Story Number Two:
The Seminar
by Holly-B Kraft
The first story to deal with events after The Doomsday Project! I'll let
the author's note explain the story . . .
(story follows signature)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"How many lawyers does it take to screw in a light bulb?"
"How many can you afford?"
--David Pistone's distinguished collection of dumb lightbulb jokes
David M. Pistone -- rotor_at_primenet.com __ __ ____ ___ ___ ____
ftp.primenet.com/users/r/rotor /__)/__) / / / / /_ /\ / /_ /
http://www.primenet.com/~rotor / / \ / / / / /__ / \/ /___ /
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 08:09:25 -0700
From: rotor_at_usr3.primenet.com
Subject: /user/r/rotor/mail/seminar.txt
The Seminar
written by Holl-B Kraft
I'd just like to tell everyone that I hope they like my story. This is really
hard to do, especially considering that I'm only a Sophomore in high school.
I'd also like to say that this contains a little romance, but not from the
individual you may be thinking of.
If anyone would like to send me suggestions on stories to write, please mail
me either here on AOL, or my internet address (cvev69b_at_prodigy.com)
All the new characters in this story are copyrighted by me!
All other characters are copyrighted by Sega and DIC
Please write back to tell me how you liked this!!!
Sonic was waiting by the Power Ring pool with Sally. A new mission
had come up, and this time, it didn't involve Robotnik.
There was a Freedom Fighters seminar coming up north of the Great
Forest, and they were almost ready to go.
Everyone was leaving Knothole to attend this seminar. What Sally and
the other Freedom Fighter groups were planning on, was building an
underground system between all of the Villages, providing easy transport and
shipment of supplies.
"Okay Sonic, how many power rings do we have?" Sally wondered.
"Thirty."
"Good. That should give us enough power for weeks. Ready to go?"
Sally smiled.
"Yup. Let's go gather everyone up."
Sonic and Sally went back to Knothole to help with the final
preparations.
"Boy, I sure hope this works," sighed Dulcy, "My back is going to
kill me!"
Dulcy was loaded with all the supplies on her back, and the rest was
being carried in the cruiser.
Bunnie helped as much as she could with her robotic strength. At the
seminar, there was going to be a lecture on de-roboticization, and she was
definitely going to that. As was Uncle Chuck.
Tails had packed up all of his sneakers, socks, and gloves, as did
his mentor, Sonic. He was going to a lecture for the newer Freedom Fighters.
"This is going to be so much fun, isn't it Sonic?" Tails smiled.
"Remember Tails, this seminar isn't just for fun. We need to learn
while we're there too!" Sonic reminded the bouncy little fox.
"Okay Sonic." he replied.
Sally gathered everyone up.
"Freedom Fighters, and Freedom Fighters-to-be, this is going to be
one of the most important things that you do in your entire lifetime.
Robotnik may be gone, but we still need to stay fit and alert. Sonic and I
have tried our best to find as many Roboticized individuals as possible. With
the help of Sir Charles Hedgehog, we've been able to bring them out of the
trance and let them make their own decisions." Sally stepped off to the side
and brought out a Roboticized mouse. Her eyes were red, yet she was able to
have her own will. She stepped out into the crowd.
"This is Tabitha," said Sally, "She's the first person after Uncle
Chuck to have been brought to her senses. So far, we've been able to restore
thirty Roboticized individuals back to their senses."
The Knothole Freedom Fighters took this time to start cheering.
As soon as everyone had settled down, Tabitha spoke up.
"I've been Roboticized for five years now. When I was ten, I went on
mission with some of the southern Freedom Fighters only to be captured by
Robotnik. The first mission I went on was my last, but let me tell you, I've
been wanting to destroy that goon ever since I was four! FREEDOM FIGHTERS
FOREVER!!" she concluded. The crowd began to cheer more.
"Now everyone, it's very important that you check in with the group
you've been assigned. When you hook up with your group, you will undergo a
vigorous training session. After this has been completed, you will then go to
your lectures. Now, are we ready?" Sally shouted.
"YEAH!" came her reply.
"Then here we go!"
"Lupe! It's great to see you again!" smiled Sally.
"And you as well." the gray wolf smiled.
"I've never seen so many Freedom Fighters in all my life!" Sally
exclaimed.
"I know, it is wonderful." Lupe replied.
Suddenly Bunnie ran up to Sally.
"You wanted to talk to me, Sally-girl?" she asked.
"Yes Bunnie, I did. Have you seen Rotor? I need his help. We're
building a tunneling machine and I need him." Sally explained.
"Hmmm...I haven't seen him all day! Where in the world did he get off
to, you suppose?"
"I think I saw him with Sonic." said Lupe.
"Do you know where they were going?" asked Sally.
"I'm really not sure, but I think they went into the forest for a
walk." the wolf explained.
"So Rote, what's up?" Sonic asked his friend as they walked a trail.
"I don't know, to tell you the truth. Although....ah.......never mind
... forget I mentioned it." Rotor said uneasily.
Sonic stopped dead in his tracks. "Rotor! You know you can tell me
anything. Other than Tails and Uncle Chuck, we're the only sane guys here."
"But what about Antoine?"
"I said 'sane' Rotor, not 'insane'. Now really, what's up?"
"Okay. Well, the thing is..........I'm very lonely........." Rotor
whispered.
"Lonely?" Sonic repeated, looking confused.
"Yeah, lonely. My family's been Roboticized and I just feel left out.
Now that my workshop is gone, I feel even worse...d- do you know what's wrong
with me?" Rotor asked.
"I know exactly how you feel Rotor. You've gotta understand, I've had
to live with out my uncle for eleven years. Uncle Chuck is the only family
I've got. Don't worry about it. You wanna know why? We're your family Rotor,
and we care about cha a lot! We'll find your folks Rotor. Someday." Sonic
smiled.
"Thanks Sonic."
"Just one more question, bud. Why did this come up all of a sudden?"
"Oh...today's my parent's anniversary."
Sonic didn't reply.
"I'd like to welcome all of you new Freedom Fighters to this lecture.
First order of business is the training session!" declared Bunnie, as she
paced the stage. Sally then stood up.
"As you know, Robotnik is gone, and that means the battle is over
right?...Wrong. We need to rise above ourselves and begin to exceed the
limits of advanced civilization. We, as Freedom Fighters, have the power to
prepare for any situation."
"Now we're not saying that Robotnik will ever be back," continued
Uncle Chuck, "but we are saying that we need to keep in shape."
"So, in case we ever get attacked by anyone, we'll be up to it! Are
we ready?" Sally asked.
The crowd cheered.
"Good! Now, if you are a new Freedom Fighter, go visit..." she
trailed off.
Rotor stood behind the stage by himself. No one saw him except
Bunnie. She quietly left the stage to see what was wrong.
"Hiya sugar." she smiled as she approached him.
"Hello Bunnie." he replied.
"Aw, now, Rotor, hon, what the hoo-haw is goin on here? You've been
disappearing constantly, and we can't even find you! Now, sugar, you know
you can tell me anything. I'm all ears." Bunnie giggled.
Rotor cracked a tiny smile. "Alright, here goes." He then proceeded
to tell Bunnie about how lonely he was and how he was depressed. Bunnie sat
there and listened to every word. When he was finished, Rotor let out a big
sigh.
"Aw, Rotor, you should've told us! It ain't good when you hide your
feelin's!" Bunnie exclaimed.
Just then, Bunnie heard Dulcy calling her.
"I've gotta go, sugar. I hope you feel better." Bunnie then got up,
pecked Rotor on the cheek, and walked away slowly.
"Where were you Bunnie?" asked Dulcy.
"I was talkin to Rotor, he's havin some problems."
"Oh." was all Dulcy said.
When the silence was broken, it was because of Bunnie, "Whad y'all
need me for, Dulcy-girl?"
"Rosie's cooked up some lunch. Wanna get Rotor?" Dulcy asked politely.
"No, let him be alone for awhile. He needs to think."
Meanwhile, in the destroyed Robotropolis, Snively began to gather up
his newest patrol of Swat-bots.
To no one in particular, he said, "This will be the best attack ever
planned!"
He turned to a Swat-bot.
"Is the ship ready?"
"Ready, sir." it droned.
"Good..."
"HEEEEEE-YAH!" cried Tails as he demonstrated his Kung-Fu to his
friends.
"Wow! That was neat Tails!" said a little skunk named Nina.
"Thank you. Bunnie's been teaching me a lot more lately. I almost got
my white sash!"
The little skunk walked over and talked to him face-to-face.
"You're cute." was all she said. Nina then turned around and walked
back to the crowd of eight, nine, and ten-year-olds.
Tails just stood there, his mouth hung open.
Someone shouted from the crowd. "Do a flying kick again, Tails."
"Uh, yeah...flying kick..." he stuttered.
"What's wrong, Tails? Are you tired?" asked Nina.
"No...it's just-"
Tails was cut off by Sonic.
"Hiya T2! Watcha up to?" Sonic questioned.
"He was showing us some of his Kung-Fu, Sonic, sir." Nina said.
"Sir? Now, Nina! Call me Sonic." he grinned.
"I, uh, ohhhh...." Tails suddenly fainted.
"Whoa! Tails! What's wrong?" Sonic gasped.
"I think he's just a little tired, Sonic." grinned the little skunk.
Bunnie and Sally sat in their tent.
"Have you talked to Rotor yet, Sally-girl?" Bunnie asked.
"Why no, what's wrong?" Sally wondered.
Bunnie then related the story to the princess.
"Poor Rotor." Sally sighed as she brushed away a stray tear.
"What's the matter, sugar?"
"Well, I remember the times with my father, and-" Sally began to cry
on Bunnie's shoulder.
"Don't cry Sally," said Bunnie, "you'll rust my arm!" Bunnie giggled.
Sally laughed.
"You know what, Bunnie? I'm gonna go over to Rotor and tell him how
much I'm hurting. I'll tell him he's not alone. In fact," Sally slid off the
bed and started to shuffle through her pack, "I'll make him some hot
chocolate." she said, showing Bunnie the packet of cocoa.
"That's good, Sally-girl. You are the sweetest friend I've got."
Tails slowly began to awaken.
"Wh- where am I?" he whispered.
"You're back in our tent, big guy. I heard about what Nina said. Are
you all-right?" Sonic asked.
"Yeah...I guess so."
"Ya know, your ol Aunt Sal used to do that to me when I was your
age." Sonic grinned.
"Really?" Tails wondered.
"Sure thing. She was just flirting."
"Flirting? What's that?" Tails asked as he propped himself up on his
cot.
"It's a kinda hint from a girl that she likes you." Sonic informed.
"EWWW! That's disgusting." Tails said, gagging.
"Yeah, I know, it's pretty harsh. You'll learn to like it someday,
though."
"Not me, Son. I'll NEVER like that!"
"That's what I said Tails, and now I got Sal!" Sonic replied.
"Well, I don't like Nina."
"Have you even tried to start a conversation with her?" Sonic quipped.
"Well...um.....no...." Tails quieted.
"Then how do you know you don't like her?"
"I...I just don't! She's a girl!" Tails exclaimed.
"That's a reason?" Sonic smiled. He liked what was happening. What
was happening to Tails, had once happened to him when he was ten.
"I guess not."
"Look, Tails. I'll be honest with ya. Nina's a nice girl. She
obviously thinks you're good looking from all that training you're doing.
I don't she one reason why she was silly to have said what she did."
"Really?" Tails asked his mentor.
"Serious."
"Okay...," Tails said in a very low voice, "I guess I can talk to her."
"That's my pal! Now come on, we need some help with the Tunneler."
replied Sonic. He then helped the fox up and took him outside.
"Rotor?" Sally called into the walrus's tent.
"Yeah?" came a reply.
"I brought some hot chocolate. Do you want some?"
"Okay." answered Rotor.
"I came to talk for awhile," said Sally, "about my father."
"Your father?" Rotor said in disbelief.
"Yes. I came to tell you that you're not alone. I hadn't seen my
father for over eleven years. After I went in the void, I found out that I
can never be with him again. You are fortunate Rotor. You can find your
parents, and when you do, you can have some chance of de-roboticizing them.
I, on the other hand, will never see my daddy again." Sally quietly sipped
her hot chocolate as a tear slowly ran down her cheek.
"Oh, Sally. I'm really sorry. I never realized..."
"Rotor, I'm not saying that your mourning in vain, but what I am
saying is, appreciate the family you have. We're always here, Rotor. Always."
and with that, Sally left the tent.
"Clear out everyone!" shouted Bunnie as Dulcy began her landing lessons.
Dulcy suddenly took to air.
"This is great! I can actually feel a perfect landing coming up."
Dulcy smiled.
Bunnie had her fingers crossed. "Good luck, sugar-dragon!"
Dulcy circled over the meadow a few times before she went in to land.
When she did, it wasn't very pretty. She ended up falling on her stomach and
scraping her chin on the ground. Bunnie ran over to her.
"Are you all right, Dulcy?" she panted.
"OOOOOoooooh....thanks ma.......I'm fine........" she warbled.
"Wanna try it again?" Bunnie asked.
Dulcy cleared her head by shaking it side-to-side. "No...I think I'll
work on it later. It's starting to hurt!"
Nina sat by the lake with her friends. Tails came up to her and sat
next to her.
"Hi." he said.
Nina's friends got up and left, sensing that they wanted to talk
privately.
"Hi Tails. I'm sorry." Nina said.
"For what?" Tails wondered.
"Well," the little skunk slumped, "I made you faint, and I probably
embarrassed you in front of everyone!"
"I wasn't embarrassed, just shocked." Tails told her.
"I'm glad, because I meant what I said." blushed Nina.
Tails became nervous. "Um, Nina, that's what I wanted to talk about."
"Yes?"
"Well, I think you're very nice and everything, but..." Tails
suddenly began to stammer.
"It's okay Tails, I know what you want to say." smiled Nina.
"You do?"
"Yup. Don't worry, I understand. That's what all guys are like." Nina
then proceeded to kiss Tails on the cheek. "Now, I was wondering, can you
teach me to fly with my tail?"
Tails just fainted.
"C'mon Sal, I'm bored!" cried Sonic.
"We're not going back to Robotropolis. Or what's left of it."
"But Sal, I wanna go check to see if there are any others who are
still roboticized."
"No. Sonic, we destroyed everything. Nothing is left there!" Sally
exclaimed.
"Aw, Sal, it's just that I am so bored without ol Melonhead chasin
my tail!" said Sonic.
"Sonic, we've got a seminar going here. We can't just leave! I said
no and that's final! Royal order!" Sally shouted at the hedgehog.
Sonic sighed and left the tent.
"How many Swat-bots do we have totaled?" demanded Snively.
"Approximately 500, sir." droned the Tech-bot.
"How many Worker-bots?"
"Eleven hundred sir."
"Do you have any idea as onto how long it will take to build up the
army that we once originally had?" Snively wondered.
"Completion will probably take place this fall, sir." the bot reported.
"Try to increase production. We must have as much as a chance as we
did before."
"Yes sir."
Uncle Chuck had already tried out the tunneler finding that it didn't
work. What the problem was, was that there were too many existing tunnels
from the Doomsday pods. The only choice was to follow up throughout those
already existing tunnels, and to try to find connections between villages.
Uncle Chuck went down into the ground with Tabitha and a couple other
Roboticized individuals, who were prized for their unique night vision.
They proceeded down the tunnels for an hour before stopping. Uncle C
huck insisted that the band stop because her was almost sure he heard
something. He called for Tabitha to come and confirm his suspicions, since
she had extremely sensitive hearing.
"I think I do hear something, Sir Charles. It's very muffled though."
"Good girl, Tabby. Now do you think you could make it out if we got
closer?" wondered Uncle Chuck.
"I don't know. I'm pretty sure it's nothing though."
"You're probably right. We're probably very near to the hot springs."
sighed Uncle Chuck.
"Let's go to the left, Sir Charles." said a raccoon.
"Lead on, Alvin."
Little did the Freedom Fighters know, the sound that Uncle Chuck had
heard was the working of bots, trying to build up a wall from the main tunnel
at Robotropolis, therefore making it impossible for anyone to crawl through
and sabotage.
Later that day, Uncle Chuck's squad made it to the surface. They had
found that they had emerged in the meadow near Knothole.
"We did it!" smiled Uncle Chuck.
They then started making their way back through the tunnels placing
more markers and light systems to show where they had been.
The group made it back to the seminar by nightfall.
"Well, did you guys make it?" Sally asked anxiously.
"Yep! We marked the tunnels and lighted them too." replied Tabitha.
"Alright! Good job you guys!"
"Now what, Sally?" asked Uncle Chuck.
"Well, we start sending supplies and build up our forces. I'm sure
Dulcy will be glad to hear this. Now we don't need her to fly the supplies
in!" said Sally.
"Well, I guess we'd better get to bed. We have to pack up and go home
tomorrow."
"See ya tomorrow." said Tabitha.
"G'night."
Back at Knothole, Sonic was helping Sally unpack.
"Sal?"
"What?" asked Sally.
"What...what if Robotnik isn't gone?...What if he...he made an
identical robot of himself to fool us..." Sonic stammered.
"Sonic! That's absurd!" Sally exclaimed.
"Yeah, I guess...but you never know..." replied Sonic.
"We destroyed him!" Sally informed him.
"Oh yeah? Then why wasn't Snively with him?" Sonic shot.
"He must have been in the Death Egg when we destroyed it. Either
that, or he was in the ship, we just didn't see him. Either way, he's gone,
and so is ChromeDome himself!"
"Maybe you're right." Sonic caved in.
Just then, Tails walked in, holding Nina's hand.
"Well hello Tails, hi Nina." Sally said in a pleasant voice.
"Hi Aunt Sally! Hi Sonic!" said Tails with a smile.
"Hi Princess Sally, hello Sonic." piped in Nina.
"Hey Tails, what's up?" asked the blue hedgehog.
"Um, well, I just wanted to ask if I can take Nina with me to our
Secret Place." Tails asked.
"Our Secret Place?! That's only for the two of us!" exclaimed Sonic.
"I didn't mean ours Sonic," Tails smiled, "I meant ours." he said,
motioning to Nina.
Sonic and Sally exchanged surprised glances.
Sally broke out of her confusion to ask, "Is it in the Great Forest?"
"Yes, Aunt Sally. It is."
"Okay. You can go." Sally smiled.
"C'mon Nina!" barked Tails.
"Okay! Bye Sonic! Goodbye Princess Sally!" said Nina, as Tails
grabbed her hand and led her out of the room.
As soon as they were out of hearing distance, Sonic spoke up.
"Looks like Tails is hooked too!"
"Too?" said Sally suspiciously.
"Yeah!" Sonic smiled.
"Well, Sonic Hedgehog," said Sally, "I think we better go unpack
Tails things while he's gone."
"You're right. Let's go." Sonic replied.
As they walked out, Sonic put his arm around Sally.
"How were your seminars, Rotor?" asked Bunnie.
"Good! I learned some new things on androids. I'll need 'em since
that mess up on Ro-Becca." he smiled.
"Are you feeling any better, sugar?" Bunnie asked with sincerity
"Yeah. Sally really woke me up."
"Well, I'm glad you're all right." Bunnie paused, "Wanna come over to
my place for some tea?"
"Well...sure...I guess."
"Oh good! I've been wantin' to try out Antoine's cookbook. It's got a
whole section devoted to teas! C'mon, sugar."
Rotor got up and followed Bunnie to her hut, where she then put on a
kettle of water.
When the tea was ready, Bunnie and Rotor sat down and had a long
serious chat about their childhoods, and how badly they missed their
families. It was late when they finally finished.
"Thanks for the talk, Rotor. I've been wanting to get the same things
off of my lil' ol' mind." Bunnie said.
"Anytime...well, goodnight, Bunnie." said Rotor
"Goodnight, sugar."
THE END! ;)
Received on Thu Mar 02 1995 - 10:13:37 PST