A/N: Wow, only a couple reviews. Heh, I guess I deserve that for not updating very frequently and making the past couple chapters very sappy...and the disappointment of last chapter. Well all three shall be no more! Life here may be accelerating at an exponential rate… but I think I will have some spare time coming up. Dice is out of the picture…well you'll see. And hopefully this chapter's quality will be better.

But I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Zeo the Other One, RC-sonicCRAZED, and Shadow Stalkr. Thanks a lot for every last word of your reviews. To be frank, I was strongly considering stopping this story about a week or so ago. But I can't quit now (especially since we're close to the end). Thanks all three of you for your ability to type and press the 'submit review' button!

Also, I have more lyrics from another song in this chapter. "Remember Me." You guys should know me enough by now to know that another Hoobastank song was coming.

Chapter 19: A Splash of Orange and Pink Paint

Following a blinding light, Sonic appeared in front of Shadow and Knuckles. One was pacing in circles impatiently while the other leaned up against the motorcycle now with an empty gas tank. Knuckles clutched his fist tight as Sonic could see a string flowing out of it.

Not thinking much of the encased trinket, the blue hedgehog sauntered over to Shadow, who stopped pacing upon seeing the hero. The ground crunched beneath his shoes as Sonic halted in front of Knuckles' lowered eyes.

"Well?"

"It's kind of a long story," Sonic shrugged, holding the chaos emerald tightly.

"…and?"

"Basically, she was depressed; I comforted her…etcetera, etcetera. Though afterwards, she refused to return here and help us, but instead… she gave me this," Sonic raised the emerald to Shadow's stunned eyes.

At this point, Knuckles rose to his feet and safely tucked away his trifle. "… A chaos emerald? But, I thought they disappeared after Station Square's-"

"But where is she?" Shadow ferociously interrupted.

"She left. Quit. Gone." Sonic shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal. She'll be back."

"You keep telling yourself that," the dark hedgehog snorted, hiding his concern for her safety.

"Anyway," Knuckles interrupted. "Maybe we should get back to business?"

"Of course. Let's go." The blue hedgehog extended out the emerald as Shadow and Knuckles placed their fists on top it. "Chaos control!"

All three heroes silently stood in front of a pathetic excuse for a home. It was the same shack Sonic first laid his eyes on in this wasteland. Though at the time, in many ways, the hedgehog knew the angered fox and Tails were one and the same. Deep within, Sonic knew he would have had to return here.

At last Sonic stepped forward and the other two followed suit. Before he could knock on the door, out came Tails and Amy. Both were armed with enough artillery to supply a small army. They must have heard their footsteps and thought them to belong to a stranger or enemy.

However, Sonic continued to walk forward into the light despite the cruel stares and aura of hatred around Tails. Halting with an air of dignity in front of the self-proclaimed army, Sonic smiled weakly.

"Hey."

Amy's gun clattered on the floor as a gasp escaped her. Frozen, she felt the pounding of and fear in her heart. This had to be another trick… right? Tails, however, took several seconds of thought before grudgingly releasing his aim on the hedgehog.

"Well, well…" Tails snarled, "I should have known."


I stand here face to face
With someone that I used to know
Who used to look at me and laugh

"Known what?"

"That you were alive and deserted us all." At this point Shadow and Knuckles stood beside the blue hero in retaliation and anger at Tails' comment. "And only to conspire with these traitors."

"Who's the one who decided to escape through a boat!" Knuckles sneered. "If you had remained at your damn post…!"

"Well if we had better leadership, then it wouldn't have come to that battle, SIR!"

"Bull!" Shadow joined the fight. "If you were in charge, then we'd have died decades ago!"

"And look who's talking Mr. Joy-Ride."

"I was giving support to a different base no thanks to your sorry ass!"

"And look what came of it."

"Shut up!" added Knuckles, "You're the same little helpless child you always were but now with enhanced guns."

"And the only one with the knowledge to handle them, I might add."

"Well let's not forget your weepy sidekick," both Knuckles and Shadow retorted. "What a great team you have." At this point all three characters were clenching their teeth in enmity and barely restraining themselves from a fist fight.

Sonic stood idly by in utter shock at the ferocity in all their voices. The only one remaining silent was Amy, who was longingly gazing into Sonic's eyes. However, her stare no longer possessed passionate love, but instead a forgotten one.

"At least mine is still alive. And I didn't lose the children!" Tails yelled through his teeth towards both the echidna and hedgehog.

Obviously both comments struck hard, and neither Knuckles nor Shadow were able to continue the argument.

"Ok, that's enough." Sonic sighed, almost forgotten by all three characters. "I'm here to ask for your assistance, Tails."

"My assistance? After what you did!"


But now he claims
That he's known me for so very long
But I remember being no one

"And what was that?"

"You traitor!"

"What did I do?"

"You were hit by a laser, thought dead, and thus weren't there to kiss his baby bruises," Shadow mockingly cooed. Tails thrust a look of disgust towards the dark creature before him.

But, before the fight could continue where it left off, Sonic beseeched, "We need your help. It's about time that you… all of you… get along and kick some evil. Robotnik is planning something and all we have is this chaos emerald that Di—" Suddenly Knuckles elbowed the hedgehog and switched an ominous glance.

I wanted to be just like you
So perfect, so untouchable
Now you want me to be with you
Someone who used to have it all

"I'd rather die than help anyone who worked with that… thing!"

"Dice is NOT a thing!" Shadow, Knuckles, and Sonic screeched in unison.

Regaining his composure, Sonic exhaled. "We need you help, Tails. Please. We cannot do this alone…"

"You can't do it alone? That's all you've ever been about. Doing it your way; leaving everyone in your damn dust!"


Do you remember now
You acted like you never noticed me
Forget it

"What are you talking about?"

"He's just crying because no one was there to hold him," Shadow continued to mock, but was halted by Sonic's wave of the hand.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you Tails."

"It's too late for that."


Cause the gone has come around
And you're not allowed to be a part of me

Did you know me?
Or were you too preoccupied
With playing king in your small kingdom

And now the real world
Has stripped you of your royalty
And from your kingdom you're evicted

"Too late? Can you just stop and listen to yourself? You've pushed everyone away from you," Sonic motioned towards his allies, "And allowed this immense hatred to build up within you. You really are a child if you can't come to grips with what has happened."

I wanted to be just like you
So perfect, so untouchable
Now you want me to be with you
Someone who used to have it all

Tails could feel the fury well up. He clutched Sonic by the throat and lifted the hero off the ground. Fire was in his eyes.

Do you remember now
You acted like you never noticed me
Forget it
Cause the gone has come around
You're not allowed to be a part of me

However, Sonic remained calm. His green, nonchalant eyes merely gazed down into Tails'. Without speaking, Sonic sent his message far too clearly. The fox lowered the hedgehog with remorse.

"Fair enough."

Part of me
Part of me
Part of me

You're never going to be a part of me
You're never going to be a part of me
You're never going to be a part of me
You're never going to be a part of me
You're never going to be a part of me
You're never going to be a part of me

Do you remember now
You acted like you never noticed me
Forget it
Cause the gone has come around
You're not allowed to be a part of me

Part of me
Part of me
Part of me

Tails could hear his voice swimming in his head. "Are you really going to let this plague you for the rest of your life?"

"It's time for some payback." Tails snorted, throwing his gun over his shoulder. Amy smiled gratefully, but remained still.

"I'm coming with you," She whispered.

A/N: Well, there you go. Another chapter guys, and I will finish this story. The ending is relatively close.