A/N: Sorry it has been a while, just life stuff getting in the way. I hope you all had a happy holidays and a wonderful new year. I know I did, nothing like having a drunken beach celebration :P Anyway, this chapter has been built up for sometime and will be the big climax for a couple of the big Part II 'Truth and Lies' arc's so I hope you enjoy.


Chapter 28

Fruition

The crescent moon rose high in the sky, it's luminescence showering the Emerald Lake campus in bountiful light. The clouds had since dissipated into the atmosphere, lifting some of the gloom that had descended upon the surroundings as of late. It seemed like, parallel to the weather, the lives of the students were about to pick up as the mid semester break was fast approaching, less than a week away.

As most of the students slept soundly, one particular orange haired boy snuck out, making sure to avoid Zonic on his usual late night patrols around the grounds. He tiptoed past the teacher's lounge, the light still on and the stench of alcohol wafting through the slit of the open window. He paid no attention to them as he made his way over to one of the grander trees on the edge of the football oval, adjacent to the vast forest.

Finally, as his eyes began to fully adjust to the faint darkness and he edged closer to the tree, he could begin to see the outline of one of the most feared girls on campus.

"You're late," Fiona hissed as she let her boot fall from the tree, strips of bark sliding off as she pushed off against it. She turned to him, her hip cocked out in an annoyed stance as she folded her arms over each other and stared at him.

"You only messaged me like fifteen minutes ago," Spike complained, slightly out of breath as he closed the gap between the two so they were both concealed underneath the foliage of the tree above them, shrouded in extra shadows from the teachers that were still out and about.

"Honestly surprised you came," she continued, her tone changing slightly.

"You said you were going to let me in on your little to plan to help without Mina problem," Spike replied casually, his need to help somebody who was like a hero in his mind outweighing the need to be cautious around Fiona.

"Yep," she grinned maliciously, a hint of doubt entering Spike's mind.

"By the way… how did you know about Sonic, Mina and Manic's whole situation?" Spike enquired, suddenly feeling like he was being tricked by her, like so many have before him.

"I have my ways," Fiona winked, not wanting to reveal that she had only been able to fully piece together the picture when Spike naively offered her the final pieces to the puzzle in their last meeting. "But let's just say that I want to help."

"And how can I trust you? You of all people would never want to help Sonic," Spike countered, not backing down as easily as he had before. Breezie had instilled a new sense of self within him and he felt more confident in himself and around others than he ever had before.

"Look… I know that Sonic and I have had our," she paused. "Differences… but believe it or not I have been in the situation he's been in before. Back a long time ago and I know it sucks. I want him to suffer, but not in the same way I did if that makes sense."

"Not really. You're playing some endgame here, aren't you? Something has to be in it for you."

"Maybe, but what does it matter to you? Sonic gets Mina off his case, he thanks you and hangs out with you more. I'd call that a win, win. Why do you care what happens to Mina?"

"Aha! This is all about Mina, isn't it," Spike clicked his fingers, pleased with himself that he figured it all out. Fiona hid her happiness behind her poker face, putting on a shocked façade.

"Okay, you got me. I need her to pay for what she did to me," Fiona continued with her charade, never faulting. "So, you in?"

"Sure, if it takes Mina down a peg then I'm more than happy."

"Good… so, here is the plan."

"And it might be a bit hard to see but if you look from Orion and follow my finger, you can see Taurus," Sonic drew his finger across the sky as him and his date's gaze followed. "Can you see the outline, the two points to the left. They're it's horns and you can sort of see the majority of the constellation making up its body. It's confronting the hunter, Orion. I know it's a bit hard to see but it's best seen in summer."

Amy marveled, her eyes shifting from glancing skyward to peering at the enthusiastic body of Sonic as he explained more about the constellations. She couldn't help but melt, finding it almost unbearably adorable just how passionate he was about something as simple as stars. Yet, as he continued to show her, they weren't as simple as she always led herself to believe.

"Wow… you really know a lot, don't you," she chuckled.

"It's kinda like a hobby, I guess… One of the many reasons why I adore this campus," he beamed a gigantic smile as he turned his head to look at her. The two teenagers lay out, sprawled across a checkered blanket. Amy rested her head on Alec's arm, which was draped behind her, his hand gripping her shoulder lovingly. Their legs extended from their torso, the skin of their outer thigh gently touching each other's over the patterns of red and white underneath.

"Another reason is all the time we get to spend with each other since we don't need to be home or dealing with parents all the time, right?" Amy added, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Obviously," he replied confidently before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"I'm so glad we got to give us a second chance," Amy sighed, hot flashes rushing through her body each time Sonic's lips touched her skin like they used to throughout most of her eleventh year at school.

"Me too. I can't quite put my finger on it but you've changed for the better, Amy. And I'm really liking it."

"What, so you never liked me before?" She huffed. "Fine, maybe this wasn't what I thought it was going to be."

"N-no, no that's not what I. I mean, like you used to be so… and now you're…" Sonic flustered, mumbling through his words. His face glowing red as he began to feel hot under the collar.

"Don't worry, I know what you mean," Amy giggled after watching him stew for a few moments. He noticeably relaxed, letting out a sigh that was a strange mix of relief and embarrassment.

"Not funny," he pouted.

"Yeah it was," she beamed proudly. She waited but no reply came. "Oh come on, don't be that way. Keep telling me about the stars."

"Well, if you insist," he grinned his dopey grin again, all inklings of misery dissipating form him. Amy shook her head, unable to believe how quickly his mood could change but she adored him for it all the same.

"You know," Sonic added as he continued to show her many of the dazzling constellations in the sky. "I was actually teaching Sally about these same one's last week when she convinced me to man up and ask you out."

"S-Sally?" The name caused the muscles in Amy's body to tense. Just uttering it was like flames licking her tongue. The girl she wronged. The girl she made feel miserable, worthless. The girl Amy could never love in the way she tried to convince herself she could.

"Yeah… sorry, if she is still off limits to talk about then I can-"

"No," Amy interrupted quietly. "No, not at all. I just… I think it's really cool that she is okay with this. With… us." Sonic smiled, nodding as Amy reflected a smile of her own. Slowly, under the calming night of the crescent moon, the two teenagers leant closer and pressed their lips together, their tongues dancing with each other. All of their worries faded away as they both focused on the then and now, and the body, mind and spirit of the other person who consumed them.

"What was that?" Sonic asked, pulling away suddenly, much to the disappointment of Amy.

"It was just a stick breaking, probably just an owl," Amy soothed, trying to pull Sonic back down onto her when they were instantly bathed in artificial light.

"Sonic, Amy, Curfew was hours ago!" The stark, strict voice of Zonic echoed throughout the area they were situated.

"Run!" Sonic yelled, almost in laughter as he grabbed Amy's wrist and pulled her along with him, ignoring the sounds of the angry teacher chasing after them. Amy couldn't help but join in with his infectious laughter. Despite the blood pumping in her veins coupled with her quick, shallow breaths of fatigue, and despite the angered shouts of Zonic accompanied by his heavy feet cracking twigs and leaves behind them she was happy. This date was perfect.

Eclipse couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned, trying to find the perfect position but comfort eluded him. It was too hot so he threw the blankets off. It was too cold so he brought them buck up to his chin. Once again, too hot. Nothing was working. He grunted quietly in frustration before sitting up, combing his fingers through his hair. He knew why he couldn't sleep. It was Tikal. It was always Tikal.

She hadn't been herself recently. Ever since she went to have a meeting with Razor she had come back a zombie. A shell of her former self. Sure, she was still angry, but it seemed that was the only emotion that she could muster. She had become quite distant, something that Eclipse didn't want.

'That's it. I can't take another minute until I figure this out!' he decided, jumping out of bed and sliding on a pair of grey tracksuit pants over his boxers. He quickly rummaged around for a clean shirt and threw that over his darkened skin. He glanced out the window, the blind wasn't drawn and the thin, yet strong light of the crescent moon shone through. Eclipse quietly slipped out of the room and carefully tiptoed his way down the stairs, across the lounge and back up to the female side. He didn't stop until he found himself outside the familiar door.

He wracked his knuckles against the wooden door, hearing a murmured groan of annoyance emanate from the other side of the door. He waited patiently as somebody walked over and creaked open the door.

"Eclipse?" Tikal gasped in surprise. "What the hell are you doing here? It's like midnight," she hissed, thankful that his intrusion hadn't awoken any of her other roommates.

"Sorry I just really need to talk to you," Eclipse responded.

"Couldn't it have waited until morning?"

"No. No it can't. Tikal, I can't sleep. I haven't been able to since you saw Razor. You've been distant and different. You're never happy anymore, just frustrated, angry or indifferent. I miss the old Tikal. I miss her smile, her joyful walk and the way she would brush the hair out of her eyes with a perfect innocence."

"I haven't changed," she replied with indifference, holding back the jarring realization that Eclipse was practically lost without her. Although, she had to admit the detail that he noticed her warmed her heart.

"You have." She shook her head, causing a sigh to gurgle in Eclipse's throat. "Okay. If you haven't, then you wouldn't mind telling me what Razor and you talked about earlier this week?"

Moments of silence passed before she begrudgingly replied, "…nothing."

"If it really was nothing then tell me." Eclipse grabbed her hand, encompassing it in his own as his hands formed a protective shell around hers. "You know you can trust me with anything, right?"

"I know it's just…" she sighed, pausing to glance back at her roommates. Mina was out like cold, a light snore sounding the room as Breezie stirred silently from the other bed. Tikal looked back and pushed Eclipse out of the room, following close behind him and closing the door almost all the way so that there was only a slit left.

"It was about my mother."

"Really? You seemed to handle her well when she came to visit on parent's day," he replied obliviously.

"No… I mean, my birth mother. She… she wants me back in her life" Eclipse's eyes widened as he finally understood.

"Isn't that good news? Your mother is finally reaching out to you after all this time."

"No it's not! I don't want my mother in my life. Not after everything that happened. I… I hate her," she spat bitterly, her eyes casting downwards to her bare feet.

"Tikal… you don't mean that."

"Yes I do. You don't understand, Eclipse. You don't understand what it is like being in a constant fight with your mother. You don't understand at all," she whispered loudly, anger raising the volume but common sense keeping it as low as a murmur for fear of getting Eclipse caught.

"I do understand," Eclipse said emotionlessly, letting go of her hand. Suddenly Tikal felt a ping in her heart, remembering the sparse information he had confessed about his mother to her.

"Eclipse I… I'm sorry I didn't mean it."

"Tikal… you might not think so yourself but don't make the same mistake I did. Give your mother a chance. They only want what's best for us," he held back tears, but wasn't strong enough to stop one lone tear slip from his eye and slide down his face.

"Eclipse…" Tikal breathed. "What happened between you and your mother?"

"I… I guess you should know," Espio sighed as he leaned back against the wall, sliding down it until his bottom hit the floor. Tikal glanced around before kneeling beside him, retaking his hand in hers.

"Just like I can for you, you can also tell me anything," she offered him an empathetic smile.

"Well, it's been going on for a while. You see… my mother was never the greatest. Sure, she always had our best interests in her heart but she just wasn't a very… charismatic woman. First when she gave birth to my brother, Dusk, and apparently it changed her a bit and then five years after, when she had me, she quit her job to become a full time stay at home parent. After I had grown up enough, she never did go back to work and dad could never really hold down a job either. I would never have been able to go to this school if it wasn't for Dusk. He took up a job which he worked every day after school to help get me into a good school. When he finally graduated, he got accepted into a prestigious university far away, leaving just me with mum and dad."

Eclipse paused to think, carefully mulling over his words before continuing. "After he left was when mum and I really began fighting. It was about money. Always about the money. We weren't poor, but mum just had a problem. She couldn't help herself really. She just kept spending money. Whenever it was payday or when my brother sent over money she would spend it immediately on more stuff… and then some extra we didn't have. We were always at each other's throats. Always in an argument. This went on for two whole years, constantly yelling. When Dusk returned for Christmas, we ruined it by arguing. For his birthday, arguing. At any event, constant arguing," Eclipse sighed.

"It just kept getting worse, amplifying to the point where we didn't even know why we were angry at each other. We just always were. So bitter. That's when I left, came to this school where I had an excuse to never be around her. To avoid her at all times and the only times I ever interacted with her was when Dusk came back. He was the only way I could face her, and I think he was the only way she could face me. Chaos knows dad was no help. He was never any help…"

"So, what happened to her? How did she die?" Tikal asked, somewhat rudely. She was just curious.

"She got sick. Early last year, she just suddenly got really sick. Dusk told me it was cancer, but I never saw her after she was diagnosed. I was too stubborn. He begged me to come see her, telling me she really wanted to talk to me. Dad tried to convince me to but I just didn't. I was just so used to being angry with her my whole life I didn't know how to feel any different. I got the call late last year that she passed away from breast cancer and Dusk gave me the funeral details but I couldn't do it. I couldn't face the family. She died, and I was too stubborn and spiteful to be there for her. In her dying breaths, she was with dad and Dusk, but I wasn't there. I figured she wouldn't want to see me. Dusk came here, to the lake she used to always camp around as a child to scatter her ashes. He tried to force me to do it with him but I couldn't do it. It's not that I was mad at her anymore, I was mad at myself. Mad that anger stopped me from saying goodbye to her. Mad at my anger and angry at our madness. The last thing I ever said to her was months before she died, and it was 'fuck off.' They were my final words," Eclipse began to cry openly now, pushing through the sobs.

"Dusk told me, after he came here to place the tombstone and pick me up at the end of last year, that her final words were about me. 'Where's Eclipse?' she asked. Where was I? I was here, hating her. That's why I couldn't go to the funeral, scatter the ashes or even visit the grave." His tone changed, drying his eyes as he stared deep into Tikal's. Her heart broke, the strings torn as she listened to his story and watched him begin to break down. She wanted to help him, to ease his pain but she didn't know what to do. She felt helpless.

"Tikal," he said seriously. "I wasn't there for my mother. I never gave her the second chance she deserved, but you can. Don't block your mother out. She loves you. Trust me."

"I… Okay," she sighed, understanding that she needed to do this not only for herself anymore, but for him as well. "I'll visit her over the break like she asked on one condition." Eclipse raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You come with me."

"Deal," Eclipse nodded, tears still rimmed his eyes as Tikal leant down and placed her lips gently against his, trying to absorb some of his pain and anguish just to give him a break. She could see he blamed himself and she wanted more than anything to let him know she didn't blame him.

"I love you," she whispered.

"You too."

"Now, let's go call mum."

Sonic filed out of his class, descending the steps and emerging out in the calming afternoon air. He glanced around, scanning the crowd of bustling students rushing to classes or lounging around on the grass. No matter what any of them were doing, or where any of them were going one thing stood true on all of their faces. They all couldn't wait for the end of the week when the two week break from school would finally begin.

"Sonic! Hey, Sonic," an annoyingly high-pitched yell rang through the crowd. Usually, hearing the familiar tone of voice would send shivers down Sonic's spine and he'd roll his eyes but recently he had become quite fond of the voice and the boy that accompanied it.

"Hey Spike, what's up?" Sonic asked casually as the boy came to a stop in front of him, palms on his knees as he panted heavily.

"I… just… thought of… a way… to…" he breathed frantically, trying to suck in the oxygen his body was screaming for.

"Whoa, whoa, take a breath first and then we can talk, little buddy," Sonic chuckled. Spike slowed himself and took in a deep breath before speaking again.

"I have a plan to finally solve your little Mina problem," Spike flashed a smile.

"Wait, seriously?"

"Yeah, it's fool proof and Manic won't hate you and Mina won't keep harassing you ever again after this afternoon," he beamed.

"Okay Spike, I'm listening. What's the plan?"

"Well…"

Fiona waited underneath the shade of the grand tree situated between two of the tall buildings on the grassy knoll. Her eyes glassed over, her gaze fixated on the door to the brick-layered building where she knew Mina would eventually exit. She had skipped most of her classes that morning, intent on making sure everything was going according to plan.

"I'll see you this afternoon for gal's night," Fiona heard the melodic voice of Mina sing out across the air as the indigo-haired teenager called out to her best friend Breezie.

"Yeah, I just need to stick with Spike for a bit and then I'll head over," Breezie responded before hastening off to her next class. Mina smiled, sighing contently as she skipped along the path, passing right beside Fiona unknowing that the vixen was burning holes in the back of her head. Fiona took a breath in, steeling her facial features as she plastered a fake smile across her face and darted out from the tree.

"Hey Mina," she sang happily as she trotted up beside her, beaming Mina the biggest smile she could muster.

"…Fiona?" Mina questioned, furrowing her brows at the normally angry girl's cheerful aura. "What's got you so happy?"

"I just came here to warn you about Amy, girl to girl," she tilted her head, keeping up her charade.

"What do you mean, warn me about Amy?"

"Well… didn't you hear? Sonic is thinking about giving her a second chance and is about to ask her out."

"He wouldn't do that. And besides, he hates you so anything you say is probably just made up to get me to do something stupid," Mina protested indignantly, huffing the air around her and blowing a stray strand of hair that had carelessly fallen over her fringe back up onto her head.

"Haven't you noticed how much time they have been spending together recently. I've heard from one of my closest friends, and dorm mate, Sally, that he asked her if giving her a second chance was a good idea. And she said yes. I might hate Sonic, but Sally and I are close and she is one of his best friends so…" Fiona chuckled lightly, letting the false information sink into Mina's brain, admiring her handy work.

"…So what?" Mina scoffed, trying to keep her cool. "Amy wouldn't screw me over like that. Her and I are friends."

"Yeah you are, aren't you? Such good friends, in fact, that I remember she was the one that originally set you up with Manic, wasn't she? Pushing you on the brother he has strained relationships with to get you out of the picture and make Sonic hate you more."

That was it. The moment Fiona was waiting for. The flicker of anger sparked behind her eyes. The hidden hint of betrayal and hurt concealed behind the hazy surface of her chartreuse eyes.

"Maybe it's just time to give it up. Give him up."

"No. No, fuck that," Mina growled, much to the pleasure of Fiona. "She thinks she can play me like that, I'll show her. I'll make my move on Sonic today. Show him that he actually likes me and not that slut."

"Okay princess," Fiona smirked slyly. "Prove it. I bet you can't get his pants off by the end of the day."

"I bet I can. What do I get if I win?"

"A favour. One favour from me, and it can be anything you ask of me."

"A favour from the infamous Fiona Fox? How could I say no? You are so on," Mina grinned proudly, sticking out her hand. Fiona snaked her own hand in Mina's and shook it firmly. "And what do you get if I don't win?"

"Don't worry, I'll get what I want," Fiona smirked. "You better get going. Time's ticking!"

"I'm so glad you came, I know how busy you have been recently," Clove continued, her spirits seemingly sucked out of her as the frown that had remained permanently as of late plastered her face.

"Not that I don't love talking to you but what is the real reason you asked me to come here?" Tikal asked, glancing around at the somewhat empty café. Tikal thanked Bean, who handed her the coffee she ordered with little more than a depressed sigh before both Tikal and Clove sat down at one of the square tables. "I know it wasn't just for the coffee, because we both know Breezie makes a much better coffee than Bean."

Clove giggled slightly, the scowl across her face lifting slightly before returning almost instantly. Tikal sighed, noticing her best friends' demeanor.

"This is about Mighty, isn't it?"

"You always could read me like a book," Clove replied dryly.

"So, tell me what's troubling you?"

"it's just… I don't think Mighty loves me anymore," Clove admitted, her eyes drifting from Tikal's to the cardboard coffee cup latched between her palms below her, steam billowing from the hole in the lid.

"Clove, c'mon, of course he does."

"I think he's getting… I don't even know… sick of me or something? It has been over a year and maybe he is just not in it like he used to be anymore."

"Clove, I can tell you with absolute certainty that Mighty still loves you, just as much as he always did. He probably just has a lot on his plate or something," Tikal responded, choosing her words carefully as to not alert Clove's suspicions as she remembered the promise of secrecy she made to him.

"How would you know? I feel worthless, Tikal. He barely even looks at me anymore! He's always off somewhere doing something but the worse thing is, I know he is lying to me. I know his excuses are bullshit but he keeps making them anyway," Clove almost explodes.

"I'm sure he has-"

"He keeps avoiding me and the sparse times we are together, he's on his phone half the time talking to somebody else. We haven't had sex in like two whole weeks! Am I not good enough for him anymore?" Suddenly Clove paused, the gears in her mind turning as a horrid thought crossed her. She swallowed "Do you think… he is cheating on me?"

"What? No! No, no, no, Mighty would never do something like that to you," Tikal responded instantly, waving her hands in front of her. "Clove, listen to me. You're special. You're hot, funny and so much fun to be around. You're such an amazing person, and that's why I chose you to be my best friend. Just like how Mighty chose you to be his girlfriend. He loves you, I can see it in his eyes. He's just… going through some stuff at the moment but give him time and be patient and I'm sure everything will go back to normal. No, be better than normal," Tikal smiled as she finished.

"…Thanks," Clove whispered, her eyes softening before she leant over and wrapped her arms around Tikal, burying her head in the girl's shoulder. "I needed that." Tikal frowned, worried about both Mighty and Clove, but squeezed Clove back to show her support. No matter what, she was going to make sure that this wouldn't eat both of them alive.

"I should be getting to class," Clove wiped a stray tear away from the corner of her eye, sniffing once as she gathered her composure. "I'll see you around." With that, Clove grabbed her things, and the coffee she had purchased, and headed off to her next class.

Tikal frowned, not knowing what to do as she watched her best friend walk away, a rain cloud above her head. Suddenly, Tikal felt a buzzing and pulled out her phone and answered the call.

"Hey… Mighty."

Mina waited outside the room emblazoned with three bronze numbers. She chanced a quick glance through the window, noticing both Sonic and Manic sitting at their desks near the back. Her eyes scanned the room, passing over familiar faces such as the orange haired boy that she knew had a massive crush on her best friend, before they finally stopped on Zonic who was in the middle of another chemical experiment.

"Five minutes," Mina sung to herself as she took a step back and leaned against the wall, waiting for her moment to pounce once Sonic was released from his class. "I'll show Fiona that I can get him."

Finally, the clock struck three and Zonic dismissed the class. They began filing out and Mina made herself hidden in the sea of faces as Manic exited. The messy haired boy shoved his hands in the pockets of his red jumper and plodded off down the opposite hallway, letting Mina relax once again.

She noticed Sonic and Spike standing just outside the door together, talking in hushed whispers. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but was frustrated that Spike wouldn't just leave already. Sonic's eyes quickly darted from Spike to hers, making eye contact with Mina before quickly returning to Spike.

As Mina questioned whether he had just shot her an alluring glance, or if she was just imagining it, Spike and Sonic had said their goodbyes and Spike began to walk off. Sonic stood in place for a few moments, his glance meeting Mina's in a fiery glare. Neither one moved, they just let their emerald eye's dance with each other before Sonic looked down at his phone. He threw it back in his pocket, gave Mina a weak smile before he turned and walked down the hallway. Mina grunted, thinking she was getting somewhere as she quietly followed him.

She kept in pace, keeping a few meters behind Sonic as she followed him. After a few minutes, he stopped outside a room unfamiliar to her. Sonic quickly shot off a text on his phone before entering the room. He pushed the door closed with his shoe as he entered, but the lock didn't quite click, leaving the door ajar. Mina laced her fingers in the gap and cautiously pushed open the door to follow.

She furrowed her brow, confused as she took a look inside the room. It seemed like a teacher's office, but with no files or a computer in the room. There was a large window at the back, the fuchsia curtains still drawn with two seats facing each other. Closer to the door was a desk and chair, facing the doorway. Sonic was standing in the middle of the room when he whipped his head around, his eyes meeting hers again.

"M-Mina, what are you doing here?" Sonic asked, his voice strangely shaky. Mina took another step forward, closing the door behind her so that only her and Sonic were left in the spacious, empty office.

"What is this place?" She asked, ignoring his question.

"It's an old office. Abandoned. I found it earlier this term and have been using it as my little piece of solitude when I need to think," he admitted, his hands in his jean pockets.

"It's really cool," she marveled as she took another step closer to Sonic.

"I guess," he shrugged. "But… as I said, I come her to be alone," he repeated sternly. Mina smiled, batting her eyelashes as she took yet another step towards him.

"Are you sure you really want to be alone?" She emphasized. Sonic backed up but his back clashed against the wall. His head swiveled right and left, but concluded there was no escape. He had to talk his way out of this.

"Mina, I don't want this. You know I don't so why do you keep trying?"

"Trying what?" She giggled innocently as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"This," he traced his arms around her body. "You trying to get with me. You are with my brother and I'm trying to fix my relationship with him and you are his girlfriend."

"How many times to I have to tell you, we aren't dating. We are just seeing each other and having fun," she grinned as she placed her forehead on his. "But if you want to date me…"

"Mina stop," he pushed her back. "I don't like you that way. Hell, I don't like you in anyway. Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you?"

"Nothing, yet," Mina smirked as she threw herself on him. Her arms curved around his torso, her fingers entwining behind the crux of his back, pushing his pelvis against hers as their bodies crashed together. She tilted her head, closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his forcefully. Sonic moaned in surprise, trying to push her away but she moved one of her hands up his back and rested it against his sapphire quills, pushing his head against hers.

She slowly snaked her other hand around to his front and slipped it below his belt. She felt around his stomach, tracing his lower abs to find the entrance to his boxers. She let her dainty, eager fingers dive beneath them and clasp around the object of her desire.

"Mina-" Sonic muffled as he grabbed her wrist, trying to wrench her arm out of his pants when the door swung open and another teenager walked in, looking down at his phone.

"I got your text, Sonic. This better be…" He trailed off as his looked up and saw the display in front of him. "What the fuck is going on?!"

"Manic!" Mina shouted in a cry for help. "He's pushing himself on me," she signaled to his hand that was clamped around her wrist. Sonic instinctively opened it and Mina retreated her hand and stepped back, making a show of wiping his spit off her mouth in disgust. She turned and ran into Manic's arms, draping hers around him. "Thank Chaos you came, I didn't want to be he just grabbed me."

"Sonic, how the fuck could you do this to me, to her?!" Manic screeched as he stepped passed Mina and right up to him. "I thought you were trying to fix our relationship, not try to fuck my girlfriend," he jabbed an accusing finger into Sonic's ribs.

"Manic, it's not what you-"

"Don't give me that bullshit," he bellowed, angered fire alight in his eyes. He jabbed Sonic again, harder this time. Sonic winced slightly from the pain. "You say all this shit, everybody speaks so chaos-damned highly of you but you're nothing. You pretend to be this good guy but you're just an asshole. If I ever see you near me, or near Mina again, I'll do a lot worse to you than I did to Mephiles," Manic warned.

"Manic, please you have to understand this was all her doing, not mine."

"He's lying," Mina shouted, slightly hurt that Sonic was selling her out despite knowing what she did was wrong. She thought that maybe she could have turned him, but it seems he was just angrier at her than he had ever been.

"Never again," he repeated forcefully, shooting him daggers before retreating to Mina's side and slipping his hand into hers, their fingers finding each other. "Let's go, honey."

"Wait!" A fourth voice called out. Mina, Manic and Sonic's attention was all turned to the window at the back of the spacious office. Slowly, Spike stepped out from his crouching position behind the curtains and walked into the room.

"Spike?" Mina gasped, sweat suddenly beading on her brow.

"Manic, don't believe her. I was here the whole time, acting as an eye witness and I saw the whole thing. Sonic is telling the truth," Spike urged.

"See," Sonic added. Manic's eyes darted between Sonic and Spike before finally settling on hers.

"Mina?"

"You can't believe them?" Mina panicked, thinking quickly as she calmed her pulse and nerves. "You would seriously believe him, somebody who is a close friend of his over me? He's obviously lying to help Sonic!" She accused.

Manic thought it over for a few seconds before deciding she has a point. "True, why should I believe you?"

"We thought she might say that," Sonic began, smiling at Mina.

"So I might have been recording the whole interaction," Spike finished victoriously as he pulled out his phone and opened up his videos, selecting one that was taken minutes ago. "Just watch this and you'll have all the proof you need."

Mina's eyes bulged open as Manic looked down at Spike's phone, watching the events play out exactly as they occurred. She could here Sonic's pleading voice and her seductive advances. She saw herself force her body onto his and shove her hand down his pants despite the complaining from Sonic. Her eyes found his, like they had multiple times before but she didn't find confusion in his. She found passion, she found victory. He sneered at her, grinning maliciously.

"Manic… I-I can explain," Mina began as the video ended. Spike nodded at Sonic as they both turned their attention to Manic who stood as tall as a statue. His hands were balled into fists, shaking slightly at his sides. He took a deep breath in through his nose and expelled the air out of his mouth.

"Get. Out." He said quietly.

"What?"

"I said get the fuck out!" Manic exploded, his hands shooting above his head as spittle flew from his mouth, staining the shocked expression on Mina's face. "Get out of this room, of my life and of my brother's life you slutty, home wrecking bitch!"

"Bit harsh," Spike whispered to Sonic but the teenager wasn't paying attention, just pleased to hear Manic finally refer to him as a brother.

"Manic please…" she begged, staring deep into his eyes. The fire that had been kindled by Sonic was now a raging bonfire, consuming his eyes, face and whole body. He was now visibly shaking and it almost looked like he was about to punch her. Spike noticed this, staying on alert incase things escalated any further, remembering Manic's previous outburst towards Mephiles.

"If you're not gone in five seconds I swear to Chaos…" he warned, his voice scarily low and menacing. "Five."

"But-"

"Four, three."

"Manic…"

"Two, one!"

"But Amy said-"

"Wait-" Sonic quickly stepped in between the two, ceasing Manic's counting.

"Sonic, don't try to defend her," Manic barked.

"What about Amy?" He asked, ignoring Manic's words. Mina shook, on the verge of tears as she continued shakily.

"The only reason I ever tried this was because of her," Mina explained. As she continued, Sonic's face began to scrunch off, anger at Mina slowly switching over to anger at Amy. "After I first talked to you and failed, I ran into her and she helped me win you over. She suggested getting with Manic to get close to you and eventually win you over by making you sad that your relationship with him was strained. She thought that you would break up with your old partner that way because you would be more vulnerable and I could pick up the pieces," Mina admitted, sobbing silently. "I just wanted a boyfriend, a real one who cared about me and she helped me try to get one. I didn't mean to…"

"More like so she could pick up the pieces," Spike muttered under his breath. Sonic shot him an annoyed glance, the looking showing Spike that he had already made the connection.

"I can't believe she did this… I thought she was different," Sonic growled silently.

"To be fair, this all started ages ago, when she was still seeing Sally so-"

"Don't try to defend her," Manic interjected, almost as angry as Sonic.

"I need to talk to her. This is going way to far, this is so fucked," Sonic mumbled to himself before rushing out the door without a second glance.

"Now this I gotta see," Manic smiled as he followed, leaving Spike alone in the room.

"I never should have made that bet with Fiona," Mina sobbed, beginning a break down as she quickly ran from the room so Spike couldn't see her at her most vulnerable. Spike froze. It was like the name from Mina's tongue was a poison dart that stuck into Spike's neck, contorting him.

"Fiona… this is what she wanted all along… she played me like a fiddle," Spike spoke aloud, bewildered that he didn't think this through.

"That was a lot more entertaining than I imagined," a voice cackled from the doorway.

"This was never about Mina… was it?"

"Not in the slightest, but I did enjoy her little breakdown," Fiona smiled as she stepped from the shadows into the room.

"Amy was the one that sent you to prison, who framed you. Amy was the one who got you on probation from Razor after you attacked her and Amy is the one who got her happy ending with Sonic."

"Looks like there is a brain in there somewhere," Fiona smiled. "But you were too busy trying to help your 'hero' that you would do anything for him, even if it was going to hurt him in the end."

"You're a monster," Spike said dryly, unable to say anything else, too frozen by anger at himself and surprise at how easily Fiona played him.

"No, she is the monster. And now she is finally get what she deserves. If I can't get a happy ending, neither can she."

"You'll never be happy if you treat others like this, Fiona."

"As long as everybody else feels what I have felt for so long, that's all I need," Fiona spat as she turned to leave. Spike just stood alone in the room, stewing in his self-deprecation and mentally scolding himself. He knew he would never again trust Fiona. Never.

Tikal frowned, not knowing what to do as she watched her best friend walk away, a rain cloud above her head. Suddenly, Tikal felt a buzzing and pulled out her phone and answered the call.

"Hey… Mighty."

"Hey Tikal, I've given what you said to me the other day some thought," he began, his voice slow and raspy, like each word had to be forced out of his mouth.

"You mean about Clove?"

"…Yeah," the voice responded in a hushed whisper, like he was unsure if his words were true or not.

"And?" Tikal urged, pressing the phone as hard as she could against her cheek and ear, like it would speed up Mighty's response on the other line.

"It's just… Ray needs me. He needs me more than Clove has ever needed me right now and I know that if I devote more time into helping him get better, he'll go back to the guy we all used to know and love. He can get better. But Clove doesn't need me. She loves me, and I her, but she will get over it. She'll be sad for like a week and move on with her life, meet somebody new and enjoy life. Maybe I can try again with her after all this has calmed down and Ray has gotten better, that is if she ever forgives me, but that's a risk I need to take," Mighty explained.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Best friend since childhood or a high school girl friend? One who needs me or one who thinks they do? One who I'm not sure if they can move on without me or one who I know can easily? The choice is simple…"

"And that choice is?" Tikal asked, although already knowing what the response is going to be. She felt her heart ache as the words spilled out of the receiver.

"I'm going to break up with Clove."


A/N: Well there you have it. Fiona's big plans. Was it illegal? No. Was it violent? No. Was it conniving and clever? Well, I hope you guys answer yes :P Yes, after all this time, she was just using Mina, Sonic, Spike and Manic all just to get her revenge on Amy. As fulfilling as beating her senseless was for Fiona, it only gave her sympathy and once she finally got the boy she always wanted, Fiona was fed up. She tricked Spike into doing her plan. She tricked Mina into trying it so she would get caught and she planted the memory of how it was originally Amy's idea for Mina to get with Manic and everybody played their parts to a T. Fiona does really see the school as a chess game and the students a pieces. After having her first true love killed in front of her, having her overbearing parents disown her/her disowning them, having gone to prison for somethign she didn't dow, having her boyfriend tell her he only used her for sex and finally, the new guy who she really fell hard for get sent back to prison by her ex boyfriend Fiona couldn't take it anymore. She needed people to feel pain she had felt, and she needed Amy to feel it the most.

Also, a major theme since the start of this part when Sonic and Tails discovered the gravestone of Veil, was what happened with Eclipse and his mother, since we found out most of the details with Tikal's family past. Eclipse finally revealed almost all of it, and it broke Tikal's heart so she has finally agreed to give her mother a second chance despite all that happened with her brother. Will their meeting go well over the break?

And finally, although a smaller part of the chapter, was Clove's conversation to Tikal about how she has been feeling about this whole ordeal as we know what Mighty is feeling but remember, she doesn't know about Ray at all. Imagine how she has been feeling. After Tikal consoled her, she got a call from none other than Mighty who finally decided to break up with Clove. Is it the right choice or will it only lead to more heartbreak?

Thankyou all for keeping up and reading my stories throughout 2016, it means a lot. All the reviews, follows, favourites and just people reading what I created is so humbling and I can't thank you all enough. So I hope you all have an amazing 2017 and don't forget to review and answer the question of the day :D

QotD: Double Question - Was Fiona's plan Clever or Crap? And, Did Mighty make the right choice?

Next Time on SH:EL

Mighty dumps Clove

Julie-Su and Knuckles finally seal the deal

Mina goes to Tails for consolidation where he reveals just how close him and Sonic used to be

Cream, Cosmo and Sonia try to convince Wave and Jet to stop hurting themselves

...and Sonic confronts Amy

All this and so, so, so much more (like scenes with Gold, Razor, Shadow, Spike, Fiona, Blaze, Eclipse and more) next time on Chapter 29: The End of Term