The story continues....

The freedom fighters stood still looking at the holographic projection, dumbstruck.

Fear soon began to set in. The troops however managed to keep themselves in the trenches. There were still some SWATBOT's left in the area providing ample distractions for the distraught soldiers.

Sally didn't cry out. She didn't even twitch. The kind of loss she had just felt and witnessed was simply beyond her comprehension. She knew that given time it would become apparent to her what it really meant.

A steady beep began to sound from NICOLE, "Incoming message from Robotropolis." The computer droned.

The freedom fighters still remained silent. Sally put her hand over NICOLE and pressed the execute pad. Robotnick's face flashed up.

"You have lost Princess." He stated evilly. "I'll have you all now, at last. I don't think I'll kill you, you can suffer for the rest of your lives."

"Why?" Was all that Sally could say.

Robotnick ignored her. "I see Sonic is there." Sonic was visible behind Sally on Robotnicks screen. "At last I have you!"

The transmission ended.

Sally sat down. "We can't win now." She said flatly. "If there are any things you want to say, say them now."

Even Bunnie, the spirit raiser of the group could not bring herself to smile.

Everybody was silent. Sandra said nothing and sat down. What was there to say.

Antoine began to mumble to himself. "It iz like each of his peizes haz become a Queen." Referring of course to chess.

Sonic turned to face him. "Buttnick cheated." He comented. "No-one was supposed to know about dis kinda technology." He started to become excited, the other freedom fighters raised their eyes. "He cheated, don't ya see!" He began to jump up and down. "Let's cheat back, show 'im we can cheat too!"

Sally leapt up suddenly, "Lord your right, dammit there must be something we can do, something of such magnitude we never would have used it before."

Lupine lept up too. "Extreme situations call for extreme measures." She commented in wise tone.

The morale of the room began to increase.

Bunnie dragged herself back into positive mode. "We gotta show 'im who's da boss!"

Sally sat down in front of NICOLE.

"NICOLE, I know you have evolved recently, I want to ask you something, we need a powerful and deadly solution to this problem, you have to find a possibility, something we have not thought of, use whatever you know about the warp. Can you do it?"

"Affirmative Sally." The computer hummed. "It will be necessary for you to disable all of my primary safety systems."

"Is that safe?" Rotor asked.

"I don't think we really have a choice!" Sandra added.

Sally shrugged and tapped a function combination. NICOLE began to hum.

"I will have to temporarily sever contact with the troops Sally." NICOLE droned.

"Do whatever you have to." Sally stated, without too much confidence.

After about ten minutes of nail biting, NICOLE finished. Contact with the troops was re-established. During the blackout non of the soldiers were too concerned, all resistance had stopped. There was however the ever present fear of forces at work beyond normal comprehension.

"One possible solutions found." NICOLE reported. The freedom fighters gazed over, with anticipation.

"We have to Roboticise Sonic and use him as a weapon of destruction."

After the swearing and protesting had seized, Sally spoke.

"Robotocise Sonic, why?" Sally asked, her voice full of concern and anger.

"A cybernetic enhancement of his abilities would make him almost unstoppable, he could...."

"NOOOOO!" Sally screeched. "THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY!!!"

"There is not other way." NICOLE stated.

Sally dropped to the floor, almost in a fit of tears. Sonic knelt down beside her. Putting his arm around her.

"Sal, I have to do this." He said. However despite his braveness his voice was filled with fear. “The animals come first Sal."

"NO!" Sally grabbed hold of him with enormous force. "SONIC DON'T LEAVE ME, PLEASE!" She pushed her muzzle into his neck. The other freedom fighters looked on with concern and pain.

"I have to do this." Sonic stated and pulled away from Sally. “You know I have to."

Sally began to cry violently. "Yes I understand." She whispered.

Sally could certainly not be expected to design the machine to cause the end of her boyfriend. Sandra and Lupine did most of the work, helped by a team of technicians they recruited from the front. The sonic barrier was removed and an all out evacuation of the front began. Only the technicians remained helping to build a machine, designed by NICOLE to make Sonic a near god. Sandra communicated with Robotropolis, and bought them time saying they would need five hours to prepare a complete surrender. Robotnick was so full with pride he simply agreed. Hover cars and ships flew away from the front in a massive swarm. The troops obeyed, but were not told the reason why they were being evacuated, only that Sally and co, had some secret weapon they were using. After a few hours the front was almost empty.

The machine itself would work, not quite like robotocisation, as NICOLE had said in her quick definition but in a more basic way. The idea was to replace the cellular strands in Sonic's body, with strands of 'exotic matter' but specially designed to allow complete control and the focusing of energy. They would be constructed out of trillions of nano-computers, like those in a power ring, these would allow enormous power to be harnessed and used by Sonic.

('Exotic Matter' Matter with an energy level that is the square root of a negative number. It has the reverse properties to normal matter with regards to the fact it pushes objects away rather that attracting them. It is used in hover vehicles.)

The machine was not especially impressive, a small cylinder about as large as a bottle. Around it were some rigged up pylons, that would supply energy to it. These were connected to a few dozen transports, which supplied the electron flow.

Lupine thanked all the technicians who had helped, and sent them off under escort. Tails and Antoine went back too. Antoine shook Sonic's hand before he left, but said nothing. Nothing needed to be said. Dulcy flew back, not wanting to have to deal with Sonic transformation. Sally also went back, Bookshire said it was probably best for her not to see Sonic while it happened. She spent some time alone with Sonic before she left, 45 minutes to be exact. Then she left. Looking back once, tears steaming down her face.

Sonic stood in the middle of a spherical arrangement of pylons, the rod by his feet. The calm scene, however, had the overpowering feel of tension and fear. Sonic was afraid, very afraid. His hormones told him, 'hide your emotions, they’ll think your a wimp!' but he was too afraid to care much about that any more. He new he probably wouldn't die, that wasn't the hard thing. He would be changed. Everything he loved about himself would be gone.

His thought were abruptly interrupted.

"Ready?" Sandra said to him, that was all that was needed to be said.

Sonic nodded.

"No reason why it shouldn't work!" Sandra called as she pressed final command button. Sonic looked up his fear forgotten for a second, thankful for Sandra's untactful sense of humor.

The actual process took no longer than a few seconds. All an observer would have seen was a bright light, as magnetic tracts holding exotic matter wormed their way into his body, as his muscles and flesh were converted to non-living synthetic fibres. Nano-computers multiplied through his system.

Sonic fell down and lay on the ground shaking. His skin was shiny, and a deep metallic colour. He writhed about in pain as his body tried to compensate for his transformation.

Sandra quickly ran out from where she had sheltered and held NICOLE up to Sonic. A few quick EMPs and the nano computers activated, removing pain from Sonic's system and at the same time increasing his brain activity to cope with the shock.

Sonic stood up and looked down at his hands. He suddenly felt a strange sensation, actually a lack of one. His fatigue left him and he could no longer feel the ever present feelings of hunger, pulse and discomfort. He felt invincible.

The remaining freedom fighters stepped out of the hovership and looked at him. Unable to say a word. Sandra gave Sonic a strange look. Sonic knew what it was and got ready to head for Robotropolis. Revving up. He had revved up millions of times before, but never ever did it feel so good.

He blasted off reaching mach 20 almost instantly. However there was almost no shock wave.

Robotropolis came close, he sensed there were things out to get him, but powerful things.

He quickly glanced to his right, if glanced was the right word and saw one of the 'thing's that had squashed the resistance like flies. It was black, hard shiny, much like a SWATBOT, however he didn't let it live long enough to take a good look. A simple wave of his hand sent a shock wave down into the great unknown with the force of an Earth quake. There was an eruption of earth and rock as layer upon layer of sediment was thrown up into the air. The 'thing' was flattened by the force of the impact. Sonic waved his other arm at Robotropolis, the result was devastating, buildings were blown apart like paper.

Sonic let out a cry, never had he felt so powerful, he could do anything. His instincts of violence took over, unable to contain his rage he let out blast after blast. Not a single hit was planted on him.

He rushed into the ruined city and headed straight for where he could sense Robotnick. Somewhere underground, he burrowed into the earth and smashed straight through a reinforced titanium wall. He stopped, just short of Snively and Robotnick. They took one look at him and both cowered with fear.

Some guard bot's in the corner automatically fired. Sonic blinked one of his eyes and they exploded.

Snively and Robotnick were nearly paralyzed with fear.

"Hello Buttnick!" Sonic boomed. "Your gonna wish you were never born!" He advanced on the doctor.

Sonic picked Robotnick up and hurled him across the room. The doctor tried to lash out but his efforts where futile. Sonic stood over him, ready to deal the killing blow. But he couldn't, his arm just would not respond to his commands. Sonic became frustrated, then as he looked down at his sniveling adversary, he knew why he could not do it. The thing that allowed him to do these things was magic, not the artificial altered probability that the professor had used, but real magic. It made him stop, there was something more to it than just quantum events, it could sense and feel. He couldn't explain it but he knew what it wanted him to do.

Sonic lowered his arm. "Both of you are coming back." He said.

Suddenly all three vanished from the room and appeared in the great unknown right by Rotor who jumped.

"HOLY.......!!!" He yelled, then seeing Sonic he stopped.

Sonic was suddenly enveloped in a brief but bright light, coming out of it just as he used to be. The metallic shine had gone. All the onlooking freedom fighters where breathless. Both humans dropped to the ground, completely exhausted.


"Robotnick you are charged with the following crimes......" Sally's voice was calm and low.

Following the reuniting of Sonic and Sally, a trial for the two humans was one of the top priorities. All of the freedom fighters and a few guards were assembled in the war room. The trial was being broadcast around the planet, after the initial celebrations had ceased and the majority of animals had got over their hangovers.

"Genocide, torture, arson, murder, rape....."

Bunnie sat in the corner and thought to herself.

"I can't believe it is finally over." She thought. "Funny how I felt so full of revenge earlier and now...."

"Theft, fraud, instigating a military coup...."

"He did this to me, he killed my parents, yet..."

"The robotosization of unwilling participants...."

"I don't feel angry now he's completely helpless." She glanced at Dulcy. "Looks like she feels the same..."

"Neglect of prisoners, failing to attend to the needs of robotosized life....."

"This, magic, my stars it seemed so scientific at first, but since Sonic has been brought back to normal, and all record of this 'technology' has been removed from NICOLE's system....."

"Burying of non-dead bodies prior to death..."

"I can't help thinking there is something more to it, something that cannot be explained, how close was NICOLE to being able to use it?"

"Crimes against fellow humans...."

"Oh, yeah, all those people he killed, and the way her treated Snively, poor guy!!!"

"Blasphemy..."

"There we go, I knew religion would come into it somewhere!"

Sally finished the long list after reading for several minutes. She had already decided on their punishments, helped by several Mobian officials.

"Robotnick, I here by sentence you death, by robotosization!" Sally stated.

"WHAT!!!" Bunnie lept out of her seat and stormed up to Sally, who quickly deactivated the cameras.

"YOU CAN'T DO DAT! DAT'S INHUMAN, LET DEM AT LEAST DIE WITH DIGNITY!!! NO-ONE DESERVES THE PAIN OF THAT, THAT THING!" Bunnie yelled.

The other freedom fighters jumped in surprise.

"Everybody please leave for a moment." Sally commanded. "I have to speak with Bunnie."

The freedom fighters obeyed, Sandra had one last thing to say.

"Leave the poor bastard alone!!!!!" With that, she slammed the door.

"JUST WHAT DID YOU THINK...." Bunnie continued to yell but was interrupted.

"Bunnie for Mobius' sake! We aren't really going to do that, but we have to make it seem like that's what is going to happen! The citizens all want this, I have to do as they want!!!!"

"I see!" Bunnie whispered with shame.

"We are going to keep them alive." Sally continued. "Robotncik and Snively are the only one's who can help us with the deroboticizor!!!

The guards in the room looked on with bewilderment.

Bunnie nodded, and as she did Robotnick looked up with hope in his eyes. He smiled and winked, somewhat evilly.

Sally saw this and slashed Robotnick around the face with her claws. He cried out and fell to the floor. Bunnie was shocked by this act of violence.

"But your gonna wish I had killed you, believe me!!!" She said to Robotnick, quietly and near his face so no-one else could here. "There are things I've always wanted to do to you!!!"

She straightened up.

"Your head nothing." She said to the guards.

They nodded in understanding.

And so it was........

THE END?

Well done reader, the fate of Mobius in secure, lives were lost, but, in the end the suffering ceased. Robotnick will get just what he deserves, Sally will make sure of that. A perfect ending, right? What do you think? The end of a war and the dawn of a new era, but an era of what?

In another ending, Sandra improves her attitude a little. Do I need to say anything else, this miracle itself should be enough to wet your appetites!!! Ok she time travels too!!!

THE END?

The story continues....

"What the hell was that?" Sally asked, somewhat in shock. Then, picking up her tone and confidence once more. "HOW MANY DIED, WHAT'S GOING ON?"

Sandra peered over the holographic readout and gasped. She turned to Sally,

"Over a thousand!" She voiced concernedly.

"How....." Sally was cut of abruptly by NICOLE's voice.

"Incoming message from Robotropolis. Awaiting further instructions..."

"Put 'im on!!!" Sonic demanded. "Let's show 'im who juices around here."

Sally nodded in agreement but NICOLE had already begun to open the communication channel.

"Sally, Sally!" Began Robotnick, "How are you feeling?"

"Like kicking your...." Sandra stopped as Sally waved her hand in her direction.

"Ah Sandra, you should have kept working for me!" Robotnick chuckled.

Some of the freedom fighters started at Sandra.

"What's the secret?" She replied indignantly. All heads returned to the direction that they were originally facing.

"I am quite sure you saw my demonstration of power, I am going to kill you all, but you can make it easier on your self. Surrender now My dear princess and 'ill make sure your little two-tip dies with dignity."

Tails shuddered knowing that anything with the word Two and tip in probably meant him.

"You leave him alone you...." Sally began to shout but was cut off.

"You are in no position to give orders." Robotnick stated without a hint of indigence. "Withdraw or I'll kill."

The message faded.

Sally threw a near by map at the hologram which shimmered slightly as it passed through.

"NO!!!" She screeched, "NO NO NO!"

"C'mon Sal, there ain't no way he can win now!!" Sonic reassured. But Sally however felt a little different.

"Damn!" Sally thought, "There must be a way, but how HOW?"

"NICOLE knows." Lupine stated flatly in her wise tone.

"I hate that bloody 'I know it all' attitude of yours Loopy!!!" Sandra blurted. "Just watch it."

Lupine raised a hand and Sandra fell to the floor asleep. Gasps followed.

"What da who ha did ya do?" Bunnie demanded. "Can ya teach me!" She added, remembering how Sandra embarrassed her earlier.

"It's magic, real magic.” Lupine answered. "I was sworn to keep my abilities secret, however I feel that now, the time is right for me to tell you all. Robotnick's false magic can do wonders with time and space, but that is all."

"Time?" That was Rotor.

"NICOLE explain how Robotnick managed this, how did he kill all those animals."

Nicole hummed. "He time traveled to an era when we did not exist, he then created an army of powerful bot's based on his new technology, they were the ones who attacked the 'power plant force'."

NICOLE finished her brief summary.

"That is how." Lupine stopped and then continued. "There is no time for explanation, I know how to beat these things but I need your help."

The freedom fighters leaned closer.

"I need to posses all the troops, harvest their combined energies." Something strange about Lupine's voice forced the freedom fighters to remain silent. "To do this I need NICOLE and myself hooked up in a mind link. It will soon become apparent what this is. The combined force of all the front and my powers can harness arcane energies capable of destroying Robotnick forever. I know you will have to agree, it's the power of my voice you see."

Non of the freedom fighters could resist the desire to obey. They began to do as Lupine commanded.

After a little organization, NICOLE was hooked up to scanners, which would allow Lupine to reach into the computers 'mind'.

Lupine sat down in the lotus position on the floor and began to concentrate. Holding her hands to either side of her. NICOLE gave out a brief hum as their minds met.

All along the front, troops began to lose their will, turning their actions over to Lupine's mind. Her perception grew, as she saw what the troops saw, and anything they felt. She became the troops and they became her. A single being. NICOLE helped process the fractal patterns necessary for the operation, but could do no more. Lupine, now existed everywhere.

She looked up and down the front and towards Robotropolis, taking in all she could see. It scared her to be so powerful but she new what she had to do.

She knew now that if she suddenly concentrated on just one object, or area, the entire force of over 500,000 minds would do the same, and the results would be devastating. She knew she had to rid the world of Robotnick's false magic, an unstable science that could rip the planet apart.

She began to ponder the best course of action to take. To concentrate all her power on Robotropolis, or march the troops along in unison, combining their powers. Which should it be?

You chose this....

Lupine turned her all seeing eye towards Robotropolis, looked around, trying to find a single target to focus on. She found one. She sensed Robotnick, within his fortress of metal. The aggression, pain, fear, anger and wroth of over half a million Mobians forced itself down on Robotropolis.

Lupine's mind could not cope with the back wash of power, she died and slumped to the floor. It was a quick death, if not entirely peaceful.

The instantaneous shock wave began to creep from the heart of the city to it's borders. The effect was like moving a knife across butter and watching it curl. A layer of the planets crust several hundred metres thick was forced up. Debris was thrown miles into the air, and did not return for several minutes, a huge dust cloud began to form.

NICOLE disconnected from Lupine and accessed the damage to her own systems. There was some damage, mostly minor.

Sally, like all the other troops, was possessed during the blast. After Lupine died she regained her will, but instead of slumping to the ground like all of her friends and most of the troops she dragged herself over to the window. Her head hurt and she was still trying to come to terms with the experience. She looked out of the window and gasped. The wave of earth was high and fearsome, but still a long way away.

"Why can't,,,, I hear it???" She whispered to herself. "Of course it did not occur to Sally at that moment that Light traveled a lot faster than sound....

A few seconds later she heard it. Well, felt it, on her whole body as a powerful and painful vibration shook the transport and nearly killed her ears. She clutched her head but the drumming did not cease. She rolled about trying to keep the pain out of her head. Abruptly it ceased.

"Sonic Barrier is back on line and is cushioning shock wave." NICOLE stated. "Lupine is dead."

Sally gasped and ran over to Lupine holding her up, she wept.

She wept for the troops who died, her dead friend who saved Mobius, her own grief, the Robotosized citizens that died, and for the joy of the end of a long holocaust of pain.

THE END

Lupine's brave actions saved the planet. One can only feel admiration for her. However, what about these mysterious powers she possesses? Want to find out more? Read the other endings.

THE END

You chose this....

Lupine, in her semi-godlike state, Began to advance the troops past the Sonic Barrier. Their strength and will surrounding them in an aurora. Protecting them from harm.

They marched the twenty kilometer stretch. Not any more tired after their exhausting walk. They weren't scratched by any of the munitions, artillery, plasi or the strange infinitely destructive unit's that attacked earlier. It was as if Robotropolis was firing blanks, non of them hit. Unit's began to malfunction as they got closer. Everywhere around the city workerbots became possessed by Lupine.

Lupine became more rigid, and then collapsed, everything went black.

Lupine slowly became aware of where she was. She was lying on a bed. She painfully opened her eyes and looked up, above were two white objects and a blue blur. Lupine wondered to herself what they were, still not absolutely sure what had happened. Suddenly a smell of fish hit her nostrils and she convulsed.

She sat up.

"Rotor!" She exclaimed, looking forward at him, rapidly regaining her senses.

Rotor looked surprised, he had got out a vinegar and turnip solution to wake up Lupine with. Obviously it was not necessary. He performed an embarrassed shrug and clipped the bottle into his body belt.

Lupine looked around the small room she was in. Something was not right, the room was nicely decorated. It looked more lavish than anything that Lupine had ever seen during the war. It looked more like a palace room.

"How are you feeling?" Rotor asked Lupine.

She gasped, Rotors voice had changed, it was deeper, more mature. She took another good look at him.

Lupine was about to speak.

"I'm 22 Lupine." The walrus said.

Lupine confirmed this when she fully regained her sight.

"How? Where am I?"

"In Mobitropolis Lupine." Rotor replied.

Lupine shook her head, not understanding.

Rotor smiled.

"Your magic worked, we won the war, you kind of went into a trance, you have been like that for about five years." He paused. "You've been on a machine."

Lupine was speechless for a moment.

"It's good to have you back."

Lupine nodded. "So where are all the others?"

"I'm afraid they are all at the coronation, you started to come too at the last minute, they wanted to stay but they all had to go. However my presence was not required."

"Sally's coronation?" Lupine asked.

"Yes" Answered Rotor.

"How come it only happened now?" Lupine asked.

"There were many other matters to attend to, the city needed renovating-oh!" Rotor smiled. "I've just remembered, Me and Uncle chuck perfected the de-robotocizer, he's Mobian again."

"What about Bunnie?" Lupine asked.

Rotor's eyes saddened.

"I'm afraid her de-robotocization.... well, she's no longer with us."

"I'm sorry." Lupine said.

"It's not your fault." Rotor stated.

"Yeah."

Lupine hopped of the bed and onto the floor. She stood there a moment swaying precariously. However her motor skills soon returned and she began to stretch out.

"How's my wolf pack?" She asked.

"They have accommodation in the palace, but, they prefer the out-doors."

Lupine smiled. "Could I see them?"

"As soon as possible, they are all still there, never forgot you."

"Is Sonic gonna be king?" Lupine asked.

"Ahhh," Rotor sighed. "He can't. They found another Acorn descendent, a male, distant but non the less of the house."

Lupine stared.

"He's gonna be king. It's law."

"Who?"

Rotor took a deep breath.

"Bookshire!" He said.

Lupine shook her head in disbelief.

"He's a distant relative?"

" 'fraid so."

Lupine lay back.

"Gonna have to get used to things now."

Suddenly she sat up again.

"What about Robotnick, Snively?"

"Executed." Rotor replied.

Lupine lay back again. "Thought as much."

" I'll fetch you some clothes." Rotor turned to go.

Lupine looked down at herself. Smiled.

"All the years wearing that body suit and look at me now!!!" She called after Rotor. "Wait, I'll think I'll just be like everyone else from now on."

Rotor smiled. "Up to you!" he replied.

THE END

Well done, reader, Mobius is secure, Bookshire and Sally will make excellent monarchs. Sonic actually is glad not to have all that responsibility. Bookshire wishes he is in his shoes. The world is now peaceful again. In another ending find out more about Snively and Robotnick's fate. Or another ending where Sonic meets his mother, well sort of."

THE END