DISCLAIMERS: I own nothing relating to Sonic the Hedgehog. The authoress Renneh (user I.D. 801621) created the original idea for this story.

PAIRINGS: Since listing the pairings in this story seems to put off readers, I have decided to pull the listed pairings from the front page. They will be listed at the last part of the last chapter, although by then the pairings will have become quite obvious. Thank you for bearing with me.

MISCELLANEOUS: This story takes place four years into the future. As such, it would only make sense that the cast has aged. Tack four years onto everyone's current ages and you're good to go.

Chapter 1: Conflict on a Cold Morning
Crunch, crunch.

Wave the Swallow paid no heed to the crunch of ice crystals beneath her red shoes as she strolled down the snow-covered sidewalks of Metal City. She was more focused on keeping her load balanced-- her Extreme Gear, the Type-W, was held securely under her left arm, while she held two shopping bags in her right hand. The early morning air was crisp and chilly, as all winter mornings are. The sun was just beginning to peek out above the horizon, making some of the icicles on the rooftops sparkle.

Today was the first time Wave had been in Metal City for months. Jet, Storm and she were currently living in Babylon Garden, and as such, only came down every couple of months or so, and only with good reason. In this particular case, Wave had traversed to the city for Christmas shopping, as it was that season again.

Even though four years had passed, she hadn't really changed in appearance. Perhaps she'd grown a few inches, or she might not have... Wave wasn't really keeping track. Her feathers were still the same fuchsia color, and she still wore her trademark outfit-- white pants with purple flame patterns, white top, a white bandana, and her necklace with the red miniature computer-orb attached.

Wave had decided to go shopping early so she could return before Jet and Storm woke up, giving her ample time to hide their presents. She frowned when a ray of sunlight caught her eye-- at this rate, the two would be up before she got back.

'Well, that's why we have Extreme Gear,' Wave thought, her frown quickly becoming a smile.

Wave single-handedly slipped her orange-lensed sunglasses over her cobalt eyes. Bending over precariously, so as to not drop her shopping bags, she set her Extreme Gear down in front of her. The board began to hover over the concrete merely seconds after being set on the ground. Wave set the bags on the front of the Type-W, and was just about to step onto it when she was quite suddenly grabbed roughly around the waist.

Before the swallow knew what was happening, she had duct taped wrapped around her beak, and the attacker, still holding onto her, had leapt onto her Extreme Gear and was speeding off. Wave struggled to get out and tried to scream, but her attempts were thwarted by the tight hold and duct tape. Fear beginning to overtake her, she looked up at her captor, trying to see who it was.

All she could see was blood-chilling, ruby red eyes.

The Fastest Thing Alive, better known as Sonic the Hedgehog, caught his breath as he walked up the steps to his house. He had just finished his 400-mile morning run, and the air had been exceptionally brisk. Many people said this built character, but for Sonic, it was nothing special. Not even the cold could keep up with the Blue Blur when he was running.

After checking to make sure his bundle was unharmed from his run, Sonic hid it behind his back and entered his house, the warm air inside wrapping around him as he closed the door. As soon as he did that, the cobalt-blue hedgehog's nose met a delicious aroma. He recognized it instantly as his favorite food-- chili dogs, and not just the kind you get at the ballpark. These chili dogs were cooked by possibly the greatest chef in the world, at least in Sonic's opinion. This chef was none other than his girlfriend, Blaze the Cat.

Two years previous, Blaze had returned through a one-way portal that Tails had created, much to everyone's extreme surprise. The young fox had figured out a way to completely stabilize the energies of the Sol Emeralds and the Chaos Emeralds, so that nothing of epic proportions-- particularly, the ripping apart of universes-- would happen if they came into contact in the wrong way. He had been intending to test it out with the Chaos Emeralds by traversing once again to Blaze's world with said relics, but the cat had come through first with the Sol Emeralds. Since that time, Blaze had lived with Sonic, keeping the Sol Emeralds with her, while Tails made further adjustments to the portal in order to make it two-way.

A year after that, Sonic had eventually worked up enough courage (and dignity) to take Blaze out to dinner. Cream put it best, saying that it was "love at first date". Since that first date, the purple cat had gradually opened up more and more. As one might imagine, Amy was extremely jealous, and refused to talk to either Sonic or Blaze for weeks. It was only now that she was starting to get over it.

Blaze, who was taking a plate of chili dogs towards the table, looked up as Sonic walked into the large kitchen. She smiled warmly. "Finally returned, have you?"

"Well, that isn't a very nice way to say 'good morning'. I brought you flowers, just to hear that?" Sonic jokingly asked, pulling out the bundle from behind his back. It was a bouquet of red roses.

"Chili dogs and roses. How romantic," Blaze gave a quiet chuckle at her own joke.

"Mm-mm. Wouldn't want it any other way!" Sonic exclaimed, rushing over to the table in a flash. The lavender cat shook her head, still smiling, as she walked over to the table with the plate in her white gloved hands. She had taken her time making those chili dogs, and she didn't want them going to waste by spilling them on the hardwood floor.

In terms of aging, Sonic and Blaze had grown height-wise, and that was about it. Sonic still wore the same gloves and gold-buckled red shoes, and Blaze still wore her trademark outfit as well-- purple coat, white pants, magenta shoes, and the red glossy hair tie.

"So, how was your run this morning?" Blaze asked, after swallowing the bite of chili dog that was in her mouth.

Sonic, who had just swallowed two chili dogs in succession, was about to answer when there was a loud pounding on the front door. He exchanged a slightly weirded-out glance with Blaze before getting up from his seat and going to see who it was. Sonic opened the door to see a green hawk and a considerably larger albatross. More specifically, Jet and Storm, both of whom were holding their Extreme Gears.

The moment Sonic was able to see them, Storm grabbed the hedgehog by his quills with a large, orange-gloved hand and lifted him into the air so they were eye to eye.

"Alright, you little punk! Where is she?!" he yelled to the somewhat stunned hedgehog.

"Storm! Storm!" Jet exclaimed. "Put him down!"

"S-Sorry, Boss," Storm stammered, calming down a bit, but still looking impatient, even a little angry. He dropped Sonic onto the ground, earning an "Oof!" from the hedgehog. Blaze, curious of what was happening, quickly came to the doorway as Sonic got to his feet. Surprisingly, he wasn't fazed by Storm's yelling.

"Hey, guys! Long time, no race!" he greeted them, quite cheerfully. "A little chilly out there, isn't it? Come on in, why don't you?"

Jet and Storm nodded, following Sonic into the house. As the hedgehog led them to the den, Blaze stayed close to his side. Having never seen the two birds before, she was rather intimidated.

"Sonic," she hissed in his ear, "Who in the name of the Sol Emeralds are these people?"

"Don't worry, Blaze," Sonic whispered back. "They're old friends of mine."

Blaze nodded her understanding, but she looked no less relaxed. In the den, there were two blue couches, facing one another across a dark brown coffee table. Jet took a seat on one couch, and Storm, looking rather impatient, sat next to him. Sonic leaned back on the other, propping his feet up on the coffee table. Blaze sat next to Sonic, having decided to stay close to him.

"So, then. Jet, Storm, this is Blaze the Cat. Blaze, this is Jet the Hawk and Storm the Albatross," the hedgehog introduced, waving a hand at each person in turn.

Whatever amount of patience Storm had, he ran out of it at that moment. He slammed his mammoth fists on the table, rattling the empty mug that was on it. "Enough chit-chat, Sonic. Wave's missing and all the humans around here told us they saw a hedgehog take her!"

Blaze immediately picked up on what the albatross was saying, and she didn't like it. "Are you implying Sonic would capture this... 'Wave' character?" she growled, glaring at the two Rogues with her amber eyes.

It was evident that Jet believed the same as his right-hand man. "Can't handle the truth, can you... Blaze, was it? Don't like the idea that Sonic is capable of crime?"

"Leave her alone, Jet," Sonic said, in an attempt to curb a fight he could sense was coming. "I didn't take Wave. You and I both know I'd never do such a thing."

The hawk ran a gloved hand through his emerald-green head feathers. He said nothing, but his contempt-filled glare at the hedgehog betrayed his thoughts.

"I would like to help you guys find her, though," Sonic continued. "I mean, the more people looking for Wave, the better of a chance that we'll find her, right?"

Blaze looked at Jet, and then at Sonic in surprise. "You are actually going to help them? Sonic, they just accused you of something you didn't do!"

Sonic leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Once, you accused me of something I didn't do. I forgave you then, didn't I?"

The lavender cat bit down on her bottom lip, her purple-tipped tail flicking in thought. After a slight pause, she sighed, and then nodded. "Very well. Sonic can help you, Jet and Storm. But I'm coming with you."