Thanks to those who have sent me examples of Sonic artwork. As for everyone else, please e-mail me at SUPASONEC@aol.com with examples that pertain to this story. And this isn't the last chapter.

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Chapter 46

Going Home

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Of course, despite Sonic and his friends' heroic effort, the law was the law, even though no one thought it fair, not even the police.

The murder charge was dropped when the police saw Knuckles, but a new one came in its place: assault. As much as Knuckles pleaded and insisted Sonic had not harmed him, the written confession was simply too much evidence to turn away, the police said. Apparently, Crystal had possessed Sonic at that time and written it out. Figured.

And, without any evidence to refute it, the terroristic attacks charge remained, which was worse than the murder one. Police still blamed the missile attack on Sonic. Sonic blamed it on Crystal. She had said it herself that she was the cause to all his problems.

Tails was considered for a murder charge as well, the murder of Dr. Eggman. This was because, during a testimony, Rouge had mentioned something about Tails fixing up Metal Sonic, and when the battlefield was later inspected, Dr. Eggman's blood was found on Metal Sonic, for some reason. However, the charge was dropped when it was discovered that every robot in the immediate area, and most of the robot parts that had been blown to pieces, had a drop or two of Eggman's blood, and they concluded Tails could not have done all of that, and they had no other evidence to old that against him. Besides, he probably got killed by the dragon.

Amy's charge of assisting a deadly criminal was dropped because the police, feeling they owed something to the group, claimed Amy had been "seduced" by Sonic to perform criminal activity.

Blade was initially going to be arrested for violating a direct government order, but it was soon found that not the President nor any member of government had written that order but Rouge. His charge was dropped while Rouge was charged with impersonating a government official, among various other military violations. There was almost no way for her to get out of her crimes.

Knuckles was thoroughly questioned about his experience, but before officials could throw him in an insane asylum, Tails said he'd take care of the "insane rodent." The police approved it without question.

Luckily, no one was accused of Big's death. After the autopsy, the police confirmed it was, in fact, a stabbing death. They attributed it, again, to the dragon's claws.

Before Sonic got into the courtroom for the opening arguments, his friends tried to give him support. Sonic had, in fact, been stuck with a pro bono lawyer.

"Don't worry, Sonic, we'll get ya outta here," whispered Tails as Sonic was led in.

"You can count on us," agreed Amy.

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They couldn't do anything.

When Amy testified, she accidentally mentioned that Sonic had mentioned numerous times how much he wanted to throttle, "that lazy, useless echidna." Knuckles was not allowed to testify because he had recently been labeled "legally insane" thanks to his "dimension 8.75" story. Blade made as much of an effort as possible to clear Sonic's name ("This guy has saved your planet dozens of times, and you still think he's a killer?"), but it was hard to believe his testimony because he was considered a "freelance" worker from another planet who wouldn't know enough about the situation. Sonic's lawyer was simply too inexperienced to perform in this kind of case, and he neglected to ask any case-turning questions.

So there Sonic laid in his cot, just three weeks after the dragon incident had occurred. He now tried to count the number of specks on the rock ceiling, for there was nothing else to do but wait. The last date of his trial was tomorrow, and so far there was nothing that would keep him from being arrested. Tails was his only hope, but the opposing lawyer would probably just play it safe to him and keep his current score with the jury. Sonic sighed. Wasn't he just in this position three weeks ago, when he was caught by none other than Blade?

He had gotten a couple letters from fans telling him to hang tough, two from Tails, one from Blade, and one from Amy, a beautiful floral letter expressing her thanks for everything he had done for her throughout each of their lives, from the Little Planet to Earth. It was signed, "Love, Amy." Sonic smiled when he read that note. It was probably the first time he hadn't been peeved by Amy's crush on him. In fact, he now embraced it.

Although that may have been his most special letter, the most important was from Blade. But Sonic wondered if what the bounty hunter had said in the letter was true. Could they pull off the biggest upset of all?

"Get up, hedgehog," growled a security guard outside his cell. Sonic was up quick as a blink of an eye. The officer was tall and apparently strong. He wore his hat tightly on his head and a slick pair of sunglasses. This guy, Sonic thought, is what I'd be like if I was a cop.

"You have a visitor waiting for you outside. Follow me," he said, motioning down the hallway. Sonic followed, considering Blade's idea.

It was about halfway through their little walk that Sonic realized this wasn't the right way. The visitor's hall was on the last right, but the officer had walked right past it. Sonic was about to say something when the cop stopped in front of two other guards, apparently blocking another doorway.

"What's with the rodent?" grumbled one of them, a smaller one.

"I have orders to take the convict with me. It is a special visit with his lawyer and probation officer."

"Orders were not to let that thing out of this place under no circumstances," sneered the other one. He was as tall as Sonic's officer, but not quite as muscular.

The officer who had led Sonic out got right in the tall one's face.

"I have special orders from military general Ramsey to bring this hedgehog out of here. Move or I'll have to get violent."

The other one didn't seem fazed.

"I move for no one 'less they got written permission from one of the upper guys."

Sonic's officer backed away, supposedly giving up. Then, he padded his back.

"Okay, I've got it here somewhere…"

In an instant, the officer had both guards with their hands over their heads. He had pulled out an all too-familiar sword on them. Sonic grinned.

"I seem to have lost it," Blade muttered. "Could you please let us through anyway?"

"S-s-should've known it was yous," stammered the smaller one, slowly opening the door for Sonic and Blade. "I s-s-s-saw some weird lookin' c-car out there…"

Blade raised a finger. "But you didn't know. And that's why I'm successful and you're an underpaid loser." And with that, Sonic and Blade sprinted for the War Machine.

Behind them, the two cops had pulled out their guns. An alarm began blaring outside. Blade popped open the cockpit of the black War Machine, which was already filled with nearly every person Sonic had come in contact with in the last three weeks.

"You made it!" cheered Tails.

"Took ya long enough," laughed Knuckles.

"No time, we ain't outta here yet," said Blade coolly. He shut the door the moment Sonic had jammed himself between Amy and Tails.

Outside, the group heard the sounds of metal hitting metal.

"I'm gonna need a new paint job when I get back," Blade growled as he pulled a control back. The car began to fly higher and higher. He had been recharging the machine for all three weeks, so he had plenty of energy now. Eventually, the car got high enough that the group could see thousands of people in the city below staring and pointing at them.

"Can't believe you pulled that off, man," chuckled Sonic once the shooting from below had stopped.

"Neither can I," laughed RaGiff from the monitor. "Nice seein' you again, blue."

"And I get no greetings?" Blade mock accused.

"Your greetings' gonna come when I fix that thing up for you. What you been doin' to my baby?" He then began a conversation with the car. "Did big bad Leo bust you up, baby?"

"This is why you don't have a girl yet, 'Giff," joked Blade. The group all laughed, even RaGiff.

"So now what're we doin'?" asked Sonic. He knew this part of the plan from the letter, he just wasn't sure what was going to happen next.

"What're we doing, we're going to dock in the mobile station RaGiff sent out for us, then take a carrier ship home."

"Home?"

"Yes, home. I'm takin' all you guys back to Mobius."

The mass of people cheered behind Blade and Mighty, who got the co-pilot's seat.

"Ah man, Mobius," Sonic sighed. "It's been years, man, it's been years."

"Whatcha gonna do when you get back?" asked Knuckles.

"What? Ain't you comin' with me Red?"

"Well yeah, but not for long. I'm headed back to the real Floating Island." He held up a minimized Master Emerald.

"One track mind, Red, one track mind." The two slapped five, glad to be pals again. "You're gonna have to start all over again, Tails. Y'know, with the workshop and all…"

"No big deal," responded the fox. "I've been meaning to start on some new stuff anyway, and that old workshop was too small. I'm making a nice, big one now."

Sonic nodded. "And you guys?" he said, turning to Mighty, Vector, Espio, and Charmy.

"I'm buyin' the new Mesh…er, I mean, Modern Day Zero album," chuckled Vector, looking at RaGiff."

"Wonderful," Sonic moaned. "And after that?"

"Hadn't thought that far," the crocodile joked. He got a few laughs. "Well, now that Mighty's not training anymore by himself," he thought, "we were gonna let him join the Chaotix Detective Agency."

Sonic laughed. "THAT'S what you guys are, detectives?"

"Don't you be dissin' us, we're the best in the biz."

"Sure," Sonic chortled. "And how about my man Blade?"

His face fell for just a second, then smiled again.

"Actually," he hinted, "there may be something you can help me with."

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The weasel smiled evilly as he paced around his room.

"It's about time," Fang laughed. "It's been years since I heard from that guy, and today he calls, telling me the money will be here soon. Ooooohhhh, fifty million Mobians. Heh heh heh…"

He walked into a dark room and turned on the lights. A young woman of about twenty moved her dark brown hair and opened her eyes.

"What now?" she groaned weakly.

"Lucky, lucky you. Your boyfriend called today. You'll be going home shortly, although I must say he mustn't care for you too much if he waited close to three years to save you." Fang left the room laughing. Cassie's heart was hopeful. Was this really it? Why had it been so long? And where had he gotten all the money? She couldn't wait.

The doorbell rang. Fang scampered to the door and opened it.

"Got a big package here today, Mr. Weasel," gasped the mailman, dropping a large box and a couple other letters onto Fang's door.

"I thought I told you I changed my name. I am Fang the freakin' Sniper, you dolt!"

"Guess I'm not getting tipped," murmured the policeman as he walked out of the house. "By the way," he mentioned on his way out, "you should really do something about those animals. They're always around your house."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," growled Fang as he slammed the door. Greedily, he ripped open the package.

But there was no money in it.

"WHAAAAAT????"

Fang's shout was loud enough to be heard in the next zip code. There was a note, though.

"Now we're even."

What the hell…?

Fang snapped his head around and pulled out his pistol just as he heard a crashing noise behind him. There was that blue hedgehog again. He had just knocked down his door! He'd pay for that!

"Thought you could pull one over on ol' Fang, didn't ya Sonic?" laughed Fang. Sonic hadn't expected this one. Fang was getting faster. "Well, I don't know why you're here, but you're gonna pay big for busting up mah door. Where's Meester Leo O'Connell?"

"The real question," growled a voice who had just entered the room, "is where's Miss Cassie Nekida?"

Fang dropped his gun and held up his hands. Blade kept his sword against the weasel's back. "That wasn't a rhetorical question!" he shouted.

"S-s-she's in the back room, 's like she been for years. You's a dirty fighter, Meester Leo, a dirty fighter…"

"Look who's talking. Kidnapping an innocent woman and taking three years of her life away is the worst kind of fighting. Call the cops, Sonic. There's a quick dial button for them in the car. Take this pig with you."

Sonic nodded and ran off for the War Machine with Fang in hand. Blade turned and entered the back room.

The two stared at each other for what seemed like forever.

"Le…Leo?" whispered Cassie.

Blade nodded.

She smiled so big it seemed to take up her whole face. She tried to get up but he collapsed from exhaustion. She was slender from lack of food. Blade ran to her and hugged and kissed her. How long he had waited to see her face again, and vice versa.

"Time to get you out of here," Blade muttered in her ear. He felt her head nod. Blade helped her up and led her out the door to the exit of the house…

"Glad you could join us, Meester Leo and Meeses Cassie," sneered Fang. He had Tails in a headlock outside the War Machine and a gun to his head. The fox struggled like nothing else, but could not get free. He wore a terrified expression on his face. The others seemed to be trapped inside the car. For some reason, they couldn't find a way out. They were banging on the window.

"Now hand over the meeses 'n drop your sword 'n I won't hafta blow this fine young man's head open, hear?"

But while Fang was busy bragging, Blade had taken careful aim and thrown his sword holster first at Fang's gun. The sword and the gun popped into the air. Blade jumped and grabbed the gun while the sword stabbed into the side of the War Machine. Blade pointed the gun at Fang, who instinctively had his hands up.

"You made me wreck my car."

At that moment, police sirens began blaring from far away. Blade just smiled.

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"Whoee, man, that was something!" laughed Sonic. "Man, Knux's gonna be pissed off he missed that!"

Blade paid no attention. He was talking with Cassie up front, and rightfully so. Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Mighty had come on the trip. The other three Chaotix members were fixing up the office, and Knuckles had returned to his post on Floating Island.

"But now what?" Sonic said to no one in particular. "I've got nothin' to do now, and I hate it! You got any ideas, Tails? Mighty?"

Tails and Mighty remained silent. But Amy leaned her head onto Sonic's shoulder. Sonic instinctively joined her by laying his head on hers. The two smiled and shut their eyes.

"I've got an idea," Amy whispered.

Sonic just smiled.