A small click in the trees. The sound of wolf on the horizon. The moon shines brightly on the forest as the group returns to their outpost confused and wavering in their search for an answer. An answer to what happened.

The leader of the group wipes his brow. He is the age of Knuckles and is like Knuckles but isn't. He is blue instead of red and with quills instead of dreadlocks. He looks over to his friends - the orange fox with the two tails the squirrel with the red hair the walrus with the hat among them. And the corcodile the armadillo the cameleon the two elder echidnas that follow. He looks over to the small village that he calls home.

Where is everyone, he is inquiring. Something strange has happened in the sky.

As he looks back to confirm his claim. He is stunned to find that they have suddenly disappeared. The forest seems to suddenly close in on him all of a sudden and he tries to run as running has saved him before but it will not save him from inevitability. Just as Atrava was swallowed by his hate for the House of Serenity Sonic is now swallowed by the forest a forest that suddenly came to life under his feet and decided when restoration would come after it saw the sky. And just like what happened in the sky all of the people shall be swallowed by nature and lain to dormancy, by the shining power that suddenly burst from the warp over the dead Floating Island which leads to the light, until time has passed so that they might return again.

Aaah, it says to me. You see friends retribution will not come yet. They must ripen under ground just as all in the sky will ripen under ice. Their hearts will slow down to a crawl and their minds will shut down their last thought that of being in brown and green and how they knew not that the ground and vines that they love contain their final resting place.

And I say to them as they slowly succumb: You see. I am we. We are Ancient Walkers.

Yes, I am the one that began it all. Your journeys and Knuckles. Without me you would not exist now. I have been here in my place long enough and do not speak like others speak anymore but I see all that you do not Freedom Fighters. I tell you that you will not die that you are simply here to wait just as I had to wait and still had to wait for passing eons both of us. Only you will be alive when your waiting is done. We dead and you living have much in common.

And I tell you also that your search was in vain. He is not here. He is where he must be a place you have yet to know about but when you awaken you will know of it. When you awaken is when you will take your thrones and Miles will awaken finally and say to the sky: Athair, I am the chosen one! and I will fulfill this destiny to gather the Seven just as
she did.

She is the strongest of all children. She is the Controller of another Seven. She carries a hope that even Beezelbub couldn't resist. But you know nothing of a Beezelbub. Beezulbub resides where Knuckles has gone.

As it can be seen from the great planets of outer space that small insignificant rural planet of Earth has within the time frame of only five minutes changed color. It had been blue before then it was green but only for a tiny space of time before turning completely white. Some of the scientists studying the phenomenon comment that the planet looked frighteningly like a certain legendary crystal which had passed through the same system that the planet lay in several centuries ago. However the prognosis of the mysterious astonomical event is simple: a meteor had finally hit the planet sending dust particles into the air. It was predicted that it would not clear for several centuries.

If the scientists know the truth or wish to know the truth all they have to do is visit the moon of the planet where a similar phenomenon has occurred. Their answers lie in a small tower and in the tower two echidnas. Both come from my house descendants of molten slag who evolved and became learned until Edmund became guardian and created them. Both have been transformed by the power of the girl in their own ways. And both now stay where they are for a thousand years.

Knuckles is closer to slumber than Locke. He is up to his neck in white Silver Crystal cold the purifier the neutralizer the symbol of the Controller whatever you wish to call it. Another icy figure leans on his shoulder an echidna not from Edmund's house and pink but an echidna nonetheless. She is already gone. Her thousand years have begun.

Dad. Knuckles speaks.
Son?
I wonder….how long do you think we'll be like this?
I…don't know. Locke's face is in thought as the ice creeps up his back. Centuries, perhaps. It will be awhile before the Silver Crystal completely purifies Earth of the Emerald energy.
I guess so. But I wish this would hurry up because the longer I have to wait to freeze the more I am regretting staying.
Even if you want to leave there is no way Locke replies. We are both frozen in place and no one knows we are here so we are jinxed if we want to leave. But I am no hurry because there is nothing left for me now on Mobius.
Nothing left….

Both are silent for several moments. Finally as the ice begins to take Knuckles' face.

I want to ask you a question.
Of course.
What is one thing you regret in your life?
………….Leaving you.
Really?
Yes. Locke nods. I feel like I have failed you by leaving you. I feel as if I have done everything wrong.
But that's not true. Knuckles objects. It is the best thing you have done.
What do you mean?
I know how you are Dad. Every time I failed you would be there to pick me up and then you would think it was your fault because that is how you are - always blaming yourself even if it has nothing to do with you. It's the truth. You may not think it was the right choice to follow tradition and yes, you dodged me when I asked those questions, but I realized that some of those questions were mine to know by myself. If you hadn't done what you did I would not be the person I am today.
I guess you're right.
You
guess? See what I mean Dad, you're doing it now.

Laughing then more silence.

Dad. This Earth, it has changed you. I can see it.
Yes it has.
But not just this world. It was her.
Her?
I can see it. Something about
her. It has changed you. And that is why you can't go back.
Yes. Locke looks at Knuckles with a strange pride in his face. I cannot go back. She has changed me. I have seen the goodness of humans and humans are so much like us….I was frightened by it at first. Then I thought that they were much like the Overlanders of our world and that's when I realized. I'm having a crisis of conscience. How can I return to fight them when I came here and found myself in love with a woman that embodies what they are? No echidna would believe me.
That makes two of us.

More silence.

Dad….I can't feel myself anymore….
Then it won't be long. Patience.
Do you think I'll have thoughts under the ice?
I….don't know.
I hope so.
Perhaps we should try to think of something to focus on when we're frozen. Locke can't help chuckling. I guess several centuries with nothing on your mind could make you go insane.
Yeah. Another moment of silence. I've got something.
What?
You. Mom. Julie-Su. And everyone. In the same place. Happy.
That's a good thought, Knuckles.
I figured…………
I think. Locke continued. My thought will be of the hope that I have been shown here - a hope that can revive whole civilizations, will conquer the blackest thoughts and unite the most hostile nations. Usagi, the Controller of entropy, showed me a part of myself I thought had died - and I still feel her love even though she is not mine to have. I have hope. All of the good things in my life, even my dead love of your mother, on my mind. What do you think, Knuckles?

There is no reply. Locke looks over and sees that Knuckles did not hear him. All that is left of Knuckles is a pillar of ice. Locke is shocked. He cries out Knuckles Knuckles Knuckles Knuckles and it echoes in the tower but there is no sound from the son.

Now he is gone. And I must wait alone.

But now that is not true Locke. I can tell you that now. As you look your eyes scan the sky and spot a small light on the horizon. It shoots across the sky in a chaotic burst of flame. Her. Usagi. Princess. You feel a fleeting happiness but as you think once again of the hope you found and the hope you will carry forevermore your thoughts attempt to shift briefly to how long will it be that I wait but you find that you cannot shift them. Frozen. You see that you are a statue now an icicle but even as a statue you still see her feel her presence and know her. Her hair flying in the wind her face smooth and soft as light like the feathers in her angel wrongs. The crescent moon on her forehead. Her curved bodice.
Your eyes black out and you see no more and you know the wait begins but her the girl borne of chaos who has all hope for her world will be here forever with you.

The light of hope. The Controller. Her. Sailor Moon. But now it is gone.

THE END