Chapter 144 - Loyal if Nothing Else

Linda dragged Ekyt somewhat. He was weak from hunger, and the landscape was kind of blurry to him. “Hold on.” He said weekly. He tossed off his coat and shirt and ducked his head and body into some water in a pond nearby. “Sorry. That helped though…I’d better get some food in me, especially with Kragok on the loose…” “Yeah. Lemme see…the nearest place is…your place.” “I’d better get there then.” Linda propped him up again, noticing the slash marks on his back, and the cuts on his face. “They did a number on you…I wish I had gotten their sooner.” “Not your fault. I’d be dead if you hadn’t showed up. Like I said, you’re a special girl to put up with me.”

“Julie-Su, Dad. She want’s to get her citizenship renewed.” Knuckles told his father. “I see. Of course, Julie, you’re app” “Locke, a word?” Spectre beckoned to Locke. “That girl has the mark of the Dark Legion.” “That is in the past Spectre.” Locke reasoned. “Well, she forbidden to have citizenship.” Locke looked furious, in a rare display of emotion. “Spectre, I will see the council’s decision on this is just. Why you have to try this again and again is beyond me, but I am not going to let you harm an innocent life.” Locke turned away from him. “Julie-Su…I’m sorry. I wish I had some say in the matter. Your citizenship is not renewed.” “What? Why! Dad, c’mon!” Knuckles sputtered. “I’m looking into it. It’s not my idea, I assure you.” Julie whispered to Knuckles “C’mon, let’s just go. Let’s talk to Ekyt, he’s been banished a ton of times, and he’s still here.” Knuckles nodded. “We’d better hurry….”

“Did you get the data Kragok?” Robotnik’s face appeared to the leader of the Dark Legion. “Of course I did.” Kragok told him stiffly. He passed a vial of blood into a small transfer pod. With a whirr and a click, it arrived to Robotnik seconds later. “Excellent! This will fix him…Robotnik out.”

Ekyt offered a seat to Linda once he got home. She shook her head. “No, you need rest and food. I’ll handle the food. You get some rest.” Ekyt plopped down, too weak to argue. Linda made some food. Ekyt ate it without even looking at it. He felt a little stronger after that. He started to get up, but Linda pushed him gently back. “I’m staying here to keep an eye on you.” Linda told him, leaving no room for argument. “Do you have extra blankets and a pillow?” Ekyt nodded, pointing. “Good.” Ekyt yanked his blanket and pillows off the bed and laid down on the floor. Linda, who had been down the hall, smiled at this. Half-dead, and my comfort is still more important…He’s a rare one. She climbed up on his bed, curling up and falling asleep quickly, while Ekyt snoozed on the floor.

Robotnik chortled with delight. “My new robot is ready for testing! Attention, metal human!” A Ekyt-like robot’s eyes flashed. “Yes master?” it answered in a hollow, mechanical voice. “Do you understand your orders?” “Yes master. I am to pursue and kill the human, Ekyt. The device you’ve installed in me will prevent anyone from helping him.” “Very good. Go on, then. Attack!”

Ekyt woke up on the floor and took a moment to remember what happened. He heard a crash. “What the???” Linda-Su heard it too, and they both went outside.

A metal Ekyt was staring at them. Without warning, it fired a beam, which made a dome, encircling the two. “You are slated for robotication or death.” Ekyt wasn’t 100% yet, but he had to fight. “You’re a cheap imitation of me, scrap-metal. Time to back to the junkyard you came from.” The two clashed, bouncing all over the dome.

“It’s good to have you back Tails.” Sally told the young fox. “Yeah, it’s good to be back. I missed you guys…” Sonic ruffled his fur. “I hear ya bud. How about a race to Knothole?” “Nah, let’s race to the Floating Island. I’ve got to apologize to Ekyt.” “Sounds good, lit- I mean, big bro.”

“I am ingrained with even your personality. You have no hope of beating me!” the robot announced. Ekyt hit the side of the dome, bouncing off, his foot extending in a kick. The robot caught his foot and shoved him- hard! Ekyt hit the dirt on his side. He rolled away as a hand slashed into the grass where his head had been. He rolled over onto his back and kicked with both legs, landing them on the sternum of the robotic him. It fell backward, cracking it’s head on a rock. Seeing a hope of winning, Ekyt jumped up and brought his foot down across it’s head. It bent, but it didn’t break.” The robot seized his leg the second time he tried it, fling him high into the air. It jumped up and rode Ekyt’s body into the ground. Ekyt saw what that thing had planned for him. He punched futile, before getting an idea. He grabbed the robot’s coat (Remember, it’s just like Ekyt except for red eyes and a mechanical voice) and swung himself upward. He wind up on top of the robot, riding it into the ground.

The dome around them exploded in a shower of sparks. It looked like the miserable robot had lost. Ekyt, for once, had come out largely unscathed. Linda jogged over to him. “Light workout?” she asked him with a smirk. “’bout the size of it.” Ekyt said. He heard a whirr behind him. CLANG! Ekyt got hit from behind, metal hitting him in the head. He had tried to duck, softening the blow a little, so he had his wits about him to hit the ground and roll. Concussion for sure…This monstrosity has Robotnik written all over it…I hope they didn’t make it faster than me… “Come and get me!” Ekyt turned and ran. The robot was up along side him. Ekyt saw what he was looking for. He reached up and snagged a tree branch. He swung around it. One foot hit the robot. The metal monstrosity’s leg flashed upward, hitting Ekyt in the chest, knocking him backward.

Linda saw this from a distance. “Oh man…not good…he doesn’t have his full strength back yet…” She watched him wobble on his feet, having a hard time standing up after those shots, let alone fighting.

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