The six friends sat down at the kitchen table, squashed together with elbows touching as they dug into their towering layer of pancakes. A jug of syrup sat in the centre of the square, causing the team to knock into one another every time they reached for it. And they reached for it often. Not only was Tails capable of baking nothing but pancakes, but he wasn't particularly good at it. They were slightly burnt, or as the fox had stressed, slightly well done.

Biting into the crispy discs, his guests paid compliments as best they could, but neither of them could hide the scowl on their face as they tried to down the bitter substance. Every once in a while Charmy would demand more syrup, forcing the fox to get up and refill the jug. Whilst he was busy, the bee would quickly slip another of his pancakes onto Vector's plate. He appeared to be the only one who was actually enjoying them.

'This stuff tastes awful,' The hedgehog gagged, forcing another forkful into his mouth. 'Does all of your food taste this bad?'

'Vector seems to be enjoying it,' Espio replied, gingerly nibbling on the edge of his meal.

'Pfft, only because he's used to his own cooking.' Charmy snarked, plopping another pancake onto his boss's plate. 'Anything tastes good compared to what he makes.'

Knuckles pushed his fork around the plate, unable to continue eating. Miles had compensated for his terrible baking skills by making more pancakes than was necessary, and the echidna had already wolfed down three of the horrid things. The back of his throat felt clogged with all the syrup he'd swallowed and he was physically unable to carry on.

Tails returned with a fresh jug, and Silver rejoiced at having something to take away the rancid taste. The guardian placed his fork down and made an excuse to use the bathroom, slapping a hand to his mouth as he dashed off toward the door. Charmy lapped up the syrup to fill his stomach with something that was actually edible, whilst Espio and Silver politely pushed their plates away, feigning a satisfied appetite.

'Excuse me,' The hedgehog said, desperate to escape. 'I need to get some fresh air, it's a bit stuffy in here.'

Espio agreed, though he was trying to flee the burning scent that clung to the air. Offering to clean the dishes, the chameleon whipped up the discarded plates and made a beeline for the sink. Much to the fox's protests, the ninja insisted that it was the least he could do in return for such hospitality, refusing to take no for an answer. Just as he prepared to scrape the remaining scraps into the bin, Vector promptly stopped him.

'What're ya doin!?' He exclaimed through a full mouth. 'Don't waste perfectly good food.'

He extended his plate, motioning for the ninja to empty the contents onto his own dish. Espio found the croc's table manners slightly off-putting, unsure of whether to oblige for fear of offending their host. Reluctantly, the chameleon tottered over to the famished crocodile and slid the gooey, black morsels on top of his own. Tails didn't seem to mind, pre-occupied with eating his own pancakes. Espio concluded that the child had either grown accustomed to the taste or that he liked them overdone.

Turning on the tap and allowing a stream of water to trickle into the sink, Espio leaned lazily against the counter, observing his boss devour layer after layer of blackened slop. For all the complaining he'd done, Vector had almost managed to clear his plate. Unlike Charmy, who was hopelessly trying to slice through a chewy lump with his knife. In the end he gave up, offering the chameleon a pleading look.

With a sigh, Espio grabbed a towel from the drawer, 'If you're done eating, you can help me dry the dishes.'

The bee's face lit up, and he gleefully flit over to the sink, carting his plate in both hands. As the ninja rinsed and the bee dried, Knuckles emerged from the bathroom, looking a shade paler than what cold have been considered normal. Collapsing onto the couch, he pulled a cushion over his head, praying that he didn't have food poisoning. It was blatantly obvious that Tails spent more time honing his mechanical skills than anything else.

'I've never cooked for anyone before,' Miles admitted, lifting his chair as he got up. 'It's been kind of nice.'

'What about Sonic?' Espio asked, dunking another plate in the soapy water. 'Doesn't he stay here on occasion?'

The fox nodded, 'Yeah, but he's always gone before I get up. He never eats breakfast.'

'I'm not surprised,' Knuckles moaned from beneath the cushion.

Charmy began to put the dishes away, stacking up the plates and returning them to the cupboard where they belonged. Opening a drawer to place the forks back into their rightful place, the bee removed a screwdriver from beneath a group of knives, examining it curiously. Tails quickly dashed over to whip it from the child's grip.

'Whoops!' He laughed, scratching his head. 'How'd that get in there?'

Slurping the remnants of syrup off his plate, the croc slid out from beneath the table, trudging over to Espio and plonking his immaculate plate atop the wet counter. Espio stared at the spotless porcelain, amazed to find that his boss had licked everything except the pattern off the white surface. Rubbing his bloated belly, Vector paid thanks to Tails for his hospitality, before quickly being shooed from the kitchen by Espio.

As he passed the window, Vector could see Silver sitting on the balcony rail, gazing up at the twilight sky. Beams of scarlet and pink danced above his head, and Vector felt a sudden wave of melancholy wash over him. The hedgehog looked so lonely, and the crocodile decided that it was time he and the psychic had a heart to heart. Opening the door beside the small pane of glass, Vector met Silver's distant gaze, and in the approaching moonlight, the hedgehog's features looked almost soft. He was still just a kid, after all.

'What's up?' The croc asked, leaning his arms atop the cool metal. 'You look troubled.'

Silver gripped the rail with his fingers, 'I''ve just got a lot on my mind lately.'

'Care to share?'

The psychic waved away the detective's concern, 'It's nothing you need to worry about.'

Vector looked towards the colourful sky. A few twinkling stars were beginning to form in the cosmos, and he felt the warm yet firm wind brush against his bruised face. A quick glance at his companion's chest revealed the knife wound, or rather, a set of stitches where the blade had sliced his skin. It ran much deeper than anybody had realized, but it appeared to be nothing more than a scratch to the absent teen.

Turning his back so it pressed against the bars, Vector listened to their steady breaths mingle in the dusk air. Silver's stubborn nature was the only thing preventing him from admitting what was wrong, and it irked the croc, who was beginning to see a prevalent trait amongst the hedgehog's. Why did they have to make everything so difficult?

'Come on kid, I know a problem when I see one.'

Silver sighed, plucking a loose strand of fur from his head, holding it before his eyes, 'Do you ever worry that your best might not be good enough?' He released the lock to the ensuing wind, watching as it spiralled beyond the horizon. 'Whenever the future's in trouble, I always rush to the rescue. Things have turned out okay so far, but there's always a nagging feeling at the back of my mind. What if, one day, there's a problem I can't solve? Then what do I do?'

Vector blinked in confusion. He wasn't quite sure how to respond to such a comment. Here was a young boy, sitting on the brink of depression, questioning how he'd managed to find himself trapped in a cycle that he could not escape. The psychic had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and there was nothing the detective could say to ease his pain.

'How does that make ya feel?' Vector asked, feeling like a psychiatrist.

'I dunno,' Silver replied honestly. 'Scared I guess. If I mess up, the future is doomed, and it's all my fault.' He pulled his legs to his chest, resting his arms across his knees. 'It's a huge responsibility. My responsibility.'

The crocodile lowered his gaze to the floor, feeling a sudden twinge in his chest. Sonic and Shadow were also known for their heroic deeds, though they had their own reasons as to why they continued to fight. For Shadow, it was his job. For Sonic, it was fun. But for Silver, it was merely survival. He battled the odds for a chance to live a happy life. Everyone's hopes and dreams rested on his success.

Vector felt the hedgehog must have been very lonely. He never spoke of friends, nor did he ever mention receiving help from anyone within his own timeline. In fact, every time the future was restored, it seemed to involve someone from the present. Unlike Sonic and Shadow, Silver had nobody to rely on. He was completely alone. It was a sad revelation that made the crocodile uncomfortable.

Time passed, and Vector realized that he needed to say something before the awkward silence consumed them. Silver was reaching out to him, yet he remained quiet, making no attempt to comfort the young boy. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he gently reached out a comforting hand, gently resting it on the psychic's back.

'Don't get so down kid,' He lifted his palm in a soft pat. 'Remember, ya always got friends ya can rely on.'

He shook his head, 'No, this is something I must do on my own. It's my fight, nobody else should get involved.'

'Don't be so pig-headed. Everyone needs help sometimes. And right now, me and my boys are gonna' give ya all the help ya need.'

Silver mulled this over. He looked doubtful, but after a moment's thought, he settled for an earnest, 'Thank you.'

The detective spread his lips in a toothy grin. He'd managed to soothe his own worries in the process, leaning against the rail as he bathed in the sun's receding rays. Once again he looked at the crimson palette decorating the sky, feeling a sense of ease settle on his previously tense shoulders. It filled him with positive energy, rekindling his dying hope.

'There's an old sayin',' The croc began, pointing to the clouds above. 'Red sky at night, sailor's delight. It guarantees a sunny tomorrow. The sky's beautiful now, so cheer up, everythin's gonna' be okay.'

Silver smiled, 'Never heard that one before.'

They embraced the long yet pleasant quiet that followed, watching the creeping shadows seek refuge along the dusty earth. Bright, dazzling stars shone in the depths of space, as the translucent moon ever so slowly broke through the dying veil of light that submerged beneath the rippling ocean waves.

As he scoured the ruins, Vector found his restless eyes following two dark figures skittering down the hill. They were too far away to identify, but something about their unusual movement and odd shape stirred a familiar memory in the hedgehog. A shaft of moonlight reflected off the small pond below the streaming waterfall, illuminating what appeared to be two peculiar looking robots. Dots of red, yellow and grey bounced off the water's surface as they passed, bobbing up and down with the flow of waves.

'Not those two again!' Silver hissed, straightening his body as he hopped off the rail.

'Woah!' Vector grabbed the hedgehog's arm, hoping to restrain him. 'Where ya goin'?'

'I've seen those two pests before, back at Eggman's amusement park. They're his personal assistants, they'll know where he is!'

Vector's brow furrowed, 'If ya gonna follow 'em, make sure ya don't get caught. I'll get the boys together and we'll meet ya down there. Deal?'

Silver nodded, 'Deal.'

Unfurling his hand, the crocodile let Silver go, watching the psychic slowly descend to the pale earth. A wave of excitement washed over him, eradicating any doubt the detective had previously held about their mission. If Silver's hunch was indeed correct, they're was a good chance they'd be meeting Ivo Robotnik very soon. Wiping a bead of sweat from his brow, Vector spun round and dashed back into the workshop, feeling a knot of emotion twisting around his stomach.