Dedication: This fanfic is dedicated to my reader and foreign pen-pal, Arbmaster 16. May this story always find a place in your heart and remind you of your friends.

Disclaimer: Sonic and all intellectual property belongs to Sega and Archie Comics, with the exception of the OCs presented within and the storyline. Arby the Hedgehog and Nocturne the Chameleon belong to Arbmaster 16 and Garret the Ferret as well as all orginal content belongs to TheEpicTales.

Continuity and Setting: This fanfic is set in the Archie Comics universe six years after the defeat of Robotnik at the hands of the Knothole Freedom Fighters. My OC, Garret the Ferret, was a member of this team and has since gone his separate way like most of the other canon characters. You can expect to see Team Chaotix, Sally Acorn, and Sonic and Knuckles (maybe, for the last two).

Warning: The following contains dark material and strong language, tabacco and alcohol references, some lime content, and good grammar. You've been warned.

Special Note: The inspiration for this story came from a PM sent to me by Arbmaster 16 as follows: "There's an image; A ferret on the couch and a drenched and shivering hedgehog on the floor." Special thanks to Arbmaster 16 for being the inspiration. And to GoldenBullet, Mischevous Whisper, and many others for being the dedicated readers who have helped me continue to do what I love.

Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter

Stepping outside the noisy restaurant, Garret let out a small breath of relief. It wasn't that he disliked where he was working or the people he worked with, in fact, he loved everything about it. But sometimes, he just enjoyed being able to relax and let his mind wander. Tonight had been another busy day for Jack's Burgers, but his shift passed faster than it he expected. He smiled as he reflected how perception warps everything. Life was really just what you made of it. Time was one of things that passes faster when you stop counting the minutes and just live in the moment.

The parking lot was fairly full, with cars belonging to several customers and employees alike filling nearly every available parking spot and some made a spot where one didn't exist. He glanced over the dim area, observing the many idle machines. He turned away as he walked towards the street on the left side of the building. He had a car, he just simply preferred to walk. There was something almost mediatative about it. During the hour long walk to and from his residence and place of employment gave him plenty of time to reflect on the day's prior events and muse on what tomorrow would bring.

He paused as he felt something small and light drop on his exposed arm. Glancing up, he noticed the black sky had begun to drizzle. Just as well, it wouldn't damper his mood in the slightest. He liked the rain. It washed the earth clean of its stagnation and allowed for new growth to follow. Resuming his slow walk down the mostly barren street, Garret just let his mind drift over the day.

There wasn't anything unusual. His morning routine consisted of nothing more than a quick shower, some careless grooming, and snatching a quick breakfast as he headed out for his job downtown. After that, he would arrive at Jack's in his uniform, clock in, and figure out where he was going to placed for the day. Typically it was drive-thru like most days, and today was no exception. He wasn't the friendliest of sorts, but customers nonetheless recognized him and knew that he would get their order quickly and accurately. During his lunch, he'd step outside, ten feet from the building and puff on one or two cigarettes before heading back in to sit in the break room and scribble in his notebook. He was something of an author, but rarely finished any of the projects he started because he would easily get distracted by a new idea or plot line and follow that for a time before moving on to something different entirely. Once his break was over, he'd step back into his corner for drive-thru and pick where he left off until his shift ended. It was familiar, stable. It was his comfort zone.

Before he realized it, he was already almost halfway to his house and he laughed silently. His routine was so familiar, it had become almost second nature. He was just on the edge of the downtown area when he heard something down one of the shady alleyways to his right. Normally, he'd brush it off and continue moving, but this time, it sounded... violent. Pausing his step, he glanced down the alley and watched for a moment, but it was too dark to see much of anything beyond the streetlight he was standing under. The rain had also gotten considerably heavier, already his bright red t-shirt stuck to his skin and his fur had begun to mat. At last, he heard a clear, masculine voice come from down the alleyway, deep and menacing. Another voice followed, softer and more feminine accompanied by a whimper and a smacking sound.

Alerted, his blood began to boil as he stepped closer to the alleyway. A mugging, no doubt, or a domestic disturbance at the very least. That was the one thing he hated most about the city. For all the glammor and pretty buildings, the city had an ugly side to it. It was as if the concrete jungle attracted both the worst and the best of people. He had more experience with the good sort, like the ones he worked with, but he'd seen and heard his fair share of the brutal side of the city. Calling out, he attempted to sound firm as he asked if anyone was down the alleyway. That's when a large shape shifted in the darkness and stepped forward, partially into the light. It was a rat, unusually tall and broad for one of his species. The male glowered at him threateningly as he curled his lip at the ferret. "Get lost. This doesn't concern you, ferret boy."

Garret stood firm. He felt in his pocket for the small knife he carried with him at all times. It wouldn't help much if the attacker had a firearm, but just knowing it was there gave the ferret some small sense of confidence. "It concerns me when somebody could be in danger," he replied with no hesitation shown either in his face or voice.

The other mobian sneered. "You want to make it your problem?" The rat stepped closer. As he did, Garret could discern the shape of two small figures crouched fearfully behind him. Garret's face grew much more grimmer.

"Let them go."

"Or what?" asked the rat mockingly. He sized the ferret up. The first mobian was taller than most mobians, but very thin and didn't seem to have any muscular strength to back up his bold words. The rat smiled as he lifted the crowbar in his right hand and waved it tauntingly at the ferret.

Garret's face flickered for a small instant. Perhaps he should have kept walking and ignored the sound in the first place, but... there were two innocents being bullied by this dickweed. Garret's resolve was absolute. "I'll say it one last time, let the people go."

The rat didn't reply. Clearly this guy wasn't going to be intimidated. Launching forward without warning, the rat swung the crowbar with surprisng speed, aiming for the ferret's side. Much to the rat's surprise, the ferret stepped swiftly out the crowbar's range and retaliated with a quick kick to the legs. The second mobian cried out as he lost his balance and crashed forward. Catching himself on a cluster of shiny, tin garbage bins, the rat steadied himself and shot a murderous glare back at his adversary. The ferret looked calm, as if it wasn't his first scuffle with petty criminals, nor was it.

The rat brought himself up to his full height and rushed forward again, this time bringing the crowbar in a diagonal arc, once again aiming for the ferret's most exposed area. Garret sidestepped it once more and caught the rat off-balance one last time. The rat stumbled slightly less, yet by the time he regained his balance, the rat noticed something glint in the corner of his eye. Focusing on it, the rat realized it was a knife. Not a large one, but dangerous enough all the same.

"Want to try that again?" asked the ferret, casually twirling the knife in his hand.

The rat hesitated, but that was all his former victims needed as one stood up and hit him square in the back with a discarded metal pipe. The rat was knocked forward into the ferret by the unexpected force and the first mobian responded by hooking the rat under the jaw with his free fist. The rat dropped the crowbar and it slid under a dumpster as he fell to the ground. When he tried to rise, a heavy boot instantly crunched down on his hand, halting his movement as pain lanced through his arm. The rat looked up. "Stay down," warned the ferret.

Glancing up, the ferret looked over the one who had hit the ruffian with the pipe. As the murky outline slowly came into focus, Garret surmurized that the third mobian was female and around three and a half feet tall. The figure was rather slight like himself and he could tell she was a hedgehog from her obvious spikes on her head. Garret briefly flashed back to time when he knew someone who looked identical to the person he was looking at right now. But. That was six years ago, and this one was female, not male like the one he was thinking of. Forcing himself to return to the present, the ferret cleared as his voice as he spoke to the third mobian. "Hey... are you okay?"

The other remained silent for a moment as she looked down at the incapacitated rat on the ground. When she did answer, it was barely audible. "I'm fine... Thanks."

Garret frowned, but shrugged it off as the other trying to appear brave in front of yet another stranger. Turning his gaze back over to the second former victim, he found that she too had stood up and was standing close to the hedgehog wielding the pipe. Due to the rainfall and dim lighting, he couldn't make out any discernable traits beyond the figure looking vaguely feminine. Finally, he turned his gaze back once more to the rat beneath him. The trapped mobian was cursing and making vague threats under his breath as he waited for the pressure to be released. Garret considered what to do with him for a moment, before deciding calling the cops wouldn't solve much. A more... vigilantic idea came to him. Easing the pressure on the rat's hand for a second, the ferret reapplied the force back on the appendage with one swift, brutal movement, snapping the bones within. The rat screamed out as he felt the brittle sticks shatter in his right hand, effectively crippling it. Satisfied, the ferret removed his foot and stepped back as the rat instantly curled up and nursed the wounded attachment to his arm.

"You, motherfucker!" were the first words the rat managed to squeeze out through his terse vocal chords. "I'll- I'll find where you live and I'll-"

"Then I'll just have to break the other one," the ferret finished. Ignoring the injured mobian's cursing and moaning, the ferret took a wary step towards the two females he had rescued. As he did, the hedgehog raised the pipe again threateningly before her companion tugged on her coat side.

"Arby," she said softly, almost pleadingly, "he rescued us."

Garret smiled reassuringly. "Actually, your friend did most of the work. I just distracted the guy long enough for her to give him a taste of his own medicine."

The hedgehog, Arby, hesitated, clearly torn between mistrusting the stranger who had come to their aid with unknown motives and her friend's plea. At length, the hedgehog slowly lowered the blunt instrument. "I'm sorry. We're fine. Thank you for stepping in anyways."

"Well, I couldn't have just kept walking," he replied dismissively, before realizing he could have and nearly did. He shuddered to think what might of happened if he had. The city might've claimed two more bodies to feed its insatiable appetite for death and destruction. "I'm Garret. And, I take it, you must be Arby."

The hedgehog still bristled. "Yes. Why does it matter?"

"Because I usually like to know the names of the people I help."

Arby kept silent. Her companion spoke up. "My name's Nocturne."

The hedgehog turned on her. "Shut up!" she hissed.

The ferret stowed his knife away back in his pocket. "It's alright. I don't mean either of you harm," he told her in the calmest voice he could manage. He reached a hand out.

The other hesitated once more before slowly accepting it. He noticed her fur was black and her gloves were both ripped and dirty. Shaking it gently, Garret smiled once again. "How about I help you ladies get home tonight? The city's a pretty big place, but I'm no hurry."

"We'll manage."

Garret's smile faded as he came to the conclusion that the the other wasn't going start being trusting of him any time soon. "Oh," he said slowly, "I understand. Well... be safe." Turning away, the ferret started to leave before the hedgehog's companion rushed forward and caught his shoulder.

"Wait! We'll go."

Garret turned back to face her and he realized she was a chameleon. A black one.

"Nocturne!"

The chameleon glanced back at her friend before turning her bright, emerald green eyes back to the ferret. "Please excuse Arby. She isn't exactly quick to trust strangers."

Garret looked between the two before nodding. "Understandable. Smart even. Where do you live?"

"Not far. It'll be easier to show you."

"Alright then." The two mobians looked back at the third who appeared ready to argue before gradually letting the pipe drop and stepping closer.

"Fine. But just to the park," she reluctantly agreed.

With a silent nod of agreement, the three left the street thug crumpled in the corner of the alley as they began walking once more down the street. And Garret thought about how glad he was he hadn't been driving that night.

Author's Note: So, clearly, this going to be an OC-centric story, which I tend to shy away from, yet something about this story and the sentence that inspired it told me it was a good idea and an amazing gesture of friendship. I'll understand if only a handful of people notice it or even like it. It's not about reviews or recognition; it's about self-expression and a true friendship. The somber tone can be depressing at times, but this is a new angle for me and a great one I believe. Regardless, if you have any comments, concerns, or complaints, direct them to me. I'll respond if I can, but you might not always like the reply. This is a pretty personal prompt for me and I intend to see it through. (Reviews are still appreciated though)

~TheEpicTales