(Realm Saga: Story Three: Chaos and Clones ) By: Chandra Rooney ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Legal junk: Sonic & Knuckles, and all related characters are copy-right of Sega and Archie comics. KTE is copy-right of KTE. Moon the Echidna, Gabriel Shadows, k.a. Echidna, David "Steel" Roswell, The Chaos Knight, Ember Hedgehog, Kit Fox, ETK and all other original characters are copy-right of Chandra Rooney. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter One: The woods Realm location: k.a.'s home realm Moon reached the clearing. Gabriel was sitting on the ground. And a red echidna was leaning against the tree. "Knuckles Ash? How?" "Moon, hey. Hurry up, we've got to get a move on, KTE's in trouble -eh?" he paused. "What's that?" A muffled beeping was going off. Moon looked down at the gold wand in her hand. The crescent wand that topped, and the silver gem that rested in the curve of it was glowing. The beeping was coming from it. Moon raised the wand and moved it towards Knuckles Ash. The glow and beeping became more intense. "It's going off..." she said. "Knuckles, you set it off." "So...?" Knuckles Ash raised an eyebrow. "Is it going do anything...or is it just gonna beep?" Moon opened her mouth to answer, but the wand blasted out a beam of silver energy, which slammed into Knuckles Ash. He fell backwards into the trees. "Ash?" Moon asked. "Ash!" KTE stared at the cabin that the green fox was leading him to. "Shadows is in there?" The green fox nodded. "Yeah. C'mon." He started to head in. KTE grabbed him and pulled him back. "Are you nuts?" he hissed. "You can't walk in there! We'll have to stake the place out and make sure he's there." "What? You don't believe me?" KTE growled. "I don't take stupid risks that aren't required." "Ash!" Moon cried, and raced to the spot where her brother had fallen. She was halfway there, when a groan sounded, and a voice called back. "I'm okay." Gabriel moved up beside her. Moon ignored the traces of blood around his mouth. There was no longer any doubt in her mind that he hadn't just been 'out for a walk'. The figure one the forest floor was starting to rise. He brushed off his white pants, and straightened his white cloak. All but his dark twilight blue eyes, and a few stray wisps of white-blond hair was hidden by the cloak hood. His mouth and nose were obscured by a cloth cover. Gabriel arched an eyebrow. "The Chaos Knight, I presume?" "Huh?" Moon asked. Gabriel shrugged. "When Ash first came spoke when after Hecate-Chaos had made him her slave, he called himself the Chaos Knight. Then she told him to refer to himself as the Guardian Warrior." "I wasn't her slave...I was just unsure of which side was right and which side was wrong," the guy in white replied. "Ash?" Moon asked again. "This is your Realm Protector form?" He might have grinned. It was hard to gauge his expression underneath the cloth. "And what was with that Chaos Knight thing, anyway?" Gabe demanded. He seemed to now consider Ash a rival. "I like it. I think it's cool," Moon spoke up. "So...I guess the wand has done its little awakening bit, eh?" "Actually," Ash began, "the wand did awaken my Realm Protector form. But it fixed the effects of my own blood being injected into me." "What?" Gabe asked, confused. "Yadot, that's the guy who's working for Hecate-Chaos here, injected some of my own blood into me. He was going to make me a look-alike." "Of yourself?" "He didn't know I was Knuckles Ash. All he saw was a five-year-old echidna that had wandered off with one of his other 'enhanced ones'. He needed a look-alike to serve as a member of Hecate-Chaos' Realm Destroyers." "A member? As in he's already got more than one?" Gabe asked. "Duh, there's Sailor Evil," Moon said. "Not a sailor scout realm, can we not bring up that place? It's has a few uncomfortable memories for some of us." Gabe muttered. "Look, I just called her that, because we don't know what her real name is." Moon said. She didn't mention meeting a 'Star Echidna' who had turned into Sailor Evil. If Gabe didn't already know about that...then there was no reason he had to. "I remember her..." Ash began. "Yeah, she's the one I bit." He shook his head. "He's got two other ones. A purple hedgehog named Ember and a green fox named Kit. When I ran off, he sent Ember after me, and told Kit to go and bring KTE to him." "What were you doing anywhere near someone that had to do with Hecate-Chaos anyway?" Moon asked. Had he been in five-year-old form, she would have given him a stern scolding. "Hey...I was five...she was five...we were going to play, jeez." Ash shook his head. "How was I to know that this guy had made it so he could change her age to fifteen, and she served Hecate-Chaos?" "You're a lousy judge of character," Gabe muttered. "I haven't killed *you* yet, so that must say something for my judgment." Ash narrowed his eyes. "Knock it off." Moon frowned, thinking. "Why do they want KTE?" "This guy's got a clone of KTE, and he wants to send out the clone, and make the real KTE a servant of Hecate-Chaos. Y'know, another Realm Destroyer." Ash shrugged. "So, we going or what?" "Hold up a minute, Mr. Chaos Knight," Moon said. "KTE is quite capable of taking care of himself. He wouldn't have survived this long, doing what he does, if he couldn't." "Ash has a 'feeling' that we need to join up with KTE." Gabe remarked, smirking. "A precognition?" Moon asked. "I don't know...it just feels right," Ash shrugged. "Look, I don't care if you come or not...but I'm going." Then with a swirl of his cloak, he vanished into mist. "Jeez, touchy," Gabe muttered. "No," Moon said. "If he thinks it's important enough to chase this, then we should too." "Moon, it's KTE." Gabe said. She looked at him. "If I was in trouble I'd like to think that KTE would come to my aid, Gabriel." She started off into the trees. "I'm going to find him. Coming?" "Go ahead! Lose sight of what's important! It's the Master Tools we should be looking for, not KTE!" Gabe cried after her. No reply was uttered. Gabe stood there for a few seconds later, debating. Then, he turned and headed back for Knothole. Chapter Two: Cabin in the Woods KTE strained his ears again. No sounds came from the house. He hadn't seen sight of Shadows being in there, in fact, he hadn't seen a sign of anyone being in there. "Look," the green fox was saying. "I'm telling you that there is someone that you have got to meet in there." "Shadows?" KTE asked. "Is he in there or not?" "Come and see," the green fox was bounding across the lawn, going up to the door. KTE cursed the guy's stupidity, and went after him. The fox grinned, and opened the door. "Hang on, I'll go in and get him to come out." KTE nodded. "Be quick about it. I ain't got all day, y'know." Moon caught sight of the purple hedgehog. After trailing her for a few yards, it was too easy to find the guy in white doing the same. <> Ash sent telepathically. <> <> Moon sent back. <> <> <> <> She paused, noticed his eyes. <> <> he asked, amused. Moon pushed at the long silver hair falling around her face. The golden clasp that secured the silver mass in a up-tuck didn't do a thing to keep it out of her face. Her black halter top, and blue skirt made his clothing seriously out of place. She raised the wand. <> <> Moon nodded, and followed him. <> Ash asked. <> <> Ash replied silently. <> <> Moon replied. <> Ash's reply was definite. <> <> Moon asked. They were nearing the house. <> <> <> Ash pointed. <> <> Moon saw the red echidna with the brown hat going into the house. <> Chapter Three: KTE entered the cabin. Inside it was all high-tech steel and glass. "What gives?" he asked, looking around. "Shadows isn't here." "No, he's not." The green fox smiled. "But there is someone you should meet." As he spoke a figure in the shadows stepped forward into the light. KTE blinked. "Is this some kind of joke?" The guy was another red echidna. A red echidna that looked *exactly* like him. "KTE," the green fox said. "Meet your evil clone, ETK." KTE laughed. "Sure...whatever." The green fox grabbed KTE's arm. "ETK you have your orders. Go and destroy Moon the Echidna and Gabriel Shadows as Queen Hecate-Chaos wishes." ETK nodded, and turned. "I'll use the back way to Knothole, so I'm not seen." KTE was surprised despite himself. The clone sounded exactly like him. Walked like him too. "What is this? Some kind of sick joke?" KTE demanded. "I assure you, m'boy, this is no joke." A man with a sharp, funny-looking mustache, and thick glasses came out. He was wearing a lab coat. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Yadot, Hecate-Chaos' chief geneticist, and EKT's creator. I am also responsible for Kit here." Kit, the green fox, pushed KTE forward. "I brought the bounty hunter as per my instructions." He held KTE still. "Yes, now if only Ember had been so successful in retrieving the guardian look-alike." Yadot smiled. "But ah, so? We have KTE." He took a vial of greenish liquid, and pushed it up to KTE's lips. "Now, be a good little furry and drink up." KTE spat and fought, but between Kit and Yadot, he ingested some of the foul-tasting liquid. Instantly he began to feel numb all over. "Now, you listen to me," Yadot said sternly. "You are KTE, loyal servant of Queen Hecate-Chaos, and warrior of her Realm Destroyer team. You are the enemy of all that is good and just. Your mission is to capture the Realm Protectors, seize the Master Tools, and secure Hecate-Chaos' strong-hold on the realms." "Yes, master." KTE replied blankly. "What are you to do if you see a realm protector?" "Kill them." "Excellent. And what will you do if you see Moon the Echidna?" "Kill her." KTE smiled coldly. "Good." Yadot smiled. "I think we're just about ready to contact her majesty now." "Think again Ya*dolt*," a voice said. Yadot looked up. A boy dressed all in white, with a white cloak, and a girl in a black top, and royal blue skirt with leg-hugging silver knee highs. "And who are you supposed to be?" Yadot asked. "We're Realm Protectors. I'm the Chaos Knight, and this is..." the guy in white paused. "Selene," the girl replied briskly. "You'd better undo whatever you've done to KTE, pal." "KTE, take care of these bothersome Realm Protector brats." Yadot replied. KTE walked towards them. But it wasn't trance-like. Somehow, had it been, it would have been easier to accept. Yet his eyes were clear and focused. "Outside, quick," the guy in white muttered. The girl nodded, and they went back out the door. KTE followed them. He went out into the hazy, mid-afternoon sunshine. "So, you're the Realm Protectors. You don't look so tough to me." He sneered. "KTE, you don't want to do this. You're under somekind of mind control." The silver-haired girl, with the dark blue eyes said. "We're your friends." "That's right," the guy in white added. "You may not know me, KTE, but I know you. And I know you would never join up with Hecate-Chaos." "You grab him, and I'll try the wand," the silver girl hissed. "Right," the guy nodded. KTE growled. Just let them try... The guy in white threw himself at KTE. KTE easily avoided the move. Yet, the guy didn't stumble after missing, he recovered with an echidna's grace. Odd, for a human to have such good reflexes. "What do you call yourself, anyway?" KTE demanded. "The dork in the cape?" "The Chaos Knight," the guy corrected, turning on his heels easily to keep his front to KTE, as the echidna circled him. "Really? And why are you called that?" KTE asked. "You care? Or you just making conversation?" The Chaos Knight asked. "Neither." KTE sent out a right hook. "Catching you off-guard." The Chaos Knight ducked. "You call this catching me off-guard?" "Get a hold on him, Chaos!" the girl cried. "That's what I'm trying to do." he muttered. KTE sneered. "Seems like you're the one not doing such a great job." Then hands appeared from the shadows, locking on KTE. "What?" KTE asked. He tried to wrestle out of the grip, but Chaos Knight had got another hold on him. "I thought you weren't ever going to come," the Chaos Knight said to the guy on KTE's other side. A guy with black hair, and green eyes, flashed white teeth at KTE. "Heya, KTE, nice to finally meet ya." "Huh? Who are you?" KTE demanded. "Another Realm Protector?" "Hardly." The guy snickered. "C'mon, Moonbeam, m'love. I don't have long our dear KTE will stay off-guard." "Right." the silver-haired girl pulled out a golden wand. It began to beep. "Damnit, Chaos, you've set it off again." "Don't worry about that now, just undo the mind control." Chaos Knight snapped. "All right." The girl raised the wand. "Silver Crescent Moon Wand, by my will, heal KTE!" The gem nestled in the curve of the wand gathered and focused the energies. Then the beam of silver light fired from the tips of the moon wand. It hit KTE, and the Chaos Knight. Chapter Four "Damn. I havta learn how to use this thing properly." Moon hissed. "You okay, Gabe?" Gabriel nodded. "Sure, m'love." He grinned. "And may I say what a pretty little human you make?" Moon ignored him, and tossed her silver hair. She walked over to the fallen figures. "You know, it's a real hassle to think everytime we want the Chaos Knight, I'll have to zap k.a." She looked down at the seemingly spaced-out k.a. "Hellwo Moon, how'd I get here? I was with Ember...and..." k.a. frowned. "It's obvious that The Chaos Knight has access to *all* his memories. Everything that happens." Gabe remarked. "But I don't think k.a. does." "No, he doesn't." Moon frowned. "He didn't when I healed him from Hecate-Chaos' spell. The one that made him the Guardian Warrior." "Uh...Moon? I don't think it was Chaos that set off the wand..." "What?" Moon asked, she picked up the half-dazed five-year-old, and walked over to where Gabe was standing. "Great Mother Goddess..." Moon whispered. "I don't believe it." "Hee, hee. KTE's a funny-lookin' human, Moon." k.a. laughed. "Funnier than the sailor ladies!" Moon looked down at the thirteen-year-old human male laying there. He had red hair, the color of an echidna's fur, and freckles dotted his nose. He was wearing a red shirt, and pants. Had it not been for the familiar battle scar above his left eyebrow, and his brown hat, Moon probably wouldn't have believed it was him. "So, KTE's another Realm Protector," Gabe remarked. "So it seems." Moon agreed. "Gee, and we thought this would be a nice chance to get away from looking for the others," Gabe replied sarcastically. "Shut-up, Gabe." Moon muttered. "We'll have to take him to Knothole. But we can't tell anyone who he really is...until we explain everything to him." "So what do we say then?" Gabe asked. "As little as possible." Chapter Five: Knothole Dimitri didn't seem surprised when Moon and Gabe came back dragging an unconscious human and k.a. "Another Protector?" he asked. Moon looked at her father. His dreads were beaded in alternating orange and yellow. His dark blue eyes were sharp. His white boots neat. His sharp nose was the one trait his son hadn't inherited. "Possibly." Was all Moon said. "Daddy!" k.a. cried. Dimitri bent and picked him up. "Well look who's come to visit. How are you young man?" "C'mon," Gabriel motioned to another hut. They pulled KTE in there, and set him on the bed. "You know, there are times I think two forms would come in handy," Gabriel remarked. "What are we going to tell him, Moon?" Moon closed her eyes briefly. "I don't know. But I'll make him understand, Gabe. I'll have to." k.a. was happy. He had his Daddy and his Mommy and his Moon. And the bad people were gone. He was safe. Just now, his daddy was talking to his mommy, and he was sitting in a chair. His eyes spotted a bundle sitting on a shelf. Curiosity prompted k.a. to go over, stand on tip-toe and try to wrap his fingers on the bundle. But the shelf was still too high, and he only managed to knock it to the ground. It fell and made a nice 'thump' sound. k.a. approached it cautiously. He poked at it with his knuclaws, then slowly unwrapped the object. The cloth came away to reveal a silver dagger. Embedded in its hilt was a blue stone. k.a.'s eyes grew wide. He didn't know why, but suddenly he *needed* to hold the dagger, just looking wasn't enough. Hold it and show it to Moon. His hand reached forward.... Chapter Six: KTE moaned and opened his eyes. It felt like someone had down a tap dance on his skull. He looked around. He was in a hut, but he couldn't remember how he'd gotten there. Moon the Echidna was sitting in a chair across from him. She was watching him with a look of concern. Behind, melting out of the shadows, was a guy with black hair and a look of indifference in his green eyes. KTE recognized the face from a picture he'd been given. "Shadows!" he cried, and looked around frantically for his sword. His eyes flashed to Moon. "You're okay? He hasn't tried anything has he?" "Calm down, KTE." Moon's voice was soft. KTE blinked. Calm down? Not when a bounty was within five feet of him! "Don't." Moon said. "We need to talk." Shadows came forward and dropped casually into a chair across from Moon. Something wasn't right. KTE thought. Shouldn't this guy be more afraid of him? Why was Moon so casual? What was going on? "How do you feel?" Moon asked. "Confused. What's going on?" Moon paused. "Have you ever heard of the Realm Protectors, KTE?" KTE frowned. "No." "What about the Master Tools?" Shadows asked. KTE glared at him and snorted. "Sure. What realm traveler hasn't heard all that fluff?" "It's not 'fluff'." Moon said. "The Master Tools are real. The realm protectors, KTE, the ones that wield the Master Tools...the ones responsible for making sure all the realms are kept safe." KTE moaned. He liked Moon. She was one female he could tolerate, one who didn't get all sappy and girlie. But there were times when her whole 'all the realms depend on this' attitude reminded him too much of his friend Knuckles. And too much 'the world rests on my shoulders' talk could seriously drag an echidna down. "Why are you telling me all this?" KTE asked. "Because you are one, stupid." Shadows replied. "Aren't the realm protectors human?" KTE asked. "I thought you'd never heard of them." Moon said softly. "I hadn't. You must have told me." KTE replied shortly. "Well, they are in a way..yes." Moon agreed. "Well, then I can't be one." KTE replied. "Because I'm no human." Gabriel smirked. "Looked in a mirror lately, pal?" Chapter Seven: "What's that supposed to mean?" KTE demanded. Moon silently handed him a hand mirror. Then she watched as he brought it up to his face. "What the hell?!" KTE exclaimed. "What happened to me?" She sighed. "Well, this is your realm protector form." "I don't care what it is...just tell me how to get rid of it!" KTE snapped. "You can't get rid of it," Gabriel spoke simply. "It's a part of you." "What the hell are you doing here anyway?" KTE snarled, turning on him. "Moon, you said you'd tell me if you heard *anything*." Moon swallowed. "Well, KTE, it's like this: Gabe is innocent and I'm helping him find the Master Tools, and other Realm Protectors." "Gabe?" KTE's green eyes narrowed. "Moon, what aren't you telling me?" "Listen, bounty hunter," Gabe snapped. "I'm a hunter too. But I never kill for no reason. *Never*. Why would I kill Nadaline? I *liked* her!" Moon suppressed a gasp. Gabe's eyes burned with a silvery-green fire...and she could see delicate fangs indenting his bottom lip when he closed his mouth. "Lies...I talked with Mrs. DeMount...she told me you did it," KTE replied stubbornly. "And I'll believe a human before I'd believe one of *your* kind." Gabe lost it. "*My* kind?! I wouldn't be a vampire if it hadn't been..." he stopped. "You spoke to Nadaline's mother?" "Yes." KTE replied. "Impossible." Gabe snarled. "Impossible. Nadaline DeMount's mother died when giving birth to her. She never knew her mother." "I spoke to her." KTE repeated. "A woman with golden eyes, and red hair..." Gabe's eyes met Moon's. "Hecate-Chaos." Moon said. "Damnit, she's playing with all of us." Gabe muttered. "It's a game. But a deadly serious game. She's the one that marked me a renegade. You know what that means. It's the duty of *any* of her loyal subjects to kill me." "Just as it is for them to kill a realm protector." Moon stood. "KTE, you're in danger. Once she finds out that you're a realm protector..." "We're all marked targets." Gabe muttered. "Yeah, and what luck that you're all in one place." A voice said. "You really make it too easy..." They turned. The red echidna that looked *exactly* like KTE smiled. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am ETK. And I'll be your executioner for today." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cast: Moon the Echidna/Selene: Will KTE forgive her for not telling him that she was helping Gabe? Gabriel Shadows: Can he and KTE work together? k.a./The Chaos Knight: will he find his Master Tool? KTE: how will he adjust to being a Realm Protector? ETK: what has he got planned?