In a plant deprived desert, a militia base is seen in the distance.

A cheetah and robot bat are standing on makeshift track. The singular light of the moon illuminated their session. The robot is supervising as the cheetah ran.

The cheetah wipes her head. "How'd I do?" She asked. The robot stood there unmoving. "5 minutes per mile." The bat answered in a monotone voice.
The cheetah huffs. "I need to go faster."  She walks back onto the track and starts to run again. As she passed the bat, he shouted, "Syndrome, if you keep running, you could get depressed!" She ignores him and keeps running.

As she passed him the second time, he shouts, "You are getting dehydrated as we speak!" Syndrome rolls her eyes as she passed again.

She passed yet again, and the bat shouted again. "You'll have a slow recov~" Syndrome cut him off. "If we go inside, will you be quiet?"

The bat looked to the side. Syndrome sighed. "Come on."  She stomped towards a building to the right.

She stepped inside the building, and towards a door marked 'LOCKER' {just a really bold sign}

She pulled off the top of her uniform, revealing a black tank top. She then threw a towel over her shoulder and exhaled loudly. The spotted feline then traveled to the bathroom and splashed water on her face.

Preparing herself to re-enter the outside, she shrugged on her long sleeved shirt and exited the locker room.

She and the bat, named Ludo, traveled the halls. "You know, you could start being less of a smart aleck." Syndrome remarked as she and Ludo started to move to their sleeping quarters.
"It's my nature." The bat shrugged.

Suddenly, the sound of a girl screaming flooded the halls. A young bunny {idc abt the coloring lol} appeared down the hall, running towards them. "Hey, what the matter, kid?" Syndrome asked, bending down. The female bunny furiously shook her head.

As soon as she did so, thundering footsteps sounded from behind. Syndrome was shoved away from the girl, who was picked up by the ears.

The girl started to cry in protest. Getting protective, and confused, Syndrome stood. "What did she do?!"

A guard {doesn't matter how portrayed} turned to the female solider. "Treason!" He scowled.
"She stayed out past curfew, the rascal!" Growled the other.

Syndrome widened her eyes. Looked at Ludo, who had on the same look. As the guards pulled the girl away, she turned to the baby blue bat. "We are leaving."

"What?" Was the robot's reply.
"Now."

Syndrome ran to the locker room once again and grabbed her weapons. A cap, that goes over the tip of her tail so she can click on her other weapons, a mace and a sledgehammer.

She unsummoned the two latter, and ran out, while connecting her cap. Ludo was waiting there, with a look of doubt on his face. "Let's leave now." She walked down the hall, sneaking past the guards at the front.

Then, they ran away.

A red and orange octopus fished out a bottle of beer, streaming with water from the ice. He slid the bottle across the counter to the very drunk fox in front of him.

He was called over to the next guest, a female cat. "Hey, sweets..." She said flirtatiously. The octopus mentally rolled his eyes. "What would you like, ma'am?" He asked, annoyed. The cat sighed, and answered "Malibu, I guess. Make it fast, please." 

The octopus turned to the case of alcohol behind him. Honestly, the others had to leave him alone on this night. The busiest night so far. He poured the liquid in a glass and turned back to the cat, who was flirting with another guy.

He set the glass down, finally relieved he didn't have a mobian calling his name. That is, until a new mobian burst through the door, along with another. She threw herself onto a barstool, as the other just stood. "I need a drink." She stated.

The octopus widened his eyes. He turned to the case, grabbing a Boston Lager. He slid it over the counter, towards the mobian, who was a cheetah.

He leant on the counter, curious about what the cheetah was doing here. She had chugged the lager, and her companion, a male, hadn't moved an inch.

"Hey, whats your name?" The octopus said, trying to start a conversation with the newcomer. "Aren't you too young to work in a bar?" She asked instead of answering. "No.."

Suddenly the other, a robot, came to life. "Yes you are. You're 17." The octo stared at the thing. It's voice was monotone. He widened his eyes in surprise. "Uh...can you turn your robot off?"

"I cannot be turned off." The robot scoffed, showing a little more emotion in its voice. The octopus was taken aback. Shaking out of his thoughts, her held out his hand to the cheetah. "Seraphim, the Octopus." He introduces himself.

The cheetah slightly smiled. "Syndrome the Cheetah." She grasped his hand. Suddenly, the cat from before pushed in between the two. "Honey, could you top off my drink? And maybe something more..." She said with a wink. Seraphim held him hand up, silencing her.
"Go crawl back into the hole you came from." He snapped. The Fox scowled and went back to performing her flirtatious rituals. Seraphim whipped around and pour a clear liquid into a shot glass, before downing it in one go.
   "Can you even do that?" Inquired Syndrome. "Just did." Seraphim shrugged. The fiery octopus' eyes trailed down to the outfit the duo were wearing. Crap. Seraphim pretended someone was calling him. "Oops! Gotta run! See ya!" Without another word, he dashed off from the army members, in fear of being caught as being a questioner.

                                      ~

A pair of young mobians where walking on the street. The sky was orange, as the sun was setting. The youngest, a lilac dolphin, looked towards her companion, and older, spear wielding, fennec.

"Hey, Sift?" The dolphin asked the tan canine.
"Yes, Drift?"
"Isn't it nice outside!? The grass isn't as yellow as usual, and the sun is so pretty!" The dolphin smiled. Sift grinned, happy his cousin was enjoying herself. She was new to the force, and Sift really hoped that she would adapt quickly.

Yet this dolphin always smiled. Sometimes it was bizarre. Sift trudged through the mud they had to cross through in order to get to the other side of the city. It was their routine. Even if he was wearing sandals, which he was today, he would walk across the city and back around sunset with Drift.

  He shook the mud off of his shoes and followed Drift as she walked their normal route towards the library. They'd decided tonight that they would study until curfew, which was an hour later for Force members.

   Soon they reached the steps of the old place and opened the door. There were tall book cases lining the walls, and regular sized ones in the middle. The place they were to go was in the left corner of the building. Drift wanted to study more about combat, so that's where they would go.

   They crossed the empty library over to the combat section. Drift leant on his spear as he scanned the area for history, a little further up from Combat. Sift pulled out a book on the last war they had fought, and wondered how bad the world could've been. 'Surely it couldn't have been that bad to result in a world like this.'
   He grabbed a bunch off the shelf and wondered around to find Drift. She wasn't where he has left her, which was worrying. As he passed a jumble of boxes, suddenly a mobian slammed into him with a yelp of surprise. They both fell into the boxes.
   Sift groaned and sat up. Drift sat next to him, rubbing her head. "Sorry!" She said as she stood. She helped Sift up and went to pick a box up.
   But she saw something on the floor, where the boxes were. It was a trapdoor. Squealing, she ran over to it, flung the door open, and stumbled down some stairs. Sift groaned, and followed her down, with no words escaping his lips.
   Drift had found a light, and as Sift wondered down the stairs, she was running around. "A secret library!" She would squeak, before hopping up and grabbing a book from a shelf. Sift, after chasing her around for the last five minutes, leant on another shelf to catch his breath.
   Slowly, she furrowed her brow in confusion. "Hey Sift?" She asked.
   "Yes?"
   "It says here that Mobius has green grass, and these things called trees and flowers. Oh wow, the flowers look pretty!"
   Sift took the book from her hands.
   "What on earth...?" He muttered as he read the pages.
   'The green grass nurtures several different animals....The trees and forest are home to thousands of creatures....'
   "We need to tell people about this!!!" Drift went on. "And I know just who can help."

                                       •~•

  Seraphim narrowed his eyes as a short figure burst through the door of the bar, followed by a taller one. Oh no. Seraphim scrambled around, trying to hide, but he knocked down a bottle of wine, and the little dolphin had seen his tentacles dive underneath the counter. She struggled onto the barstool and laughed, "Seraphim! Come out!"
   Her companion, a tan fennec, facepalmed and sat next to her. Seraphim sighed and revealed himself, wiping his tentacle away from his eyes. "H-Hey, Drift. Your regular?"
The dolphin nodded. Seraphim poured some apple juice into a glass and slid it over to the two.
   He looked over to the fox, and they locked eye contact. Seraphim immediately blushed and looked away. "Anything for you?" He asked quietly, studying his hands. "No thanks." Said the Fox.
   "So, why are you here? Normally kids don't come here for fun."
   "Well...." Drift slammed a book on the counter, making the octopus jump. "Look!"
   She pointed to a page and flipped the book around. Seraphim read through it thoroughly and looked at her. "What are we gonna do with this? Start a rebellion for the sake of a plant we haven't heard about? Would our logo be an...." His Eyes flickered down to the page. "An anemone?"
   Drift looked at her feet. "Hey, I love your ideas, but all the work we need to put into this..it's a lot for the two...I mean three of us." He said as he cast a glance at the fennec. "Plus, some soldiers are hanging out at this joint."
   Seraphim pointed to the specific mobians he was talking about. But as Drift turned, she saw the two staring straight at them. "Um, why are the looking at us?" Asked the Fennec. Seraphim turned around and pretended to grab an empty glass. He took a rag and started to furiously clean it, looking back at the soldiers several times.
   But, before you knew it, the two soldiers made their way over, and were standing by the counter. "Hey, what are you three talking about?" Asked the bat, named Ludo. Seraphim ignored them, as did the fennec. 'Sensible' thought Seraphim. 'Aw crap'
   Drift was trembling, her cheeks puffed up. Suddenly, she started revealing everything.
   "...and then we found a library and a book that said stuff about trees and I think the government is hiding stuff from us and...and I was thinking we could create a alliance where we could fight against them!"
   Seraphim and Sift stared at her in horror. She has them done for sure.
   "That...I think that's a good idea. Anymore thoughts?" Said Syndrome. "Well, um, maybe our logo could be an anemone, a flower from the book." She snuck a glance at Seraphim. He rolled his eyes.
   "Well...do you approve of this?" Syndrome looked at the others. Seraphim muttered something about 'being forced into things' and nodded. Sift did as well. "Alright. Meet me here to tomorrow at 12. Let's get this party started." With that the soldiers left. Drift waved goodbye and dragged the fennec out of the bar, without waiting for a response from her friend. Seraphim sighed. 'At least I'll see that Fennec again....'

                                    •~•

Ludo walked alongside Syndrome as they made their way down the street. They had been staying in a small hotel, by that I mean very small. Only three rooms were available.
   Seraphims bar was on the same street, and that's where they we bound to. Syndrome pushed open the door. It was noon, and only a few people were drinking. Seraphim was bustling around, trying to accommodate everybody with drinks.
   Off in a corner table sat the other two, the dolphin and fennec. Seraphim ran over to them, dropping off two glasses, then sped off to give a drink to another mobian. He must be getting everything done so he doesn't have to rush around later.
   Ludo crosses over to the others, Syndrome following. "Hey guys." Greets Syndrome, a smile on her face. Ludo feels his face dust rose pink. He shook the coloring away, though, hoping nobody else noticed.
  "We never got your names. I'm Syndrome, The Cheetah."
   "I'm Ludo the Bat." Ludo waves slightly.
   "I'm Sift, the Fennec." The tan canine introduced himself.
   "And I'm Drift! Drift the Dolphin!" The young sea creature jumped up and high-fived Ludo.
   "Now were just waiting on that octop-"
   "I'm here!" Cried Seraphim, while stumbling over. He tripped over a barstool, face-planting the floor. He groaned, and Ludo just stood there, not bothering to help him up. Sift widened his eyes. "Is he okay?"
   "I'm good." Replied the mobian, as he got up and rubbed his head. "So what's the plan then?" Asked Drift, sitting back down. "Well, I don't really know. We want to form a rebellion against the government, correct?"
   Everyone nodded. "How can we even start this though?" Asked Sift.
   "I can help." A pika appeared next to them, black and teal. "Echo, the Pika." She introduced herself. "I have a place you can set up at, Theres some tech."

Syndrome span around and hit several doubles of her best friend with her mace. She knocked several down, and fought valiantly.
   She stopped to wipe the sweat off her forehead. She looked around for Drift, making sure she was okay. Finally spotting the lilac dolphin, she sighed as she turned back around, knocking a few more to the ground.
   Suddenly she heard Seraphims voice from in front of her. "Syndrome!" He yelled. His hand burst into flame, and he commanded it straight towards Syndrome.
   He had been aiming for behind her. That was, until another robot jumped on top of him. And his aim was now off.
   {queue emotional piano music}
   Syndromes wide eyes were alight with flaring fire.

   Sift turned as Seraphim shouted out, and a loud crash was heard as Seraphim threw the robot off of him. The octopus held out his hand, trying to call back the flames igniting the felines body, tears welling in his eyes.

   Drift turned, after hypnotizing the robots to fight each other, and watched as the mobian she looked up to tried to save a figure she couldn't recognize from afar.

   Ludo turned from fighting his kin, searching for the owners of the several shouts and screams of agony.

  All that was left was Syndromes barely conscious body on the floor.

   Ludo flew over as he found the sight that he most dreaded.

   Drift fought to keep the robots under her command, the strain causing her to shout.

   Sift watched as Seraphim scrambled towards to Syndrome.

  But before he could reach her, Ludo flew in front of him, fast as light, cutting the octopus off. He shook Syndrome as the feline watched him drowsily. Her eyes were half open; and closing fast.

  "No, no, stay awake! Stay awake a little longer! We can- I'll- you'll be okay!" His voice showed more emotion then thought possible for a robot. She fumbled with her mouth, muttering something. Lido brought her head closer, and she muttered something only he could hear.
    "I- I love yo- you."
   She slowly went limp in his arms, her hand brushing the floor.

  Ludo hugged her close, muttering over and over, "No..Wake up..."

   Seraphim sat a little farther away, staring at the two figures on the floor. His eyes were wide, and he had his hands covering his mouth.

  Sift came over, and sat down next to him. {bye I'm imagining them on gravel for some reason}
   He put his hand on the octopus' shoulder and said, "It wasn't your fault."
   "But it was! It's all my fault, and there no denying it! Syndromes dead because I couldn't keep my focus!"
   "That's not true! You were attacked, stupid!" Sift flicked his forehead lightly.
   Seraphim looked away. Sift sighed and strolled off,  towards Drift.

   Echo crossed through the entrance, into a huge area of spare parts. Literally. There were pils upon piles of metal waste. She rolled her eyes, passing the rusting metal without a second glance.
   The rest of the crew followed her, with Drift picking up a gear. "I like this. It's pretty." She said as she strung it on her tail. Sift walked next to Seraphim, and they were talking to each other quietly.
   Suddenly Echo stopped. She had heard something clatter to the floor behind them. Ludo must of sensed it as well. He looked at Echo knowingly. She rolled her eyes. He had saved them last time when nobody noticed; he was basically telling Echo that it's her turn.
   She sighed and scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary. Nodding, she jumped up, hovering above the rest of the group, and loaded her gun. She pointed it at a pile of scrap metal, and boomed, "Show yourself!!"
   Suddenly the pile moved, and several gears fell to the ground. Out popped the head of a mobian. 'Oh! That is not a mobian! That's a pile of scrap!" Echo thought with disgust. She hovered back to the ground, and the thing stepped out of the pile.
   It started to make various hand gestures, frantically. "What is it going?" Asked Sift, confusion written in his face. After studying him for a few minutes, Echo understood. "It's sign language."
   She looked through the everything on sign language that she could find. She started to fumble with her hands. The mismatched robot probably interpreted her as stuttering. Finally she made out a sentence.
   'What's yo-(restarted word) your name?'
   The robot grinned. He sighed fast.
   'Griffin! What's your's? Are you a robot? How are you talking to me?'
   Echo rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe she was going such lengths to communicate with this excuse for a robot.
'The names Echo. Yes, I am. I am using sign language to talk to you, how else would I?'
   The mobians eyes dulled, as he signed,
'Can the others understand me?"
   Echo glanced at Ludo, who was staring at her hands.
'He probably can. His name is Ludo.'
   She pointed to Ludo, who held his hands out in protest. Griffin smiled and waved.
   Drift smiled and skipped up to it. "Hey there Mr. or Mrs. Robot. I'm Drift!" She said while shaking their hand. "Do you like my accessory?" She showed it the gear on her tail.
   The robot smiled and nodded. He started to sign something.
'My name is Griffin."
   Echo sighed once again, annoyed, when Drift looked at her in confusion. "It said it's named Griffin."
   "Well, I hope we become great friends Mr or Mrs. Griffin!"

                               •~•

  
    Echo held her gun, pointed at her fathers head. "Ah, Echo. The time has come. You've come here to...exterminate...me, and so you shall..."
   Echo re-adjusted her grip on the gun. She licked her dry lips, and stared at her father in the eye. "Alas, you haven't yet. Is there something on your mind, daughter? Something holding you back?"
   Suddenly he stepped forward, latching his hand onto her neck. "You ponder why, why on earth would I do this to the world. Why would he do this to his daughter?" He tightened his grip.
   "Well, I do this because you mean nothing to me! A pawn, gone wrong. To think you had the chance to annihilate me, and not to do so, because, I am your father?  You really are pathetic, and weak."
   He closed his grip, tighter...tighter...tighter. Until... WHAAMM! A fist came out of nowhere are slammed into the hedgehogs cheek, dropping Echo to the floor.
   Echo coughed, trying to catch her breath. The hedgehog scrambled up, muttering, "I swear that- YOU!" He leapt at his attacker, and it took a moment for Echo to realize who he was fighting. Griffin.
   The mute robot signed very angrily at the tyrant, 'If you want her, you'll have to go through me.'
   The hedgehog laughed. "A mute robot?! You must be joking! You aren't even a proper animal! You piece of scrap!" Griffin's eyes flashed with blazing fire. Without warning, he leapt at Echos father, punching him square in the nose.
   They continued to fight, both of them struggling under the others might. Griffin extended his right arm, and before he punched him, he signed with one hand, 'I am not scrap.' Then he socked him with enough force to knock him out cold, ending the fight.
   'I'm a Forsaken.'

   Echo watched Ludo from the couch. He was looking out through the window, as it was raining. She contemplated the question she wanted to ask him. She kept looking back at him, wanting to ask, but wondering what his reaction would be, since the..incident.
   'Augh, screw it.' She thought as she got up and walked over to the bat. She lightly tapped his shoulder. "Yes Echo?" He answered, without turning. His voice was dull. "Uh...um..."
   "Spit it out." His eyes were dark and half closed.
   "Can you teach me... how....to...feel things?"
   The robot turned to her. "How do you think I can do that?"
   Echo looked up at him, pleadingly. He turned back to the window, staring out at the raindrops. He obviously got more and more irritated by the second, as he felt her gaze on him as the minutes passed on. Groaning, he finally gave in.
   "How is a robot that failed his one mission supposed to help you with this measly task?"
   "Just...please?"
   "Fine." He showed to emotion in his voice. He was just blank.

   Echo was pleased. Yes- pleased. She had managed to feel a little emotion, by letting it all in, imagining how others felt. With a little bounce in her step, she turned the corner. As she passed Ludos quarters, she saw the door wide open.
   Suddenly a crash founded through the hall. Echo ran into Ludos room, and was welcomed to the sight of a smashed glass on the floor. Then she saw Ludo, whose hands held another glass. He rose it, and as he was about to throw it, Echo yelped, "Stop it!"
   Ludo turned to her. His eyes flashed with anger, than grief. He lowered the glass, but it still slipped from his fingers. Echo dove over and caught it, the carpet burning her arm.     
   "Damnit, Ludo! What the hell?!"
   The bat looked at her, and as Echo net his gaze, the sorrow found in them was to great of a portion. "Hey, are you okay?"
   Echo stood and came over to him, and Ludo turned away.
   "You know who you are, Echo," He paused.
   "You used to live, to breathe, to feel things. So tell me."
   He turned towards her. Echo furrowed her brow.
   "Why do you make me teach you? When you fully know that...I can't? I cannot feel like what most do? Are you rubbing it in? Are you trying to make me jealous?"
   "Because I want to feel, like they do. I want to understand...but I just can't Echo. I want to understand what she had felt...but no matter what I try..."

"I'm still going to be a robot."

   Echo ran at the robot, kicking it square in the chest. It took a few steps back before retaliating. Echo pulled out her gun a shot at it several times, ending with the robot at her feet. She dove being another robot and used it as cover. She shot more, all the while searching for Griffin.
   Finally she spotted the robot, who was fighting several robots at once. Two others were wreaking havoc around the town. Echo leapt up and over her makeshift shield and towards them.
   She hovered up and shot up one, smirking to herself. She kicked it down, and as she was turning around, Griffin came up and punched the other, and Echo took care of it so it wouldn't get back up.
   Echo smiled and signed,
     'Great work.'
     'Thanks. You too.'
   As Griffin turned to walk away, Echo rolled her eyes. She grabbed Griffin's wrist and pulled the mismatched machinery towards her. She pulled them close, and she passionately kissed the robot.
   Suddenly a bright flash separated them. Echo fell backwards, and as the flash cleared her sight, she rubbed her eyes. After a moment, she widened them. Her hand. It was soft.
   She looked down and saw she was sporting black fur in replacement to metal. She laughed unbelievably, holding her hand to her mouth. She looked up, searching for Griffin. At first she didn't see it, looking around at the villagers. There was one that stood closer, a tan male ox, but that couldn't be Griffin.
   She scanned the village again, once more with no sign of Griffin. Then she saw the ox was looking at her funny.
   Then it clicked. Echos mouth formed an 'O' as she stumbled over to Griffin. She looked at his appearance. He wore a plain brick red shirt, nothing more, yet she couldn't help but marvel at how good looking he was.
   He started to fumble with his hands. They were shaking raggedly, and Echo could barely make it out.
     'Wh-what do yo-you think?'