Any resemblance to actual characters are not coincidental. ; )
Joseph, Bahb, and all other independent creations of Joseph DeLaCroix are the copyrighted property of JoCo Inc. Commander Packbell, Bookshire Draftwood, and Sandra Nightweaver are the copyrighted property of David Pistone. All rights reserved. Pause for bourgeois legalities: This story is copyright ©1996 by the author, who grants permission to reproduce and distribute it, so long as A) you don't screw around with it and leave the text as it is, and B) you don't try and make some cash off of it. If you're serious about the latter, drop me a line barbees@sonic.net and we'll discuss my cut. All the normal provisions of Title 17 (the U.S. Copyright Law) still apply.
Based on characters and situations created by Sega Corporation, Archie Comics and / or DiC Productions.
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Author's Note: This story is dedicated to a few friends of mine. Josh Hogstrum, Colin Glassman, Chris Farout, Andrew Leath and Nate Klug . . . here's to you.
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Time Line: In the warm days of summer . . .
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"C'mon, pass the ball, pass the ball!"
A basketball bounced along the ground, seeming to go nowhere anyone wanted it to go. Sonic Hedgehog grabbed the ball and smiled at the other team. He dribbled the ball around Bunnie and Antoine and headed for the basket.
"All right, folks, this ball is going, going, gone!" called Sonic as he shot the ball into the basket.
He ran to the other side of the court, high-fiving Sally on the way.
"Nice shot, Sonic!" she smiled. "As usual."
"Thank you, thank you! Whoa! You're just too much!"
The ball chose that moment to fly through the air and hit Sonic on the head, making him jump. Sonic glared at Rotor.
"Hey! What gives?"
Rotor shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry."
The sound of wild hoops and yells and the patter of feet made the Freedom Fighters forget about the ball episode. Three of the former mercenaries, known as Colin, Chris and Andrew ran along the path, obviously playing some sort of game.
Sally sighed. "Will they _ever_ grow up?"
Bunnie shrugged. "Think about it Sally-girl. If your parents was killed and you had no mothuhs or fathuhs to tell you what ta do and what not ta do," she said in her southern accent.
"True," agreed Sally, nodding.
Colin screeched to a stop and grinned. "Hi, all! Wazzup? Shootin' some hoops?"
Sonic nodded, taking a shot. "All we have to do is get Antoine to make a shot and then it would be shooting poops!"
Andrew laughed. "How true!"
Antoine raised an eyebrow, annoyed. "I am not a _poop_, Sonique!"
"Could've fooled me."
Rotor looked over at Colin and Andrew. "Since it seems that you two are looking for something to do, how would you like to test out my new hover board prototypes?"
"Would we?" asked Andrew, astounded, "You bet we would!"
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A large board, looking like a skateboard with no wheels floated a few feet above the ground.
"Eeeextremo!" exclaimed Colin.
Rotor smiled. "This is my hover board 3000. It is made of titanium alloy, and it has Fire Swifts at its base." He turned it over, displaying four small circles that looked like rocket holes. "And on it's back is a slightly bigger Fire Swift, this one allowing you to achieve forward momentum."
Andrew frowned. "What's a Fire Swift?"
"A Fire Swift," replied Rotor confidently," is a small capsule, usually in the geoshperic shape of a circle, that exports a maximum amount of flame, smoke or energy, allowing the user to achieve a forward thrust of energy and momentum."
Colin and Andrew blinked.
"In English, please."
Rotor sighed. "It's a rocket."
Colin gave him the thumbs up sign. "Allright!"
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Jakkon sat under a tree, resting. He picked up a flower and twirled. Some days he just enjoyed going out alone in the fores, and just laying there for a while, reflecting on what he had and what was going on in his life. He smiled, listening to the sounds of the birds calling. A twittering from the tree he was under made him look up.
"Chirp, chirp! Chirp!" But then: "Incomiiiiiing!"
Something warm and smelly plopped down on Jakkon. Jakkon leaped up, screaming curses. He shook his fist at the tree.
"Blast you, Chris! Throw ya bloody guano in some other direction!"
Chris the Sparrow poked his head out from the tree branches.
"Best joke me play on you in long time!" He chattered in his incessant sparrow language.
Jakkon looked down at himself. "That is _the_ most, disgusting joke you have ever played on me!"
Jakkon leaped at the tree and shook it, tumbling Chris onto the ground.
"Hah! Now we're even!"
Jakkon took a running start and dove into the stream. Moments later he resurfaced. He floated in the water, enjoying himself while washing off the remains of Chris's 'joke'.
Loud voices and yells of delight announced the arrival of Colin and Andrew, both riding hover boards. Colin raced past Chris and up the tree. When he reached the top and began to slow, he made the board flip around and turn the other direction, and he shot down the tree. Colin and Andrew used two trees like a skate boarding ramp, darting up and down. Andrew leaped off the board and grabbed it before it flew off. Colin did the same.
Jakkon raised an eyebrow. "I think ya just gave a new meaning to the word 'joy riding'."
Colin laughed. "Who cares? It's fun!"
Jakkon pulled himself out of the stream and shook himself. Colin and Andrew shielded the boards as water flew. "Hey! Watch it!" cried Andrew, "I don't think these boards are waterproof!"
Jakkon stopped shaking. He looked at his fur, which was puffing in all directions. Andrew laughed.
"Look! Its a peacock with fur!"
Jakkon glared at the annoying feline. "Oh, go hack up a hairball, kitty," he muttered.
After Jakkon had brushed all his hair down into it's normal position, he looked at the hover boards.
"Cool!" he exclaimed. "Can I try the blighter out?"
"Sure," said Colin.
Jakkon turned it on and began pushing himself forward, with one foot pushing himself along and the other on the board. When he started moving at a suitable speed, he began to do some tricks.
First, Jakkon, flipped the board around backwards in mid flight, screeching it to a halt and making it go in the other direction. He flipped it back again, letting it resume its original course. Then, when he got his momentum back, he did a 360 in the air.
Colin clapped. "All right!"
Jakkon sped along the ground and soared up into the air. He seemed to hang there for quite a while, then he pelted back down at amazing sped. When he went up the other tree, he did an Ollie in the air, did a few flips of the board, landed and bowed.
Andrew pointed. "Uh . . . Jakkon? The board?"
The board landed in Jakkon's open hand and he bowed again. Colin, Chris and Andrew gaped.
"Now remember, me hearties," grinned Jakkon, "anything that ya c'n do, ya big bro c'n do betta, wot, wot?"
Colin sighed, "Yeah, well you aren't my brother!"
Jakkon nodded. "Yes, but I'm the closest thing you'll ever get to being a brother." He handed the board back to Colin.
Jerena came walking through the forest, searching for Jakkon. When she spotted him, she put her hands on her hips, smiling. "There you are, you little lovable rascal! Now come on, the doctor wants to see me, and he says that you should be there."
Jakkon, walked in dainty little fairy steps. He stopped, posing. "Coming, my little candied chestnut! My little cupcake!"
Jerena smiled and played along with his game. "Be still," she said, clutching her chest, "my heart!
Colin made a face. "Be still," he said, "my lunch!"
Jakkon laughed. "Later, chaps!"
When they were gone Andrew turned to the others. "What's all this hullabaloo about the doctor wanting to see them?"
Chris shrugged. "We find out soon enough, one way or another!"
Chris looked at Colin. Colin looked at Andrew. Andrew looked back at Chris. They all got identical grins on their faces.
"Time to start Mission: Whazzup," grinned Colin. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jakkon and Jerena walked out of the doctor's office, smiling. They waved goodbye to the doctor and walked on their way. After they passed a hedge, the hedge rustled. A brown hedgehog poked it's head out of the bushes and watched them go. Colin pulled out a walkie-talkie and pressed the talk button.
"Agent Guano Dropper, come in, come in," he whispered into it.
There was a faint crackle of static and a voice came on the speaker. "Agent Guano Dropper, reading you loud 'n clear," replied Chris's voice, "what the buzz, Spineswine? Guano Dropper, out."
"Our two subjects are moving toward east coordinates of Knothole. Move and intercept! Spineswine, out."
"Roger, Spineswine! Moving to intercept! Guano Dropper, out."
Near fifty feet from where Jakkon and Jerena were walking, Chris flew out of the trees. He dove and hid in the bushes near the path, listening in on their conversation.
Chris hit the talk button on his walkie-talkie and spoke into it.
"Fuzzy Furball, come in! This Guano Dropper! Come in, Fuzzy Furball!"
"This is Fuzzy Furball," replied Andrew, "what's the orders?"
"Move to intercept, intercept! Guano Dropper, out."
Jakkon raised an eyebrow as the bushes at the side of the road moved. He smiled down at Jerena. "Sometimes I wonder if those kooks will ever forget those stupid spy lessons I taught them a long time ago."
Jerena stifled a giggle as she saw the leaves in a tree shake. "So do I." she nuzzled up against him. "But I think its cute when you do it."
He sighed contentedly. "And I think every thing you do is cute."
Andrew gagged into the walkie-talkie as Jakkon and Jerena kissed. He pressed the talk button.
"Whew! Colin! It's getting hot out here! Mushy hot!"
An ooo came from the walkie-talkie. "I'm coming over as quick as I can!"
Andrew sighed. "Idiot."
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Jakkon watched as Colin, Chris and Andrew crept along the path behind him and Jerena. He smiled. "Fools," he thought.
He turned to Jerena. All right, darling. I've got a plan."
Jerena raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" she asked.
Jakkon grinned back at the pursuing trio. "You continue on," he said, "and I'll slip off inta the woods." He grinned. "In the olden days, it was said that the strong male would fight off any bally creature that posed threat ta his loved one. They'll never know what hit 'em."
Jerena caressed his arm, smiling. "So you're the _strong male_?"
Jakkon smirked. "Unless you want ta be, wot, wot?" he replied in his English accent.
Jakkon dashed off into the bushes, leaving Jerena to carry on to their house. Jerena shook her head, suppressing the laughter and love that was bubbling up inside her at the same time.
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Colin ducked behind the bushes. He turned to Chris and Andrew. "All right. Split up and see if you can catch any of their conversation. We may be able to find out what's going on," he added with an evil grin.
They split up, Colin went straight, Chris went west and Andrew went east. Chris pressed the talk button with a claw. "All right, me heading toward Jakkon house, attempting to intercept Jerenaaaaaaaaa?"
A flying reddish-brown shape hit him before he knew what was happening.
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Colin shook the walkie-talkie. "Blast it! Chris, come in! $@#*%&^!"
"What?" asked Andrew into the walkie-talkie. "What did you say?"
"That wasn't aimed at you! That schmuck Chris ain't responding! And to top it off, Jakkon is nowhere in sight!"
"Oh."
"Look," sighed Colin, "just see if you can contact Chris. But keep moving in."
Colin continued forward, not noticing the pair of gleaming eyes in the bushes. Jakkon smiled to himself in the safety of the bushes. "Any moves toward my woman can get ya in a heap of trouble, boys," he said, before sliding off into the undergrowth.
Andrew was crawling through the bushes when he was suddenly flipped through the air. He landed on his back with a thud, knocking the wind out of him. Before he knew what was happening, he felt himself being bound by tight vines. He looked up, surprised. Jakkon grinned at him, and continued tying him up, before dashing off into the bushes.
Colin banged at the walkie-talkie, furious. He was the last one left.
"Two down, one ta go," thought Jakkon gleefully as he watched Colin continue to watch Jerena. Jerena walked into the hut and closed the door. As Colin crept along the side of the house, he was kicked sharply in the back. He fell to the ground and looked up, sustaining nothing more than having the wind gone from his lungs momentarily. Jakkon grinned at him.
"Hey Jerena, me darlin'!" he called into the house. "I've brought home diner!"
Jerena stood in the doorway, highly amused. Jakkon walked off into the underbrush and picked up Chris and Andrew, both bound by tight vines and struggling like mad. Jakkon added Colin to his load and walked over to Jerena. He set down the three dumbfounded animals at her feet and bowed deeply.
"I hope that this satisfies ya question about the 'strong male'," he said.
Jerena laughed.
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Jakkon emerged from the house next morning to find Colin, Chris and Andrew waiting for him. Colin jabbed a finger at Jakkon questioningly.
"And what," asked Colin, "was all that stealthy attack stuff last night?" He spread his arms. "I mean, what gives?"
Jakkon winked. "Tell ya what, chaps, here's what I'll do. Remember all the bally hunt and subdue stuff I taught ya last summer?"
Everyone nodded.
"Well," continued Jakkon, "if you can subdue me in the forest, I'll tell ya what's going on with me and Jerena."
Jakkon took off running, heading for the forest.
Colin glanced at the others and they followed.
The second Jakkon reached the forest, he was gone. Colin skidded to a stop. He thought for a moment, trying to remember what Jakkon had taught them. He perked up and looked in the direction Jakkon had disappeared in.
Colin smiled, looking at the footprints left in the fertile earth. "Lesson One: always look for tracks. It is almost not possible for a creature not to leave a sign of it's passing."
Sure enough, Jakkon's footprints were there, leading the way. Colin, Chris and Andrew followed them as long as they could, fighting off mosquitoes along the way.
"This bites!" said Andrew, swatting a mosquito.
"Yeah," replied Colin, "literally _and_ seriously."
Chris dove at a pestering mosquito, devouring it instantly. "Speak for yourself," he said.
Suddenly, all traces of Jakkon's tracks disappeared instantly. Colin scratched his head. "Now, what was Lesson Two?"
Andrew looked up at the trees. "There is always more than one way to any given destination."
"Oh yeah!" Colin snapped his fingers. "That's it! He took to the trees!"
Sure enough, Jakkon's wet footprints from the damp ground had left sure marks heading up the tree. Chris flew up to the top of the tree and looked around. He whistled to the others.
"Jakkon no where in sight! Climb up!"
Andrew stared at Colin, aghast. "Climb up? Climb up? Who does he think he's kidding?"
Wordlessly, Colin began to scale the large mass of bark and wood. Andrew sighed and followed rather reluctantly. When they reached the top of the tree, the foot and hand prints clearly showed that Jakkon had leaped to the next tree. Colin sighed.
"This brings us to Lesson Three." He began to get ready to jump. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"
"My favorite!" exclaimed Andrew sarcastically.
Luckily, Colin and Andrew made it across by jumping, Chris merely flew across.
Andrew sighed in relief. "But, much to my pleasure, we didn't have to use Lesson Three."
Colin nodded. "You're telling me!"
The prints continued for a couple more trees, then led back down to the ground. Andrew was breathing heavily. "Ever notice how he tends to make us work rather hard to achieve our goal?"
Suddenly, Jakkon appeared before them. "Hallo, chaps! Well, ya made it this far, now all ya have ta do is subdue me," said Jakkon cheerfully.
"Too pleased!" said Chris, ramming into Jakkon from behind, knocking him down. Colin and Andrew leaped forward and held him down.
"Very good," said Jakkon through clenched teeth. "I never thought you'd even make it this far."
Colin and Andrew let him up. "Lesson Four: teamwork pays off. Two of us distracted you while the third got you."
Andrew leaned forward, peering at Jakkon suspiciously. "Now," he said," what's all this about the doctor wanting to see you and Jerena?"
Jakkon took a deep breath. He raised an eyebrow. "I wonder how they'll react ta this," he thought to himself.
"C'mon! Stop stalling," said Colin impatiently, "we passed your silly little challenge!"
Jakkon shrugged. "All right." He looked Colin right in the eye.
"Jerena is going to have kits."
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Everyone's jaws hit the ground. Jakkon grinned. "Toodle-oo!" he said, running off.
"Oh no you don't!" Colin and Andrew tackled him to the ground.
Colin looked down at him. "You are _not_ going anywhere until we get a few more questions answered!"
"Oh, bother."
"Number One." Colin held up a finger. "When are the kits due?"
Jakkon leaned back, despite his position on the ground. "Today," he replied calmly.
Colin's eyes almost bugged out of his head.
Chris flew over and landed on Jakkon's head.
"Chris," said Jakkon, "if ya poop on me, ya will not live ta see tomorrow. I promise ya that."
"Never mind that!" snapped Chris. "Why were you keeping this a secret so long."
Jakkon grinned. "Oh, ya know me, I always like keeping secrets from ya."
Colin waved his arms. "So you probably have other secrets like this, too!"
Jakkon scratched his chin. "Oh, yes," he said thoughtfully, "did I forget ta tell ya? Jerena and I are married now."
Colin slammed his head to the ground.
"Precisely my point."
"Have you named your kid yet?" Andrew asked.
Jakkon nodded. "Actually there's three o' them. And yes, we have named them the little cuties."
"Well, what are their names?"
"Lesse now. Josh, Dakkon and Runa."
Colin looked confused. He looked down at Jakkon. "I don't know whether to smack you from keeping this a secret so long, or to be happy."
Jakkon propped his head up with his arm. "Ahh, I love doing things like this."
"We noticed!"
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Jakkon, Colin, Chris and Andrew sat in the waiting room of the hospital, waiting. The door opened and a nurse came out, a female porcupine. She looked over at Jakkon.
"Are you the husband of Jerena?" she asked.
Jakkon looked up. "Aye, that's me."
The nurse smiled. "Would you like to come in and see your two sons and daughter?"
Jakkon smiled. "I'd love ta." He got up and gestured to the others. "C'mon, then, none of us is gettin' any younger, wot, wot?"
Andrew shook his head. "How can he make jokes at a time like this?"
"Let's just say that if we were a deck of cards, he'd be the Joker," said Colin, rolling his eyes.
When they entered the room, Jerena lay in a bed, cuddling three small balls of fur in blankets. Jakkon went over and kissed her gently on the forehead. "How are ya, me darlin'?" he asked her softly.
Jakkon picked up one of the wrapped up bundles. A little wet nose poked itself out of the blankets and sniffed at Jakkon. Jakkon sighed with pleasure.
Colin was holding one of the other kits. He unfolded part of the blanket so he could see the cute little baby fox inside. It looked up at Colin with large brown eyes.
"Googobah?"
Colin shook his head, smiling. "Sorry, little dude. I speak three languages, but baby talk isn't one of them."
The small figure nuzzled deeper into the blanket, making Colin smile. Suddenly, Colin froze.
Jakkon raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"
Colin looked down. "He peed on me." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few days later, Jakkon stared out at the moon at night. Jerena came over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"What is it, honey?"
Jakkon turned to face her. "I was just wondering what life will be like now that we're married and have kits."
Jerena hugged him. "Well? Is it for good or bad?"
He kissed her deeply.
"For the good, definitely."