Be One World, Be The Light
Chapter 16: Till We Meet Again
Good morning. Here we are with the final chapter. Another big thank you to everyone for your support. Enjoy the epilogue!
Golden light dribbled over the Sol Empire like syrup on oatmeal. After a long night, the daybreak brought glimmers of warmth. The golden light softly caressed the land and ignited the birds into a chorus of melodies. The kingdom's streets were barren, but amid the quietness were the trio of friends.
Blaze, Silver and Marine strode through the quiet streets in silence. The only noise that reverberated around them was the clacking of their shoes against the cobbled pavement. Relieved to be home after what felt like years, Blaze fixated her gaze towards the sunrise as it illuminated the blue, igniting the most perfect flame. Along the way, the town below grabbed her focus. Destroyed houses from Eggman Nega's final attack loomed within the distance, but what caught her focus was the damaged bell tower.
This is where it had all begun, where the monster arrived to torment her. Loose rubble still filled the streets from the aftermath. Her breathing faintly intensified, her hand finding itself pressing softly against her chest. A gentle touch against her shoulder broke the princess from her concerns, turning around to face the kind demeanour of her friend.
"I'm here," Silver assured.
Though her eyes continued to hold terror, a smile casted across her face once more, masking her own anxiety. "Thank you, Silver."
While they spoke, Marine eagerly tugged on Silver's free hand. "What do you think of the place, Silver? Beautiful, ain't it?"
Silver peered around the surrounding kingdom. By now they reached the peak of the hills leading up to the castle, allowing them to overlook the town below. The damaged buildings captivated his attention at first, but the beautiful landscape overshadowed his initial impressions. He loved the gentle rays brushing softly against his fur, the sea air bringing a sensation of pleasure. A whole world was out there for him to explore, and he couldn't wait.
"It's amazing," Silver muttered, eyes sparkling with admiration. "I… Think I'm going to love it here."
Blaze held her smile, relieved to see his kind eyes return. The fury he once held was still fresh in her mind, great pain filling his gentle gaze. Despite her own powers, even Blaze would cower at the rage of his kind soul. But he didn't have to fight anymore. No more futures to save. No more Mephiles or Iblis. He could be his true self at last. The warrior of time was no more. In place was the childlike Silver who adored the simplest things in life.
"Oh, look!" Marine exclaimed, throwing her arm forward. "The castle's coming up! Just wait till you see it, Silver!"
Too energetic to keep walking at a dawdling pace, Marine raced off ahead. Silver admired her spirit, as did Blaze. The giant castle slowly came into view, its towering presence forcing Silver's eyes to widen with amazement. He stopped just short of crossing the cobbled bridge, marvelling at the massive landscape.
"Whoa," Silver gasped. "This… Is your home?"
"No," Blaze replied with a small headshake. "Our home."
Lost in a trance by the beautiful castle, Blaze gingerly caught his arm, grabbing his attention at last. Sudden hesitation spread across her expression. "Silver, before we go inside…"
He innocently turned his head. "Yeah?"
"Please don't tell anyone about… What we learned," Blaze trailed off slowly, her grip softly tightening. "At least not yet. I… Don't want to hurt anyone with the truth."
Without hesitation, Silver nodded. "I won't say anything. I promise."
"Princess Blaze!"
The two shot their gaze forward towards the castle. A familiar koala bear came racing forward, Marine cheerfully skipping by his side. Upon reaching the duo, his black orbs immediately took note of Blaze's appearance. While the Sol Emeralds had since healed her injuries, the same could not be said for her clothing. Her tailcoat was barely hanging on by a thread. Ashes smeared her fur and clothing. Dried blood still stained one of her fur gloves. A shower and change of attire was certainly needed.
Gardon threw his arms around her waist without warning, pulling the feline forward with strength she never knew he carried. Blaze initially stiffened at the surprise embrace, but Gardon swiftly let go and stood to attention.
He straightened up before giving a bow. "Princess Blaze, please forgive me. That was very unprofessional, I deeply apologise-"
"Gardon," she cut him off gently, her voice bringing his gaze to her own. "I'm happy to see you too."
The koala bear smiled, averting his eyes towards the young raccoon. He knelt down and rested both hands against her shoulders, pride filling his once proud demeanour. "Well done, Miss Marine."
Marine's wide smile returned, beaming at the praise. She threw her hand against her temple. "Captain Marine was happy to help!"
Gardon softly chuckled. As his moment of joy slowly faded, the unfamiliar guest caught his attention. He stood up straight, eyeing the hedgehog with curiosity. Silver took note of the stare, offering a nervous smile in return. "Princess Blaze. Who is this?"
"Gardon, this is Silver," Blaze introduced, gesturing between the duo. "He's going to be staying with us. Silver, this is Gardon. My personal guard."
Silver offered a bashful wave. "Hi."
Curiosity mounted Gardon's face, eyes darting between the hedgehog and his ruler. He longed to know just what had happened in the past few hours. Personal feelings aside, Gardon carried his duty proudly. With no reason to distrust his ruler's decision, he took another bow to the new visitor. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Silver. I hope your stay in the Sol Empire will be one of delight."
Taken back by the formal gesture, Silver briefly glanced towards Blaze, who lightly shrugged in return. His smile returned once more. "It's nice to meet you too, Gardon. I'm definitely going to love it here!"
Blaze removed the satchel strapped around her shoulder, placing it softly within the koala bear's hands. "Gardon, I will be inside shortly. Please take the Sol Emeralds for me."
He eagerly accepted his orders, no hesitation. "Yes, Princess Blaze."
"And Gardon," she continued before he raced off. Her expression softened with gratitude, unable to stop the smile creeping its way onto her muzzle. "Thank you."
Though caught off guard once more by the praise, Gardon softly nodded. "My pleasure, Blaze."
He raced forward to continue his duty serving the throne. Marine pursued him, demanding some compensation in the form of cakes and cookies. Their voices faded into the distance, leaving the reunited friends together once more. While Blaze paused to tighten her gloves, Silver switched his gaze between his wrists and a nearby trash can.
"Let's get going, Silver," Blaze urged. "I want to show you the inside."
"Wait," Silver said. "There's just something I have to do first."
Blaze arched her eyebrow, piquing interest slowly filling her gaze. Silver unlatched the Time Wrist Cuffs from their positions, liberating a great burden. Cyan energy formed around the bracelets, lifting them slowly above his face. With a gentle squeeze, Silver crushed the trinkets, breaking the shackles that bound him to the past. The destroyed cuffs were soon disregarded, tossed into the trash can with no hesitation.
She watched him do so with admiration. "Silver…"
His gentle smile grabbed her focus, no explanation for his actions. "I'm ready to go!"
A relieved and merry laugh escaped Blaze. To hear her laugh was like music to his ears. Looking at Silver made her feel like laughing all over, as if she could express joy with not just with her mouth but with her heart. "Welcome home, Silver."
Their new life awaited them just beyond those castle doors. The days of needing to fight for survival were over. At last they finally had a tomorrow to look forward to.
Four days later…
Maria,
I learned a few days ago our timeline was an alternate reality. Someone named Mephiles merged his way through the cracks of time. He tried to erase history again, but we were able to stop him. Memories of our old lives have been returned, even as we continue to coexist in this world.
But that's not all. In this original timeline, Mephiles told me humanity would blame me for an eternal disaster. Omega of all people would be the one to stop me. I don't harbour any hate against Omega for this. But I've been thinking about it for some time. Even if the Flames of Disaster never happened in this timeline, will something else? I've done what I can to earn humanity's trust.
Mephiles took my form. When I look at him, all I could see was my own reflection. He represented everything I could have been if I had gone down a different path. He tried to manipulate me by showing me visions of you. I saw you again, even if you were just an illusion. It was hard. But I had to let you go. The others needed me and I had to help them.
It feels weird saying that. Sonic tells me constantly I am a hero. I still question my own destiny at times. I can never die of natural causes. I'll be in this world forever. When Sonic goes, am I supposed to be the one to take his place? Am I a guardian? Am I simply a watcher? I really don't know. But whether or not I am meant to be this world's protector, I won't stand by and watch it fall if trouble comes.
There's just one more thing I have to do…
Shadow closed his journey and gently placed it within the canvas messenger bag strapped over his shoulder. He narrowed his eyes towards his destination. The house of one Amy Rose stood a short distance away, its presence urging him to come forward. He strided forward with some hesitation, leaving flat footprints in the snow within his wake. Upon reaching the front door, his hand stopped just short of ringing the doorbell.
He silently grunted, questioning why this was so difficult. Throwing himself into the middle of hundreds of robots every day? Easy. Simply ringing a doorbell? Impossible. Fighting through his own restraint, Shadow eventually pressed the small button and jolted back. The ring that followed softly reverberated throughout the air, movement on the other side alerting him of an approaching presence.
The front door softly opened. Amy prepared to greet the visitor, only for silence to follow. Surprise plastered her expression, shoulders briefly tensing at the unexpected guest. Shadow studied her reaction. He was definitely the last person she ever anticipated visiting her home. The pink hedgehog was still within her pyjamas. A cherry blossom dressing gown surrounded her person with matching slippers over her feet. Despite the early morning hours, she still found time to don her headband and gloves.
Amy finally found her voice after some time. "Hi there, Shadow."
"Amy," he returned the greeting with a curt nod.
A sense of awkwardness filled the air around them. Amy, as chatty as she usually was, found herself at a loss for words. Likewise, Shadow didn't exactly have experience with socialising. He only spoke when he needed to. It was times like this he wished Rouge had accompanied him, but the bat was completely oblivious to his current whereabouts. This was his own agenda.
Amy eventually stepped to one side while holding the door open. "Do you want to come inside?"
"Sure."
At least they were getting somewhere. He paused to wipe his shoes on her mat before stepping inside. Amy invited him to sit down while she retreated to the kitchen. He chose the armchair, hoping it would give him an excuse not to sit close by. She returned momentarily with a fresh pot of coffee, pouring the contents into two separate cups. As Amy took her place on the sofa, the two matched stares, patiently awaiting for the other to say something. Shadow bided his time, taking small sips to prolong the silence. Fortune favoured him as the pink hedgehog finally spoke up.
"Not that I'm unhappy you're here, but what brings you to my house?" Amy gently inquired. "If you're looking for Sonic, he's gone away for a little while."
Shadow allowed her to finish before he interjected. "I didn't come here to see Sonic. I came to see you."
Her eyes lit up with surprise. "Oh. That's nice of you."
With a desponded sigh, he set the drink down and glanced away. "I'm not good at this kind of thing."
"That's okay," she reassured, her voice as sweet and kind as he remembered. "Take your time."
He did just that, searching deep for what he wanted to say. It baffled Shadow how he could write so much, yet speak so little. But he couldn't prolong this morning any longer than necessary. With a sharp breath, he threw back his gaze to her. "I've been doing some thinking. This whole mess with Mephiles… It reminded me of the past."
She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"That day on the ARK," Shadow began, unknowingly averting his gaze away once more. "The others fought me. They tried so hard to beat me… But you… You didn't. You talked to me instead, reminded me of who I was really supposed to be."
Amy's expression softened, a hint of redness filling her cheeks. "I could see how hurt you were, Shadow. Fighting isn't always the answer."
"You're right," he agreed softly. "Amy… I never thanked you for that. Without you, things would have turned out very differently. The world would have been destroyed. None of us would be here."
Blushing at the surprise praise, Amy bashfully glanced away. "Oh, it's nothing. I just helped out."
"Give yourself credit," Shadow replied with a little assertiveness. "You're more valuable than you think," his voice softened once more, though he continued to look absently forward. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… Thank you, Amy."
He hadn't noticed her move from the couch, keeping his solid gaze forward. Shadow finally glanced back, noting her hand resting softly on top of his own. Her kind smile greeted his solid manner, showing no restraint about expressing herself. Shadow briefly winced, fighting to stop his body from instinctively yanking his arm back. Physical intimacy was never his forte, preferring to keep to himself. Despite his feelings, he couldn't deny how warm and gentle her touch was, filling him with a sense of comfort.
"You're welcome, Shadow," Amy said gently.
He mirrored her reaction the best he could, softly forming a grin in the corner of his mouth. Shadow never expressed joy. The closest emotion he could draw to happiness were his rare smirks. Unlike Blaze, Shadow doubted he could ever truly grow out of his hardened shell. But at least now he had the reassurance others wouldn't mistake him for a heartless soul.
Amy's expression softly dropped, hesitation filling her voice. "Shadow. Can I ask you something?"
He nodded. "Go for it."
"That day on the ARK," she began. "After you used Chaos Control… What happened next? Sonic doesn't like to talk about it."
Shadow's eyes lowered, worrying Amy momentarily. The last thing she intended to do was to upset him. Noting her concerned gaze, Shadow spoke as delicately as he could muster, though his deep voice carried some unintended intimidation. "I had to take off my rings to overpower that monster. By the time we used Chaos Control, I exhausted too much energy to sustain my Super Form. I fell towards the planet. Sonic tried to reach out to save me. His own power was about to give out. If I hadn't shoved him away, he would have fallen with me."
Awestruck by the revelation, Amy's mouth hung open, her hand softly gripping his palm. "He… Never told us that."
"It was one of the few times I saw him sad," Shadow continued. "His determination in trying. I'll never forget that."
With a deep exhale, Shadow grabbed the coffee with his free hand and gulped down the contents in one go. The hot beverage scorched his lungs, but he powered through. His eyes were drawn to the front door, contemplating whether or not to leave. He'd said his thanks and then some. There was no further reason to stick around. But for reasons he could not understand, Shadow couldn't bring himself to get up. His sincere words sunk through Amy, filling the kind girl with a newfound perspective on the dark hedgehog. Fresh waterfalls briefly clouded her vision, but she was quick to swipe them away.
Her kind smile returned once more. "He cares for you, Shadow. We all do. We're your friends."
Friends. That was a word he never thought he'd associate himself with. Outside of Rouge and Omega, he never considered what to think of the others on a personal level. Sonic was Sonic: carefree, happy and cocky. Knuckles acted like a tough guy, but in reality he was a big softy. Tails was a sweet kid who loved to share his passion for science with others. All he ever considered them to be were acquaintances who happened to drop by at times. Maybe he was more fond of them than he would like to admit.
"Friends," Shadow echoed, returning his smirk to her smile. "Yes. We're friends."
Amy never expected to hear those words leave his lips, but happily welcomed the sincerity. Still realising her hand was holding his own, she finally allowed their gloved palms to separate. However, her eyes were then drawn to the bag over his shoulder. "What's in the bag?"
He furrowed, hoping she wouldn't notice the obvious accessory. Nevertheless, he quietly unlatched the buckles and retrieved the book from within. "This is my journal."
Interest etched her expression. "You have a journal?"
Shadow nodded once more. "After what happened with Black Doom, I wanted something to document my memories in case I lost them again. But I also took it upon myself to write about the world. Maria wanted to visit this planet for so long. I… Guess it's my way of living out her dream."
Amy's expression softened once more. "That's really sweet, Shadow. Thank you for sharing that with me."
His hands gently cradled the hardback cover. Only a handful of pages had been filled. Empty blanks awaited for his future adventures. "Would… You like to have a look?"
Curiosity overcame her gaze, but she pushed it aside. "Oh, that's okay. Journals are supposed to be private."
"I have nothing to hide," Shadow reassured. "Besides. I trust you."
Overwhelmed with so much praise and trust in such a short timespan, Amy struggled to find her voice. But when she did, gratitude filled her tone. "I would love to have a look, Shadow."
Without saying another word, Amy perched herself on the armchair's corner. Shadow opened the journal from the first page, holding it to one side for her to see. He began from the beginning, telling the tale of a legend. Amy hung onto his every word. His deep voice made the narration rather soothing to her ears. Basked in the comfort of the warm house, the hedgehogs cherished their strengthened friendship, looking forward to brighter and better tomorrow.
The kingdom of Soleanna stood proud as the beautiful coastal city-state of the world. With its winding canals, striking architecture, and attractive bridges, it drew tourists in like moths to a flame. Citizens from around the world dominated the amazing city, especially during the annual festival celebrated by the people of Soleanna. The crystal clear skies bathed the kingdom with sun rays illuminating heaven-bound highways for the lightest of feet to travel. But the heart of the kingdom was its ancient castle homing their ruler.
Princess Elise the Third awoke to another beautiful morning. Her open balcony welcomed the fresh sea air. A brief glance to her clock revealed the long hand just about to reach the seventh mark. Only a few minutes before her handmaidens arrived to help her with another busy day. Basking in the silence while it lasted, Elise jumped out her bed and approached the balcony overlooking the ocean below.
She leaned against the railing, a soft smile spreading across her face. A whole kingdom of people adored her. It wouldn't be long till her father, the Duke, would step down and she would take his place as Queen of Soleanna. It was a day she often dreaded, not because she wasn't willing to accept responsibility, more so because she wanted to make her family name proud.
While she cared for her people, deep down there was no denying she was lonely. Not out of personal choice. Being a monarch required non-stop work on a daily basis, leaving little time to make friends. Her father, as much as she cared for him, expressed these concerns quite often. He would always tell her to be a strong queen, no matter what. But even he longed for company after the passing of her mother.
If only her one friend was still here.
"Hey, Elise."
She snapped back into reality, a surprised gasp escaping into the warm air. Elise softly shifted her head to one side, all the while cursing at her imagination. But there was no mistaking that energetic and gentle voice. There he stood, leaning against the railing while holding that stride and confidence no one could mimic.
Overwhelmed with the return of her only friend, she stood frozen, mouth hanging open while the soft wind gently lifted her hair into a dance. Elise quietly stepped forward, moving down onto one knee to match his smaller stature. He outstretched both arms, welcoming her company.
With some hesitance, she softly wrapped her arms around his neck, finding her voice at last. "Sonic… I missed you."
The blue hedgehog returned the embrace, gently patting her on the back. He didn't quite like the idea of sneaking past the guards to find her, but the happiness in her eyes overwhelmed his doubts. He leaned back for their eyes to meet, admiring her genuine cheerfulness. "Nice smile."
Elise gave a heartfelt laugh before embracing him once more. Sonic held his smile, all the while averting his gaze towards the sky. In an open clarity of blue come the birds in joyful song. He loved mornings like this, embracing the freedom of running around the world to his heart's content, in the open air, in nature. Somewhere out there, in a whole different dimension, his best friends were beginning their new lives. No longer did they need to fight. They can rest at last.
But for Sonic, this was just another adventure. Their happy ending served as a beginning too. More worlds were out there, in the vast universe, calling for him to visit. For now, one level had ended and the next was about to begin.
The end. Thank you to everyone for reading Be One World, Be The Light. I hope I was able to make a good sequel adaption to 06. I'd love to know everyone's final thoughts, so please leave a review or PM if you have a spare moment.
So, what's next in this continuity? Well, I have two more stories planned for this specific timeline. The next main one will be following a certain echidna as her old clan make their return. That's right, a sequel to Sonic Chronicles. I know a lot of people didn't like that game. That's fair enough, to each of their own. I've always held a soft spot for it and loved Shade's character. So, I hope to do justice by giving it the sequel it never had.
The other story will be a spin off following Blaze and Silver in their new lives in the Sol Dimension. That one will be less action based and more focused on character development. In case anyone couldn't tell by now, Blaze is my favourite character of the franchise. So, I eagerly look forward to writing that one. When will either of them come out remains to be seen, but I'll keep everyone updated.
Till then, everyone have a good day and remember to smile!