I was dizzy... Chaos control always made me feel sick. Though the Doctors had commented that the power of chaos worked differently for humans than it did for beings like Shadow... But that fact that I could use it at all was enough to be of interest... I swallow, my mouth feeling dry and my head throbbing as I came back to my senses.

There was a barking sound, and voices... Did they find me already? Wait... where was I? I looked around the small building I landed in... there were tools of some kind lining one wall, with a large red box nest to it... there were large doors next to a small door, and the ground was hard cement that felt rough against my palms.

Then the doorknob rattled and opened, letting light pour in and blinded me for a moment. I stiffen. Was I going to have to fight? I didn't have the energy to... I couldn't loose now! not when I've only had a moment of freedom!...

To my surprise... Shadow looked in, along with two other beings that looked similar to him. I held my breath. He got out too? Who were his friends?... Other projects?...

"Huh, so this is what Tom must have felt that day." Shadow said, but his voice was different. It was a higher pitch, and didn't hold the serious edge. He stepped inside and gave a wave. "Hey! I'm Sonic." he said.

Sonic... not, Shadow... my heart gave a hard pound against my chest that was almost painful.

"And this is Tails and Knuckles." Sonic continued as the other two stepped in. Now that they weren't standing in the light, I could see them better. Sonic was blue... not black. And he didn't wear any inhibitors... and his eyes were green. The fox stood on one side of him, large ears listening to me, blue eyes studying me, and two tails swishing behind him. Knuckles was the largest and stood looking ready for anything. He... felt familiar though... I'm not sure how. His violet eyes watch me just as Tails' does.

It was then Tails approached and knelt in front of me. I started to retreat, but paused when my senses brushed over him. All I felt was curiosity... then he smiled. "It's okay, we wont hurt you." He said. "Do you have a name?"

I hesitated. Was it possible this could be a trick?...Then again, I sensed nothing that would have suggested it might be. I swallowed, and answered. "Emily..." I said, my voice quiet and meek. "Shadow... called me Emily..."

As I finally spoke, Sonic and Knuckles approached, I tensed and sensed them as I sensed Tails. Sonic... he felt like a ball of energy just barely contained in a furry body. While Knuckles, he felt like a warm glow, like a well maintained fire. While this fire could be dangerous if misused, it was warm, and familiar. And oddly, Only Knuckles seemed to feel my sensing.

He looked at me. "Who harmed you in such a manner?" He asked, his voice almost a growl, though I don't think he meant it to be a growl.

I looked at my arms. Was I hurt? Or did he mean the scars? They were healed over though...

I didn't answer, but pulled my arms in close.

Sonic made a face and gave me a once over with his own gaze. "Well, you look cold." He said. "I can make hot chocolate."

"Whats... Hot Chocolate?" I asked.

This earned a grin as he stood and offered a hand. "Come in where it's warm and I'll make you some."

I look at his hand, hesitant. Usually open hand like that lead to firm grips that were followed by the prick of a needle. I shiver, looking at his other hand and the hands of his friends... no needles... Maybe... I take a deep breath and carefully grasp his. He matched my strength and gently pulled, bringing me to my feet. He didn't let go as he lead me to the door and out of where I'd soon learn is called The Garage, and into the Home.


I was sat down on the couch under a blanket while Sonic moved about the kitchen, getting four mugs of hot chocolate going, Tails had joined him while Knuckles remained behind. He stood nearby, looking at me with what I could only guess was a mix of distrust and curiosity. I looked back at him, lightly letting my senses move over and around him. He was powerful, that much I could tell just by looking. But there was a loss there too.

He lifted a hand and waved it as if to bat away a fly. "I kindly ask you stop that."

I blinked. "You can feel me?"

"I can." He said. "Some of my clan members could do something similar. But your energy feels prickly, and I dislike it."

"Oh, I'm sorry..." I answered, looking down and withdrawing my senses from him. "It's... a habit."

Knuckles grunted, but didn't say anything else as Sonic and tails came back with the mugs of warm drinks. "Oh don't mind him." Sonic said with a smile as he offered me a mug and Tails gave one to Knuckles. "He's usually pretty grumpy. Especially around new people."

I carefully take the mug, surprised by the warmth it gave off, but just holding it helped me feel warmer. I closed my eyes and held the mug close, smelling a strange, sweet scent wafting from it. the smell itself was soothing, and I felt myself settle into the couch.

"So, where did you come from?" Tails asked as he sipped from his mug.

I opened my eyes again, wondering how to answer. "An, underground lab." I replied. "I was in a Cryo-sleep for..." I look up at the ceiling, trying to find the length of time. Unable to remember it, I looked down again. "A long time.."

"Why would you be in a Cryo-sleep?" Tails pressed.

I bit my lip, thinking back to what happened back home... I held the mug a little tighter. "Because... I'm a Prototype to a larger project.. The Scientists said we were safer that way... but... I don't like being forced to sleep.."

Knuckle's gaze softened slightly, but he said nothing.

Sonic sat on the other side of me. "What do you mean by Prototype?" he asked. "Like an experiment or some kind? Oh! Like those sci-fi movies?"

"I... guess?" I answered, not sure what a Sci-Fi movie was. "But I mean, most of what I know is being in a lab. I was part of a Prototype Project called ADA; Altered Defense Aid. The finished product is my friend, Shadow. He's the fighter, and I'm the shield. At least, thats how it started."

"How does it end?" Knuckles asked, sipping his own hot chocolate, then blinking as he stared at the drink for a moment, as if surprised by the taste.

I took a slow breath. "With the Government...Somehow they found out about the Director's Projects, and Shadow and I were seized. I was woken up from time to time so the agency called gee you ehn could run tests..." My eyes wander down to my arms. The trio follow my gaze and Tails gasped at the sight of the many scars along my arms. "They weren't pleasant... And Dr. Hopkins tended to be... a bit forceful with his tests."

Sonic made a face at this. "G.U.N..." he muttered before smiling at me again. "Well. You're here now." He said. "And Hopkins guy won't touch you. Donut Lord and Pretzel Lady will make sure of that."

"Who?" I asked.

"They're Sonic's folks." Tails answered. "They're really nice."

I smiled at this. Maybe this place was safe.. With this in mind, I finally take a sip of the warm drink. I have to swallow quickly before I gasped and almost drowned myself. The taste was very sweet, and the texture was soft and creamy while the heat of the drink warmed me from the esophagus and right down to my very core. "It's good." I comment, more out of surprise than anything.

Sonic laughed. "Of course it is! It's Hot Chocolate. Pretzel Lady made it for me one night after I had a nasty nightmare. It helps calm ya down."

"I like it." I answer and sipped more, enjoying the drink.

Knuckles took another sip as well, and I wonder what he's thinking about. But I don't think on that long before my stomach growls. I place a hand over it. When did I last eat? Knuckles looked back at me before looking at the nearly forgotten food on the coffee table and picked up a bowl of small purple balls attached to each other by sticks. He offered the bowl to me. "Sounds like you're in need of food. I don't think the Pizza would taste well with the Hot Chocolate. But these grapes should help."

"Thank you.." I answer, accepting the bowl from him and plucking a grape from the sticks and tried it. I jumped at the sudden sweet-tartness it gave, as well as the juice that burst from the little fruit. I covered my mouth in surprise at the taste before swallowing. "Those are amazing!"

Sonic and Tails laughed and Knuckles chuckled. "I am in agreement." Knuckles answered. "Grapes are the Amazing."

"Oh god there's two..." Sonic chuckled, looking up when the power returned to the house. "Hey! We can finish movie night!" He said, though he looked at Tails, then at me, humming in thought. "Though I don't think Jerassic Park would be a good one with our new friend. He went back to the movie stack and looked through them before smiling and pulling out a movie that had a round looking man on it with a pointed nose and a couple little yellow people. "Despicable Me aughta work better. End it on a laugh." He said.

He put the movie in an dimmed the lights again. I settle back into the couch. I had never seen a movie before, but I found this one very silly. At least to the point where I laughed here and there. Though as the movie went on, I found myself sinking into the warm blankets and my eyelids were feeling heavy. Slowly, sleep was taking me under, but with this group of friends... It felt okay to slip into a true sleep... So, slowly I fell asleep on the couch, curling up under the blankets until I wasn't visible anymore.


It was late by the time Tom and Maddie came back home from Olive Garden and a pleasant walk through one of the parks in Green Hills. Tom looked up at the house and grinned. "No flames, or broken walls..." he said. "Looks like everything went smoothly."

Maddie smiled. "You're right, I was worried over nothing." She answered. "Guess I'm still on edge from the last time Robotnic showed up."

"but, he's gone." Tom told her as he opened the door to the house. "And all is well." He looked into the house and noticed how quiet it was. Pursing his lips, he looked into the living room and smiled. There were the three boys, Sonic and tails were sleeping on the couch, a remote loosely held in his hand and Tails' tails were lightly draped over him, a spare blanket over the young fox. There was a pile of blankets on the other end of the couch, and Knuckles was lightly snoring in the recliner.

Tom and Maddie shared a smile as they carefully lifted Sonic and Tails and took them upstairs to bed. Knuckles was too heavy to move comfortably, so when Maddie came back downstairs, she grabbed the blanket Tails was wrapped in and draped it over the sleeping warrior.

"See?" Tom asked. "all is well."

Maddie nodded in agreement as the two went to go to bed, neither noticing that the blanket on the couch was breathing.