Disclaimer: I do not own any of the sonic characters but i do own many of the new ones i have added. This story is in no way related to the games or comics, i did this on my own will.

Chapter 4: The Flower's Bloom

Tikal skipped along, humming happily to herself as the chao on her shoulder swayed to her soft tune. Kwah walked behind the ecidna girl, his brother Chaos next to him.

"Its such a lovely day!" Tikal picked a flower as she went along and put it in her spines. She giggled and continued to skip along her known path. The dark chao blinked softly at the flower and took it out of her hair, sniffing it and making a funny face. He then threw it away. Tikal stopped and looked back at the now ruined flower.
"Dont do that Chola!" She scolded the tiny thing. It bared its teeth and looked at Tikal with a messacing face. Tikal straightened up and went back to heading towards the chaos emeralds. The group were headed to a casino, owned by a bat name Rouge.

Rouge smiled gently as she read a book slowly. Rouge, like everyone else, had aged. She had very few wrinkles and her mouth area had gone lighter in colour. She now bore glasses and insted of her tight uniforms before, she now had black robes on. Behind Rouge on a mantle inside a case was four of the seven chaos emeralds, below them in the case was a picture of Rouge and Nuckles' marrage. Next to that was a ring, it was Nuckles' ring with an inscription on it.
'Time is but a thought, I will always be with you.' The same inscription was on her ring aswell. Rouge fixed her glasses and put her book down on the table next to the chair she was sitting in. In walked in a racoon slowly, dressed in purple robes of the same material as Rouge's.
"Rouge? Would you like your tea now?" Asked the Racoon in a whisper, as if her voice would shatter the old bat if she spoke too loud.
"Yes I would aprentise..yes i would." Replyed Rouge, smiling at the younge racoon. Rouge was getting on in years and needed to pass on her knowlege of the theiving arts so that her legasy would live on. Rouge saw the potential in this animal, and she was going to use it to her advantage. The racoon smiled and walked out of the study like room and returned with a silver tray with a crystal cup and teapot. There was also a selection of cookies on a plate there.
"All your favourites.." Said the aprentise, putting the tray infront of Rouge. Rouge smiled and picked up a cookie, taking a bite of it. There was a beeping sound and the racoon picked up a pager from her robe belt and looked at it.
"Well..intruder...a little echidna, ill go and give her a lolipop and she'l leave."
"You do that.." Rouge shut her eyes in bliss as she sipped her tea. The aprentise smiled,walking to the front door and picked up a lollipop from the jar they kept there. Children always went into the theif's garden due to all the beautiful flowers there, Rouge was meaning to get a fence put up, but she didnt want to spend any money on it. She opened the door and stuck her head out to see Tikal with a bunch of flowers she had just picked.
"Hello racoon lady.."Said the echidna with a put on really sweet face.
"Hello there...if you go off and play somewhere else..ill give you this here lollipo." She held it up. Tikal giggled and smiled wide.
"I dont want that..but ill take your chaos emeralds." The racoon's eyes went wide and went to say something but was cut off as the black chao headbutted her, knocking her out.
"You could of just been nicer..." Said Tikal now with a pout as the chao took the lollipop and stuck it in its mouth, going up Tikal to sit on her shoulder. Chaos slowly reformed as little drops of himself came from their hiding places to form into his shape. Kwah lowered down from the sky next to Chaos., his brain sparking again. Tikal stepped over the unlucky racoon, the two gods following suit. Tikal looked from side to side as she walked slowly along the richly decorated hallway. She peaked her head into the study and found Rouge sipping her tea still.
"Hello there..-" Rouge said being interupted by Tikal in a harsh tone.
"The chaos emeralds now bat!" Chola was holding onto one of Tikal's spikes, Tikal's eyes gleeming red. Rouge sat up and looked at them, putting down her tea.
"Where are your please's little girl?" Rouge stood slowly. Tikal grinned evily as the chao did, seeing the large glass cabinet with the glinting gems. Rouge raised an eyebrow.
"Well?" She was answered with a gust of wind from Kwah, making her slide back abit. Rouge growled and undid her robe, letting it fall to the floor. She had her tight peice of clothing on with the heart on the front. She also had her gloves on that went up to her elbows. Her boots were different, they were made of metal that moved with her movements. Tikal swished her hand like Chola did on her shoulder and a table flew at her. Rouge jumped up and kicked it, making her spin around from the power. The table fell to the floor as splinters. Rouge hovered there with her wings flapping, an angry face as her expression. Chaos moved past Tikal and Kwah, looking up at the now surprised bat. He made a fist and shot it at her, landing a hard punch on her. She flew back and hit the wall.
"Hurn!" Rouge recovered without showing her pain. She flew down and then up, kicking a foot up at Chaos' head. Her foot went through the blue jelly like creature. She did a back flip from the kick and then growled, kicking at the goo monster like no tomorrow. Her legs were like a blur as each kick went right through Chaos. Chaos became fed up and grabbed Rouge's hand, slambing her onto the ground, once, twice and a third time. Each time a loud crack was heard as many bones broke in unison. Chaos released his grip from the now battered bat. Tikal smiled evily and walked past the two and to the cabbinet. She opened it and reached out to take one of the glittering glass objects. There was a crack and a fwap sudenly. Tikal recoiled her hand as it was now bruised and bleeding. Afew metres away in the corner was the racoon, she was still in her robe but now weilded two sticks, with fishing wire on the ends of them and on the end of the strings were metal balls the size of a golf ball. Tikal went to punch the aprentise but she melded into the shadows. Tikal growled and looked back to the case, two of the emeralds were missing. Chola yelled in frustration.
"ARRRRUUUUUAAAAA!" He shook with rage as he made Tikal take the two chaos emeralds. She turned and held one out to each god. Chaos put his hand over it and the emerald went up into him, going to his brain and floating around it. Chaos growled and grew two extra arms under his original one. Kwah sucked up his emerald, the emerald going to his brain aswell. His body darkened as he gained the element of thunder inside of himself.
"I can not feel the emeralds here any more...let us move on..." Said Tikal under the spell of the chao. She walked out of the desimated home slowly, followed by the now more powerful gods. As soon as the coast was clear, the racoon shot out of a cabinet to the side of Rouge, grabbing her hand and holding it close.
"Rouge..dont die..please dont die.." Cried the girl softly. Rouge shook as she stared into the distance, tears running down her face.
"Dont cry dear...j..just do me..o..one last thing.." The bat said in a shaky voice. The racoon nodded and kissed her hand.
"G..get back..my lifes work..a..and..keep them safe...a..an..and..burry me...w..with my..N..Nuckles...b...b..bye bye..Ju..Julia.." There was one last crack as Rouge's cracked spine severed. Her now dead gaze stared up into space, her soul off with the one she cared about most. Julia the theif cried hard, taking her own hand and shutting the bat's eye lids.

Haru layed on the floor, her eyes gazing at the ceiling as her system fixed herself internaly, the rockets having done damage to her secound rate circuts. Syaoran was sitting atop a computer, his hand inside his messenger bag. Tam was next to Haru, looking worriedly down on her.
"Syaoran..whats wrong with Haru?"
"She needs rest Tam..she just needs rest.." Syaoran sighed softly.
"That hedgehog is getting away...were going to loose him." For some reason, Syaoran knew where Shadow was, but that wasnt what he was sensing at all, it was something else that he kept track of. Syaoran was beating himself up about the fact that he was here, waiting on his friends and not after his perpose. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Tails' fur was all black now, tainted by Shadow's power over him. Shadow was on his back on the grassy ground of the largest hill in Green Hill. He stared up at the sky, his red orbs shining from the sun. Shadow was almost falling unconcious from his tiredness. At the last moment when the missles were about to hit, he put up a force feild with the emerald and then go them out of there with chaos control. Titus sparked from the hip, trying to fix himself as he leaned on a rock. The newly formed Team Dark was in trouble and the journey hasnt even begun.

Maegan, Shay and Sam walked along the dirt road of the country side. Trying to follow the now dim scent of Syaoran. Before they had left, they had stopped off at Sam's father's shop to tell him Sam was leaving. Sam's father gave Sam a backpack he had packed for the occasion, it was a survival pack with everything they could posibly need. They had also went and told Cream they were going to find Tails, Cream just cried and shut the door, and now here they were, walking along as day turned into night. Shay's new weapon glinted as he admired it on route. He turned it this was and that, enjoying how the last rays of light bounced off the beautiful sword. Shay shifted the pack on his back and huffed at its weight. Maegan looked dead ahead, thinking about the two foxes that she now cared for most.

Sorry about the short chapter folks, Ive been very busy lately and havnt had a chance to brain storm up this chapter but the next chapter will be grand, i swear.