Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog & Amy Rose are © Sonic Team / Ashura the Hedgehog, Lauren Antares & the Uni are © me

12: Winding Down

Lauren finally realized that she had no idea where she was going. She didn't even know where to start looking.

Sonic was chasing Ashura. If I find Sonic, he might tell me where Ashie is.

. . . I wonder if they remember each other after all this time.

Lauren pulled in along the curb near a tiny café. She would ask for directions in there, and maybe get a dose of warm caffeine to calm herself.

She decided on a cappuccino, ordered, and sat down alone at a window table. Gripping the paper cup tightly in both hands, she stared out the window at the city residents. Many of them were packing up their cars, ready to leave Station Square before things got too hairy. The scene was almost enough to break Lauren's heart. They knew better this time.

Not two or three years ago, these peoples' homes and families had been utterly destroyed by Perfect Chaos, an ancient water deity fueled by rage. It was a wonder anyone was left alive. It was a wonder they continued to live here.

And as if to underscore what was now to come: Lauren had noticed, as she'd driven closer to Station Square, that the city seemed to be covered in clouds, while the surrounding sky was clear. The foreboding of it had made Lauren feel sick with fear, but she knew she couldn't turn back. Not without Ashura.

Movement across the table disrupted her melancholy thoughts. She looked up sharply, and as if by signal, the newcomer broke into chatter. "Hi. I hope you don't mind if I sit here. I just got out of the rain. I was admiring your quills; they're just like mine! Did you straighten them?"

She was a pink hedgehog with sparkling green eyes, who looked to be in her early teens. She was wearing a pale violet tie-front shirt, a denim miniskirt, a headband with a fake white rose attached, and a pair of gold wrist rings to secure her gloves. But her most outstanding feature was her quills: they hung straight down to her shoulders, instead of standing out stiffly as most hedgehogs' did. Indeed, they were just like Lauren's.

"No straightening. I was born this way," Lauren replied, patting her slack quills a bit self-consciously. "Cheater," the younger girl said, faking a pout. "My quills used to be regular, but I pulled 'em down. They look nicer that way."

"Have we met?"

"Oh, sorry!" The girl giggled with embarrassment. "I'm Amy Rose."

"Lauren Antares." The two females shook hands across the table.

"You came here at a bad time, if you don't mind me saying," Amy said. Lauren smirked a little. "How do you know I don't live here?"

"There aren't a whole lot of furries in Station Square. I've never seen you before."

"Well . . . I came to find a friend. I want to get him outta here before things get any worse. Uh, would you happen to know where Sonic the Hedgehog lives?"

Amy Rose bristled. "Sonic wouldn't be that friend, would he?"

Lauren leaned back defensively. "No. Sonic might know where he is." She relaxed quickly, and cocked an eyebrow. "Do I sense jealousy here?"

Amy blushed. "Sorry. I'm looking for Sonic, too. Ya see, I'm his girlfriend."

Lauren folded her arms across her chest. "Oh, yeah, I've seen you before. You're the one he's got to save all the time."

"Yup." Amy flushed with pride. "I know that something bad is happening, and you can bet Sonic's going to be at the center of it. I just have to make sure he's okay. By the way, who's this guy you're looking for?"

Lauren leaned over the table, as if about to disclose confidential information. "On the news report, did you see the video of Sonic chasing another hedgehog?"

"Yeah. I heard there's a warrant out for him."

"What! Why?"

"Well, because he flipped out and ran away like that. They were trying to put him in an ambulance, and he broke the straps and the bed. The feds wanna catch 'im now. Maybe they think he's connected to what's been happening. They did find him after the waterspout, you know."

Lauren's eyes narrowed furiously, and she sat back hard. "Why can't they just leave 'im alone? He only ran away because he was scared."

"That's your friend? The guy they're after?"

"Yes; poor guy . . ."

Amy perked up. "I have an idea!"

"What's that?"

"I'm looking for Sonic, and you say Sonic might know where your friend is. So why don't we look for them together?"

Lauren allowed a small smile on her stormy face. "Sounds good to me. That'll save me the trouble of hunting all over this city or asking for directions." She stood immediately, remembered to grab her coffee, and rushed out of the café, with Amy close at her heels.


Young as she was, Keera's first thought had been to save the other children before running to safety. But well before she'd shoved them all out of the way, the shadow of the falling tree coral closed over her, and she could practically feel it bearing down on her. She grabbed the nearest child: a confused girl of two, and held her tightly in her arms, hoping to protect her.

She never felt the impact. She thought that the tree coral had killed her instantly so that she hadn't felt the pain. Or perhaps it had broken her back, or maybe just knocked her out. She opened one eye, then the other.

It was Ashura.

The big hedgehog was putting his muscle to good use. At the last second he'd dashed under the coral and caught it on his shoulders. But it didn't look like he could hold it for very long. He was trembling badly; every muscle in his body was strained. Veins were even popping along his forehead and biceps. One foot began to slip out from under him, and he quickly readjusted it with an alarmed gasp.

Still stunned, Sonic walked closer. "Ash . . .?" he said. "Get . . . them . . . out," Ashura groaned through clenched teeth. Sonic shook his head, snapping out of his stupor. "Right!" The little blue hedgehog zipped back and forth, snatching up the terrified children and placing them well away from the giant tree coral.

Now there was just one problem left: how to get Ashura out from under the coral without it falling on him.

Sonic knelt next to his struggling brother. "Ashura, can you lift it higher?"

"No," Ashura gasped. In fact, he was losing his grip. The coral was sinking inch by inch. Suddenly, Ashura's legs tried to give out, and the coral shot down low enough to strike Sonic on the head. He threw himself to the ground before it did. Ashura cried out and steadied himself once more. Now sweat was dripping off his nose, his face was turning red, and his breathing was labored. His strength would deplete within the minute.

Sonic scrambled out from under the coral and turned in a circle, addressing the observing Uni. "What are you just standing there for! We gotta help 'im!" And with that he joined Ashura under the coral again, helping to hold it up. It was like pushing on a cement wall. How can he hold onto this thing!

"Hurry, Sonic," Ashura rasped, looking drained and frightened. He had nothing left to give.

Suddenly, Keera translated Sonic's rallying cry, and threw herself under the shuddering coral to support it. With that, the onlooking Uni all rushed to help. Even children who were barely tall enough to reach the coral's smooth underside tried to join in.

On a count of three by Keera, everyone gave a collective upwards heave, and the giant tree coral rose quickly. "That's it, Ash! Go!" Sonic shouted.

Ashura's bones seemed to have disintegrated. He wobbled slackly and fell forward, flat on his face. The Uni shifted themselves behind the coral and let it crash at their feet.

"Ash!" Sonic cried, falling at his brother's side. "Ashura, are you okay? Talk to me!"

The right side of Ashura's face was pressed into the stony ground. He was breathing so hard that his saliva sprayed the ground, and he even had a nosebleed from the exertion. He opened his left eye partially and tried to smile at Sonic. "I saved them . . ."

"Yeah," Sonic said, patting him on the back. "You did great, Ash."

"Mr. Ashura!" Now Keera had joined the hedgehogs. "Is he all right, Mr. Sonic?"

"I dunno."

"I am . . . just tired . . ."

Keera bit her lip, then called for the guard that had accompanied them on the tour. She pulled him down to her height and instructed him rapidly in Unese, pointing at Ashura. "Ya," he said, and scooped the limp hedgehog into his powerful arms. Ashura moaned softly and cringed; apparently some part of him was hurt. "We're taking him to the royal infirmary," Keera told Sonic. "He might just need rest. Our doctors can give him medicine for pain."

"Good," said Sonic, hurrying after the guard as he carried Ashura back towards the palace. "Sonic?" the exhausted hedgehog whimpered. "I'm here," Sonic told him. Ashura reached out to him. "Don't leave me . . ."

"I won't," Sonic promised, taking his hand.


The head physician was named Miss Kanby: a middle-aged, grandmotherly-looking woman. She was a bit plump, and her back-length brown hair had thick silver streaks in it. When Ashura first looked at her after the guard laid him down on a bed, he smiled instantly. "Hello."

"Heavens, what happened to him?" the woman demanded in Unese. "He looks as if he's got no strength left!" Now that Ashura had relaxed a bit, his previously red face was pale, and there were the beginnings of dark circles under his glazed eyes. He was still trembling, and his voice was faint.

"One of the tree corals fell over, and he caught it," Keera explained. "If he hadn't, people might have gotten hurt."

Miss Kanby glanced down at the Chosen One. He looked well-built, yes, but . . . "He held a tree coral? All by himself?"

"Yes; for a little while. Then we all helped to lift it off him."

Miss Kanby held Keera's eye contact for a few more seconds; then she got to work on Ashura. "Are you hurting anywhere?" she asked him in English. "M-my shoulders," he said faintly. Miss Kanby shot a glance at two of her colleagues, and the three of them flipped Ashura onto his stomach. Indeed, his brawny shoulders were badly bruised. One of his quills had come loose also.

One of the doctors sat a silver tray of supplies on the bedside table. Miss Kanby picked up a fat little clay jar and pulled the lid off. One of the other doctors handed her a piece of cloth from the tray, which she dipped into the jar. "What is that?" asked Sonic.

"It eases pain," Miss Kanby told him. "It is venom extracted from jellyfish tentacles. Diluted, of course," she added quickly as Sonic opened his mouth to shout. "It may only sting a bit, but it won't hurt him. It will numb the pain."

When the cloth seemed soaked enough with the weakened venom, Miss Kanby pulled it out of the jar and began to dab it over the bruises on Ashura's shoulders. He whimpered once, but otherwise the medicament didn't seem to bother him.

Miss Kanby continued until his fur was visibly damp, then used the dry portion of the cloth to wipe the blood from Ashura's face, and finally tossed the cloth onto the silver tray. "Anywhere else?" she asked. Ashura mumbled a negative response. "Then that's all," the doctor said. "You just get your rest, and you'll be as good as new."

"Thank you . . ."

"You're quite welcome. Oh, and I wouldn't recommend lying on your back just yet." She trailed off a bit at the end of her sentence. Ashura was almost asleep already. Miss Kanby pulled the sheet out from under him and covered him with it, while one of her aides took away the supply tray.

Sonic sat carefully on the edge of the bed, so as not to disturb his brother. He may not be smart, but he's tough. I mighta underestimated 'im . . . Well, sure, he's strong, but can he use that strength to fight? That was just to protect

Sonic's ears perked suddenly. He goes on offense to protect somebody!

The next time they met up with Akuma, Sonic wondered . . . Should he purposely put himself in danger to get Ashura to fight back? It was underhanded, but there really wasn't a choice. If Ashura didn't battle Akuma, they were all going to Hell.


"With a WOMAN!"

Amy was irate. When she and Lauren had gone into Oceanside Heights to ask if Sonic was home, the desk clerk had said that he'd seen Sonic walk out around two hours ago with another hedgehog and a tall woman.

"What in the hell is he doing with another woman!"

The two girls were sitting back against the curved hood of the Beetle. One ranted, while the other brooded.

I can't believe it. I missed him by TWO FREAKING HOURS. He is here. He is with Sonic. Two freaking hours!

"Amy, do you have any idea where Sonic might have gone?"

"Probably a strip club," Amy snorted coldly. Lauren frowned. "I mean seriously, Amy. I need to find Ashura. This is more important than Sonic cheating on you. And who says he was, anyway?"

"Hello? It's kinda obvious if he's with another woman! And he didn't even tell me!" Amy pounded her fists on her thighs. "Damn it! Damn him!"

Lauren suddenly grabbed the girl's arm. "Listen to me, Amy: I have not seen Ashura in almost twelve years. His own mother abandoned him when he was eight years old. For all I know, he's been living on Emerald Isle this whole time. Alone. And now it's gone. He's got to be terrified. I was his only friend when we were little. I still love him, and I need to help him. I've got to show him he's still loved. Now, please, tell me: where do you think Sonic might have gone?"

The girls stared into each other's eyes for a long time. Amy broke the gaze, looking sadly at her lap. "II honestly don't know, Lauren. I'm sorry." It surprised her how little she actually knew about Sonic.

Lauren let go of her arm and nodded. "Thank you, Amy." Then she buried her face in her hands and cried silently. Amy pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees, gazing off into space. And the two of them sat out there in the drizzle, feeling utterly alone and hopeless.

As the sky darkened with the onset of night, Amy inquired, "Lauren, do you have a place to stay?"

"I can get a hotel room," the older girl mumbled. She was resting her forehead against her knees now, and her voice was very soft. Amy smiled gently. "You don't have to do that. You can spend the night with me."

"Got your own place?"

"Yup; it's a rowhome. Not the best, but you know. I get by."

"Huh. That's nice." Lauren straightened up. "Well, thanks a lot. I guess I'll stay."

"Great." The girls slid off the hood and got into the car.

As they drove back into the city, Amy said, "Lauren? What's Ashura like? Or, what did he used to be like?"

Lauren smiled, and her face actually relaxed, as if she had entered a dream. "Wonderful. Absolutely the sweetest boy you could imagine. He was so nice and shy it almost hurt. He . . . He wasn't exactly the popular kid."

"Turn . . . He was bullied?"

"Oh, terribly. His father was the worst."

Amy gasped. "His dad beat him?"

Lauren sighed. "He whipped Ashura into this docile frightened little kid. Can you believe thatwell, from what I saw, anywayAshura had no hatred for his father?"

"Right at this next lightNo way."

"Ashura didn't have a mean bone in his body. He'd go right up to a kid who hated his guts and be like 'Oh, hello, how are you, do you want to play with me?' It was awful to see how cruel they were to him."

"Why were they? He sounds so . . . Sounds like a nice guy."

Lauren snorted. " 'Cuz of the way he looked. And his name. He was 'weird'."

Amy fell silent for several moments, directing Lauren through the city with points of her finger. Then she said, "You told me he was abandoned. Why would anyone do that?"

". . . I don't like to talk about it," Lauren said stonily. Amy turned her head. "Sorry."

"S'okay. But I'll tell you this: it was all his dad's fault. I never got all the details, but I know Jules Hedgehog did something to him. Son of a bitch . . ."

It turned out Amy's rowhome was in a shoddier section of the city, but the interior of the house itself wasn't so bad. It was almost inviting, as a matter of fact. One walked right into the living room from the door, and was bombarded with pink softness. The wallpaper was white with tiny pink roses, and the carpet and couch, both light pink, were reminiscent of plush. There was even a fake fireplace in front of the couch, and hanging above the mantle was a life-sized poster of Sonic the Hedgehog. Lauren also noticed that there was a portrait of Sonic on the wall, and several pictures of him (sometimes with Amy) on the mantle. Even more pictures of Sonic, Amy, and their friends hung diagonally on the wall following the ascending steps. Lauren had to comment, "Are you sure Sonic's your boyfriend, or are you just a stalker?"

"Better watch yourself, or I'll kick you out."

"Hey, that's fine with me; I saw a couple hotels comin' down here."

Amy giggled. "I'm starvin'; I don't know if I ate all day. I can cook some TV dinners quick."

"I don't care; whatever you make's fine with me."

"Okay. Hey, turn on the news, why don't ya?"

"Right." Lauren picked up the remote off the coffee table on which the TV sat, in front of the fake fireplace. She seated herself on Amy's feather-soft couch and took another look around the house before turning the TV on. She couldn't help feeling a bit sardonic. Here I am: nineteen years old, and that kid's got a better place than me.

She switched the TV on; the channel was already set on the local news station, DreamNews. Lauren's jaw dropped. "Amy, come here!"

Amy was leaning over the back of the couch in a few seconds. "WhaOh God!"

"Amy . . . Who is that?"

"It . . . It's Tails."

They were watching an amateur film of the fight between Good and Evil that had occurred several hours ago.

"Tails . . . Oh, something's wrong with him . . ."

Indeed. Tails would never try to hurt anyone, much less strangle a helpless-looking hedgehog with his tails.

"Ashura!" Lauren screamed, falling to her knees in front of the TV. "Lauren, it's all right; it's not live!" Amy told her.

After what seemed like hours, Sonic finally arrived on the scene. He was carrying something that looked like a small staff. Then Tailsor the creature that looked like himmaterialized fire in an attempt to destroy the hedgehogs. Lauren screamed again and covered her eyes.

"Lauren, look! They're okay!"

Lauren refused to look. With one hand still over her eyes, the other hand skittered over the TV and pounded the Power button. The images and sound stopped abruptly.

Lauren turned away and balled herself up, wailing. Amy sat on her knees behind her, one hand pressed over her mouth. "Don't turn it back on . . ." Lauren begged her. "Please . . ."

"Lauren . . . I-I'm sure they're okay. Nothing bad ever happens when Sonic's around. Remember how the desk clerk said they left the apartment? Well, maybe that footage was shot before that. See, maybe they're okay. They went home, and then left again. We gotta turn it back on so we know what happened to them."

Lauren knew Amy was right. But she didn't want to watch anymore. It hadn't ended. Ashura was still being beaten. She didn't know why . . . But something was terribly wrong.

Amy eventually turned the set back on. Lauren didn't look at the screen, and blocked out the audio. She tried to fill her head with thoughts of their youth. She, and Ashura.

"Lauren . . ."

Amy spoke softly in her ear.

"Lauren, I told you. They went home after the fight. Which means they're okay."

"How do you know?" Lauren croaked. "What if thatthat thing went after them again?"

Amy sighed and put an arm around the older girl's shoulders. She didn't offer any comforting words; she didn't know what to say. She wasn't all that optimistic herself.


"What is this?" demanded Sonic.

"They want to give their thanks, Mr. Sonic," Keera said.

Nearly fifteen Uni, children and their parents, had crowded around the Chosen One's bed.

"Now, come on," Sonic protested. "Can't they come back later? Ash is tired."

"No, Sonic . . . It's all right." Ashura sat up and slumped forward, too fatigued to hold himself upright. Even so, he managed a smile. "Hello, everyone."

A little girl with flaxen hair climbed up onto the bed with Ashura. A large plant was clutched in her hand: a pinkish orange sea fan. She held it out to Ashura, smiling. "Kantes, Erus."

Ashura chuckled gently. "I'm not the Erus."

The child pushed the sea fan at him, urging him to take it. "Kantes."

Ashura finally took her gift. "Thank you. It's very pretty."

The little girl wrapped her arms around Ashura's neck, murmuring words he couldn't understand. He looked surprised at first, then humbled, then finally blissful. Tears filled his eyes as he awkwardly returned the child's embrace with one arm. "Thank you."

"Kantes."

"Yes . . ."

Sonic tried not to roll his eyes. He tried to feel happy for Ashura; after all, when was the last time he'd been treated with such love? But really, the whole scene was too mushy for him. Especially when all the other kids got up on Ashura's bed and tried to hug him too.

Eventually, the doctors shooed Ashura's visitors away . . . All except two (and Keera). Sakana and Arisu had come in to see how the Chosen One was doing. As could be expected, Sakana was very coddling with him. "You did a very brave thing, Ashura," she kept telling him while stroking between his ears. Ashura looked like he was getting high off the contentment.

Arisu, being her usual austere self, merely congratulated and thanked Ashura. "Perhaps he does have the strength to protect us," she commented to her daughter. "I knew he did all along," Sakana replied.

Though Ashura's injuries came nowhere near the qualifications for an overnight stay in the infirmary, Miss Kanby was reluctant to let him go. In fact, Sonic and the royal family suspected she'd grown attached to him already. And who wouldn't?

"I'm worried about how exhausted he looks."

"And no wonder," replied the queen. "A good night's sleep will take care of that, Miss Kanby."

"He may need more medication if the pain comes back."

Arisu chuckled. "My Sakana can take care of that."

"Indeed," said Sakana, rubbing Ashura's unbroken ear with her fingertips. Her touch seemed to be lulling him.

"Well, all right," Miss Kanby conceded. "But please: someone keep an eye on him."

"Will do," Sonic spoke up. Ashura smiled at the doctor. "I will be all right." Miss Kanby nearly melted. He was such a charming fellow.

"If you want to get in a full night's sleep, we best leave now," said Arisu. "Thank you for your aid, Miss Kanby."

"Of course, milady. You take care of yourself, Ashura."

No, ma'am; I think you'll be seeing him many more times in the next week, Sakana thought sadly.

Ashura scooted off the bed and gazed up at the woman doctor. She was such a nice lady. He really wanted to give her a hug, but he thought that might look stupid. He combed his mind frantically for some token of appreciation, and then held out his hand. Miss Kanby laughed and shook it. "What a gentleman."

On the way back to their quarters, Sonic couldn't keep his eyes off Ashura. The big hedgehog, looking so bleak earlier today, now looked as if he could fly. No more self-conscious shuffling about and hunched shoulders; he was nearly skipping. He held his head up, his eyes were bright, ears perked (even the broken one lifted slightly), and he was smiling. The smile wasn't fake, either; it relayed genuine happiness.

Before letting her guests retire for the night, Sakana had to give them a quick final briefing of their room and its accessories, particularly the bathroom. There was a cylindrical stall with a sliding door that was the shower, and a large, round hole in the floor that was the bathtub (it look more like a hot tub, by its architecture, but it had a spigot, a drain plug, and two small valves that controlled the water). The sinks (yes, sinks: there were two of them) were like any above ground, but the toilet was a different story. It was much smaller than an ordinary toilet; looking more like a short, fat pipe. It only had a lid: no seat, no flush handle, and no bowl. Although upon closer inspection, there seemed to be a dark, water-filled chamber beneath the pipe. The whole thing was akin to a Port-A-Potty. Sonic wrinkled his nose at this realization. "Hope we don't get food poisoning from your sushi while we're here, 'cuz it won't be pretty."

The whole time, Lady Arisu leaned in the doorway to the room, waiting for her eldest daughter (Keera had already gone off to bed) and looking quite sour. Would it kill her to smile once? Sonic thought to himself.

I have much to worry about, the queen responded telepathically, and if you weren't so blithe, you'd be just like me.

Sonic had forgotten about the mind reading. He suddenly felt uncomfortable and exposed. These people could get into his head whenever they wanted to.

His agitated thoughts were interrupted by Ashura's sudden appearance next to him. The older hedgehog reeked of cheerfulness; Sonic half expected to see flowers and birdies floating around him. "Say good night to Sakana, Sonic. It's time for bed."

"You're worse than my mother," Sonic grumbled, but decided to be polite for once. " 'Night, Sakana."

"Good night, my friends." Behind them, the princess leaned down to hug Ashura around his neck. The Chosen One went stiff at first; he didn't like things touching his neck. But he knew Sakana wouldn't hurt him, and he relaxed, nuzzling his head into her shoulder. "Awww, can I have a hug, too?" Sonic cooed in an obnoxiously sweet voice.

Sakana embraced him next. "Hey!" Sonic yelped, squirming in her arms. "I was kidding!" For added effect, Sakana kissed him on the top of his head. "That's it!" Sonic yelled, jerking away from her. Sakana giggled. "I didn't want you to feel left out."

"I'd rather be," Sonic muttered, wiping his head. "You can cuddle Ash all ya want."

Sakana finally left the room, waving and calling over her shoulder, "Make sure to get plenty of rest. Pleasant dreams." She closed the double doors behind her, and the hedgehogs were finally left to themselves.

"Sakana is so nice," Ashura commented. "Everyone's nice here."

" 'Cept Queen Sourpuss," Sonic added. "And what's got into you? First you're a social reject, and now you're jacked up on Prozac. You're scarin' me here."

"I . . ." Ashura lowered his head now, trying to find a solid reason for his sudden happiness. "I did a good thing. I helped people. I saved them. And now . . . everyone loves me."

"They loved ya before."

"Yeah, but . . . I . . . I see it now. And I really feel it. It's just like" He stopped suddenly. Sonic looked hard at him. "Like what?"

"Like . . . How Lauren loved me." The memory of his young girlfriend seemed to hurt. "And you . . . When we were little." That sentence seemed to be added at the last second, as if Ashura were making a point. Sonic's face softened a bit. "I don't hate ya, bro."

"I know. I know that." But Ashura still wasn't quite convinced. Sonic wasn't showing him love the way he had when he was a boy. He was different now; more standoffish.

Sonic probably didn't like him. Probably thought he was stupid.

"Wonder what time it is?" Sonic was muttering to himself. "Don't see any clocks in here . . . It's probably around nine, ten . . . I don't usually go to sleep 'til late, or whenever I want . . ." He shrugged and headed over to the bed on the right side of the room. "Dibs," he said. Ashura nodded, quickly recalling the declaration used to claim items. He took the bed opposite from Sonic's.

Sonic kicked off his sneakers and lay down, but propped himself up on one elbow and stared into space. Ashura watched him, feeling isolated. He wasn't quite tired yet, and he had nothing to do. So he got up and joined Sonic over on his bed. "Hello."

" 'Ey."

". . . Are you thinking?"

"Yeah."

"About what?"

"Stuff. You wouldn't like it. It's depressing. I'm thinkin' 'bout our job, Ash. And Tails."

"He's the one . . . that Akuma took. Right?"

"Yeah. Poor kid. Ya know, it just makes sense. The most evil being in the world would take the body of the sweetest kid I know. You'd like Tails, Ash. He's really smart, but he's just a kid. He's about as old as your brain." Sonic grinned slightly. "Yeah, he'd like you, too. I never told him I had an older brother. Never told anybody. No one really knows that much about my past, ya know?"

"Except me," Ashura spoke up. Sonic nodded. "Yeah . . . Sometimes I wonder about Mom and" He shut himself up immediately.

"Daddy's dead," Ashura whispered. "I know," Sonic murmured. "I'm sorry, Ash."

"Me, too."

"Don't be. It wasn't you."

"It was," Ashura insisted. "I . . . I can't remember what I did, but . . . I know it was me. I know." He slowly shifted his eyes to meet Sonic's. "Will you tell me? What I did?"

". . . No."

Sonic was done talking. He turned away from Ashura and squirmed beneath the sheet. " 'Night. Turn off the lamps when ya go to bed, okay?"

"Okay." said Ashura quietly. But for many minutes afterward, he remained perched on the edge of Sonic's bed. He really didn't want to sleep by himself. Sonic's bed was big enough for two. Maybe more, if you were counting in hedgehogs' size.

Besides, he wanted to be close to his little brother. Just for . . . love. And also to protect him. Akuma might sneak up and hurt Sonic in the middle of the night, while Ashura was sound asleep on the other side of the room.

The big hedgehog stood and switched off the bedside lamps, plunging the room into complete darkness. He stood there for a few seconds, shivering with fear. Dark . . . Alone . . .

He scrambled back across the room, to Sonic's bed. He let himself down onto it cautiously, not wanting to disturb the other hedgehog in case he was asleep.

He was just getting underneath the sheet when he heard Sonic's sleepy voice: "The hell're you doin'?"

"I-I'm just going to bed . . ."

"Y'got yer own bed. Go get in it."

"Sonic, I . . ."

"Oh, what? Scared of the dark?" Sonic's voice was mocking now. "Ya think the boogeymen under the bed are gonna get'cha? Big ugly vampires in the corner?"

"Sonic, stop," Ashura almost cried, clenching the sheet in one fist. His frightened tone made Sonic ease up on him. "You know I was playin'. Nothin's gonna get'cha. Now go to bed."

"I want to sleep with you."

"Ash . . ." I'm not the one who should be giving this talk, Sonic thought as he sat up. "Look . . . We're not kids anymore. We . . . We can't be . . . close like this."

"Why?"

"It's . . . It's just wrong, okay? Morally, socially and politically wrong. Guys and guys just . . . can't . . . be together. Now will you please get in your own bed?"

Ashura cocked his head. "Boys can't love each other anymore?"

"No . . . Well, yeah . . . Damn it, Ashura, I can't explain this to you. Ask Sakana or someone in the morning."

Ashura didn't respond for several seconds. Then, he got out of Sonic's bed. "I knew it," he whispered. Sonic didn't say anything more; just listened as Ashura shuffled across the room to his own lonely bed.

About three minutes later, the cobalt hedgehog got up out of his bed and tiptoed across the room. He stopped at the foot of Ashura's bed and listened. His big brother's breathing was slow and deep: he was pretty far gone, if not already asleep. Sonic continued on until he was standing near Ashura's headAt least, he was pretty sure he was at Ashura's head. It was sort of hard to tell in the pitch dark.

Sonic reached out and searched carefully with his hand until it came to rest on a solid, furry surface: Ashura's forehead. The bigger hedgehog whimpered in his sleep, but didn't stir. Sonic patted his brother slightly and murmured, "Don't get me wrong. I love you, Ashura: in a brotherly way. I'm . . . I'm glad we're back together."

Sonic padded back to his own bed, collapsed into it, and fell into an uneasy sleep within the half hour.