Author's Comments:

Hey there everyone! Sorry this took so long - first the sitewas down, then I had to study for finals. Go figure. rolls eyes But anyway, I'm out of school now so hopefully you won't have to wait so long. .

Krystalwolf: Thank you! Oh, I can't promise anything... looks about nervously >.> Will you be assured that he's going to play a big part? Heh heh... .;

Kyra the Hedgehog: Thanks for keeping up with everything. Hope you enjoy this! We are coming near the end of this, but the story's not yet over...

Two hours later, Sonic and Knuckles returned, each with several metiyas in tow. All together they had brought a frog, two cats, a tiger, and an eagle.

"Where's Tails?" asked Sonic, looking around. "He was supposed to meet us back here."

"I suspect he's trying to persuade just one more metiya, and then bring home all ten to impress us," Knuckles reassured. Sonic nodded, but was still uneasy. He looked at Alene. She was worried.

Another hour passed. Soon a dog came bounding in.

"Is this the place for free metiyas?" he asked.

"Yes this is. How did you find us?" asked Sonic.

"I was told by a fox."

Sonic stiffened. "Where is he? Is he right behind you?"

The dog looked around. "I thought he was. He told me to meet him here."

Knuckles froze. "When did you last see him?"

"About... maybe eight hours ago, around noon."

"Do you have any idea what may have happened to him?" asked Alene anxiously.

"Uh... no, I'm sorry. I honestly did think he was right behind me."

"That's all right," Alene soothed. Then she turned to Sonic. "We should send out a search party."

"Let's not panic just yet," said Gabriel. "Maybe he's only a little bit behind."

"If something's happened to him, every minute we wait is another minute he could be hurt! Or worse!" said Sonic. "I say we send out a search party."

Gabriel sighed. "All right. You're right, something may have happened to him."

He looked around. "Volunteers?"

Sonic, the frog, Retio, the tiger, and the dog volunteered immediately.

"And I will go," decided Gabriel. "The rest of you stay here in case Tails comes back after all."

They set out into the growing darkness with torches.

Traveling across the gloomy, starless night was not pleasant. The wind howled across the plain and the clouds above threatened rain. It was a relief, then, when they reached the city at last. It was still fairly bright, lit up by many fires, and people were still out this late at night.

"Okay, listen up everyone," said Gabriel. "I need your names." He gestured to the frog, the tiger and the dog.

"I'm Floyd," said the frog.

"My name is Cerin," said the tiger.

"And I'm Forthos," added the dog.

"All right," said Gabriel. "We will split up into only two groups, because less than three people wandering these streets alone at night are not safe. I would prefer we all stay together, but I am afraid we will need to find Tails quickly."

He divided them up, Floyd, Sonic, and Cerin in one group, and he, Retio, and Forthos in the other. They each went different ways.

Gabriel led Retio and Forthos through the streets. They checked alleys, stores, inns, and empty stands. There was no sign of Tails. They attempted to visit the Stalking Lion but it was marked "CLOSED - OWNER ON LEAVE".

Retio snickered when he saw the sign.

"On leave, yeah right..."

"Shhh!" hushed Gabriel. They continued looking. Two hours passed with no luck.

Sonic and his team were having no better luck. They searched the other half of the city, and even asked people if they had seen Tails, but got nothing for their trouble, only strange stares and more whispers.

Sonic and Cerin were about to give up when Floyd cried, "Here!"

He led them inside a bar. There, slumped in a seat in a corner table with an empty mug beside him, was Tails.

"TAILS!" cried Sonic and rushed over him. Tails awoke at the shout.

"What the... hey, where am I?" said Tails groggily. "The last thing I remember was talking to a dog..."

"Have you been spending all this time here?" asked Sonic angrily. "That's... most unlike you, Tails."

Tails' ears drooped. "Sonic, I... was talking to a dog! He said he would join the revolution! And..." He put his hands to his head, straining. "I can't remember anything else! I swear!"

"Well, he certainly doesn't seem hung-over," said Cerin. "Believe me; I know what it looks like. We wouldn't be talking to him right now if he was because he'd be on the floor groaning. Don't blame him, Sonic. At least he's safe."

Sonic snorted, but helped Tails to his feet. It was clear he was still angry.

"Bartender, was this fox here all day?" asked Floyd of the man at the bar.

"Yep," said the barkeeper. "Drank himself under, I tell you."

"No!" Tails protested. Sonic dragged him back out, followed by Cerin and Floyd. As they left they did not notice the evil gleam in the barkeeper's eye.

They met up with Gabriel and the rest. Sonic explained where they had found him.

"Hmmmm..." Gabriel sniffed Tails' breath. "Seems okay to me. We'll discuss this later." He led the seven others back out of the city and into the base.

Once they were back, Sonic gave Tails a severe lecture on responsibility. Tails came out of the room with ears and tails drooping and his head down. He walked back to his sleeping area without speaking to anyone. When Alene tried to go in to talk to Tails, she wasn't able to get in as he had locked his door.

"Did you really need to be so harsh on him?" she asked Sonic. "He's really miserable. Even I can see that you're his personal hero!"

Sonic said nothing. Alene sighed, muttered something about stubbornness being passed on from father to son, and left the room.

Meanwhile Retio and Gabriel were planning things with the newly joined metiyas. They explained everything to the newcomers, who eagerly agreed to fight and seek out new recruits. Saermore started a weapons forge. Retio drew out maps and spent long hours explaining complex strategies to Gabriel if he could stay awake long enough. The level of excitement grew in the base. More metiyas were coming in each day. All were set on fighting for freedom. Sonic and his friends had to forget their fight, for they were soon busy training, both themselves and newcomers, most who had never lifted a sword or fought in their entire lives. There were even children there.

Gabriel begged that the children be kept out of the fight, but most sneaked away to train anyway that he had very little control over that. So it was that the metiya revolution progressed rapidly.

One night Sonic got up and was taking a nighttime walk when he noticed movement down the tunnel that led to the exit. Sonic took a torch from the wall and stepped cautiously ahead. He called out, "Who is it?"

The figure turned. Sonic caught a brief glimpse of eyes like red fire, and then the figure turned and bounded off into the darkness of the tunnel. Sonic ran after the intruder, his feet padding on the floor softly. The figure ran even faster, and Sonic increased his speed to match. Suddenly, the figure tripped and went sprawling on the floor. Sonic, not expecting this, went head over heels to the cold stone tunnel floor as well.

He felt fur under his hands.

"Sonic... why are you chasing me?" asked a trembling voice from beneath the hedgehog.

"Tails!" cried Sonic, and instantly got back off. The figure came into the torchlight to reveal that it was indeed Tails.

"Was... was it... something I did again?"

"No, it's just that... you shouldn't be wandering around at night!" scolded Sonic. "I took you for an intruder when you ran."

Tails hung his head. "You scared me. I thought you were... going to hurt me."

Sonic shook his head. "Of course I wasn't!" But he thought, back when I first saw him, weren't his eyes red?

Sonic peered closely at Tails' eyes. They were a normal blue.

Must have been the torchlight... thought Sonic. But he was not certain of this.

"Come on, let's go back to bed," said Sonic firmly. Tails followed him slowly back to the sleeping quarters.