Sonic the Hedgehog - " As the Wheel Turns " - by Aaron Lye

E-mail : vicl@pacific.net.sg

Sonic the Hedgehog , Miles Tails Prower and other related characters are based on the characters created by SEGA , Archie Comic Publications , and the Sonic the Hedgehog Saturday morning series created by DIC and Sega of America . Other characters that appear or are mentioned in this story are original creations of their respective authors.

"Cast" of characters used in this story ( in random order )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sally
Sonic
Tails
Rotor
Antoine
David Prower - courtesy of Shawn Wolski
Bunnie
Ari
Several other characters

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miscellaneous

Union of Allied Worlds - Joseph De laCroix

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOTE : IF I HAVE CREDITED THE WRONG PERSON(S) HERE , DO LET ME KNOW AND THE MISTAKE WILL BE RECTIFIED.
ALL INFORMATION ABOVE IS CORRECT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

READ ON TILL YOU SEE THE WORDS " THE END " , THE STORY'S INCOMPLETE UNTIL YOU DO

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Queen Sally Alicia Acorn looked out of the window . Ten years after their victory over Snively and his forces , the restoration of Mobotropolis and Mobius in general was about to be complete, with the de-roboticization of one last group of Snively's once-slaves . Mobotropolis was once again a sprawling city , where technology and nature co-existed peacefully.

Atmosphere re-generators had purified the air that Robotnik , then Snively had polluted , and environmental units had repaired the damage to the surface of the planet.

The computer beeped , bringing her out of her reverie . " Queen Sally , the Council awaits your arrival . " Sally acknowledged the computer's message , then proceeded to the Council Chambers . She had kept the title of 'Queen' as a sort of flag rank , as a tribute to the past rulers of Mobius . For the planet was no longer ruled by a monarchy . By majority vote , the races of Mobius had petitioned against a monarchy , remembering how that form of government had failed them almost twenty five years ago .

In its place was an alliance of the races : The Federated Races of Mobius .

This government was headed by a president ( Sally ) , along with a representative of each major race which had joined the FRoM Alliance . After the recent upheaval , it was only natural that Sally would want people she could trust in places of power . And who better to fill in those roles than the people whom she fought beside all those years ....

The doors of the Council Chambers swished open leisurely , and Sally matched its pace , strolling in casually , yet regally , a trait she had not lost . Once in the room , she surveyed the people present .

Seated around the retangular Council table , next to the majestic windows which offered a panoramic view of Mobotropolis sat the former Freedom Fighters : Sonic , representing the hedgehog race , Knuckles , representing echidnas , Bunnie Rabbot ( She kept the name even after her de-roboticization ) , for the rabbits , Miles "Tails" Prower representing the reclusive Guardians , Antoine as ambassador of the fox race , Rotor for the walruses , Dulcy for dragons , Ari representing his race , David representing the cybernetic lifeforms , and representatives from the Wolf Pack , the lions , squirrels and ferrets . Several races had yet to join the alliance , but talks were underway .

The meeting commenced soon after , with each ambassador giving a summary of the restoration work in their sectors .

With that part of the meeting complete , Sally spoke , " Very good . By tomorrow , Mobius will finally be totally free of Robotnik's "legacy" . By good fortune , that day coincides with the anniversary of Snively's defeat , and I want the celebration to be one the people of this planet will not forget for a long time .

Antoine interrupted at this point . " Madame President , there ees one thing . We recieved a .... what do you call it .... a communique from the Union of Allied Worlds . They want a reply to their request that Mobius join their Union . "

Sally seemed a little uncomfortable about this topic , but she replied smoothly with a " I'll look into it. "

She continued , " Unless there is anything further , this session is closed . Go home , get some rest , and prepare for tomorrow's Liberation Day celebrations . " The ambassadors left , either returning to their respective rooms in the Great Hall of the Council , heading to make preparations , or went to the recreation centers .

Sally went back to her apartment to get something . She keyed in her security code and entered . She was greeted almost instantaneously with a " Mom ? That you ? " , followed by the hedgehog-squirrel hybrid that was her daughter . " Yes , dear . " " You finished at the meeting already? Where's Dad ? I haven't seen him since this morning . " Sally smiled to herself . Seven years old and Samantha was already talking non-stop .

She answered her daugther . " Daddy's overseeing the preparations for tomorrow's Liberation Day party . Now , go back to your room , dear . Mommy needs to rest for a while . " " OK . " came the reply , as Samantha zoomed back to her room with the speed she had inherited from her parents .

Sally went into her bedroom , took her wallet and walked to the elevator , where she told it to bring her to the lounge . The place was nearly empty at this time of the day , but she didn't mind . After all , she hadn't come here to talk . She ordered a small glass of a sweet Mobian wine , and proceeded to sit in a quiet corner seat . She played with her drink , swirling it around the glass , oblivious to her surroundings , deep in thought . She didn't even know why she took the blasted drink in the first place . The last thing she wanted to do was get drunk at two in the afternoon .

A voice broke her train of thought . " May I join you ? " Startled , she looked up to see the now-not-so-young Miles Tails Prower standing in front of her . She could not help but notice that Tails had not changed at all, other than his height , and seemed to be the same lively cheerful fox that he had been when he was just a kit . She also remembered how Tails , using the power of the emerald , had been instrumental in Snively's defeat .

She motioned for him to sit down , which he obliged . Tails looked concerned when he said , " Sal , you seem disturbed . " She smiled .

Despite Tails now being in his twenties , he still had that cute boyish look about him . " Yes , Tails . I'm worried about this Allied Worlds matter . The council is split on whether we should join . Some representatives were vehement against the join , even to the extent of threatening me...some rubbish about compromising Mobius' integrity .... I'm sorry , why am I telling you this ? You were there."

Tails motioned that it was all right , at the same time signalling her to continue . She did so . " If the Council votes to join , the vehement members will surely cause trouble within FRoM , and dissent in our ranks is the last thing that I want . If the case is reversed , the Council remains strong , but should another dictator like Robotnik usurp control again , Mobius would not have the help of the galactic community . You can see my dilemma . What should I vote for ? To join or not to join ?

" I wish I could help , Sal " Tails replied , " but this is a decision you have to make . "

Sally continued , " I know . And that's what's making this even harder .

I'm totally stressed out . " She drained her glass .

Tails spoke up . " People say that history will tend to repeat itself , if the people do not learn from past mistakes . This is quite true . However, there are some things that are beyond our capability to control . " The two-tailed fox paused for a moment , as if deliberating over something, then continued , " Life can be like a wheel . It turns and moves , but like a wheel , it repeats itself over and over again . Things that have happened may occur again , and this is something you must take note of before you make any decision . " Sally stared at Tails . Was he trying to pass her some hidden message ? Just as she was about to ask him , Tails abruptly stood up and walked away . This talk had left her even more confused .

A few hours later , Sally Alicia Acorn had made her decision . There was no way she would risk Mobius to the whims of another Robotnik . She would petition for Mobius' entry into the Union of Allied Worlds ....

The celebrations on Liberation Day were spectacular . It started with a victory speech from the Queen , then the festivities began . The nightsky was filled with fireworks and laser effects . Mobians celebrated across the globe , celebrating being free , and life in general . Things were looking up .....

Two days after Liberation Day , the Federated Races of Mobius Council had its next meeting . Sally walked in as usual , knowing that today they would be making the hardest decision they had made so far .

She spoke , " This Council will now vote on the motion of Mobius joining the Union of Allied Worlds . Sonic Hedgehog , where does the hedgehog government stand ? " to which Sonic replied , " Ms President , we support the motion ."

"How does the Guardian Council stand ? " " Madame President , the Guardian Council ..... abstains.(for younger readers , abstain means that they do notwish to cast a vote)" came Tails' reply . This continued , with several others , including David Prower and Dulcy , abstaining . In the end , the vote was three for , three against ....

* ... this is a decision you have to make*

Sally remembered Tails' words . Hers was to be the deciding vote ...

She spoke , keeping the quavering out of her voice , hoping against hope that she would make the right decision . " I support the motion . Final tally : 4 for , 3 against . Mobius will join the Union of Allied Worlds . "

Before she could adjourn the session , Ari , and the representatives of the race of lions and the ferrets stood up and addressed the rest of the Council . " Our governments foresaw this outcome . In the event of it truly occuring , we were to read this statement . 'In view of the Council deciding to join the Union , our three governments have declared that we are formally splitting from the Federated Races and that we initiate war on the Federated Races as of today . There will be no peace in our time , as long as Mobius remains a member of the Union ." With that , the three walked out of the chambers . All the remaining members , save Tails , looked shocked .

Sally sat down , overwhelmed . This time , they would not be fighting Robotnik or Snively or their mechanical horrors . They would be at war with flesh and blood , like their own . They were literally fighting their kin .....

She had failed . Failed to stop this from happening . Failed to understand Tails' warning ..... *no peace in our time*....

The wheel had turned a full circle....

It had begun again....

The wars had begun again.....

THE END