The Mask Behind the Monster (Sonic the Hedgehog) [T]

Everything was red and black. The night sky smeared with clouds dyed crimson by the moon. Wiry trees growing up out of rocky crags, bare limbs lifted in a frozen state of fright. Spring water trickled like blood down the slope, seeping through the cracks and washing over my boots. I stood clasping my sword, struggling to catch my breath, frantic eyes searching for my comrades.



I could hear them, somewhere in the distance. But I couldn’t pinpoint them. Just the odd cry for help, sending a chill down my frozen spine. I felt like I knew this place, but I couldn’t recall it. All I knew is I had to get out. Get us all out.



“Boss, please!”



My eyes snapped to the mountain peak. Scurrying along the rocks was a small, black shape. His long tail swishing behind him as he fled from… something. I tried to work it out, but it was just a black blur, lighting up everything around it with a red hue. I gripped my blade between my teeth to free my hands and scrambled up the rocks towards him. It was like trying to run through tar. My gloves kept snagging in the sticky pools of red, my toes jamming in the crumbling gaps between the rocks. But I could make that blur out more clearly now. It looked like one of us. Long tail, mane. It lashed out at my friend, knocking him onto his back. A shrill scream filled the air, and I wasn’t entirely sure if it was from him or me.



I tugged my foot free and dragged myself further up the slope. It was getting steeper, and that red river flowed like oil around me, almost gushing from the precipice below the battle. I narrowed my eyes, spotting several more figures. All down. Limbs splayed, lifeless eyes reflecting the crimson moon. Anger mixed with fear in my chest and I let out a roar, forcing myself over the sticky stuff.



The floating monster drifted over my struggling friend. It lifted a hand, and a jagged red spear shot from it, striking him in the torso. Another blood curdling cry.



“Riley!”



No sooner had the word left my mouth, the floating creature turned on me. I could barely make out its face. It lifted its hand again and I stumbled backwards, losing my footing on the mountain. My eyes almost bugged from their sockets and all I could hear was my pulse rushing in my ears.



Then I fell backwards, somehow scurrying back down the mountain slope. Frantic eyes fixed on the monster as drew closer towards me. Words stuttered from my mouth as I begged it to spare my life. To let me go. To return my friends. To not be real.



It narrowed its lone eye. “So pathetic. Only the weak cower in fear.”



“I’m not-” My voice stuttered off.



“If you weren’t so weak,” it said slowly, “they would have survived.”



I grit my teeth and braced myself, but everything trembled like a leaf. Then I swung my sword. It flopped across its pointed face, waving like a tea towel.



The monster laughed, echoing around my head. Then it was gone.



I sat huddled in a corner, clutching a blanket in my fist. Heart racing and fur damp with sweat, staring at the point it had vanished.



Where was I? Everything was so quiet…



I craned my neck to take in the room. Brown sofa, rug by the fireplace, coffee table with a mug still sitting on it, its contents likely cold. Curtains drawn, but I could see the stars through a gap between them. My nose twitched. Something was cooking somewhere. At this hour?



“Are you all right?”



I jolted at the voice, ears flicking towards it. Sitting opposite me was Mocha, a mild concern in her eyes. Her book lay open on her lap, the pages lit up by a little desk lamp on the book case beside her.



I let my head fall into my hands and dragged my fingers through my mane. Just a nightmare. I leant back against the arm of the chair and groaned.



“How long have I been out?” My voice croaked and I considered downing the cold coffee.



“A few hours.” She closed the book and placed it onto her little table. “I wasn’t sure if you were awake earlier or not. You were going on about needing to find some guys in what I guessed was a fever induced hallucination. The only names I remember off the top of my head are Ace and Riley.”



I sighed, parting my fingers to stare up at the ceiling lamp and its fan. So I’d gone delirious?



“Who are they?” she ventured. “Friends of yours?”



It felt like someone was crushing my chest and I bit back tears.



“You mean ‘who were they’,” I said, trying to keep my voice void of any emotion. “They’re dead.”



“Oh…” I heard her shift in her seat. “I’m sorry…”



I shrugged. What else was there to say, really?



“I made soup,” she said. “I’ll get you some.”



She rose from her seat, visibly trembling. That’s when I realised she’d completely avoided my gaze. Good, she’d taken the hint.



Yet why did it bother me?



I clutched the blanket in my fist as my appetite retreated back inside me like a frightened rat.



She shuffled back into the room, clutching a steaming soup mug and a small plate topped with what looked like crusty home-made bread. She set it down on the table then returned to her armchair. I looked past the mug towards her, trying to catch her eye. But she absently grabbed her book and opened it again.



“If you’re scared, why didn’t you just turf me back outside?” I asked.



“Because I’m not a monster.”



I grit my teeth together and pushed myself up to lean against the arm of the chair. She closed her book and looked up at me, briefly meeting my eyes before nodding at the steaming soup.



“You’ll want to eat that before it goes cold,” she said. “You brought everything up earlier, so you’re probably hungry.”



My jaw went slack and I brushed my mane back. “I don’t remember that…”



“No. I didn’t think you would.”



Then I spotted the glass cabinet. Its door had gone, and its contents lay sprawled on the shelves. I looked back up at Mocha again, finally noticing the bandage around her upper right arm. She caught my stare and shook her head, turning back to her book.



“It’s nothing,” she said. “Just three stitches.”



“But I thought you dealt with ‘bumps and scrapes’,” I said.



“There are other medical professionals here. And I’d much rather it were just my arm than someone’s head going through a glass sheet.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “Please? Eat something? You’re thin enough as it is.”



I muttered to myself and discarded the blanket. “I don’t know why you’re still wanting to help me after I exploded at you.”



“Well, I’ll be honest. I’ve asked myself the same thing over and over since you passed out. But I kept arriving at the same conclusion.”



I paused to look back up at her as I dipped the bread in the soup. “Go on. Humor me.”



“Sonic and his friends often described the monster they’d had to fight. Every one of them described the same thing, so I never doubted their claims. But you don’t fit the bill.”



“But it was me!” I said.



“Was it?”



Her words stunned me and I stared at her aghast. She hugged her arms around herself and looked away, letting her book fall to the floor.



“Look,” she said. “I won’t deny it. I am scared. Terrified. I don’t know what to expect! But all I know is that you, despite what you claim to be, do not resemble what they described. At all.” She paused, watching as I took a mouthful. “It makes me wonder how much of it was just that ruby’s influence.”



I wanted to retort, but the hot soup burned my mouth. I gulped the cold coffee to cool it down, catching an amused look off the possum.



“You’re not the first person to say that,” I said as I reached for more bread. “But you’re wrong. I killed people before I got that ruby. I was a mercenary. I stole stuff and killed people for a profit.”



“And I was a literature teacher before I became a nanny.”



“What’s your point?”



“People change.” She scooped up her book and popped it back on the bookcase.



I shook my head and grabbed the mug in both hands, downing a few mouthfuls.



“Not gonna lie, this is good,” I said.



“Well, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”



Her words caught me off guard and I choked. I dropped the mug back onto the table and wiped my glove across my snout.



“And slow down,” she said. “You’ll make yourself sick again.”



“You think I’ll kill you if you don’t feed me?”



“I was just trying to lighten the mood.” She huddled into herself again and glanced towards the door. “When you’re finished it might not be a bad idea to get a good rest.”



I idly wiped what was left of the bread around the mug and popped it in my mouth. I certainly felt a lot better. Not tired enough to go back to sleep. Not really wanting to after that nightmare, either. My eyes wandered to the broken mask on the table and my mind drifted back to Shadow. And that little bunny…



“How’s the rabbit?” I wasn’t even sure why I was asking, but part of me felt the need to.



“Cream?” Mocha sighed deeply and trailed her fingers through her hair. “I’ve not seen her since she left. But it’s too late to check on her now.”



I licked the remains of soup from my lips and sank back into the chair. I could feel her eyes on me, searching me. So I fixed my yellow eye back on her.



“So you’re asking me about Cream,” she said slowly, “yet trying to convince me you’re a monster?”



I flashed a canine, but she lifted a hand to silence me before I could even begin.



“Infinite, answer me something,” she said. “How would you feel right now if you had me at your mercy?”



I pulled my lips back, searching her with my eyes as I tried to work out what on earth she was getting at. But she wasn’t done.



“Begging for my life, desperate to escape,” she said. “Or maybe not me. How about one of those soldiers? Still armed with their weapon, aimed at you? What would you do?”



My heart quickened and I felt my tail bristle. I warred with the urge to leave my seat as my pupils turned to pinpricks.



“Sonic, Silver, Shadow…” she said. “They all said you enjoyed watching others cower and suffer. You relished in it. You even mocked them.”



“Stop!”



I hid my face in my hands, trying to calm my rapid breathing as panicked faces filled my mind. I could still hear my own voice. Teasing. Mocking. Tears pricked my eyes and I tried to force them back. Right back, along with those vivid memories.



“Just stop,” I whispered.



She took a steadying breath. “I guess you’ve proved my point.”



My own breath trembled and I really wished I still had my mask to hide my wretched face. Whether or not those memories unsettled me, it didn’t change anything. I’d still done it. I was still a monster.



The sofa sank down beside me and I glanced to my left. Mocha sat beside me, still hugging her arms around herself.



“I’m sorry,” she said. “I needed to ask. Part of me was… scared I might be wrong.”



“Really?” I grunted. “And what if I’d said I wanted to? That I wanted to watch you suffer?” I lowered my hands slightly to look at her. “What would you have done then?”



“It was a risk I was willing to take.”



I snorted and tossed the blanket aside. “I need to be alone.”



“Okay. I’ll walk you back.”



She reached out to place a hand on my shoulder, but I ducked aside and rose to my feet.



“There’s no need,” I said. “I know where I’m going, and I don’t want anyone near me.”



“Well, I’ve been told you can’t be unsupervised,” she said. “It’s either me, or Shadow.”



I balled my hands into fists as I stared out of the door’s little window. “Fine.”



“Here.” She held out the two halves of my mask. “If you need to repair it, Tails might have a welding gun.”



I took them, letting them hang at my side. I wasn’t sure how the fox would feel about me asking to use his tools. Or repair his enemy’s mask.



She moved past me and opened the door, letting me out ahead of her. The air was crisp, with a salty breeze flying over from the ocean. It certainly didn’t feel like mid summer. Mocha kept pace at my side as she led me back through the town towards the castle. The walls were still alive with soldiers, their eyes glinting in the moonlight as they surveyed the town and its surroundings.



“I’m glad you’re looking better,” she said.



I said nothing, keeping my eyes on the castle doors. I wasn’t aware of picking up my pace, but she trotted to stay beside me. She brushed a few strands of hair back from her mouth and stopped, letting me move on ahead.



“Please listen to me,” she said.



I froze, but I didn’t look back.



“You need to understand,” she said. “I didn’t say what I did to hurt you.”



“You didn’t hurt me,” I said. “I wouldn’t let you.”



I continued on towards the door, expecting to now be alone. But she trotted to catch up with me. Before we reached it, the doors opened, and Omega peered around it. He pointed his gun between us.



“What time do you call this?” he asked.



A sneer twisted my lips but it was Mocha who replied.



“I’m sorry, Omega. He fainted.”



“A likely story,” said the robot.



“I wasn’t given a curfew,” I half-growled.



“Then that is Sonic’s oversight,” said Omega. “You were meant to be back by no later than supper time. That is seven o clock.” He lowered his gun and stood aside. “Do not do it again, or I will not be nice about it.”



I caught Mocha’s eye and she stood back, biting her lower lip. Well, it wasn’t her fault. I turned and marched into the castle.



“Infinite?”



I froze at her voice and swished my tail to the side.



“I don’t recommend having fried food for breakfast,” she said. “At least not yet. So…”



I turned my head to look back at her, prompting her to continue.



She took a deep breath and forced herself to meet my eyes. “I can make porridge?”



I let out a sigh and waved a hand as I turned towards the stairs. “We’ll see. I’m not promising anything.”



Omega closed the door behind me, plunging the castle hallway into darkness. I had to grope for the banister to guide me up towards the second floor. When I found my room, I flicked on the light and it flooded out into the hallway. But not for long. I slammed the door behind me and tossed my mask onto the little dressing unit. My reflection leered back at me from the mirror and I tugged off my gloves, sneering at my unsightly face.



‘I like your eyes.’



Cream’s voice echoed in my mind, and I stared back at my surprised reflection. But then Shadow’s voice crept in, shooing the rabbit from my mind.



‘Don’t let me ever see your pathetic face again!’



My canines flashed and I brought my fist up to the mirror, shattering the glass and my reflection with it.






Oh well. I wanted a long shower anyway. I glanced down at my tail. The white tip was still congealed with dried blood, although it didn’t hurt at all. Mocha had decided against giving it a fresh bandage. I’d just guessed it wasn’t a bad wound.



But when that floral water cascaded down on me, every part of my body that had received a recent injury stung like crazy. I grit my teeth and stood there until the pain finally stopped. I found myself thinking back over the previous day again. That silly rabbit and her possum friend had triggered something in my mind, and I wasn’t sure I liked it. It scared me. Yet for some reason, I wanted to do something about it. I sank down against the wall and shook my head, sending my soggy mane over my eyes. Cream had cried. She’d cried and I hated it. Isn’t that what I’d wanted? For her to leave me alone, to see sense and flee? There was a time I would have just laughed at her tears, but that time I hadn’t.



‘If we crossed each other in the street, and you fell down, I would help you back up because that’s what good people do.’



You wretch! That’s how you die! You show weakness, then the monster strikes!



I bared my canines, leering at the water as it spiralled away into the drain. Chaotix… That word had been popping into my head most of the night, and there it was again. Oh yes. They were the people helping her find her mother. Something that was my fault… And they were cleaning up the mess. Why? Did they have something to gain?



I wasn’t aware of how much time passed. It wasn’t until I heard someone’s driers switch on in the next room I realised the rest of the citadel was finally waking up. I finished removing the grime from my coat and switched on my own driers. Then, after I was good and dry, I decided to seek out a brush. The dresser seemed like a good place to look and I rifled through the sparse drawers. Thankfully the shattered mirror meant I couldn’t see how ridiculously fluffy the driers made me look.



Oh good. The room did actually come with its own brush. Unused, by the looks of it. I decided to check over my tail as I groomed it out, confirming those bullets only skimmed it. Good. I actually liked my tail. Once I was done, I tossed the brush onto the dresser and stared longingly at my mask. Well, it was no use as it was. I’d have to just grin and bear it.



I spotted my jacket hanging on the back of the door. It had been chilly overnight. And it would hide the parts of my ruff I couldn’t smooth out. I tugged it on and strolled out into the hallway, still somewhat dark as the sunlight hadn’t quite reached it yet. But I could hear voices coming from the hallway. The door to the meeting room was open, letting out the smell of a fried breakfast. It reminded me I was actually hungry. Maybe it wouldn’t actually make me sick this time? A wave of apprehension washed over me and I tugged up my collar to hide as much of my face as it would allow. When I entered the room I froze. Shadow sat at the table with Sonic and Amy, his expression of disgust contrasting with their surprise. His eyes widened slightly when they met mine and I lifted my right paw to shield my face.



“So I see you’ve decided to go without the mask, then?” Sonic asked.



I glared at Shadow, my shoulders tensing. “It wasn’t a choice.”



The black hedgehog tutted and turned back to his coffee.



“Well, I think you look better without it,” said Amy, rather cheerfully. “Less intimidating.”



I swished my tail, remaining in the doorway as I checked out the rest of the room. They were the only three that were up, with no one keeping an eye on the grill. Amy shook herself when my eye fell on it and leapt up to check everything was okay.



“With the time Omega said you got in last night,” said Sonic, “I wasn’t expecting you to be up. Are you joining us?”



I looked back at Shadow again and seethed. “No. I have other plans.”



“Really?” Sonic’s eyes widened. “Wow, I thought Omega had been joking when he said Mocha-”



“Who are the Chaotix?” I wasn’t even entirely sure why I was asking. I just really didn’t want him to finish that sentence.



“They’re detectives,” said Amy. “Why? Are you joining them for breakfast or something?”



“I might.”



“I don’t know…” Sonic scratched his quills and inclined his head on one side. “I’m a bit concerned after the way you were yesterday. I’d rather you weren’t left to your own devices.”



Shadow snorted and lowered his coffee. “Finally coming to your senses, Sonic?”



“Oh, I’m perfectly sane.” Sonic turned back to me. “If Mocha hadn’t told us where you were and why, we were going to have an army looking for you. And he,” he jabbed a thumb towards Shadow, “lurked outside her house all day.”



I practically bristled, glaring at the two hedgehogs. Amy looked between the three of us, her green eyes widening.



“The Chaotix are pretty strong fighters,” she said. “If you’re wanting him supervised, then-”



Sonic looked back at her. “I don’t know, Amy. They’re pretty busy.” He turned back to me and forced a smile to mask his concern. “What do you want with them?”



There was a lot of emphasis on that ‘you’. As though it tasted disgusting. I stared between them, still hiding behind my hand. What was I meant to say? I don’t even know why I asked in the first place!



It was that rabbit. She’d got to my head.



I reluctantly let my hand fall to my side as I diverted my gaze to the wall, and clenched it into a fist. “I just… I want to know… if I can…”



What did I even want to say? Why were words so hard?



Shadow deposited his mug to the table and rose to his feet. “I’ll take you to them.”



“You?!” I locked him in a glare, but he didn’t even flinch.



“Yes, me,” said Shadow. “If you don’t like it, you can go back to your room and hide like the coward you are.”



Sonic looked up at him with a start. “Shadow…”



My eyes widened, turning livid. The room had fallen silent and Sonic slipped from his own stool, keeping a watchful eye on the pair of us. But I didn’t care about him. All my attention remained on the black hedgehog. A coward? He was calling me a coward?!



‘So pathetic. Only the weak cower in fear.’



I screwed my eyes shut, trying to block out that monster’s pointed face. “Fine…”



Shadow moved from the table, catching a nod from Sonic. I backed from the room before he could reach me, and he slammed the door behind him. He didn’t even look at me as he marched out into the town.



“Stay close,” he said. “And don’t you dare wander off. You put a foot wrong and I’ll snap your pathetic neck.”



That was it.



I halted, glaring at the back of his head. My hand curled around where I expected my sword to be. An instinct. I knew I didn’t have it. He came to a stop and looked back at me over his shoulder, his expression unreadable.



“I’m unarmed.” I waved an arm to the fully manned ramparts. “What exactly do you expect me to do?!”



He stared at me for a moment, then turned and continued on. “They’re this way.”



No. He was going to freaking well answer me. I marched after him, catching up to his back. But he twisted on the spot and fastened his fingers around the ruby embedded in my chest. It jerked my ribs as he tugged me towards him, and I let out a squeak of a gasp. I stared down at his hand clasped tightly around it.



“I warned you.” His words drew my attention back to his eyes. Still unreadable. “Sonic and I do things very differently, and unlike him I won’t hesitate to end your miserable life.”



He shoved me away from him and I fell back, absently rubbing my chest. My voice came out as an embarrassing wheeze. “Then why don’t you?”



“I want to know what you want with the Chaotix,” he said. “And since you got here you’ve not proven yourself to be a threat. Yet.” He turned to lead me after him again. “Now. It’s this way.”



The path led away from the castle towards the far end of the town. A little building stood aside from the other houses. It closely resembled a shack, and nailed above the door was a wonky sign that read ‘Chaotix Detective Agency’. I frowned up at it in bewilderment. It looked like it would fall down should I even sneeze on it.



Shadow knocked on the door and one of the nails came free from the sign, causing it to fall slightly more to the right. Well, at least it was now straighter.



“Charmy, would you get that?!” came a gruff voice from the other side.



“I’m having breakfast!”



“Nonsense! You’re on that silly game!” A sigh. “Espio, will you get it?!”



“I’m a little busy right now, Vector.”



“Well so am I!”



“Oh forget it!” came Charmy’s squeaky voice. “I’ll get it!”



The door opened, revealing the confused face of a bee. He looked between us, his eyes widening slowly.



“Shadow?” he asked. “What do you want?”



“Who is it?!” the gruff voice bellowed.



“It’s Shadow!” Charmy called over his shoulder.



“What does he want at this hour?!”



Charmy turned back to us, but before he could recite the offered question, Shadow pointed straight at the side of my head.



“He wants to see you. Not me,” he said.



I rubbed the bridge of my muzzle, filing this entire encounter under ‘biggest possible mistakes ever’.



Charmy’s tiny nose crinkled as he stared down at me. “I don’t think I recognise you.”



“You wouldn’t without the mask.” Shadow shoved me forward into the shack’s narrow hallway. “Don’t hesitate to sting him if he gets up to no good. I’ll be right outside. Listening.”



The door slammed shut, narrowly skimming my tail. I leapt further into the house to avoid it, startling the bee in the process. Once the walls had stopped trembling, taking with it any worries the building would fall down on my head, I finally looked up at Charmy.



“Hmm,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve stung someone.”



“Don’t take him so seriously,” I said, flashing my teeth. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”



“Oh. Okay then. This way!” He buzzed off into a room at the end of the hallway.



The room was as bedraggled as the building’s exterior. Devoid of wallpaper, unless the spattering of posters counted as such. One worn sofa sat in the middle beside a large plank of wood propped up on four breeze blocks. It was clearly meant to serve as a coffee table, given the dirty plates and soiled magazines strewn across it. A chameleon sat back on the sofa with a book on his lap, using what little space was left on the table as a foot rest.



“We’re not open yet.”



The voice came from my right and I had to turn my head to fully see yet another desk. An old one, battered at one side, with a crocodile sat behind it. He sipped his tea, not looking up at me.



“You need something,” he went on, “you can either wait in the hallway, or come back in an hour.”



“Shadow almost threw him into our office,” said Charmy. “It might be urgent.”



“Don’t care.”



The chameleon looked up from his book to say something. His eyes widened slowly as they trailed down to my chest. The book found itself tossed onto the table in favor of a throwing star he seemingly pulled from thin air.



“Vector, you might want to actually look at our guest,” he said. “I’m surprised this went over your head, Charmy.”



The bee stared down at me as I began to edge back towards the hallway. A look of realization crossed his face and he buzzed backwards towards the window.



Vector finally looked up and sighed, running his hands over his long snout.



“A jackal, eh?” He snapped his eyes onto me, his mouth turning into a frown. “All right. State your case and be off. And leave your contact details. This is too much hassle for seven-thirty in the morning!”



“Vector?” Espio waved his star in my direction. “Don’t you recognize him?”



The crocodile narrowed his eyes as he scratched the top of his head. “Nope. Isn’t ringing any bells.”



I instinctively covered my right eye and sighed, reversing into the hallway. “I didn’t come here to bother you. I’ll go. This was a stupid idea anyway.”



I turned tail and made for the door.



“Bye Infinite!” Charmy yelled all too keenly, making my spine bristle.



“Yo, hang on a sec, what?!” Vector’s chair clattered to the floor. “No, you’ll get back here! Right now!”



I grimaced and leered back at him over my shoulder. “I thought it was too much hassle for seven-thirty in the morning?”



Vector met my leer with a snarl. “You’ll tell me what you’re doin’ in my office.”



“’Our’ office,” Espio corrected.



I looked between the trio. The crocodile’s large jaws, Espio’s poised throwing star, Charmy’s stinger at the ready. I shook my head and stuffed my hands into my jacket’s pockets.



“I’m wondering that myself,” I said, turning back to the door.



“Hands where I can see ‘em, jackal,” said Vector.



I reluctantly complied, letting them fall limp at my sides.



“Shadow wouldn’t have shoved you into my office without good reason,” Vector went on, ignoring Espio’s added correction. “Now what do you want?”



I turned to face them fully, searching my mind for whatever reason prompted me to come up with such a ridiculous idea. But the only thing I could think of sounded so dumb. I grimaced as the words left my mouth.



“I spoke to Cream.”



“What?” Vector’s eyes flew wide open and he almost lost his headphones. “The little rabbit?”



I nodded stiffly and looked away from them.



“What’s she got to do with this?” Espio asked. “And why would she talk to you? You’re the reason she’s orphaned.”



“I’m aware of that,” I said.



“So what, guilt drove you here?” Vector spat.



I visibly cringed and took a step back towards the hallway.



“You here to turn yourself in?” he went on. “Well we ain’t cops. So don’t go botherin’ us.”



“Hang on, Vector.” Espio silenced the crocodile with a wave. “Don’t go jumping to conclusions.” He narrowed his eyes at me and lowered his throwing star, but he didn’t relinquish it. “I’m curious.”



I realised I was hiding behind my hand again and I forced myself to lower it. Good grief, I was pathetic. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh.



“I don’t know why she spoke to me either,” I said. “But she did. For some reason, she wanted to help me after I… I don’t know.” I stifled a growl and looked back up at the detectives. “I want to help her find her mother.”



A loud ‘What?!’ exploded around the office. Four voices. Espio dropped his throwing star and it embedded itself in the floorboards.



Vector regathered himself and waved me off. “Forget it. We’re about to give her up for dead.”



My lips twisted into a sneer but my heart leapt into my throat. “What?”



“It’s been years.” Vector returned to his seat and picked up what was left of his breakfast sandwich. “We can’t find her. No sign of her at all, and we’d have thought she’d have contacted us by now.”



“Yeah, it’s not like we’re off the grid,” said Charmy.



“But an extra pair of eyes wouldn’t help.” Espio stooped to tug his throwing star from the floor then palmed it, leaving no trace of the deadly weapon. “I can tell by your face you didn’t like that news.”



Vector swallowed his mouthful and smirked at me. “Cream got to you, huh?”



I grimaced and looked away from him.



“Yeah, I’m not surprised,” said Vector. “She’s a sweet kid.”



“Can I help you or not?” I asked quietly.



The room fell silent again as the Chaotix exchanged glances. Save for the loud slurping from Charmy as he finished what was left in an over-sized milkshake carton. Where on earth had he pulled that from? I hadn’t seen one in the room. Although it was such a dump it was hard to tell.



“Tell me, Infinite.” Vector leant over his desk towards me. “What do you expect to get from this?”



I stuffed my hands back into my pockets and shrugged. “I haven’t figured that out yet.”



“Well, if it’s money you want,” said Vector, “we ain’t got none.”



“Yup, we’re living rent free!” Charmy punctuated his statement with another noisy slurp.



“I don’t expect you to pay me,” I said. “Look, if it’s too much bother then forget I even said anything.”



“No, no.” Vector’s words froze me mid-spin. “You know more about what happened in Station Square than any of us. You might actually sway this investigation in our favor.”



My pulse quickened as I desperately fought back those destructive memories. Espio and Vector seemed to have read it in my face, as they exchanged worried glances. I tugged my collar up and tried to avoid their eyes.



The crocodile sat back in his seat and spread his paws. “When you’re ready to talk, that is.”



I said nothing, gazing back towards the worn front door.



“Why don’t you go for a walk and think it over,” said Vector. “If you’re back here before ten-thirty, then you can help us find Vanilla.”



“Vanilla?” I scoffed.



Espio’s brow furrowed. “Problem?”



I rolled my eyes and turned tail. “What happened with you opening in an hour?”



“An hour, three hours.” Vector shrugged. “We open and close when we feel like it. It’s not as if we’re snowed under with cases. Besides, we’ve got a lot to discuss right now. Go grab a bite to eat or something.”



I nodded stiffly and marched back down the hallway. Cool air washed over me and my snout found itself almost buried in Shadow’s chest. He frowned down at me, arms crossed.



“What are you playing at?” he asked.



I stared back up at him, words failing me. My mind was still reeling with the discussion I’d just had with the Chaotix, already trying to answer his question before he’d even asked it.



“So you want to help find a bunny’s missing mother?” He shook his head. “I’m not sure I quite comprehend.”



I sidestepped him, which he surprisingly allowed.



Glancing back at him as much as my right side would allow, I said, “Neither do I.”

All I could do was stare at her. Was she serious? Those memories went to some pretty dark places. I closed my eyes and sighed, letting myself fall into the seat beside her. As much as I didn’t want to dig it all up, everything began to surface. Maybe it wasn’t so bad to actually talk to someone? I couldn’t deny the thought that someone being there was oddly… comforting.

I grabbed my glass in my trembling hand and tried to distract myself with a few overeager gulps.

Mocha looked up at me with a start and cleared her throat. “Well, let’s say I’m glad I made mocktails and not the real thing.”

I wiped my mouth on my glove and let the glass rest in my lap. I couldn’t look at her, so I kept my eyes trained on the brown rug beyond the coffee table while trying to keep my face hidden behind the flour-tinted hem of my collar.

“If this is too hard for you,” she said, “you can always do it later?”

“No,” I said. “I have to do it. Besides, the sooner it’s over the sooner I can move past it.” My left ear twitched as she flipped open the file and my golden eye flicked towards it. “I do feel I need to warn you, though. You might not want me in your house after this.”

“It’s not like you weren’t all over the news,” she said.

“No, but you only heard things from victims and bystanders.” I paused and brushed my fingers through my mane. “Not from me.”

She sat back against the couch cushion and trailed a finger over the edge of Vanilla’s photo.

“I never encountered you personally,” she said. “But I’ve not always lived in this town. I’m from Central City, where I worked as a University professor teaching literature. But when it fell under attack, I got evacuated and sent to several refugee camps before finally landing in Freedom Citadel. It was smaller, then. Just a little smattering of houses inside the refurbished walls of an ancient ruin, where I was hired to help take care of terrified and orphaned children. But that wasn’t all that changed for me. I had family in Central City. My mother, father, twin sister. I lost all of them.”

My fingers tightened around the glass in a bid to stop my arm from shaking. I’d done that… me… I was the monster responsible…

My other hand went to the dead Phantom Ruby and locked around it, and my muzzle creased in a grimace. I felt her hand brush my shoulder and I flinched away, shrugging her off. She retracted it and absently brushed flour from her glove.

“What I’m saying is despite all that I’m willing to help you,” she said. “Nothing you tell me now can change that.”

“But why?!”

She stared back at me, unflinching. “You could ask the same of Cream.”

“She’s just a kid,” I said. “But you?” I trailed my eyes over her, searching for the right words.

“What difference does it make? Besides, I want to help you.”

I waved her off and lowered my head behind my hand. It made no sense. Why help someone who slaughtered your family? Shadow flashed through my mind. The frightened shouts of my crew as they struggled to fight back. The fur along my spine stood on end and I glared at the little armchair across the room.

“What I said was meant to help,” Mocha said quietly, bringing me back to the present. “I’m sorry.”

“You should hate me.” My voice came out as a whisper.

She was quiet for a moment, but I could feel her watching me. I leant forward to place my glass on the table, bracing myself to leave.

“Like I said before, anyone can change.” She paused again and shrugged. “Even Eggman.”

I froze, still clutching the glass above the table, and turned my head towards her. A small smile spread across her lips at the look of surprise on my face. Somehow I couldn’t imagine Eggman turning over a new leaf, but… I shook my head and flopped back into my seat, abandoning my glass to the table.

“All right,” I said. “If you really want to help me. But I think you’re crazy.”

“It’s served me well so far.” Mocha set the folder aside and rose to her feet. “I’ll go grab a notepad. It might be worth writing everything down.”

I stared at the red liquid settling in my glass as she crept across the living room to her bookcase. She swiftly returned with a large notebook and rifled through the pages as she sat lightly back down. I caught a glimpse of some sketches of the garden birds and random flowers as she searched for a blank page. My mind boggled. To actually have time to sit down and sketch wildlife… I’d never known a life like that and it baffled me. Everything I knew had been a hard grind trying to scrape by.

She folded the notebook and smoothed out a blank page. “I can write if you want. Then all you have to do is talk.”

“Think you can keep up?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Back in University I had a tutor who didn’t give us much time to make notes. I got pretty adept at speed writing.”

I waved her off and closed my eyes. “Well, let’s hope that holds up then. Because anything I tell you might be key, and I don’t have any desire to repeat myself.”

She merely smiled and waved her pen to encourage me to start.

I took a steadying breath and stared straight ahead at the far wall. The memory of Station Square filled my mind as I let it play out, getting lost in it all.

“It was one of the first places I attacked,” I began. “People were already being evacuated before I even got there. Small planes, helicopters… even the train was being boarded to take an express route to the suburban outskirts. I remember people fleeing, screaming. I also remember enjoying it. Eggman wasn’t far behind, remaining in the sky in his Egg Carrier, ready to drop Egg Pawns into the city. No one saw him. I kept him well hidden behind the illusion of a thunder storm, raining red lightning down into the streets. Anything it touched exploded into a rain of rubble, glass and metal. Claiming lives, starting fires. I even sniped a few of the helicopters because why not? They only added to the fire, and sent people scattering like frightened rats.

“Soldiers were already prepared, but not for the onslaught. They tried to fight back with their Wispons, but they didn’t phase me. I’d hidden myself behind another illusion, and they couldn’t see behind it. An unbreakable wall that picked them off with spears of red cubes, scattering them with the rest of the terrified city dwellers. I remember taunting them. I even spoke to one of them, who lay cowering before trying to feebly fight back. I remember their tears and whimpers, and I’d wanted to cause more. I laughed in their face and let them run, leaving them to the mercy of Eggman’s robots while I turned my attention to something bigger. Something that could cause even more chaos and destruction than the virtual storm cloud. The train. ‘Station Square’… it was a fitting weapon, and a feat those witnessing it would remember for the rest of their lives. Or it would be the last thing many would see.

“As the train prepared to leave Station Square, I twisted it off its tracks and sent it hurtling down the streets. People tried to escape, fleeing to the elevators into the sewers. I blocked them off with exploding red bolts, trapping people inside. The train ploughed over fleeing soldiers, crushed hundreds of Eggman’s robots, and cleaved its way through alleyways. It brought down Twinkle Park, demolishing the rides and destroying the gates, leaving people trapped inside and desperate for a way out. You might think the flimsy train got destroyed in it all, but no. It sliced through brick walls like a knife through butter, bringing buildings down around it to crush its carriages. Crushed anyone unfortunate enough to get caught in it. The screams were phenomenal. It was like the city itself was begging for its life. When I was finally bored, I let the beaten wreck reach its end back at the station, impaling the wall like a flaming spear.

“After that, I brought down one of the planes. Just to finish the job. To spite those trying to get away. The city was a blazing ruin, filled with panicked screams and streets that ran red with blood and fire. And that’s how I left it.”

The room fell into silence, and I let the image melt away along with the mental memory of my deranged laugh. At some point I’d picked up one of Mocha’s chocolate coloured scatter pillows and clutched it to my stomach.

Mocha tapped the pen on her notepad; irritating rapid taps that made my skin crawl. I clenched my jaw tight and grimaced, huddling down behind the pillow. Bracing myself for her to snap and send the pen soaring my way.

“How many helicopters?” she asked.

“Eh?” My ears pricked upright and I turned to look at her.

“How many helicopters did you take out?” she asked. “You missed that, and it’s pretty important. They couldn’t work out the number amid the wreckage.”

I groaned and ran my hand down my face. “I dunno… five?”

“The Chaotix are going to need as accurate a number as you can give them. I’m sorry, I know you don’t want to repeat it, but-”

I sighed, rubbing my forehead as I tried to recall the chaos again. It was still pretty clear. I could see those helicopters raining down, exploding as they hit the streets.

“Seven,” I said.

Her pen scratched the paper as she jotted it down. “And planes?”

“Just the one,” I said flatly.

‘Just’… Really? My muzzle twisted as I found myself wondering which one Vanilla was unfortunate enough to be on.

Mocha frowned down at her notes, her blue eyes flitting left and right as she read over them repeatedly. I found myself wishing I knew what she was thinking. She’d surprised me several times already, and deep down I hoped she wouldn’t suddenly change her opinion and shove me out through the door. I cringed and dug my fingers into the pillow. Pull yourself together, jackal! Friendship’s an illusion and you know it!

Tap tap tap

I snapped my eye open, fixing on the bouncing pen in her fingers.

“Twelve people were unaccounted for among the bodies,” she said. “Vanilla was one of them. This was a bit of a trend after the attacks. A small number of people would be missing, believed dead. Hundreds have fallen into that category. But the Chaotix won’t let Vanilla go, for Cream’s sake.”

I rubbed my muzzle, staring at the little armchair. “If they couldn’t count the helicopters, then how could they accurately count bodies?”

“Exactly.”

It wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I grimaced and let out a flustered sigh.

“This is pointless,” I said. “Why am I even bothering? We’re not going to find her. She’s not gonna just drop from the sky one day. It’s been what… two years?”

“Almost three since the attack on Station Square.”

“Then that makes it even more unlikely.” I glared at the wall over my hand. “Surely she’d have tracked her daughter down by now. It’s not like you haven’t got a phone service running now. Computers. Internet. Unless she’s really gone AWOL.”

Mocha pursed her lips and scanned the notes again. “Cream has a rail card.”

I glared at her out of the corner of my eye. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“She was six when her mother went missing,” Mocha explained. “Her rail card doesn’t allow her to travel without one of her parents. It’s part of a parent-child combination that allowed Cream to travel for free while her mother took her to school. It can be traced to check if either party was on the train. Neither was recorded that day. I remember Cream telling me that her mother took her to school every day on her way to work at the hospital in Westopolis. Just a short train ride. But that day, Cream hadn’t taken the train. It was a Thursday, so technically she should have been in school. Cream was one of the many bundled into a helicopter by Knuckles to be taken to a refugee camp. But where was Vanilla?”

I frowned at her as I tried to make sense of her words. “Maybe Cream was having a sick day.”

“She was completely fine. The school had been closed that day. It had fallen under attack prior to Station Square, which was why the city was being evacuated before you got there.” She paused, waiting for me to respond. “Can you remember why?”

“I was told to recall the events in Station Square,” I growled.

“You’d destroyed Westopolis on your way over,” she said.

My blood turned cold and I pulled my lips back from my canines. She ducked back from me and placed the notepad on the table. Well, I guess I’d be finding myself outside, then…

“Let me get a map.”

She rose from her seat, and my wide eyes watched as she returned to the bookcase.

“A map?” I scoffed.

“I think it might be a good idea to track where that train rampaged,” she explained. “It might give the Chaotix more to go by. Main buildings to check, and so on.”

“Don’t they already know all this?”

“I’ve no idea.” She flopped back into the sofa and flicked through a series of maps for the United Federation. “But if it helps in their investigation…”

I flashed a canine and tossed the pillow aside. “I’m really beginning to think this is some kind of sick torture.”

“Torture?” She looked up at me with a start and her tail twitched. “I’m just trying to help you! If we can uncover something that might have been missed, no matter how small, then it could be huge. We could find out what happened to her!”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I spread my hands. “I killed her! Just like everyone else who died in that city! Just like your family!”

She closed her eyes and her mouth turned down in a sad frown. One that gnawed at me. I covered my face with my hands and leant back in the seat, trying to steady myself.

“You should just send me back to the desert and let me die,” I said. “You know I deserve it.”

The couch shook and the map book landed in my lap. I snapped my eyes open to find Mocha mere millimetres from me. I flinched back, sneering at her. Confusion fogging my mind. Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes.

“We’re mapping that train,” she said. “I’m not letting you give up on this.”

The pen found its way into my fingers and the possum slipped from her seat.

“I’m going to get us both more strawberry mocktail,” she said. “And see if the tarts are ready. When I come back, I expect you to have made a start.”

I stared after her as she vanished into the kitchen, feeling exactly like a scolded delinquent who’d found himself moved to the front of the class. I took in a steadying breath and turned my attention to the map. Station Square stared back up at me, not entirely dissimilar to what I’d seen from the sky. Maybe I could do this. Not accurately because my memory wasn’t perfect, but it wouldn’t be a bad start.

Surprisingly, when Mocha came back in, I’d already tracked the train around the east part of Central Square. She plopped back down beside me and leant over the map, nodding as she sipped her drink.

“It’s pretty vague,” I said. “It wasn’t confined to any tracks, and it’s hard to map its damage through Twinkle Park.”

“It will do. I wasn’t expecting perfect accuracy.”

Time ticked past as we finished mapping out the train’s wreckage, demolishing two of the small tarts between us. They weren’t entirely set yet, but they were still amazing and oddly enough helped to lift my mood.

I frowned at the scrawled map, turning it left and right to get a better idea of it. There were some areas I wasn’t entirely sure of, so I marked them with a question mark. There were bound to be some inaccuracies, and I still didn’t know why Mocha wanted me to map out the path I sent the train.

I lowered the map to look at her. “You really think this will help?”

“It highlights key areas Vanilla might have been in,” she said. “So yes.”

“How, exactly?”

“Well look here.” She pointed at an area in the east. “This is the bank. If the train went that way, then it’s one of the major buildings struck by it.”

“But you already knew it was destroyed, so what difference does it make?”

“I was only using it as an example,” Mocha explained. “It was difficult for people to escape that train. So the Chaotix can use this map to help navigate its path of destruction. They know Station Square better than I do, and Vanilla, too. I don’t know which area she lived in, but they do. I don’t know what her general routine was. They do, mainly due to their investigation. I don’t know how close they were, personally.”

Well, that made more sense. I set the map beside my empty plate and exchanged it for my glass. I quickly downed what was left in it as I tried to clear Station Square from my mind. It had been a tough hour, and one I swiftly wanted to forget.

“I think we’ve made some good progress,” she said. “When do they want this information?”

“They said to take my time and bring it back when I’m ready.” I paused and rubbed my muzzle. “Tomorrow morning, ideally.”

“Then it might be worth dropping it off on your way back to the castle.”

Was that a hint to leave? I was pretty exhausted given I’d barely slept the previous night, and all this had really taken its toll. It might not be a bad idea to head back… I checked the time on the clock beside her television. Only one in the afternoon. If I napped now, I’d probably sleep until supper and then have yet another bad night.

Mocha retrieved the map and sipped her drink. “Maybe we should go over things again, just to make sure it’s as spot on as we’re gonna get it.”

“I don’t really wanna relive it again,” I said. “I feel I’ve done my bit now.”

She glanced at me and lowered her glass. “This is all you’re doing for them?”

I returned her glance with a frown. “What do you mean ‘all’?”

“I thought you were helping them find her.”

“I am!” I waved at the map book and folder. “I’m not a detective, Mocha. What else am I supposed to do? This is basically a… I dunno… criminal confession.”

“I see.” She set the book back down on the table. “I hadn’t thought of it like that. Of course you’re not a detective.”

I scratched between my ears and sighed. “I probably should get back. I could do with getting the rest of this flour out of my fur.”

I stood up and retrieved the file with its note pages. Mocha bundled the map book into my hands and met my eyes.

“I don’t need it back,” she said. “So they’re free to keep it.”

I stared down at the book, a cold feeling washing over me. Now it had my train’s rampage scrawled through Station Square, of course she wasn’t gonna want it back. Memories. Yeah, I knew what that felt like. My eye shot from the book to my hands. Hers were still clasped over mine, holding the book in place. I flinched and took a step back, shrugging her off.

“You’re welcome to join me for breakfast again, if you like,” she said. “Or tomorrow dinner? You could tell me how things are going.”

“Maybe…”

I turned to the door and wrenched it open. Cream stood before it, her fist poised to knock. She beamed up at me and raised her little basket.

“We got loads of raspberries!” she said.

Both her and Cheese were wearing daisy crowns. I remembered the chain around my neck, suddenly aware of it brushing my fur. I forced a chuckle and sidestepped her as she trotted into the house, swinging her basket and dropping a couple of raspberries behind her.

“I hope you’ll join us again!” She deposited the basket on the coffee table. “I’m thinking raspberry crumble with lots of custard!”

“Chao chao!” Cheese copied her jovial pose perfectly.

I caught Mocha’s smile over the bunny’s head. A little sad, as if she knew I was about to decline. So I said nothing and slipped from the door, letting it click shut behind me.

I didn’t know how to return the folder to the Chaotix without being caught up in a long explanation. So I opted to deliver it the next day. As I entered the castle, Sonic left the meeting room and his emerald eyes widened when he spotted me.

“No Shadow?” he asked.

I glanced behind me. I’d barely noticed the black hedgehog hadn’t been sticking to me as good as his name suggested.

“I guess not,” I muttered.

Sonic chuckled and folded his arms. “You look like a grey ghost. What have you been up to?”

I stared down at my formerly black fur and jacket and shrugged. “I got caught in a flour explosion.”

“No, I meant seriously.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I was being serious.” I sighed and rubbed my snout. “Look… I really wanna get this cleaned off me. Where’s your laundry room?”

“I’ll show you.”

Sonic shot past me in a streak of blue and I spotted him again on my far left, standing beside a lone door. I joined his side at a much slower pace, if only to test his patience. The door opened into one of the castle’s towers, and a winding staircase stretched up towards the roof. Sonic vanished beyond where it entered the floor and I followed him down into a small basement. It stunk of laundry powder, and a small clothes horse stood at one end sporting a matching pair of gloves and socks.

“It’s fairly easy to use.” He nodded to one of the two cylinder washing machines. “Just toss your jacket in, and whatever else you need to clean, add some soap and turn it on. Just… you might want to beat some flour off your jacket first or it might come out as cake mix.”

He winked, setting my fur on end.

“Thanks, I think I get it,” I scoffed.

“Great. Then I’ll leave you to it.” He strolled past me and paused at the foot of the stairs. “Oh. Dinner’s gonna be around seven. Will you be joining us this time?”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Have you anywhere else you’d rather be?”

I looked back at him, meeting his raised eyebrow with a frown. My mind went back to Cream’s crumble invite and my shoulders slumped.

“No,” I said. “I guess I don’t.”

“Then I’ll see you later.” He zipped up the stairs in a flash.

I shook my head and shed my jacket, tossing it into the machine. My gloves and boots were leather, so I wasn’t putting them in there. The machine itself was as simple as he’d made it sound. I waited until I heard it fill then climbed back up the stairs for a shower. I paused at the doorway to the main hall, gazing up the stairs towards the roof. Would it be possible to get out up there? Fresh air, solitude… I shook my head and made for my room.

When I entered, I tugged off my gloves then stooped to remove my shoes. But I caught sight of that daisy chain. I slipped it off as carefully as I could, but it came undone at the back. Oh well. My first thought was the trash can, but I froze and stared down at it. The yellow cores slightly tinted by the flour where it had been exposed.

Officially one of her friends…

A sentiment I didn’t understand. Yet the chain of tiny flowers found itself curled up beside the remains of my mask.

It didn’t take long to get the flour from my fur. I returned to the laundry room still damp, the breeze from the stairwell chilling me. I couldn’t be bothered standing in the fur driers until I was bone dry. And the machine wasn’t done. Another twenty minutes, it said. I decided I’d see where those stairs led after all.

They wound up for a good while, making me wonder how many floors the castle actually had. Light leaked in through the narrow windows, paned with thin glass. A wooden door stood at the top of the stairwell, with large gaps retreating back from the ancient stonework. That explained the cold draft. I tried the handle, finding it opened quite easily. As I stepped out, I found myself at the top of the tower. Two huge brass bells hung above me beside a rotting rope. It looked like they hadn’t been rang in centuries. An old remnant of what the castle once was.

The low, circular wall was topped with battlements. I positioned myself between two and looked out at the world beyond the citadel. The ocean stretched out for miles, lapping back and forth over a clean beach. To my left was a huge, rocky crag which the ocean crashed up against in a flurry of spray and froth. A salty breeze washed over, chilling my damp fur. Nevertheless, it was refreshing. I crossed my arms and leant forward on them, feeling the Phantom Ruby scrape against the stone. Once again, I found myself wondering what I was even doing here.

My ears swivelled towards the ocean, picking up the mighty roar as it engulfed the sandy shore. Peaceful. I shouldn’t be somewhere peaceful. I was meant to be somewhere barren and heartless. Wasn’t that what I wanted, after all? A ruined world, reduced to a soulless wasteland?

Yet here I was, surrounded by people most of whom wanted to give me a second chance. It made no sense. They went around flaunting their illusions of friendship, not just at me but at each other. And they were happy. It was slowly chipping away at me, and I couldn’t take it anymore.

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the images of Mocha, Cream and Cheese. Their smiling faces. Their offers for company. An unending flurry of kindness I didn’t remotely deserve.

No. I couldn’t let them in. Friendship, family, love… they could be shattered in an instant. Bringing pain and leaving ugly scars that had to be hidden from view. But I knew they were there. I could feel them under my skin. Burning. I pulled my lips back from my canines in a grimace and glared out at the ocean. Desperate to stop the voices from my wretched past. Something twisted deep inside me and I kicked myself back from the wall. It was time to see if the washing machine was done. And if it wasn’t, I’d huddle beside it until it was done. Then lurk in my room until morning while the fur driers blasted my jacket dry. And when it got to dinner time, well… I kicked out at the bare ground. Maybe someone would think to leave some leftovers in the kitchen…

Nothing much happened over the next few days. I’d wake up, grab a breakfast to go and head to the Chaotix office. While they were their normal, loud selves, I cross-referenced our different accounts of the attack on Station Square. And when I’d exhausted that, I decided to check the surrounding areas. But when Saturday rolled around, I was still non-the-wiser. Vanilla had vanished, along with the other missing people. Every time I broached the idea of investigating the refugee camps it seemed to fall on deaf ears.



So instead I asked for a complete list of everyone who went missing during the war. No photos necessary. Just names and a vague appearance. It kept the trio busy while I strained my mind to see if I’d missed anything. Not for the first time, either. But each time I tried to recall those attacks it became more difficult than the last. I was snapped out of my dark thoughts when Vector dropped a wad of paper before me. I blinked, bringing the printed list into focus.



“Twenty four sheets,” said the crocodile. “If I were payin’ you, it’d be comin’ outta your paycheck.”



“Drop it, Vector,” said Espio. “It helps with the case, doesn’t it?”



“I don’t see how.” Vector aimed a thumb at the door. “Anyway, it’s getting late. You should be off. I ain’t gettin’ accused of overworking you.”



I glanced up at the clock. Almost seven thirty. With a sigh, I bundled the wad of names into Vanilla’s folder and made for the door.



“And don’t show up tomorrow.” Vector slumped back behind his desk where a half-eaten sandwich waited. “It’s a Sunday. We’re closed.”



I gave a curt nod and left the office into the chilly evening air. The salty breeze blew over from the ocean and I tugged my jacket tighter around myself. I might have started to put weight back on recently, but the cold still bit through my fur.



“How should I know where he is?”



Shadow’s voice carried on the breeze and I faltered. He stood a good few feet ahead of me wedged in the castle doorway talking to Mocha.



“Well you tend to keep an eye on him,” she said. “I’m sorry, I was just a little concerned…”



“As far as I know, he’s fine,” the hedgehog grunted.



Mocha had her back to me, unaware of my presence. I shifted wondering if I should take a detour. I’d managed to avoid both her and Cream over the past few days. They did nothing but confuse me, and I wasn’t sure how to explain myself if she confronted me on the matter. But before I could escape, Shadow looked up over her head. Straight at me.



“That’s a little reassuring, but-” Her words trailed off as she looked over her shoulder, following his gaze. Her blue eyes widened slightly when she saw me.



Thwarted. I let out a defeated sigh and lowered my head, marching towards the door with every intention to just slip past and retire to my room. The door swung shut and Shadow scowled around it at me.



“You can deal with this,” he said. “I’m not handling your domestics.”



The door slammed, reverberating against my eardrums. I clenched my teeth together and clutched the folder to my chest. I just knew he was standing on the other side, listening. No way out of this one.



“I’m sorry,” said Mocha. “I came here looking for you, but I guess you were working late.” She gave a small chuckle and fidgeted with her hair. “And now I’ve got you in trouble.”



“Shadow doesn’t scare me.” A lie. I glared at the door, almost willing it to open and let me in.



“I’ve not seen you in a little while,” she said. “You’re looking well. That’s good.”



I reached out and grabbed the iron loop handle. Nothing. I jiggled it as rage began to pool in my chest. The wretch had locked it.



Mocha sighed and hugged her arms around herself. “I was right. You are avoiding me.”



I couldn’t look at her. I pressed my forehead against the cold wooden door and dragged my fingers down the grain.



“Please, Infinite.”



I felt my fur stand on end down my neck and I glared at the woodwork.



“Tell me if I’ve done anything to hurt you,” she went on. “Because I can’t think of anything. All I want is… Oh, I don’t know. Cream’s been asking about you, and I know she’s not done anything wrong.”



Cream… I clenched my jaw as I secured my grip around Vanilla’s case folder. Of course she’d not done anything wrong. I felt my anger ebb and I let my arm drop from the door to hang limp at my side.



“Please tell me,” Mocha went on. “Have I pushed my boundaries? Because I’m at a loss.”



“How much have you told her?” I asked.



She hesitated for a moment and I swivelled my ears back to check if she was still there.



“I’ve not told her anything,” she said. “Why would I? She already knows you’re helping the Chaotix but she’s never asked why. And I wouldn’t dream of telling her myself since I don’t want to get her hopes up.”



“So you think this is all hopeless?”



“I never said that.”



I pushed myself from the door and stood with my back against it. I clutched the folder to my chest and stared past the possum, avoiding her eyes.



“Look,” she said. “I’ve been re-living that afternoon trying to find out what could have happened to make you avoid both me and Cream. If it was having you remember that attack-”



“That had nothing to do with it,” I said.



“Then what was it? Because I want to make it right.”



I narrowed my eyes at her. “You wouldn’t understand.”



“Try me.”



“All right.” I turned my head to face her. “I don’t deserve anyone’s kindness, and you trying to get close to me is frightening me.”



She blinked and shook her head. “What?”



“I said you wouldn’t understand,” I snorted.



“Surely you’ve had friends before?” she said. “You even told me-”



I fired a glare at her and she diverted her gaze.



“Right,” she whispered. “I think I understand.”



“Do you?” I kicked myself back from the door as a bubbling sensation erupted in my chest. “I’m staying out of your way to protect us both! And Cream! You shouldn’t want to get close to someone like me. I’ve hurt you both already!”



She stared at me, tears glistening in her eyes as she shook her head. “You’re really in a lot of pain.”



I clenched my jaw tight and slumped back against the wall, trying to hide my face behind my hand. I could feel tears welling in my own eyes. She wasn’t going to see me like this. I wasn’t going to let her. I reached for the door handle, finding it still locked.



“I’ll give you some space if you want it,” she said. “But I can’t ignore someone suffering like this. You know where I am if you need me.”



I heard her feet on the grass as she walked way. Cream’s little voice piped up in the distance as she called my name. But when I lowered my hand, I spotted Mocha steering her away, back towards her home. Away from me. It was what I wanted, wasn’t it? I’d asked, and I’d got it.



I screwed my eyes shut and turned back to the castle. That bubbling sensation flared into a boiling furnace and I rammed my fist on the door.



“Let me in, Shadow!” I roared.



A loud click came from the door and it swung open, revealing the black hedgehog.



“There!” I said. “She’s gone. Are you happy?”



“Why would that make me happy?” he sneered.



“You told me to deal with it and I did. That’s one more person out of my miserable life. And why? Because of you.” I swept my arm to the side and flashed my canines. “My life is a wretched mess because of you!”



Shadow’s eyes narrowed and he stepped out of the castle, letting the door close behind him. I took a step back, but the rage didn’t leave my face. Fire pulsed through my veins and I clenched my free hand into a fist.



“What have I got to do with your pathetic mess of a life?” His voice was laced with danger, but I didn’t care.



“Oh, you know,” I said, a wavering laugh emerging from my throat. “You killed them!”



“Who?”



“My crew!” I roared. “You killed them all and left me to deal with the aftermath! You took everything from me!”



“That jackal squad?” He snorted. “They were just obstacles.”



Was he trying to make me mad? I pulled my lips back and let the folder drop to the floor to free my other hand.



“That’s the price you pay for helping Eggman,” he went on. “Besides… what kind of leader would just let his entire crew be slaughtered like that?”



That was it. Rage flared in my eyes and I swiped at his face. But he vanished in the blink of an eye. Before I could fully process it, he reappeared and struck me in the gut with his knee. I flew away from him with a grunt and landed hard on my tail. He shot towards me, but I leapt to the side on all-fours. I didn’t even have time to stand up. He shoulder barged me in the back, sending be sprawling on the floor. I fixed my left eye on him as he stood over me, arms folded.



“Are you quite done?” he said.



I spat dirt from my mouth and pushed myself onto my knees. That fire was still roaring in my chest. My mind was blinded by the image of my fallen crew. Deafened by their cries of despair and Shadow’s condescending words. That skirmish had only served to make it more clear. I didn’t stand a chance. I never had.



“It’s all your fault,” I said.



I could feel his crimson glare burning through my mane. I pushed myself up and turned slowly to face him.



“The only reason I used the Phantom Ruby’s power was because of you,” I said.



“Don’t you dare,” he growled.



“What? Scared of the truth?” I let out a dry chuckle and forced myself to meet his glare with my own. “How does it feel, Shadow, to know you could have stopped that war before it really started? If you’d just killed me like you had the rest of my crew, no one else would have died!”



In a flash he was on me. His fist struck my jaw and I landed flat on my back. The wind flew from my lungs and I coughed as I tried to get it back.



“Don’t you go pinning all this on me!” he roared.



Pain shot through my chest as he grabbed hold of the ruby and my eyes flew back open. He dragged me from the floor until I was almost nose to nose with him.



“You’re the one who wanted this thing fused to your body.” He shook me hard, causing me to howl with pain. I clawed at his arm if only to stop him tearing the ruby from my ribs. “You’re the one who used it for evil! Killing thousands of people for your own sick goals! If you regret it all, then good. You should regret it. But don’t you dare go blaming me. I tried to stop you.”



“Well you didn’t finish the job,” I wheezed.



His crimson eyes locked onto mine. “You honestly don’t think I regret sparing your worthless life? Maybe now I should just put you out of your misery.”



I stared back at him, meeting his livid expression with one of fear. Why did he have this effect on me? Whatever. If he really did want to kill me then I wasn’t going to stop him. I let my eyes close and released his arm, feeling a painful tug across my ribs as I let my weight drop. He dug his fingers into my chest and for a fleeting moment I thought he was actually going to end me. But instead he shoved his hand into the ruby and sent me sprawling to the floor.



“Pathetic,” he spat. “You see, that’s the difference between you and me. Unlike you, I’m not a monster.”



I grimaced, ducking behind the collar of my jacket.



“If you really think I’m responsible for making you like this, you’re wrong,” he went on. “I didn’t make you into a killer, you did that. You should take responsibility for your own foolish actions.”



He cast one more leer my way before marching back into the castle, locking the door behind him. I lay there, staring at the stone wall as the gravity of everything I’d just said washed over me. A torrent of fear I’d tried to repress. Fear and grief that had been driven to anger. Driven to the birth of a monster. A pained roar left my throat and those restrained tears broke free. I curled up into a tight ball, clutching my tail to my chest. I sobbed into my hands. Loudly. Breaking the silence I’d not been aware had fallen over the town.



I barely noticed the footsteps as someone rushed towards me. Dropped down in front of me, placing a tiny hand on my arm. She said something, but it didn’t register. Nothing did until I felt fingers in my mane. I became aware of Mocha leaning over me, talking to me. Trying to drag me out of the mire I’d fallen into.



“Please…” Her voice finally broke through the chaos in my head. “Let me help you.”



Those words only made me curl up tighter. I couldn’t even move, as much as I wanted to. I just wanted to get away. Crawl into a hole and hide like the pathetic monster I was.



I felt Mocha tug on my arm, dragging me to my feet. “Come on. You’re coming back with me.”



“Just let me go,” I groaned.



“No,” she said. “I’m not giving up on you.”



I buried my face in my right hand. The other arm was locked around Mocha’s shoulders as she tried to drag me away from the castle.



Cream shifted behind me and her voice cracked with sobs. “Mister Infinite, please. You’re my friend. I know you’re not a bad person.”



“Chao…”



“We can help you,” she added.



As Mocha tried to steer me away, I heard the castle door open. She craned her head around and nodded at whoever had opened it.



“Do you think that’s such a good idea?” Sonic asked. “After what I’ve just been told-”



“Just let me get him off the street at least,” she said.



Sonic fell silent and I pinched my muzzle, wishing I was anywhere but this crazy town. I realised Mocha wasn’t holding onto me tightly. I could slip away, yet for some reason I stood there. Exposed. Leaning on her shoulder like an invalid.



Sonic made a thoughtful noise then said, “It probably is a good idea to keep him away from Shadow for a while. But I’m not too comfortable leaving Infinite with a civilian right now.”



“He won’t hurt me,” said Mocha.



“Well, if you really insist.” Sonic paused. “Cream, you should get back home.”



“But…” Cream stuttered, clutching something to her chest. “But Mister Infinite’s my friend, and he needs help.”



I pulled my ears flat against my head and stared blankly ahead of me. What was with these people? I wasn’t anyone’s ‘friend’.



“And Missus Barbara isn’t home right now,” Cream went on. “Nanny was…”



“It’s okay, Cream,” said Mocha. “Don’t worry, Sonic. She’ll be fine.”



The blue hedgehog sighed and ducked back into the castle. “Okay. If you really think you’ve got this. But I’ll be over there shortly to discuss this further, and make sure Cream is back with her foster family.”



Mocha nodded and steered me away down the stone path. I barely saw it. It wasn’t until I was set on her sofa that I even realised we’d left the castle grounds.



I huddled into the arm of the sofa and pulled my tail tightly around myself. What had I done? I grimaced and idly rubbed my chest. It still hurt, pulsing with a dull pain. The sofa sank down beside me as Cream clambered up into it. She still clutched whatever it was she was carrying. I tried to ignore her, burying my muzzle behind my collar.



A large, yellow coffee mug appeared on the table before me, complete with a matching saucer. My nose twitched as I failed to detect the tell-tale hint of coffee beans.



“It’s tea,” said Mocha quietly. “I often drink it when I’m feeling a bit… well…” She waved a hand and diverted her gaze to the fireplace. “I thought you might like it.”



I sat back against the sofa and rubbed my muzzle. “Everyone’s going to want me out of here now, aren’t they?”



“I don’t,” said Mocha.



“But I attacked him.”



Mocha shrugged her shoulders. “I both heard and saw everything. And… I feel I might be partly to blame.”



“You did nothing,” I scoffed.



“Well… You might think so, but all it takes is a catalyst.” She hugged herself and glanced towards the door. “I feel like he might have done a lot.”



“So you think he had it coming?”



“I’m not defending your actions,” she said. “You shouldn’t have attacked him. But from what you’ve said, it sounds like there’s a lot bottled up inside that led you to this. And if you keep hanging onto it, who’s to say it won’t happen again?”



I grimaced and cowered behind my hand.



“We’ve all, as kids, shook up a bottle of soda to see what happens,” Mocha went on. “I fear it’s only a matter of time until something shakes you so much you’re just going to explode.”



“What are you trying to say?” I growled.



“She’s saying you need to let all the fizzy out,” said Cream.



I turned to look at the rabbit, but she wasn’t looking at me. She clutched the blue case folder in her hands, leaning back to admire it in the light. My heart lurched and I fought the urge to snatch it off her.



“Cream’s right,” said Mocha. “I don’t know how it might happen. I don’t know if Shadow or someone else will be on the receiving end. But in some way, I feel you’re self destructing. And by pushing people away, you’re not giving yourself any way to actually deal with it all.”



“I am dealing with it!” I snapped.



“No, you’re not.” Mocha paused and perched on the arm of the sofa beside me. “A bottle of soda can’t remove its own lid.”



I sighed into my hand and closed my eyes. So she wanted me to spill everything. Tell her exactly what it was that led to Infinite. Well, I wasn’t sure I was ready. I glanced back to the door and spotted a spiky shadow on the other side of the glass. My blood turned to ice and I gripped the arm of the chair, causing Mocha to leap from it with a squeak. She followed my gaze and muttered to herself as she went to answer it.



Sonic stood on the other side, and he spotted Cream instantly.



“Barbara is back home now, I just saw her,” he said.



“Okay.” Cream pouted and slid from the seat.



She looked down at the folder in her hands and held it out to me. I took it hesitantly, but she gave me a beaming smile.



“Are you really going to help me find my mother?” she asked.



I met her brown eyes, filled with hope. Mocha was right to have avoided telling her anything. Something clenched in my chest and I stared down at the title of the case file. If I got chased from Freedom Citadel, now… No. I’d still keep searching. Even if it meant doing so from a cell while the hours ticked down to my inevitable death.



“I can try.” My voice came out oddly quiet.



The little rabbit leapt back onto the sofa and threw her arms around my neck. My entire spine stiffened and I froze, unsure of what to do with my own arms. But in a flash, she dropped from me and trotted towards the door.



“Bye, Mister Infinite!” She waved from beside Sonic with Cheese imitating her. “I’ll see you soon, okay!”



“Chao!”



The rabbit skipped away down Mocha’s footpath with Cheese at her side. She vanished from view when Mocha closed the door behind herself. I spotted her blurred form through the glass as she spoke with Sonic. I didn’t catch much of the conversation. The odd word here and there. It wasn’t heated, but I could tell from his tone Sonic was worried.



I’d definitely messed up. Since when did it matter to me if I was sent out of this crazy place? I combed my fingers through my thick tail as I strained to hear what was being said. From the few words I picked up, it sounded like Mocha was telling Sonic exactly what she’d seen and heard. Maybe I didn’t want to listen in after all.



Mocha came back inside and closed the door behind her. No sign of Sonic. I glanced up at her, my eyes flitting about as I braced myself for whatever she had to say.



“He’s worried,” she said. “But apparently Shadow has a reputation for rubbing people the wrong way.”



I grunted and trailed my fingers over my tail. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”



“Sonic didn’t know Shadow killed your crew. And Shadow didn’t exactly go into detail about your argument, either.” She paused and wound her hands together. “On the bright side, Sonic says you can go back to your room whenever you want. But if you wish to avoid Shadow for a while, you’re free to stay on my sofa.”



Well, that was a surprise. I stared at her, mouth agape.



“So they’re not sending me to a jail cell?” I asked.



“Not for that, no.” She brushed her hair back from her mouth. “But you’ll need supervision again for a while.”



I snorted. “What? From the shadow himself?”



“I think Silver volunteered.”



I rolled my eyes and sat back against the sofa, absently trailing my fingers around the ruby. My ribs still hurt.



“You keep messing with that,” she said. “I’m worried you might have broke something. Let me check.”



As she approached me, I cowered back into the sofa. “I’ve not broken anything.”



“You don’t know that. Let me check.”



“Mocha, no.” I raised a hand to stop her advance. “I don’t like people touching me.”



“A broken rib can be pretty dangerous if left untreated. It could lead to a punctured lung.” She met my gaze and shrugged. “All I’m going to do is quickly check, then I won’t touch you again. Okay?”



“I’m fine,” I said slowly.



“Are you?” She placed her hands on her hips. “Would you even tell me if you weren’t?”



I stared at her, hoping my feelings on the matter would hit home. Instead, she inclined her head on one side and sighed.



“I won’t stop until you let me examine you,” she said. “So you can either sit back and let me check you over, or we can do this all night.”



I buried my face in one hand and waved the other in defeat.



She leant in towards me and gently ran her fingers over my chest, straying too close to the Phantom Ruby for comfort. The scent of roses wafted from her fur and I fought the urge to leap over the back of the sofa like a terrified pup. I flicked my tail to the side and screwed my eyes shut. I hated feeling so vulnerable. My hand instinctively groped for my missing sword, but instead found a scatter pillow. Not exactly something I could defend myself with if things turned ugly. I felt her trace up towards the long hair of my ruff. Much too close to my throat. My eyes snapped open involuntarily and fixed her with a warning glare. I suddenly became aware I was breathing heavily and my heart was pounding as though it were trying to burst the ruby clean out of my chest.



She met my eyes and fell back, wiping her gloves on her dungarees.



“I think they’re just bruised.” She rose to her feet and headed towards the kitchen. “Although it would have been a lot easier to check a few days back when you were just skin and bones.”



I chose to ignore that back-handed insult. My skin prickled and I absently rubbed my clavicle to set the fur back the right way.



“You weren’t wrong when you said you don’t like people touching you!” Mocha’s voice came from the kitchen. I watched as she came back in, carrying another over-sized mug of tea. “I could have described it as a phobia.”



“That’s putting it strongly. But in my old line of work you don’t know who to trust.” I picked up my own mug, still hot, and used it to warm my hands. “Someone could no sooner try to kill you the moment they got close enough.”



“So I guess you’ve never had a girlfriend then?”



“I never said that.” I sipped my tea and glanced towards the fireplace. “But not really. Nothing serious anyway.”



“Well… I know it can’t be easy,” she said, “but you don’t have to behave that way around me.”



“Old habits die hard.”



“You have my word I’m not going to kill you,” she joked.



I rolled my eyes and took another sip of tea. It was oddly calming. A moment of silence passed between us, broken only by the occasional bird cry as they flew in to roost in the tree outside the living room window.



“I’m not going to push you,” said Mocha, drawing my attention. “But when you’re ready to… ‘let the fizzy out’ as Cream put it, then I’ll be there. I’m not a counsellor, but I know it helps to have an ear to talk to.”



The faces from my past began to cloud my mind and I tried to stifle them. They sent a chill down my spine and I huddled into the sofa, clutching the warm mug like a lifeline.



“I’m not ready, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever be,” I said flatly as my eyes drifted back to the door. For a fleeting moment I thought I spotted Shadow lurking in the garden. “But I’ll keep a tight screw on that lid.”

A brief fog enveloped Angel Island as a large cloud drifted over it. Knuckles sat back against the Master Emerald with his arms tucked behind his head, squinting into the fog. A small shape drifted towards him through it. An invader? He braced himself, lowering his arms as whatever it was touched down a few feet ahead of him.



“Hey, Knuckles!”



The shape parted and one half waved. Knuckles frowned at it. He recognised that voice. He pushed himself up as the two shapes bounded over to him. A red armadillo and yellow squirrel emerged from the fog.



“Mighty?” Knuckles snorted. “What are you two doing up here?”



“We thought we’d drop in on our way to the Mystic Jungle.” Mighty shrugged. “You sound like you don’t want us here.”



“I don’t generally enjoy visitors.” The echidna settled back down against the emerald.



The duo exchanged glances and Ray lifted his hands in a shrug.



“I guess it could just be a flying visit?” he said with a grin.



Knuckles rolled his eyes at the squirrel’s joke. “I suppose it breaks up my day.”



“A day of what?” asked Mighty. “Sleeping?”



Knuckles fixed one eye on him. “Why exactly are you going to the Mystic Jungle?”



“Robot sightings,” Mighty explained. “I thought we might discover something.”



Knuckles scratched his quills and sighed. “So Eggman’s back then, is he? I guess I need to up my defense.”



“You’re a bit behind on the news,” said Ray. “Robots have been sighted for weeks.”



“Well I’ve not seen or heard anything,” said Knuckles. “News doesn’t exactly fly up here, you know.”



“If you weren’t so cold to your visitors-” Ray was cut off by a nudge from Mighty.



“Hang on, Knux,” said the armadillo. “You may be about to become a little more enlightened.”



Knuckles followed the duo’s gaze. Emerging from the clouds was a huge, black ship.



“Eggman…” Knuckles growled as he rose to his feet. “What is he doing here?!”



“Dropping in, apparently,” said Ray. “Oh, I kn-knew we should have come here a d-day earlier…”



“Hang in there, li’l bro,” said Mighty. “We’ve got this.”



Knuckles clenched his fists and leered up at the ship.



A hatch slid open beneath the ship and the trio readied themselves. The entire island shook as a huge grey robot landed in a crouch. A thick tail swayed behind it and it fixed glowing green eyes on them.



“A fox?” Mighty scoffed. “I guess he’s not running out of ideas, then?”



“Less talkin’ more smashin’!” Knuckles zipped past them towards the robot.



The robot took a step back and its green eyes flashed. Two laser beams shot towards Knuckles. He glided to the side as the beams tore through the ground, spraying up turf and rocks.



“Hey!” Knuckles barked. “Watch what you’re doing!”



The fox’s eyes lit up and fixed on the trio as it readied another attack. A yellow dart flew towards it and Ray landed a kick to the torso. It staggered backwards, allowing Knuckles to get in a well-timed uppercut. Twin lasers sliced the air in a neat arc as the fox careened through the air to land hard on its back. Mighty followed it up with a cannonball to its metal gut. The fox doubled up like a lawn chair as the armadillo landed beside it.



Its eyes flickered as it stared up at the sky.



“I d-don’t think it’s d-down for the c-count yet,” said Ray.



The robot struck the ground with its right hand and began pushing itself back up. Its eyes lit up steady and it turned its head towards the squirrel.



“Move!” Mighty shoved him aside and struck the robot in the head.



The two lasers carved through the sky and struck the ground just before Knuckles’ feet. He leapt back with a squeak and fixed Mighty in a glare.



“Careful with those lasers!” said Knuckles. “I don’t want it shattering the Master Emerald.”



“Oh, like you’ve never done that yourself,” said Mighty.



“That’s different!”



Knuckles smacked the fox on the muzzle, reducing it to shrapnel. Its right eye flickered like a bad TV channel before blinking out for good. It lifted its hand to cover its wounded eye while the other appeared somehow angrier. It pushed itself to its feet and swung its tail at the trio. They scattered, Ray with an ‘eep!’, and Knuckles took cover behind a laser-warmed mound of earth.



“We need to take out the other eye!” he told his allies. “When you get a chance, aim for it!”



He leapt from his hiding spot, aiming for the fox’s face. It ducked and swiped him with its tail, sending him rolling away from it like a bowling ball.



“You should take your own advice,” said Mighty as he leapt over Knuckles’ dazed form.



But the armadillo found himself meeting the same fate. He landed stunned beside the echidna.



“I think we’ve angered it,” said Mighty.



The huge metallic fox strolled towards them, its remaining eye glowing with all the vibrancy of the Master Emerald. Knuckles forced himself to roll backwards onto his feet, raising his fists for a counter attack. If one could counter lasers.



A yellow streak shot over his head and Ray span, launching a rock from his tail. It flew so quickly the robot didn’t see it coming. Its remaining eye shattered and it staggered backwards, clawing at its face with both hands.



“Way to go, Ray!” said Mighty as he pushed himself back up. He gave the flying squirrel a high-five. “Now let’s finish it off. Come on, Knuckles. Let’s triple-team this thing.”



As they ran towards it, a beam of light shot from the Egg Carrier’s hatch, engulfing the robot. It slowly rose into the air, locked in the beam. It lowered its hands and reached down, grabbing Ray by the tail. The squirrel let out a scream, feebly flailing against its pull with his patagium.



“Ray!” Mighty roared.



He grabbed his friend by the hand and tried to pull him back. But he just slid along the ground, carving up turf with his heels.



“Help me!” Ray cried. “Help! I d-don’t want to d-die!”



Mighty screwed his eyes shut as he strained against the tractor beam’s pull. He found himself hoisted from the surface of the island, flailing as he hung from the squirrel’s hand.



Knuckles shot towards the robot, striking its arm with a fist. It shattered free from its body, letting Ray and Mighty drop to the ground in a crumpled heap. The armadillo clasped his head and watched as the robot vanished inside the Egg Carrier.



The hulking ship rose back into the clouds, and the dull drone of its engine faded away from Angel Island.



Mighty grabbed the robot arm and prised its death-grip from Ray’s bushy tail.



“Thanks,” Mighty said to Knuckles.



“Yes, th-th-thank you.” Ray wiped tears from his eyes. “I thought I was a g-goner!”



The echidna stared up at the clouds with his fists clasped at his sides. “I don’t think that’s the last we’ve seen of him. Or that robot.”



“I want to know why he called it back,” said Mighty. “I mean, it clearly still had some fight left in it.”



Knuckles lowered his gaze towards the horizon. “I think I’m gonna pay Sonic a visit.”



“You’re leaving the Master Emerald?” Mighty gasped.



“No.” Knuckles looked back at the duo. “I’m hoping I can ask you two to guard it while I try and find out why Eggman decided to drop a robot on Angel Island.”



“Wow, really?” Mighty’s eyes widened. “You trust us to do your job?”



“We could always go to Freedom Citadel for you.” Ray glanced anxiously back up at the clouds.



“I’ll get the information faster if I go myself,” said Knuckles. “Can you do this for me?”



Mighty put his arm around Ray’s shoulders and tugged him into his side. “You can trust us. No one will be taking that emerald on our watch. Right, li’l bro?”



“R-right!”



Knuckles grinned and turned back to the horizon. “I doubt I’ll be very long.”



With that, he leapt from the island and glided in the direction of Freedom Citadel and hopeful answers.





Fleeting images faded from my mind as the fog of sleep lifted. Fractured memories remained. Strolling along a beach, the wind drifting through my mane. Ducking low branches that seemed impossible to avoid. The occasional crimson storm brewing on the horizon which seemed to fade as the salty breeze chased it away. All gone to be replaced by the sound of an owl hooting outside the window. Yet for some reason, I could still feel that breeze rustling my mane. Was the window open? My ear twitched as something brushed it and I cracked a tired eye open, trying to spot the window. It was too dark to make out anything. But no, it wasn’t a breeze. Whatever it was brushed through my mane again. Not unpleasant. Oddly soothing. My eye began to close again then I jolted. I gripped the sofa cushion as the room came back to me and both eyes snapped open, fixing on the dull silhouette of the vacant arm chair.



Mocha shifted beside my head and my entire spine stiffened. I shot upright into a crouch, locking her in a glare.



“What do you think you’re doing?” I growled.



She lifted a hand to calm me. A feeble attempt. I bared my canines, demanding an explanation. She rubbed her hands over her face and sighed.



“Give me a moment to think,” she said. “I was dozing myself.”



“’Dozing’ my eye!”



“I was trying to help you…”



My muzzle relaxed as confusion set in and I cocked an eyebrow at her. “Help me? With what?”



“It was when I went to make us hot malt before bed,” she explained. “When I came back in here, you’d already fallen asleep. So I left yours on the table and was about to retire to bed myself after tidying up a little. But you started mumbling in your sleep.” She paused and lowered her hands to her lap. “It sounded like you were panicking and I thought about waking you up. But if I shook you or made a loud noise it would probably only make things worse, so I tried to wake you up gently.”



I narrowed my eyes. “Well you succeeded.”



“Not quite.” She paused to yawn. “I stroked your head and tried talking to you, but it only calmed you down. And given you’ve not been sleeping well, I decided to…” She lifted her hands in a shrug. “Well, make sure you did.”



I diverted my gaze to the coffee table as I tried to make sense of it all. I certainly didn’t feel as tired as I had been recently. Or as unsettled. Mocha pushed herself up but I kept my gaze on the cold mug of milk.



“It’s gone five now,” she said. “I should get some sleep myself before the children show up for their reading session.”



I couldn’t even look at her. I just stayed kneeling on the sofa with my claws digging into the cushion as I desperately tried to calm my racing heart. What did I even say? I was completely thrown.



She paused at the foot of the staircase. “I’m sorry if I crossed a line. I know you don’t like people touching you.”



My ears drooped slightly and I turned my head to look over the back of the sofa. But she’d gone. Her footsteps echoed above me as she retired to her own room. My body began to tremble and I screwed my eyes shut.



“It’s fine,” I muttered.



Then my arms gave way as my stomach knotted. I slumped forward, grabbing a scatter pillow in my hands. A low groan escaped my throat as I buried my muzzle into it.



No. It’s not fine. I’ve lashed out during my night terrors, you idiot! I could hurt someone! How foolish are you?!



I rolled onto my side and clutched the pillow to my chest, staring blankly over it at the kitchen door. My heart was still racing. What a foolish mistake… if her ‘tactics’ hadn’t worked, I could have grabbed whatever nearest object I got my deluded hands on and battered her to death, and I wouldn’t have realised until the nightmare’s haze had lifted. I squeezed the pillow to my chest in a bid to suffocate the Phantom Ruby. Not that it would do much good. It was dead anyway. Maybe it would be better if I just went back to my own room? At least I could lock the door and keep everyone out, and myself in.



Of course, a locked door wouldn’t stop me.



I buried my face in the pillow. It smelled like her.



I really needed to leave.



But I hadn’t had a nightmare, had I? Even the previous night the dream had started out happy. Would it really be terrible to let these people in? To find happiness and have those wretched nightmares end?



But what if I hurt them?!



My breathing grew heavy and my eyes snapped back open. I dug my claws into the pillow in a bid to calm myself. Pull yourself together, jackal, you’ve not hurt anyone yet!



I relinquished the pillow back where it belonged and pushed myself up. I needed to do something. I couldn’t sit here and stew until dawn. So I sought out the reading lamp beside Mocha’s armchair then made my way towards the bookcase. I had no idea what I was looking for, all I knew was that I needed to take my mind off those dark thoughts. They were the reason I’d driven myself into a burrow in the desert in the first place.



My eyes landed on a book by the same author as ‘The Hunting of the Snark’. I grabbed it and frowned down at the cover. ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass’? The first story was apparently about a girl who falls down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a strange, new world. Well, it was worth a shot.



I took up residence in the armchair and began to read it, finding myself pulled in. It was just as weird and random as his other story had been. Except less a poem and more a novel. The poor girl had found herself lost in a strange world, chasing after a white rabbit as she tried to find the beautiful garden she’d seen. No desire to get back to her own world whatsoever. Somehow, I could relate.



I’d just reached the Mad Hatter’s tea party when sleep engulfed me once more. A somewhat dreamless sleep. It wasn’t until a knock resounded at the door that I jolted awake and the book fell to the floor with a thud. The smell of porridge tickled my nose and Mocha’s tail moved past me like a caramel streamer. I rubbed my hands over my face and ears then stooped to grab the book before it found itself trampled under a herd of children.



“I suggest you wait in the kitchen,” said Mocha. “It can get pretty chaotic. Help yourself to porridge, I can always re-heat mine.”



I didn’t need telling twice. I had no desire to be pelted with questions or fall victim to yet more flying projectiles. I tucked the book under my arm and migrated to one of the dining chairs, making sure the kitchen door closed fast behind me.



I didn’t touch the cooking porridge, but I did seek out the coffee. Funnily enough, a decent sleep had made me feel groggier than usual. I filled up a small caffetiere and poured out my first mug while I ventured back into Wonderland. The living room soon filled with the voices of children as Mocha tried to get them settled down. I could just make them out through the frosted window in the kitchen door. I tried to tune them out, but it wasn’t easy. My ears pricked upright as I heard one of the children venture;



“Is Infinite really living with you?”



It had been said with some venom. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was that little wolf kid.



“Don’t be like that!” came Cream’s voice. “He’s really nice.”



I placed my hand on the book to hold it open as I turned my head back towards the door. It never failed to shock me how she could see something I couldn’t. Or maybe I had seen it but I couldn’t fit through the door. So I had to go the long way, chasing after Cream and anyone else trying to point me in the right direction. Warring with the confusion and forking paths that threatened to lead me back the way I’d come.



I rubbed my hands over my face and tried to tune out the chaos in the living room, focusing all my attention on the book and my finite supply of coffee.



By the time Mocha arrived back in the kitchen, I slowly realised the house was quiet. I’d managed to reach the end of the book and was sat mulling over it, somewhat dissatisfied with the ending. Yet at the same time I wanted to read the next one. I warmed my hands on my third cup of coffee while Mocha busied herself by the stove.



“You haven’t eaten then?” she asked.



I looked up with a start and cleared my throat. “Not yet.”



“It might be a bit overdone.” She paused as she reached for a bowl to look at me. Or at the closed book. “I see you’ve been reading ‘Alice’.”



I shrugged and sipped my drink. “Well his other book was interesting so I thought why not?”



“It’s good escapism.” She loaded up two bowls and settled at the table, nudging mine towards me. “I guess you’re going to the office today?”



I stared down at the bowl, not feeling hungry. Now I’d finished the book, my mind was throwing itself into chaos once more. What time was it? I glanced the wall clock. Already nine am.



“I’ll head there now.” I pushed the chair back from the table.



“But you’ve not eaten yet,” said Mocha.



“I’m not hungry.” I turned to leave the kitchen but her voice froze me in the doorway.



“Is this because of last night?”



I gripped the door frame and glanced towards her as much as my right side would allow. “Yes…” When she didn’t reply, I let out a sigh and closed my eyes. “I can be pretty violent when I start acting them out. You could have got hurt.”



“I’m not silly, Infinite,” she said. “I was behind the sofa.”



“I can vault the sofa.”



She closed her eyes and sighed. “If it helps, I won’t do it again. I was only trying to wake you, and I hadn’t expected-”



I balled my free hand into a fist. “Leave it.”



She nodded and placed her spoon on the table mat. “Okay. Well… to change the subject, Cream is staying here for a few days. I often look after her when Barbara goes out of town. It will only be until Friday.”



So Cream was staying? I dug my claws into the wood and stared blankly at the sofa and my discarded blanket. Whether or not Mocha might know to keep her distance while I was panicked, what about Cream…? I desperately hoped she asked me to leave. It would make the decision easier.



“I thought it might be nice if we all watched a movie tonight,” Mocha went on. “Would you like that?”



I turned my head fully towards her. It was as if she knew I’d been thinking about leaving and was trying to find some way to keep me around. I grimaced slightly, but she read my face like a book.



“She’ll be in my room,” she explained. “With me. I’m not going to force you if you’re not comfortable with it. It’s not as if you don’t have anywhere else to go.”



“You want me out?” My attempts to mask my hopefulness coloured the statement with regret.



“Not at all. In fact, I’d quite enjoy it. And I know Cream would, she’s already been throwing movie suggestions at me.”



I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my muzzle. “Fine. I’ll come straight back when I’m finished at the Chaotix.”



A small smile tugged at her lips, briefly, before being replaced with a sad frown. “I’m really sorry if I’ve upset you. It was the last thing I wanted to do.”



I lowered my hand and gave her a nod. “I know. Just…”



I took in a trembling breath and looked up at the ceiling. Wherever I was going with that would only have gone in pointless circles. I waved a hand towards her and slipped from the kitchen to find the case file. It was sat beside my gloves on the table. I tugged them and my boots on then grabbed my jacket in my free hand. I soon regretted wearing it. The clear sky allowed the sun to bake the town and it wasn’t even noon. Even the gentle breeze wasn’t enough to cool me off.



I spotted Silver drifting a few feet above me, tailing me as he’d promised. Even he didn’t look happy. Had he noticed something was wrong? I shrugged it off and let myself into the Chaotix Agency. Words had barely formed in my mouth when a loud clatter came from the coffee table. For a brief moment I thought the weight of Vanilla’s case folder had broken it.



Standing on the other side of the table in a puddle of steaming coffee was a red echidna. His muzzle creased in a sneer and his violet eyes flitted over my body. His heavy gloves creaked as he clenched his fists tight and I braced myself for a pummeling. I wasn’t in the mood to fight… and with nothing to defend myself with, I’d have to fight dirty. But I wasn’t about to be this echidna’s punching bag.



“Oh yeah.” Vector cleared his throat behind me. “Infinite’s workin’ for us now.”



“What?!” The echidna narrowed his eyes over my shoulder.



“Yeah, helpin’ us find Vanilla.” Vector sounded much too cheerful. “Infinite, you know Knuckles?”



I narrowed my eyes at the echidna. “No.”



“He swooped in this morning,” said Charmy.



Knuckles waved a fist at me. “Are you kidding me, Vector?! You’re working with this scum?!”



My fur bristled and I began to bare my canines. Oh who was I kidding? I didn’t want to stick around in this office anymore. I let out a sigh and reached for the folder, but Knuckles took a step towards me, freezing me in my tracks.



“You have some nerve showing up here,” he growled.



“I’m not here by choice,” I said.



“What, so they’re holding you here against your will?” he scoffed. “You should be rotting in City Prison!”



My ears drooped and I clutched the folder to my chest. “At least we agree on something.”



“Knuckles, you really need to calm down,” said Espio.



I hadn’t noticed the chameleon creep up behind me, shuriken drawn. I briefly wondered who’s aid he was jumping to. Whatever. I wasn’t about to stick around and find out. I turned to leave, feeling the echidna’s violet death-glare on my back.



“Knuckles is only here to tell us about Eggman attacking Angel Island,” said Vector. “Given he’s already filled Sonic in on it all at a ridiculous hour in the morning, he’ll probably wanna be on his way soon, so…”



My ears pricked up and I froze with my hand on the door handle. An Eggman attack? Another one?



“You can’t go yet, Knuckles!” said Charmy. “You said you’d play video games with me!”



“Well he’s not. It’s a work day,” said Espio.



I glanced back over my left shoulder. Espio was still holding his shuriken, although no longer poised to use it. Knuckles stood at the ready beside him, leering at me.



Vector was out of my line of sight, but I heard him clearly. “He attacked you, too. Right?”



Knuckles raised an eyebrow at this, softening his glare slightly.



“Just a bunch of Egg Pawns,” I said. “I hardly think it was personal.”



“Given he’s only been attacking inhabited areas,” said Espio slowly, “I’m beginning to think you were actually his target.”



“I’m just one jackal,” I said.



“And I’m just one echidna,” said Knuckles. “But that didn’t stop him from dropping a giant robot fox on my island.” He paused and closed his eyes. “Stupid thing put up a good fight, too.”



“What do you think he wanted?” Espio asked. “The Master Emerald?”



“Probably.” Knuckles fixed one eye on me and folded his arms. “I’m beginning to wonder… given I’m not the only target with a powerful jewel.”



My pulse quickened at those words and my eyes widened with panic. I tugged the folder up to cover the Phantom Ruby and flashed a canine. “What would he want with it?! It’s dead!”



“I don’t know,” said Espio. “Maybe he’s found a way to power it again?”



My chest tightened and I staggered backwards into the door. No. They had to be wrong. My eyes darted to every corner of the hallway as my breath began to quicken.



“I need some air.” I tugged the door open.



“We’re only throwin’ guesses around!” said Vector. “We’re probably wrong! Infinite?”



I slammed the door behind me and leant against it, letting the breeze wash over me. It didn’t do much. My fur was slick with sweat beneath my jacket and my head was starting to spin. I tugged my jacket off and dropped it beside me, then slid to the floor.



Surely Eggman didn’t want this stupid Phantom Ruby replica? He’d already tried it once and it had failed. It wasn’t like him to recycle a failed experiment. He’d tossed me aside the moment the real Phantom Ruby left our world. Even tried to kill me ‘for failing him’. I’d have written his attack off as a clean-up effort if it weren’t for the other attacks.



No… it couldn’t be the ruby he was after. We had to be missing something?



I rubbed my face with my hands and let out a low groan. I didn’t need this right now. Looking for Vanilla should be my top priority, not worrying about ‘what ifs’ and ‘maybes’.



A blue light flickered beside me and I lowered my hands to spot Silver floating a couple of inches above the grass.



“Is everything okay?” he asked.



I opened my mouth to answer but the door opened and I toppled backwards through it. Knuckles stared down at me with one hand still on the door handle.



“All right,” he said. “I’m convinced.”



He stepped over me then held out a hand. I stared at it as I pushed myself back up. My head was still spinning and I placed my right hand over my ear. His fingers curled inside his boxing glove, urging me to take it. I glared at it, swishing my tail. Then I let out a sigh and took it. He tugged me to my feet with surprising strength and I had to steady myself against the doorway to stop myself from falling over.



“I’m not sure how much I can trust you,” he said, “but if you’re fighting Eggman then that puts us-”



“I have no desire to confront Eggman,” I said.



The echidna closed his eyes and shrugged. “Suit yourself. But after his little stunt, I really feel like smashin’ some robots.”



“Count me out,” I said.



“Fine, I ain’t complaining. That just means more badniks for me to trash.”



I didn’t reply. I pinched the bridge of my muzzle as I tried to stop my racing thoughts.



“Besides,” Knuckles went on. “If he is after that ruby, I know I won’t make it easy.”



I opened my eyes to look at him, meeting his half-smile.



“I think I speak for everyone here when I say I don’t wanna live through that again,” he said.



I lowered my hand and sighed. “That’s something else we can agree on.”



Silver nudged my arm with my jacket as he handed it back to me. “Eggman would have to get through all of us if the Phantom Ruby is his target.”



I tucked my jacket under one arm and leant back against the wooden frame. A few splinters dug into my shoulder. Well, at least I wasn’t alone. Oddly enough it wasn’t very comforting.



“With that talk, Knux, you sound like you aren’t planning to head back to Angel Island,” said Vector from behind me.



Knuckles turned to look up at the sky and grunted. “I might stick around. I kinda wanna know what Eggman’s up to. Besides, Mighty and Ray can handle things for a little while.”



“So… you’re sticking with us?” Vector asked.



“Nope,” said Knuckles. “I’m gonna go find Sonic. I need to burn off some steam.”



He leapt into the air and glided swiftly towards one of the castle’s open windows.



I frowned after him and pushed myself back from the door. “Sounds like he’s looking for a fight.”



“Aye,” said Vector.



“Shouldn’t we be stopping that?” I asked.



“Nah!” Vector waved a hand and pushed between Espio and Charmy as he moved back through the corridor. “They do it all the time.”



“They turn the beach into their own personal arena,” said Charmy. “I’m going to watch.”



The little bee zipped off over my head, narrowly missing Espio’s hand as he grabbed for his stinger.



“Charmy, we’re meant to be working!” Espio bellowed.



“Leave him,” said Vector. “He’ll come back when he’s hungry.”



As the two detectives vanished back into their office, I caught a sympathetic glance off Silver.



“Are you all right?” he asked. “You seemed to go a bit-”



“I’m fine.” I turned and skulked back into the office, letting the door close behind me.



I stood with my back against it for a moment as I tried to gather my thoughts. The nightmarish dread concerning the Phantom Ruby was already beginning to feel like the aftermath of a bad dream. Hopefully it would stay that way and never come up again. I shook my head to dispel the lingering thoughts and joined the detectives in their office. I tossed the folder onto the table and flopped onto the sofa. That dang spring! I shifted to the side to avoid its painful jabbing.



“Sorry about all that,” said Espio. “Knuckles can be a bit… well…”



“A bit of a knuckle-head,” said Vector.



I grunted and accepted a fresh coffee off Espio. I didn’t care if it was my fourth that morning.



“Did that list of names help at all?” Vector asked from behind his sandwich.



“I’ve not had a chance to look at it yet,” I said.



The crocodile huffed. “Decided to have a quiet Sunday then? I feel ya.”



Sunday… I clutched the mug to my chest as I thought back to the events in the park. It seemed to lift me a little and I sipped my hot coffee as I tried to let those memories take over. But there was still that lingering dread hovering over me like a dense fog. Still that back-and-forth argument warring in my mind.



I tried to humour the Chaotix by ‘reading’ over that list of names. But I barely took any of it in. I only became aware of the time when the door flew open and a very sandy Knuckles traipsed in.



“How did it go?” Vector asked.



“I don’t want to talk about it,” grunted the echidna.



He marched behind the sofa towards the closed door separating the detectives’ sleeping quarters. The echoing footsteps alerted me to the presence of stairs, and a whoosh of water erupted from the floor above. It was followed by an ominous dripping and Espio ducked behind the sofa with a bucket. I looked up at the leak in the ceiling then back down at the list.



“You really need a new office,” I grumbled.



Vector grunted and turned the page of his newspaper. “If you wanna pay for it, be my guest.”



When I found myself shooed from the office at six pm, it really dawned on me how rattled I was feeling. I hadn’t eaten a bite all day, too lost in my own thoughts. I rubbed my hand through my mane and made my way back towards Mocha’s house. I deeply hoped her promised movie night would bring back the feelings I’d had the previous day. What had started out as merely ‘acting’ had actually done something to me, and whatever was going on in my head was rabidly beating it back down from whatever depths it had emerged from.



As I opened Mocha’s door, the smells of baking assaulted me. Sugar, frosting and chocolate, almost beating me back out into the garden. I resisted and hung my coat up on the coat rack.



“You’re home!” Cream raced from the kitchen and hung from my right arm.



My heart did a somersault. Home? Since when did I live here? I stared down at her beaming face and she released me.



“We made fairy cakes for tonight!” she said.



“Chao!” Cheese licked his lips and zipped back into the kitchen.



“And we also have popcorn and marshmallows and other nice snacks!” Cream went on.



“We also made pasta, so I hope you’re hungry.” Mocha poked her head around the door. “Welcome back, by the way.”



She didn’t appear remotely phased by Cream’s sudden announcement. I abandoned the folder to the coffee table then followed the rabbit into the kitchen where a pan of spaghetti sauce was bubbling away. The faint notes of nutmeg blended with that of the cakes so perfectly you’d fail to notice the place hadn’t been warped into a bakery in my absence.



“I might be hungry,” I said quietly.



Mocha turned from the pan and looked me up and down. “Please tell me you’ve eaten something today.”



I sighed and rubbed my face. What was I meant to do? Lie?



It was pointless even trying. She’d seen right through me.



“For goodness’ sake, Infinite,” she said. “I might have a word with the Chaotix to pin you down and force-feed you.”



Cream stared up at me with a frown. “Are you not feeling well again?”



I gave a small sigh and decided to resort to ‘acting’.



“It’s nothing a fairy cake can’t fix.” I sank down at my usual spot at the table.



Cream wagged a finger at me. “Those are for dessert! And you can only have one if you finish your meal.”



I raised my hands in mock defeat. “Okay, Miss.”



“Well done, Cream.” Mocha placed a heaping bowl in front of me. “What you don’t finish, you can have for breakfast.”



I wasn’t convinced she was joking.



When everyone had settled at the table, I decided to venture a conversation.



“So Barbara’s out of town?” I asked.



“Yup!” Cream licked sauce off her fork’s handle. “She’s visiting family in the big city.”



“’Big city’? Which one?”



“New Westopolis,” she said.



I cocked an eyebrow. “What makes it ‘new’?”



Cream looked to Mocha for an answer.



“It was flattened, so they didn’t really know what to do with it,” she explained. “So they merged it with the surrounding villages and incorporated more nature into it. It’s less of a concrete jungle now, but it’s a lot bigger and…”



She trailed off as I shifted and diverted my gaze to the window.



“I’m sorry,” she said. “We can change the topic.”



“No.” I waved my fork at her. “Go on. So she’s visiting family?”



I desperately tried to keep focused during the rest of the conversation, learning all about Barbara’s family in the city. What Cream knew of them anyway. When we migrated back to the living room, all I wanted to do was lie on the sofa and stare at the ceiling as I tried to block out images of a flattened Westopolis. But there was no chance of that. Cream and Cheese gathered all the cushions on the floor into a little nest, and grabbed the nearby blankets that had not been there that morning.



I stared down at it all and folded my arms. “Is this some kind of girly movie night?”



“Not quite.” Cream flopped onto the far right of the ‘nest’ and tapped the spot beside her. “You’re in the middle!”



“What?” My eyes widened. “… You’re not planning a horror movie and expecting to use me as a shield?”



Cream and Cheese shook their heads. “Not at all. This is a movie about a princess trying to find her prince!”



So it was a girly movie night? Oh well. I let out a sigh and fell down beside her. Mocha wasn’t far behind, carrying a tray of treats. She settled down beside me and I shifted uneasily. Longing for a little bubble pod somewhere. I huddled into myself if only to give myself a bit more space, but I soon found a blanket draped across my lap.



“So… you guys do this a lot?” I ventured.



“Yup!” Cream reached for the cakes and offered me one. “They have marshmallows in.”



As I stared at the tiny cake in my hand I couldn’t help but think this was going to be the most sickly sweet evening of my life. Ever.



The movie actually wasn’t all that bad. It had a comical, grumpy horse that kept putting the prince in his place. The princess could also pull her weight, and actually didn’t want to be royalty. It was apparent that neither of the girls had seen the movie. Especially given when the prince finally kissed the princess, Cream threw her arms in the air and sent popcorn raining down on me. Much to her, Cheese’s and Mocha’s amusement. The chao decided the best clean-up option was to eat each piece that had landed on and around me.



“I’m just glad it wasn’t butter,” I muttered.



Mocha covered her mouth and chuckled. “It was. I’m sorry.”



I slapped a hand to my face, where I discovered she wasn’t lying. I ended up laughing myself as I wiped a streak of butter from my muzzle.



“Oh! Look!” Cream grabbed my arm and shook me. “They’re getting married now!”



“Oh good,” said Mocha. “I do like it when movies have a happy ending.”



I curled my tail around my feet and sat back against the sofa. Happy endings… I wondered how much that was just a movie thing. When the credits rolled, Mocha slid out from the blanket and scooped up the tray.



“Okay, Cream,” she said. “It’s almost nine thirty. You should be getting to bed.”



“Aww.” She hugged a scatter pillow to her chest. “Maybe a cocoa first?”



“Okay. A cocoa.” Mocha went into the kitchen.



“With marshmallows?!” Cream leapt from the ‘nest’ and scampered after the possum, with an eager Cheese in tow.



I stared down at the pile of cushions and blankets, wondering if I should clear up. I hoisted the cushions back where they belonged and folded the blankets as best I could. As I was dragging the coffee table back, Mocha and Cream came back in.



“I made you one, too,” said Cream.



I found a hot mug of cocoa thrust into my hands. Complete with cream and marshmallows. Cheese still had hold of the packet, unwilling to relinquish it.



“Fine,” said Mocha. “Just make sure you put it back when you’re done. I’ll be cleaning up.”



“Do you want a hand?” I asked.



She shook her head. “You’re fine. It’s not too much, and I quite like doing it.”



I watched her go then took a sip of my cocoa. I jolted back as whipped cream smeared up my muzzle and swiped it off with my hand. Cream and Cheese burst out laughing and the little rabbit shook her head.



“I guess there’s a knack to it?” I asked.



She licked at the cream in her mug then said, “Yep!”



I rolled my eyes and ventured to be more careful.



“So what did you think of the movie?” she asked.



I shrugged. “It wasn’t bad.”



“Wasn’t bad?” Her brown eyes almost took over her face. “I thought it was amazing! And the prince was so handsome.”



“I don’t know,” I said. “I guess I’m more of an action fan.”



“There was action in it,” said Cream. “What about all the sword fights? Like that scene with the evil knight?”



“Oh yes,” I said. “That was one of the good scenes.”



“Was it too girly for you?” She chuckled.



“Maybe a little.” I put a lot of sarcastic emphasis on ‘little’.



“Then maybe you can choose the next one?” She reached into the marshmallow bag and plopped one into her rapidly diminishing drink.



I stared into my cocoa, now visible through a neat hole in the milky cream. I licked sticky marshmallows from my lips as I mulled over her words. The next one… of course, she was staying for a few days. Maybe it wouldn’t be so terrible to get involved?



“I’ll have a think,” I said.



“I look forward to it!”



A few squeals came from Cheese and Cream turned her attention to the chao. His entire upper half was buried in the marshmallow bag.



“Cheese!” Cream gasped, snatching the bag and sending him tumbling over the sofa. “Please, stop! You’ll be up all night!”



The chao flailed his arms as he tried to grab the bag back. I decided it would probably be a good idea to relinquish my drink to the table rather than risk spilling it during their playful scrap. Cream bundled the bag onto my lap, not taking her eyes off the chao.



“There. Mister Infinite will keep them from you,” she said as she reached for her cocoa.



I looked between the bag of remaining marshmallows and the pouting chao. I winked at him then reached into the bag and tossed a pink one his way. He let out a squeal of delight and stuffed the entire thing into his mouth. Cream gasped and almost spilled her cocoa.



“Mister Infinite!” she squeaked, but a chuckle escaped her. “You are a bad influence!”



“What?” I feigned innocence and tossed another marshmallow towards the chao.



“Stop it!” She clambered towards me and I held the bag behind my back. “Give it here!”



She tried to reach over my shoulder and I raised an eyebrow at the chao. “A little help here, Cheese?”



He shot from the sky and snatched the marshmallows before she could grab it.



“Cheese!” she squealed as she leapt from the sofa.



He hovered higher and I raised my hands. He tossed the bag back over her head and I snatched it from the air. Cream rounded on me and pouted. Then dived onto my lap, winding me. She flailed for the bag and managed to grab it from my hands, then slumped back beside me and wagged a finger.



“Like I said,” she said. “Bad influence!”



I shrugged and gave her a playful smile as I reclaimed my mug from the table. “What? Us guys have to stick together.” Those words took me by surprise and I glanced away from her and hugged the mug to my chest. “Or something like that…”



She took the bag back and stuffed it down the side of the sofa cushion. “Then I’ll keep an eye on it! Otherwise there’ll be none left for tomorrow.”



Cheese folded his arms and fluttered away from her in a sulk.



“You can have more tomorrow, Cheese,” she said.



The chao’s demeanor swiftly changed and he performed a pirouette in the air.



“Okay!” Mocha strolled back in, wiping her hands on her dungarees. “It’s off to bed, missy! You, too, Cheese.”



Cream quickly finished her cocoa and relinquished her mug to the table. She quickly bade me goodnight and zipped up the stairs after her chao friend.



Mocha gathered up the pile of blankets and smiled down at me.



“So… are you heading up now?” I asked.



“I’ll give her a moment to get settled.” She handed me the top blanket then smoothed out the one beneath it. “You seem brighter.”



I cleared my throat and glanced towards the fireplace. “She’s a sweet kid.”



“She does have a way of lifting the mood.”



I reached across to the coffee table and nudged the case file towards me. But it left a hollow feeling in my gut. Mocha edged up beside me and followed my gaze.



“Do you really think you can find Vanilla?” she asked quietly.



I sighed and rubbed my brow. “I really want to believe she’s alive.”



“But…?”



I sank back in my seat and glanced up at her. “It doesn’t bare thinking about, does it?”



I caught Mocha’s eye and she reached out a hand towards me, then retracted it back to the blankets. “She’ll probably want these.” She turned towards the stairs and paused in the doorway. “Good night.”



“Yeah.”



I waited until the door closed and slumped sideways onto the sofa. The soft crinkle of plastic tickled my ear and I reached beside the cushion to remove the marshmallow bag, discarding it to the table. Right beside the case folder.



I had to be wrong, I just had to be. Vanilla had to be alive. I needed her to be alive.



As I stared at it, that feeling of dread began to wash over me again. I thought it had gone, so why was it back? What was it? Loneliness? I closed my eyes and wrapped my tail around myself as it whipped up a cyclone in my mind.



I needed to take my mind off it. Maybe I could find that book I’d been reading that morning? I sought it out and curled back up on the sofa with every intention to get lost in it. But I couldn’t focus. My mind kept running over ‘what ifs’.



What if Knuckles was right and Eggman actually wanted to start up the Phantom Ruby again? What would become of me then?



What if I had one of my nightmares again and Cream came down to find me like that?



What if… What if I actually hurt her?



I dropped the book to the floor and screwed my eyes shut.



I knew what that feeling was. It was fear.



Fear that I’d hurt the people I was growing close to.



Fear they’d hurt me.



Fear I didn’t belong here.



Fear that it was all a lie.



Fear the Phantom Ruby would come back and destroy everything all over again.



And there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.