SuniPhenix Studios Presents... The Highlander 'Only One' *** "There can be only one." Assume Nothing. *** One blue eye opened. A hank of auburn hair covered half of it. The muzzle opened, gasping for breath. A metallic clang shuddered through the chamber, caused by a tail hitting the side of a bed. The creature moaned, stirring. It's ears pricked up as a cold voice spoke: "Well, well. Have the spirt still in you? Good. I've been meaning to bring you out of cryo-stasis someday soon. Now's the time...to get back at *him*. I hope you're up to it." The creature found it's voice. "I would NEVER do anything to help YOU!" The cold voice snickered. "Hmm. I'd thought you'd say that. I was meaning to finish what I started, but...I have ways. Persuasive ways." The man with the cold voice held a gleaming sword, crafted to perfection. The creature roared. "GIVE THAT BACK!! First my life, then my love!" The cold voice chuckled. "Heh. I don't suppose this here was your *only* love...she's gone on, you know. That's what I wanted to-" The creature snarled, answering it's enemy. "No. It is not. I once had a lovely person in my life...before you 'killed' me and left her to go on. I will accept whoever has taken her. I love her. That is what the Fates have guided. All you want to talk about is killing an innocent person...who she chose to take after me. My heart will never forget her. *I love her*." The cold voice boiled with rage. "She has forgotten you, do you know that?!" She's replaced you with another!" "NO! She wouldn't forget me!" The creature's voice began to crack. "How do YOU know?" The creature fell silent. "You don't, do you?" "Leave me." "I will not be ordered by a--" "LEAVE ME!!!" The creature lunged at it's tormentor in blind fury. *** *** A large fire burned in the distance, making the hazy Robotropolis landscape light up with gold. A squirrel with ruddy hair and a vengeful gleam in his eye stood on a hill. The breeze blew softly, rusling chesnut hair from bright blue eyes. The orange tail swished, as the tan vest flapped in the wind. In a gloved hand was a sword, silver and gleaming with yellow lightning streaks of reflected sun. The squirrel brought the sword over his head. Eyes flashed violently as his voice struck thunder: "There can BE only ONE!!!" *** *** "Heeerrree we are...born to the kiings..." Sonia sang along with the music. Dave was kind enough to let her borrow a 'Intergalatic T.V. Connecter'. She was watching a show she absolutly loved: 'Highlander'. "Hehe...like Dave and his dad, Buttink. Robotniks: 'THERE CAN BE ONLY-" "Suni!" Sally's voice came over the intercom. Sonia shut off her T.V. and pushed 'Record'. "Yeah, Sal?" "Packbell's building just went up in smoke! It's totally WREAKED! We thought you had something to do with it, and-" "Ahem. Equeseme? Moi? I'm offended, Sally!" "Well, anyway," Sally said, exasperated. *They're so ALIKE, Sonic and Sonia.* "We're forming a search party...DON'T tag along. This would probably come out as a *personal* mission for you...orders, Sonia." Suni was outraged. How dare they to restrict her from--!! She took a breath. An idea was forming. "Whatever." Sonia smirked, glad the princess couldn't see her. "Whatever you say, your Highness. You won't see a pip of me." "Good. Sally out." "Ditto. Sonia out." The purple hedgehog laughed. "Out and gooone..." *** *** Sonia ran to David's hut. He was gone. *Damn! Took him! Figures...* She desided to wing it on her own. Packing provisons for a week, she left a note pinned to her door. "See ya, Knothole." And in a loud 'boom' and a cloud of smoke, she was gone. *** *** Flashback: Sonia reached out and held Brent's hand, smiling at her intended. "Knothole will be GREAT! My brother's there! He'll be so happy to see me!" Sonia said, joyfully. "It will, my love. It will!" He smiled at Mitzi, who was hauling Kopter on sholders. He hugged Sonia. "It will." Briar raised his nose to the air, taking that moment to sniff the wind. Sammi looked at the hare oddly. "Briar? Whats the matter, why are you--" "LOOK OUT!" Pulsating bursts of light streaked from the forrest as Packbell stepped out. "Well...look who it is. The entire Lagoon Gang...my little guinea pigs." Sonia pulled her plasma blaster out from her pack and barked at Briar. "Get the two young ones to safety!" Brent pulled his sword out, gleaming with silverfire. "I've waited a long time for this..." "So have I." Sonia hissed. She threw down her gun and pulled a gleaming golden sword of her own. The two swished the blades in the air. The battle began. ** ** "NO!" Sonia dove, dodging another pulse blast. She lay down, watching the battle between her love and her enemy. Brent was tiring, not a good sign. "You...should...learn...Packbell..." the squirrel of the same last name spit out at the android. His attacks were slowing, but still warded off Robotnik's creation. "...There..." A slash on the left. Packbell's arm was severed. "...Can..." Packbell lanced Packbell, breaking the skin and letting blood flow. The silver sword lashed out once more. "...Be..." Packbell pulled a small gun from his pocket. The warrior did not notice this. He was too busy trying to concintrate on keeping alive. "...Only..." Brent's words thundered through his head as he aimed the gun at the wounded Sonia. "**ONEEE!!**" Brent struck out, hitting the android's neck. The sword was thrown from his hands. Packbell's skin was hard as the look on Brent's face. Then he saw the gun. "...no..." Sonia gasped, trying to get up. "Say goodbye to your sweetheart, squirrel!" "*NO!*" A flash of white-hot light, the blur of orange, and the spirt of red. Packbell collapsed, ordering his program back in line. Brent fell like a rag near Sonia. His eyes still held a small spark of life. Tears poured from her eyes, as he breathed his last words: "...I...love..you..." The spark was gone. Brent was dead. *** *** Sonia wiped a tear from her eye. It was hard enough that he had died that day, adding the fact that when she woke up in the Knothole infirmary with one less aunt and cousin. Everyone else had ajusted to life in Knothole... but Suni's heart was still at her only home in 12 years...the Lagoon hut. Now, she still had one in the village, and she used it more offten because of her duty...but her daylight was spent at the Lagoon. She touched the hilt of the golden sword. Images of David and Brent filled her mind. "I've gone on, my love. I'll never forget you." She speed on, weeping, not noticing a fire in the distance. *** *** "TRESSPASSER!!!!" Sonia woke with a start. Camping out in the forrest in parts unknown was dangerous. Now, she was tresspassing within someone's borders. Just great. "Get out, get OUT!" She felt the blade of a sword pinned directly over her neck. Moonlight gleamed on it. At this hour, neither the attacker nor the victim could see the other. Quickly, she sheathed her own sword, leaping up. "I don't know WHO you are, but I'm sorry I'm on your land. I'll leave, if that makes you happy!" The attacker thought it out for a long moment. "Alright. You can stay. For tonight. Only. Then I'll see you in the morning." Sonia found the voice oddly familiar. She shook off her first thought with effort. *It COULDN'T be..naw.* Resting down, not so tired, Sonia kept her sword by her side. *** *** The creature put more thought into killing the tresspasser in the morning. His first intention was to kill her right off, but something in her voice made him decide other wise. He shook his head. He couldn't kill her: as long as she wasn't in leauge with that...android. He got up. He took the silver sword and carried it to the top of a small hill, pausing to see if the moon would provide a glimpse of the stranger's face. It would not, so with a heavy sigh, he continued his accent. At the top, he remembered his incantaion. Kneeling on one leg, he propped his hands on his sword, point facing down. Taking a deep breath, he recited: "I am Duncan Brent Packbell, born 400 years in the Highlands of Greenhills. I am Immortal, and I am not alone. Now it is the time of the Gathering, when the stroke of a sword will unleash the power of the Quickening. In the end, there can be only one." His eyes flashed like the lightning as it began to rain. Thunder was no comparison to the booming of the Highlander. "DO YOU HEAR ME, PACKBELL?!" The sword was brought over the Immortal's head. Streaks of jagged sky-fire hit the blade. Brent's voice carried over all the land: "**THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!!**" *** *** So ends the first chapter in 'The Highlander'. Soon to come is 'SHLT:2' and the concluding chapter to 'SADF:4'--done! Credit were Credit is due: Sonia Hedgehog and Duncan Brent Packbell and other chara (c) Emily Smith Davey Crockett (c) David Gonterman Packbell (c) Dave Pinstone Inspired by... 'Highlander-the Series' (c) Underlying Productions