! Hello, I have moved to WATTPAD, if you like what have you found here, you may like the NEWEST stories there. My username there is WITTO150. This story will be there too and I plan to make it even better.

Hi, there, here I come with a brand new story. I worked on it almost immediately after I have finished Silver Darkness. I can't believe it myself. I only wanted to do one story... But my head is like making a fun of me :-) And I don't regret it a bit! This time the chapters are like double of the length of the ones in SD. There is as well a small surprise at the end of each chapter. I as well created an OC for the first time, so please tell me what you think of him.

This story as well takes place after Shattered planet arc, meaning the planet is fixed, no night monsters and no werehogs. I'm jumping in time and place too, so tell me if it's confusing or anything.

Hope you will enjoy this story as much I did and if you read, please write a review too :-)

Best Regards, Eba-chan150

[Unknown place – 8 days ago]

There was darkness… no, actually, there was a light, but it was so dim and weak. The small light balls were floating among bookcases like fireflies. So nothing was illuminated but instead engulfed in a gloom. A visitor would need quite a while to get used to this. The bookcases seemed endless, old and whispering.

The books had different sizes, colors and thickness, but none of them was sticking out or being pushed back. They were neatly organized with big unending love. There was not a bit of dust on them and all showed signs of being used. Their librarian came.

His steps were silent. He came from the twilight beyond the shadows cast by light. He was about one meter or so tall, his body had mostly dark purple color, almost more like black purple. He had dark brown bolero with holes over shoulders and hood with holes for pointed ears. The hood was decorated with a big circle that had inside a dot and three dashes arranged to a triangle.

The clothing was lined with an inch thick yellow line with a simple pattern containing the same picture as the hood. The sleeves were wide with one side longer than the other, giving them a shape of calla lily.

The left wrist had a bracelet with the same design. Around waist, he wore a little longer miniskirt with a slit on the right side. It seemed he had quills like a hedgehog, but on his head they were short, as they weren't much seen under the hood, while the two coming from his back were so long they reached his knees. His wore a pair of simple sandals.

In his hand, he held a book. He stopped and return it to its place. He left his finger on the spine and gently moved it from up to down like he was reading its name. He then walked along the bookcase without lifting his finger, as he felt the textures of their covers.

A small smile appeared on his face, but then it quickly disappeared. He was about to do something he never did before. It felt like breaking a taboo, but there wasn't other choice, because if he won't do it, who will stop the immediate danger?

[Freedom Fighters – Sky patrol – the present]

"Father, is it true?" asked princess Sally Acorn, now a leader of Freedom Fighters to the king on the computer screen.

"I'm afraid it is. I'm puzzled just like you."

"Hey, what's up?" Sonic walked to the meeting room with a chili hot-dog in his hand.

"There were few strange robberies around the world. Every time there disappeared a very old book and there are no witnesses."

"That doesn't sound like Eggman," blue hedgehog noted and took a bite of a hot-dog. "And who would bother to steal books?"

"I know you live fast, Sonic, but these books have priceless value," said king Acorn. "The last stolen contained almost whole Mobian history."

"Father wants us to investigate it."

"No prob, I'm on it." He hogged the last bit of the hot-dog. "Let's show the thief a thing or two."

[Dr. Eggman's flying fortress – four days ago]

"How unusual," said red Orbot, "seeing you reading a book."

"Yeah, yeah, just bring me a sandwich," doctor shooed him.

"Maybe he has few loose screws," added yellow Cubot, which still had problems with his voice chip.

"That's not a nice thing to say. It's a nice hobby for a mad genius."

"Do you think he could read us a fairy tale before we switch to sleep mode? I want The Sleeping beast."

"No, Cubot, it's The Sleeping Beauty, the beast is in a different story named…"

"Silence!" shouted Dr. Eggman as he was fed up with their chatter. "I'm not reading a fairy tale." He looked back to the book. "I have actually discovered something more interesting."

"What's it, boss?" Cubot jumped next to him and Orbot went on the other side.

"I have found an invincible weapon."

"A thick encyclopedia!" shouted Cubot resulting in Dr. Eggman's mustache going down. "What? Never heard of 'The word is mightier than the sword.'?"

"No, you fool! I have discovered a weapon that can rewrite a reality."

"I don't suppose it has to do anything with a planet surface, does it?" ask sarcastically Orbot giving Dr. Eggman another reason to shut him down permanently, but it's so hard to get good lackeys, so he passed it.

"No, because last time I was messing with bigger things but this time it's something that was created for this purpose. And it seems all I need to do is to find it, I don't even need chaos emeralds."

"Sounds like a cheap product. Don't trust it, Eggy, it smells like a door-to-door salesman," noted Cubot.

"Enough of you!" Dr. Eggman shooed them. "Metal Sonic!"

The blue mechanical hedgehog appeared almost immediately. "I have an order for you. There is someone I want you to bring me."

The evil robot's eyes shined. Finally, he had some work to do.

[Freedom Fighters – Sky patrol – the present]

"So, what's up, Shad?" Sonic greeted his black hedgehog pal. He appeared few minutes ago on the screen to give them a full report about the robberies in human cities.

"You know the drill," he sighed. He almost looked bored.

"Freedom Fighters are ready. Did you find something about the thief?" Along with Sally, there were Rotor, Tails, Nicole in her Jinx form, Amy, Big and of course Cheese and Cream, which was passing a sandwich to everyone.

"We don't know much, but we were able to get at least something." His screen zoomed out to the bottom right corner to provide space to camera footage.

"This is from the first crime scene." It showed a dim place in National museum. The stolen object was in a display case and protected by a set of alarms, few cameras, and a pair of security guards.

Everything looked normal until some noise appeared. The footage only jerked a few times, but then it become so strong it was impossible to see anything. The guards naturally went there to see what is happening, but when they arrived the book was already stolen. It all took only 30 seconds.

"What's more," added Shadow when the footage ended, "we have no idea how the thief got in or out. No other footage showed anything unusual."

"That's strange," Sally agreed.

"Maybe he used some jammer, but even that's weird," Tails was thinking out loud.

"Why's that?" asked Sonic.

"Because if he did that, he would affected more cameras and electronic," answered Rotor.

"So maybe he used some magic mumbo jumbo," Sonic shrugged his shoulders.

"That's possible too."

"There is one more footage," said Shadow. "This one is from the recent robbery. This time G.U.N. dispatched a unit to protect the book."

"It was the history of our kingdom," added Sally.

"The G.U.N. has already sent an official apologize," Shadow slightly lowered his head.

"It's alright, it wasn't your fault. No one could expect this."

The footage showed them a similar view like the last one. This time the other exhibits were moved to safety and to ensure a more space for soldiers. They were standing around the display case. They had guns and gas masks. And just like in the previous case, the footage was noised for about 30 seconds and then the book was gone. Soldiers were laying on the floor, showing no sign of life.

"After that the backup team arrived and confirmed that first team was put to asleep, but no gas was found on the place and no one saw the culprit's face."

"That was fast," commented it Sonic slightly sarcastically.

Shadow frowned, but he had to accept the G.U.N. soldiers went down pretty easily.

"Were you able to gain some information about this mysterious thief this time?" asked Sally quickly before these two could start to fight.

"Actually… yes, it's not much, but it's better than nothing." The footage was switched for a very blurred picture. "This we were able to get from the video. It shows the culprit is probably Mobian and presumably a hedgehog. Our scientists are still working on that matter."

As Shadow said, it was hard to determinate anything, but they at least got some picture.

"Thanks, hopefully, this will get us some clue."

"OK, I gotta go, I'll call you later if we found something. Shadow out." With this his image disappeared.

"Team, we have a work to do!" Sally clenched her fist. "Bunny and Antoine are on a different mission right now, so that leaves only us."

"I wonder who would steal books?" Cream looked sad. "I hope the thief won't steal my favorite fairy tale book."

"Don't worry, we will stop him," ensured her Tails.

"Alright, the father gave me few tips on which books may be targeted next, so we need to form teams." Sally started to explain her strategy.

[Onyx City – 200 years in the future]

Silver looked at the evening sky. It was a clear day above Onyx City. The streets of the hyper-technological metropolis were full of people while holographic panels were floating above their heads. He had a free day as for many days there was no Genesis portal appearing. The shattered planet was solved, but sometimes they still appeared.

Professor Von Schlemmer had found a way how to make Genesis portal leading to a certain place and time. As his trusted assistant and the hero of Onyx City, he had a chance to use it. Not to mention the inventory was synchronized with his telekinetic ability. Just like his Genesis portal's radar it was built-in his gloves. Few kids on extreme gears rushed around him making him smile.

Happiness and laugh returned to the city and everything just looked brighter. Silver headed to his old home, a pile of trash and old coach next to a tree with a simple roof out of a blanket. He liked to come here for relaxation or when he used Genesis highway, as was professor referring to his newest invention.

He put his hands before him and closed his eyes for better concentration. His psychic aura engulfed him and the air was slightly sparkling. At first it looked like a small whirlwind in the air, but soon it gained more solid form, creating a purple whirlpool.

"Josh, one Genesis portal is coming," he jokingly said and jump into it. On the other side was a deep forest, he recognized it as the forest near Knothole village. Unfortunately, he hadn't absolute control over when or where he arrives as the time now was a deep night. He closed the portal and headed to the village.

[Great Museum – Knothole village, sometime before midnight]

"Sonic, are you ready?" asked him Sally over a radio.

"When I wasn't?" he let his cocky accent out and smirked.

Sally divided remaining Freedom Fighters into two-man teams. Sally and Sonic formed team 1, Tails and Rotor made team 2 and Big with Amy made team 3. Nicole and Cream with Cheese coordinated their actions and scanned the surroundings of their stations.

"We mustn't underestimate our opponent. Nicole, how's the status?"

"All area around you is clear. The same implies to other teams too. No scan is picking up anything unusual." Nicole was watching few holo-screens around her.

"Good." Sally then checked up with other teams and confirmed their situation.

Sonic yawned. He had to wait… HE had to WAIT for more than 5 hours without any action. The thief was sure taking his time.

"Sally, if he won't show up, I'm taking few laps around Knothole," he said to the communicator.

"I know, but don't be impati-" she didn't finish the sentence as she heard a noise in her headset.

"Sal!" Sonic silently shouted to his radio, but no answer came. 'So he is here, huh?' he thought. 'About a time.'

He carefully looked out of his post behind the columns on the second opened floor of the building. The museum was full of pictures, statues, unique items and another form of arts. This part was exclusively for books. From many of them reminded only a few pages now displayed under glass-case.

The target this time was a first complete book about the history of Echidnas. Knuckles once found it on his Angel Island and Sally convicted him of lending it them for displaying purpose. And now someone wanted to steal it.

Sonic leaned a little bit more. He pricked his ears if he will hear the thief or any other sound. But nothing so far. Sally was hiding on the first floor behind a big display case. The thief entered the room and stopped before torn books and slightly touched the glass.

'What is he doing? Does he wants to steal something else?' Sonic was waiting for Sally's signal.

The thief did remind him a hedgehog, but that was the first time seeing one without gloves and sneakers. He doubted he could run fast in that poorly looking sandals. The thief headed to the encyclopedia.

"Not so fast!" Sally shouted and jumped before him with her ring-blades out.

"Make it double!" added Sonic and jumped behind him, cutting his escape path.

The thief didn't move. Whether they surprised him or not, he didn't let it out.

"What's up? Has the hedgehog got your tongue?" Sonic was provoking him.

"We don't know who you are or why you are doing this," Sally came a step closer, "but we won't let you continue. Surrender and no harm will come your way."

The thief made a step toward the book like they were not there.

"No, you don't!" Sally attacked, but before she could fully finish her movement, he crouched a bit and gently touched her side. She fell on the ground completely unconscious.

"Sal!" shouted Sonic. "Now you are gonna get it!" He rushed towards him, hitting him with his punch if he could just stay still. Sonic was attacking and kicking like crazy, but the thief effortlessly avoided all of his attacks.

"OK, I'll admit you are fast, but not supersonic fast!" Sonic run around the room, gaining momentum for his spin dash. "Special delivery!" shouted our hero and attacked him. He was confident he will lay a hit on him. There was no way he could avoid it. He didn't avoid it, he instead hit him with palm to the center of rotation, making him stop and pushing him out of his way. Sonic coughed and it felt like his ribs were broken, but thankfully they only hurt.

"How could you…?" He looked up, but his face was covered by a hood. The thief finally took the book. He left like nothing special happened.

[Sky Patrol – the next morning]

Sonic yawned as he woke up. He wished the last night was just a dream, but it wasn't. That thief mopped a floor with him. With a hero of Mobius no less! But it was his fault as well, he underestimated him. Soon after he was gone, the rest of fighters gathered as they lost contact with a team A. Sally was only unconscious and all of them returned to Sky Patrol.

Now after few hours of rest, they gathered in the Meeting room. There were everyone, plus certain silver hedgehog they met during the night. Sonic sat down and looked at the book in the middle of the table. It was the book that was supposedly stolen. Sally decided, that they will hear the details after the rest.

Everyone was looking at Silver, as it was him, who brought the book with him. He was getting nervous. The big screen flashed and Shadow's face appeared. They contacted him to share they discoveries about the mysterious thief.

"Shadow's here," he reported. Silver got even more nervous, black hedgehog always looked so strict.

"You are drinking a coffee?" Sonic asked Shadow and pointed at him.

"So what? I like the taste," he slurped the dark liquid.

"Let's get to the main point," Sally stopped any attempt to a fight. "The thief appeared before us," she continued and some pictures showed on the screen, moving Shadow's screen to the bottom right cover.

"Hmm, so he is a hedgehog," he noted. The pictures showed hand-drawn portraits of him as nothing digital could catch him. "As I see the book, you were able to fight him off or at least hurt him, right?"

"Actually no," Sally bowed her head. "He only needed one touch," she laid a hand on her side, "to put me out of commission. He even gave Sonic a hard time."

"No way, he was only lucky," Sonic shooed the possibility he would lose.

"The blue blur's blunder," said Shadow with a slight smile. He shouldn't be happy that the culprit got away, but the fact Sonic's ego was hurt did make him feel better. He already needed it. "So, how did you get the book?"

"Actually," Silver raised his hand slightly, "I got it… sort of."

"Hmm," Shadow frowned. He didn't have a high opinion of Silver, as he was often nervous, untrained, indecisive and soft-hearted. He slurped his coffee.

"He gave it to me," said Silver and Shadow burst out his coffee.

"Nice timing," whispered Sonic to Silver. Sally only rolled her eyes. Boys. Silver smirked a bit.

"He… what?" Shadow yelled. "I. Want. Details. Now!"

Silver shrank a bit. Maybe he shouldn't do that, but it was so tempting. He quickly started to explain.

[Knothole Village – About a half hour after the midnight]

Silver never knew there can be night so dark. The ones in Onyx City were never so deep like this. He wondered where he could get a place to sleep when he noticed a walking figure.

"Excuse me, but could you direct-" he didn't finish his sentence as he glimpsed what the walker had in his hand. "That's a history book! I love history!" He jerked. "Oops, I'm sorry, that was very rude of me." He made a step back.

"You see, I really love books especially the ones about history. Is this one yours or it is from the local library? I definitely should put it on my to-read-list. Oh man, I'm starting to babble now."

The stranger approached Silver and offered him the book.

"You are lending it to me?" he took it. "The history of Echidna's clans… Hmm, where did I heard it? Oh, well. Thank you for your offer, but-" he looked around, "… where did you go?"

[Sky Patrol – The present]

"… and that's how I got it. I learned he is the thief only after Sally told me about him," Silver ended his story.

"Unbelievable," muttered Shadow, "are you telling he just gave you the book?"

"Maybe he saw a big book lover in Silver and decided it will be in good hands with him," said Cream.

"You don't go stealing stuff to give it to some random hedgehog," argued Shadow. Cream put on a sulky expression, her deduction was flawless.

"Cream is maybe right," said Silver after a while. "When he gave me the book I noticed, he was slightly smiling. Who knows, perhaps he isn't the thief you are making him be."

"He seems like an ordinary thief to me," said Sonic.

"Not so ordinary, when he kicked your butt," noted Shadow with a sly smile.

"That was only a lucky punch," Sonic slightly growled. He will be reminding him this for the rest of his life.

"Ehm," Sally interrupted them, "now we need to form a plan how to apprehend him, then we can worry about his motives."

"I think we should talk with him," said Silver immediately. "If he sees me as his ally or friend maybe I can resonate with him and gain his reasons for doing this. So far no one was seriously hurt." He looked around, stopped at Sonic and silently added, "Except for your ego."

"I'll get you in no time," mumbled Sonic back.

"We can consider that too," with that Sally stopped Shadow's complains.

After an hour, Silver left to visit his friend prof. Faranight he met during one of his travelers to the past. He lived a long way from Knothole on the foot of a mountain. But with Silver's psychic abilities it took only a while to get there. His house was big and he specialized in ancient cultures.

He mentioned he probably made the biggest discoveries in his life. He was so excited about it. All Silver knew was that he found some really old papers. Professor didn't like to share any details unless he was pretty sure he is right.

His house was actually more like a mixture of a library, garage, and laboratory – with a triple amount of mess. Time traveling hedgehog had never understood how he can navigate through it. He was about to knock when he noticed a book leaning against the door.

'How strange,' he picked it up and took a small paper note.

"Hello Silver, I have got a sudden invitation from my sister to spent few weeks with her. It's so long we saw each other. Please, don't mind me and take this book as a small apology. I know you will find something special inside. Prof. Faranight"

Silver scratched on his head. He was looking forward to this meeting and his mysterious discoveries. He smiled. No harm was done and he had all the time in the world. Good thing Sonic isn't here, he would add his own time-pun. He took the book and returned to Sky Patrol.

"That was unusually fast for you," Sonic greeted him when they met.

"Professor Faranight is visiting his sister, so he left me this book to read, although I have already read it."

"Professor Faranight? The specialist on ancient cultures?" asked Nicole and when Silver confirmed it, she added, "But, he doesn't have a sister. He is the only child."

On Silver appeared a face of horror and the book fell out of his hands. It opened and a small paper was seen showing.

[OFF Panel]

"What do the robots fear the most? Insects or earthquakes?" asked Cubot.

"Neither," answered Orbot.

"Insects 'cause they bug so much!" Cubot laughed hard. "Oh man, this always cracks me up."