All is Fair in Love and War 
			Part 2
Broadening Horizons

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	Given a hand to hold,
	I'll take it and be ever so bold
	I'm not too young, I'll never be old
	The eyes of my future are silver and gold.

	Wrapping my arm around yours,
	Means we're partners in life's silly chores
	Wether together on burgandy shores,
	Or reciting the lyrics of ainchent lores.

	Seeing sadness in your eyes is strange to me,
	I've not seen it yet in the time we've been 'we'...
	I'll try to show you what hope there is to see,
	And hold strong to the fact that together we can be.
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	3234, Juin, 7 Knothole
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	*Thrump*
	*Thrrump*
	Candelight reflected off the eyes of two, it's source flickering
weak then strong again in a slight draft. The room was dim, sunlight
dissipating slowly from the window on a hazy purple sunset. 
	The two were leaning over a hardwood desk, where the candle stood
with its circle of light. Wax slowly dribbled down its sides, over the
hardened droplets of nights past. 
	One was seated, a chair well mated to it's table shuffled up close
to the desk. She, the seated, rested on an elbow, head bowed over the
desk's surface. Her dark roughe hair brushed the table slightly, and her
second hand lay over a yellowed paper, finge rs drumming on the wood. 
	*Thrump*
	*Thrump*
	A gloved hand moved over hers, gently clenching the movment still.
She shifted her head slowly to gaze up the arm,following the bare skin
with her eyes up to a furred shoulder and a relaxed face. 
	Sonic sqeezed Sally's hand tenderly, leaning over her. 
	"I... I just hate not knowing... Sonic..." 
	"Hush, I know..." Sonic lowered his eyes, glancing over the paper
and the candle. 
	Sally closed her eyes for a moment, sighing. "I don't like this at
all, not knowing what to do.. Sir Charles;..." 
	"Hasn't written back in quite a while, Sally... I know.  I've been
looking for him- but ol'Chuck's gotta be alright... It's only been a few
days." 
	Sally sighed again, rubbing her finger into the side of her brow. 
	Sonic moved his hand along her shoulder and caressed the underside
of an ear softly. "Please try to get some sleep, Sal. I'll go out tommorow
to scout out some more, so don't worry yourself silly like you always do." 
	"But..." Sally began to protest. 
	Sonic leaned over and blew out the candle, then drawing back and
kissing Sally's hair lightly. "G'night, Sal." He whispered, hands leaving
her. Sonic made his silent reterat, shutting the door behind him before
shooting off to check with other cohorts. 
	Sally lingered for a moment, eyes low on the paper, scanning it's
scrawled text one last time as best she could in the dimming light. Smoke
curled up from the candle's cooling wick, tapering into oblivion before
dying in the upper air. 
	The squirrel finally left the table, pushing out her chair with a
slow shove and leaving the room. 
	As the last rays of sun died, the small scrap of paper, slightly
wrinkled from overuse, lent it's scribbled mobian letters to the empty
air. 

		"Fellow FF's...  Juin-02
			"Odd activity in mines of the southern continent...transmissions
between bots speak of
	finding null power sources...seems to indicate
	another of 'buttnick's strange plans. Cannot
	investigate main command- strange interference
	with audio spy sensors. Will investigate further,
	suggest you do as well. 
							-Charles" 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> (A half of a day prior) 

	having seen to the proper application of salves and bandages, as
well as a quick x-ray by a medic-bot, Snively commanded the idiot robot to
ship Robotnik to his quarters. He grinned snidely, reffering to his
unconcious commandeer as "lardass" while adres sing a worker-bot to
assist. 
	The two bots made their way out of the command central's main
entrance, carefully observing the status of their load. Snively mumbled
lonesomely to himself, turning and climbing into the D.R.'s command chair
and inspecting a particular spot of damadge in
 the arm. Whirring and clicking sounded from behind him where repairs were
being completed, but Snively ignored them. 
	An alert sounded from a speaker, and a display on one of the main
moniters flickered into view. A large ship was docking in one of the
Robotropolis harbors- a large and heavily armored craft with a crew of ten
worker-bots and fourty swat-bots. 
	Snively grinned, slamming a hand down on one of the chair's
arrays. 
	Pictures began to flick across the screen... Many, many rocks were
spewed into view for several seconds, and then removed for the next. One
particulary caught Snively's attention... a large red crystal, long and
sheer like a dagger. 
	At a time the screen flickered off, The sounds of the bots in the
distance droning on. Snively yawned, rubbing an eye and working himself
down into the same, relentless, monotone actions and silent visage of his
companions. 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> (Present) 

	A soft cry broke the air; a murmur and a whimpering. A bead of
perspiration collected on the brow of a sleeper, rolling across
tawny-color fur until it dissapeared. The restless form tossed, a hand
clenched deep into its pillow and body entwined in sweat -soaked blankets. 
	The darkness had closed in entirely on this hut, its velvet-black
folds clutching form and shadow away from sight. The air was thick with
humidity, the only sound crawling in from the window... insects chirping,
trees creaking and rustling in high breeze s. 
	And the short, quiet sighs of the enthralled dreamer, Kimble,
remeniscing in nightmares of times past. 

		'A wail broke out from a corner in the massed crowd... A
middle-aged mother comforted her child into sniffles, looking up... 
	Over the crowd, another middle-aged figure stood, watching over
the heads of the people gathered. 
	"I know you are afraid." He said in a deep, powerful voice. 
	Several males in the crowd rumbled in agreement. The mother
nickered to her child, holding it close. A second youth pawed at her leg,
eyes questioning. 
	"I myself do not understand the strange activities in the great
city. Whatever happens, we must not panic!" 
	A younger voice rang out from amongst the gathered- a male having
just begun a family: "What ARE we to do then? Why do they in the south
send these forces? We have NOT PROVOKED THEM!" 
	The speaker nodded garevly at the young male. "Good question; but
I have no answer. None of us know." 
	At the back of the suddenly quiet, tense congregation, someone
coughed and another shuffled about uneasily. The second youth mewled at
her mother, whining with uneasiness. The leader once again adressed the
crowd: "We have no choice but to defend ourselv es." 
	The door to the meeting hall was flung open; a bystander yipped an
indignant protest and jumped out of the way. A messanger stumbled in,
ragged of breath from running.
	"They're here, Armada!" he shouted between panting and shoving
forward into the crowd. "Just over the south ridge, four assault rigs and
two garrisons of 'botic forces!" 
	The man called Armada stared on for a moment and then lept off his
speaking-platform, heading for the newcomer. 
	"How far off are they?" Armada demanded. 
	"Twenty minutes, sir..." 
	With a loud yelp, Armada shouted instructions to the crowd;
"Allright! all those with minimal training, head for your posts...
Non-essential perssonel head for the mountain stronghold! Pause for no
belongings, or you may not make it!" 
	Kimble rowled lowly as the people around her stirred... within
seconds her mother swept her up in an arm along with her younger sibling
and moved quickly towards Kimble's father. 
	"Armada! Where should I take the kids?" the mother asked, two feet
from him and pressing eagerly forward. 
	The tallish Armada intercepted Kimble's mother, grasping her
shoulders and reasurring her shortly; "Go to the mountain stronghold with
the other sevillians. Hurry, and don't wait for me!" 
	"But..." 
	Kimble reached a hand toward her father, mewling like the toddler
she was. "Daddy!" 
	Armada quickly embraced Kimble and pressed her back into her
mother's arms. "There is no time... go now, I'll join you as soon as
possible.: He turned quickly about without a sideways glance, and sprinted
out the door with the frantic crowd. 
	"Daddy!..." 

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	Bunnie shook Kimble harder, desparately trying to rouse her from
her nightmare. Listening to the small child growl and whimper was enough
to convince her that Kimble's rousal was neccessary, and now Bunnie's
guest fought weakly against her in the throes of awakening. 
	Kimble finally opened her eyes with a proteset, her arms dropping
to her side. She glanced about, pupils dialating and her mind wallowing in
post-R.E.M. sleep lethargy. 
	Bunnie rocked back on her heels and reached out towards her
night-stand, feeling along the surface for her oil-lamp. She found it with
her flesh paw and drew it to her, coo'ing a soft reassurance to Kimble. 
	The disturbed manx focused in on the light source and could barely
make out a form at her bedside through the dim flicker of the lamp's low
flame.
	Kimble hissed loudly at the glint of light against Bunnie's
robotic shoulder, shuffling down lowly in her blankets and flattening her
ears. 
	"Aye child, what's wrong?" Bunnie cried and pulled the lamp closer
to her face, peering down at Kimble. 
	The manx pft'ed slightly as Bunnie's face came into view, sitting
up slightly and sighing with relief. 
	"Y'ok? Ah think y'all had ah nightmare..." Bunnie pressed closer,
taking a view of Kimble's face. 
	The manx shuffled a bit in her blankets, furr matted with moisture
in rivulets down from the corners of her eyes. She responded to the cyborg
rabbit with a flinch: 
	"Hii...ya... I did." 
	"Y'all right now, hon?" Bunnie raised an eyebrow. 
	Kimble swallowed a little. "yah. S'nothing." 
	Bunnie pressed the lamp close to Kimble's face, smiling as the
manx flinched slightly. "All right... nah'y go back tah' sleep an' no more
nighmares." 

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	Kimble roused in her bed, twisting lazily and yawning. The last of
the night had been uneventful, thankfully; she had dropped off sharply
into a sleepless slumber
	Her mind slowly came into focus; she was in a warm, soft bed. She
had not been wakened by the Robotropolis prisoner's bell at the wee hours
of the morning, and neither did she hear the ususal groans and
complainings of her cellmates down in the holding c ells. 
	Kimble popped open an eye. She was greeted by a soft, natural
light, rather then the dimness of her normal corner in Robotropolis. A
fuzzy ear perked atop her head; a few muffled sounds reached her- constant
bird calls, a little bit of cricket chirping.  Somewhere in the room,
someone else was sleeping, their breathing regular and heavy. 
	The young manx sat up and brushed the blankets off her lap, her
feet touching down on the floor beneath her cot. Carpeted, soft... And it
came to her with a sudden realization. *I've made it. Knothole... I am
here at last...*
	"K-n-o-t-h-o-l-e..." The sound fell from her like the shedding of
a skin. She was free of Robotropolis- she had a future now. 


~end, All is Fair in Love and War part 2, Broadening Horizons.~

	Till next part, Jeanette Merrell. Sonic the hedgehog and freinds
are (c) Sega. Kimble and Armada are (c) Jeanette Merrell, 1996. 

__ Jeanette Merrell merrell@erols.com --