Chapter 1:

Cinnamon's spicy, not sweet

A/N: Any advice? Suggestions? Please, leave any comments you have. I am also accepting two offers for original characters, one good-based to aid the protagonist, and one as a henchman for the villainous side. If you need more info, just PM me. Post O.C. in reviews or through PMs.

"Man, I had almost no sleep last night." Cinnamon groaned as the bus engines roared underneath, the bus moving towards their school.

Violet shrugged her shoulders. "We've missed a lot of school. It's only natural doing your make up work will sacrifice some energy."

Violet smiled at her best friend. Violet was the blind daughter of Tails and Cosmo. It bothered her less and less, she could see in shades of violet, although her sight range was certainly much more diminished than before. Nevertheless, she relied on her eyes less and less and more on her other senses now, particularly feeling, which helped her read Braille.

"Yeah, well school sucks." Cinnamon growled.

"No, it does not." Cinnamon's brother, Marius interjected.

"Oh shut up, brat. You didn't miss a day of school, while we saved the world."

"We didn't save the world, Cinnamon. We barely did anything." Violet informed her.

"Well, you never know. We at least helped to save a kingdom."

Violet wondered what happened to Balthazar. She had left her stranded at the beach when she had saved her from Shadow's vengeance. Tails didn't tell her where Shadow and his constant companion, a nameless wolf, disappeared off too. She knew he wasn't happy with her decision. She prayed it was the right one.

"So… how did it go finding Richard's sister?"

Violet gave her a grim look. "Oh…" Cinnamon patted her on her shoulder. "Well, how does Richard feel?"

"Angry, that's for sure. Angry that her foster family refuses to let her see him, angry that she's stuck in a psychiatric hospital. We tried going to the hospital ourselves and got a glimpse of her, but as soon as they noticed him, they asked him to leave. He was furious he couldn't even speak to her."

"I'd have punched them." Cinnamon commented.

"That's why we didn't bring you, Cinnamon." Violet giggled.

"Good point."

(Lockdown)

A black panther lowered her binoculars as the bus slowly reeled in towards the school. "She's on the bus."

"Good. He will be pleased. We get a snack after all, Kauri."

"We'll have to deal with her friends as well."

"Her friends won't be a problem. We've got some strong allies on our side, right wolf."

The two turned around to glance at a gray wolf, who peered at them emotionlessly. "Sure." He apathetically replied.

(Lockdown)

Violet sighed as she walked off the bus, Cinnamon already angrily launching herself at Sonic Jr., who was flirting with a rather pretty cheerleader. "

Ooh, Sonic, you're so nice." Violet heard the cheerleader say, batting her eyelashes at him, before gasping as the blue hedgehog was knocked into the ground by a dark rabbit. Students crowded around the fight as once again, Cinnamon's jealousy got the better of her.

"Cinnamon…" Violet smacked her head.

"Break it up, get out of my way!" Violet noticed the principal and a few other adults make their way toward Cinnamon and Sonic Jr. "Break it up! Get them away from each other."

Cinnamon snarled as two teachers hauled her away, scolding her and commanding her to go the principal's office, while Sonic Jr. rose with surprise, brushing himself off casually, talking to the teacher who sat nearby him. "Don't worry, I'm fine." Sonic gave his namesake smile, before wincing in pain. "Just hurts a bit on my arm."

"Oh, don't worry; we'll get you a nurse right away." Violet rolled her eyes. She knew he was acting, trying to keep the cool, playing slight pain in parts where it really wasn't hurting. When would these two stop this nonsense and fix their relationship maturely? Then again, knowing Cinnamon, she didn't solve much well unless it involved her fists.

Violet noticed her mother, Cosmo, approaching her. "What happened to Sonic Jr."

"Cinnamon." Violet replied simply.

"Not again." Cosmo told her. "They're worse than Rouge and Knuckles were."

Rouge… Shadow said he had loved her even though she was married to Knuckles. She remembered his rage as he spoke to Balthazar. How close were they?

"Mother… "

"Yes, sweetie?" Her mother cooed.

"Err… did Shadow and Rouge know each other well?"

"Why do you ask?" Cosmo questioned her.

"Just curious."

"Well, they certainly did. They were a team, and a tough one, although Shadow was always cold and distant."

The bell ringing for the start of the school went off, the redundant melody sounding in their ears. "Well, I better get to my students, and you should get to your class, Violet." Cosmo told her, giving her a quick hug before departing.

Violet turned around towards the school, knowing this was going to be a long day for poor Cinnamon and Sonic Jr.

(Lockdown)

"Mrs. Cinnamon! You should be ashamed!" The principal, a rather snobbish looking red hawk told her. "Tackling Sonic's son, of all people!"

"Well, that son of a b—"

"Young lady!" The principal scolded her. "Watch your tongue!"

"He's a rascal, two-faced little—"

"That is enough, Cinnamon!" The principal sighed. "This is your second offense this year. Do you realize that I am entitled to suspend you for seven days?"

"Why are you punishing me?" Cinnamon growled. "You should punish that hedgehog, not me. He provoked me!"

"He did not say a single word. Witnesses confirm it."

"He was flirting with that girl."

"Sonic's son may speak to any girl he wishes. You must learn to control your feelings."

"Well, what if I can't?" Cinnamon challenged her.

"Then you won't be suspended, but expelled."

This statement rendered Cinnamon speechless, although she emitted an angry growl under her breath.

"Mrs. Korsakoff?" Cinnamon noticed someone step through the door. "May I speak with you for a second?"

The hawk looked up at the intruder. "Mrs. Prower? What are you doing here?"

"Please, may we speak outside?" The green plant repeated herself.

"I guess it must be more important than this." The hawk said, getting up from her seat. As she prepared to walk out, she turned to look back at Cinnamon. "I will have your judgment when you get back, and trust me, you will not enjoy it."

Cinnamon moaned. She knew her father was busy today, and it would only be Cream coming if she called them. And she didn't want Cream to know about this at all. She turned to look at the window, the sky darkening as the clouds thickened up in the sky.

Perhaps if it had been sunny, she would have noticed a shadow on the rooftops, the shadow of a wolf as he raised his com-link near his mouth, looking at a different direction than the principal's window, but towards the gymnasium, the direction of their target.

"On the bell." The wolf whispered. "On the bell, and then we strike."

(Lockdown)

Richard was guiding Violet to her gym, as she sighed to herself, knowing that Cinnamon most likely would not be there. It bothered Violet that her boyfriend was so quiet, he had not said a single word to her since yesterday. He had merely waved and approached her in greeting, as if he was nothing more than a bodyguard.

"I'm… I'm sorry yesterday didn't go very well for you." Violet whispered to him, stopping moving toward her gym class.

Richard shrugged his shoulders, trying to pull her along, but Violet shook her head. "Richard, at least speak to me."

She almost regretted asking. The fox's voice was hoarse and somewhat empty. "I don't want you to pity me." Richard told her. "It's only a delay, Violet."

"Richard, she's not even supposed to be in there!" Violet argued back. "I could teleport in there and get her out. I could have Tails convince them that it was a mistake."

Richard shook her head. "For what? She knows me, Violet, but she doesn't trust anyone else. Even if my foster parents took her in, it would be practically illegal! You'd get in trouble, and Tails would practically be doing a dishonorable act."

"I could have Sonic ask them to pull her out."

"It wouldn't work. Sonic's influence does not ring in that mental hospital."

"So you're just going to give up?" Violet shook her head. "Richard, you can't—"

"I'm not giving up on my sister, Violet. Don't think I'm heartless." He retorted, and Violet almost quivered at his anger, and she almost moved away from his touch, until she realized it was much gentler than his voice. "I'm sorry for yelling… but this is just complicated, that's all."

"We'll get her back, Richard." Violet assured him, as they arrived to the locker room doors.

She kissed his cheek. "If you need any help with this, just ask." Violet told him.

(Lockdown)

Richard sighed, and then turned to run into the locker room, making sure he was changed before the bell. Sonic was a nice gym teacher, but he always complained profusely when someone was late. "Aw man!" He'd usually say. "What are you all eating these days? Hamburgers for slow fatties?"

It was a shock to see his sister in there. He knew she was different, but she didn't belong there, her difficulties she could overcome without such drastic medication.

Yet he knew that was not why she was in there. She was in there because of that one day, that one day he criticized and yelled at her for being stupid, that day she was shot, and he thought her dead, that day he had to run, or else be turned in to an orphanage.

How stupid he was! He could have stayed with her! He could have comforted her! But she awoke with no one, only a nightmare vision of that day before. She must have thought he abandoned her…

What a brother he had been.