Chapter 16- the end of the Brothers

Sonic awoke. He had slept in his hut last night. It may be hard to comprehend, but Sally and he had not slept together after the much- anticipated proposal the day before. Sleeping together would wait until after the wedding, which would take place soon.

"This is gonna be a beautiful day," he said contentedly, arms crossed behind his head, and a dreamy smile upon his face. His mind was at ease. Nothing bothered him any longer. Sally had promised to marry him, and that was all he needed to think of in order to be happy. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and buckled the red and white sneakers to his feet. The Rainbow had not yet left him, but he did not mind. It would be a strange thing to walk around with lights shining from his body, but the abilities given to him more than made up for any inconvenience. He looked forward to flying with Sally among the morning clouds.

"Sonic, return to the waterfall."

He stopped in his tracks with a hand on the doorknob. The Brother of the Rainbow had spoken to him within his mind.

"Sonic, you cannot live with the Rainbow forever. It must be returned to us."

"Whatever you say," he sighed and opened the door. The Rainbow had served its purpose, and now he must return its power to the owners. He ran out of his hut and to the waterfall, while Knothole was stirring from sleep.



"Lazer, return to the waterfall."

The voice startled Lazer from sleep. His eyes were still closed while he yawned and stretched, then got to his feet. He took one step away from his bed and felt himself falling, flat onto his face. He floated upward impulsively, opening his eyes. He saw trees all around him.

"What the."

Then he remembered. He looked down and saw the roof of his hut, where he had slumbered during the night. A sheet was spread over the thatch, rumpled. He recalled telling Rebecca that they shouldn't 'rush it' so he had given her his bed while he took the roof. He did not mind, he did not care where he slept, as long as it was relatively close to her.

"Is she still there?" he wondered. To be sure, he landed on the grass and walked around to the door. He pushed it open, wide enough to let his head in, and looked inside.

"Hello, beautiful," he said ever so softly. She was sleeping on her side, legs tucked up to her body, facing the door. She slept with a smile on her face. The sheets over her body rose and fell with her breathing. He smiled and closed the door, satisfied.

"It's going to be a beautiful day," he said, filled with a peace that he had never felt in years.

"Lazer, the Rainbow is not yours to keep. You must do what is right."

"I will, I will," he said to the original Brother.

The Rainbow was a powerful tool. It had vastly boosted his powers for the few days he had owned it. Now he had to give it away, not without reluctance.

"See you there, Sonic."

He flew up high and made off to the waterfall.



"Here we are again!"

Lazer stood beside him, upon a Twin Circle. The foaming waterfall splashed endlessly before them, as the rainbow also shone tirelessly above their heads. They waited.

"Pretty, isn't it," said Lazer, smiling gently at the waterfall, "Nature can be so pretty."

"Hey, bro, wipe that smile off your face, you're scaring me," Sonic said, also grinning, "By the way, why are you so happy this morning?"

"Happy? 'Overjoyed' is the right word. She's back, Sonic. I thought that I would have to find her, but she found me first."

"She?" -he paused for a moment- "Oh! Rebecca, that's your girlfriend, right? How could she be back? I thought she disappeared."

"It turns out, that she and about twenty others escaped to this country," Lazer began, and then started the story Rebecca had re-told him.

"Whoa, so there's hope for your race!"

"Yes, thank the Walkers. It must be a case of divine intervention again that brought them here. Hey, Sonic?"

"Yeah?"

"How did Rebecca know where to find me? She's not from Knothole, and she couldn't know the way to the Lake."

"Maybe she asked someone the day before, when there was a bunch of celebrations going on. Hey, wait a minute, I know!"

"What?"

"Yesterday, when we were showing off our powers to the troops, to convince them that we'd be able to help. I bet a million dollars that one of Rebecca's friends saw you, a red hedgehog, and then went to tell her!"

"Hey, that's right! Damn, that's what you call really divine intervention! Maybe it was meant for the battle to be lost the other day, so I could meet her again."

"Maybe."

"You know little of the significance these past few days have had."

"Yet you both won the victory. For that we are grateful."

"We will remove the Rainbow. Close your eyes."

Without question, Lazer and Sonic did so. The world around them became very bright, and they could see the light glowing past their eyelids. Colours lifted from them, and fell into a swirling vortex before the waterfall. The vortex became thinner and thinner, the colours combining to form brilliant white light, and then vanished.

"The Black Emerald has been sealed, and will never fall into the wrong hands as long as Mobius exists."

"Farewell, Sonic."

"Farewell, Lazer."

"We shall not meet again."

The voices faded forever. The two ex-Brothers opened their eyes and checked for any rainbow marks.

"That's it. No more flying for me," sighed Sonic.

"It's a shame. Now I won't be able to read anyone's mind."

"Well, bro, it was fun while it lasted."

"Yes it was. I'm going with Rebecca to the Cridon base. I have to meet everyone there!"

"Well, I'm gonna be having a lo-ooong conversation with Sally. We have to discuss some things."

"Your marriage. While I was walking back to my hut yesterday, I could sense your feelings even from that far away. You were both so happy, it was like fireworks going off in my head."

"Too bad you won't be able to know everything about what's going on around you, huh?"

"You know what? I don't care at all. I have Rebecca."

"And I have Sally."

They walked (Sonic ran) off their separate ways. No longer were they Brothers of the Rainbow, but they were united in a way, as both of them had found great joy.

The waterfall and river beneath ceaselessly flowed, and the rainbow shone above the Twin Circles. Then, as the forest grew quiet, the waterfall and its shoulders of rock faded and the rainbow disappeared. The Twin Circles sunk into the water and never saw daylight again. The forest canopy, slashed open to allow sunlight, was covered with leaves and branches once more. What was left was a dark, silent river, with smears of sunshine breaking through the trees here and there.

The Gods worked in mysterious ways.



**********END**********



Afterthought-

Thank you for reading my very, very long story. I appreciate your interest in my work. I hope that you enjoyed reading this, very much. I have to say goodbye for a few months now, as O-Levels approaches and I need to concentrate on studying. By next year July, I should be free to write even more fanfics. Until then, reader, goodbye. We will meet again.



-LazerTH