All is Fair in Love & War
					Part 1
  				 Water for Kimble
		by Jeanette Merrell~Copyright info at end.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxxXxXx
  Faux Pas
    Are you really such a mirror of me?
    a glimmer, a shadow, a reflection of me?
    I seem so lost in the most trying of times,
    a clandestine folly unseen between the lines.
    And here I am in defiance of thought,
    intrigued by the intricate web we have wrought
    For all that I am is what you see
    All that I was is what I shall be.
 
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxxXxXx
3234 Juin 5, Robotropolis

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxxXxXx
	Kimble paused in her forward progress, pawing at her overabused
nose as it tempted her to sneeze. She twisted to the side as best she
could in the limited space of the air-duct. 
	Leaning on one of its dusty, metallically-cold sides, Kimble
rested for the moment and glanced out the grating on the opposing wall. 
	Outside the grate, the perpetually bright glare of a typical
Robotropolis light-fixture kept its accompanying hall brightly luminated.
From her ground-level vent view, Kimble could clearly see the dustballs
that had accumulated on the hallway floor, in s ome places almost grooved
by the passing of SWATbots. 
	An echo of 'bot footfall resounded along the passageway, and
Kimble froze inside the duct's suddenly cramped and unsafe enclosure. 
	"And what of the twelfth floor control personnel?" a booming voice
began "I haven't the time nor resource to squander my attention on such
trivial detail..." 
	"The..tht..they..aren't.." A nasal voice mumbled, tripping over
each syllable. 
	"And speak up boy!" the bold speaker continued. 
	The second voice broke into a high squeal and scampered about for
a moment. "Ssir, yes sir, the control gro...group is coming along f...
fine..." 
	Inside the duct, Kimble struggled to keep silent. The sounds of
marching stopped; two pairs of SWATbot boots had passed, and to her shock
and dismay, the unmistakable gratuitous limbs of Dr. Julian Ivo Robotnick
had taken lodging next to her vent's openi ng. 
	"Detail, detail Snively! I want to know details!" Robotnick
lurched towards his lackey, the fat right leg jerking forward. The Dr.'s
cape brushed the floor, sending swirls of dust into Kimble's area. 
	Kimble forgot Snively's plight as the dust irritated her nose.
After two seconds of sniffling, a loud, painful sneeze rudely announced
Kimble's presence. 
	Robotnick stopped in his forward progress, and Snively's simpering
paused. "Snively, when was the last ventilation systems maintenance
survey?" 
	"Eighteen days ago, Sir..." 
	Kimble could almost sense the terrible grin snaking across Ivo's
face. A tear of frustration and despair drew a dark line across her face. 
	Robotnick shuffled about, disturbing more dust in the process. 
	The Dr.'s roboticized hand violently rammed the vent's grating,
and Kimble responded in turn with a cry of surprise and fear. 
	"Snively, there are vermin in the ducts..." Robotnick crooned
evilly as he twisted the grating out of the wall, his voice echoing down
the ventilation shaft. 
	The grating was wrenched shortly from its place and flung
backwards, effectively knocking a SWATbot incoherent. Kimble gathered
enough courage to break for safety, but a hand quickly grasped her ankle
and drew her back. 
	"One would hope..." Robotnick mused over the screams of his
captive, struggling to keep his handhold on its limb. :That one's own
fortress would be secure, Snively. Explain to me why there is a sentient
roaming freely in my own home..." 
	With one last yank, Kimble was wrenched out of the passageway.
Robotnick held her at arm's length, eyeing her almost appraisedly. 
	Snively stood straight, crossing his arms and looking upwards in
curiosity. Kimble merouwed disgustedly, swinging slightly from Robotnick's
sure grip on her ankle. She struggled to curl upwards from her indignant
upside-down position, but failed and unra veled to stare at Ivo's bloated
stomach. Her face grew hot and her head throbbed with the unusual gravity. 
	Robotnick laughed as the small creature began a recital of
struggling, mewling and cursing. "I believe we can dispense with the
formalities. Surely this creature is well acquainted with my countenance." 
	Robotnick grasped Kimble's arm and turned her about, keeping the
limb pinioned to her side with his metallic arm. 
	Kimble took the opportunity to strike back; a hand lashed out,
claws bared at Ivo's putrid face. The attack drew a small amount of blood
before his other hand easily caught the erring limb. 
	With a grunt Robotnick placed her before the remaining SWATbot.
"Keep her at pinpoint, laser setting five. Fire on any escape attempt.
Proceed to command central." 


	Kimble was the first to enter the large command room, a SWATbot's
laser arm point-blank on her back. Ears flattened against her head,
shoulders slumped, Kimble's very appearance cried out defeat. 

	Upon reaching the door's opening, Snively broke formation and
began checking the numerous dials and moniters at a nearby console.
Robotnick barked out orders, his hands poised on his bulging waist and his
face sated. 
	After a worker-bot brought in restraints, Kimble was placed
several feet from the center of the command room. With curiosity
overcoming her fear,
	Kimble slowly raised her head and gave the room a once-over. 
	Robotnick had seated himself in the regular command chair, a
sickly green recliner laden with controls and switches at the convenience
of the Dr.'s hands. Ivo glared down at her from his chair, resting his
chin in one hand and tapping the recliner's arm with the other. From the
hiegth provided by a raised dias in the center of the control room, and
the bright lumination provided by a ring of overhead lights, Robotnick was
easily the most imposing figure in the room. 
	Every few moments, the Dr.'s attention shifted to a second odd
configurement in one corner of the room. Following his line of sight,
Kimble's eyes rested on a black cylindrical container. Robotnick seemed to
hover on it for a moment, then he shifted positions. 
	"Snively, let's see if we have any records on our little guest..." 
	From across the central dias, in his corner of panels and
moniters, Snively whined an affermative note and entered a routine set of
commands into a computer board. 
	"DNA referance database search underway, sir." 

	Kimble started with a slight yip, tensing at a slight prick in her
sensitive neck. After a moment the violated area numbed, and Kimble
recognized with farmiliar disgust, the peircing touch of an INN probe. 

	In his own right, Snively also cringed as he watched the long
Identity Negociator needle snake it's way into the furry Mobian's
bloodstream. At the closest moniter on his farmiliar, beloved switch
panel, DNA files zipped across the screen for comparisons . Snively
watched them pass uncomprehending, for a moment surprised at the
computer's speed and then tired again as the novelty passed. 
	"What is taking the dammed thing so long?" Robotnick grasped the
arm of his chair shortly, causing the metal to groan slightly. 
	Snively paused and told the computer to slow it's furious
scrolling."Sir, it's progressing into the older files... those logged in
the second quarter of 3231. D... d'you suppose we could have found an
unlogged Mobian?" 
	Ivo growled and pounded a fist on the armrest. "I, Snively, would
have found a new Mobian." he removed his hand from the panel; in the
indentation of his hand, the electronics spazzed and crackled loudly. 
	Kimble was the first to notice the process' finish as the INN
probe retracted, tagging along a section of her skin along with it
uncomfortably as it pulled away. 
	Snively was backed up against the edge of his console, lower lip
trembling even as thge Dr. stayed his seat. A muffled alert sounded from
under his right hand. 


	Turning about with a start, Snively stared at the moniter, his
nose almost pressed up agaist its sturdy glass face. One hand wandered
over to a small green switch, and audio information began to filter
through his accustomed headphone in the regular mono tone voice. 
	"The information file on this subject has been located." Snively
recited, pressing a hand over his ear. "Subject identity Kimble Armada;
last file update Juin 14. Subject gender: female. Age: twelve. Species:
Manx. Weight: sixty-two pounds. Health is acc eptable, blood type O.
Status: prisoner #2485, South Wing barracks. Scheduled for robotization
Juin 25." 
	Robotnick grinned, lowering his hand and rising from his chair. 
	"So... a refugee?" 
	Kimble raised her head and met the Dr.'s imposing glare. 
	"I don't suppose you realize how far off-course you were, my dear?
Really I would think you'd make towards the opposite direction," Robotnick
paused, sweeping his fleshy arm in an outward arc for dramatic emphasis.
"For you are truely in the heart of my lovely empire." 
	Kimble glowered, heat rising to her face. "You haven't the
slightest hold over this desolate land. " she said with a low, rumbling
tone. "As for your putrid self, you are condemned to rot in hell with your
maker." 
	Ivo drew back at the growl in her voice, eyes wide then crimson
with anger. "Enough!" 

	Crouched in a pitch dark corner beside one of the freedom-fighter
frequented secret entrances to Robotropolis' central control, Sonic
observed the fascinating happenings of Ivo's day. 
	He shifted from one impatient leg to the other, unconsciously
tapping at the headphone held clutched to his ear. Static and voice echoed
from the speaker- Bunnie, impatiently guarding the tunneling entrance to
the command building outside; Dulcy poised for flight at the trash-heap
rendez-vous. 
	Both were waiting for his signal of retreat, dependent on his
voice for a mission complete, or a retreat on a split-second's notice. Had
Sonic been less taken with the passion-play occurring in the area before
him, Sonic might have found the yoke of resp onsibility aggravating. 
	"Chill out you two... this may take longer than I thought.
Possible rescue attempt..." Sonic whispered, pausing then pulling the
small microphone from his mouth. 
	A small sigh typical of Dulcy escaped the frizz of the receiver's
static and Bunnie was silent, acknowledging him in her own way. 
	Sonic fidgeted while Robotnick hovered over his subject, musing on
Snively's recent recital of information. 
	A young Manx... And just when you thought you knew all the species
on Mobius...
	For the first time, the young Mobian began to speak, straining
against her restraints and snapping at the Dr. 
	Sonic strained forward to hear her words, ears perked and a hand
almost protruding from the shadows. 
	Ivo withdrew from the prisoner with a shocked expression, issuing
a short bark of protest and bringing an arm across her face. 
	"Holy Damnation!" 
	A moment of silence over the speaker, and Bunnie broke with
concern. "What's going on, sugah?" 
	Sonic shuddered with a chill, watching through wide eyes as
Robotnick's child-prisoner slumped forward in her restraints. 
	"I'm going all out... NOW!" 
	Dulcy's voice echoed in Sonic's ear as he ripped into the control
room, a ring of concern lost in his sudden fury. 
	"Sonic, don't do anything stupid..." 

	Ivo turned to face Snively, who stood statuesque with a gaping
jaw. From his point of view, Robotnick had taken on a frightening aura,
his face devoid of sentience and a strength overriding his globular body. 
	Through clenched teeth he spoke, a terrible hiss of tension and
anger, "This is how we keep order among these animals, Snively." 
	Before Snively could even contrive to reply, he was pushed
forcefully to the side. A glimpse of blue rushed past, soon circling
around behind Ivo before the thought registered. 
	Violent sound echoed from behind the Dr., and he fell forward with
a stricken expression. behind him, Sonic poised in his rage and drew back
from the suddenly limp body of Robotnick. 
	Hands still clutching from his outburst, Sonic accessed the
situation to find another vent for his righteous anger. Robotnick had
taken a heavy blow to the spinal column with the remnants of kimble's
restarints, and Snively was blithely pulling himself o ff the floor. The
young manx was now securely over his shoulder, silent and limp in
unconciousness. 
	Sonic focused on Snively, taking his first step on the war path
before pausing. 
	A slight, warm and wet liquid began a path along his side,
dripping in a slow, continuous patten in rivulets along an arm and a leg.
Sonic glanced down and sampled the sticky solution with a gloved hand,
eyes wide with the veiw. 
	Blood had streaked a path along his arm, oriented from where
Kimble's head bowed loosely over his shoulder. Sonic hissed a curse at the
low form of Robotnik and pulled kimble into an upright position in one
arm, then two, taking off into the freedom-fighter access tunnel. 

	Snively at last pulled himself up on trembling limbs, surveying
the deathly-still form of his master and the gruesome remnats of the
prisoner restraints. He trembled, stepping close to the Dr. and looked
downwards where blood had pooled in droplets. 

	"Bunnie, head staight for Dulcy... I'm on my way." Sonic blurted
into his microphone, voiicing the message as loud as he could while
holding the injured Kimble steady. How inconvenient it was to have his
mike folded back at such a crucial moment! 
	A reply came, fortunately, from Bunnie. "Already there, sugah...
hurry along an' lesse what thah cat dragged in!" 
	"Dulcy, get ready to take off at my word." Sonic muttered, soon
bursting out of the tunnel and heading for the trash heap at top speed. 
	Dulcy startled when Sonic landed shortly on her rump, scrambling
to get a steady seat. 
	"Go Dulcy! Knothole at your best speed!" 

	Bunnie grinned with excitement as the dragon's powerful muscles
sprang, launching the entire group into the air. Sonic clasped a hand on
her shoulder as Dulcy lurched and spoke, his voice an octave high. 
	"Help me here! Dang if this girlain' gonna die!" 
	Bunnie turned about as best she could, catching a glimpse of ruddy
brown fur against Sonic's blue. 
	Patting Dulcy on the neck, Bunnie addressed the dragon in a low
tone and shifted positions in her seat. 
	Sonic was desparately clinging to his load, his face pale and ears
back.
	A silmilar display struck Bunnie as she looked over Sonic's
company. 
	"Mah good heavens, Sonic! What happened?!" 
	Bunnie leaned over the third passager, eyes darting back and
forth. A small, furry mass lay limp in Sonic's arms, crimson splattered
across her fur in a greusome display. Sonic's arm and chest mirrored the
gore where he held her, his eyes wandering at ti mes to the mengarie with
a helpless expression. 
	"Where'as t'ah poor thang hurt, sugar? We'v gotta stop th'
bleedin!" Bunnie's eyes wandered to the face of the creature in Sonic's
grasp. Eyes shuttered and expression blank, the young face eerily mirrored
Bunnie's own visage. 
	"Sonic- wait a second" 
	"WHAT?!" 
	Bunnie let a relieved sigh. "Look 'ere-" One free paw moved over
the injured Mobian's nose. "T'has' leakage below 'ha nose, but no'
above... She ain' gonna die, Sonic; tha' po'thang's only gotta
nose-bleed." 
	"Uh..." Sonic glanced down at the unconcious Mobian and grimaced.
"What should I do then?" 
	Bunnie smiled. "Hold y'a hand raght here-" She said, grasping
Sonic's free hand. "Am'ya pinch right here, an 'a hol' her head back.
Tha'll stop ta bleed'n." 
	The hedgehog wavered for a moment in indescision, then dipped
Kimble's head back over the crook of his arm. Bunnie nodded and turned to
Dulcy. 
	"Hey, Dulc- d'y think y'all can make a d'tour?" 
	"Where to Bunnie?" 
	"Ah think we's be best ah' goin' to tha ring pool; ah bit
upstream, way from annah' people." 
	Dulcy grinned toothily. "We're as good as there Bunnie. Hold on!" 
	"One mo' thang, Dulc' girl..." 
	Dulcy's ears about-faced. "What?" 
	"Take it easy.. we ah' got precious cargo ah'board..." 
	The dragon smiled. "Gotcha." 
	Bunie swivled about once more, where Sonic was back to his normal
self. Shoulders back, chin up, he was quite self-content. It was, after
all, nice to play a vital roll. 
	"So wha's tha girl's name?" 

	Sonic grimaced at the water's chill; one step at a time took him
deeper into the stream. Bunnie was at the shore, working to get the
ruddy-crimson liquid out of Kimble's fur. Sonic was about to do the same
for himself- if he ever got used to the water te mperature. 
	The current was weak here; several yards from where the ring pool
began with its myriad cascades. Dulcy had chosen a place off the left bank
to rest, well rested in a low tree. 
	The hedgehog balled his fists. Cold or not, this water was no
obstacle. 

	A sheet of water hit the rabbit full in the face, dousing the
Mobian she was rincing as well as herself. The shower continued for
several seconds and ended abruptly as Sonic finished washing. 
	"Sonic! Na' look wha' y'all done now!" 
	The hedgehog stood waist deep in the stream, grinning as he wiped
water from an eye. 
	"Ah ain' the one who neededa bath!" 
	Sonic shook his head, displacing an admireabl amount of water.
"Sorry Bunnie... 
	Jus' using the old turbo rince cycle. I hate baths!" 
	Bunnie placed her biological hand on a hip. "Fine than. Y'all jus
gonna finish washin' Kimble then, an I'm gonna go home t'dry off!" 
	Giggling sounded from behind Bunnie, where Dulcy had roosted, or
rather, hung herself in a local tree."Sonic Hedgehog, you have a talent
for trouble." She said, reaching a hind leg for the ground and unraveling
her tail from her branch. "I'll stick aroun d in case you need help." 
	Sonic smirked, clambering out of the water. Bunnie passed Kimble
into his hands and turned about to leave. 
	"Bunnie, wait!!" Dulcy said, intercepting the cyborg rabbit. "Take
the radio-units back to bookshire and Rotor for me, please." 
	Dulcy extended a fore-limb, one blackish-grey pouch hanging off a
claw. Bunnie accepted, and, turning again with a bright face, circled the
ring pool and headed home. 


	Sonic glanced down at the lax creature in his hands. 
	Stains remained on Kimble's face, and a bit on a shoulder, which
he figured could be handled easily enough. Dulcy rocked back on her
haunches, watching Sonic kneel to the water. He cocked his head to the
side, almost studious in a comical manner. Finally , the hedgehog
immerssed Kimble in the stream, supporting her neck. 
	A thin red cloud billowed out in the water and drifted away from
where Sonic rubbed Kimble's shoulder furiously. The deed was done in a
mattter of seconds, and Sonic paused yet again to contemplate the second
half of his task. 
	"You know Dulcy, this is alot like doing laundry-" Sonic said,
making a descision on Kimble's part. "You just have gotta do the dirty
work." 
	With that, he dunked the rest of Kimble under and scrubbed as
quickly as he could. She came up clean. 

	Sonic eyed his accomplishment with a smile. Poor Kimble was a
soggy mass of wet fur, allowing for the abscence of blood on her part. It
wasn't anything the sun coulden't right, anyway. For now, Kimble was just
one sopping wet manx. 
	Then Kimble stirred. Sonic felt it at first; a muscle spasm in the
right arm which startled him for a moment. He dissmissed it with a shrug,
moving towards dry land- then the manx coughed up a mouthful of water. 
	Sonic dropped his charge with a cry of surprise. Kimble came to
life in the water, reacting to the cold with a broken "MMMmmmrroww!" and
flailing limbs. 
	Within seconds, she scrambled out of the stream on four limbs and
sat on her knees, observing the hedgehog warily. Kimble made for a sight. 
	Head low, fur dripping; claws dug into the ground and gasping for
air, she shivered slightly. 
	Sonic blinked, still knee deep in the stream and recovering from
his surprise. 
	Kimble bit her lip and resigned herself, shaking the water from
her fur as best she might. 
	"You all right?" Sonic queried, stepping forward. 
	"Oh, fine- fine enough for a rude awakening. As right as rain,
after an ice-cold session in the water." kimble finished her statement
with a sarcastic lilt to her voice. She began to wring out her hair. "I
don't suppose you'd care to tell me what's going
 on?" 
	Sonic arrived on the shore and stood beside Kimble. "Ah..., well-
I kicked Butnik's big ol' ass, an' me, Dulcy and Bunnie brought you back
here." 
 	Robotnik, you mean?" 
	Sonic nodded. 
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxxXxXx
Finish; All is Fair in Love and War, Part 1, Like Water for Kimble. 


(Sonic the Hedgehog and all related charas are property of Sega. Like Water
For Kimble, written by Jeanette Merrell, is free for distrobution, under
the request that none of the above text or the content of the story itself
is changed or altered in any way. All other Fanfic charas are copyright of
their respective authors. Have a nice day! :)


-Jeanette Merrell,
merrell@erols.com