Hey everyone, new story here! It's one I started posting on DeviantArt awhile ago, and I decided I'd start posting it here too. Now, there are a few things to know before you read:

1. This is not in the Sonic the Hedgehog world. It's more like an alternate universe that shares some similarities. These similarities include the style of animals, Chaos Emeralds (though and alternate version), Chaos Abilities, etc. That's why it's placed here: Because it had too many similarities to be an actual fiction.

2. Yes, this is an OC only story. I may make a sequel later that crosses over with Sonic's universe, but I'm unsure. Please do not ask to have your fancharacters in here. I have no use for them, since I'm making this up myself.

3. I do have some more info on the characters on DeviantArt (as well as pics), so feel free to stop by for a look. Just remove the spaces: www. ciel-hedgehog. deviantart. com.

4. For various reasons, there will not be a lot of beginning/end notes, unlike most of the stories I've posted here before.

There, I think that's all of it. Make sure to ask if you have any more questions. So, here's the prologue (straight off of DeviantArt), and I'll be posting Chapter 1 shortly. Enjoy! (P.S: I guess you can say htis story commemerates my 1-year anniversary! w00t!)

-----------------------------------------

In, out. In, out. Rozik's breath came rapidly as he stared at the bodies on the ground. Bodies he himself had put there. There was blood, of course, seeping from various wounds on his foes. He himself didn't have more than a few scratches, the exception being a bruise on his back where he had been hit by a rather hard punch. Some blood stained his snow-white quills, but none on his jacket or boots, which were too dark to notice anything on them.

"...Another ambush," he muttered, looking at his previous attackers. "I swear, they're worse than vermin." He spat on the ground, when something caught his attention. There was someone nearby. Someone who wasn't unconscious.

"Guess I'm not done yet," He thought. Eyes blacker than night looked around. In a nearby alleyway was an echidna. It was a male, with scraggly blue and gray fur, tattered pants with camo print, and a chain around his neck. The boy stared at him in awe, with a look that made it obvious he was no more than fourteen years of age, at best.

"Wow..." the echidna said. He had watched from afar as the hedgehog had fought his foes, a whirlwind of kicks and claws. The boy had never seen anything like it in his life. When he saw the hedgehog's eyes, he stepped out of the alleyway. He was too naive to even think the warrior would hurt him; Rozik looked nothing like the other people who hurt him.

"That was amazing!" The echidna said. The white hedgehog looked at him emotionlessly. Just another stupid bystander, he concluded.

"And who might you be?" He asked. The young boy ignored the question.

"Where'd you learn to fight like that? I've never seen a fight like that ever!" Rozik rolled his yes. He hated idiots like this, so he began to walk away. Footsteps followed. Rozik glared, growling slightly. The echidna followed.

"Wait," he said. "Can't I come with you?"

"Let me think...no," Rozik snarled. "Look, shouldn't you be at home with your parents or something, kid?" The spectator looked confused.

"...Parents?" He blinked. "What's that? Is that what you are?" Rozik raised an eyebrow. Not only was this echidna stupid enough to walk up to a mighty hunter like himself right after a battle, but he didn't even know...How could someone not know that? The echidna's ignorance was sincere.

"How did you get here, then?" Rozik asked. The blue furred anthro shrugged.

"All I remember was running from the guards, and then there was this light or something...I think." His eyes sparkled a little as he said this, and Rozik noticed the boy's eyes were different colors, with one light blue and the other violet. Not that black eyes were the norm either.

"Guards? From where?" Rozik asked, interested now.

"I dunno. I think it was called pixel...pristal...pri-"

"Prixtal?" The echidna nodded, and Rozik's eyes widened. Prixtal was the country's government system. Many people believed that they had been hiding something for a while, but no one was allowed to question the authority of Prixtal's rule. It was also rumored that those captured had never escaped. However, this naive little boy had.

Rozik never really cared for things such as this in the first place, but it was an odd coincidence nonetheless. This boy would probably reap a high reward if returned to Prixtal, but there was something else. If someone was able to escape from the government when no one else could, he might prove a valuable ally, ignorant or not.

"Fine, I suppose you can come along," Rozik muttered. "If Prixtal's after you, you probably shouldn't stick around here much longer. Come on." The echidna's face lit up, and he walked right next to the hunter.

"So, where're we headed?"

"Somewhere. Don't ask questions." A few minutes of silence. "You know, you might want to tell me your name."

"Name? Oh, you mean what they call people?" The echidna thought a minute. "Don't think I have one." Rozik raised an eyebrow.

"No name?"

"Nope. I was always called 6-6-5, but those are letters, right?" The boy pointed to his left cheek, where the numbers 6-6-5 were burned into his skin. He smiled. "So, how do I get a name?"

"I don't know..." Rozik grumbled. "Look, I won't deal with you for long. I'll just call you...Gary." The echidna thought for a minute.

"Gary...I like it!" Gary smiled. "Say, do I give you a name now?"

"I already have one. Call me Rozik."

"Rozik! Okay buddy."

"Did I say we were buddies?" Rozik growled.

"Doesn't mean we can't be buddies, Roz." At the sound of his new nickname,

Rozik glared at the annoying little furball. However, his view of the boy would change soon enough...