Chapter 1 – Stillness Interrupted
The Mobian sun burst out from behind a cloud. Its warming rays shone down on the planet below. T2 let out a gentle sigh. He loved these sudden bursts of heat. He sat cross-legged on the ground with a hand in each knee. His eyes were half open and a contented expression settled on his face. He slowly raised his left hand and turned the palm upwards. The Deep Power Stone shone brightly as if it was absorbing energy from the sun. A soft glow surrounded T2 and he sighed again. He opened his eyes fully and looked around. He was sat about half a mile up a mountain on a small ledge. Behind him the mountain rose to a great height and snow covered the peak. T2 sat still for a few moments and then stood up. He stretched and gave a small yawn. It was late afternoon and he hadn't eaten since breakfast. He walked over to a large rucksack and opened it. Inside was a variety of camping equipment. He took out a small stove and some pans. Soon afterwards he had settled down on his sitting spot again happily eating a large bowl of soup. After he was done he leaned back against a small rock and fell into thought. It had only been a few days maybe a week since he had left Mobotropolis and he had enjoyed every minute of it. His mind drifted back to the events before he had left. The arrival of Tails' parents and the incident with Lavender. He had needed this time just to come to terms with it all. Although he didn't normally show it, underneath his outward going personality was a fragile core. He really didn't like all the emotional and physical stress he had had a week ago. He settled back slightly a bit more against the rockface.
"Well this will do me good." he said to himself with a smile.
He looked out over the country below him. From the foot of the mountain green, yellow and brown fields stretched out for many miles. Tiny black dots that were farmhouses were scattered around. In the distance a large broad river ran quietly along. That was the Great River that ran through Mobotropolis. T2's gaze followed it until it disappeared from sight behind a line of hills. The sun was now beating down and the temperature had risen by a number of degrees. T2 wiped the sweat of his brow and yawned. He hadn't been doing much today but the sun was sapping his energy. He got up and slowly and walked over to a small lip in the rock. The lip cast a small shadow on the ground a few meters across. T2 lay down in the shadow. He wrapped his tails around him and slowly drifted off to sleep.
-----------------------------------------
Alicia raised her head and moaned.
"I can't find her." she called.
"Me neither sis." replied Miles from the other side of the room.
Miles walked out from behind a chair and groaned.
"Playing hide and seek with Lavender just isn't any fun any more." he said, "She always wins."
Alicia nodded and walked over to him. She put her hand out and leaned against a chair.
"You're right Miles." she said.
Miles moaned again and slumped into a nearby chair. He quickly jumped off again as the chair gave a quiet yelp. He spun and looked at the chair. It was identical to almost every other chair in the room. He looked over at Alicia who was smiling. She nodded at him and Miles smiled back.
"Ok Lavender. Come on out." he said.
The chair suddenly sprouted nine white tails and a set of eyes opened on the backrest. Miles and Alicia just raised an eyebrow.
"Found you Lavender." said Alicia.
"Ah crumbs." groaned Lavender.
Just then the eyes disappeared and the chair seemed to shimmer. Slowly it changed shape and started to move. Within a few seconds the chair had turned into Lavender.
"I thought we said no shape shifting." said Miles.
"No fair." moaned Lavender her nine tails flashing behind her.
Since the events of a week ago Lavender had really changed. Not only physically but mentally too. Before a week ago she had been a three tailed grey fox and now she was a nine tailed white kitsune. She still didn't understand the transformation herself but everyone had accepted it. Although emotionally and personality wise she was still the same Lavender everyone knew her intelligence had increased and she had discovered a number of new skills she could now use. The ability to shape shift was one of them. Miles and Alicia smiled at her. Just then the door to the room opened and an orange head poked through. He took a brief look around the room before he saw the children. He smiled and opened the door fully. It was Tails of course. He was carrying a large tray in his hands.
"Hey kids." he called, "Thought you could use some refreshments."
He set the tray down on the table and stood up. On the tray were three glasses of orange juice and a small plate of biscuits. The three children looked at each other and smiled. They all shot forwards towards the tray and a few seconds later were all holding a glass of orange and a biscuit. Lavender looked up at her father.
"Thanks dad." she said.
Tails rubbed his hand on his daughter's head and smiled.
"That's ok." he said, "I figured you could use a drink. It is a hot day."
Tails looked out of the window. The sun was blazing down on the surface of Little Planet outside. The air conditioning in the house was working over time just to keep the house from turning into an oven.
"Where's mum?" asked Lavender.
"She went out to the Time Stone shrine. Since this place reappeared she's been a bit worried. Nothing for you to worry about though. Little Planet looks pretty stable." replied Tails.
"Want to come outside?" asked Miles putting his empty glass down.
Lavender looked at him and nodded. They were all about to leave when Tails spoke.
"If you're going out. I want you all to put some sun block on. It really is hot out there." he said.
"Ok dad!" cried Lavender as they all pilled out of the room.
"Please put sun block on!" moaned Tails to himself.
-----------------------------------------
Sonic and Sally walked arm in arm along the beach. The water lapped up around their bare feet and the gentle rays of the late afternoon sun shone down on them. Sonic was wearing a pair of sunglasses and nothing else whereas Sally had opted to wear a small top and a pair of shorts. The cry of sea birds and the waves lapping on the shore were the only sounds at the moment. Palm trees and other exotic plants grew virtually right up to the waters edge allowing only for a small strip of beach between. Sally sighed.
"I'm glad we came here." she said.
"Yep." replied Sonic with a nod.
The place in question was Paradise Island. A small island far to the south of Mobotropolis. It was basically a tropical island covered in lush forest and surrounded by a thin strip of beach. There was a small town on the island and a number of villages. Sonic and Sally carried on. They eventually came to a small hut set into the jungle. A large veranda extended over the beach and a little way out into the sea. Small hanging lights were fixed to various locations. They went up to the hut and entered it. Inside there was a small kitchen and a sitting room. Off to one side was a door that led to a bedroom. The hut was pretty basic ands didn't have any luxuries to speak of but they didn't care. They actually enjoyed getting away from all the royal life stuff. Over the next hour or so they gradually prepared a meal together. Towards the end of the preparations Sonic disappeared and Sally was left to finish up. She grumbled to herself slightly. It was then that she heard Sonic calling from outside. She walked out of the hut and onto the veranda and gasped. Sonic had set out a little table outside, on it various pieces of cutlery and plates were set out neatly and a candle burned in the middle of the table. Sonic walked over to her and handed her a single rose.
"So how'd I do?" he asked with a smiled.
Sally just leaned over and kissed him. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment.
"As always Sonic. You excel yourself." said Sally.
"Thanks." he replied.
Sally was about to say something else when another voice cut the air.
"Hmm….smells good. What's cooking?" it cried.
Sonic and Sally turned round to see a green hedgehog walking towards them. He was holding a large yellow and red hover board and smelled of sea water.
"Our dinner Manic." said Sonic.
The hedgehog joined then on the veranda.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked.
"Don't you have your own place?" said Sally.
"Yes but I've been surfing all day and haven't had any time to get any food in." replied Manic.
Sonic groaned.
"Fine. I suppose we can fit you in." he said.
"Thanks." said Manic walking away slightly.
Sonic leaned over to Sally.
"So much for a romantic dinner for two." he said quietly.
Sally just smiled.
"Oh well. Maybe next time." she said.
-----------------------------------------
"Sonia can we please stop for a moment?!" moaned Bunnie.
Sonia turned round slowly. Bunnie's head was poking out from behind the various boxes and bags she was carrying. She was sweating heavily. Petya next to her looked in a similar state. Sonia put her hands on her hips and stared at them.
"Oh come on!" she moaned at them, "I'm almost finished."
"So are we." groaned Petya swaying slightly.
Sonia gave a sigh.
"Ok then. Have a little rest if you want." she said.
Bunnie and Petya almost collapsed to the ground. They quickly put the boxes and bags down on the ground and collapsed onto a nearby bench. Sonia started to rustle through a few of the bags. Bunnie looked over at Petya.
"Doesn't she ever get tired of shopping?" she asked.
"I don't think so." replied Petya.
Bunnie nodded.
"Well I'm glad of this rest. We must have been carrying those bags around for….."
"…….five hours, twenty seven minutes and nineteen seconds." finished Petya.
"You actually counted?" said Bunnie surprised.
"It gave me something to do other than focus on falling over."
Bunnie gave a chuckle. Just then Sonia looked up from the bags.
"You know what I've forgotten?" she said.
"What?" said Bunnie.
"I forgot to get my hair kit from Luchies." she said.
"Well I'm not moving for a while." said Petya, "Just run back down and get it."
Sonia gave a small moan and then turned and walked off. Petya looked back at Bunnie.
"Well that's secured us at least a half hour break." she said.
"Ah think it has."
"Where did Knuckles go recently?" asked Petya.
"Back to his island. We had a little talk before he left about everything."
"It must be hard to follow a relationship over that kind of distance."
"Yes but we can do it. I know how important his duty is there and he knows how people depend on me here. We plan to meet up every so often and go out."
"Sounds like a good arrangement."
"Yep. Speaking of partners. Has T2 fallen down a crack to oblivion?"
Petya gave a small laugh.
"No. He just went out on his own. He didn't even tell me where he was going."
"Well ah guess we all need some time alone at some point."
Petya nodded in agreement.
"Suppose so. Now I think I'm going to have a little snooze before Sonia gets back." she said.
"Ah think ah'll join you sugah." replied Bunnie.
-----------------------------------------
Night was closing in fast on the mountains. The sun had just dipped below the horizon and the sky glowed with a bright red and yellow colour. A small stream trickled out of the ground and ran bubbling into a small river at the bottom of the mountain. Just then a footstep landed in the stream. A small splash of water spread outwards. The second footstep stumbled and the figure it belonged to fell with a thud to the ground. There was a few seconds of heavy breathing and then all fell silent again.