All the windows were open in the living room, and Tails had the heater turned off to make sure he didn't waste any electricity. Shadow was sitting on the couch behind him, relaxing. Cream was off at her house doing her business, so Tails and Shadow decided to just 'hang'.

"Change is a good thing." Shadow said after taking a drink of his hot cocoa.

"Not all the time." Tails replied. Shadow agreed without response, but felt he had to say something else.

"But, it can be a good thing." Tails studied the black hedgehog on the couch and turned back at the windows.

"That is true. Look at you for example." Shadow wasn't offended, and he knew Tails wasn't trying to joke around. Shadow and Tails were on the same level on a lot of things, they were able to keep a straight conversation, and keep it intelligent. Tails sighed.

"It's hard." Tails turned around completely.

"Everything is." Shadow sensed something strange to his left and he looked, and Tails quickly looked to the hallway as well. "Feel that?"

"Yeah. I recognize it."

"From what?... Inside my head?" Shadow nodded. They ignored it and let it pass, it became too frequent, that in the daylight with someone else around, it seemed nonsensical to actually begin to feel scared. "What's one way we can get the blue idiot to believe?" Shadow had no answer, feeling it would be impossible in ways.

"You know Tails, if this activity keeps up, there's no tellin' what'll happen next."

"That's true, but I can safely say that I'm fine."

"I doubt that, Tails. You feel you can fend yourself? You haven't been able to lately."

"Right." Tails looked about and then looked back at Shadow. "Hey, want some more hot cocoa?"

"Yeah, sure man." Shadow got up off the couch and walked with Tails into the kitchen. "But yeah, like I said man…"

"Yeah yeah, I understand." Tails grabbed a pot off the coffee maker, which was filled with hot cocoa, and pulled it out. He poured into the coffee cup that Shadow held in his hands, and even poured into a cup of his own. He placed the pot back into the holder of the maker. Tails felt movement around him, the whirl that had been known for the past week, Shadow felt the movement as well, but with no reaction, whilst Tails seldom moved his body. Tails grabbed his coffee cup and began to drink with Shadow.

"Hey, let's take a walk across that cliff and see if we can see anyone at the park." Tails assumed Knuckles and Rouge when Shadow said that, but nodded in the affirmative. They kept their coffee cups in hand walking across the living room, and to the door. Tails opened it and Shadow walked through with Tails behind, closing the door behind himself. Instead of walking forward, they took a turn toward some of the trees, which were near the cliffs. It took them at least 5 minutes to get to the cliff, and they saw young sun rising above the oceans. It was the always first thing to spot when looking off the cliff, but, Shadow was the first to look down at the park area, which had a miniature forest. Shadow began to think of the town get-together at the park in May, Tails, Cream, and Knuckles did a musical performance, and of course, had to deal with Tails' crap. Shadow smiled and chuckled at the thought. He was standing with Azuru off away from the crowd, but, to his unknowing, Tails told the crowd to cheer for Shadow after he called him. It worked, and it successfully made Shadow frustrated, or just annoyed, one of the two. In the end, all Tails was gonna tell him that the bratwurst were ready to eat. Shadow's thoughts were stopped when something moving caught his eye in the park. He noticed it was Knuckles. Shadow pointed. "Look, there's Knuckles." Tails looked down from the ocean view.

"Yep, there he is. I don't see Rouge though." Tails studied the running echidna in the park. Knuckles disappeared from view among the edge line of the cliff. A gust of wind blasted from behind Shadow and Tails, causing Tails to lose some balance. He turned and a black swipe came at him, which was dodged causing him to trip over the edge of the cliff. Tails started to yelp.

"Woah!" Shadow fell to his knees at the edge, and quickly grabbed Tails by the hand, keeping one hand on the ground to hold himself up. "Gotcha! Hold on!" Shadow began to pull up Tails, but Tails face became startled.

"Shadow! Watch out!" Shadow looked to his left, and another random swipe came at him. Shadow moved quickly as he could, landing on his back, and letting go of Tails. Shadow quickly threw his arm out turning his body to the side and grabbing Tails again. Shadow began to pull Tails up, and Shadow sat up as Tails got off of Shadow after the successful reel in. Tails was in a state of panic, even Shadow's heart was pounding with some hard breaths.

"This is getting way out of hand. Tails, I have more of a reason to believe all of this."

"But only one person doesn't understand." Tails and Shadow got themselves up and started to walk away from the cliff. They walked through the trees into the view of their homes in the fields. Tails saw Cream and she saw them back and began to run toward them. Cream opened her arms and hugged Tails when she neared him.

"Good morning Tails," Cream said happily. Tails hugged her back.

"Good morning, Cream." Tails said back. Cream let go and looked up at Tails, and noticed there was something wrong with him.

"Something wrong?"

"Oh, no, no." Tails shook his head and closed his eyes during his response. "Where is everybody?"

"I think they might be at Amy's house."

"Most likely." Shadow noted.

"Do you know if Sonic is there as well?"

"He probably is."

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Tails." Tails turned to Shadow.

"Yeah…" Tails said. "You're right." Cream was somewhat confused at what the two were talking about, but figured it out after a slight moment of silence. "Well, what should we do then?"

"Somewhere populated." Tails nodded and looked at Cream.

"Let's go." Cream grabbed Tails' hand and the three began to walk off toward the end of the dirt path that linked upon all their homes. A word wasn't spoken in the cold air in the small walk down the mountain side, though it was felt that it was needed. They were now walking on the asphalt of the streets of the town. Shadow and Tails expected some awkward things to happen by now, but, it was apparent nothing was going to happen. It became clear as they drew closer into their small town. They walked to the sidewalk to prevent from being hit by any bike riders or cars. Cars were rare in the area they were walking in from, but bikes sometimes came around. It was winter, and it was morning, no bike riders. But still, it seemed to be more civil to just be on the sidewalk anyway. The three stopped at the same old coffee stand with empty hands.

"Let's get some more. Three, please." Tails blinked and looked at his vacant hand.

"Well, there goes my coffee cups." Tails smiled and Shadow began to chuckle.

"That's true." Shadow handed the man a plastic card.

"I…. don't understand." Cream said in confusion.

"My coffee cups disappeared."

"Wait… what.. how?" Shadow quickly turned around with three medium sized gas-station looking cups filled with coffee, causing Cream to sway her body back a tad.

"Here." Shadow said. Tails and Cream grabbed their respective cups and started to drink from the small opening on the top plastic lid. Tails began to shake his head. He rose up his cup.

"This, is to my coffee cups. Which, I will miss forever." Shadow smiled with the close of his eyes and shaking of his head, lifting his cup up as well.

"They're just coffee cups." Cream said. Tails looked at Cream.

"They aren't just coffee cups. They're my life." Cream rolled her eyes while Tails and Shadow laughed. The three continued to drink, and after a couple of more sips, Tails noted to himself 'everything isn't what it seems'. Shadow even took notice as well, but, just as Tails, didn't say anything, keeping it to himself. Tails looked around at the townspeople. A young man was sitting on a bench reading the newspaper that was released in the morning. He was in the middle it looked like, Tails could read the main headline 'Tide Rocks Town'. Tails couldn't see the rest, as the man's fingers were on the words as he held the paper. Tails turned around back to the others on their side of the street. "Hey, let's walk around the town. Haven't seen some parts of it for a long long time."

"Yeah, let's do that!" Shadow smiled and nodded. They started to walk the direction they were heading originally, waving to the coffee man as he waved. They came up to the first corner, and took the turn. Tails remembered that they only walked in these two streets of the city, but, in the second street, they'd never go all the way to the back. They passed by some other people going the opposite direction, couples, friends, or even just the everyday people walking to work. They reached the end of the street segment and took a right and walked along. They passed by a small restaurant, and Cream some what reacted.

"Hey, I remember this area."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was when one of those guys attacked me, Amy and Rouge."

"What, Swift's friends?"

"Yeah, I still don't even know who did it though, cause they were hidden in black; Like they were mixing with the night or something."

"Well, then that proves that we really haven't been in this area for a very long time."

"Agreed." Shadow said. The sun began to rise over the buildings for the town to fully see, and the shadows of the three appeared in front of them. They were all looking at the many shops around, and even some of the apartments that were still around. They all looked back forward to make sure they wouldn't run into something, like a light pole, and who could forget the time Knuckles did that. When he talks, he never stops, end of story. The three notices something blue from the distance in the street.

"Oh great." Shadow said, when they all noticed it was Sonic. Sonic was walking across the street from a corner to that turned into another part of town. Sonic noticed the three walking and walked toward them.

"Hey!" He yelled.

"Oh great, here we go." Tails said. They continued to walk opposite directions toward each other. They stopped in front of each other.

"What's up?"

"We were just walking around the town." Cream said.

"Oh, that's cool. Haven't been around here for a long time actually. Finally decided to see if anything changed."

"That's what we were doing too, actually."

"Really? Sweet. Well, I'm heading to Amy's, you all wanna come?"

"Well, we want to walk down here, and we'll see ya there."

"Alright, see you all."

"Bye," they all replied back. Tails, Shadow, and Cream continued their walk down the street as the blue hedgehog went the opposite direction.

"I thought he was gonna start something," Tails said.

"Same here." Shadow said. They ignored the whole thing and continued down the street, the first bench in a long time finally came, same color as any other bench, dark green. Their walk seemed to pass by fast, and they reached the end of the street, and the sidewalk curved to continue on. "Let's head back." They all agreed and immediately turned around, in the same pace. They turned the corner and seemed to walk faster, and turned again when needed to head up back to their houses. They passed the same coffee guy, who now had a line of 3 people, so he didn't have time to wave to the three. They were reaching the end of the road, and walked across the street and reached the dirt path, and walked along it. They didn't see Sonic, assuming he reached Amy's place a while ago. They continued along the path, and passed a couple of houses, and reached Amy's house. They walked to the door, and Tails raised his hand to knock on the door, but he hesitated, confusing Shadow and Cream.

"Tails…" Shadow said. Tails sighed. "Just—do it man." Tails finally knocked on the door with his knuckles, two taps. The door opened with a smiling Amy.

"Come in!" Amy said in joy moving back opening the door for the three outside to walk into the warm inside. Everyone was in the living room, sitting on the couch, chairs, or even the chairs from the kitchen table across. Everyone was in their own different conversations, with the TV mildly sounding with the morning news. "Hear about that tide?"

"Yeah, actually." Tails said. "Where was it at?"

"Uklair."

"They seem to be getting some tough weather this year." Tails found himself a seat on a step on the floor in the living room, and Cream sat next to him. Shadow walked to the table and grabbed himself a chair and sat next to Azuru. "How bad was it though?"

"A few people got hit into the streets or something, but, they are doing alright."

"Well that's good." Tails tried to keep himself in normal state, but was afraid that the strange occurrences would occur again. Shadow seemed to have it all under control. Tails watched the TV and listened to everything that was happening in the house to try and forget everything, which he was doing a good job. Weather was getting colder by the day of course, Tails noticed the 7-day weather chart that appeared on the screen. Ranging in the 40's and 50's, lows and highs; it was rare for the lows to hit 30 at night where they lived, even in a bit of higher elevation then that of the town they lived by. The day passed on by, and it hit evening, no one had left the house, and food was served for lunch and dinner by Amy herself. Her wonderful cooking was loved among the people who eat her food. The eating commenced.

"Beautiful food, Amy," Mya complimented.

"Thank you!" Amy replied in her happy mood. "No one is left hungry when in my home." Different conversations emerged; Tails and Cream had been sitting next to each other, with Shadow and Azuru obliquely across from them. Tails sat next to Mya, which Amy was next to her. Straight across was Mileka and Cocoa. Ranos and Rouge were sitting on extra stairs on the diagonals of the table in Amy's kitchen. The eating continued. A sound whispered through the hall way, and a gust of wind blasted along the table, causing all talking to cease and causing a few quick-small screams. The plates on the table moved closer to the edges near their owners, and the table didn't seem move, but the talking had completely ceased. Tails looked over to Shadow, hearing only his heart beat. Shadow looked at him back, and they both looked back to their original positions.

"What was that?" Mya asked in surprise.

"I don't know, that was weird," Amy said. Cream, Tails, and Shadow didn't say a word while the others continued to ramble on. Sonic looked over at Tails and immediately got out of his chair in rage. His rage aimed toward the worried kitsune.

"You!" Sonic yelled at him. Tails turned, without losing his worried expression. "You're the one causing this!" Tails felt some of his own anger begin to form. "Why don't you just admit to us you're the one doing all of this?" Shadow looked at Tails as his face changed to anger. "HUH?" Tails lifted out of his seat, jumped over the table to Sonic, grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the wall, sending shock through the others.

"Why don't you man up and listen to people for once in your life?" Tails yelled. Tails continued to hold his hand at the neck of the blue hedgehog staring into his emerald eyes. Sonic could see the anger within Tails' emerald blue eyes. Amy in her shock ran to the two, following Shadow and Knuckles to split the two up. Tails was being forced by Knuckles and Shadow away from Sonic, and Tails gave in releasing the grip on his hand among Sonic's neck. Tails calmed down quickly.

"What is wrong with you two?" Amy demanded. "Have you lost all your morale?" Tails took a deep breath.

"Ask Sonic that, provoking shit." Tails said as calm as he could, with his heart pumping blood fast.

"You shouldn't lie." Sonic snapped.

"Lie about what?" Tails continued to stay calm. Sonic pushed forward off the wall, but Shadow, Knuckles, and Amy held him back, the others continued to sit during the whole thing. Sonic shook off the arms of the three holding him and continued to stare at the kitsune, who was once his best friend.

"I can prove that it's all an imagination."

"Really? And how would that be?" Sonic stood silent, finding no answer to fill his tongue. "Exactly."

"The point is, Sonic," Shadow began. "Everything that is happening, is real. Tails was afraid of coming here because of what had been happening this morning."

"Doubt it. Sticking up for him now, Shadow?" Sonic asked.

"Why would I lie? It's useless."

"Just like your actions, Sonic." Tails said. "Tell you what though." Tails relaxed back onto the edge of the table behind him. "We can all stay at my house and stay the night."

"You're just leading to your own loss." Sonic said. "Everyone's gonna find out."

"I'm following the intelligent path, rather than leading the idiot party." Tails turned to the others who were still at the table. "What do you all say, we stay at my house tonight?" Everyone began to have their doubts, and even Shadow believed it wouldn't be a good idea, but the plan was indeed final. Everyone had calmed down and went off to Tails' home in silence. They arrived in the dark cold night, and walked in as Tails opened his door. The lights eliminated the living room and the kitchen as Tails flipped the light switch. "Alright, there's some blankets and pillows if you all need them in the closet." Tails pointed to one of the couches. "That one can turn into a make-shift bed. The pads on the bottom will lift, so you'll have enough room. But, if you all want, sleep on the floor, whatever's easy for you." Tails looked around a little, along with Shadow, but no one took notice. They were in the expectancy mode of control.

"Me and Mileka will take the floor, you all can take the couches." Cocoa said. Cocoa looked over to Tails and walked over to him. "Are you trying to prove anything?"

"Actually, I'm not."

"Well, I'll take the floor too," Manos dropped in. It was now clear that only Mileka, Cocoa, and Manos would be on the floor, and Cocoa followed Tails into the hallway, mainly because he was getting the blankets and pillows for Cocoa to hand out. Tails took a turn at a corner passed the computer room, and turned to a door and opened it up. Tails pulled out 7 blankets, and 8 pillows, all white and filled of comfortable cotton. He handed it to Cocoa, who grabbed them as needed.

"Honestly Tails, I know you are trying to prove to Sonic that everything is real, but why go to this?"

"There is still doubt in the others anyway. And plus, if anything, I think it'll help me and Cream feel a lot more secure."

"I see. Well, this will definitely help you in those areas."

"Yep. That's actually more than half the reason why I'm getting you guys to stay tonight. I was actually going to ask anyway, even if that table incident didn't happen."

"Really?"
"Yeah." The kitsune and the brown rabbit stood there in silence after Tails' final response. Tails broke the silence. "Come on." Cocoa walked around the corner toward the end of the hall to get back to the living room, and Tails followed. "Alright, here's some pillows and blankets. There should be enough for all of you." Mya stood up and walked to Tails, while Cocoa placed the blankets and pillows on the small table.

"Tails, this just…" Mya began, and sort of started to laugh. "I think I speak for everyone when I say this is weird."

"Yes, I understand." Tails replied. "But, actually Mya, I was originally going to ask you all to stay the night anyway, even if that table thing didn't happen."

"Oh!" Majority of the others in the living room heard Tails' statement, maybe more than others. It made sense though, Tails was needing a way to feel more secure, and he now has it. But, it felt awkward just having it happen after a single incident, but what can you do when your once best friend confronts you blaming you for what happened. It sounded as Tails was challenging him, but at the same time, he felt obligated to just get everyone to stay at his place.

Tails looked at the clock in the kitchen, noting the time: 9:38.

"You all want something to drink?" Tails asked. Most replied with the yes, and followed Tails' hand gesture and went to the kitchen. Tails pulled out the cups he needed for the ones who wanted a drink. Tails went to his fridge to pull out a jug of 'Arizona Tea'.

"Arizona Tea?" Amy asked Tails. Tails opened the lid of the jug and beagn to pour into the cups lined up along the counter.

"Yeah, you never heard of it?"

"Is it new?"

"Actually, no. It's been around for a long time. It's a good brand actually, very good brand."

"Tea is good though, no matter what." Manos said.

"Right, but, you gotta get the good brewed stuff." Tails said with a smile.

"Tails, this is the same as your coffee cup thing." Cream said. Tails turned around and tried to get an intimidated look.

"I loved those coffee cups." All his friends in his kitchen began to laugh at what he said, even Cream did a little, she couldn't hold it in. "No, but still though, you have to get the good stuff."

"Have you ever brewed your own tea before?" Mya asked.

"Actually, I have." Tails filled the last up and screwed on the cap, opened the fridge and placed it back in. "But, it doesn't come out as good as you'd think."

"Well, practice makes perfect." Mya said.

"Yep, indeed." Tails, Cream, Mya, Amy, and Manos picked up their respective cups, and some began to drink off the bat. "Plus, think of it this way, some tea is better warm, and some are better cold. See what I'm saying?"

"Yeah."

"You never see warm tea anymore… unless you are some sort of sailor that doesn't have hot cocoa." Everyone fell silent. "But yeah though…" Tails smiled and started to chuckle a bit, and the others did as well. "I prefer tea cold, nonetheless."

"Arizona…" Amy repeated. "Sounds interesting." The conversation to go as they drank their tea, and Tails had to refill everyone's cups because they insisted to have more that it was so good.

"Why is it you always have the good stuff, Tails?" Amy asked.

"Because, he knows what to get." Cream said thoughtfully.

"Mmmmm… well, you're partially right." Tails said with a smile, getting another laugh out of everyone. "Nah, you're right though. And plus, you need to think about if I actually order specific things that aren't sold around here, you know?"

"That's true." Amy said. Tails took a big yawn, lifting his shoulders during. He looked at the clock, and it was now 10:29.

"Dang!" Tails said. "Time flies. And I'm gettin tired too."

"Yeah, me too." Ranos said. The cups were emptied with ease and placed into the kitchen sink.

"Alright, well, if you are all heading off to sleep, you know where the blankets and pillows are." Cream looked up at Tails, and Tails looked back, and they both smiled. Everyone walked back into the living room, and was setting up their sleep areas. Rouge, Mya, Azuru, and Amy had their area setup on one of the couches, along the wall forward of the kitchen. Shadow, Knuckles, and Sonic had their deal setup on the other couch, and Sonic just laid there with his hands behind his head. "Good night everyone, Cream and I are going to bed."

"Good night." Everyone replied. Tails and Cream walked through the hall and immediately to Tails room, without turning the light on. They closed the door and immediately got ready for bed. Cream had an oversized shirt on, which went passed her waist, and Tails had just taken his sweater off along with his shoes.

"Tails."Cream said.

"What's up?" Tails replied.

"Are you sure about them staying here for the night?"

"Yes, I am. It'll help us feel more secure." Tails and Cream lifted the blanket and they slipped under and rested their heads on the pillows. They turned to each other and stared at each other.

"Tails…" Cream whispered.

"Cream, don't worry, ok? Please, for me."

"Alright Tails." Tails stretched over and kissed Cream in the cheek and moved back.

"Good night Cream."

"Good night Tails. Tails turned onto his back and closed his eyes. Cream stayed awake for a few more minutes before finally resting her eye lids. They were now sleeping away as they could.

The lights were off, and Shadow, Knuckles, and Sonic seemed to be the only ones still up. Sonic was still in the same position he was in all night.

"Sonic, isn't he like a brother to you?" Knuckles asked.

"Yes." Was his blank reply.

"Then why aren't you being one?"

"He's older, he's more mature, and him making these things up just proves he hasn't matured at all."

"I may not be as close to his as you ever been, but at least I'm taking his word for the many things that have been happening." Sonic just sighed in annoyance. "I'm being serious, and so whatever happened to Shadow and Tails today is nothing then?" The silence ensued.

"Whatever…" Knuckles turned to Shadow, and they both shook their heads. They laid back on their pillows and tried to get some shut eye into the night.

The silence hit fast, and everyone was sleeping, unexpectedly. It was awkward for sleep to emerge so fast, even after the quick invite to stay at someone's house. Perhaps they were used to it, because of staying at Amy's for the past week. Maybe that was the case, or maybe not, but no one knows. Manos opened her eyes in the dark room and looked out the windows in the living room. She could see some of the ordinary orange street lights shining on the ground and some illuminating parts of the window. She closed her eyes to try and sleep again, but a strange sound caused her to open her eyes fast and jump up. She didn't wake up the others on the couch or near her on the floor as well. She looked around and even at the windows again, nothing. She heard another whisper, as if the wind was hitting the edges of the window seals. Manos removed the blanket from her body and stood up and walked over to the wall of the windows. She looked out one of the windows and noticed there was no wind blowing outside. She assumed a random gust, it was normal. She turned around and walked back to her sleeping spot on the floor and sat down. She pulled the blanket over her and laid back down on to the pillow. She closed her eyes and attempted to get back to her sleep.

Another whisper slipped by, even louder to her ears and she jumped up again. The others on the floor woke up as well in a worry.

"Manos, what's wrong?" Mileka asked observing Manos' panic.

"What is that?" Manos yelled pointing ahead of her. It seemed that no one else in the room heard them as Mileka and Cocoa looked forward at what Manos was pointing to. They saw the dark figure that Tails, Cream, and Shadow had been seeing. The figure moved closer to them moving with the darkness, and the three tried to get up, but couldn't manage to do it. They were panicking, their hearts racing. Their screams could not be heard among the others in the room. The figure spread out, surrounding the three in darkness, and coating them away.

Cream jumped up from the screams from the living room. Tails got up as well.

"Tails, what was that?" Cream said in worry. Tails was silent. "I'm worried about them…. I think we should help."

"I wish we could."

Amy opened her eyes, as she couldn't get her sleep. It was awkward to be sleeping next to so many people, couldn't blame her. She sat up and looked at the floor and saw that the three were gone. Amy flipped out.

"Oh my god!" Amy yelled. She began to shake Mya next to her and Rouge. "Wake up, wake up! Mileka and the others are gone!" They all quickly got up, in their quick energy boost given by Amy's panic awakening.

"Oh my god, where are they?" Mya asked. They all quickly got off their couch and looked around the blankets that originally belonged to the three that were now gone. They were getting scared, sharp feelings began to shoot through their veins, a sense of worry. Azuru knelt down at the blankets, and lifted them and looked under them and placed them down. She stood back up and looked over to Amy who was looking into the hallway by the kitchen. Mya walked over to the kitchen, following Rouge. Azuru went over as well. "Anyone in there?"

"No, but ---- AH!" Amy screamed. She jumped back, and a dark figure appeared in a fog like movement. The others screamed as well, and it seemed no one awoke from the echo of their screams.

"What is that?" Mya screamed.

"Oh shit…" Rouge muttered. The figure began to laugh, and it made their panic rise. The figure began to spread out around Amy, and Amy began to struggle out, with her screams.

"Amy! No!" Azuru yelled running. She jumped and kicked at the darkness surrounding Amy, and kicked it off. The shadow quickly moved into the middle of the group near Rouge.

"This… thing." Amy began. "This is what Tails was talking about. This thing… is really here, it's real!"

"Yeah…." The figure expanded out around Rouge, and she got into a ready position, but couldn't brace. The darkness spread around her, and she was struggling to get out, screaming at her will.

"Rouge!" Amy yelled. The final scream from Rouge echoed out and faded away, sending an impulse of terror through them. Their will was stripped from them like a banana peel stripped from the inner banana. The figure moved toward Mya, and she began to hit and throw at it, but the figure moved way too fast for her to hit. The figure moved behind her, and Azuru attempted a throw of her own, but the figure moved again toward Amy. Amy tried to hit as well, just as the others, but the figure spread out, in a line of smoke across the wall, the smoke stayed in place. The figure appeared at Mya again, and expanded out again, and began to surround the girls in a dome like structure of darkness.

"AHH!" All the girls screamed out. They pushed toward the darkness, and they could no longer see after the last bit of the outside world was covered up. The last screams echoed out into the house which they could no longer see.

The three men were on the couch, relaxed back onto the couch. 'Relax, it's a smooth night.' A jazz DJ man would say at the 11 pm peak on the radio. And, the three were doing just that, except one. The 'blue idiot' didn't care; he didn't even want to be around anyway. But, it didn't matter.

Endless sleep, the three didn't need blankets, warm wasn't a factor in their sleep. Knuckles had to live on a temple guarding a big jewel for majority of his life, hence one reason why he didn't need warmth. Knuckles began to shake when a small cold breeze slipped along his crossed legs. The echidna's body shivered a bit to the cold, but quickly recovered without disturbing his sleep. A cold spot stayed in the relative area, and it seemed to stay in its chosen place. The three on the couch felt the temperature change, but only felt it in their soon to be unremembered dreams.

Knuckles opened his eyes lightly and saw the wall straight ahead with the two windows. He looked to the other couch and saw pillows and blankets laying all over it. He moved his body into a more relaxed position and closed his eyes. Knuckles felt his legs shiver and he opened his eyes again, cocking his head forward. Instead of seeing the wall, he saw the darkest thing he had ever seen, and he felt his heart stop.

"What the…" Knuckles muttered. The figure began to laugh. Knuckles jumped forward from his position. "What is that?" Sonic and Shadow awoke from the yell of Knuckles' voice.

"What is i---" Shadow froze as he turned to see what Knuckles was seeing. Sonic saw it as well, and felt scared. The figure began to spread out darkness around them, and the three began to push away to get away from the darkness. "Come on! Keep pushing!" Sonic attempted to run out, but was repelled by the darkness surrounding him. He joined the others as they punched at the darkness, screaming in their panic, hearing the laughter emerge from the figure. The surrounding darkness was almost complete, and Sonic began to shake in his own fear. As the last bit of the outside was being filled, Sonic saw his regrets flash through his mind, of what he put off and what he neglected from his best friend.

Tails and Cream heard the last of the screams from what they believed was Knuckles, Shadow, and Sonic. Tails and Cream were scared from their sleep, even Cream felt more terrified then Tails did. Tails closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He removed the blanket among his body and stepped off the bed and Cream was confused.

"Tails…" she said.

"Cream…." Tails said back.

"Tails… where are you going?" Cream felt even more worried, even though she seemed at her peak.

"Cream, I need to go and face up against my fears."

"Tails, I'm afraid, I don't want anything to---"

"Cream, please, don't worry about me. I'll be ok. And I'm gonna make sure that nothing happens to you. I promise." Tails began to walk toward his door, and tears began to fall down Cream's cheeks. Tails stopped as he got in front of his bed and looked at Cream.

"I love you.. Tails…" Tails smiled.

"I love you too." Tails lifted up his hand, holding a necklace that he had made, with Cream wearing a replica. He put on the necklace, and the jewel in the middle glowed blue, just as Cream's did, and stopped. He turned and began to walk toward his door, and Cream began to cry, afraid of what might happen to Tails.

"Tails…" Tails opened grabbed the door knob, and turned it to the left, opened it and walked out into the hall. He closed the door behind him, ensuring that Cream would not be hurt. "Tails!"

Tails turned to his left and began to walk down the hall way. He reached the corner to a turn way, and smoke blast out into the figure that had been terrorizing him. Tails didn't look, but merely stopped.

"What's wrong, Tails?" The figure asked.

"Wrong with that?" Tails replied.

"Aren't you afraid?"

"Of what?" The figure didn't respond, but Tails felt he had something else to say. "And I see you killed all of my friends." The figure began to laugh.

"I sent them to the shadows, something they are afraid of." Tails turned with a smile.

"And the things that they fear, are a weapon against them."

"And your best friend regrets what he did."

"How do you know?" Tails smile disappeared from his face.

"You can tell from his eyes." The figure began to laugh. Tails felt anger rise within him. Tails put up his hands in the form of fists and got ready.

"I'm gonna take you down, for hurting my friends."

"I'm gonna send you to the darkness, and your girlfriend as well!" Tails showed his teeth in anger, bending down. He jumped at the figure and threw his first punch, hitting the figure.

"She's not just my girlfriend." Tails ran at the figure and hit him again. "I love her." The figure threw his own fist back, hitting Tails in the face and causing him to step back. The figure hit Tails again back into the original hallway, and hit him over into the wall. Tails braced himself, and the figure hit him again, Tails placed his feet on the sidewall, and the figure moved over in its dark fog grace on to the wall Tails was pushing on, and hit Tails again into the living room. Tails bounced on the floor, but got himself up as he stopped and laid on the ground. The figure walked forward as it landed on the ground and Tails let his arms down. The figure stopped, but the emotions were blank, empty.

"Giving up already?"

"Giving up? No." Tails smiled. "Aren't you afraid of anything?"

"Me? Afraid? No. Ridiculous."

"What, you don't have any fears that you live on?" The figure just laughed, and Tails continued to smile. "I know one thing you're afraid of." Tails placed his hand toward a light switch on the wall near the left window. The figure started to panic and put its arms into a position signaling 'stop'. "Oh, what's wrong? I thought you weren't afraid of anything."

"I'm not."

"Don't hide it. You see, you make people fear you because you are afraid yourself. You are afraid that people would figure out that you live by the darkness, and light would kill you." The figure began to fade off little by little in a sense of being afraid. "We all have something to fear, but we soon conquer it. Just like I have. Why do you think I'm standing here, and not running from a coward like you?" The figure could not speak. "What's wrong? Afraid to speak?"

"No." Tails began to laugh.

"Fear is what runs us. And you try to make people afraid of you, and soon you get figured out." Rouge and the others that were once on the floor began to appear on the floor, even Amy and her couch mates were appearing, but they were all sleeping. The figure continued to fade off. Tails could hear the figure actually breathing, and it seemed like he was shaking.

"I'm…. afraid." The figure whispered.

"I know." Tails flipped the light switch on the wall, turning on the lights. The figure disappeared, with the rest of his friends appearing, and the once fear, destroyed.