had brought out here (It's Tolouse, I know it! It's Tolouse!) were
nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, his eyes made out a small detail, close to the horizon.
He took out the binoculars from his back-pack.
"THERE HE IS!!"
Instantly the incline was abandoned.
* * *
The device's beeping had virtually turned into a hum, and Robotnik
began looking around the area. Soon, his eyes found something, and he
grinned an evil grin.
"There he is."
The hover-scooter changed directions and homed in on what his eyes
were dead-set on.
* * *
Tolouse looked behind him, and saw Robotnik approaching.
It's over, Tolouse...
No!! Gods, please, NOOOO!!!!
* * *
Robotnik stopped the hover-scooter and dismounted. Slowly,
methodically, he stepped forward, raising the laser rifle until it was
aiming at his target.
"It was a pleasant hunt, dear fox. And now, the culmination..."
* * *
"Oh no you don't, 'Buttnik!"
Sonic didn't waste any time. He slowed down just enough to be able
to grab Tolouse, then, again taking out the power ring, he began putting
as much distance between Tolouse and Robotnik as he could.
* * *
Robotnik thought his eyes had played a trick on him. One moment,
the fox was laying on the ground in front of him, and the next, he was
gone! And what was that streak of bl---?
His mind found the answer before it even completed the question,
and soon Robotnik was turning bright red in pure, furious anger.
"NO!!! YOU...BLASTED...HEDGEHOG!!!"
After that, he temporarily lost the ability to speak coherently.
* * *
Tolouse was unconscious in Sonic's arms, and in his dreaming mind,
Robotnik's rifle was still aimed at his head, frozen in time...
Those eyes, those piercing, red eyes...
to be continued
--
*******Robin Hood (Kris Kelley) gt6005a_at_prism.gatech.edu*****************
* fnord-42-froinlaven-cowabunga-the truth is out there-get out-spin dash *
* are you pondering what I'm pondering?-welcome to the next level-yars!! *
* finish him!-i hope i've shown you how to treat a lady-i'm a character! *
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* "Don't care what people say / Just follow your own way." - Enigma *
* "I'm not sure that the world would be ready for 2 of me!" - P. O'Toole *
* "Life: Am I taking this too personally?" - me *
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Received on Mon Apr 24 1995 - 00:06:06 PDT
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