Chapter Fifty

Me: Fifty chapters and 15,000-plus views. Wow. It's time to do something significant.

Tahra: I wish I knew what to suggest.

Cream: When in doubt…fluff works.

Me: Very well then…it's time for romantic flashbacks! Oh, and ScarletEbon had added two couple arts: TailsxCream and KnucklesxVahtri! Kyuteness!

-- -- -- -- --

"Cream?" Tails asked the rabbit as the two relaxed on the beach near where the boat Nack and Rouge had bought for the search for Leviathan. Cream acknowledged that she was listening by turning her head toward him.

"Well…I was kind of wondering what you think of all that's happening lately…and what you think of me…well, not being a fox. I know it still might be weird being sixteen when you're really nine…"

Cream smiled. "I think I've gotten used to the mindset and feel, actually. And I also like the way you look too…"

Tails blushed. For all his six-thousand-plus year life span, he had never been approached in this manner, and he wasn't quite sure how to respond without coming on too strong. Cream knew how he felt, but it seemed like she was responding at last. For most of the time that they had known each other, their relationship had been platonic, more like being very good friends. But now it seemed like the rabbit who had won him over was finally ready to kick it up a notch.

The half-kitsune sighed and looked away dejectedly. "Well, uh…it's a shame what happened to your mother and your Chao. I wish I could bring them back." To his surprise, Cream didn't seem too sad at all. She simply nudged up closer to the fox.

"We can't change what happened in the past, as much as we'd like to. I guess I've moved on now, after all this time. Besides, there are sure to be all sorts of new experiences ahead, right?" Cream was now right up against Tails, who was quickly getting nervous, yet excited at the same time. It was now official…Cream wanted to become his official girlfriend. As this idea sunk again, he found himself in Cream's embrace, and she had just given him his first real kiss in his entire six-thousand year lifespan.

The half-kitsune felt like the time he spent working for the wicked Armeil was another lifetime entirely. Milos Fylerian, six-thousand-year-old Seraph…it was a past life for him now…he was just Miles "Tails" Prower, mechanical genius, sixteen years old, and he was the boyfriend by one lovely young rabbit. The memories of more innocent days returned to him.

"You and me go to the carnival? I dunno, Cream…" Tails said nervously. "I have lots of work to do in my shop…"

"Nonsense, my boy," Vanilla replied. "I'm sure you and Cream will have a great time! Isn't that right, Cheese?" The Chao warbled in agreement before turning to its companion, Chocola, who also nodded in agreement. Seeing that he was outnumbered, he sighed.

"Okay…you got me…I'll come. I guess I need a break anyway."

"Yay!" Cream squealed as she jumped up and down. Cheese and Chocola were soon bouncing around with joy. Cream's mother found this sight amusing, while Tails tried to hide his embarrassment. He couldn't believe that he had to act like such a child…

That was the thing Tails was missing…he had never truly been a kid until he had met Sonic. Since the blue hedgehog was clueless as to the half-kitsune's true identity, he treated him as a little brother, which he liked to a certain degree. He had met so many wonderful people, that he almost regretted that they would have all had to die for their sins…at least until Cream made him see. He silently thanked her for that. The sun was going down now, and soon the night would be upon them…

-- -- -- -- --

The group was out at sea now, seeking the great sea beast Leviathan. Nack was standing on the deck looking at the stars, something he rarely did. He was soon joined by Rouge, who stood next to him.

"Hey, toots," Nack said without looking at her. "You came to stargaze with me?"

"Yeah, I guess so…and for another reason too. I guess that…I owe you a lot."

"…In what way?" Nack asked.

Rouge scratched the back of her head nervously as she tried to search for the best way to thank the weasel for all he had done. Though she had initially reacted with disdain to the weasel when he had first encountered Amy, she was starting to rethink the whole thing…especially when she remembered the day they first met…

"Hey, kid…you lost or somethin'?" a purple weasel with a fedora asked Rouge. The girl, thirteen and innocent, was indeed lost…she had no idea where she was or who to trust. The weasel was the first person to talk to her in weeks, and he seemed friendly enough.

"Yeah…all I remember is being left here for…I really don't know."

"Well, it ain't right for a kid, especially one as nice-look'n as you to be left in the gutter."

Rouge blushed. Even though she was all dirty, this weasel had managed to complement her on how pretty she was. "So, can you help me, sir?"

The weasel smiled. "I guess I can, kid. I'll let you crash at my place until we find you a better place to live. Remember, this ain't permanent. By the way, I guess I should know your name."

"It's Rouge. What about you?"

"Just call me Nack, kiddo."

Nack had taken her in when only the whorehouses would otherwise. When the weasel couldn't find a good home for her, he decided to keep her around. He soon discovered a natural gymnastic talent in young Rouge, and decided to mentor her in the ways of the thief-acrobat. He also taught the girl a little con artistry on the side when he noticed how quickly men seemed to fall for her good looks.

As a present on Rouge's fifteenth birthday, Nack dug into his own wallet to buy Rouge breast implants, much to the girl's surprise. That was alsowhen the weasel began his more romanticapproaches, which she found a bit uncomfortable. Buteven though the bat was going into her own, Nack was always there to watch her back and get her out of a snag whenever he felt he needed to intervene. What she thought was possessiveness in her eyes was protectiveness in his. Nack could have very well perceived those men as less of a threat to what he had than as a threat to her.

Rouge finally recalled the day the two finally split up due to a run-in with the law…

"A little more to the left, Rouge…yeah, stop."

"Have you been sticking to your diet? You weigh a ton!" Rouge complained as she continued to hold the rope Nack was suspended from.

"Rouge, I'm slipping, damn it!" The rope finally slipped out of Rouge's hands. Nack fell through one of the lasers, sounding an alarm that rang through the entire neighborhood. Most thieves would have bolted the scene, but Rouge felt obligated to help Nack out. She fluttered down to see if he was alright.

"Damn it, ya stupid girl…you had to drop me, didn't you?"

"Look, I'm sorry…" Rouge began, but Nack stopped her by a hand to her lips.

"Security robots…get going, and I'll cover you."

He'd been covering her ever since they met. But that one slip-up ended up putting Rouge on the path to success. Her natural charisma and distinct feminine wiles had gotten her out after three days, even landing her a job as a government spy while Nack was thrown in the clink, supposedly for the next twenty years. The weasel, being who he actually was, escaped the next day and skipped town. A few months later, Rouge received the note about the lucky ring.

When the two had met up again, Rouge had given the weasel the cold shoulder. But now she was wondering whether she actually cared about the weasel that had practically raised her. Maybe Knuckles, who she had seen as a rival, was just a rival. He seemed happy enough with Vahtri.

"Well, aren't you going to answer me?" Nack asked, returning Rouge to reality.

"Oh, sorry…I got lost in thought. I just want to thank you for all you've done for me. Really, I'm grateful." Rouge pecked the weasel on the cheek and leaned on him, much like she had seen Amy do. Nack stood there with a dreamy look in his eyes.

Daaaamn, that's hot, Nack said to himself as he tried his best to keep his knees from buckling.

-- -- -- -- --

"For so long my family's been guarding a tool of evil," Knuckles sighed as he and Vahtri were spending a little time together the next morning. "How could I have lived such a lie?" The red echidna was still trying to come to grips with the fact that the Master Emerald was created by Nazo to stifle the flow of life energy in the world, as well to seal the full potential of the Chaos Emeralds from the world. He banged his fist against the wall, making it ring like a tuning fork.

"All of the Guardians were fooled, Knux. Besides, you said yourself that the Master Emerald has been used for good. So it isn't truly evil, right?"

"Yeah…but what sort of evil was the Master Emerald used for? There were no legends about the Master Emerald before it came to the echidnas…why couldn't we know the truth! DAMN IT ALL!" Knuckles continued to punch angrily at the hole, eventually smashing a hole in it. The sharp metal slashed at his skin, cutting his arm open in several places. Knuckles winced, and gripped his arm. Vahtri managed to stop herself from panicking, and told Knuckles to show her. As she ran her fingers along the arm, a blue aura that was barely visible formed around the red echidna's arm, closing the wounds instantaneously. Both echidnas were stunned by this sudden occurrence.

"Okay…that was weird," Vahtri said. "I think I just…"

"Healed me?" Knuckles said. "I don't know how you did it, but that's so sweet!"

Eberon, meanwhile, had been watching the two from a distance, and smirked. He knew what his daughter just did and why…the girl was gifted with healing powers that she could not yet control. It was also the secret ingredient to her cookies that gave the confections their amazing restorative properties…he had alluded to it before, but apparently the red echidna whom he had entrusted his daughter to didn't get the message.

He was surprised when Armeil joined in watching Knuckles and Vahtri. The blue echidna had ditched his angel robes for a brown leather biker jacket, boots and blue jeans at port the previous night. He seemed very happy with himself.

"What's the big grin, Armeil?" Eberon asked.

"Well, my large and grey friend…let me put it this way…hopefully Milos is going to be an uncle in nine months or so." Eberon's jaw dropped open instantaneously.

"You did it, didn't you? You actually…"

"Indeed. Its taken six thousand years, but it was worth the wait."

"What will the boy think?" Eberon asked. "He's extremely intelligent."

"I'm sure he'll handle it well," the blue echidna replied.

-- -- -- -- --

"Okay Akuma…what kind of toil and/or suffering are you going to put us through TODAY?" Sonic groaned when the four hedgehogs had lined up, awaiting the day's tasks. Akuma's response was a big surprise to the four.

"Actually, I'm assigning nothing at all, Sonic. You four are getting the day off. Besides, I believe one of you four has a birthday today." He approached Tahra and presented her with a small wooden box about the size of a shoebox.

"Happy eighteenth birthday, Tahra," the red hedgehog said before flying off. Sonic, after a few moments, started knocking himself on the head. He, of all people, should have remembered her birthday. They were a couple after all. The purple hedgehog noticed this, and smirked.

She wasn't hurt at all by Sonic's forgetfulness. It was just like him to forget things like this. It was like his mind was always in overdrive, and sometimes his mouth couldn't keep up with his train of thought. Then again, with all the trouble that's been going on, even she had forgotten about her own birthday.

"Tahra…I AM SO SORRY…" Sonic moaned as he came up to her, walking on his knees, hoping he wouldn't get hurt by her. "I can't believe I forgot it!"

"Your birthday is today, Tahra!" Amy exclaimed. "I had no idea!" Amy gave Tahra a friendly hug a female would give to another female friend on an occasion like this. The purple hedgehog rolled her eyes, but accepted the hug for what it was.

"I guess I should be saying the same thing, Tahra," Shadow replied. "I don't know when mine is…long story."

"Thanks guys," Tahra said "Do you mind if just me and Sonic see what Akuma's gift was?" Shadow and Amy nodded, and went off to do their own thing, leaving the purple and blue hedgehogs to see what their mentor's present was.

The present contained two white rings that could slip onto her wrists, much like the ones she had tied onto her shoes. There was also a note, which had somewhat illegible handwriting:

These were meant for your mother. Put these and the ones on your shoes on your wrists. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

With a shrug, Tahra did so after removing her typical spiked bracelets. At first, nothing happened, but then she got an unpleasant tingling feeling, much like being affected by static electricity. It soon wore off.

"Okay…that was weird…and pointless."

"I'm sure there has to be some benefit," Sonic replied. "I'm sure something will come up sooner or later. So, since it's the day off, is there anything you want to do for your birthday?"

"Oh, just walk with you, talk with you…make out on the ground with you…"

Sonic nearly fell over when he heard the last statement. Tahra started laughing, and soon Sonic realized that she was only joking, and was slightly disappointed too. He had really enjoyed that first time.

"So, just walking and talking, huh?"

The girl nodded. "I guess the best gift I have is you being here with me. Now c'mere, you handsome blue guy…"

I guess she wants to show me a little love after ALL…sweet.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Shadow and Amy were sitting together in a different garden when a question came to the black hedgehog's head, and he wondered why he never asked it up until now. "Amy…I never really asked you…about your past."

Amy sighed, being unaware of the sincerity of Shadow's question. "You know what it is…I was genetically modified to become an ultimate life form, like you, except I was injected with a mixture containing dragon's blood. What's more to know?"

The black hedgehog shook his head. "No…not that. I never heard about where you lived...the only relative of yours I ever met was your brother. What was life like for you? I'll listen about the one with your foster family. I'd just like to know."

Amy was surprised. For a long time, she had forgotten her family. She was so occupied with Sonic, that she never could remember much of anything farther into her past than when she was ten. She now shuddered at the old outfit of a green shirt and yellow tutu-like dress, even more than the red outfits she shredded years ago. But as she dug through her memories, something did come up…a fond memory, luckily. It was of Christmas…she was six or seven, while she couldn't remember her brother's age.

"And here's one for our little girl…" a dark brown hedgehog in his mid-thirties said to the little Amy when she gave her a small box wrapped in red and green paper. Amy gleefully commenced to rip it open, and squealed when she saw the contents…the first of her many red ribbons.

"It's so pretty! Thank you mommy…thank you daddy!"

"Don't thank us; it was your brother's idea."

"Thanks, Yakky! You're the best!" Amy hugged her older brother.

After that, it seemed like much of her life was coming back to her…it was amazing how a single memory could trigger the return of many others. She described her foster family in surprisingly great detail, as well as a few notable events in her pre-Sonic years. Shadow listened carefully, nodding sometimes, smiling at other times.

He was a bit jealous of Amy…she had once had a family, while the professor and Maria, while both people he deeply cared about…they weren't really family. Even when Gerald had called Shadow his son, in retrospect, did nothing. But now, perhaps in the not-so-distant future, he and Amy could have a real family…together.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Me: (grins)

Tails: You had to do it, didn't you?

Me: I only mentioned it.

Cream: I think being an aunt will be pretty nice.

Tails: What's that supposed to mean?

Me: (winks)