Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. They all belong to SEGA.

The story, however, belongs to me.

Story Beta Read by: Pepper1622

~1~

-It'll Happen Sooner Than You Think-

My emerald eyes gaze up through the thick branches of the tree I currently rest in, taking in the beauty of the afternoon sky. It's been six months since we arrived back on Mobius, three since Chris returned back home to his planet. Not much has changed, really.

Being back on Mobius is a bit different than Earth. I mean, we have a few shopping areas and stores scattered about, but there's a lot more wild life and wide open areas. We Mobians tend to pick out where we want to stay and build our own homes, so you'll see a lot of unique buildings around compared to those on Earth.

I hop down from the tall tree, landing lightly on my feet, and take a deep breath of fresh air. "Time to get back to Tails' place. I'm sure he's wondering where I've been," I voice aloud to the nature around me. With the speed I'm know for, I take off towards the only beach on Westside Island. Although I loathe water, I don't mind hanging out at the beach sometimes.

Skidding to a stop on the porch of the familiar house/workshop, I simply walk in like I own the place. Before I can call a greeting to Tails, though, I'm tackle-hugged to the ground by a bundle a pink quills. Oh, joy.

"Oh, Sonic! I'm so happy you're here! I have some great news! I just got my Bound Mark!" she shouts excitedly in my ear while hugging me tightly around the waist. My struggles to break free cease at those words.

Bound Mark.

That's why I was gone for a few days longer than usual. After the whole Metarex incident, I gave Tails the white seed I found where Cosmo was last… alive and he planted it as soon as we arrived back on Mobius. Well, it appears to be on its way to forming a giant rose bud, and I mean giant. Tails and I were at first confused by this until he came up with the idea that maybe, just maybe, this specific seed would bring Cosmo back.

That's when he got his Mark. On his lower back is the picture of a blossoming red rose.

Chaos Bound are mates who are perfectly suited for each other based on their Chaos energy. We know Chaos energy can be very powerful in Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald, but it's also like a representation of your personality when it comes to Mobians. Everyone is born with someone who complements their personality completely.

Every Mobian receives their Bound Mark at some point in their lives, usually when one has come in contact with one's Chaos Bound. It represents one's destined mate. Some Mobians are lucky enough to find their significant other, but others never do and end up settling with another who makes them happy, just not as happy as if they had been with their destined. The fact that Tails is paired up with someone plant-based is pretty unusual, but from what I felt during that final battle with the Metarex, she does have Chaos energy, oddly enough.

When his Mark showed up, I decided to take my leave and give him some time alone, and at the same time I'd think about things on my own. I've always known about Bound Marks—I mean every Mobian does—but what bothered me is: where is my Mark? I mean, I've thought of this for as long as I can remember. My mate would be… perfect. Someone that can keep up with me. A person that will love me for me. I take care of the world; it's only fair that I'd get someone to look after me for a change.

But at age nineteen, I'm really starting to lose hope, which is really unusual for me. Maybe there just isn't anyone—

"HELLO! Mobius to Sonic!" Amy's voice suddenly brings me crashing from my thoughts and to the cozy living room we currently occupy.

"Huh…? Oh, yeah! So what does yours look like?" I ask simply out of politeness, since I know for a fact we aren't a match.

She finally gets off of me and sits on her knees with an excited smile on her face. "It's on my shoulder! Here—have a look." She turns to the side, baring her right shoulder and parting her pink fur so that I can see. I scoot closer and notice immediately what looks like the shape of a green hedgehog's head whose quills look wicked and dangerous in their curved state. Interesting.

"So are we mates, Sonic? I mean, I can tell this is a hedgehog, so maybe—"

"No, Ames, we're not mates," I interrupt before she can try and tell me otherwise.

Her expression turns downcast. "But why?" she asks desperately.

"First off, I'm not green. Second, I don't have my Mark yet, and I would by now if we were mates. Sorry, Ames, but look on the bright side. You know he's a hedgehog and he's green. Who knows? You might meet him sooner than you think," I try to sooth her and pray that she lets the idea of us being together finally go.

She looks at me sadly with her forest green eyes before nodding slowly. "…okay."

Phew.

"But!" Damn. "Promise me that if I don't find him one day that we'll be together, okay?" she compromises instead.

I look down for a long moment, considering. "…fine, but that's only if I don't find my mate, and we each have to try our best to find the person we're destined to be with first."

She throws her arms around me for another one of her hugs, nuzzling happily into me while I awkwardly hug her back. "Oh, thanks, Sonic!"

What have I gotten myself into?

"Hey, guys? Um, what's going on?" Tails' voice thankfully saves me from having to stay in this position any longer. I quickly dislodge the pink furry body from on top of me and stand up to move over to his location by the stairs.

"Oh, Amy was just showing me her Bound Mark. How have you been, little buddy?" I question while ruffling his bangs affectionately.

He giggles and swats my hand away playfully before answering with joy. "I've been well. The rosebud seems to be developing more fully. She should be ready to come out in a couple weeks' time," he tells me with absolute happiness in his bright blue eyes.

"Well, I'm happy for you, buddy," I tell him sincerely.

"Me too! I can't wait for Cosmo to come back. She was such a joy to be around," Amy pipes up from her place on the dark brown couch.

Tails turns a smile in Amy's direction before asking me a question I'd hoped that I had dodged. "So where were you for the past few days? I was thinking that maybe Eggman had attacked or something."

I move my hand up to my head quills in slight nervousness. "Nah. You know ol' Egghead is still recovering from the beating we gave him last week."

His inquisitive baby-blues turn to me in curiosity. "Then what happened?"

"I just needed a little time to think, that's all," I say while turning my emerald irises up to look at the ceiling instead of his piercing eyes.

"Really? What about?" Amy asks, wanting to know what her hero could possibly spend his time thinking about.

"Oh! Uh, just, uh… just about… Knuckles!" I shout in the end.

The looks I receive are downright weird.

"You were gone for days… thinking about Knuckles?" Tails asks awkwardly.

"Well, yeah. I mean no. I was thinking about how he and Rouge are mates. We kind of all saw that one coming," I hastily try to correct, feeling my cheeks turn a light shade of red.

Both of their mouths form an "O" before they chime in. "Yeah, I always thought their arguing was really flirting in disguise," Amy says with a hint of smugness in her tone.

"Yeah, and Knuckles always used to blush all the time around Rouge," Tails points out with a finger to his chin.

"So I was just wondering how well things were going with them, is all. No need to worry about me. Umm, Amy, want to go to the shopping district with me for a bit?" I hastily ask, trying to get their thoughts off of the strangeness of the situation.

She springs up in her seat with eagerness. "Sure!"

It's about two seconds later that I realize what a horrible position this could be. Hoping to rectify the situation, I turn my attention to Tails, who's staring at me with amusement. "Hey, Tails, wanna come with?"

His eyes twinkle with mirth as he answers, "Actually, I wanted to make more adjustments on the X Tornado, so I'm pretty busy, but I'm sure you guys will have fun."

Looking at the smiling girl clinging to my arm makes me highly doubt that.

~XxX~

"Uhh, Ames? You do know we're going as friends, right?" I ask her hesitantly while slowly trying to escape her clingy grip.

"Well, of course, silly! We made a deal, right?" she answers, seemingly not getting my message.

"Yeah. So can you let me go?"

We stop on the gravely path set along through the unique buildings that sell clothes of all types, food of all sorts, and all kinds of gadgets you might need.

She looks at me then takes a step away with a sheepish smile. "Oh. Right. Sorry. It's going to take a while to get used to." She chuckles nervously as we start walking again.

"It's fine. So do you see anything you like so far?" I inquire while looking at the many different kinds of jewelry on the stand near us. She'll definitely want something from here.

The currency on Mobius is Rings, unlike on Earth. Most Mobians work to earn them, but Tails and I simply travel through the more hazardous parts of the Zones to collect them, as there are so many scattered about. I'm pretty sure a lot of others would do the same as well, but they see it as dangerous and only crazy people would do it.

"Oh, this is so pretty!" Amy squeals as she fawns over a specific piece of jewelry. I shake my head and smile gently as I look at her. She may be seventeen, but she's still a girl. I'm honestly willing to buy it for her, but I have to emphasize that it's just a gift from a friend.

Just as I make my way over to where she's standing, a form bumps into me.

"Whoa! I'm so—" The word dies on my lips as I get a look at the furred being in front of me. His pelt is the color of the darkest midnight, highlighted in red so deep it resembles that of fresh blood trailing along his uniquely upturned quills, arms, and legs. I ogle the fluffy white tuft of fur on his chest that seems to completely contrast the dark aura he seems to give off. I manage to take in a breath to avoid suffocating and look into his eyes—his very crimson eyes.

Feeling at a loss for words as we maintain eye contact, I actually feel my knees go weak when he speaks instead. "I apologize. I wasn't looking where I was going."

So deep and smooth… almost silk-like. I nod in response and feel a great disappointment when he abruptly turns away from me and continues on his path. I try to see where he goes, but he seems to vanish into thin air.

"Sonic!" Amy's voice pulls me back to Mobius, and I turn to see that she holds an intricately designed pink-and-green necklace gingerly in her hands. "Who was that guy?" she asks while nodding her head in the general direction he disappeared off in.

"I don't know." My voice sounds soft as I think of his figure.

"Well, he looked creepy. I think you should stay away from him if you see him again," she tells me sternly like a mother hen.

Creepy? I thought he looked handsome…. I blush hotly at the thought and shake my head to be rid of it. What's up with that? I don't even know him… I decide to ask about the necklace to bring her thoughts away from the mysterious obsidian hedgehog. "So is that the one you want?"

She looks down at the pink-and-green jewels in her hand as if just remembering why we're here. "Oh, yeah! Don't you think it's pretty?" she exclaims while holding it closer to my face.

I take a step back in apprehension as I try to think of an intelligent response. "Uh… well… I-I—"

"It is, isn't it? Help me try it on, okay?" she demands while handing me the precious jewelry.

I gently clasp the necklace in place around her fragile neck when she turns around for me to do so. When she faces me again her smile is bright and radiant. "So how does it look?"

I smile and rub the top of her head like I do with Tails as I answer. "It looks perfect."

"Aww, thanks, Sonic!" She blushes with joy before her visage changes and a gasp of surprise escapes her. "Sonic, what's wrong? Your fur near your neck looks really irritated!" she voices in worry while taking a closer inspection at the indicated area.

I arch an eyebrow and rub the general area, having not felt anything painful in that place for it to be aggravated. "Huh. That's odd. It doesn't feel bad. I'll just take a look when I get back to the workshop, okay?" I try to reassure her while slowly guiding her towards the vendor.

"If you're sure…" she trails off hesitantly when we reach the friendly female wolf. As I hand over the Rings, I can't help but take a last glance at where I last saw him. I'm going to find you one day, and when I do… I'm going to learn everything about you.

The story has finally arrived! ^_^ This chapter is mostly an introduction to Sonic and Shadow will be getting the same treatment next chapter!

Thanks for tuning in and giving this story a shot! Next chapter will be up next week :)

Oh and just in case you haven't checked my profile, I have a completed short story posted on Sonadow*dot*com called Forever In Denial. So go check it out if you want!