"What on Mobius are…" Sally quickly put a hand on Tails' shoulder, and pulled him back an inch or two away the larger fox. "What do you mean? Is this some kind of Coming of Age ritual?"

Tempest let those words seep in, and laughed.

"Yes. Yes!" He pointed at her and quickly composed himself. "I suppose you could call it that."

"Princess! Princess!" "Sal! Sal, what's going on?!" "This way!"

The three mobians present watched as, from the trail to their side, a small group entered, making a complicated situation more so. Antoine and Sonic led a trio of guards. All five came to an abrupt stop when they saw what was going on, and who was at the center of it all. Acting on instinct, the three guards reached for their sidearms, and at that same instant, Tempest reached for his belt.

"Non!" Antoine cried, quickly holding up his hands in front of the guards. "Do not! You will all keeps tze weapons holstered, that is tze order!"

"Antoine's right," Sally quickly added, and the guards never finished drawing their weapons. At the same time, Tempest's hand moved away from his belt, and the small metal cylinders clipped onto it.

Narrowing his gaze at the coyote, the two tailed fox smirked. "I thought I smelt a Keionah here among the sheep."

Antoine visibly bristled at the name. "I am not tze Keionah…"

"What the hell is going on here?" Sonic cut off his friend and old associate. "Who is this joker?"

Tempest turned to Princess Sally. "Who is this … creature? Why does he call me a joker?"

"The name is Sonic the Hedgehog, pal!" Sonic smirked his characteristic grin, but before he could say any more, to elaborate on the joker comment, he got a closer look at the fox. The sight of two tails momentarily impaired his ability to speak, and so his lips moved but no sounds came out.

"Tiresome…" Tempest held out his hand to Miles and motioned for him to come closer. "Miles. To me, boy. I will take you to your kin. I will train you through the Turan'ha."

"What… what is this Turan'ha thing?" Tails shook his head. "I don't understand…"

"It is…" Tempest faltered for appropriate words. "It is the Turan'ha! A… a..."

Antoine stepped forward. "He speaks of tze 'Rut.'"

"Rut?' Tempest frowned at the word, and then shrugged. "That is a close enough translation. Thank you, Keionah."

"I am not tze Keionah!!" Antoine yelled, getting angry. "Do not be calling me that!"

"And how can you not be one, bedding among these sheep like you do?" Tempest snarled, bearing two long canines. "Disgraceful! You and our honor-less one-tail cousins! A crippling pox on you all for your cowardice and betrayal of the Kitsune who embraced you as brothers!"

"That is tze ancient history," Antoine answered, coldly. "You cannot take Miles. The Princess speaks tze truth. This is his home, we…"

"Is that the truth?" Tempest crossed his arms and his eyes fell on Tails. "I will believe it only if it comes from the lips of my kinsman. A fellow Kitsune. Are you happy here Miles? Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you do not yearn, at the very least, to learn who you are? What you are? You know you are not one of them. You will never BE one of them. These Prey."

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Tails voice was resolute. "But these are my friends. I'd prefer you don't insult them."

Tempest didn't argue the point. "But they are not your kin, are they? Miles?"

Tails wanted to yell that they were.

But…

"Are they?" Tempest shook his head. "No. They are not. You feel hot coals in your bones. You feel energy in your fists and claws. You hear a cry, but you know not how to heed it. This is the Turan'ha."

The younger fox frowned. "I prefer facts to metaphors, if you don't mind."

Tempest blinked at this, a little thrown by the response. "It can not be easily described in the presence of outsiders… the Turan'ha is the trail through which we enter adulthood."

His words sounded reasonable, and Tails frowned and closed his eyes as he thought it over. His dissatisfaction with his role in life had become all but obvious, and at war with his devotion and affection towards those close to him. One thing remained clear: the prospect of having an origin that wasn't simply one of mutation and abandonment was extremely appealing. That there could be a while race of creatures like himself – that he wasn't the only two tailed fox, that he wasn't the result of some genetic disease or dysfunction – it was exciting. Not only for himself, but academically and intellectually as well.

"I know how you are feeling," Tempest continued. "I know what you are experiencing. The confusion and anger. Because I went through the same trial when I was your age. It will come and go in good time."

"Come..." Tempest's hand was still outstretched. The claws were gone. "I will not take you away from these… from this place… unless you want to. You have my word. On my honor, I will only offer you the truth, and the choice. I will only show you the path."

Tails was silent, considering.

His inclination was to accept the offer, but he also had work to attend to and plans to see to fruition. Was it really responsible to put some quest for personal satisfaction ahead of his duty? There was also something distinctly foreign about Tempest that Tails couldn't entirely discount. Not for the first time, he asked himself what Sonic would do, even though he knew that his situation and Sonic's were not the same. Sonic's life was carefree; was it any wonder he simply came and went as his whims ebbed and flowed? So Tails was torn: accept, and indulge his curiosity, or decline, and resume the routine he had fallen into.

"Who else could show you through the Turan'ha? Who else would even have a claim?" Tempest turned to Antoine. "Well, Keinoah? Not you, I trust."

"I've had just about enough of hearing this guy talk…" Sonic took Antoine by the shoulders and tried to move him out of the way, but amazingly, he refused to budge, and kept his eyes in the large fox. At the same time, Tempest's eyes motioned towards Sally. Antoine frowned, and shook his head. Tempest snorted. That only left one.

"Wait…the Hedgehog!?" Tempest suddenly blurted out. "You lie! He was raised by a low born 'Tah?! A creature without even a Clan? How could even you allow this to come to pass?"

"It was too late when I was finding them." Antoine didn't flinch at the insult. "And… I did not think myself fit to try…"

"He is a Prey," Tempest hissed, "I will NOT acknowledge his authority over the boy. Not in a thousand cycles! Not when the poles bleed red and the skies snow fire and ash!"

"A Community Claim, then!" Antoine said, quickly. "All of us. We all helped raise him."

Kept out of the conversation, Tails quickly found his patience wearing thin. "Hey…"

"You have no basis for a community claim." Tempest smiled, bearing teeth, but still addressing Antoine. "And even if you did, you'd lose the challenge. And you know any Challenge is to the Death. I'd have your throat before you even drew your weapon."

Sonic finally pushed Antoine out of the way. "That's it! If it's a fight you want…"

"Sonic… don't!" Sally stopped him. "I'm sure we can come to an agreement here. Without violence."

Antoine picked himself up off the ground. He shot an angry glare in Sonic's direction, before composing himself and brushing the dust off the cuff of his coat.

"If you are being that confident…" Antoine said, calm belying a hasty plan. "Accept the challenge, Vidar. Or maybe you are for to being afraid the 'Tah will defeat you… if you are letting him pick tze contest?"

Tempest growled at the insult. "Your plots are as obvious as they are fruitless, Keionah. I accept, in the name of my Clan. What is this contest to be that I will be bested by a little hedgehog in it?"

"A race," Antoine quickly answered, before Sonic could speak up. However, no sooner did Antoine make the suggestion than Sonic relaxed. If there was a contest to be had, a race would settle it in their favor.

"A…race? Are you blind, Keionah? Me? Against him? He's too small and weak to have a prayer in a race against me. But I shall humor you if I must." Tempest walked over to Antoine, who nodded his head slightly. Turning, Tempest stood before Tails.

"Come with me, Miles. There is much I must tell you."

"Wait…" Tails voice wavered as he seemed to reconsider. "How long will this take? And what if, after all this, I don't want to go anywhere?"

"If you wish to stay, that is your business." Tempest looked at the others. "But you will only find lasting contentment among your own kind. That is the truth of this world. As for that 'Tah…"

"The name is Sonic!!" The hedgehog in question yelled. "I think you'll remember it when I beat you."

"Yes. That one," Tempest reared to his full height. "He may be your friend, but he will never understand what you are. Like it or not, young Miles, you are kitsune. Just as a human is a human, a dragon is a dragon, and a mobian is a mobian. Our races are not meant to… mingle. This is your fate, as it is the fate of the tree to branch and the flower to bloom. If you want to know of your people, follow me. Do you trust your kin, boy? Or fear them?"

"I wouldn't say I'm afraid." Tails crossed his arms. His eyes turned to Sally and Sonic, and nodded slightly. "Ok. Ok! This could be interesting and I have nothing to lose. I'll come... For now."

"Good." Tempest smiled, and his features lightened slightly. "You won't be disappointed."

At once, Tempest turned and headed back to the forest that flanked the ring pool compound. Tails paused, looked over his shoulder at his adopted family, and then followed the older Kitsune. The last thing Sonic, Sally and Antoine saw of him were his twin tails, moving back and forth behind him. And then the darkness of the Great Forest swallowed him up, and he was gone.

"A race, huh? And he actually expected to win? I guess that explains how things turned out like they did. … Miles?"

"Yes…" the voice in Lara's head began to fade, and she tensed. "Wait a moment, and then follow me. I…"

And with that, he was gone, and she felt the loss through her emerald. It was almost wrenching to have him very nearly there, with her, and then gone again. It wasn't just the power, either, but the sense of belonging. The whole situation was strange; it wasn't exactly the best moment to strike out on her own and prove what a rebellious teenager she could be.

On the other hand, this was an opportunity to see history.

"Ant…" Sonic looked over his shoulder, the two retreating figures now nowhere in sight. "This is way past uncool. What just happened? How did you know what he was talking about?"

"It is being very complicated." Antoine waved to the three guards. "Leave us."

The guards looked from their Captain, to the Princess, and then back. Sonic felt overlooked, but didn't dwell on that fact. He'd never been interested in any sort of command position, so despite being an acclaimed hero, no one really looked to him for orders or permission. Antoine, on the other hand, had few qualms about administrative work. The three soldiers saluted, turned, and took their leave.

"Well?" Sonic asked, more insistent than before. "At least a few explanations would be a nice change of pace, don't you think?"

"He will be back," Antoine assured them. "He may be a barbarian, but he is having his honor, and the honor of his people. He is one of tze Northern Foxes. He is tze Kitsune."

"Kitsune?" Sonic scratched his head. "I've never heard of them."

"Why does that not, how you say: surprise me?" Antoine replied, sarcastically. Sonic frowned his disapproval. "Tze Kitsune are little more than tze legend, now. Like tze Dragons and other creatures of myths. When I saw tze boy, even I was not sure that he was one of tze pureblood. I did not want to mention it, for it was dangerous."

"Sonic… can you go get Nicole?" Sally scowled at the Captain of her Royal Guard. "Antoine and I need to talk. I'll fill you in on things when you get back."

"I'll be back in twenty seconds. And that's only because of the stairs." Sonic gave Antoine one last angry look, and took off at high speed. When he was out of sight, Sally poked Antoine hard, finger grazing the Royal Seal on his left breast.

"You! If you knew this would happen, why didn't you tell me?!"

"I did not know this would be happenings!" Antoine held up his hands. "You must be believing me! I was not sure he was tze Kitsune!"

"And how," Sally asked, growing angry, "Could you not be sure?"

"He did not acts like one!" Antoine said in his defense. "I was thinking, maybe he was maybe tze halfbreed or somethings…"

"You seem to know better now. Why?"

"It is the Rut." Antoine tried to explain himself, and the situation, better. "It is when tze Kitsune mature. Their puberty. He is goings through it, and it ees a dangerous time… I was going to tell you everything, my Prinzess… but I wanted to wait! I did not want to alarm…"

"Well, I'm already pretty alarmed, Antoine." Sally sighed. "Enough with the excuses. Just tell me: what do you know about these Kitsune? I've never heard of them outside the myths. They're supposed to be extinct except for the occasional mutation in the general population."

"Like I said," Antoine repeated. "They are creatures of myth, like tze Dragons. We did not believe in them until we met Dulcy, no? The Kitsune, no one had contact when them… not since tze times of your Great Grandfather…."

Sally knew the story involving her ancestor, the great King Melchior the Mighty, and the Kitsune. After the first war with the overlanders and humans, Melchior, eager to add yet more lands to his domain, turned his attention north. The canine tribes there had long been enemies of the kingdom, but recently many had begun to migrate south and openly align with the growing power of the King. An assembly of nobles had been convened that petitioned the King to enter their lands as monarch, and under that pretext he marched his army north.

The Kitsune were supposedly a cabal, like a religious and military order, that ruled over the northern tribes. Children born with the two tail mutation were taken into the order and raised to become savage warrior priests. According to history, King Melchior fought the northern tribes for years as the civil war among them tore the population in half. Eventually the Kitsune retreated to the north and went extinct. The northern tribes aligned with Melchior eventually became the backbone of the royal military.

Sally had known there was an element of victor's narrative to the story, but…

Sonic skidded to a halt a few feet next to them, holding Sally's pocket computer. He handed it over. "Here ya go, Sal… So: what'd I miss?"

"Antoine says they were like Dulcy," Sally said, quickly. "Creatures most mobians don't think exist anymore."

"They live in tze north. In the tundra forests," Antoine continued. "In tze small tribes and families. They are hunters and warriors… they used to be raiding many other places, many other peoples… many years ago. But they had not been seen since tze time of your Grandfather, King Fredrick. I only know they exists because… because..."

"Because why?" Sonic leaned closer to the less-than-brave coyote. "Why, Ant?"

"My father… he did meet with one of them." Antoine cringed; embarrassed he had never told anyone this before. "A few times. I was not supposed to be looking, but I did follow him… and tze fox, he said he would be killing me if I told. And my father… my father who is… was… so brave, he was afraid of tze fox, too! My father took tze secret to his grave, and though I promised on my honor never to speak of it, Princess, I speak of it to you!"

"What was General D'Coolette doing with…?" Sally suddenly got it. "He was a spy, wasn't he? Wasn't he?"

Antoine bit his lip, and didn't look her in the eye. "He was loyal to tze crown, Princess. I do not have tze proof… but I know my father. He was loyal to tze crown! I know in my heart that he was working with them so as to always be sure they would not attacks again. Not when tze Kingdom was vulnerable during tze war with tze overlanders, and not when Robotnick took over. They are paranoid, you are seeing? Who else could assure them that we were not tze threat?"

Sally backed off; Antoine's father was a hero, both for his son and for many others. General D'Coolette had organized the first glimmers of resistance in case Robotnick took over, and was the one who had set up the base in Knothole. He had led what remained of the loyal Acorn Army against Robotnick when he seized power, and had ended up roboticized for it. He was sent to Mercia for several years, under the guise of the High Sheriff, and after his de-roboticization he returned to Knothole. He had died, only a few months ago, of natural causes. He was no traitor. Had he been working in secret, perhaps trying to persuade these Kitsune to aid the Kingdom in the war?

"Nicole." She activated the so named computer. "What information do you have on the Kitsune?"

"I'm sorry, Sally. Those files are time encoded and classified Azure/Cherubim. They can only be unlocked early in case of a dire emergency - a threat to the Royal Line, or the Existence of the Kingdom."

"Cherubim?" Sally frowned at that. 'Cherubim' was the second highest level of security. Only 'Seraphim' was higher, and that covered the deepest and darkest secrets of Mobius and the Future. Nicole would never divulge that level of secure information, no matter how much Sally argued with her.

"Can you tell us anything about them? Anything at all?" Sally pleaded. "Nicole… I'm worried. At least tell me: is Tails… is he one of them?"

There was a delayed response.

"Yes. He is."

"Nicole…" Sally continued. "Thank you. Please: is there anything else you can tell us? Surely not all of it is that critically important?"

"I… can divulge some information… Please wait…"

Sonic gave Sally a quick wink. Sally nodded.

Antoine still looked nervous.

Nicole began:

"The Kitsune are a mobian race of bipedal mammals, classified 'Mobia Vulpes Coun.' The Kitsune or Northern Fox is about the size of a large mobian wolf (50-58 kg). The coat varies. It is most often a rusty red color, but varies regionally from sandy yellow to pitch black. Most remarkable about the Kitsune are the separation of their lower vertebrae, and the resulting 'two tailed' anatomy. There are also undocumented cases of up to nine tails, but these remain unverified. The tails vary by coat color, but always end with either a white or black tip that match the color of the fur on the chest, paws and belly. The ears are rounded, and usually either amber, blue or black. In their adult stage, Kitsune have a wider and larger jaw than normal mobian vulpines (Mobia Vulpes Vulpes), with an extra set of molars in the lower and upper jaws."

"An ancient breed, the Kitsune are thought to have branched from the single tailed vulpine strain when it crossed over with a now extinct cousin species (Mobia Vulpes Alpinus). The Northern Foxes are reclusive and territorial by nature, but also highly predatory and extremely aggressive. The Final Northern Border War was the last documented official contact between the Kitsune and the Kingdom of Acorn. The war lasted exactly twelve years, starting in 3121 with the annexation of all mobian lands up to the Polar Cap by decree of King Melchior Acorn. It ended in 3133, with the defeat of the Third, Fifth and Sixth Legions and the withdrawal of interests from the northern quarter of the main continent. My apologies, Princess. No other information can be divulged at this time."

Lara listened closely with chaos enhanced ears.

Hearing Nicole's little explanation, she smiled at the implication. "Looks like I'm not the only one messing with the past… or was she programmed to 'reveal' all those so called secrets?"

It was something she'd have to ask, when she got back to her time.

Still hiding her presence, Lara slipped away and headed for the forest.

"That all happened over a century ago," Sonic complained. "What does that have to do with what's happening now?"

"Know the past, lest you repeat it," Sally lectured. "You and I should know that better than anyone. We've actually been to the past once, and Nicole here is from the future."

"A potential future," Nicole corrected.

"There is somethings else Nicole did not mention…" Antoine said quietly and quickly got their attention. "That last war… the Kitsune did not fight it alone. A few other peoples, peoples considered tze cousins to tze two tailed foxes, also did fight."

"They are killing their enemies, Prinzess, but building nothing…" Antoine looked up. "I am of what was once called tze Surni'var Clan, though it has been long since I heard the word. My family, she changed to D'Coolette after the surrender."

"Hold up. You don't have two tails, Ant!" Sonic pointed out, tilting his head to look at Antoine's flank. "…Or DO you?"

Antoine rolled his eyes. "Non. I do not have tze two tails. Tze southern clans are not having the trait for two tails… they were not even Kitsune. Not even foxes. But they traded with tze Kitsune, and knew of tze Kitsune," he answered plainly. "We grew tired of the wars… we wanted to be like everyone else… we were wanting civilization."

"I take it the other Clans… the Kitsune Clans… disagreed?" Sally looked out into the forest. This meant they were a race of people, and not just some group of mutants. "Tails…"

"Tze Kitsune would never change their ways." Antoine sighed. "He ees one of them. That much ees certain now. And, like I was saying, he ees in the Rutting. Perhaps it ees for tze best that Tempest take him…"

"He's not even fifteen!" Sonic slammed his fist in his palm. "How can he be rutting? At his age?"

"He is having signs … of the Wild, you see. Of the Northern clans…of him having tze rougher fur, and tze teeth and claws that grow when they mature. He ees also being more aggressive and territorial, and loose in tze control… in a way, it's being most fortunate this is happening now. I would not to be able to train him myself as I had planned. He would be too strong."

"Are you sure you didn't swallow a Chaos Emerald or something? This… this is crazy!" Sonic made for the forest. "I'm leaving. To get Tails and bring him back."

"No!" Antoine literally jumped and held Sonic back by his shoulder. "You cannot! I am sure you will win, but you should be thinkings of the race. Trust me. The only one who can be helping Tails now, ees his kin."

"Here." Tempest stopped before a small, mostly dead tree. "This will do."

With apparent ease, he shattered a low hanging branch, splintering it at the base, and then threw it to the ground. Breaking off the branches, and making a pile of dry leaves, he started a fire in a nearby clearing. Sitting down in front of it, he looked at his charge with a sense of reserved calm.

"Miles," he said. "Sit. You have questions."

"I do." Tails also sat down in front of the fire, opposite Tempest. "First of all, my name is Tails."

Tempest raised an eyebrow, curious. "What do you mean? You are Miles Se'Prower."

"Miles Prower. I know. But I prefer to be called 'Tails.'"

"You have an odd way of pronouncing Clan words… Your full name, I have been told, is Miles Na'Turo Se'Prower. It means Miles of the Clan Turo and the Family Prower. As a kit, you only use the Family or blood-name, Prower, but once maturity is reached, it switches to the Clan name: Turo. So after the Turan'ha ends, your name should be Miles Na'Turo."

"I still prefer to be called Tails," the younger fox repeated. "Humor me for the time being, if you please."

"If you so prefer, I will address you as you are accustomed." Tempest smiled in the half-light. "You are of age, after all. Tails."

"Good." Tails was content with the concession. With that out of the way, he felt justified in getting to the most pressing question he had. "Now, tell me about my parents."

"Dead… back when you were but a kit." Tempest growled. "They were warriors. Proud. Strong. Your father was Eblis Na'Turo, your mother Aurora Na'Turo. Both Prower, your father's Family, and Cecrops, your mother's, are strong and noble bloodlines."

"Eblis… Aurora…" Tails said the names, but felt very little in doing so. He couldn't remember them. They were just words, like chromosomes: part of the body, but void of emotional attachment. He had been raised by others, Amadeus and Rosemary, both lost now.

"Were they... nice?"

"Nice?"

"Were they good people? Why were they killed, and not everyone else?"

"You misunderstand," Tempest said softly. "They left the village and did not wish to part with you. They went south as a raiding party with the blessings of the Turo War Leader to take the head of some mobian commander. The exact circumstances around their deaths remain a mystery."

"They were Raiders?!" Tails was aghast. "They were assassins?!"

"They were warriors … Tails. Your people are warriors. We do not make secretaries and factory workers, my boy. We are the children of Melchisedec! The blood of a thousand generations of proud fighting males and females, the fiercest and greatest ever to live, flows in your veins. You feel it. Now, more than ever."

"I… I feel like I want something." Tails admitted, looking down at his hands. He still wore gloves and shoes, while Tempest wore heavy moccasins and went gloveless.

"But I don't know what. I don't know what I want…" he admitted. "I thought I could be happy helping others accomplish their dreams. I thought I'd be happy if I was just needed, useful… appreciated. Now, when I feel apathetic, it turns to anger and frustration… so easily…"

"You are in the Turan'ha. A phase of extraordinary growth." Tempest poked the blazing campfire with a tender green sapling. "You are somewhat undersized for a kitsune of your age. Over the next week you will grow at an accelerated pace. Ideally, you will grow to be a little shorter than myself. The fur in your back is already becoming coarse, forming a thick winter coat, and your tails - the trademark of our people - will become more unruly for a time. You will come to associate with females in the area…and what you crave, young Turo, is blood."

"Blood?!" the younger vulpine shook his head in disgust. "I'm not a vampire!"

"The Turan'ha brings out our most base instincts. You are a hunter, and what you need is what every hunter needs: prey." Tempest smirked, the light from the fire playing off his features. "Which, tonight, we shall find. I can see it in your eyes, Tails. You need to hunt."

"You're wrong. I don't have any interest in killing some poor animal."

"No?"

"No! I don't!"

"We shall see, boy. You cannot deny your blood. You must hunt; and you will. I am here to train you, and keep you from losing control over the rut and letting it dominate your mind and actions. Tell me… do you know why I camped here?"

Tails looked around. It just looked like any normal section forest… but, deep down, something subconscious told him otherwise. "Game trail. This is a game trail."

"Exactly!" Tempest grinned ferally, showing his teeth. "Now…we hunt!"

Hidden from perception, Lara watched the exchange.

"Miles?"

"It is… surreal. To see these events again through your eyes."

"Surreal good or surreal bad?"

"A… a little of both I think," Miles sounded apprehensive. "I would not call it regret, but… misfortune perhaps. I was somewhat unkind to those I love in the days that followed this meeting. The Turan'ha is a powerful experience that often clouds reason."

"Oh?" Lara smiled to herself, casually leaning against a tree. "I can't wait to see what you were like as a horny teenager! Did you get acne?"

He chuckled, and she felt a spike of reciprocal warmth spread through her body from the emerald. Miles never did laugh much, in all the time she had known him, but when it did it filled her with hope. None had done so much for so many and suffered so much in the process. If he was unkind, it was because sometimes ruthlessness prevailed where kindness could not.

"There they go…" she mused, still thinking rather than speaking aloud. "Miles?"

"…"

He was gone.

It was just as expected. Proximity to him triggered some sort of resonance or connection in the emerald, allowing it to contact the him from her natural time (or the emerald's natural time anyway). It was one step towards getting back home, though how she could go from one to the other, Lara wasn't sure. Miles had advised her not to rely entirely on her chaos powers; both Tails of this time period and Sonic were sensitive to chaos energy, and could detect something amiss. Tempest was blind as a bat to it, but Nail would become a problem later.

Sighing, Lara stood alone in the forest and pondered her next move.

"Who knows what's happening to him out there…" Sally leaned against the window. Hers was the largest private domicile in Knothole, though such a title was deceptive. It was still only two stories tall, built into the base of one of the Great Forest's giant Ironwood trees. There were really only a few rooms to it – a bedroom, a guest bedroom, and a bathroom on the top floor, a tiny pantry downstairs along with some storage space and a living/meeting area. It was one of the oldest of Knothole's buildings, dating back to its founding, and being in the center of the town, it still had a good view of the so far undeveloped Northern Quarter that opened out to the Great Forest.

"And I keep imagining…" The Princess Acorn trailed her fingers down the glass. "He'll just came back, smile, and be normal again."

"He was never really normal, Sal. None of us were. But he'll be back soon enough." Sonic was on the opposite end of the room, leaning against the door. Waiting patiently wasn't something that came naturally to the speedster, but self-confidence had helped to reign in his impulses to do something hasty. "And he'll bring that Tempest Slow Mo friend of his, too. We'll see who he calls 'Tah' tomorrow! I don't know what that weird word means, but I just know it ain't a compliment."

"It means 'Prey', Sonic."

"Prey?" Sonic stopped to consider that. "He won't try and eat me, will he?"

"Maybe." Sally rolled her eyes. She had been sarcastic, but kitsune, like tanuki, saurischians and dragonkin (all thought to be extinct), were rumored to be cannibals… Not that she usually put much stock in folklore and inflammatory legends. Great War propaganda has cast the humans as 'mobian-eaters' too, and she knew now that that was definitely untrue.

"Feh! He's too big and slow to race me… No way he even has a chance! Musclebound freak…"

Sally was starting to get annoyed with his attitude. "Calm down already, would you?"

"Hey...! What's the problem, Sal? You're not thinking Tails might be better off with him, are you?"

Sally looked over her shoulder at him, and then back to the window. She also changed the subject; she had seen how frustrated Tails had become over the last year, after that Black Arms mess in Downunda. She had had high hopes for him when he first came back from Station Square, but then he had helped her father improve the Royal Army and gone off in other tangents, most of which she disapproved of. The massacre he had seen in Downunda had only hardened his resolve to win the war through measures she considered somewhat extreme. What was the point winning the war in a way that betrayed their history and traditions as mobians?

"You know," she said, "He said Tails would grow up like him… do you think that's possible? It can't be…"

"Yeah, I can't see it either." Sonic wasn't so dense he missed how Sally had switched topics on him. "I'd hate for Tails to get all big, stupid and slow, like his new buddy."

"You really don't like him, do you? You hardly even know him."

"Lemme say this, Sal: Tempest and St. John are on the same page, in my book."

"Uh huh." Sally nodded, half listening. "He's got a nice butt, though…"

"… WHAT?!"

"It's true. Don't tell me you never noticed that with Tails, either?" She couldn't help but smile at the shock on his face. "Probably because of the two tails. Compact muscle and all."

"Oh… my… God." Sonic took a step back. "I guess Tails isn't the only one in rut around here."

Sally smiled, seductively. "Don't be sour. I think yours is pretty good, too."

Sonic's eyes widened, and he did an about face, hiding his blush. "G… geez, ok… you're really weirding me out, here, Sal… I mean…"

"I'm just kidding!" She laughed, and patted him on the shoulder. "I just want you to lighten up."

"Really?" he asked, but tried to sound like he didn't care. Needless to say it didn't work out, and he ended up sounding silly.

"You frown any more, and you'll look like Shadow."

He put his hand on hers, and sighed. "Thanks. …I think."

"Any time." Sally was tempted to slap him on the behind, but didn't want skid marks decorating her walls. He really was so cute when he was clueless! Putting her other hand on his other shoulder, she started to push him out. "Go on, now. Get some sleep and win that race tomorrow. That's an order, mister!"

"Yeah, yeah, right away, your imperial majesty," Sonic replied, sardonically. Giving her a quick wink, he left on his own accord. One out of her room, he relaxed. There was nothing to worry about, he told himself. He'd win the race, and Tails would stick around. Even if they weren't spending every other waking moment together, Tails was still his best friend. He couldn't lose him.

He couldn't lose tomorrow.

The next day came quickly, and with first light came the race. Antoine was the first up, and within minutes, had brought the others to the Ring Pool. Despite some debate on the matter, the decision had been made to only include Bunnie and Rotor into the circle of mobians who knew of the situation. Sally had, off hand, suggested the possibility of posting ten or twenty Guards around 'just in case a point needed to be made,' but Antoine assured her that it wouldn't matter. And that it wouldn't be necessary.

No sooner had those five gotten to the Ring Pool clearing, than the two foxes move out from the cover of a tree above them, silently landing behind the Freedom Fighters. The mobians whirled, facing the sudden intrusion, and Antoine had nearly drawn his sword at the thought of a sneak attack. But neither kitsune tried anything, preferring to simply stand where they landed. Finally Tails stepped forward.

"Sally!" Tails held out his hands and walked towards her. "You didn't see us?"

He sounded amused and enthusiastic and excited. She hadn't seen that in him in a long time.

"No… I didn't…"

Her eyes wandered to Tempest, who still stood a short distance off, looking oddly calm and composed, and something else… Then Tails hugged her, obviously feeling happier and giddier than she had remembered in a long time. Sally 'woofed' from the displaced air that used to be in her lungs, and quickly breathed a sigh of relief when the kitsune let go. Tails was deceptively strong – strong enough to destroy SWATbots with his bare hands – stronger than her, in fact.

"I suppose it was his idea to surprise us?" She asked, not too pleased.

"Not his. Mine. I thought it might be interesting to try." Tails smiled, and, as he did, Sally noticed his teeth. His canines were larger than she remembered… or was it just a bit of an illusion? Tails had grown quite a bit over the last year, but Sally hadn't really given much thought to it before. It was only natural, after all, but now she started to wonder about it. At the party, he had been about Rouge's height, hadn't he?

"Aunt Sally, we went…" Tails paused in mid-sentence. Stepping another foot away from her, he looked over his shoulder at Tempest briefly before looking at her again. "We went camping. I learned wilderness survival. It was like a… vacation. No biggie. Learned some new things."

"You've… you've really grown Tails. You're hair's still a mess, though!" Sally reached out and ruffled the now rough mat of fur on his head with both hands, laughing softly. He smiled and endured it, trying in vain to keep his three bangs from splitting. Sally remembered then that he had been only a little shorter than her back before he left for Downunda to relieve the army in Westopolis. He was growing into an adult mobian, and she hadn't even thought about it before.

"The hair… It will clear up when he's matured more. Though it'll still frill up again from time to time, given how often he has it groomed." Tempest cracked a grin, and the fur along his back seemed to bristle and stand on end before calming down again as he walked forward, past Sally and Tails, Bunnie and Rotor, to Sonic. "The boy shows great promise, 'Tah. I will not soil him by letting him grow among the weak. …You will lose."

Sonic just smiled cockily. "You obviously haven't been around these parts much, Pal. But you'll learn who's got the speed around here soon enough."

"The race is to be tze first to reach tze third goalpost at the end of tze Academy advanced training course. You will be needings to run straight that way though tze forest." Antoine pointed past the Ring Pool, and into the woods. "After about tze mile, you will see tze course. Eet is a rough path with forest theme'ed obstacles. The goalpost, she ees at the end of thees."

Tempest nodded once, understanding. Sonic made a show of yawning.

"At moi's signal, go." Antoine held up the traditional checkered flag.

Tempest put a foot forward, facing the intended direction. He lowered his head and posture, arms straight to the side. "The boy told me you were fast, 'Tah. I will judge his rather lengthy praise of you for myself."

"Yeah? Well, don't choke on my dust that quickly."

"GO!"

The flag fell from Antoine's hands, and before it even hit the ground, both Tempest and Sonic were already almost out of sight; only a small cloud of smoke and dust, low to the ground, marked their passing. Tearing through the brush in long strides, careful to weave through or over any obstacles, Tempest kept up a brisk pace, while trailing Sonic. Then, the hedgehog accelerated, and blazed away, taking a fairly secure lead. Smiling, Tempest clenched his fists and accelerated himself, up to his full speed, catching up to the blue streak after side stepping a forest ramp to maintain his acceleration on the ground. Reaching his maximum velocity, Tempest jumped, up and over, through a set of trees and branches, around a corner, making a quick landing, and took the lead. Over his shoulder, he could see the look of surprise on the 'Tah's face.

"Not bad…" Sonic thought, watching the much larger Tempest crash through the foliage like it wasn't there. "All that bulk doesn't seem to slow him down, even when stopping or making sharp turns… Not the best I've seen, but pretty darn good. Still slower than Mina, though. …Ah well, enough playing around! Time to Meet the Blue Streak!"

And then, to Tempest's surprise, the hedgehog accelerated AGAIN, up and over a hill, spinning as he did to avoid wind resistance and bash through a log in his path.

"I… Incredible…" The hunter thought to himself, watching Sonic rapidly catch up to him. "Looks like the little rutter was right after all. I do believe I'm going to lose. Better try and keep the lead as long as I can."

In front of him, Sonic could see Tempest look back, growl, and turn forward again. Grinning like a madman, Sonic knew he had won. Tempest was going at a good clip, but wasn't picking up and speed. But… then, up ahead and without warning, did he just see Tempest's tails… move? Leveling out behind the kitsune, they straightened out sharply.

Most kitsune had a measure of control over their tails, using the two of them as a means of balance and counterbalance. Tails had demonstrated last night that he could actually spin them to achieve lift. Somehow, the boy was able to use chaos energy to alter the structure of his namesakes. Suffice to say, this wasn't a normal ability, and it had come as a true surprise to hear that Tails had any chaos sensitivity at all. Most kitsune, Tempest included, were deaf to it.

Tempest felt a small speed boost as he fixed his running posture, but it was no where near enough to win. Conserving his energy, Tempest quickly made the decision to take a different route and make use of a wiser strategy. Taking to the air, Tempest leapt into the canopy finally breaking through the upper umbrella of branches. Struggling to keep his balance on the unsteady canopy of trees while not losing his momentum, Tempest quickly regained his bearing and made for the final goal, without trees or other obstacles in his path.

"What?" Sonic looked up, into the trees. "Is he crazy?! You can't run up there! Why would…? O… of course!"

Knowing he'd never make it to a similar position above the trees by himself, and not sure if he'd really want to, Sonic took a deep breath and finally took the race seriously. If the course had been straight then he'd never have worried, but given the terrain… it was remotely possible he could lose. Smashing through the forest now, too quickly to dodge most obstacles by any safe margin, the blue hedgehog finally crashed through into the open. Along his sides and arms cuts from rocks and sticks had broken the skin, and scratches marred his face and side. Still, possessed by his own inertia, Sonic simply kept going forward, and, catching sight of the final goalpost, jumped.

Sonic's body landed at the feet of his friends.

Unconscious.

"This blue bag of entrails was going so fast he couldn't stop in time." Tempest looked down at the body he had just brought back, hair shielding his eyes and expression from view. From his voice alone, he sounded far more impressed than bitter about losing. "Skidded for at least fifty feet. He'll live, though. …Pity."

"He won, didn't he?" Tails stated, as if reading Tempest's face. "I told you that was a stupid bet to make."

"It was foolishness on my part." Tempest walked past him, to the Ring Pool. "But he was faster than I. …and I will not let such a worthy Prey die in a ditch dug by his own feet. He has bested me, but I know of another capable of defeating him."

"Who?" Tails asked, before looking over to Sonic's unconscious body. "Faster than Sonic?"

Only Shadow came to mind.

"You, of course…." Tempest relaxed against a tree. "In the fullness of time, I am confident you will outpace him… I'm not leaving 'till I see that day come to pass."

Robotnick's index finger tapped at the edge of the armrest attached to his massive floating chair. The doctor was not a physically active man. He never had been and never would be. Second after second, he tapped his finger, growing steadily more impatient and angry. Under his gaze, Snively cowered, flanked by two of the larger than normal Red colored Combots that made up the Lord of Robotropolis' Personal Guard. Then, slowly, Robotnick stopped tapping his finger, and drew his hands together in front of him.

"S… sir?" Snively finally worked up the courage to ask. "I… I can explain…"

"I think the evidence speaks for itself," Robotnick inclined his head and looked to the right at a large monitor. "Let me see it again."

The monitor flashed, and switched to a recording from one of the many SpyEye surveillance bots located throughout the city. It showed a section of the city little more than rubble and dust, obviously one of the two sections that had been leveled over the years by earthquake, battle, nuclear attack or some combination thereof. The view zoomed in on a small convoy of hover transports, little more than enclosed floating boxes tethered to a larger lead transport and escorted by several flying robots.

"S… sir…" Snively started to say.

Robotnick held up his hand, motioning for silence.

Suddenly, on the screen, there was a small flash from the window of a blasted and burned out building. Then two more. The view switched to another SpyEye at a different angle, and focused on three small plumes of smoke. Focusing again, it was easy to see the three missiles creating the smoke: they were black in color, with white tips, and wire guided. Zooming out, the SpyEye caught the next moment in perfect detail. Two missiles airbursted within a formation of the flying badnicks, decimating it completely, while the third slammed into the lead transport, taking out its engines.

"Sir, I…" Snively started up again, but it was obvious that his master wasn't interested in listening. So he endured it silently, nervously shifting his balance from one foot to the other. On the screen, he saw the transport train sputter and descend, trailing fumes, finally crashing into the rim of a small rubble strewn crater.

The view switched again, and then once more.

He saw himself crawl out of what was left of the lead transport, wielding a pistol with weak arms. Several other escorting Swatbots and two Combots also made their escape, and Snively saw himself directing them to take defensive positions behind nearby defilade – the remains of the transport and the upward curl of the crater's rim. The largely mindless bots did as ordered, and took their positions. The Swatbots fired with their underpowered arm mounted bolters, while the two Combots on escort duty took aim with their rifles.

The camera shifted once more, this time showing who had attacked the convoy. A number of mobians, four in all, came out from under cover, and started to slowly advance on the stranded convoy. Sporadic fire shot back and forth between the two positions, turning into a protracted firefight. Then, without warning, something fast and blue was caught at the edge of one of the cameras. The view switched to another SpeEye at another angle, recording the blur, and then to another, and then to the one before, focusing on the two now-immobile cabooses that the convoy had been delivering.

A second later, their sides exploded. Allowing a gang of newly freed and less than amiable mobians to pour out. Snively saw himself point in that direction; yell something at the Swatbots, and…

"Sir, I can explain…" He pleaded.

And then he… ran.

"No need to explain." Robotnick finally answered, still watching the monitor. A SpyEye zoomed in on him, and Snively saw himself running from the battlefield with his two Combot escorts. He still had his pistol, clenched close to his chest, and was heaving as he stumbled through the remains of that part of the city. Back at the actual fight, the Swatbots stumbled around sans leadership, and they were quickly overrun.

Robotnick went back to tapping his finger against the armrest.

"No, Snively… there is no need to explain," he said again. "None at all."

"Sir! I feared for my life…" Snively quickly realized that wasn't a very good excuse in Robotnick's eyes. "If I had stayed, I would've been killed! Reinforcements…"

On the screen, a number of flying figures descended, and fired on the fleeing mobians. The blue blur escorted them as they ran, and the four guerilla fighters from before provided cover fire for their retreat. After two were shot, and probably killed, the other two fled into the ruins.

"It was too late!" Snively said, voice trembling. "Too late! There was no way to hold that position, sir! Metal arrived too late!"

"Is that so?" Robotnick asked, and Snively realized just how angry the Lord of Robotropolis was. When he acted calm, and asked questions, Robotnick was usually incredibly angry. When he was raging and storming around, he was his normal self.

"Metal," Robotnick addressed the blue chrome hedgehog-model robot quietly standing in the corner of the vast room. "You had a full squad of E-1002 sniper units on the way. Do you think the position should have been abandoned before you got there?"

Metal Sonic said one word.

"No."

"Why is that, Metal?"

"The two Combots would have delayed them for several seconds. Regroup and take to higher ground until help arrives," the robot explained in monotone.

Robotnick slowly nodded his head. He motioned for the Red Combots to bring Snively to him as his hoverchair lowered closer to the ground. The tiny overlander put up a weak struggle, but the Combots swiftly grabbed him by his arms, lifted him off the ground, and stepped forward. When they got close, Robotnick pushed himself off his chair, and stood before them.

"Snively…" he said, and smiled broadly. The small man cringed, as Robotnick gently put his massive hand on his quasi-nephew's brow. For a second, Snively imagined that either his head would be crushed like a grape, or that he'd be roboticized on the spot. Then, Robotnick's hand trailed down the side of his face, and settled on his left shoulder. It seemed reassuring, for all of a second, before white-hot pain tore into Snively's body. He screamed, long and loud, for what seemed like minutes.

He fell forward, grasping his shoulder and upper left arm.

Through a daze of pain and tears, he tore away the sleeve and saw mottled gray where once flesh had been. Feeling it, the texture was rough and rock like… and he couldn't move his arm! He couldn't even feel it! This was what roboticization did to overlanders – it was not designed to work on them, and instead had a petrifying effect. Snively curled into a little ball on the floor, sobbing.

"I'm reassigning you." Robotnick stood above him, watching the display without emotion. "Metal will now handle Security, and you will be in charge of new construction and industrial procurement. It seems to have been a mistake to put you into a position where you might see combat. Now. Promise me you'll work hard in your new station."

Snively groaned painfully, and the big man nudged the smaller with his foot. "Promise me, Snively. Swear to it!"

"I… i…" Snively choked through clenched teeth. "I promise! I promise, sir!"

"Good. You've got a good head on your shoulders, Snively. I'd hate to lose you." The 'good doctor' walked past the two Red Combots, and motioned for them to picked Snively up again and take him with them. "Now… let's go have a look at that shoulder…"

Starting with a base rumble, Robotnick laughed long and loud.

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--Notes Chapter 1--

Truth be told, I've never been that happy with the first two chapters of COA:ACO. I'll repeat this again in the notes for the next chapter, and explain more why then.

Suffice to say, the root of the problem lies in the original story adaptation that COA developed out of. In the first and now second drafts, I wrote out as many of the OC elements as I could. This makes Chapter 1 much more bearable for me, though some of the backstory and foretelling seems a bit forced at points. It is also notable for basically the only first person narrative I've ever really used, despite about a million collective written words stretched out over a half dozen fics.

Lastly, let me elaborate a bit on the use of continuity here. The comic book continuity (along with SatAM) comes off a bit strong in this chapter, but it quickly becomes subsumed by game based canon once things pick up and the actual plotlines start running. The following "games" are used in ACO's upcoming chapters and storyline:

Sonic Adventure 2

Sonic Riders

Sonic Rivals

Sonic 06/Next Gen

Sonic and the Secret Rings

Important games that have occurred in the continuity already (overriding similar events in the comic or Sonic X canon) include:
Sonic 1, 2, 3 (and Knuckles)

Sonic Adventure 1

Tails Adventure

Shadow the Hedgehog (the game)