Snively woke up. He yawned and stopped stock still.
Hissss.
Rattle, rattle.
Snively flipped on the lights.
He screamed at the top of his lungs.
Snakes! Thousands of them were in his room. But how?

A white gloved paw high fived a black gloved hand. "Way past, Peh! How'd you think of it?"
Clopin snickered and grinned widely at Sonic. "My dear hedgehog, it just....hmm....slithered out
I guess."
"You could get in big trouble."
"I know!"
Clopin grabbed a grenade from his pocket and threw it at a building. "Building go boom-boom blow
up! Heh heh, I learned that one from Sonia!"


THE CAVE OF MIRACLES

Note: This story and the preceding Into the Void Part two both take place before Scarlet Dawn.

Clopin created by the Walt Disney Co.
All StH related charas-Sega and Archie comics
All gypsies, Ambis, Grath, Snively's hunters-Liz Veeneman
Puppet-Created by Disney, remodled for the BAM universe by Liz Veeneman

Snively sat in his chair by the monitors. Clopin had tricked him yet again. His right hand 
twitched in agony. That night long ago came back to his mind. Clopin had tricked him
and made him burn his hand against the building. Snively called a Swat Bot. "Get me five evil
creatures from the holding chambers. Two female, three male."
The Swatbot ran off. Snively leaned back and thought to himself.
"I never thought animals essential. They're crude and unspeakably plain. But maybe they've a 
glimmer of potential if allied to my vision and brain."
The bot came back with a fox, a wildcat, a hyena, a ferret and a water rat. Snively pointed to
the fox. "You! Tell me their names."
The fox shuddered. "Well, I'm Bahati, the wildcat is Tsarmina the IV, the hyena is Ngwame, the
ferret is Migroo and the rat's Taka."
Snively smiled disarmingly. "If I didn't roboticize you, would you follow me?"
"To the death, milord!"
Snively snickered sinisterly(Say that five times fast!). "You will be my hunters. Robots cannot
get where you can. You will hunt down Clopin the Gypsy King. If you disobey me, instant robotici-
zation."
They all looked confused. Snively leapt from his chair. "I know that your powers of retention are
as wet as a warthog's backside. But thick as you are, pay attention! My words are a matter of
pride. It's clear from your vacant expressions, the lights are not all on upstairs. But we're
talking kings and redemption. Even you can't be caught unawares! So prepare for the chance of a
lifetime. Be prepared for sensational news. A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer."
Tsarmina looked up. "And where do we feature?"
"Just listen to teacher. I know it sounds sordid but you'll be rewarded when at last I am given
my dues. And injustice deliciously squared. Be Prepared!"
Taka laughed. "Yeah, be prepared! Huh huh, we'll be prepared. Uh, for what?"
Snively jumped up on his chair. "For the death of Clopin!"
Migroo looked confused. "Why? Is he sick?"
Snively grabbed the ferret by the neck and pulled him close. "You fool, we're gonna kill him. And
Soni too. Then you'll help me overthrow Robotnik."
Ngwame looked delighted. "Great idea! Who needs the gypsies or Robutthead?"
The tyrant grinned. "Stick with me and you'll never go hungry or get harmed again!"
"Long live the king! Long live the king! It's great that we'll soon be connected with a king 
who'll be all time adored."
"Of course, quid pro quo, and your expected to take certain duties aboard. The future is litered
with prizes. And though I'm the main addresse. The point that I must emphasize is you won't get
a sniff without me! So prepare for the coo of the century. Be prepared for the murkiest scam!
Meticulos planning(We'll have food!), tenocitous spanning(Lots of food!), decades of denile(We 
repeat)is simply why I'll(endless meat!) be king undisputed, respected, saluted and seen for the
wonder I am! Oh yes my teeth and ambitions are bared. Be Prepared!"
"Yes our teeth and ambitions are bared. Be Prepared!"
They all laughed insanely as Bahati stepped forward. "We're with you Lord Snively! We're with you
to the end!"

Three creatures sat upon a ledge watching Soni below. "Hey, what's up with Soni?" The first one
and smallest one asked.
"I don't understand it." added in the second one. He was like a feline with wings.
"He's not made of stone like you Ambis nor is he wood and fabric like you Puppet." The third one
replied. He was a small, unevolved raccoon. 
The puppet hopped to the edge of the ledge. "Yeah, he ain't a puppet or a gargoyle. He's flesh
with the fur and the quills. We're just part of the scenery."
Ambis nodded in agreement with his companions. "Grath Longfletch, I believe you're right."
Grath and Ambis went over to Soni. Puppet hopped down. "Heyyyy, Soni, you excited for the FOF?"
"I guess."
"Soni, what's wrong? You wanna tell me an' Ambis all about it?"
Soni sighed. "I've been treated like a little kid ever since Robotnik took over. I'm seventeen!"
Puppet smirked. "So talk with the Peh. He settle it."
"Puppet, you know that the King of Gypsies only protects his people and makes decisions. No, I'm
talking about the others."
"Ohhh."
The three knew exactly who Soni was talking about. They were Clopin's righthand crew: Shane the
mousemaiden, Dean the Great Dane, Emma the ancient vixen and the black-pawed squirrel Tito. "He
left Tito in charge when he left. I know he cares about me, but I just feel so...I dunno."
Grath recalled how Tito had gotten his name. The squirrel didn't have one so after a week of
living with him, Clopin gave Tito his name after some chihuahua.
Puppet patted him on the back. "Don't worry Soni. You'll get you're day."
Ambis began humming "Someday" as Grath smiled. Puppet hopped onto Soni's shoulder.
Soni put Puppet down. "Thanks fer bein great pals but I don't think that the writer will like the
fact that yer turnin a perfectly good fanfic into something else."
They understood and walked off. 

Sally and Sonic stood in a hut. "Sal, what is it?"
"Well, Sonic, I've learned that five creatures are around Robotropolis. And Swat Bots are by them
as if escorting them. Do you know what this means?"
"What?"
"Sonic, they may be traitors. I want you to spy on them and see if they are or not."

Bahati sat closest to the fire. He had elected himself leader. "Alright, ya lowlifes, 'ere's t'
plan. We'll split up. First one ta find 'im notifies t'others. We nail him together, quick an
easy."
Ngwame nodded. "Aye, Clopin won't know what hit him, eh mates?"
The others agreed with the hyena.
Sonic had heard enough. He ran back to Knothole. King Acorn was in there, as well as Tails and
Antione. "Sal, Snively hired them to kill the gypsies. We gotta do something!"
Sally nodded. "Tails, Antione, you come with us. We need to get to the Cave of Miracles to warn
them."
"Sally, I'm coming too." King Acorn stepped forward.
"You sure Daddy?"
"Positive."
Sally pulled out a map. "Clopin mentioned eating fish a lot because of the stream. Now, one runs
through the Great Jungle to the small waterfall mountain Ishana. I don't think anyone could live
there unless. . ."
Her voice trailed of. The mountain was very wide, large enough, in fact, to have a whole cave
network in there. The five yelled out at once.
"The Cave of Miracles!"

The trip through the Great Jungle was uneventful. Thanks to their journey through it before, they
were unharmed. 
The first clues that gypsies lived in there were destroyed hover crafts. "No wonder Robotnik
could never find his hover units."
The second clue was ripped fabric on the trees and the bell on the ground. 
But the absolute beauty of Mount Ishana stopped everyone dead in their tracks.
It stood majesticly as the waterfall flowed freely. Sonic climbed up and stuck his paw behind the
water. "There's a huge cavern in here!"
The five climbed in. Soni saw them. He didn't have enough time to call Tito and tell him that the
freedom fighters were friends. He pulled out a flute and played a couple notes.

"Is this the Cave of Miracles, Sonic?"
"Offhand, I'd say it's the cave of ankle-deep sewage."
Sonic wiped off his sneaker. King Acorn looked about and grabbed a torch. They walked through a
tunnel, not noticing the skeletons get off the wall and follow them.
King Acorn looked about. "Sonic, I don't like this. There's something eerie about it."
"Like what?"
His torch went out. "Like that."
Gypsies leapt out from everywhere. A black footpaw slammed in front of them. "Well well, what 
have we got here?" Tito the squirrel asked.
A female mouse, Shane, joined him. "I'd say it's the five traitors we've heard about!"
King Acorn looked up. "We're not traitors, we're-*"
They had gagged him. "Please, you gotta-*"
Tito laughed. "A pity that Peh isn't here, mon. He'd love to watch you 'dangle'."
The gypsies laughed and carried the four freedom fighters and their king to the gallows. Tito got
into an executioners getup. He stood by a lever. "Any last requests?"
They made muffled sounds. Tito snickered and reached for the lever.
A well aimed slingstone struck his paw. "Stop!"
Clopin stood by the cave entrance, sling in one hand while the other was held up. Tito blushed 
and backed off. Clopin ran up to the gallows and grabbed the squirrel by the collar. "What the 
frack were you about to do? Don't you know who they are?"
Tito squirmed. "Hey, man, I was jus' tryin ta protect us."
"That's one thing, this is another. You'd think you'd know who King Acorn, Sonic the Hedgehog and
Sally Acorn would look like."
Tito gulped with fear. The gypsies gasped. Clopin dropped the black pawed squirrel and began
untying the freedom fighters. "I'm really sorry about this. I had a mistake like that back in
Paris and have been trying to be careful but...ah well. Shouldn't have left Tito in charge."
Sonic jumped forward. "Snively's hired assasins: A wildcat, fox, hyena, rat and ferret to hunt
you guys down. We came to warn you."
Soni nodded. "We heard about the spies and were extra wary. Come, sit by the fire. We have food
to share, stories to tell, and friendship."

Tails had been nervous ever since his first encounter with the gypsies. Clopin sat down, setting
his hat and mask aside. He had noticed Tails's wariness and patted the ground beside him. "Here,
Tails, c'mon over here. Now, why are you so nervous?"
"Well, I heard stories about gypsies and that they were vermin and they kidnapped young ones,
murdered creatures, stole things and that they eat human flesh."
Clopin lost it totally. He and his fellow gypsies began bursting out with laughter. In fact, he
was soon rolling on the floor. "Oh...oh, you're killin me, Tails. The only one capable of 
kidnapping would be me and I have no intrest whatsoever. The only thing we've ever killed is a
couple dozen bots. We rob Snively, that's true and the worst thing we eat are fish heads."
He began laughing again and tried to compose himself. "Ahem. Anyway, lies have been made about us
but lately, we've been proving ourselves and getting more and more respect. Last time I visited
Knothole, all the gypsy haters adored me. And besides, I'm sure that when King Acorn reigns again
he'll make rules so that us gypsies won't have to worry about that crap, right yer majesty?"
King Acorn rather liked Clopin so he nodded. Soni was beside him like a bolt. "Oh, I like him."

A figure watched all this from an opening in the mountain. She smiled to herself. "I wonder if
he's up for the challenges ahead."
She climbed higher. She could see Snively's hunters go in different directions, off in search of
the gypsies. The moonlight shown down on her. Grath Longfletch could easily see that she was a
hedgehog with badger markings upon her face. The badgerhog smiled with delight. This made it so
much easier. The strange hedgehog slinked off into the darkness, knowing her fate. She whetted 
her blade on a rock and threw it at a tree. "Let the games begin."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm working on two fanfictions at once, so please bear with me. One will have that little excerpt
that I put at the end of itvp2(I was in *that* mood). The second one will have Clopin's first 
contact with our little friend the badgerhog. I'm gonna sit back for awhile though and see what
happens. 
Also, where did you guys hear about Sonic getting roboticized?(My subscription to Archie comics
ended with issue #38.) Cause that, like, sucks. Sorry.

-Liz