S. Chensu: Hello people!

Luff: We're back from our holiday and finally ready to finish this tale off!

S. Chensu: It's been a long and hard slog, not just for us but for you too, what with you having to wait for our unreliable updates that are always a day late!

Luff: We're near the end now, only another six episodes or so.

S. Chensu: Ok, we're not /that/ near to the end but it feels like it. Especially as we've got the next episode written up at the point of posting this up as well. Which is late as usual.

Luff: So only another 7 left to write!

S. Chensu: Let's get onto reviewer replies.

Celestial the Hedgrid- Thanks for letting Chen use your reviews and thank you for the compliments! Yeah, Chen saw the last one on a job finding event thing at her school. They were talking about the sorts of things they could ask you in interviews.

Yugi and Mai- How can you review without reading the chapter?! You silly people! And anyway, it's /S. Chensu and Luff/, not the other way round! Oldest one first! Send us an email when you get it and tell your dad that the Inet's safe, there are loads of providers that give you the option of only being allowed to receive emails from people you authorise. So just your friends! And yes Yugi is /very/ short… Luff's currently on Pokemon Coliseum, leaving me to write the author's note! But I got Devil May Cry 2 so I'm happy! We've only just got your last review, thank you for making it nice and detailed. Ah, sunburn, that most favoured thing in Britain… And they'll be back together soon, stop moaning! And all will be revealed! Who does Mai fancy? There aren't many guys left…is it Pegasus? Or maybe Arkana? Or is it Odion? Hmm, we will work it out… And Chen also wonders why she likes the picture of Bakura wearing very little. Did you try that /Yami/? Kury didn't know you think about him that often… And Cosy Heart Penguin is Chen's favourite! And she knows you really love that thing with chocolate…

the funk master- See, Chen thought that was the hardest riddle because she tries to make everything too complicated! I don't know if there is a riddle for the letter Q but it would be cool if there were one…

Dragon Master Naya- Well, the "E riddle" came from RichaCo and the other two are from a nursery rhyme website Chen went on recently. She had to find loads of them for an activity at Guide camp coz she was helping the leaders out so she's got a lot. We'll send them to you if you want.

Luff: We can't be bothered to do a disclaimer but it doesn't matter, seeing as you all know the drill by now.

S. Chensu: However, we would like to point out that this episode contains some stuff that may be seen as 'gay' but it's to explain what happens at the end. As we've said before several times, this is NOT a Shonen-ai story, this is merely to explain something.

Luff: Right, she's just said the same twice so no complaints ok? We'll make it mild, just hugging or something like that.

S. Chensu: Well, now that that problem is dealt with, we can get on with the episode.

Luff: Wahoo!

Episode thirty: The Book of Knowledge

"Shadow, this may sound weird but…I'm scared." Sonic said as they lay in the cage, staring at the formations of the ceiling, bored once more. No one had come to visit them, maybe so little time had passed that they hadn't had a chance to wake up yet.

"Sonic, don't make me laugh. I don't believe you're scared of anything." Shadow replied, blushing slightly when we realised what he had said.

"Thank you for saying that but I'm only human." Sonic said, also blushing.

"Sonic?" Shadow looked at him strangely, had he even realised what he had just said?

"Hmm?"

"You're not human." Sonic glanced over at him and grinned sheepishly, quickly looking away again.

"Well, you know what I mean. I can have faults too you know, just like you." Shadow seemed thoughtful at this comment and turned so he was lying on his side.

"Not that I'm supposed to. I was the 'perfect' being, able to do anything straight away, not constrained by a lack of knowledge like others were. Even better than my creator…" He frowned at his words, surprised at how bitter he was. "What a mistake that was…" He added quietly, sighing at memories of the past.

"I'm sorry…" Sonic murmured, also turning on his side.

"What for?"

"For bringing this up. I know it hurts you." Sonic was still speaking quietly and for some reason this made Shadow slightly edgy.

"Don't worry about it, it's all in the past now." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't remember a lot of it anyway."

"Doesn't that…bother you? That a lot of your life is just blank spaces?" Sonic looked at Shadow wide eyed, wondering how he could be so relaxed about it.

"Well it does when you put it like that…"

"Oh…sorry, I'm not being much help am I?"

"You're keeping me sane if that helps." Shadow blushed again, not sure why he was being so open and what it could possibly mean.

"Really? I thought I'd be driving you crazy." Sonic said sincerely, laughing sheepishly at his words.

"Why do you think that?" Shadow edged closer, interested in Sonic's words while he looked down, unable to meet his eye.

"Because I don't think you like me very much." Shadow raised an eyebrow at this, where did he get that idea from?

"But…"

"You said a lot of things when we had that fight. You don't think much of me…" Shadow frowned at the look of hurt on Sonic's face, usually he never let things like this bother him. He thought that Sonic would have realised that he was feeling stressed too.

"I don't know why I said that stuff, I just felt annoyed and I…snapped I suppose. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you." He waited for Sonic's reaction but he didn't say anything. Why am I talking like this? What's happening, why do I suddenly feel the need to make sure he's ok? He's always been fine before, he doesn't care about what I say…

"I'm sorry too…" Suddenly Sonic leant forward and pulled Shadow into a tight hug, leaning his head on his shoulder.

"Sonic…?" Shadow was worried, not because of the closeness of them but because he found great comfort being in Sonic's arms. Something which he was sure wasn't normal.

"I just wanted…I don't know. I've got this feeling and somehow this is making it better…" Sonic whispered, hearing Shadow's breathing quicken slightly, as though he was unsure of what was happening.

"I know, I feel it too." Shadow twisted his head slightly so he was looking at Sonic and was surprised to see his face so close but even more so when he was able to make out individual hairs. Shadow recoiled from him and Sonic pulled back, a slightly panicked look on his face. Sonic turned away, now burning a colour more normally found on Knuckles and moved to the other side of the cage, leaning against the bars.

"Shadow I-"

"Sonic, I just don't think it's a good idea. I don't feel that way about you." He didn't reply and Shadow moved towards him, to see if he was ok. His eyes were firmly shut and he flinched when Shadow placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I don't understand…" Sonic mumbled, shivering as he felt himself go cold. What had made him try to kiss Shadow? Why did he want to hug him so much? Was it for reassurance?

"Sonic, you're just tired and confused. Try and get some sleep…" Shadow suggested, draping a blanket over him at the same time. Sonic gripped the blanket tightly, pulling it closer to himself, his eyes still shut. Shadow sighed softly before backing away, knowing that Sonic needed some space for a while…

Shaylea frowned when she came back into the room, although it was more because she could feel the weight of what was happening taking its toll on her than because of the silence in the room. Kensa had gone out again and Shaylea knew it was only a matter of a couple of days before everything suddenly sped up and went into overdrive. She stood in front of Sonic and Shadow, surprised to find Sonic squished up against the bars while Shadow sat calmly beside him, legs crossed, staring out into the room. He smiled when he saw her, noticing the large object in her hands.

"Is that…?" He whispered, moving forward in the cage.

"Yes, this is the Book of Knowledge. I thought you might like to have a look at it, I know we didn't really explain much at the beginning and we haven't had time to tell you about it since. So here it is." She placed the rather large book in front of her, allowing Shadow to see the front cover, not that there was much on it, merely a few indecipherable markings and a picture of a golden dragon.

"How did you get it without being caught? What about Gregg and Kensa?" Shadow asked suddenly.

"I got it by being good at being able to hide myself and neither Gregg or Kensa know I've got it and hopefully they won't either. It's very risky, if they knew they'd go ballistic." Shaylea looked at Shadow shyly, a small smile on her face. "So try not to tell them…"

"Of course not. Can I look at it?"

"I was hoping Sonic would be awake too, that way you could look at it together and I wouldn't have to bring it back again. What happened anyway?" Shaylea's gaze narrowed slightly. "Why is he all hunched up like that?"

"Erm…it's a bit difficult to explain but we didn't have a fight. Things have been a bit confusing recently, that's all. Shall I wake him up?" Shadow said evasively, not sure she would understand.

"No, don't worry about it. Just take a look at it; it says some stuff about you in here."

Shadow took the book held out to him and laying it in front of him, started to flick through it. He scanned over the curly writing traced over the thin pages, so fragile that they seemed to be barely together. Occasionally there would be pictures but they were all slightly fuzzy, as though they were drawn from a fading memory. Some of them had been scrubbed out hurriedly, as though the person feared for his safety if they were found. He stopped when he came onto a page titled 'The Last Chapter', where two figures, one blue and one black, stood in front a mass of material.

"Are they meant to be me and Sonic? And is that the thing we have to face?" He said, pointing to the various figures. Shaylea leaned towards the picture and nodded her head.

"According to the text, yes."

Shadow turned the page and started to read it, knowing that this was the key to what was going on.

In the greatest battle of the history of life, the evil will be overthrown and peace will once more be spread around the world. One day two will be captured, hedgehogs and brothers, not only by blood but by heart and soul too. Together with the ones of many names and those from the past and future, they will overcome great difficulties in order to secure protection for those who cannot protect themselves. However, they must face trials themselves before they can face the final test, ripped apart and then left alone to face their fears, worse than what they have had to conquer in the past. They will discover more about themselves on this journey than they could in their whole lives. But success will bring fortune, which will smile upon them…

Shadow felt the words resonating around his head and somehow recognised them from somewhere, someone who had said them before. But from where he couldn't tell. He looked at it again, pausing when he saw the words.

"Brothers, not only by blood…" He stared at Shaylea, unsure what it was trying to say. "Is that saying that…?"

"What? It's saying that you and Sonic are brothers but…didn't you know that?" Shaylea looked concerned at the lack of knowledge Shadow appeared to have.

"No, I didn't know that we were related at all…" Shadow looked around at Sonic, wondering if this explained what had happened earlier. Do I suddenly feel close to him because we're brothers? But how could that work? We're decades apart, how is it possible? But it makes sense, we're very similar, both in power and physical appearance… He turned back to Shaylea. "To be honest, the thought never crossed my mind before. I mean, we were both born so far apart and there never really seemed to be any connection."

"Despite the fact you both are very similar…" Shaylea said ironically. "I'm afraid I cannot explain it, for I do not know the answer but it doesn't really matter. Just remember that you're together for a reason and that you are the chosen ones." She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry if it seems we're putting a lot of pressure on you but you'll have help."

"You mean the 'ones with many names'? Who are they? Obviously the people from the past is our friends but…" He paused. "Are they you?"

"I cannot say. But you'll meet them soon…"

Shaylea suddenly looked down at the ground and her eyes widened slightly as she quickly took the book from Shadow. He soon realised it was Kensa and she floated to them. He looked back at the book but it was now gone. Shaylea winked at him and he smiled before turning back to Kensa who had finally reached them.

"They have reached the end; they'll be back together in a matter of minutes. That means it won't be long until you get taken away so you should make sure you're fully ready." She said business like, not seeming to realise something was up between them. "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

"Yes please but what about you? Have you just come back from them? Aren't you tired?" Shadow asked and she huffed, crossing her arms.

"It doesn't matter what's going on with me, you two are the most important thing now. Wake Sonic up and ask him if he wants something to eat too." Shadow nodded his head and did so, giving Sonic a look that said 'We'll talk later' before relaying the words that Kensa had said to him.

"It's already time? Then yes, I would like something please." Kensa nodded her head and went to find something, allowing Shaylea to leave to hide the book until she could replace it later.

"Did you want to say something Shadow?" Sonic asked nervously, afraid of what it was.

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad but I'll tell you once they have gone ok?" Sonic nodded his head in agreement and they fell into silence, waiting for them to come back.

S. Chensu: Another episode complete!

Luff: And the Shonen-ai stuff wasn't too bad either. And at least now you know what Shaylea was getting now. I know you wanted a monkey but it just wasn't possible.

S. Chensu: Nevermind. So until next time (either Sat or Sun), remember to review if you have a moment and help us to get nearer to the end!