Avalon

by The Andromeda Rose

The legends are true. Sir Launcelot (Shadow) has a son called Galahad (Silver). But like father like son, falls into the same trap his father did when he was young and careless with Guinevere. With the cobalt hero temporarily living in Avalon, he helps find the runaway son, who, unfortunately falls to a tragedy due to a misunderstanding. But will Nimue gives him a last chance?

A/N: UPDATED 16 JULY 2014

Okay, so this is not finished, I cut it off shortly after 'Galahad's tragedy.' I will update it soon, so my apologies that it has no chappies and cuts off abruptly without notice.

~Andi Rose

Avalon
By: The Andromeda Rose

Not long after Sonic defeated the Black Knight, Arthur, and is proclaimed the True King of Great Britain, Sonic wanders off; looking for the Lady Nimue to take him back to his own time, but eventually becomes distracted and begins a new adventure with Sir Launcelot.

"Sir, Sonic, come closer." the Lady Nimue holds her hand out toward the cobalt hedgehog, "We must go back to the time Sir Galahad was born, and only then will you understand how all this came to be."
"Galahad is Launcelot's son, right, Nimue?"
"Knave! Show some respect for the Lady Nimue and the Knights!"
"Geesh, okay, okay, you overgrown letter opener!"
"Now don't you start that again!"
"I'll stop it when you start calling me "Sonic!" " he retorted back with a light, and natural, British accent—similar to that of Cary Grant's accent if you must know (this will be explained later).
"Sirs, please," Lady Nimue stepped grasped the handle of the sword, Caliburn, and placed it firmly in the ground, "there is no time for arguing over a petty thing like that."
"Ames is right; let's get going." Sonic turned to the pink hedgehog, "Right?"
"Right." the Lady Nimue stretched forth her hand across the Lake, and touched the water, causing it to rise in a thin wall surrounding the trio. While Sonic seemed uneasy, and Caliburn and Nimue quite calm, the water turned from its clear blue colour to a vast array of colours and misted the three, causing them to slowly disappear from the area. When they had fully disappeared, the water dropped down suddenly, and slipped away back into the Lake where it had come from.

"Wow! Where are we?" Sonic looked around as his surroundings became clearer. They were in a dense fog, in a forest somewhere.
"We are in the Waste Lands." the sound of horses hooves interrupted their thought, "Quick! Get back into the bushes! Sir Launcelot approaches." she shooed the two back into the bushes along the path, then proceeded to hide herself also.
Sonic watched Sir Launcelot from the bushes, "That's Shadow! And why does he look so upset?"
"Shhh! He'll hear you!" Lady Nimue put her finger up to Sonic's lips, then whispered, "Listen to what Launcelot has to say—this is important that you hear it!" just as she was speaking, Launcelot stopped his dun coloured mare and dismounted her, then tied her reign to a tree near the brook to allow her to drink water. He sat near the edge of the brook, seeming distraught and saddened by something, "Grethell…the Summer after the Feast of Pentecost, I have rescued the Dolorous Lady, and I am now at Castle of Case, where, I, Sir Launcelot, married Elaine, thinking her to be my dear Guinevere, Arthur's queen—but, alas! I have bounded myself to Elaine because of my love for the dear Guinevere! And, alas, our love must still be hidden from the Court of King Arthur! Even my sorrow from my marriage to Lady Elaine!" he buried his face into his hands, crying, "I have brought shame to myself, Grethell!" he turned away from the horse and ran across the brook into another part of the forest still distraught.
"Shadow? Wait up!" the cobalt hedgehog started after his friend, but Lady Nimue stopped him, reminding him that Launcelot would not know him since the one he knows is from another dimension, "Lady Nimue! Can't I at least try to help him in some way?—even though he doesn't remember or know me, it's the least I can do."
"Well, I suppose. But you must promise me to not do anything radical that might change the Future, Sonic."
"You have a Knight's Honour!"
"A Knight's Honour?"
"Eh-heh…" he smiled nervously, "Er…is it a Knight's Promise?"
"No such thing."
"Oh. Well, then. A simple promise will do."
"You promise?"
"Yeah! I wouldn't've said it if I didn't mean it, Nimue." he winked at the pink hedgehog.
"Knave! What have I told you hundreds of times before?! Show the Lady of the Lake some respect!"
"Oops…sorry 'bout that Ames—er, I mean, Lady Nimue."
Giggling, Lady Nimue smiled at Sonic, "You must really love your friend…Ames where you come from, don't you?"
"I-I don't exactly…" he glanced away, blushing, "Come on, let's go find Launcelot."
"You're avoiding my question." Nimue smiled, touching Sonic's hand softly, then whispered, "I won't let this get any further than between the three of us."
"I loved—I didn't—don't love Amy!"
Amy's look-a-like giggled softly at the cobalt hedgehog, knowing that he wouldn't admit to his secret any time soon, "Of course you don't."
"That's right, Nim—wait, what?!"
"Nothing."
"Very funny, Lady." his blush remained on his face, then he turned away stubbornly, "If you can do your little magic junk, you can certainly keep up with me." he drew Caliburn out of the ground, then shot off into the woods to where Launcelot had gone.

A few moments later, Sonic found Launcelot walking along the path, seeming to be deep in thought, "Hey, I saw you back with your horse—are you okay an' all?"
The ebony hedgehog bit his teeth together, glancing away, "You…heard?"
"Yeah…kinda. I couldn't help but overhear what you were saying about Elaine."
Launcelot glanced down, then looked up at the other with only his eyes, but didn't answer. The cobalt hero could tell what the other was thinking just by his expression—pure shame.
"Y'know, you remind me of someone I know back home—you look identical to him, but from what I can tell, you seem nicer than he is."
"Eh…Th-thank you."
"No problem. If ya try talkin' to Shads, he'll just bite your head off sometimes."
Launcelot looked to the other inquisitively about the expression he had just used, "He'll bite your head off?"
"Er, not exactly bite your head off—like, he'll get really angry with you, and just want to fight 'till you can't fight anymore."
"Reminds me of some of the knights that are not of the Table Round."
"Yeah, really." he watched as Launcelot started to smile slightly, "By the way, my name's…uh…" he paused, somewhat embarrassed, then lowered his voice before continuing, knowing that if he told his nickname to the other, he may not "fit" in in the Medieval World, "My name's…Olgilvie, but everyone calls me Sonic."
"You needn't be ashamed for your name when there are many other shameful things to be ashamed of." Launcelot glanced toward Olgilvie in hopes that he'd take the hint.
"Yeah." he gave a nervous laugh, "You're right."
The ebony hedgehog continued, "And I am Sir Launcelot of the Lake, but you may already know that."
"Yeah, I…kinda figured that." Sonic laughed uneasily, "You've got quite a long name."
"Well, yes. It is the way knights identify themselves."
"Like the Green Knight, or the Red Knight, right?"
"Yes." the ebony hedgehog sighed, still seeming to be upset.
"You okay?" Sonic reached over, and slung his arm over Launcelot's shoulder and rubbed it in a comforting manner, "Y'know, Launcelot, the child that Lady Elaine will have will be Sir Galahad, the Pure Knight who will bring the Holy Grail to Camelot."
"Merlin said that that would come to pass." he paused, standing under a locust tree, "Are you from here in Britain, or are you of Wales as is the Lady Percival?"
"I'm actually from Kiritimati, which is a part of Australia, though, Kiritimati was the former name; Christmas Island is what it's called back home."
"Kiritimati?" Launcelot paused, thinking for a moment, then continued, "Not long ago, a group of Persians, Arabians, and Turkish merchants had sailed to the Orient part of the World before a storm drew them further out into the sea, one of the ships reported to have had found several islands, among which they named one similar to your native island."
"Really? Kiritimati wasn't to be found until later."
"What do you mean?"
Realising his almost fatal mistake, Sonic brushed aside the subject, "Nevermind, Launcelot. I was just referring to how the news reached us so quickly."
"Yes, it did arrive rather quick for being hardly a year ago."
"A year? Geesh, that's sorta long."
"That's how long it takes for news to get here from the other side of the World, usually. You talk very peculiarly, Olgilvie. You say things that I do not understand."
"I do? I'm just talkin' how we do back home."
"There! There you do it again! You said some of the words oddly."
"Oy, you're the one talkin' funny Launcelot."
"It may very well be. Perhaps it is your accent that I do not recognise."
"Heh, I recognise yours easy. It's some form of British—like a northern British accent, or is it a western?"
"Hahaha!" Sonic's ebony counterpart started to laugh, "The both of us cannot understand each other, yet we talk the same! You have a Northern British accent, and I, a British Welsh accent!"
"I guess I do now that I think about it!" he let a belly laugh escape, snorting like his species' name suggests, "hedgehog," "Since Christmas Island was owned by Australia, and Britain Australia, I guess I do have a British accent like you, Shads!"
"You are the oddest, yet most entertaining fellow I have ever met, and ever will meet." he reached towards Sonic, intending to wrap his arm around his new friend as Sonic had done earlier to help cheer him up, "Come with me as my guest to my home in Camelot, Olgilvie. I should like it very well indeed if you could stay and have a meal with me."
"Sure, Sir Launcelot, I'd be glad to. Just where is…?" he turned around to see that the Lady Nimue had now been gone for quite some time, "Wait, where'd she go?"
"Who, dear friend?" adding on, "And do not call me by, "Sir Launcelot." "Launcelot" will do just fine."
"Ah, it's nothin', Launcelot."

XXX

Sir Launcelot reflects on the present events that have befallen him.

Nine months to a year later. I have heard word that the Lady Elaine hath died of sorrow, because her heart has broken because I do not love any other woman, but Guinevere. Sir Gawain, brought this news to me, and also, a babe that he carries in his arms. He tells me that this is my son, Galahad, and that his mother is dead now, his grandfather, King Pelles, ancestor of Joseph of Arimathea, dead also. Out of my foolishness, and his mother's disguise, did come my beloved son, Galahad. He sleeps now in my arms…the son of Elaine and I. I owe my love to this child for his mother's death, which was I who caused it. My dear, Galahad, my son! Your mother was not foolish, but filled with love for me, and her desire to be my wife, is she now with the Heavenly Father! Sir Gawain comments about him. He seems to like Galahad. He is right, Galahad's colouring is the direct opposite of mine, his eyes are unusually coloured like mine also, his skin colour is also identical to mine, he has thicker chest fur, and it spreads out more, and the odd structure of his quills, make it certain that this child is mine. Sir Gawain again remarks that he took after me more than he did his own mother… Gawain senses my shame, and, after a moment, gives me words of encouragement, then mounts his horse, and leaves. He is more worthy than I to be a Knight of King Arthur's Table, for I have lost my high honour through this babe which I hold in my arms.

Sir Launcelot, now carrying the burden of caring for this child, holds the young Galahad close to his chest, and kisses him, and talks to him gently to hush his cries for his mother. He knows that he will have to find a source of milk for his son, so he too mounts his horse and rides along the path for a great distance, occasionally hushing his son's cries of hunger and fear.

XXX

Several years have passed, and Galahad is growing into a fine young boy. He's almost at the age of eight years. I often wonder how such a child can come from such grievous sin as I have done. A young cat, raised in the forests of Wales, was born shortly after my son's birth. Her name is Percival. Galahad and the Lady Percival seem to get along very well. Galahad often looks after her like an older brother since she has no parents or other siblings known to any person, not even to her own knowledge. I, too, have come to adopt Percival as part of our family—my beloved daughter. Though Percival is still somewhat young, she has proven herself a valuable knight of King Arthur's Table Round.

Olgilvie, the young fellow I met before Galahad was born, left after my son's birth. He told of a mission which involved a promise he has to keep and said that he wouldn't return to Camelot for perhaps several years. I have reason to believe that he is returning to see a girl he says looks like my surrogate mother, Lady Nimue, because he seems to talk about her a great deal and often calls my mother "Amy"—the name of his "special one" whom he denies that he has any attraction to.

I give my best regards to his mission, and my prayers for his safety.

XXX

Many years have passed, and Galahad is now at the age of sixteen, and is now a good friend of the lilac cat, Percival, or often known as "Blaze." He eventually fell in love with her, and later becomes the father of Blaze's future litter. As of now, the lilac cat is having labour pains and contractions, signs that she may give birth at any given time.

However, during this time, our blue-furred friend has returned several months ago to visit Sir Launcelot and his son, Sir Galahad, though, the ebony hedgehog's son has gone missing, and our duo has been searching for them since.

"Don't worry, Launcelot, we'll find Galahad soon."
"If only finding my son were as easy as you say it is." he turned away from his blue friend somewhat upset, "I fear that he has fallen into the same trap that I did many years ago with Elaine, except with the Lady Percival, my daughter."
"You mean the purple cat with pyrokinesis?"
"Yes, she is the one. Galahad and Lady Percival have become close lately, and I fear for him." he turned abruptly toward Olgilvie, "He will only find rue if he goes the path I have!" after, he turned away from the blue knight in a mournful gesture.
A white gloved hand rested itself on the other's back, drawing his friend into a hug.

XXX

"Oh…why now?" the Lady Percival paused, standing in the dense forest. She had been feeling somewhat sick that morning, and had watched the blue sky turn several shades of grey, until finally, it arrived at black, signaling an approaching storm.

Meanwhile, Sonic had been out on his morning run, whilst keeping a close eye out for Galahad and the violet cat, Galahad's supposed lover.
A loud clap of thunder filled the forest, followed by another flash of lightning, "Can't this day get any better?" exclaimed the female's voice as she glanced down at her pregnant belly, which was cleverly hidden under her armour—not a soul could detect her shame.
"Percival?" Sonic ran through the thick brush, pushing several large branches out of his path, "Lady Percival, is that you?" he called upon seeing the cat.
"Get away from me!" the violet cat brandished her sword, swinging it at the cobalt hedgehog.
"Well, if you wanted a little sword fight then you shoulda just asked!" the cobalt knight positioned his own sword in a defensive act, "My Lady Percival, tell me whether you have seen Sir Galahad, or if you refuse, I must obtain the sword you hold!"
"I shan't embrace in combat with you another time!" she cried in a rage—almost as if the storm itself had spoken— "You've taken two other swords of mine, howbeit, this one you shall never have!"
"Well, if that's the way you like it, so be it." he leaped forward, swinging his sword at the cat.
"I told you—I shall not fight you!"
"Tell me now whether you know where Sir Galahad is, Lady Percival." he paused, "What are ya? Chicken?" he blocked another of Percival's attacks, "Or are you and Galahad hiding something?"
"Chicken? You dare call Lady Percival chicken? It has taken me years to obtain the high position of Knighthood, and I shall not let a knave take it away from me! And shame me thrice over with mercy! A coup de grâce would serve my shame a thousand times over!"
"And?" he asked, defiantly, watching the female closely as another clap of thunder and lightning filled the air, "Why should that stop me? Last time, you jumped into the fight like there was no tomorrow, and now you're being chicken!"
"Be-becau—because—I can't, you fool!" she struck her sword across the other's armour, denting it in her rage.
"..eh? And why is that, may I ask?"
In response, he received another strike from the cat, forcing him to respond with his own attack from the angered feline.

They continued for several minutes, each fighting just as vigorously as the other—especially when the cat had to block several strokes from hitting her armour protecting her pregnant belly. All the while, the labour pangs—and the storm—increasing.
"Stop! Stop!" she backed away from the hedgehog pleading for one last chance of mercy, and, tripping over a little dirt hill, fell onto the bloodstained grass, "Please, stop! I can't continue!"
Sonic stopped as she requested, but still held his ground if this were a trap, "How so? Are you okay?"
The Lady Percival looked up at her captor, helpless, and afraid, "I-I…can't." she cringed when another labour pain shot through her body, "I need help!"
Now dropping to his knees beside the female, he laid his hand on hers, "Lady Percival, what's wrong?" he studied her facial expressions for a moment—fear, pain, embarrassment, sadness, "Please tell me. I'll be able to help you better if I know what's wrong."
As another pain shot through her body once more, she forced herself to reason that she needed to trust this knight to help her despite her shame, "…Ah!" her entire body jerked at this, "Sir Knight…I can't allow myself to speak the truth, but I must for the sake of my children."
"Your children?" he questioned uneasily, "Are you…preg…nant?"
"Yes, Knight. I-ah!"
"Lady Percival!" he grasped her armoured hand, which, in turn, grasped his in a death grip, "Shhh. It's okay. I need to first get this armour off you and get you to shelter before this storm becomes worse." at this, a medium sized tree not far from them, fell when a lightning bolt struck it, "Like I said…let's get away from here!" he scooped her up in his arms and took off running at a fast pace.

Sonic ran back the way he came, but found that the rough rain had forced the dirt from the hill along the path to become a muddy mess which was far too thick to walk or run through, "Lady Percival, is there another way to the village?"
"Not that I know of. The only other way I know has a bridge that has fallen many years ago."
"Is there another town around here?"
"Langoure. Even so, it is hundreds of miles away!"
"Damn it! We cannot go in this storm! It's far too dangerous!" he looked around them, remembering he had seen a patch of thick pine and fir trees, "Hold on, I think I know of a place where we can stay until the storm calms."

Not more than a few minutes had passed and Sonic found the patch of trees. Under the trees, it was drier than it was outside, and there was enough room to start a small fire without catching the patch ablaze.
"Not much, I know." he opened his knapsack and pulled out a blanket to spread on the ground. Next, he scooped the violet cat up and laid her on the blanket, "But it's enough to keep us safe for now."
"Thank goodness." she laid back on the blanket.
Rummaging again through his sack, he pulled out an old shirt, "Here. We need to get you out of that armour, Lady Percival, and into something a bit more comfortable for a mother-to-be." he smiled warmly at the cat.
Taking the shirt and laying it in her lap, Blaze smiled at her new friend, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." he gave her a thumbs up, "How's those pains coming? Did they just start or…what?"
"…they've been coming all morning and they're coming much closer now."
"Closer?"
"Yeah. I could go into labour at any time."
"Oh…" he blushed, "I hope you don't have your litter until the storm lets up…y'know?"
"Same. Though, qué sera, sera. What will be, will be." she grasped her lower stomach, moaning.
"Need help? I can unlace the armour for you."
"That would indeed be a great help, thank you, Sir Knight." she turned onto her stomach, allowing the hedgehog to undo the armour that held it together, then she lifted herself back up and pulled off the heavy armour, revealing her bulging belly under dark brown pants and a white shirt.
"How many do you think you'll have, Lady Percival?"
"I'm not sure. I think about four or five." she giggled softly, "And, Sir Knight, you may call me either, "Blaze," or "Percival." I answer to both."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Percival." he laughed, "And you may call me "Sonic," or…if you really want to be formal, my real name is "Olgilvie." "
"Olgilvie, such a pretty name."
"You like it?"
"Why, yes. It's not very common around here, notwithstanding, it's still a very handsome name."
"Thanks." he blushed, "Not many like my name."
"Really? Where do you come from?"
"Christmas Island, but it's former name is Kiritimati."
"I've heard of that island."
"I'm not surprised. Sir Launcelot spoke of merchants who sailed there many years ago."
"You know Sir Launcelot?"
"Yeah. We're good friends now."
"Do you know his son? Sir Galahad?"
"Certainly. Why do you ask?"
"Galahad is my children's father."
"He…is?"
"Yes." she glanced away, seemingly deep in thought until another labour pain jolted her out of her thoughts, "Ah…! S-Sonic, I think it's time!"
"Time? For the children?!"

XXX

"I hope Olgilvie hasn't gotten lost in this storm! It's a short distance to Fleur—howbeit…unless the road has been washed out, he would be stuck there." Launcelot paced the rugged wooden floor of his home of northern Camelot, "If he doesn't come back in another half hour, I shall go find him myself." he paused, looking out the window, mesmerised by a sudden bolt of lightning, then shok his head fiercely, "I cannot reside here another moment! I must find him and make sure he is not already dead in quest of my son!"
With that, the ebony creature rushed out the stone home's door, and into the storm in hopes of finding Olgilvie.

XXX

Late afternoon that same day, the storm had calmed and had moved on to another part of Britain. A good sign for all of our friends here.

"Olgilvie! Olgilvie!" Launcelot ran down the path which would lead him to the proposed location that his friend had said he would be looking at for his son.

Sonic's ears pricked up in curiosity when he heard a distant echo of his friend's voice, "Blaze, that sounds like Launcelot!"
"Go see if it is—and hurry!"

"Hello! Launcelot, is that you?" he called, waving his hands to gain attention even though his blue pelt would have given him away much earlier than that.
"Yes, Sonic. It is I, Launcelot." he approached the muddy hill, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine, but I need help. It is what you have suspected, my friend. The Lady Percival has become the mother of Galahad's children."
"Is she alright?"
"Yes and no. I need help, Launcelot, immediately!"
"I'll try another way around this landslide. You go back to my daughter and keep watch over her."
"Alright." he paused, thinking a moment, "Launcelot."
"Yes?"
"Try going east, I think the forest is less thick down that way."
"I will try every way possible. Thank you."

It took Sir Launcelot a great deal of time, but he managed to get through the dense forest where Sonic had suggested. When he arrived on the other side, however, he found not two persons, but three…

"Is this what you meant by "needing help," friend?" he knelt beside the other two.
"Not quite, nevertheless, yes." he pointed toward the child Lady Percival had already given birth to, "I don't exactly know what to do. More or less, I'm ready to faint."
"Then take that helmet there and go find some water, then warm it over the fire."
"Okay." Sonic grabbed the helmet and rushed off. He didn't have to go far when he found a flooded area with plenty of water, and came back a few minutes later.

He peeked inside the fir trees, "How's she doing?"
"Excellent so far." he motioned to where three newborns lay.
Sonic's eyebrows raised in amusement at the sight of not one, but three babies, "How'd you—in only a few minutes?"
"Do not praise me;" he waved off the other, "it is the work of Mother Nature."
"Most definitely." he agreed.
"Now take that water and warm it. Meanwhile, dry the little ones off."
"How do you know so much?"
"My surrogate mother had a child while she raised me. She was taken captive, however, by the Huns."
"Ah…I see." he dipped his finger into the water, "This should be warm enough now. What do I do with it?"
"Bathe the litter in it—be careful to not submerse them entirely."
Crawling over to where the three children lay, Sonic scooped them up in an old cloth and carried them back to the water and washed each of them off.

Before long, all three of Blaze's newborns had been washed and cleaned, and the fourth child had also been born, though, when Launcelot examined the child, he found that there was something wrong…

The ebony hedgehog walked toward the edge of the trees, carrying the last child. Curious, Sonic followed him. They only stopped until they were out of earshot in the tiny meadow. Launcelot knelt near the earth with his head low, and the child still in his grasp.

"Launcelot, is…everything..okay?" his worries grew when he saw the small hole Launcelot was digging, and the cloth he held in hand.
When the other turned to face him, the colour of his tan face was distorted by tears that slithered down his cheeks. He shook his head, "No…this fourth one is…not breathing." he lifted the blanket to show the other a light grey hedgehog, "She's dead, Sonic."
"Dead?" he tried to bite back tears, but failed, "But Blaze…and Galahad. They'll be—I don't…Why?"
"I don't…I don't know." he caressed the child's face as tears slipped down his face faster now, "I don't want to tell Lady Percival, or Galahad…even so, she knows that she gave birth to four and…where the fourth one is…" his speech stumbled, and he choked when he tried to say more, but couldn't go on.
"Launcelot…" Sonic grabbed the other in a tight hug. The blue one felt sorry for his friend, knowing all the grief he suffered in the past with Lady Elaine and his own son, and to now have it passed to his son…was utterly heart-wrenching.

"Launcelot? Sonic?" the female's voice called out softly, "Where are you?"
"I'll…be right back in a moment." he turned to Launcelot, "…Are you…?" he watched the other closely, as if each could read the other's mind.
"I don't want to, but I have to. It's my responsibility as her adopted father." he glanced toward the fir tree, holding the child close to his chest. He remembered how had fled from Castle Carbonek in shame and in sorrow—that he ran away from his problem and the regret that he now holds for the rest of his life. "…I cannot allow myself to make the same mistake I made many years ago." he looked back to the azure hedgehog beside him, "Don't ever make the same mistake I did, Sonic. Running from your troubles won't do you any good; it only worsens and you're filled with regrets as Time passes."

The cobalt one watched as his ebony friend crept back under the fir trees, and snuggled close to his daughter in a comforting hug, "Sweetheart…" he stopped, trying to find the right words without sounding harsh, "…the last one—she's with the Heavenly Father now." The violet cat, upon hearing the news, buried her face into her father's comforting arms, crying until she fell asleep in his arms.

Sometime afterward, Sonic came back into their temporary shelter, studying Launcelot and his daughter closely. Launcelot was leaning against the fir tree, stroking his sleeping daughter who lay in his lap. He knelt beside them, then softly stroked Blaze's furry face, "You guys don't deserve to have any of this happen to you." he whispered, biting back several chokes, "You're a very sweet girl, Blaze. It's no wonder Launcelot and Galahad love you so much."
Launcelot nodded his head absentmindedly, "You are right, my friend. Galahad found a treasure to never be let go of. There is no match for any other beside her." he looked up at his companion, "Just like your Amy, correct?"
"Yeah…my Amy Rose." he smiled, remembering the pink hedgehog back in his own world. A soft chuckle broke him out of his thoughts, and he blushed when he realised that he had given away his secret, "I don't—n-not Amy…it-I…uh…" he scratched the side of his head nervously, "Launcelot…"
The ebony one sighed softly, watching Olgilvie in his frustration and embarrassment, "Don't worry, Olgilvie. I shan't tell anyone of your secret."
"I don't have a secret!" he whispered harshly, "I don't like Amy, alright?"
"If you say so." he simply chuckled when the other huffed in frustration as he lay down on another blanket near the edge of the tree and fell asleep for the night.

XXX

Very early the next morning…

"Sonic?" Launcelot whispered, shaking the hedgehog's shoulder to wake him.
"…Hm—huh? Whuh-nau?" he struggled to open his sluggish eyelids, revealing the whites of his eyes.
"Sonic. I checked the trail and it hasn't dried up enough for us to walk on." he studied the other creature curiously before continuing, "I will return by noon with food we can eat. I found a patch of edible plants that I can pick, and I'll also try to—" the sound of snoring interrupted him. He watched the other somewhat confusedly before he slung his sack over his shoulder and set off for their next meal.

XXX

The sound of a sudden plunk! broke the silent forest aura. Black boots sunk deep into the muddy trail as the mud splashed onto the owner's furry legs. Golden eyes scanned their surroundings. A dense forest whose terrain had been washed out by last night's storm. Branches, pebbles, leaves, and muddy flower petals lay scattered the ground over.
He took a step forward to where sunlight had scavenged its way through the thick trees and to the ground. He brushed away a branch that had slapped him in the face, flinging cool water onto his snowy white fur. He paused, inhaling the cool, crisp air, then leapt up into the air while a soft shade of cyan engulfed his body. He gave a smug grin when he glanced down at the mud he now hovered over.
A few moments later, he flew forward, following the trail as best he could without losing it. An hour or so later, he could smell a faint trace of smoke coming from a distant opening out of the forest. The opening led him to a sort of meadow where the ground was much drier than in the forest and the odour much stronger now. There were large fir and pine trees on the far right side of the area. Immediately, he noticed the dark grey stream of smoke escaping from underneath the trees. Here, he dropped to the ground and trotted toward the Winter trees.

XXX

"This should be enough food for us to last for a while. A week perhaps." Launcelot held up a canvas cloth by each of its four corners. The canvas contained a few kinds of wild vegetables, and a white hart for their food.
Launcelot started back for their shelter. It only took him about ten minutes to hike through the mud and forest before he came upon their meadow. He studied it for a moment. Something was strangely peculiar about it—there was a white figure jogging toward their shelter, "Galahad?" he leaped over a small barrier and rushed toward the figure, almost sure that this was his son.

XXX

Peeking in, he saw that the supposed fire was only burnt ashes now. Beside the fire were blankets, and a knapsack, and beside those was his father's fellow companion, all stretched out on a thick blanket near the tree's trunk, and his love, Blaze, was curled up next to three newborn babies in a sort of nest between them.
"What? Bl-Blaze?" the soft grey hedgehog stepped back, taking in the scene. He stopped, abruptly turning away from the makeshift shelter, and ducked back under to run out of the shelter, only to collide with an ebony figure.
"Galahad!" Launcelot reached out to his son to hug him, "How'd you find us?"
Gasping when he saw who he had run into, Galahad stepped back, trembling with sorrow, "Percival betrayed me! That wretched female and your "companion!" "
"Galahad—calm down!" he panicked, looking from Galahad to Sonic who had now poked his head out to see what all of the ruckus was about, "Olgilvie has nothing to do with Lady Percival. He rescued her."
"Rescued her?! How be it that he was with her? There be a litter of three sleeping between them!"
"The litter is not theirs, Galahad! It's thine own."
"No it's not! Thou art concealing for them both!" he turned away from his father, and ran in the opposite direction down a path toward the Giants' Lands.
"Galahad! Stop!" he ran after his son, but his young son's speed with his telekinesis was too great for him to keep up with, "Sonic, please-go after him!"
"Will do, Sir Launcelot." and with that, Sonic passed Launcelot and took off after Galahad, not realising that what he would find would break his friends' hearts.

XXX

A few moments later, Galahad broke out of the forest trail, entering into the Land of the Giants. He knew of a shortcut to Logres, and this dangerous part of Britain was his only option since the rain had washed out any other nearer shortcuts.

He dodged several of the wagon wheels, and the enormous feet of one Giant pulling the wagon along a path fit for the Giant's size.

"Galahad! Wait up!" Sonic, too, had to dodge several wagons, and Giant feet. He noticed a train of wagons filled with coal coming out of a stone tunnel were being pulled across their path and into another tunnel not far ahead of them. He knew that if Galahad could pass the wagons before he did, he would have to stop and wait for them to pass, find another way around them, or just time it right and run between them.

Galahad, of course, had the head start, and made it past the wagons with no problem, while Sonic had to find another way by. The silver hedgehog glanced back, seeing that the other had been trapped for a short time, but what he didn't see was another crossroad with wagons passing through.

He ran into the crossing paths of the wagons, unaware of the wheels of one wagon that he had crossed directly into…

"Galahad, watch out!" he called out, in hopes that the grey one would hear him in time, but…

Sonic could see a little of what was happening, though, when the wheels of the wagon were about to roll over his father's friend, he hid his face into his hands, only looking to take a very quick glance at the aftermath, "Galahad!" then to the ground.

Suddenly, all of the wagons came to a halt. The Giants looking about rather startled at the shouts, then the blue streak that crossed in front of several.

The cobalt hedgehog skidded to a stop at the wagon, which held his friend trapped underneath. He tried pulling at Galahad's sword that lay partially wedged under the wheel to see if he could get anything to happen. However, the only thing that did happen, was that Galahad's beautiful, white-silver, now had red liquid decorating its engravings. The sword slipped out from under the wheel, but it had been bent badly. "Galahad! No! Galahad—he can't be…!" he saw that Galahad's satiny, grey fur, was now stained a deep, pink pearl.

"Galahad! Olgilvie!" Launcelot's voice echoed throughout the now quiet Giants' Land…He gripped the sword tightly in his hands, closing his eyes tightly as tears slipped past.

Olgilvie looked up, then ran toward his friend and companion. He stopped in front, blocking Launcelot from going any further, "Launcelot, no. I can't let you go any further than this." he showed him the sword, "Galahad's sword…"
"…no. he's..not Galahad. Please, no!" he pushed through, past the azure hedgehog, until he came to the wagon.

A few moments after Launcelot left, the Lady Percival arrived with her newborns. When Sonic had given her the news, she only buried her face into his arms, lamenting the death of her loved one.

The Giant who was driving the wagon, had pushed the wagon away from the hedgehog, and wrapped Galahad's body in the cloth he had torn off his own clothes.
"…Galah—" he dropped to his knees when he came near the bundle. He reached for the cloth, intending to lift it, but stopped, fearing what he may see, and instead, buried his face in the cloth.

Now kneeling in reverence and holding the Lady Percival in his arms, Sonic beheld all that had come to pass. Launcelot's son, as they had assumed earlier, hadn't fallen into the same trap that his father had. Sonic realised that even though they fell into the same situation, the two were able to stay true to the other.

XXX

"No! NO! I can't let this happen to them, Nimue! Please, is there anything I can do to help prevent this or even comfort them?" the cobalt hedgehog begged, dropping to his knees in sorrow, crying bitterly for anything he could do now.
"This was not supposed to come to pass!" she hissed, "Sir Knight, I warned you to be careful!"
"How am I supposed to foresee the future! How could I have known that that would have happened!" he snapped back bitterly, "There's nothing I could have done to prevent it!"
The Lady of the Lake sighed, knowing all too well that she shouldn't do this... "There is one other way. I can send you back to the morning this happens. When Sir Launcelot wakes you that morning, you must leave, bid your farewells to Sir Launcelot, and return to your own world."
"I have to go?!" he choked, "Forever? Can't I ever return?"
"I do not know. You have caused several things to happen which you did not mean to, but I cannot continue to allow you to fix these mistakes over and over."
"Thank you, Nimue!" he rushed over and kissed her cheek, causing them both to blush.
"I think you should save that for your special one..." she laughed, opening a portal like the one earlier for the hedgehog and they both approached the lake where the water engulfed them then disappeared in a mist, "I will give you one hour then I will return for you."
"Okay." he clambered past the line of trees, "I'll see you later."

The morning after Lady Percival's birth.

The ebony hedgehog was the first up. He wandered about their small camp, picking up a small sack to take with him and went to check on the path to see if maybe it had dried a little. He shook his head when he found it hadn't and turned to head back to his camp, picking berries along the way back.
"Sonic?" Launcelot whispered, shaking the hedgehog's shoulder to wake him.
"…Hm—huh? Whuh-nau?" he struggled to open his sluggish eyelids, revealing the whites of his eyes.
"Sonic. I checked the trail and it hasn't dried up enough for us to walk on." he studied the other creature curiously before continuing, "I will return by noon with food we can eat. I found a patch of edible plants that I can pick, and I'll also try to—"
"Shadow?" the cobalt hedgehog began, "Er, sorry, Launcelot..."
"Do not worry yourself with those things, Olgilvie." he smiled warmly, something Sonic often wished the Shadow from back home would do more often, "What is it?"
"I'm returning home. This morning." he trailed off, "I have business which I must immediately take care of and I'm afraid I may not be coming back again."
"Oh..I see." he pulled his friend up and into a hug, "Visit us if you ever return. We will miss you."
"Say goodbye to Galahad and Percival for me." he grinned, wiping a few tears from his cheeks.
"I will."

Later that day, as was told before, Galahad soon found their camp, and Sonic left Avalon to return to his home world with Nimue. Nimue and Sonic arrived just outside of Station Square and bid farewell.
"What will happen to them?" he asked thoughtfully. The past few years had been a roller coaster ride, and just now he was sitting at the top, the highest point with the roller coaster stopped as he sat thinking.
"Galahad lives, and he and Percival name the child who is deceased, "Christine." They name the boy, "Olgilvie," the second boy, "Harold," and the girl, "Quebeth." "
"Quebeth?" he mused, turning away to look at the city skyline, "Isn't that the name of the–?" he turned back to face the Lady of the Lake, but found only a mist in her wake, "Nimue?"
A pink hedgehog glanced over, noticing a blue figure form afar, "Sonic!"
"Amy!" he ran up to her, knowing she would have expected him to run away instead of towards, "Oh my gosh, I've missed you so much!" he scooped her up and into a warm embrace, hugging her tightly.
"S-Sonic?" she wriggled around a little in his tight grip, gasping slightly, "I – can't breath!"
"Oh – I'm sorry, Amy!" he released her from his bear hug, "I've just missed you so much. I feel like I haven't seen you in years!"
"It's only been a few days" she corrected, "since we last saw each other."
"I don't care how long it's been. Nothing's and no one is better than you." he let a soft smile appear on his face as he cupped her face in his hand, "Nothing's better than having someone greet you when no one else does."
"Oh? And who else doesn't greet you?" came a deep voice.
"What? Launcel– Shadow?" he ran up to the ebony hedgehog, throwing his arms around him, only to be hug a stiff body, "Shadow! It's actually you!"
"So it is." he grinned, ignoring the sudden hug and taking it as a compliment. He continued, stating his next statement cockily, then implied, "So, you came back for a visit, or are you here to stay?"