UIUF 3

Unstoppable Inferno, Uncontrollable Flood

A Sonic the Hedgehog fanfiction

Part 3

Notes: Oh my… This has been a long time in coming, let me tell you. I've finally figured out where I want to go with this story, after a long struggle. I was spurred on to keep writing on it because of the flood of interest I've seen to have gotten recently. Is someone promoting this story somewhere, or something? Well, whatever the reason, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It kinda skips around quite a bit, because I have multiple plot lines to set up, so I hope it's not too confusing… Some of the characters may seem out of character because I had to rework their personalities for one reason or another (Blaze, namely) and I hope it's not too distracting. Hopefully I answered some of your questions, but I've more than likely created new ones. We'll see how things go. New characters introduced again. Yay!

All the formality in the speech patterns has left the building. I just… can't do that anymore, because I am American, and we have no idea what formality is. Or something. (Stereotyping!) Just… trying to imagine it in a formal voice or something.

Enjoy!

Instead of allowing the hedgehog the satisfaction of a silent glare, he opened his mouth to reply harshly, but was cut off by a loud scream. It penetrated deep into his ears, making his head ache almost immediately. The scream echoed off the trees, making it almost impossible for Tails to tell where it had come from, but he could decipher that it was female.

Sonic's head had snapped up at the yell and he now sat with his eyes closed, deep in concentration. The piercing sound came again seconds later, and the hedgehog was off like a shot, plowing through the underbrush and disappearing from view in milliseconds.

The fox simply sighed before getting up and running after the speedster, following the gaping holes in the bushes towards the damsel in distress.

o0o

To say Tails took his time to reach the trouble would be a little callous and totally out of character for him, but it would also be partly true. His motivation for picking his way through the bushes and not slamming headfirst into trouble was simple: he wanted to see what Sonic the Hedgehog was capable of.

He was curious; he had not really gotten a good feel for the hedgehog's abilities back at the palace. He could tell, even then, that the blue Fire User was playing with him, toying with his own abilities, as if he wanted to see what the fox could do, and not the other way around. Now though, when danger was eminent and unavoidable, he knew Sonic would not hold back. The hedgehog did not exactly strike him as the hero-in-disguise, but, then again, he did not really know him. He knew of him, of course – who didn't? – but he could not help but feel that his impression of him from rumors were incorrect.

So, he trudged his way – with a miniscule amount of haste – through the undergrowth, fully intent on playing the cowardly eight-year-old and sit this one out, just so he could watch. He emerged into a small clearing, already wrapping his tails around his body for the small amount of protection they offered, and felt his eyes widen at the sight.

Twenty. At least twenty men – varying species from dogs to bears to birds-of-prey – were present. They looked intimidating, armed to the tips of their ears with bows and arrows, knives, and differing styles of swords.

Or, at least, they would be intimidating, if they weren't all currently sprawled face-first in the dirt, knocked out cold. Tails felt his eyes narrow and his right ear twitch slightly as he stared at the smirking blue hedgehog standing in the middle of them, completely calm and collected. His left hand was lazily placed on a cocky hip, while his right was cupping his head, his face tilting into the cradle of his digits, looking down right smug.

"Took you long enough, young User." The hedgehog grinned, gesturing idly toward the ruffians – almost all currently groaning and some even attempting to sit up. "I already took care of it. Did you get lost?"

Tails chose not to answer, instead focusing on the man closest to him – who the fox decided was the leader, after catching sight of the knuckle-free gloves of a Gaia User – who happened to be stirring. He sighed, lashing a whip of water out of nowhere and cracking the man across the skull, knocking him back out. The hedgehog raised an eye ridge, his face unreadable.

"Yes?" Tails asked after the hedgehog had been staring at him for longer than necessary.

Sonic shook his head. "It's nothing."

The fox scowled, and looked ready to respond, but a crashing sound from the forest behind them cut his retort off in his throat. He whipped around, hands raised to blast the intruder with a wave of water if they seemed hostile, and squinted, his ears straining.

A small form stumbled into the clearing, panting heavily, with one hand resting over his heart and the other on something at his hip. He fell to the ground, his chest heaving violently, as if he had run a marathon. He stayed that way for a few seconds before Sonic moved toward him, smiling smugly.

"Ray?" The hedgehog questioned, bending down and poking the other Mobian in the stomach. The smaller one glared and swatted the blue one away before sitting up, seemingly recovered.

"Sonic." He greeted in a voice that tried too hard to be unemotional. "You're out of jail?"

The hedgehog rolled his eyes, holding out a hand to heave the other to his feet. The newly identified Ray ignored the hand and jumped up on his own.

Now that he was fully standing, Tails swept critical eyes over him. He was a yellow squirrel – wait, flying Squirrel, he thought as the squirrel raised his arms in a stretch – with dark eyes and a small tan vest. His shoes were normal, leather. There was a belt slung low on his hips, a rather large sword hanging dangerously from it; a bow and quiver of arrows slung across his back completed the picture, and Tails felt himself squirm a little.

Swords were not hard to come by on Mobius, but for someone outside of the Royal Guard, it was unusual. The squirrel looked about thirteen or fourteen; not exactly young, but still a little too young for him to have his own sword.

As if he could read his mind, Sonic quirked his eyebrow when Ray rested his gloved hand – white, like those of noble birth – on the pommel of the sword. "Nice steel." He commented, whistling through his teeth.

"Thanks." The squirrel answered, smiling slightly. "Just got it six months ago."

Sonic nodded, his own smile breaking loose. "I'm proud of you."

Tails coughed lowly, hoping to bring himself into the conversation. However, a different young voice stopped him.

"Ray, hvem er det?" The voice was distinctly female, and seemed to come from above him. Tails craned his head back, trying to see who it belonged to.

"Det er ... um ... en gammel venn, Prinsesse…" The squirrel answered quickly, cutting Sonic off when he opened his mouth to answer. "Kaze no Kishi."

"Kaze no Kishi? !" The little girl squealed, launching herself out of the tree she had been hiding in. All Tails saw was a brown blur before it collided with Sonic, sending the hedgehog to the ground. "Sonikku-san! Anata ga inakute sabishikatta! Anata wa dono yō ni shite ita no?"

The hedgehog laughed, green eyes sparkling as he gazed up at the little girl. She was a rabbit, dressed in a simple orange and white dress, with matching white gloves – which crawled all the way to her elbows – covering her hands. There was a small, strange creature buzzing around her head, blue in color and seemingly created purely out of spheres. It spoke in a short variety of squeaks, all of which sounded strangely like the word "chow".

"It's good to see you too, Cream." Sonic answered affectionately, nodding toward Ray who extracted the rabbit from the hedgehog's stomach. He sat up, smirking. "Have you been a good girl?"

"Oh yes, Sonikku-san!" She answered quickly, making the switch in languages easily. "Mamma says that I'll be the most well-mannered queen Kanína has ever seen!"

"Does she now?" Sonic chuckled, glancing at Ray. "What're you doing all the way out there?" He asked after her enthusiastic nod.

"Mr. Ray was taking me to visit with the Princessa of the Robotnik Empire." She answered, uneasily glancing at her feet. "We were supposed to receive each other at the Mobian castle, but we got attacked and…" She bit her lip, eyes darting around her to the knocked out men around her. "Are they going to be alright?"

Sonic smiled kindly, bending down. "They'll be fine, but we need to get out of here. Can you walk a little further?"

"Ja." She answered with a nod in the affirmative.

"Good." Glancing up, Sonic caught Tails' eye and jerked his head toward the little girl. "C'mere, young User." Tails picked his way over to the trio, his expression stony. They were losing precious daylight, and Sonic was worrying about some girl? "Meet Prinsesse Cream." The hedgehog swept his hand toward the small rabbit, winking at Cream and eliciting a giggle from the little girl. "Princess of the Kanína Nation. You help her along while Ray and I lead. Can you do that?"

Tails sighed, bowing low toward the small royal. "It would be my pleasure to escort the princess." His words were clipped, but the girl still took it as a compliment. She giggled again and took the fox's proffered hand with grace, turning to the hedgehog and squirrel.

The two elder Mobians shared a grimace before turning and darting into the forest. Tails took off at a slower pace, allowing the small rabbit and her tiny blue companion time to keep up with him. They did so with ease, prompting the fox to speed up a little, which she matched just as easily. Soon enough, they were racing slightly, seeing who could set the fastest pace. Tails grinned, feeling free and like a child for the first time in ages.

Up ahead of them, the hedgehog and squirrel were hissing at each other in low voices.

"What're you doing this far off course, Sonic?" Ray questioned, glancing forward to make sure he wouldn't run into a tree. "You're over five miles from where you need to be!"

The hedgehog scoffed, jerking his head toward their followers. "Kid lost control of his speed and sent the both of us over a cliff and into a river."

The squirrel's eyes widened. "How'd you get out?"

Sonic's expression and voice deadpanned. "Tails is a Water User."

"Oh…" Ray's face reddened. "Right." He paused, glancing back to look at the fox and rabbit. "What're you gonna do now?"

Sonic shrugged. "Kid still thinks he needs to find Knuckles. I think we need to go to Harinezumi though…"

The squirrel thought this over for a bit, allowing his body to fall into a steady jog. Next to him, Sonic was staring at his gloves, specifically the bright orange and red swirls that dictated his place as a royal quest-taker. "Harinezumi is that way." Ray jerked his head to the right, smiling at his friend. "And Knuckles is that way." He nodded to the left. "You're decision, though…" He trailed off. "You don't think Tails will notice if you head west instead of east?"

The hedgehog's expression went stony and he stared straight ahead with dark green eyes. "He might have been able to tell in the past, but… He won't now. Not anymore."

o0o

Back at the palace, a young, pink hedgehog female was preparing the princess' bed chamber for the night. She turned the mattress, fluffed the pillows, and changed the bedding steadily, like she had done the job many a time. Swiftly, she made her way into the washroom set off to the side of the room, yanking on the lever to the well and pumping fresh water into a small stone basin. Grabbing a small, soft towel out of the adjacent linen cabinet, she submerged the cloth in the water.

Easily, she swept back into the bedroom, opening the princess' wardrobe and grabbing her sleepwear out. Laying the robes on the bed and smoothing them over, she nodded once before turning towards the doorway, her skirts swishing at her ankles. She was barefoot, the princess requesting that no soiled shoes walk on the plush carpeting in her bedroom. Quickly, she rushed to the door, realizing she was running late. Her job was to set up the bedchamber while the princess was away; she was never to be seen by anyone of significance, adding to the magic of the changing status of the monarch's room.

She slipped out of the door, easing it closed behind her with a soft click. Making sure it was completely shut, she then turned to hurry to the kitchen.

Until she slammed roughly into someone, sending both her and the other crashing to the floor.

"I'm so sorry." She had no idea who she was apologizing to, but she figured that getting it out before the other person could start punishing her would be best.

"It's quite alright. I've taken many a fall in my time."

The voice that met her ears was a soft one, reassuring and familiar. The young maid's eyes widened and she sputtered, falling over herself to get to her feet and then help the other woman to her feet.

"My princess!" She all but yelled, easing the girl upwards. "I apologize for my clumsiness! I should have been watching where I was going!"

The princess laughed to herself, relaxing the other with a wave of her hand. "I told you, it's alright, Lady Amy."

The hedgehog sputtered again, her eyes widening once more. "Y-you know my name? !"

"Why of course – I make it a priority to know the names of all of my ladies-in-waiting."

"Well…" Amy trailed off, unsure of how to continue. "I'm flattered, your highness. If you'll excuse me, I need to get to the kitchen to help deliver food to the young soldiers." She turned then to continue on her way, but the princess stopped her.

"Lady Amy," she called, rushing forward and grabbing the hedgehog's hand to stop her. "Please, come into my chambers and speak with me. I have something I need to ask of you."

The hedgehog cocked her head to the side questioningly, making sure to keep her eyes lowered. "Yes, my princess." The words were clipped, with a hint of some sort of hidden meaning behind them, but Amy followed her into the room just the same.

Once inside, Tikal eased the door closed and crossed the room to do the same with the window. Once she was sure the room was secure, she half-threw herself on the bed, motioning Amy to come sit beside her by patting the mattress.

The pink female did so timidly, sitting with her back straight and on the edge, prepared to rush out if commanded.

"You are of the visiting royalty, yes?" Tikal questioned after a time, causing Amy's ears to twitch.

"Yes…" She answered following a pause, weighing her answer.

It was standard practice for all of the noble families to send their girls to pay court with the princess or queen. Usually, they acted as ladies-in-waiting, because those were the people who were closest to the royal women, and it was considered an honor to be able to serve the queen or princess so closely. Amy herself had just arrived from a distant land last week, and she wasn't exactly pleased with the arrangements she had been given.

"Where are you from, exactly, my dear?" The Echidnian princess inquired, shaking her spikes out of their bindings.

Amy paused again, thinking through her response. Why, exactly, did the princess want to know? What was so important about one lady-in-waiting to one of the most powerful women in the country? "Harinezumi Nation, milady."

Tikal clucked her tongue, running her fingers through her loose – and slightly flaring – spikes. "Hm…" She trailed off, her bright blue eyes sparking in the low candlelight. "Do you have any Gifts, Lady Amy?"

For some reason, Amy felt her heart speed up in her chest, and she shook her head quickly, gulping. "N-no." She barked out with a little more force than necessary. "I'm not among the Gifted."

"Unfortunate." The princess sighed, laying back into the cushion. "You would be much more valuable to me if you had a skill…"

Amy could feel the temperature drop at that statement, and she hesitated before responding. "I apologize, my princess."

"Tell me, Lady Amy, who escorted you here?" The question was unexpected, and Amy took three beats to answer.

"My brother."

"Ah, yes." Tikal hummed. "I remember seeing him in court. Green hedgehog. Gruff. Looked about the same age as you…" She trailed off, but her tone prompted the hedgehog to respond.

"We're twins."

"Oh? Hm…" Tikal closed her eyes, picking at her gloves to keep her hands busy. "Your brother wouldn't happen to be named Manic, would he?"

Amy's eyes widened, but she forced her expression into stolidity when the princess rose back to a sitting position. "Yes, he would."

"So, that would make you, Amy, princess of the Harinezumi Nation, am I right, my dear?"

"Yes, milady."

"What are you doing here, dear?" Tikal's response was unexpected and Amy felt her ear twitch again. "Don't you have a country to be running?"

"My mother runs the nation." Amy answered a little too quickly, prompting Tikal to stare at her critically. "My brother and I only handle small domestic issues. It was decided I would serve a better purpose here, serving under you." Her tone was almost sour, but her face didn't lend to that.

"I see…" Tikal trailed off once more, leaning toward the pink female. "Hm, since you're obviously bitter, I have a proposition for you."

Amy sat up straighter still, her quills flaring around her head. "Yes, my princess?"

"What I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room. Understood?"

"O-of course, milady."

A sharp nod. "Very good. Tomorrow, at dawn, we are expected to receive an ambassador from Earth, a human princess. I am going to assign you to be her lady-in-waiting while she is here. Care for her every need, become her best friend, earn her trust. While you are doing this, I need you to listen closely to everything she says. She is from the Robotnik court – the leading family in Earth right now – and she is supposedly here to begin peace talks. I cannot be so sure. I need you to tell me if anything suspicious happens around her. Can you do that?"

Amy stared down at her hands for a few seconds, seeming to mull the proposal over. Eventually, she nodded once, knowing better than to refuse a direct offer from the princess.

"Very good. You can go now. Tell the cook that I'm sorry that I kept you."

The pink hedgehog rose slowly, making sure to turn and curtsy before backing out of the room.

In the hallway, she threw her shoes back on and darted down the hall, her mind a-spin.

o0o

Blaze sighed, pulling her cloak tighter around her body, shielding herself from the curious and amused gazes of Manic and Rouge. She huffed to herself, yanking her gloves back onto her hands when she noticed the dingy appearance of the bar around her, wishing for the twentieth time that she had just worn her Fire User gloves and not these restricting, full hand ones. If she wanted to do any type of fighting or Using, she'd have to pull the gloves off or risk incinerating them.

"So, Lady Blaze," Rouge's voice wasn't rude, but her posture practically mocked Blaze where she sat, "what're you doing all the way out here? Do you not live in the lovely town of Marble?"

Blaze scowled, propping her elbow on the bar in front of her and resting her head into her cupped palm. Her expression spoke volumes of her opinion of her hometown, and she didn't need to elaborate. Rouge raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anymore before turning to Manic, inquiring on his own travels.

After introductions had been made – Blaze completely blown away that a prince stood before her –, Rouge offered to let the two of them clean up and rest for a few hours in her bar. The night crowd had been scared away by Blaze's fireballs and her theatrical attack, and the place was barren. The bat was ready to close up for the night, but she claimed that she had nothing better to do, so she let them in. Before following the two reluctantly, Blaze had taken the time to claim her – Silver's – discarded cloak and her gloves, not wishing to lose them just yet.

So, here she now sat, running a gloved finger around the rim of a glass of water, watching as Manic downed a thick cup of some type of alcoholic beverage. He refused another cup however, instead taking the time to glare down at his soiled gloves as he answered Rouge's probing questions.

"I was escorting my sister." He replied shortly, tone leaving no room for elaboration. He sighed, rubbing the once pristine fabric of his gloves between two fingers, his green furred hands stark against the mud-stained material.

Rouge noticed his slightly-moping face and she grunted before reaching under the bar and producing a white, full pair of gloves. She shoved them at the prince, watching in amusement as he was startled out of his thoughts as he was pelted in the head. He grumbled, picking up the gloves and looking at them with a critical eye.

After about three seconds, he placed them back on the bar, pushing them across the polished wood toward the bat. "I can't accept these." Came his explanation, and Rouge rolled her eyes, sliding them back toward him with one finger.

"Yes, you can. I didn't buy them. Tons of gloves are left here every night, lost gambling bets, drunken weapons, what have you, and I just put them under here," she indicated under the counter. "I don't need them. I've got my own." She presented her hands briefly, showcasing her own User-friendly gloves. They were palm less, signaling a Water User and Blaze bit her lip, feeling uneasy once more. "Which reminds me…" The bat trailed off, bending down and riffling through the large stacks of gloves she had stashed. A few moments later, she popped back up, holding a fingerless pair, which she presented to Blaze. The purple Mobian didn't dare refuse like Manic, knowing that someone was surely smiling down on her. It was only luck that got her a Fire friendly pair. These were hard to come by outside of the major cities, and even then, they were expensive.

"Thank you." She breathed, carefully extracting her old pair and slipping the new ones on. She curled her fingers, testing the fabric, and was pleased when the material yielded easily. These were broken in. Excellent.

Rouge just grunted in return, turning to place the bottle of whatever alcoholic beverage Manic had been sampling back into the cabinet behind her. When she opened the door, Blaze blinked as a sharp, blue, almost supernatural light flared from within, nearly blinding her because she was staring right at it. Rouge seemed to notice her preoccupation and she slammed the cabinet closed, scowling.

"What was-?" Manic tried to ask, but the bat cut him off.

"None of your concern." Rouge answered, her voice clipped. "I'm a treasure hunter on the side." She elaborated when neither of their faces looked remotely satisfied. "I have yet to return that little beauty to its rightful owner."

Blaze barely kept the sneer off of her face. Whoever heard of a female treasure hunter? It was absurd – women didn't need to do that type of thing. But, then she saw the expression on Rouge's face and she amended herself, changing her tune. She knew a treasure hunter after all, and he wasn't exactly the sanest person you would ever meet. If this Rouge person felt that was what she needed to do, then Blaze wasn't going to judge her.

They sat in silence after that, Blaze still not taking a sip of her water. She glanced out of the side of her eye, watching as Manic finally put his new gloves on and flexed his hands, repeating her actions of testing the fabric. He looked satisfied, and tapped the counter once before speaking.

"I need to get going." He mumbled, glancing up at Rouge through the quills that hung low over his eyes. "How much do I owe you?"

The bat waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about it, honey." She winked at him. "Just take care of yourself. I don't want to see you getting beat up again."

Manic smirked. "You know me Rouge," he retorted, standing and stretching, "I can't stand it when idiots harass a lady."

The bat scowled. "I could've handled it."

"I'm sure you could have. I didn't want you to have to compromise yourself though."

Rouge threw a glass at his head, which he ducked with ease. "Just get out of here. Don't be a stranger."

He waved a hand as he ambled out of the doors, turning to crack a grin at Blaze and nod once in thanks toward her for saving him earlier. Then, he was gone.

Blaze stared after him for a while, wincing when Rouge placed a hand on her shoulder. "You got a place to stay for the night?"

The cat shook her head, biting her lip. She didn't want to impose on Rouge anymore than she had to, so she stood, getting ready to refuse.

The bat must have caught the expression on her face, because she sighed. "Where're you headed?" She asked instead, changing the conversation track.

Blaze sighed, shaking her head. "I can't pronounce it; never could. Hary- Harrinumi-" She groaned mentally.

"Harinezumi?" Rouge asked, her expression flat. Once Blaze nodded, her face was almost drearily void of emotion. "Manic's price of the Harinezumi Nation…" She trailed off, hoping Blaze would catch her drift.

"Wait…" Blaze felt her face heat up as a blush crept its way into her cheeks. She quickly attributed her cluelessness to a lack of sleep, and hastily thanked Rouge for her hospitality before spinning around and rushing out of the door, hoping that Manic hadn't gotten too far.

Her wish was granted when, three feet from the door, she ran right into him, almost knocking him to the ground. He grinned at her, his arms snaking around her waist to keep her upright as she tried to stumble backwards, away from him. She scowled once she was stable and she struggled backwards, out of his arms, feeling her cheeks flame again.

"What're you still doing here?" She demanded before he could speak, glaring at him for putting her into this compromising position.

"My sense of chivalry reared its head so I came back to see if you needed help getting somewhere. Besides, you saved me; it's the least I could do."

Blaze sighed. A logical excuse. "I need to go to the Harinezumi Nation, Prince Manic." She replied shyly, hoping not to impose.

"That's where I'm headed. I'll take you." He smirked at her, offering his arm, which she took timidly. "And drop the prince title. Only my mother calls me that, and only when she's extremely angry."

o0o

Sonic and Tails decided to sleep in a new clearing with Ray and Cream. There was a safety in numbers and Tails had to admit – even if it was only to himself – that after their last disastrous night, he was a bit nervous to be alone with Sonic. The hedgehog had a strange knowing quality, like he knew things about Tails that even the fox wasn't aware of. The whole notion was absurd, but he wasn't one to deny his instincts, despite his reliance on knowledge and learning every once in a while.

So, in all actuality, he barely slept. His mind was awhirl with all that had happened that day, from the strange princess knowing a Mobian prisoner to the way Ray had been staring at Tails himself all evening after they had settled in the clearing. The small rabbit girl had curled against Tails' right side, falling asleep minutes later with a small sigh. Her strange blue creature settled on top of her head and was snoozing as well soon after, snores soft and high pitched. The yellow squirrel had taken to looking intently at Tails after that, ignoring the way Sonic tried to make conversation.

Eventually, after several attempts to get Ray to look away, Tails sighed and declared that it was time to go to sleep himself. Sonic had nodded approvingly at that, looking for the entire world like a concerned guardian. Ray had sent him a look after that, which made him halt mid-head bob and look fixedly at his hands, like they were the cause of his reaction. Tails had watched the strange exchange with raised eyebrows, but chose not to comment. Instead, he eased Cream's head off of his lap and curled himself into a ball, using his tails as blankets.

The clearing quieted after that, the only sound that penetrated was Ray and Sonic fighting over who would take the first watch. Eventually, it was decided to be Sonic, because he required less sleep and Ray propped himself against a tree close by before closing his eyes, his sword clutched in his hands.

Tails heard Cream sigh to herself and then a squeak as she rolled over and squeezed her blue pet, and all was silent, besides the crackle of the dying fire.

Tails laid awake for hours, listening to the soft sound of Sonic's breathing and feeling his own synchronizing as well. He flipped over multiple times, trying to get comfortable on the hard ground, but was never truly successful. Somehow, he ended up facing the fire and his blue eyes stared deep into it, the oranges and yellows reflected in his irises. The flames were dancing in slight breeze, barely manipulated by the invisible force of the gust. In a way, he saw Sonic in the blaze… Both were untamable, hot tempered, but, somehow, warm, at least to those that sought them out.

It was strange, Tails thought to himself, his eyes sweeping lazily to look at the hedgehog. His green eyes winked back at him in the darkness, staring attentively back at him. Sonic's so calm, the complete opposite of what I thought an attempted murderer would be…

Now that he had been around the blue Mobian for an extended amount of time, he had a hard time believing that he had attempted to hurt anyone, especially after seeing him take off to save Cream after she had screamed. It had hard for him to equate the kind, protective presence sitting a few feet away with the fierce, unforgiving image society had given him.

"Go to sleep, Tails." A soft voice whispered across the clearing. "Nothing will hurt you."

Somehow, the command penetrated deep into his subconscious, and he felt himself slipping away without his command. He was out seconds later.

o0o

When Tails next became of the world, it had to be hours later, as Sonic and Ray were whispering to each other. It was time for the watch change, they agreed in hushed tones and a few twigs snapped as they traded places.

"Anything interesting happen?" Ray asked in a whisper.

"No." Sonic's answer was quick. "Cream is a bit restless, but Cheese soothed her back to sleep."

"Good." The squirrel answered.

Silence descended again, but it only last a few minutes before Sonic's voice spoke again.

"He still sleeps the same way."

Tails felt his back tense, despite his struggle against the action.

"It's only been two years." He heard Ray answer back. "And, he's still young. He wouldn't have changed much in that amount of time."

"The last time I saw him, he was six and he was ordering me around…" Sonic chuckled. "The first time I saw him after my imprisonment, he was so… subjugated… He hung on every word she said… I don't know if I'll be able to break him of the mindset…"

Tail's mind was a mess of confusion. They were obviously talking about him, because he was the only other male present besides the two of them, but he had no idea what they were getting at…

"You know him better than anyone, Sonic. I'm sure you'll be able to break it to him."

I must be dreaming… Tails thought to himself. That explains all of this…

"I don't know, Ray…"

I'll wake up any second now and it'll all make sense.

"Soon enough, he'll be calling you his Nii-sama again."

Any second now…

"I hope so, Ray. I certainly hope so."

o0o

The figure was a living shade, precise in movement and dark in demeanor. It moved fluidly, not a single pause in its movement. It knew what it was doing as it slipped through the window, landing as if it existed inside a vacuum, no sound coming from it. The slight breeze, so small that it barely gusted the leaves along the ground, made more noise than the sinister figure. It held itself with prestige, knowing that it was untouchable and impervious to any type of threat. It smirked, grin tugging at the corners of a dark mouth and red eyes sparkling in the dark, like dying embers, cold and unfeeling.

The shape practically floated over to the sleeping figure in the bed, the smirk growing to a dark grin. It reached out a black gloved hand, gripping the topmost blanket. With a strong yank, it revealed a sleeping figure, only about sixteen, with red fur and soft rodent-like features. She slept peacefully, stuck in dreamland, and knew nothing of what was going on around her.

With a dark chuckle, the shadow narrowed its eyes, reaching toward the sleeping girl, intent completely hidden in its hooded eyes.

Until, suddenly, a bright ball of green blasted from the slumbering female's hand. It catapulted out of her fingers and slammed into the intruding shade with enough force to send it stumbling backwards, strange curses in a different language exploding out of the figure's mouth. He – now revealed to be a male – held up a hand to his face, gripping where the ball had singed the black fur on his face.

"What the hell, Tikal? !" Shadow the Hedgehog yelled toward his attacker, eyes bright in the darkness with barely restrained power.

The princess sat up, pulling the blankets around her torso and chest in a small sort of modesty. "Shadow." She greeted, brushing a few of her red spikes away from her face. "If you didn't insist on stalking around like some sort of demon-possessed creature, I wouldn't react without thinking."

Shadow growled low in his throat, still clutching his face.

Tikal sighed, placing her own hand over her heart. "What do you want, Shadow?" She asked once it became apparent that he wouldn't be starting a conversation any time soon.

"I came here," he spat the word like it was poison, "to inform you that it is done." He didn't need to elaborate on what 'it' was.

The princess' eyebrows rose and she ticked under her breath. "Is it now? So quickly… Are you sure?"

The hedgehog nodded once, precisely. "The Water User ran into the blue hedgehog at high speeds, sending them back careening. I simply guided them toward a cliff, where they went over and landed in a river." He smirked again. "Neither came back up."

Tikal's face dropped into a flat expression. "You do realize that the child is a Water User, correct?"

If the dark hedgehog were anyone else, he would have scoffed. "Of course I do," he replied bitterly. "Even if he made it out, there's no way that Fire User did. Swimming isn't something they're well versed in." He grinned darkly, flicking tiny bits of green Chaos Energy off his fingertips like small stars. "Besides, being submerged like that would have extinguished his Core for at least a week. There's no way they'll survive if he can't Wield."

Tikal rubbed her temples, fingers kneading into red fur. "You're positive you did not see them surface?"

"Yes."

"Very well then. I trust you, Shadow. You have done well. Feel free to go to the kitchen and grab something to eat and drink. Then, in the morning, report back here. I need to think of a place to hide you until I can clear you of your outcast status."

The hedgehog nodded once before bowing slightly, more of a mockery of the move than anything else, and slinked out of the room backwards.

o0o

When Shadow darted through the corridors in the direction of Tikal's room after visiting the kitchen, it was late morning, well past dawn. The dark, oppressing curtain of night had lifted its hold on the palace for the day, and the bright rays of the sun were filtering their way through the stain glass windows, painting the whole building in soft pastel colors. The red carpeting practically shone in the day time and the stone walls had lost their cold appearance, instead warming like a conductor.

Shadow kept to the dark corners, only daring to rush down a hall when it was completely clear on both sides. He was not – under any circumstances – supposed to enter the castle, and he didn't think the captain of the guard would take kindly to him bolting around like it was his personal playground, so he was wary. He would check and then double check every angle before dashing to his new hiding place.

Slightly, he wished he hadn't fallen asleep in one of the storerooms, but he had been awake for almost thirty-six consecutive hours. His body only required a minimal amount of sleep, but he had already been pushing it when he chose to come back to the palace instead of sleeping somewhere in the forest, and the following few hours had really taken it out of him. It was a surprise that he had managed to slip into the palace so easily last night, considering how dead tired he had been.

So, yes, he had slept, and he was regretting it now. The light of day illuminated the whole building, making it almost impossible for him to get back to Tikal's room unnoticed. He had to resort to playing hide-and-seek with the unknowing guards, ducking around corners and hiding in the shadows when one of them passed. It was tedious and he was started to get antsy.

He sighed, grumbling to himself and turned a corner without checking it, because it was practically silent in this wing. He was pretty sure he was in the area dedicated to sleeping quarters for visitors – royals from other countries – and, as far as he knew, there weren't any of those around right now. Of course, he hadn't been around the palace for the past few weeks, so he really had no idea.

Luckily, this hall was barren and he made it all the way down without problems. He ducked down beside a small stand holding a tall vase of flowers – white lilies, imported from Harinezumi or Shokuminchi if his guess was correct – and closed his eyes, listening for any type of sign of life in the next hall.

His ears twitched as a small scuffling sound – someone dragging their feet across the carpet – whispered from around the corner. It was soft and alone, meaning only one person. Quickly, however, he realized that there was another set, this one shorter in length, signaling someone shorter than the first person, moving quickly toward the owner of the first set. Almost as soon as he realized, a young, female voice spoke.

"Where are you going, Princessa?" The girl inquired quietly as both sets of footsteps paused.

"Just looking around, Lady Amy." Shadow's eyes widen a fraction of an inch, and he felt his heart pick up when the second voice met his ears. It was a voice that he recognized, but from so long ago, he had thought he had forgotten it…

"Would you like me to show you around, Princessa?"

"No, I'm fine." The second voice was female as well, but seemed a tad bit older than the first, and Shadow's eyes were almost as large as dinner plates now. He rose from his crouch, using the flower stand to help him keep his balance. Easily, he leaned around the corner, making sure only his eyes and forehead were visible.

Shadow the Hedgehog did not shock easily. He was very proud of his nerve and stoic view of the world. So, when his eyes were finally able to comprehend what he was seeing, it was a testament to his strong training that he didn't react beyond a gaping expression that closely resembled a fish.

A young human girl, around fifteen years old, if his assumptions were correct, with short blond hair that framed her face like the rays of the sun. It barely brushed her shoulders, teasing at her neckline. She was dressed in a simple blue dress, carelessly taken care of, he observed, staring at her muddy hem. She was pale, with legs that looked so frail there was no way she played on them like a normal child. Her face was of a recognizable shape, round and open and familiar to the hedgehog. He could feel his breathing picking up, getting caught in his throat as his heart clogged the passage. Finally, his line of sight trailed up to her eyes, and he was floored. Pools of blue, so thick with emotion and kindness, stared toward him, unblinking. They seemed to have caught sight of him peeking around the corner, and they narrowed as the girl tried to place his familiar red orbs.

Slowly, she moved toward him, and he tried to back away, tried to rush back he way he had come, but he couldn't. Her gaze held his own, locked him in position and he struggled to get his legs to move, but they wouldn't listen, forcing him to face down this ghost of the past.

The girl in front of him was supposed to be dead; he had been told point blank that she had died in a misunderstanding, something he himself had inadvertently caused. Both she and her father, gone in an instant. Shadow's whole world had vanished in that moment, and now his mind was spinning, trying to figure out how this person could be approaching him here in a distant castle in Mobius. He vaguely noticed the pink hedgehog girl behind her but he was zeroed in on the human as she moved ever closer, reaching out a hand.

When she was three feet away from him, he finally regained control of his body and he stumbled backward, knocking over the lilies in his haste to get away. The vase clattered onto the carpet, unhurt, spilling water and sending the flowers scattering. He was in full view of the two girls now, his eyes wide and almost-wild as he dashed away, still facing them. He practically flew down the hallway, pivoting around a corner and running down a few more halls before eventually crashing to the floor in a heap of gasping breaths and shivering quills.

"¿Shadow? Shadow, ¿qué estás haciendo aqui?" The human yelled after him in her native tongue, a language that Shadow had thought he had forgotten two years ago. He placed his hands over his ears and struggled to his feet, recognizing how close the voice was. He skidded around another corner and ducked behind a curtain, thanking Chaos that it was long enough to cover his feet.

Seconds later, the human and her hedgehog companion pounded past him, the blond girl still shouting after him. He watched them go, his heart pounding in his chest and placed a hand over the pumping organ. The footsteps faded and he deemed it safe to emerge a few moments later.

However, before he could, the curtain was ripped away from him, and he jerked his head up to look at the slightly-taller human girl standing in front of him, expression somehow a combination of worry and frustration. She barked something at him in her first language and he felt his ears snap down into his skull. He backed away, and winced when his quills bumped into the window behind him. The grimace on his face seemed to make the girl pause and she tilted her head to the side, analyzing his every feature.

He found himself doing the same, reassuring himself that this was her, his best friend, the only person he had ever truly trusted… One look into her eyes – he dimly noticed that she had a lily tucked behind her ear – affirmed his suspicions, and he felt his heart lose its grip on its holding in his throat, instead choosing to drop into his shoes. This was – she was – how was – what – this was…

"Maria…"

Translation done on Google Translate. Probably wrong. Also, I wasn't comfortable translating Shadow's name, so I kept it as is.

Translations:

Norwegian

Ray, hvem er det? – Ray, who is there?

Det er ... um ... en gammel venn, Prinsesse. – It is… um… an old friend, Princess.

Japanese

Kaze no Kishi – Knight of the Wind

Sonikku-san! Anata ga inakute sabishikatta! Anata wa dono yō ni shite ita no? – Mr. Sonic! I missed you! How are you?

Nii-sama – Big brother

Spanish

¿Shadow? Shadow, ¿qué estás haciendo aqui? – Shadow? Shadow, what are you doing here?

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