The Place With No Name

It was the flat Highway 20 that separated family from intruder. Not that the intruder could necessarily be blamed, of course, as that would be like blaming a blind man for bumping into a passerby on the sidewalk. The longest portion of the road with no curves or bends stretched about three miles, give or take, so that nearly everything could be seen on it. The view when standing in the median was akin to looking down the barrel of a gun or through a telescope. Often times the highway was used as a speed boost to one's destination, since the forest on either side of the pavement was horridly unkempt and protruded into the emergency lane, leaving no room for police to camp out and wait for thrill-seekers.

The night was black as pitch, and all was quiet for what seemed like lightyears. The wind was slow, rolling through the darkness like a predator. That characteristic actually might had been the most odd, as everything seemed to go fast back then. The old highway was the time's prime victim, and time had shown it no mercy. It sat still in the middle of it all, not a car to be seen on it for miles. It knew, however, that one would come sooner rather than later. The same car, every night, count on it.

It was only a minute or two past midnight, and the highway had already begun to anticipate it. For Sonic The Hedgehog, it was a familiar road. Curve right, curve left, floor it. For three straight miles. He needed to be especially quick that night; he had reasons for that particular extreme he took. For the others, he left no justification fathomable. It actually hit himself the hardest, because for him, more than any other, the results would go unexplained.

The car roared onto the strip, and Sonic was absolutely loving it. Speed was his thing, after all. He gritted his teeth and bowed up in his seat, feeling the acceleration in the steering wheel. He had no cover on the Jeep that night, simply because he enjoyed the wind blowing his quills as much as he enjoyed breaking the rules. Not just the lackadaisically enforced speed limit of the road; he broke the rules of society. That's just who he was. He lived on the edge, and constantly looked for one to teeter over. He was drawn to the challenge, because he knew he had the slightest chance to walk away with his middle fingers in the air, completely unscathed. Nothing would deny him, and nothing would ever slow him down.

The same goes for when his phone began to vibrate, snugly tucked into his cup holder. He reached for it, and felt his gold wedding band leaning against the back of it. This made some color rise to his cheeks, and he slipped it on his finger before checking the device. The bright screen of his iPhone revealed the message.

that was fun. :) when can we meet up again?

Sonic chuckled to himself, and glanced back up to lines of the road speeding past him. The phone captivated his senses once more; he unlocked it, and he began typing:

i dunno, but i cant wait to c u again

Just before he could hit send, one of his fingers twitched, and the phone fell to the floorboard with a 'thunk'. He swore under his breath, and quickly twisted his body so that he could scavenge for it with his free hand. He found that it had slid slightly under his seat, but was only able to lay a finger on it. Just as he touched the bulky case, he suddenly felt a jerk in the steering wheel. He shot up to see that he was slowly veering into the south-bound lane, towards oncoming traffic if any traffic were present. When he attempted to take control of the Jeep, it started to bump and sway as if the road had turned to gravel. Curious, Sonic fought valiantly to drag the auto to the right, where he pulled over as far as he could in the emergency lane.

He stepped down and onto the pavement, into the darkness of the night. A dense mist had dawned over the area, the product of recent rainfall. Immediately, he noticed that the car was lopsided by no small amount. The front driver-side wheel was horizontal on the bottom, leaking air by the second. Sonic got down on one knee, and swore again when he saw that a nail, thin and long, had punctured it. He stood, turned, and examined his surroundings again, hoping that he would find that two headlights had already pulled in behind him. The contrary was reality, however, as the only light present was that of the moon. He turned to the car again, a feeling of nervousness embedding itself inside him. He started to pace; he had no tools, no spares, and no excuses.

The most peculiar thing happened, though, just as he was about to make another lap around the motionless hunk of metal. A finger appeared out of thin air and caught him by surprise, tapping him twice on the shoulder. He gasped, and turned to meet his intruder, a pink hedgehog in a purple outfit, what seemed like traditional attire for a gypsy or belly dancer. Her quills met their ends at her shoulders, and her indifferent expression made her strikingly beautiful. Thick pieces of silk crossed over her breasts. Hanging off them was some thin, see-through material that stretched to her midsection, ending before it reached her stomach, which remained bare. Her smooth pants, which were tight at the ends and baggy at her knees, complimented the look. Sonic's eyes went wide, and he was on the verge of screaming.

He was able to control himself, however, and merely let out a shuddered exhale. "Good God!" He exclaimed, "You almost gave me a heart attack!" The woman said nothing, and simply smiled at his complicated behavior. Her soft, green eyes followed him with every questioning move he made, and before long, his movement stopped. Several moments of stillness passed.

Finally, the pink one extended her hand. "My name is Amy." She looked into - no, not into, for that would imply that she was on the same level as him - she looked through his eyes to peer into his nature. "And... If you choose to come with me... I can help you."

It was then that Sonic realized just how extraordinary this situation was. The woman had a magical feeling about her; as he drew near her, she made him feel that he was right. She made him rethink the limits of what he could do. Almost as if she had tacitly said to him, 'Come, Sonic, allow me to show you what you're capable of'. He embraced the feeling, grinned, and nodded as he squeezed her hand.

Amy turned, and led him straight into the overgrown brush, which seemed to part at their approach. They ventured into the unknown, into new territory. It all went very fast for Sonic, who kept a tight grip on the gypsy's hand. Some white flashed, exterminating the darkness and revealing their destination.

Bold green grass stretched for miles over the area. The amazing gold of the sun reflected in the a nearby lake, around which hundreds of people gathered, all hand in hand, smiling, singing songs. In the centermost part of it all, couples were scattered about having picnics in the field. A city was present to the right, but something seemed different about it. It wasn't flashy or modern; it didn't have buildings stretching to the stratosphere or large electronic signs everywhere one looked. Just a quiet little place. Sonic stood there, his mouth wide open, until the pink one motioned for him to follow her again. They made their way down a small hill to a street, where two bicycles rested on their kickstands on the sidewalk. They mounted, and set off in no particular direction.

The two passed many other cyclists on the road, so many that it became apparent to Sonic after a while that cars were nonexistent. They slowly made their way to the outskirts of the town, where a path revealed itself to them. It was inclined, and contained many twists and turns, but soon enough they made it to the end of it, and Sonic saw exactly why she had led him up.

The vast land unfolded for miles in front of the King and Queen of the skies. Now that they were above the treetops, they felt like they were in the clouds. It was an amazing sensation. Sonic looked out to forever, to where the planet curved on the horizon, and suddenly felt so small in comparison to everything around him. This world was so different, so slow; for once, he was enticed by nature, because he finally noticed nature.

Amy sighed, "This place is my home." She looked to Sonic, and then to the pink flowers below them. She picked one, and lifted it to her nose, smiling. "It's filled with love and happiness, you see... It's how we live."

"Why haven't I ever heard of it?"

The girl smirked at him, "You have. You just never knew what to call it."

Sonic nodded, and then dawned a confused look. He thought for a moment, "Well... What's it called, then?"

Amy continued staring out to her homeland, happy to be a source of information. She held out a finger, and within seconds a small blue jay landed on it, chirping away its own little song. "It has no name." She replied, "That's how it's able to roam free and let the world fly past it. The world overlooks it because the world doesn't know, and the world is afraid to know. The world is very ignorant, Sonic, you know this." He nodded, and the two enjoyed the scene together. After a while, the little bird tired of its tune, and it flew away to find another spot to sing. Amy watched as it left, and some tears formed in her eyes. Her mouth tightened as she fell into her hands, letting out a loud sob. "I'm... I'm sorry..." She said, "I've brought you here for selfish reasons..."

The blue one took a step closer to her, and put an arm around her shoulders. "Why do you say that?"

She looked across the horizon again, wiping at her tears. "This place is wonderful, Sonic... But I'm afraid I'm very lonely here. I... I just needed someone to talk to. And now I've spoiled you with these amazing sights... I'm sure you'll never forgive me when you don't look at the world the same." She sobbed again.

"I'm sure I will." He assured her, "And I will thank you for everything you've shown me." He glanced over the city once more. "I love your home. It's not like anything I've ever seen." She didn't look up, and continued to swipe at her pouring tears. "Here!" Sonic said, bending over and picking another begonia. "Take another flower. You're very pretty when you hold a flower, you know that?"

Amy took the blossom, and held it near. She looked to him, a clear glaze still present in her eyes, and tried to smile. "You don't mean that..."

"I do." He said, lifting her chin. Their eyes met, and the feeling of an agreement being reached dominated. They stayed like this for a while, unsure of what to do. With an insecure expression, she knew exactly, and with a confident expression, he knew not. The two closed their eyes and moved in close; their lips touched, leading to an intense kiss. The songs of love in the distance echoed, and happiness pursued throughout.

Time passed. Every day was the same. New experiences, but the same happiness was omnipresent in the same people of the same city. Sonic and Amy had moved to a beachside house, where they sat on a balcony taking in the sun. It was very quiet with the exception of the sound the waves made crashing onto the shore. The sand was white as the water was clear; everything was perfect. They had no neighbors, and had limited public appearance in favor of privacy. Not that they had anything to hide, of course. Not yet, at least. The two wore smiles. They always wore smiles.

The pink one stood, and leaned against the white rail overlooking the calmness. She wore a faded t-shirt and panties, much unlike the attire of their first meeting. She spoke first, "I... I do fear I'm befallen with thirst..."

"I'll get you a drink, m'lady." Sonic stood, made her giggle with a kiss on the cheek, and opened the sliding door to his bedroom. Before he was halfway through it, a sudden force displaced him, throwing him face-first onto the bed. When he flipped over, Amy sat between his hips, staring down at him with a devilish grin. The entire universe seemed to focus in on her face at that moment. She bent over, so that her chest touched his, and planted a quick, small kiss on his lips before beginning to unbutton his shirt. She mesmerized him with her beauty; he saw nothing but her, and was not sure if he truly wanted to see anything else. The shirt came off - well, both shirts came off, for that matter - and the pink one started to work at his pants. Just as the zipper was pulled at, however, Sonic had some emotional feeling overcome him. He grabbed her hands, stopping her.

"No..." He said, surprised with himself. He fumbled with his words, "I... Uh... I should really go."

She tilted her head, and there was a hint of desperation in her voice. "Wh-what do you mean?"

Sonic looked to his left and winced, as if his words were blows to his own gut. "I should really get home." Their eyes met again, his apologetic. "I've been away a long time."

Amy leaned back quietly in disbelief. "But... But this place..." She spread her arms out, "This place is wonderful... You said so yourself. You can't leave. Why would you ever want to leave?"

The blue one took a painful trip into his pocket, and slid his wallet out. After opening it, he turned it to show the girl a picture of a timid, lavender cat, smiling gracefully in the sun. The pink one scanned over it, and then shifted her eyes back to Sonic. A deep, maniacal chuckle came from the back of her throat, making the blue one take a look for himself. A perfect circle had been cut out of the picture, right over the feline's face. When he saw Amy again, her eyes were a deep, bloody red.

"I don't think I made myself clear..." She said demonically, fangs showing. "You can't leave. Don't you get it? I didn't choose you, Sonic..." She crawled up to his face, and lowered her voice. "You chose me. You chose this place. You made the decision to be my mate." She slid forward so that her crotch touched his neck, pinning his arms back with her legs and making him sweat. "So now this is your world. You have no other. Why do you lie to yourself?" Sonic strained to be in a different place, but the girl was unrelenting. She giggled, and ran her hands over his face.

Finally, the blue one mustered up enough strength to get his hand under her left knee, and he threw her to the side. He sprinted for the door and down the stairs; once outside, he turned to see that he wasn't being followed. He frantically checked his surroundings, confused, until the entire front wall of the house exploded to reveal Amy, in the form of some massive four-legged beast, chasing after him.

Sonic whipped around, and shot himself out of a proverbial cannon. He looked back, and she was in stride with him. As he ran, the green fields and happiness around him all turned to fire. He hit another gear, as did she. The ground shook each time one of her paws crashed with the ground, and Sonic felt the rumble well enough in his sternum. The inferno formed two walls on either side of him, each fifty feet high, leaving but one path to escape on. He hit another gear. The heat was getting to him. He looked back, still stride for stride. She let out some awful roar. Absolute chaos surrounded them. Miles it seemed they traveled like this. He winced, and desperately changed into his final gear. He checked behind him once more. She was closer.

The path of fire apparently circled around, and led them onto the beach. The soft sand caught Sonic off guard, and made him trip over his feet from the loss of traction. He tumbled to the edge of the shore, where he was able to gather himself and see all the destruction caused beyond the sand dunes. It wasn't another second, and the beast came speeding out of the blaze.

Within three strides, she was in attacking range. She leapt forward with another bone chilling roar, claws extended. Sonic backtracked a few feet, and threw his hands up out of pure fear. A few seconds passed with no fatality, and he slowly opened his eyes to find that some sort of clear shield had surrounded him, saving him from the monster. He cringed as the beast attempted to break through, but her efforts were to no avail. A loud thunder crack spooked both of them, and heavy rainfall followed.

"Okay..." The beast returned to its original form of a pink hedgehog. She looked around with a striking, angry stare. "What's going on?" Sonic backed to the end of his bubble, where the water was about knew-deep.

A crushingly deep voice boomed from above, "I see you've learned your lesson, Sonic..."

Amy rolled her eyes, "Oh, kill me..."

The speedster said nothing, his chest expanding with each deep, short breath he took. Fear paralyzed him, as he was still trying to shrug off the feeling of almost dying. Finally, the voice sounded again, "You're free to go, but the next time I call you... It won't be a warning."

The pink one crossed her arms, and glared at the sky. "Ya' just can't let me have one, huh?"

The voice came back with a devious laugh of its own, followed by an insane screeching noise. Sonic covered his ears as the fire in the distance turned purple, and everything else changed to white.

He awoke in the darkness of a hospital room, semi-dazed. Several pads connected to wires stretching to the heavens were stuck to his bare torso. He felt something in his palm, and weakly turned to see that it was another hand, connected to a sleeping figure in a chair next to him. The outline of a ponytail could barely be made out, but it was enough to make him smile, for he knew exactly whom it was. It was also not until then that he realized a nurse standing in the doorway, blocking most of the light from the hallway from entering.

She stood there, one hand on the frame of the door and the other on her hip. "She's been very loyal to you." She said, nodding at the feline next to him. "Almost every night she's fallen asleep right there in that chair, holdin' your hand just like that."

"How long was I-...?"

Her expression was thoughtful, as if she was trying to find a way to make him feel bad. "Three months."

Sonic winced, and endured the nurse's stare for a few more moments before she turned and walked away. The sound of the door closing made the sleeping one jerk, and she sat up to scan the room. She found the one she was attached to awake, and gasped. "S-Sonic! You're up!" She said, squeezing his hand with the cutest surprised smile. Moisture was forming in her eyes, "D-do you remember me?" She tilted her head, and brought her other hand to his.

The blue one took his time to answer. "Of course I do." He replied, with a grin. He was faltering, but was determined to say what had to be said. "You're my Blazie."

"Oh, thank God..." The cat's tears trickled down, and she leaned closer so that their foreheads and noses touched. She sobbed, and backed away to wipe her face. "They... They said you wouldn't live. Do you remember everything?"

Sonic sighed, "I wish I didn't." He let the silence fill in his blanks for a few moments. He looked at her with penitent eyes, which were starting to form moisture of their own. She looked back with ones that were equally forgiving. "Come here..." He faintly held his arm up, and she drew closer. He put a hand on the back of her head, and pulled her in for a long kiss. She yielded, and put both of her hands on his cheeks. Her tears of joy ran directly from her eyes to his muzzle, where they mixed with his tears of relief. The embrace lasted until they had to part for air. Sonic pulled her close again, and whispered:

"You're the only woman that matters to me..."

THE END

As she took me right through the fog...

I seen a beautiful city appear...

Where kids are playin' and,

People are laughin' and smilin' and,

No one's in fear.

She said, this is the place where no people have pain...

And in love and happiness...

She turned around, looked down at my eyes,

And started cryin',

She grabbed my hand, you've got a friend. Oh...

Take me to a place without no name...

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

1958 - Forever

((A/N: Hey everyone! So this is just a little curveball I threw in 'cuz I could... My original plan with this was to take several different MJ songs, write oneshots about them, and then publish them all on one story like an "album", but that's way too much work.X) I may go back and do that sometime, but definitely not in the near future. Corny much?

Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed... I tried a few things different in how I approached this and in how I wrote it. Maybe it turned out better?:3 Obviously, I've chosen to leave most of the storyline up to interpretation. Tell me what ya' think!

I don't own any of the characters, they belong to SEGA. I kinda' wish I did, though... I'd make them do naughty things.:P #WUT

Uh... In hindsight, given the general disposition of this fandom, maybe it wasn't the best idea to portray Amy as... Yeah...X,D Oh, well! I meant no harm in it, I promise you.X)

Thanks for reading! Love you all!))