Fox Fur - part 1

Large robotic tractors are destroying the vegetation of a beautiful and rich forest, it has been so since Robotnik's empire rise that already has cost or ruined the life of uncountable innocent. One of those innocent lives ruined, Fiona, a red fox in full teenage stage - she's wearing white gloves and a leather belt with shoulder strap with a dagger attaching to it and a customized laser gun on the belt - watching the devastation of the forest upon a branch of a very large tree; which luckily was not in the path of the machines.

Among the devastation, a female chipmunk catches the attention of Fiona. She desperately tried to run away the machines but bee-looking robots capture her and put her inside a fully enclosed metal cage. Usually she wouldn't care about it, but however, she saw a humanoid-looking robot in charge almost immediately calling back to base. Whoever that chipmunk was, she is very important and important persons most of time are rich; Fiona jump down from branch to branch until reach the ground, next, she run as fast as she can to not lose track of the flying robots that are taking the metal cage back to base.
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The robots were not flying very fast, so Fiona could reach them, especially by jumping from branch to branch. Eventually surpassed the robots, the sly fox set up her laser gun to shoot an electromagnetic pulse to deactivate them. The shot is successful and both robots fall to the ground deforested by the robotic tractors.

Fiona attaches back her laser gun on the belt and approach the enclosed metal cage, to demand her reward. Standing in front of the cage give her memories of the day she once was captured and put inside these things, but now that doesn't matter; she knock on the cage walls hoping see some reaction.

“Dr. Robotnik? Is that you? RELEASE ME AT ONCE!”

“I'm not that fat guy, nor do I work for him!” Fiona replied

“Thank God, that's a relief!” The female chipmunk said. “Please, I need you to set me free from this cage. You only need to press the big button on top.” She explained how to open it.

“Alright, just hold on.”

“Like I have other option.”

Despite the chipmunk's ironic tone, Fiona was determined to free her for the sake of a good reward, of course. She climbing the cage by its laterals bars, reaching the top, she stamped her foot hard over the huge button, making the cage walls to fall down and, consequently releasing the poor chipmunk girl trapped.

Next, Fiona looks upside down to inside the cage to finally meet with Miss important chipmunk. For that stunt, their faces were strangely close together, almost hitting...or even kissing. They shake their head to forget this awkward meet.

Fiona came down the cage, landing on her feet; she also coughed to clear the throat. “T-thank you for rescue me. I owe you one.” The chipmunk - who was wearing a short, open, light-blue vest that matches with her equally blue boots - reached out to greet her rescuer.

“I might think in a way to you repay me, Miss…”

“…Sally. Princess Sally Acorn.” The chipmunk introduced herself and both shake hands.

“Princess? Today is my lucky day!” Fiona was clearly happy with it; she not only saved the life of someone important, but the life of a member of royalty! Now she may require a large reward. “We discuss my reward right now or later?”

“I'm sorry to disappoint you, but after Robotnik has assumed the power, my family lost everything.” Sally revealed

That surely let down Fiona, but she then noticed Sally is wearing a bag shoulder. “B-but how about this bag? Doesn't have something worth?”

“No. It's just some supplies to my travel. Here, let me show you.” Sally explained, next, she open her bag showing she was telling the true.

“Damn!” Fiona murmured as she turns around kicking the ground. “This month was so weak! I'll have to go back to being hunter treasure...and be beaten by that bat girl” She said sadly

Sally, feeling pity out of the one who rescued her, place her hand on her shoulder. “What's your name?”

“Fiona.”

“Well, Fiona, I still owe you. So, how about you come live with me in Knothole?” Sally offered

“Knothole?”

“Yeah, a small village where me and others refugees of Mobotropolis can live in peace.”

“Hmm, sounds good to me. Alright, I come with you.” Fiona accepted Sally's offer

“Great! But first I need you to come with me to the meet point.” Sally said as she picking up from the bag what seems to be a portable computer. “NICOLE, can you calculate another road for the Great Canyon?”

“There is an entrance to an underground cave after a creek.” NICOLE replied.

“Hey, I know this place!” Fiona commented

“Good. You can take me there.”

So the journey of two girls who just met started.
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Later on that same day, the chipmunk princess called Sally and her heroine, Fiona Fox are both now walking in a forest not yet devastated by the Robotnik's machines.

A mood of silence hung over them until Sally decided to break it with a question. “Tell me, where did you come?”

“Mobotropolis”

“Oh…so that’s mean you are another victim of that mad man, right?” Sally speculated.

“I admit I had my moments of suffering inside that mine, but I got away.” Fiona confessed. A little further ahead, they came to the creek with running water. “We’re here.” She announced

“The running water is too strong to swim.” Sally stops and looks around. “And I don’t see any bridge.”

Then, Sally is surprised when suddenly saw Fiona swing for the other side of creek by a vine. “Your turn, Princess.” Fiona said slyly as she throws back the wine to Sally.

Sally was amused by this; next, she held herself tightly on the vine and tries to swing to the other side. However, the bag's weight combined with hers own made the vine break apart; fortunately she was almost reaching the other side and landed over Fiona. They fall and are dragged a little on the ground.

When they open their eyes, they realized they have ended up into another awkward position with Fiona holding Sally tightly in her arms. Both quickly detach themselves. “Twice in one day? Something tells me you play for another team.” Sally suspected

“It was an accident, Acorn!” Fiona defended herself.

“Let's just forget about that and move on.” Sally said as she stand up and clean up herself to remove the dust.

“Fine by me.” Fiona also stands up.

“Where is the entrance to the underground cave you said you knew?” Sally asked

Fiona remains in silence; she walks toward a big rock. “Help here.” She requested and Sally went helping her. Both of them push hard as they can and the big rock began to move, revealing an entrance to an underground tunnel. “Happy now?”

“Very.” Sally began to walk down the wood stair into the tunnel, Fiona came right behind, next, she pressed a button to close the entrance.
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With NICOLE providing the light, Sally and Fiona walk across the tunnel until reach a large closed area full of stalactites and stalagmites; they were in the cavern NICOLE has mentioned early. Of course that little detail didn't stop them from keep on walking until they came out right in their goal, the Great Canyon.

“We’re finally here.” Sally said gladly

“What the big deal with this place?” Fiona asked

“To meet up with leader of Wolf Pack, Lupe. She told me her people has recently found an emerald with stranger powers.” Sally replied

“Emerald, uh?” Fiona was intrigued by the part about the emerald, and kinda thought about stealing it for herself. “Wait – did you mention the Wolf Pack?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Let's say I have some disaffection toward the Wolf Pack.” Fiona said as she scratching the back of her head.

“I'm pretty sure it's nothing too much important.” Sally said. “It's night already. We'd better set up a camp.”
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The double walk down the ramp to the bottom, then, they sat next to the canyon's wall to eat. Tonight dinner: English Muffins.

“This muffin is delicious!” Fiona spoke with her mouth full.

Sally swallows before she could speak. “Don’t talk with your mouth full. Also, it was Antoine who made them; you should thank him when we are back to Knothole.”

“Was the King who founded that place?” Fiona asked after she swallows her muffin.

“No…” Sally said with a heavy voice. “He… he’s gone.” She looks down with sadness

“My condolences”

“It’s okay.” Sally took a deep breath. “I have to move on.”

“If this make you feel better, I lost my parents too.” Fiona confessed. “But I stopped cry for them and moved on with life a long time ago.”

“You're a tough girl, aren't you?” Sally said with a smile.

“I had to be. No one was going to help me.” Fiona said

“True. But sometimes…” Sally opens a water bottle and offers toward Fiona. “…it’s good to have help.”

Fiona smiled. “I guess you’re right.” She picks the water bottle and drinks it.

After eat, the two girls lie down and fall asleep.
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The chipmunk and the fox sleeps peacefully, while the canyon walls prevent the moonlight of falling on them. But the canyon's walls couldn't prevent that a scout from Wolf Pack spotted them and go to warn his tribe.

The following morning, as the first sun rays penetrates inside the canyon, Fiona, as she's used to doing, wake up right away just to bump into some angry wolves with sharp spears pointed directly at her and only. “Oh, crap!”

“You really thought you could simply return here and doing that all over again?” The wolves with spears open the way for their leader, Lupe Wolf. “Fiona Fox”

At that moment, Sally wake up yawning and stretching. “Never sleep in sandy floor again” Then, she finally noticed Lupe and her wolves pointing sharp spears toward Fiona. “Lupe, what are you and the others doing?”

“Sorry about that, Princess Sally.” Lupe apologized as she stretched her hand to help Sally get up. “But SHE is a thieve! And must pay for her crimes!” She angrily pointed the finger to Fiona

“Crimes? What crimes?”

“The crime of steal the Ancient Onyx” Lupe replied seriously

“The Ancient Onyx? Was that why you ask me to come here?” Sally asked

“No. Since because of HER…” Lupe once again addressed to Fiona angrily. “…and her two partners, the Ancient Onyx was never seen again”

“Actually, we lost it in the river.” Fiona revealed

“WHAT?!” Lupe grabbed Fiona by her shoulder strap and pulled her up to her so that they were eye to eye. She glared at her like she was ready to tear her apart.

“Yeah…it’s a funny story. Bean wanted to play it since it was shiny...” Fiona began to tell what really happened. “…I tried to take from him and...fell on the river.” She smiled awkwardly after finishing the story.

Lupe, indeed, wanted to tear her apart, but it stopped by Sally who holds on her pulse. “I know what she did was really wrong, but right now, we have a more important issue to solve.” She reasoned with her. Lupe took a deep breath and drop Fiona.
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Soon after, she and her group guides Sally and Fiona; which by consequence of her crime, the wolves had tied up her hands and taken her laser gun and dagger; to the entering of a tunnel. They walked down the stairs until reach a room with ancient ornament; a large statue of a wolf's face separated two doors and stone fire pit in the middle.

They sit around the fire pit, Lupe has ordered to a wolf to bring her the box with the emerald that they found recently, soon with the box in hand, she gave it to Sally; the princess opened it and found a red emerald.

“NICOLE, what can you about this emerald?” Sally pick up NICOLE from her bag

“I am detecting a great level of pure energy being emitted by the emerald.” NICOLE replied

“Now you understand my concerns?” Lupe said

“Yes, I do. We can't let this emerald fall into Robotnik's hands.” Sally replied. “How you found it?”

“During the excavation of a tunnel.” Lupe replied.

“Thank you for inform me about it.” Sally said as she put the emerald on her bag. “I'm going to ask Rotor to search more about it.”

“Since the ‘important issue’ was resolved, can you please untie me and return all my stuff?” Fiona asked. Lupe stared at her and growled angrily. “Geez!”

But eventually, Fiona is untied and had her things returned, and with the emerald safe inside Sally's bag, she and the princess are now outside the wolves' hideout saying good bye to them; well, Sally is.

“Good luck in your travel back to Knothole” Lupe said to Sally

“Thank you, Lupe.” Sally was shaking hand with the Wolf Pack’s leader.

Next, Lupe looks suspicious to Fiona. “Don't trust her, Princess. She might be planning to steal the emerald.” She whispered into Sally's ear.

“I don’t think she will, but surely I going to keep an eye on her.” Sally said
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Sally and Fiona are back in the cave where they came from, and again, NICOLE was providing the light so they could watch where they were walking. As they walk side by side, the princess want make a few questions toward her new fox friend. “You could have told that you had stolen an important artifact of Wolf Pack.”

“I said I have some disaffection toward the Wolf Pack. It was you who thought it wasn't big deal.” Fiona defended herself

“For Lupe it is. And you were lucky I was there with you, otherwise, she would have ripped out your heart.” Sally mentioned

“Why did you protect me anyway?” Fiona asked

“I kind of…feel connected to you” Sally confessed

“Look who wants to play for another team now.” Fiona joked

“That's not what I meant!” Sally wasn’t amused. “It’s just… I know how is to have your life ruined by Robotnik… to be a frightened little girl with no parents.” She stopped walk and turn around toward Fiona, placing her hand over her shoulder. “But I managed to move on, not like you did, but because I have friends to support me.”

“And here the main difference between us…” Fiona passes through her, hitting shoulder with shoulder. “…I don’t have friends to support me”

Suddenly, Sally hugged Fiona from behind. “Now you have it.”

Fiona is released from Sally's hug, she turn around to the princess and smiled. “Yeah, I guess I do have a friend after all.”

After that sweet moment of friendship between the two girls with childhood trauma, they made their way to the other side of tunnel, to exit through the secret passage. Reaching the stairs and climb it, it seems the travel to Knothole would be easy and without trouble, but when the huge rock that hide the entrance opens passage, they bump into Fiona's old partners who are now under the leadership of purple weasel.

“Hello, Fiona! I hope you got the money to pay the boss”