On the road to knothole

[Vanessa Blue]

"Tancer can take care of himself, I just couldn't leave a lil' bro all hurt in the woods, what would happen if I bear came by? A bear tried to eat my snacks and I had to beat the tar out of him."
It would figure coming between Vanessa and food would result in a beating.

[Chadin]

I was about ready to question the notion of Vanessa taking on a bear... For crying out loud, even a Mobian bear is strong as heck and could easily kick the tar out of a little cat like Vanessa. But I checked that thought before I blurted anything out. Better to not let myself get distracted, I decided. Besides, if Vanessa was telling the truth about all the fighting she's done in her life, and with those powers of hers... she had a pretty fair chance against even Swatbot.

I turned my attention back to Gerald. It wasn't until just now that I realized how much bigger this Overlander was. I had to crane my neck way up just to make eye contact with him to give you an indication... and I, like most Deer Mobians are rather tall compared to most Mobian species. I folded my arms across my chest as my ears folded back toward my head aggressively. I may not have meant to, but a current of icy resentment slipped into my voice as I spoke. "You want to hear about Robotnik? You want to know why I hate your species so much?! Okay Overlander, I'll give you the quick version:"

"Back in the Zone I came from, us Mobian's lived under a monarchy; and a darn good one two from what I was told by my mother and father. Your species, the Overlanders started a war with the Kingdom of Acorn. Why? Darned if I know, but according to my Dad who fought in that war, they wanted us all dead because they thought of us a s furry freaks. We didn't go down easy, but their technology was kicking us to the curb hard. Then we got lucky, one of you Overlander's defected to our side and built a robotic army that eventually turned the tides and won us the war."

"But no sooner had peace been declared than Robotnik launches a coup with his robot army and takes over Mobotropolis, our capitol city. After that he launches a global invasion. My home, out in the deep mountains remained untouched for years. But then he burned the whole forest to the ground!" My scars began to glow once again as my torn up emotions began to swell. I could feel hot tears forming in the corner of my eyes, but the emotions were already past the break point.

"I got lucky... I feel into a cave that saved me from the fire... I was rescued from that cave by the Mountain Freedom Fighters, but my parents..." The hot tears began to stream down my cheeks freely now as the pain became to much. "I don't know what happened to them... I lost my parents that day!! Because of HIM!! I don't know if my Mom... or my Dad are alive... or dead... or... captured... But I'd almost rather see them dead than captured..."

"You want to know why, Overlander? Do you want to know what Robotnik does to the people he captures...? It was a rhetorical question, but the horrors of what I knew would be difficult to comprehend, beyond belief. But I wanted to emphasis to Gerald, and Vanessa; to understand just how grave a threat Robotnik presented.

"If Robotnik captures you, he uses the Robotizier on you... It's a machine that turns a living, flesh and blood creature into a mindless, emotionless robot. After that, he puts you to work in his factories and sweat shops, helping him to build his army and expand his empire. There are worse fates than death... I should know." My voice fell to a faint whisper as my hand drifted up to touch the mind-control disk on the base of my neck. It seems like any time someone dredges up my past, I subconsciously reach for that disk. I guess all those memories have become deeply intertwined. It's amazing that I didn't become a disheveled, whimpering mess considering what all I've been through.

[Gerald Robotnik]

He was speechless, at first. Much like when Chadin told him that his wife was most likely not here. It was a lot to take at once, though at this point Gerald was used to it. Realizing that he was a bit too tall, he decided to level with him; sitting down on his knees. He felt somewhat acquired, but at least he would be more at an eye level without the deer having to look up at him. Also, the fact that he had the tinted prez-nez glasses dawned on him. He knew from past experiences how people felt about having to try and make eye contact with him with them on. He knew at this point he was facing away from the sun; since his shadow laid in front of him. Tilting his hat down a little more to the front, he took his glasses off. This of course reveled his blue eyes; as well as the dark bags beneath his eyes. He at first thought of something to say, but as soon as he began to open his mouth, he stopped and sighed, looking to the side. But he soon got his bearings back as he looked back at Chadin.

"Humans are strange things." he began, with a low tone, " Even though I am human, I still do not understand why peoples cruelty knows no bounds. There are people with much understanding, caring, and compassion. And then there are those who do not understand nothing, who are selfish, and only caring to themselves and the people who they think are the same as them. I cannot say sorry for there actions, because not only does it do nothing it also does not excuse there actions. People are people; and there actions depend on how science evolves and how times change. But it's always assumed that they will always make mistakes; but hopefully not the same as we have done before."

Shaking his head of the philosophical musings, he sighed deeply.

"But this Robotnik fellow...he does not sound like a menace for just your kind, but everything else as well. Not only does he use science and technology for his own means, he has reverted things back as they were from the past!" By now, his once weary, forlorn expression was turning to anger. " This was not what I thought the future would be like. Granted, there is bad in all times, but not like this. Things like sweatshops should have long been obliterated from the mind; never to be resurfaced like this! Instead of improving life; he is making it worse! Not to mention he seems to have no understanding of the consequences of his own actions! I understand there are times war is inevitable; but not for such foolishness!!!"

Most of what Gerald was ranting about seemed to be more like he was speaking his thoughts aloud rather than speaking to Chadin; as his eyes seemed to room the place as though he was in deep thought and his body language through his arms moving around. As soon as it ended, he closed his eyes as he huffed out a sigh; as though he knew that it was no use raving about it. Look at back at Chadin, with his expression serious, he continued on.

"Hearing all of this...I want to help; somehow. I...don't seem to have much left for me...and even if my wife is here and well, it would be no use traveling aimlessly and getting myself killed in the process. But, you already had one of my kind help you and he stabbed you in the back. I don't know how I could possibly show my innocence...." He didn't know how to continue as he seemed lost for words; which made him get slightly off topic, " And stop calling me that! My name is Gerald. I don't call you 'Deer' all the time! or 'Furry'; or 'Mobian'...."

[ooc: firstly, sorry for not paying attention to you Vanasse, but all Gerald can do is sorta be awkward with your strangeness. And secondly, sorry for the monologs. Gerald seems to just be one of those kinds of characters. XD]

[Vanessa Blue]

(If you didn't semi-ignore Vanessa, I would be worried Lol. And please call me Tancer, being Called a girls name is rather unsettling.)

The blue cat's face contorted into an angrier face the more Chadin talked. This Robotnik guy was a double back stabber. He didn't fight his own battles. Relied on deceit and deception. Everything she hated all rolled up one man.

While Gerald began explaining himself to Chadin, eventually leading into an organized rant. Vanessa walked over to a lamp post on the side of the road. She raised her leg giving the metal pole a swift kick. If either of the other two had done it they would be cursing themselves for doing that. Instead the lamp post was bent at a 30 degree angle from where the Cat had kick up.
Her leg was gonna be sore in the morning, but Vanessa couldn't vent her anger and frustration any way but physically. Sure she whined and cursed about Tancer, but she enjoyed being around him, this robotnik just got under her skin.

[Rampage]

Despite my the nagging doubts and distrust of Overlanders, or anyone else for that matter, I sensed a deep sincerity in Gerald's voice. That voice became especially loud when Gerald offered his help. Last time I listened to someone about a similar proposition I woke up with this disk on my neck. It was especially loud because more than anything else this was an Overlander. Even he admitted that this would be difficult for me to take at face value now that he knew my history with his species.

Ignoring my own personal prejudices against Overlanders, the real question came down to this though... do I trust him and accept his help? That voice was screaming loud enough to give me a headache by now, but somehow just below that voice came one thought that managed to cut through all that jumbled mess.: Can I really afford to say no? Look around, how many Freedom Fighters are standing around you. Granted, I wasn't in Knothole, but even so. Knothole wasn't a huge village, even from my world, and there was only a handful of Freedom Fighters anyway; the rest were non-combatants. There were precious few either capable of or willing to fight Robotnik. Allies are a commodity that was in extremely short supply.

That still wasn't a good enough reason to take this guy at his word of course. But that sincerity did have a big impact on me nonetheless; and when he took those glasses and knelt down to look at me at my level, I could see that same sincerity as well as hear it in his voice. For a moment, I was reminded of that nurse back in Solenna. These Overlanders... these Humans certainly weren't like the ones where I came from. I may not have been able to pay them back for taking care of me while I recovered, but maybe I ought to just take a leap of faith and show them the benefit of the doubt for their sake if for no better reason. That sealed it for me.

"Alright... Gerald... I hope I'm not going to regret saying this later but... if you're willing to help me stop Robotnik, than I'd be happy to let you do so."

That tender moment came to an abrupt and sudden crash when Vanessa took out her frustrations on the nearby light pole. To put it mildly, when I heard the distinctive clank of Vanessa hitting that light pole and I turned my head to see that pole bent at such an angle, my ears shot straight up as my jaw dropped to the pavement. Never in my most bizarre dreams would I ever have imagined that Vanessa was capable of THAT!!!

"Hoooooly COW...!!!! How did... HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!" I exclaimed in mixed terror and disbelief. I very hurriedly made a mental note to myself to never EVER tick off Vanessa; lest she to that to me.

[Gerald Robotnik]

Gerald had a very faint smile, even though he probably felt he didn't deserve trust so easily. But, he wouldn't dwell on that; he'd merly show that he meant what he said. But this sincere heart-warming moment was soon brought to an end as Vanessa kicked a lamp post; and bent it. His eye grew very wide in shock as he gained an expression of equal magnitude of Chadin; his left hand landing on his head and head with a thud as he grabbed it in disbelief.

"Oh....oh my..." He simply replied in a quite tone, as Chadin basically shouted out his own questions.

[Vanessa Blue]

After venting her frustrations out of the lamp pole Vanessa had a much less stressful air about her. She was young , still a teenager. All this talk of war and cruelty wasn't something she was used to. Back from where she came, you just got beat up or shot. Torture was an alien concept.

Vanessa looked back at the two, snapping back into reality. "Huh, Do what lil' bro?" She turned around scratching her head, looking for the amazing thing she had done. All she could see was the lamp post she, to herself, simply bent. She turned back "What ever, hey Glow-face, Imma kick this Robotnik's ass up and down the block, Is that cool?" Also back from where she was, Beating up someone someone else wanted to was insulting.

[Rampage]

"DO?!" I asked incredulously. "You just bent a METAL light pole like in were a piece of string!! I don't know... maybe that's just normal to you, but as for me, if I tried that I'd crush my hoof! I'd be STUPID if I said I didn't let you help bring down Robotnik. If you can do that to a light pole I'd hate to see what you could do to a SWATbot!" The more time I hung around with Vanessa, the more surprises I was in for is what my gut was telling me at the moment.

"Speaking of which... uh... Gerald was it? I don't want to sound insulting here, but what could you do to help the Freedom Fighters? No offense but you don't exactly look like a fighter to me."

[Gerald Robotnik]

"Well, I..erm...don't really -like- fighting; though it is necessary from time to time. Like in this instance." Gerald started off as he continued to look astonished from Vanessa's feet. " But I'm sure I can help in the department of science; somehow...If I could get my hands on any of the machines, I could finds ways to exploit it; so it may be easier to take them down. I am good with machines."

It was obvious that he may have not thought this out as much. Thought then again, it was hard to explain what he could do when he knew nothing about the other Robotnik person. He was smart; and he learned how things worked incredible quickly. That was a skill worth an cause. But was that all he could do? He looked towards the ground as he began to think; trying to come up with what he could do to help. He had a lot of information in his brain but all of it seemed to be utterly useless. Until he thought of something else he knew could help. It was strange, because he felt like he was just remembering it; like he knew it for a long time. Though he didn't remember ever learning it. But, if he knew it, then at least he had something to offer.

"There is also my knowledge on Chaos energy...I know of a...few ways use it."

[Vanessa Blue]

"Yah okay I-" the blue cat paused for a moment. Her ears dropping and her tail going limp. A sudden dreary expression came over her. Then they heard the sound. A stomach growled.
She leaned her head on Chadin's shoulder, whining directly into his ear. "I'm hungry." Vanessa needed a large amount of energy for the amazing feats she did.