Author's Note: I give special Recognition to RockChick and, er, an anonymous reviewer who either forgot their name or wants to remain anonymous. They answered my question and gave me a new word! So...how do you like the fic? R&R to tell!
Blackspeed_Mistress
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Disclaimer: Okay! Fine! If you want a disclaimer, go to the first chapter and read! I AM NOT going to say that I do not own any Sonic characters except for Marika, Bradley Robotnik, Faith, Rapture, Youma, Damien, Doreen, and Airam.
I just did, didn't I?
One Fatal Mistake
"Maria, you need to get inside!" Rapture commanded. She shot another hideous demon with a holy arrow. It gave a shriek and disintegrated to ashes. The things were everywhere! They had no real shape, just forms of anything imaginable. Their glowing red eyes searched for anything they could destroy, and their sights were set on Maria's house. The guardian shot another one that was flying in the sky.
"Ok!"
The blonde spirit dashed into the house and back to where her grandfather was. He looked up from his computer, apparently nervous, and glanced at Maria.
"Are they coming?"
"Yes. Rapture's holding them back for now. She needs help."
Gerald nodded and turned back to the computer screen. He began again, this time faster, for the coordinates.
A thumping on their door informed them time was up. Maria eyed the door while Gerald furiously typed away. He obtained the coordinates to the closest thing near Shadow, Maria's mother's house.
"Maria! I got them!" He cheered. Of course, his granddaughter was preoccupied with other things, such as the door breaking down. The demons slowly made to their spot. Maria backed up in horror.
"Grandpa! What are we going to do?"
Gerald typed the coordinates of the designation and glanced to where Maria was standing.
"Get back!" Maria backed up some more and found herself in a glass tube. The glass compartment closed leaving Maria trapped. She looked to her grandfather for an explanation.
"You can go now. You'll be safer on Earth anyway. I'll meet you down there later. Don't stick around. Find Shadow first."
He pressed the enter button on his keyboard, and Maria disappeared. Gerald turned to face the demons.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" A violet beam crashed through the roof and into the floor. It took form of a pale man in black armor. He gazed at the professor and smirked.
"My, my, we only want you to help us Gerald. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the lord of demons, prince of darkness, Damien."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Shadow awoke in the quiet room of Christine Chappell Hospital. He sat up without difficulty and looked outside. By the looks of the light sky, it was morning. Carefully unraveling his bandages, he got out of bed and ransacked the room for his gloves and shoes. The red streaked hedgehog found them by the dresser near his bed. He silently put them on, along with three of his bracelets, wondering why they hadn't burned up. Shadow then clasped the fourth bracelet on. It had been the one Sonic grabbed before he fell. Sonic and the others, they've done so much for him without even knowing it. He would have to repay them somehow. His thoughts drifted to the person who gave his bracelets.
Without Maria, he wouldn't be alive. She gave her life for him and what did he repay her with?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
The door to the hall opened revealing the doctor. Shadow snapped out of his thoughts.
"Mr. Shadow, how are you feeling?" he asked as he read the clipboard in his hands.
"I'm fine." Replied the patient. The physician chuckled as his response.
"I wouldn't call critical condition fine. But..." He trailed off as he saw the fully recovered patient standing in front of him. Shadow spoke again.
"Will I be able to get out of the hospital?"
His blue furred counterpart dashed into the scene.
"Hiya Shadow! Hey, aren't you supposed to be in bed?"
The red streaked hedgehog smirked as he walked out of the room.
"One of the many advantages of being the ultimate lifeform."
"Whatever you say faker." Sonic replied. They walked through the hallway and into the lobby. A few carpenters were clearing the rubble on the floor. Sonic caught Shadow looking at the mess.
"Don't ask. We had a little problem with G.U.N. yesterday." His dark counterpart peered at him with a silent rage in his eyes.
"G.U.N.?" He scowled. Hadn't they caused enough problems already?
"Shadow?" He asked uncertainly. Shadow tore his gaze away from him with a serious expression on his face.
"It's nothing." The rogue hedgehog replied. Sonic stood in front of him.
"That look in your eyes didn't say that!" Shadow gently pushed him out of the way.
"I don't want to talk about it, Sonic." His azure counterpart said no more as they exited the hospital.
The blue hedgehog sighed as he looked at the cerulean sky. "It's a great day today, don't ya think?"
Shadow nodded as he looked at his surroundings. Sonic continued to gaze at the sky for a couple of seconds before continuing.
"I know! Think you can keep up?"
"Let's find out!" He smirked. Sonic started through the city with Shadow closely behind. After a few minutes of running, Sonic stopped at a Two-story building.
"We're here!" He exclaimed and walked inside. Shadow followed. They entered the lobby where an elderly anthropomorphic house cat was behind her desk. She looked up from her reading, spotted Sonic, and greeted him.
"Hello Sonic! I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks!" Her blue eyes shifted to the other hedgehog.
"Who's your friend?"
"Hi Doreen," The blue hedgehog replied. "This is Shadow. So how are things goin' for the chao lately?"
"They're doing fine. They'll be delighted to see you!" The cat tossed Sonic a blue key and went back to her reading. The two hedgehogs went upstairs.
Shadow was amazed at what he saw. As far as he could tell, the walls and ceiling were endless voids of stars. He could scarcely determine there was a floor by the lines going through. Several transporters stood in the middle. Sonic stood by one, tapping his foot impatiently.
"You coming?"
Shadow fought back the overwhelming feeling and came. The two stepped onto the platform and Sonic placed the key in a hidden panel. In an instant, they were transported to another room with a similar design. There were two stairways, one up, one down. There were also two doors on the same level. Sonic proceeded upstairs with Shadow still following. They entered the doorway and found themselves outside. Sonic whistled, and the pandemonium began.
Several creatures came running toward them. Each of them had the same basic shape with the exception of few, which looked older. They were all different colors ranging from a shiny white to a dull grey. All of them fawned over Sonic as he smiled and greeted them.
"What are they?" Shadow finally got out. Sonic laughed.
"You don't know what chao are?"
"Well...no."
"Chao are cute little pets you can raise. They're basically used for racing and stuff."
"And you own all of these?"
"No. I don't have time to raise a chao myself. These are other peoples' chao."
Shadow surveyed the area. A few trees with fruit were scattered about. A gazebo was to the left with a ledge hanging over a pond. In the back of the pond, there was an area with a fountain. A chao stood on the platform, watching the others play with Sonic.
"Who's that?" He asked. Sonic looked at the lone chao.
"Oh, her? She came in about a month ago. All the chao love her, but she won't come near anything that slightly resembles humans."
Two chao pulled Sonic away from Shadow. The now deserted hedgehog sat at the edge of the pond. His thoughts yet again drifted to why he was alive.
He didn't get it. Why was he still down here? He promised Maria he would live. But for how long? How long will he have to wait to see his precious friend again?
"Hello!" a high-pitched voice said. He looked beside him to find a chao a few feet away. Her white eyes were partially covered by magenta tufts of hair. Two horns were on her head along with a pink halo floating above. She had pink scaly arms with two claws at each end. Pink dragon wings were spread out in back of her, along with a fiery colored tail. Her light blue feet pattered slightly closer to him. It was the chao from the fountain.
"Hello." He replied. She moved closer to the hedgehog so there was only a foot of space between them. Her smile turned into a slight frown.
"You look lonely." She stated as she sat down. The red streaked hedgehog sighed.
"I guess I am."
"I lonely too," She replied. "Humans took me while I was in village. Took my friends away. Did humans take friends away too?"
Shadow didn't reply. She waited a little while until she continued.
"I sorry if you can't know what I say. Dragons never made me learn human talk."
"You lived with dragons?"
"Yep! And unicorns and phoenixes!" Shadow laughed from her happy expression.
"Any others?"
She gazed at the water with a distant look on her face.
"There was raccoons and bats and another friend who was chao. He was took by humans too." She shook her head, as if to rid of those memories. "I made him promise we meet again. He's good promise keeper. I see him someday."
Both of them sat there in a comfortable silence.
"What's your name?" Shadow asked.
"Dragon Prophet called me Airam! What's yours?"
"Shadow the Hedgehog."
"You remind me of chao friend. He look like you!"
"And you remind me of my friend. She had pretty blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes."
"Where is she?"
"People took her away."
"People take many things away."
"Maria told me that people are good at heart."
"Who's Maria?"
"My friend who was taken away."
"Oh."
A blue hedgehog tapped Shadow on the shoulder. He stood up as Airam clung unto his leg.
"Wait!" She cried. She looked up to Shadow with begging eyes.
"I have to go now, Airam."
"I know. Come back day after today?" The red streaked hedgehog looked at his counterpart. He nodded.
"Okay."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
An old man tended to his vegetable garden this fine day. His dull blue eyes scanned for any fresh produce. Of course, today he would find something different. A pale girl lie unconscious on the ground by the sunflowers. He carefully stepped around the vegetable plants and gently shook the girl awake.
"Are you alright?" He asked. She opened her eyes and shakily stood up.
"I think so... Where am I?"
"You're in my garden, miss." Her eyes slightly widened as she looked around.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know where I was going and-"
"That's alright. Do you live nearby?" She shook her head.
"No. I live quite a distance from this place."
"What are you doing so far from home?"
"I'm looking for someone." She replied.
"Who are you looking for? Maybe I could help?"
"I'm looking for Sonic the Hedgehog."
"My granddaughter can help you then. Please come inside, she'll be home soon."
The old man led her inside the cozy home. All of it was new, yet familiar to her. The kind elder told her to sit by the table while he exited the room.
"Grandpa! I'm home!" A voice called from another room. A blue-green cat anthropomorth came in. She placed the bags in her hand on the counter. Her eyes caught the visitor.
"Oh, I didn't know we had a guest! Hello! My name is Marika." She greeted.
"My name is Maria. Nice to meet you!" The girl replied.
"So what brings you to our home?"
"Well, your grandfather told me you could help me find Sonic the Hedgehog."
"Why? Are you a fan or something?"
"No. He knows where a friend of mine is."
Marika pondered this for a moment.
"Is your friend a hedgehog?"
"Yes! He's black with red streaks on his spines and a white patch of fur on his chest. Have you seen him?" She silently pleaded Marika would know. The blue-green cat frowned.
"Yeah, I've seen him. He doesn't look too good either. He lost alot of blood yesterday. It's a miracle that he could talk to us."
"Can you show me the way?"
"Sure. It's gonna be a long walk though."
The two girls walked out of the house and onto the sidewalk, both thinking of different things. One mind on her friend, the other on the suspicious incidents.
"Too weird," Marika thought as she silently walked. "First Project Shadow appears, then ARK, and now a girl named Maria shows up." She stole a glance at the girl behind her.
"Blonde hair, blue eyes, she looks like the girl in grandpa's picture." She whispered in her thoughts. A question formed as her suspicions rose.
"Hey, where do you live?"
Maria paused for a moment, thinking of her answer. After a small hesitation she answered.
"I live pretty far away from here. Do you know of Station Square?"
"The place that was destroyed by Perfect Chaos? Did your house make it?"
The blonde haired girl looked slightly relieved.
"No. I'm living in a friend's house for now."
Marika inwardly smirked as her suspicions were confirmed. No one takes that long to answer where they live unless they had amnesia or drunk.
"Maria of the Space colony ARK, I found you!" She thought while they walked the rest of the way in silence.
When they reached the hospital, the pile of rubble was slightly diminished and the workers were on a coffee break. Marika passed by the wreckage as if it wasn't there; Maria stared wide-eyed at it before moving on. They moved up to the desk where a nervous receptionist was waiting.
"We're here to see Shadow the Hedgehog." Marika stated. The man typed on his computer and anxiously replied back:
"I'm afraid Mr. Shadow checked out this morning." Marika blinked while Maria smiled.
"You mean, to another hospital, right?"
The receptionist shook his head.
"No, I mean sent home. Actually I saw him myself walking out with Sonic the Hedgehog."
The blue-green cat looked at him with shock as Maria giggled.
"Shadow forgot that humans recover slower than he does."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. I was sick all week and I seemed to have skipped a day... I MIGHT not be able to write during summer vacation because of family issues (I hate them with a passion). I'll try though. And I've been going back over the story to see that I might put the second category as angst. Maybe. As you can read, I put in the enemy after what? Three chapters? I was starting to wonder myself when I was going to put him in. Oh, and I don't know if chao can actually talk, but for the purpose of this story, they do. Sigh... This is Blackspeed_Mistress signing out!
Blackspeed_Mistress
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Disclaimer: Okay! Fine! If you want a disclaimer, go to the first chapter and read! I AM NOT going to say that I do not own any Sonic characters except for Marika, Bradley Robotnik, Faith, Rapture, Youma, Damien, Doreen, and Airam.
I just did, didn't I?
One Fatal Mistake
"Maria, you need to get inside!" Rapture commanded. She shot another hideous demon with a holy arrow. It gave a shriek and disintegrated to ashes. The things were everywhere! They had no real shape, just forms of anything imaginable. Their glowing red eyes searched for anything they could destroy, and their sights were set on Maria's house. The guardian shot another one that was flying in the sky.
"Ok!"
The blonde spirit dashed into the house and back to where her grandfather was. He looked up from his computer, apparently nervous, and glanced at Maria.
"Are they coming?"
"Yes. Rapture's holding them back for now. She needs help."
Gerald nodded and turned back to the computer screen. He began again, this time faster, for the coordinates.
A thumping on their door informed them time was up. Maria eyed the door while Gerald furiously typed away. He obtained the coordinates to the closest thing near Shadow, Maria's mother's house.
"Maria! I got them!" He cheered. Of course, his granddaughter was preoccupied with other things, such as the door breaking down. The demons slowly made to their spot. Maria backed up in horror.
"Grandpa! What are we going to do?"
Gerald typed the coordinates of the designation and glanced to where Maria was standing.
"Get back!" Maria backed up some more and found herself in a glass tube. The glass compartment closed leaving Maria trapped. She looked to her grandfather for an explanation.
"You can go now. You'll be safer on Earth anyway. I'll meet you down there later. Don't stick around. Find Shadow first."
He pressed the enter button on his keyboard, and Maria disappeared. Gerald turned to face the demons.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" A violet beam crashed through the roof and into the floor. It took form of a pale man in black armor. He gazed at the professor and smirked.
"My, my, we only want you to help us Gerald. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the lord of demons, prince of darkness, Damien."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Shadow awoke in the quiet room of Christine Chappell Hospital. He sat up without difficulty and looked outside. By the looks of the light sky, it was morning. Carefully unraveling his bandages, he got out of bed and ransacked the room for his gloves and shoes. The red streaked hedgehog found them by the dresser near his bed. He silently put them on, along with three of his bracelets, wondering why they hadn't burned up. Shadow then clasped the fourth bracelet on. It had been the one Sonic grabbed before he fell. Sonic and the others, they've done so much for him without even knowing it. He would have to repay them somehow. His thoughts drifted to the person who gave his bracelets.
Without Maria, he wouldn't be alive. She gave her life for him and what did he repay her with?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
The door to the hall opened revealing the doctor. Shadow snapped out of his thoughts.
"Mr. Shadow, how are you feeling?" he asked as he read the clipboard in his hands.
"I'm fine." Replied the patient. The physician chuckled as his response.
"I wouldn't call critical condition fine. But..." He trailed off as he saw the fully recovered patient standing in front of him. Shadow spoke again.
"Will I be able to get out of the hospital?"
His blue furred counterpart dashed into the scene.
"Hiya Shadow! Hey, aren't you supposed to be in bed?"
The red streaked hedgehog smirked as he walked out of the room.
"One of the many advantages of being the ultimate lifeform."
"Whatever you say faker." Sonic replied. They walked through the hallway and into the lobby. A few carpenters were clearing the rubble on the floor. Sonic caught Shadow looking at the mess.
"Don't ask. We had a little problem with G.U.N. yesterday." His dark counterpart peered at him with a silent rage in his eyes.
"G.U.N.?" He scowled. Hadn't they caused enough problems already?
"Shadow?" He asked uncertainly. Shadow tore his gaze away from him with a serious expression on his face.
"It's nothing." The rogue hedgehog replied. Sonic stood in front of him.
"That look in your eyes didn't say that!" Shadow gently pushed him out of the way.
"I don't want to talk about it, Sonic." His azure counterpart said no more as they exited the hospital.
The blue hedgehog sighed as he looked at the cerulean sky. "It's a great day today, don't ya think?"
Shadow nodded as he looked at his surroundings. Sonic continued to gaze at the sky for a couple of seconds before continuing.
"I know! Think you can keep up?"
"Let's find out!" He smirked. Sonic started through the city with Shadow closely behind. After a few minutes of running, Sonic stopped at a Two-story building.
"We're here!" He exclaimed and walked inside. Shadow followed. They entered the lobby where an elderly anthropomorphic house cat was behind her desk. She looked up from her reading, spotted Sonic, and greeted him.
"Hello Sonic! I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks!" Her blue eyes shifted to the other hedgehog.
"Who's your friend?"
"Hi Doreen," The blue hedgehog replied. "This is Shadow. So how are things goin' for the chao lately?"
"They're doing fine. They'll be delighted to see you!" The cat tossed Sonic a blue key and went back to her reading. The two hedgehogs went upstairs.
Shadow was amazed at what he saw. As far as he could tell, the walls and ceiling were endless voids of stars. He could scarcely determine there was a floor by the lines going through. Several transporters stood in the middle. Sonic stood by one, tapping his foot impatiently.
"You coming?"
Shadow fought back the overwhelming feeling and came. The two stepped onto the platform and Sonic placed the key in a hidden panel. In an instant, they were transported to another room with a similar design. There were two stairways, one up, one down. There were also two doors on the same level. Sonic proceeded upstairs with Shadow still following. They entered the doorway and found themselves outside. Sonic whistled, and the pandemonium began.
Several creatures came running toward them. Each of them had the same basic shape with the exception of few, which looked older. They were all different colors ranging from a shiny white to a dull grey. All of them fawned over Sonic as he smiled and greeted them.
"What are they?" Shadow finally got out. Sonic laughed.
"You don't know what chao are?"
"Well...no."
"Chao are cute little pets you can raise. They're basically used for racing and stuff."
"And you own all of these?"
"No. I don't have time to raise a chao myself. These are other peoples' chao."
Shadow surveyed the area. A few trees with fruit were scattered about. A gazebo was to the left with a ledge hanging over a pond. In the back of the pond, there was an area with a fountain. A chao stood on the platform, watching the others play with Sonic.
"Who's that?" He asked. Sonic looked at the lone chao.
"Oh, her? She came in about a month ago. All the chao love her, but she won't come near anything that slightly resembles humans."
Two chao pulled Sonic away from Shadow. The now deserted hedgehog sat at the edge of the pond. His thoughts yet again drifted to why he was alive.
He didn't get it. Why was he still down here? He promised Maria he would live. But for how long? How long will he have to wait to see his precious friend again?
"Hello!" a high-pitched voice said. He looked beside him to find a chao a few feet away. Her white eyes were partially covered by magenta tufts of hair. Two horns were on her head along with a pink halo floating above. She had pink scaly arms with two claws at each end. Pink dragon wings were spread out in back of her, along with a fiery colored tail. Her light blue feet pattered slightly closer to him. It was the chao from the fountain.
"Hello." He replied. She moved closer to the hedgehog so there was only a foot of space between them. Her smile turned into a slight frown.
"You look lonely." She stated as she sat down. The red streaked hedgehog sighed.
"I guess I am."
"I lonely too," She replied. "Humans took me while I was in village. Took my friends away. Did humans take friends away too?"
Shadow didn't reply. She waited a little while until she continued.
"I sorry if you can't know what I say. Dragons never made me learn human talk."
"You lived with dragons?"
"Yep! And unicorns and phoenixes!" Shadow laughed from her happy expression.
"Any others?"
She gazed at the water with a distant look on her face.
"There was raccoons and bats and another friend who was chao. He was took by humans too." She shook her head, as if to rid of those memories. "I made him promise we meet again. He's good promise keeper. I see him someday."
Both of them sat there in a comfortable silence.
"What's your name?" Shadow asked.
"Dragon Prophet called me Airam! What's yours?"
"Shadow the Hedgehog."
"You remind me of chao friend. He look like you!"
"And you remind me of my friend. She had pretty blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes."
"Where is she?"
"People took her away."
"People take many things away."
"Maria told me that people are good at heart."
"Who's Maria?"
"My friend who was taken away."
"Oh."
A blue hedgehog tapped Shadow on the shoulder. He stood up as Airam clung unto his leg.
"Wait!" She cried. She looked up to Shadow with begging eyes.
"I have to go now, Airam."
"I know. Come back day after today?" The red streaked hedgehog looked at his counterpart. He nodded.
"Okay."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
An old man tended to his vegetable garden this fine day. His dull blue eyes scanned for any fresh produce. Of course, today he would find something different. A pale girl lie unconscious on the ground by the sunflowers. He carefully stepped around the vegetable plants and gently shook the girl awake.
"Are you alright?" He asked. She opened her eyes and shakily stood up.
"I think so... Where am I?"
"You're in my garden, miss." Her eyes slightly widened as she looked around.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know where I was going and-"
"That's alright. Do you live nearby?" She shook her head.
"No. I live quite a distance from this place."
"What are you doing so far from home?"
"I'm looking for someone." She replied.
"Who are you looking for? Maybe I could help?"
"I'm looking for Sonic the Hedgehog."
"My granddaughter can help you then. Please come inside, she'll be home soon."
The old man led her inside the cozy home. All of it was new, yet familiar to her. The kind elder told her to sit by the table while he exited the room.
"Grandpa! I'm home!" A voice called from another room. A blue-green cat anthropomorth came in. She placed the bags in her hand on the counter. Her eyes caught the visitor.
"Oh, I didn't know we had a guest! Hello! My name is Marika." She greeted.
"My name is Maria. Nice to meet you!" The girl replied.
"So what brings you to our home?"
"Well, your grandfather told me you could help me find Sonic the Hedgehog."
"Why? Are you a fan or something?"
"No. He knows where a friend of mine is."
Marika pondered this for a moment.
"Is your friend a hedgehog?"
"Yes! He's black with red streaks on his spines and a white patch of fur on his chest. Have you seen him?" She silently pleaded Marika would know. The blue-green cat frowned.
"Yeah, I've seen him. He doesn't look too good either. He lost alot of blood yesterday. It's a miracle that he could talk to us."
"Can you show me the way?"
"Sure. It's gonna be a long walk though."
The two girls walked out of the house and onto the sidewalk, both thinking of different things. One mind on her friend, the other on the suspicious incidents.
"Too weird," Marika thought as she silently walked. "First Project Shadow appears, then ARK, and now a girl named Maria shows up." She stole a glance at the girl behind her.
"Blonde hair, blue eyes, she looks like the girl in grandpa's picture." She whispered in her thoughts. A question formed as her suspicions rose.
"Hey, where do you live?"
Maria paused for a moment, thinking of her answer. After a small hesitation she answered.
"I live pretty far away from here. Do you know of Station Square?"
"The place that was destroyed by Perfect Chaos? Did your house make it?"
The blonde haired girl looked slightly relieved.
"No. I'm living in a friend's house for now."
Marika inwardly smirked as her suspicions were confirmed. No one takes that long to answer where they live unless they had amnesia or drunk.
"Maria of the Space colony ARK, I found you!" She thought while they walked the rest of the way in silence.
When they reached the hospital, the pile of rubble was slightly diminished and the workers were on a coffee break. Marika passed by the wreckage as if it wasn't there; Maria stared wide-eyed at it before moving on. They moved up to the desk where a nervous receptionist was waiting.
"We're here to see Shadow the Hedgehog." Marika stated. The man typed on his computer and anxiously replied back:
"I'm afraid Mr. Shadow checked out this morning." Marika blinked while Maria smiled.
"You mean, to another hospital, right?"
The receptionist shook his head.
"No, I mean sent home. Actually I saw him myself walking out with Sonic the Hedgehog."
The blue-green cat looked at him with shock as Maria giggled.
"Shadow forgot that humans recover slower than he does."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. I was sick all week and I seemed to have skipped a day... I MIGHT not be able to write during summer vacation because of family issues (I hate them with a passion). I'll try though. And I've been going back over the story to see that I might put the second category as angst. Maybe. As you can read, I put in the enemy after what? Three chapters? I was starting to wonder myself when I was going to put him in. Oh, and I don't know if chao can actually talk, but for the purpose of this story, they do. Sigh... This is Blackspeed_Mistress signing out!