A/N: YIKES! Almost two months since I last updated this?! Jeez louise, where has the time gone?
Apologies to any excited readers who felt I left them hanging. Thankfully, spring break is here so hopefully I can work on this more and crank out some more chapters! This one's a short one but I feel it should be enough to reinvigorate interest in it, no?
Also, I would like to quickly say thank you to those who gave your kind reviews and criticism! I'll do my best. I hope you will continue reading and reviewing! Thank you and enjoy!
Chapter 4: Departing
After all that had happened, Blaze welcomed the deafening silence that tore through her. It sounded weird, but this dimensional tear had a calming aura. To her, it was as if this was her signal to finally relax. Everything she had fought to stop, did. Things would finally go back to normal, and no more would the threat of a multi-universal collapse heave on her shoulders.
It's not like she could've accomplished this alone though. Turning around she spotted him, in his glory of blazing yellow, spines flowing upward with the energy coursing through him. His sharp red eyes eased, knowing for sure the two Eggmen were defeated. His eyes wandered around the strange sight before settling back on returning that gaze of hers.
Between the two of them, no words needed to be said. They both knew the deed was done, silently giving each other their own congratulations, thanks, and whatever else was appropriate for the situation. Yet the feline wished she could say more, especially since this moment spoke to her louder than before of how Sonic's advice from before was true. Why it took her till now to realize that, and why she was still nervous about it, she didn't know. She couldn't discern whether it was due to the exhaustion coming over her in the moment of relief, or if a tiny lingering sense of stubborness was stuck to her.
Not like she had much time to think about it anyways, since Sonic broke the ice. "So...this is it, huh?"
Her head lowered and eyes closed, letting out a sigh. "Yes...it is.", she confirmed, reality catching up to the bravado of the moment.
"Everything will be back to normal. I'll go back to my world."
"Yes. And I will have to return as well. The Chaos and Sol emeralds...they cannot coexist in the same world. It would cause another crisis."
She couldn't see it, but she sure could sense it. There was a slight hurt in Sonic's eyes at the prospect of possibly never seeing his newfound friend again. It was in his distant tone, the way he spoke. Direct and short-winded, something the normally coy, chatty hedgehog wouldn't be unless the situation was really dire or if he was really emotionally distraught.
"I guess it's time to say...goodbye...then.", he swallowed and clicked his tongue. "Y'know, Cream will really miss you.", a sad-but-comforting smile strewn across his face.
"...I don't have a choice."
"Nothing from you then? Not even a 'happy trails'?"
"It's better this way. I came as a stranger into your world. It's only fitting I leave that way."
He shook his head, still keeping that look on his face. She surmised she was right in her guess, still a little stubborn after all this time. Normally, he might've chewed her out a bit for going against his advice, but right now, he didn't have the heart to ruin the mood. Plus, what she said afterwards made him rescind his urge.
"Sonic…", she opened her eyes and stared right into him, donning a grateful smile. "Thanks for your help. Bye."
Still having that smile, the sudden end to their conversation she attempted to pull didn't stop him from having some final words of his own. "Wait.", he held out a palm, her head tilting in curiosity.
He brought his right foot up, propping it on his knee. Suddenly with force, he tore off the belt buckle on his shoe, also ripping off a little of his trademark white stripe, revealing it to be a strand of cloth. Now the stripe was jagged, and evidently, his shoe was a little loose as well judging from how it seemed to dangle and just barely hang on to his sock-covered foot.
He then tossed it at Blaze, her figure snapping up and catching it in complete surprise. She looked down at the item in her hands, confused as to why he would just ruin his shoe like that.
It didn't take long for her to receive answer. "That's a gift from me. Sorry, I didn't have anything else on me.", he sheepishly admitted. She was honestly astonished at it AND him.
"Well, I'll see you again, Blaze.", he too said his own goodbyes.
Still fazed from the weird "gift" she received, she turned herself back up towards Sonic. "Yes...again…", she clenched the buckle in her grasp tenderly and stuffed it in her coat pocket before floating over to him, the hedgehog doing the same.
The two now closer, they did nothing but stare at each other for a few seconds until Blaze got the idea to hold out her hand.
"Here's my gift. I'm not willing to destroy my clothing like you are."
Sonic chuckled, grinning with teeth bared and gladly took the chance, connecting in a handshake with a smack.
Of course, just before he could give his own thanks, the forces of nature had other plans. It wasn't long before the dimensional rift started to correct itself, sucking the two towards the opposite directions.
However, neither let go nor wanted to. This moment had to last as long as possible, with Sonic even getting so desperate as to take her hand into both of his. This action resulted in a faded pinkness lighting up her white cheeks.
Even with their consistently rising struggle, the pulling forces couldn't be ignored as soon they became strong enough to tear them from each other, shock plastered on each other's face with Blaze attempting in vain to reach out for Sonic in her other hand.
In a flash of white light, it was all over, and Blaze found herself flying through the skies of the Sol Dimension, looking out over the waters as the greenish fade of dawn lit up the sky, the Sun peeking out over the horizon.
While heading towards her kingdom, she wasn't entirely without thought. Quite the contrary actually, her head was bustling with nothing but thought, especially towards her hedgehog friend. Subconsciously, she put her hand in her coat pocket and began to lightly stroke the shoe buckle and its accompanying cloth strap between her fingers and thumb.
She let out a light sigh, speaking to herself at volume that was just enough for her only to hear while it was washed up in the cacophony of the rushing wind. It was as if she was audibly confirming her current mess of inklings within her mind. "I understand now...my fire powers...my duty as a Princess to guard the Sol Emeralds...I shut people out and kept to myself. By trying to make it my sole responsibility, I almost put my world in danger. But...then…"
His past words before the final battle in that tear and after their brawl back in his world echoed through her mind. Just be yourself.
Think about it, both Eggmen knew how the both of the Emeralds worked. That's why the world didn't completely fall apart when they were together. Everything should be fine since I got the seven Chaos Emeralds. If there's anything I learned after all this time, it's that as long as the person holding the Emeralds can control them,
and knows how to use them, nothing can go wrong. Blaze, you have that power. Get it?
Her hand clamped around the item she got from Sonic as she put on a wide grin, pink staining her cheeks. She didn't know how, but this blue boy won her over. "Sonic the Hedgehog…"
Even just saying his name added on to her already developing feelings. How she would cope with this, she would think through later. But for now, there was only one thing she could say.
With a small, joyful giggle, diving off towards her home: "I'll see you again."
