By Life Comes Sacrifice

Episode 12

Angel From Hell

Sonic looked everywhere, but he couldn't find the egg fortress. He searched all along Emerald Coast, and all through the Mystic Ruins. Station Square was full of people, but no echidnas or overly fat men that are shaped like eggs. Sonic went back to Angel Island, but all that was there was the broken Master Emerald.

As Sonic made his way back to Station Square to look again, he met an emerald green hedgehog. The hedgehog was climbing up a tree and picking a fruit from it. She was leaning over to pick the fruit but lost her balance and began falling. Sonic used Light Speed Dash and caught the female hedgehog. She smiled at him after he set her back down on the ground. She wore shoes like Sonic's but they were dark green and black. "Thank you." She smiled.

Sonic felt himself blush. He thought she was rather attractive… (Oh man I hate saying stuff in proper English. I'll put it this way, the way I like it, and the exact way Sonic thought it…) Sonic thought she was hot. Sonic for the first time couldn't speak. His throat went dry and his heart was in his throat. Sonic opened his mouth to talk but nothing came out. Sonic was sweating. He wiped his palms on his leg and just smiled at the hedgehog awkwardly.

The girl giggled- the giggle made Sonic a little calmer. The girl had her hands behind her back and she was rocking on her heels. "I'm Aiko…" she squeaked.

Sonic tried to speak again. This time he only was able to get out a word…a few times. "I…I… I…"

Aiko giggled again. "You must be Sonic…"

Sonic nodded his head and smiled at her. He wasn't sweating anymore, but his voice was still missing somewhere in his stomach.

Aiko stood on her tiptoes and kissed Sonic on the cheek. "Thank you for saving me Sonic the Hedgehog…"

Sonic was blushing again., scratching the back of his head, "How do you know who I am?"

Aiko smiled, "I met Knuckles and Takal on the way here. They were very kind and told me all about you and Shadow…"

Sonic laughed, "Shadow doesn't live with us though… He is on a search for his past…"

Aiko smiled, "That's what Knuckles said… he said that you might be looking for him too. He is waiting for you at the hideout…"

Sonic smacked his head, "That is the one place I didn't look!"

Aiko smiled, "Well, I'll see ya' around Sonic…"

Aiko sped down the path away from Sonic. Sonic stared after her and smiled. "You too… Aiko…"

Aiko ran until she came to a small cave, mostly covered with vines. She pushed the vines away and went into the cave. The vines slid back into place. She walked deeper and deeper into the cave until she finally came to a candle lit room. Knuckles and Takal were bound and gagged in the corner of the room. Aiko went to the table and picked up a radio. She spoke into it. "Faze one complete, sir…"

Egg man's voice blared through the radio, "Excellent work! Now, get ready to the next stage…"

Aiko smiled and spoke into the radio again; "Ai sir…" she set the radio down on the table again and checked to make sure Knuckles and Takal were still tied up and attached to the wall at their ankles. Aiko went to her bathroom and took out a knife. Slashing at her arms and legs, she completed the look with a cut right on her cheekbone. She examined herself in the mirror, nodding in approval, before she left the cave.