His Theme (orchestra): Terkaza.
Farewell: Danny Elfman.
~~~

"I gather us all here today in shared mourning. We grief with our neighbours, but our anger still boils. We demand revenge. But let me tell you now, those that fell in the recent battle a week ago, they would not want you to let your anger take it's grasp. Let us rejoin, let us rebuild, and most importantly, let us heal."

Days before such a speech began, a little chipmunk sat on her father's cape as she watched wheelbarrows of machinery travel by. The scrapes of shovels made her ears flutter as mud was scooped onto larger piles. Scaffolding too had begun to snake it's way up some of the debris of fallen buildings. Soft, hydrangea toned eyes observed a lavender hedgehog deliver snacks with the assistance of two rabbits. She smiled at the scene, exhaling prior to being elbowed.

She huffed and turned to see a grinning blue hoglet with emerald green eyes. However, before she could offer a scold her view landed on the sunflower that was shoved directly to just under her nose.

"Found this. Pretty rare, so I thought you'd like it." The hoglet crouched to be eye level and smiled.

"Thank you, Olgilvie." The chipmunk gratefully accepted the gift and turned to watch the rapid movements of construction.

"Things are going quickly, even for me!" Olgilvie snorted.

"They have to. Before Robotnik attacks again."

"You think he'd come back?"

"Why wouldn't he? He almost had us just two days ago. And if he makes a move of attack soon we...."

Olgilvie watched the princesses' head lower, thus he settled himself more comfortably in advance to gently resting a hand on her shoulder. With a raised brow, he smiled at pretty blue eyes.

"I'm sure everyone'll be ready for that. My dad took him down last time with my uncle's help. And we've got your whole army! Robuttnik can show up with an even bigger ego, but we'll just have to kick him down even harder."

"How're you so sure we can win?"

"We've never lost." The blue hoglet shrugged. "That's good enough for me."

"But...Knothole?" The young princess spoke softly, watching the other's ears twitch.

"That wasn't a loss. Just a...hiccup. We'll get it back. I know it. My uncle too. Besides, I never would've met you, Sal." He beamed.

Sally's eyes widened before she giggled, "I guess that's a positive."

"Oh definitely!"

"I'm glad I met you too." She swiftly tucked the sunflower behind the hoglet's ear with a snort prior to watching the rebuilding city.

A moment of calming silence enveloped the two before the princess questioned, "Where're your siblings?"

Olgilvie rubbed his nose, "Vistin' dad. He doesn't like being cooped up in the Civic Center. Can't blame him."

Sally looked towards the building the other spoke of, one smothered in scaffolding and drowned out by construction. "Is he healing up okay?"

The hoglet snorted. "O' course. He's just wanting to lend a hand."

With a hum in response, the young princess switched her view towards the practically demolished castle. She chewed her lip at the crumbling sight, then focused her attention on the large wooden platform that was being pieced together in front of the vast structure.

"Something on your mind?" Olgilvie's head tilted.

"My father's giving a speech soon. It's a little worrying."

"You'll be fine. All you've gotta do is smile and wave." He beamed from successfully getting the other to laugh.

"I guess you're right. Oh! You'll come see me before he gives it right?" Sally faced the hoglet excitedly.

"Sure, if you'd like me to." Olgilvie offered a thumbs up prior to his head being steered in the direction of the castle.

"See that window on the end? With the two Royal Army Guards?"

"The broken one or the smashed one?" He grinned.

Sally rolled her eyes lightly, "Go to that one in four days. I'll meet you there."

Olgilvie saluted, "Ai Ai Ma'am!"

——

"We have come this far, let us fight a little longer. I assure you all there is light at the end of this darkness. Let us fight as bravely as Armand D'Coolette, Sir Peckers, Spot Long, MP Bull Bones and as our loved ones did. We must stick together and persist, for those we love and for those we've lost and for everyone in between."

Sally watched herself in a smashed mirror, and although she struggled to see her reflection clearly, she decided the pastel blue dress and beaten up white trainers would do. However, she couldn't settle on her hair (which she despised to even admit for how vain it sounded), for she would prefer no fancy (yet torn) ribbon and nought flowers. She pouted, attempting to push back the large mass of hair draping over her head.

"This is ridiculous." She moaned.

"Really? I like the dress and trainers. Though, the ribbons a little much dontcha think?"

The young princess squeaked prior to whirling around to face the window. There she saw a blue hoglet swinging his legs over the edge, thus she rolled her eyes.

"Thank you, Olgilvie."

"No problem." He snorted and dashed over to her. "But ya gotta relax. Folks don't wanna see glam and fancy. I think." He shrugged.

"What do you suggest then?" Sally crossed her arms. "I need to look...put together, I guess."

"You don't see me wearing any ribbon and I'm just fine." The hoglet snickered in advance to pulling the white band from poofy red hair, then settling it behind his ear.

"Much better now." Sally covered her mouth to poorly hide a giggle.

"Same to you." Olgilvie smiled, looking in the destroyed mirror.

The chipmunk removed the few flowers and continued to smooth her hair. Only for a mere few seconds as the hoglet beside her chose to ruffle it and undo her, although minimal, progress.

"Relax Sal."

"But I-."

"Trust me, you look fine." Olgilvie gave a thumbs up. "Now, remember, smile and wave."

——

"I want to remind everyone of our alliance with GUN, a new military force set on finding Robotnik and locking him away for good." King Max stands formerly on a wooden platform, his family to his left and the top members of GUN on his right.

He gestures towards Abraham Towers, who holds his arms firmly behind his back. "Let me assure you all that despite our past...disagreements we have trust and utmost respect for our shared goal. Together, we will regain peace. Together, we will achieve freedom. Together, we will be victorious!"

As the crowds of Mobotropilis broke out into determined cheers below, Olgilvie looked to his father who's arm rested in a sling. With a gathering of bruises decorating his form, the darker blue hedgehog had overall recovered fairly well.

"What past disagreements?" The hoglet questioned and squeezed the older's hand.

Jules' ear flickered prior to him looking down at curious green eyes. "Little...arguments. You'll learn about it soon I'm sure. Don't worry about that now." He smiled as King Maximilian began to speak again.

"What arguments?"

"Silly things. I'll tell you someday Little Buddy."

"Okay." The hoglet widely smiled and returned to (sort of) listening to the King's speech.

—————

Olgilvie sat atop a stack of wooden planks with a chilli dog in hand, his legs swinging over the edge. He watched his mother deliver hard knocks with a hammer towards partly built walls. Sonia and Manic occasionally hopped around her before joining Sally and Elias in a game of Swords (where sticks were employed as the weapons and the children pretended to battle).

"You're not skiving are you?"

The hoglet choked on his mouthful of chilli dog in a start, whipping his head around to see his grinning father. Olgilvie swallowed and gave a sheepish smile at Jules who's hand rested on his hip.

"Just havin' a break."

"Well good, I want to take ya on a little trip."

"N-now?"

Jules glanced at Bernadette who, when noticed, nodded. The former then hummed, "Yeah. Now."

Olgilvie chewed down the remainder of his food prior to bouncing up, tail wagging. "Sounds like fun!"

Jules scooped up his eldest son and let the hoglet sit on his good shoulder prior to bidding goodbye towards the rest of the group. Sonia and Manic, although bombarding Bernie with questions, waved in return and soon joined the chipmunks in their game.

——

"So, where're we going?" Olgilvie asked, fiddling with his fathers coat between his legs as they neared the outskirts on Mobotropilis.

"Uncle Charles wanted to me to show you something." Jules replied.

"Uncle Chuck you mean."

The father snorted, "Of course."

"Show me what?"

"It's a surprise."

"How far away is it?"

"If I keep jogging, hopefully not too long."

An hour or so later and Jules slowed to a stop with a snoring Olgilvie in his arms. With the sun setting the darker blue hedgehog gently shook the hoglet awake. Olgilvie grumbled and rubbed his eyes in advance to capturing his view. Almost immediately his quills raised and his ears drooped, his small shoulders rising too.

Before him an abandoned, desolate Knothole crumbled. With absolutely no trees and greenery, muddy, charred ground reached the edges of the village with small remainders of metal scrap scattered across. Huts and stalls were long forgotten, now replaced with masses of rubble. The only thing that withstood such tragedy was a small hill on the far backside of the village- a slight mound stretching across it's top.

Olgilvie resisted the temptation to curl up, "W-why're we here?"

Jules sighed and set his son down beside him, then took the hoglets hand. They began to stroll.

"Chuck wanted me to show you something. I think now's a good time."

"I don't...understand?"

The father became more stiff and crouched on one knee, neighbouring what Olgilvie could only recognise as the remains of their old home. Jules rested his able hand on his son's shoulder, staring into teary green eyes.

The older warmly smiled, "You know I only ever want to protect you right? All of you?"

"M-mhm."

"Well I...might need some of your help Little Buddy. In case I can't...be there, I need you to get the others to safety okay?"

The hoglet sniffed, "I-I'm scared...."

"Never be scared. This is just...in case. I trust you little man. Can you promise me that? Can you promise me you'll keep them safe if I can't?"

"W-why?"

Jules sighed and lowered his head. "Robotnik's...stubborn. I'll give him that. After Max's speech last week I...we talked." He returned to observing his son. "Things are gonna get a bit rocky for a while pal. So I just need ya to be a bit stronger for your siblings. Make sure they're safe."

Olgilvie rubbed his eyes and swiftly nodded. "O-okay. I can try. But I still don't get why-."

Jules grinned and stood up, gesturing towards their old home with his good arm. "Chuck left a gift for you. Take it as insurance." He snickered and retrieved the hoglet's hand prior to nearing the demolished house.

Carefully they manoeuvred their way through the destruction. The father clearing a path by sliding heavy pieces of rubble out the way with his whole body weight and helping Olgilvie climb over other obstacles. The hoglet noticed he couldn't recognise any personalised items before bumping into his father who began making a circular clearing.

"Need help?" The lighter blue one asked.

Jules only grunted before throwing what appeared to be a battered rug to the side, revealing a trapdoor. He wiped sweat from his forehead as Olgilvie watched mesmerisingly.

"How long's that been there?" The hoglet excitedly waved his hands towards the locked entrance.

"Was here when we showed up. Though Chuck made some...modifications." Jules chuckled. "Mind if you break it for us? I would but...." He awkwardly gestured towards his arm in a sling.

Olgilvie gave a large thumbs up, "You bet!"

Thus, he swiftly curled into a spiky ball and bounced across the floor a few times prior to fiercely impacting with the trapdoor- sending wooden chips into the air. He rolled down the stairs with a complaint before unraveling, meeting with a rather spotless ceiling. Large rectangular lights stretched horizontally across, but they were soon hidden behind the concerned face of Jules.

"You alright Little Buddy?"

Olgilvie shook his head, nodded and bounced up. Only for his mouth to form an 'o' at the new space. He acknowledged he bumped into a desk smothered with clutter and noted all the other shelves and cupboards. Paint splotches, boxes and blueprints were tucked in any nook possible. But what the hoglet was astonished by was an incredible red plane standing proudly in the centre of the room.

"Wooowwww...." He mindlessly approached the vehicle and traced his hand across it's metallic side.

With a winged star symbol painted over a white strip on the planes back, a spectacular set of grey wings protruded from it's sides. One above stretched across the whole width and was connected by two steel poles. The planes design concluded with a slanted 'F' on each side.

"He calls her the Tornado."

Olgilvie looked over his shoulder at his father who leaned against one of the many desks. A framed picture of some kind was gripped in his good hand.

"For me?" The hoglet wondered.

"For all three of you...sort of." Jules snorted. "He thought you'd like it the most."

"I love it!" Olgilvie zoomed over to his father. "Sooner we get him back the sooner I can thank him."

The older hedgehog softly smiled, "I'm hoping it's not that long."

"Mhm. How do I...get it out of here?"

"Those doors behind the plane open to a runway. It leads to the mound above the hill, which slides open for you to take off."

"Wow! Way past cool!" Olgilvie then noticed the framed picture. "What is that?"

"Me, your mum and your uncle." Jules lowered it for his son to see a younger version of the three adults, arm in arm.

"When was that taken?"

"Oh, years ago."

"Where?"

"At our school. Where we trained to be in the Royal Army."

"Why aren't you with them now?"

"It...didn't turn out."

"Why?"

Jules laughed and set the picture down prior to scooping up his son. "Never lose your curiosity Little Buddy."

The father then ascended the stairs and dragged the rug over the hole with his foot prior to cautiously exiting the demolished house. Once free he exhaled and began jogging with a sleepy Olgilvie in his hold.

"Let's go home."