Travelling across dimensions was a weird feeling. You feel like you're somehow being bent into a loop like a piece of rubber, all while seeing a huge glare of white light. This only lasted an instance, yet the feeling is something that sticks with you faintly for a while afterwards.

I had barely enough time to adjust to my new surroundings until I heard a voice. "Bow down to the will of the ol' mighty pirate sword!"

The white light now faded to reveal the tip of a sword pointed to my face, I looked beyond it and saw the small figure of Marine glaring at me with gritted teeth.

"Have I done something wrong?" I asked sarcastically, I failed to understand why Marine was treating me like some kind of enemy, we'd met before.

"You tell me!" She huffed, her Australian accent more prominent than ever.

"Marine, calm down." My ears pricked as Blaze's quiet voice came from the doorway. She walked down the crimson carpet with gold swirls down towards me. It was at that moment I actually realised where I was. It must have been Blaze's castle. The gold walls with intricate patterns, portraits of people in regal clothes hung up on the wall, and there was a long dining table with pieces of silverware all along it. The chairs surrounding the dining table, just like the walls, were a shining gold with red cushions.

Blaze gently pushed Marine aside. "What are you doing here?" She asked curiously, although there was something in her tone that suggested she'd assumed something bad had brought me here.

"I'm here to ask you some questions, if you're not busy." I understood that she was the princess of the Sol dimension, and she probably had lots of duties to deal with. She, in reality, might not have enough time to give advice on my rather pathetic problem, and I understood that.

Blaze shook her head. "No, I'm not busy, not at this moment in time." She walked over to the dining table and pulled up a chair. "Please, sit."

I hesitated and looked around me, for some reason, I felt out of place in such a regal and imposing setting. I eventually took a small breath in and sat down. The chair was surprisingly comfy compared to its sturdy appearance, it was the kind that when you sat down, you could feel yourself sinking deeper into the seat.

"What queries do you have?" She asked, sitting down in the chair next to me. Marine then ran out of the room and then sprinted back carrying a cup of china on a saucer. She then tripped and the cup was sent flying, I quickly reached out to catch it, and sure enough it, it landed neatly in my right hand, with no liquid spilt. "I assume this is yours." I remarked, putting the beverage on the table in front of her.

"Thank you." She dipped her head in gratitude with a slight smile, clearly she was fascinated at my fast reaction time. She then turned to Marine. "I know you mean well, but please don't run with hot objects."

"Sorry, Blaze" The raccoon gave an embarrassed laugh and scratched the back of her head.

She turned back to her cup of what I assume to be tea. She went on to stir it slowly with a teaspoon. "Sorry for the interruption. You were saying?"

"Well.." I was struggling to find suitable words to convey my problem. "I'm kind of.. famous."

Blaze nearly dropped her tea cup in shock, but quickly placed it back on the table. Marine leaned over the table on the other side of him with a grin. "Crikey, what made you famous?"

"I killed Eggman, all right!" I snapped. I just wanted to get to the part where I received advice, my reason for my new found popularity didn't matter.

"Blimey! Told you he was sinister lookin' when we first met 'im, didn't I, Blaze?" Marine remarked going over to nudge Blaze with her elbow.

"He's dead." The princess said to herself, "He's really dead."

My ear flicked. "It was an accident." I insisted.

"I'm not worried, or scared, or anything like that." Blaze said hurriedly. "I just, I don't know what to think."

"That just about sums up all the other Freedom Fighters' reactions." Shadow muttered.

Blaze then shook her head, probably snapping herself out of her train of thought. "Anyway, so you're famous, shockingly." She added to herself. "What question did you want to ask me?"

"With my new found fame, it has brought some unwanted attention," I hissed through gritted teeth. "Paparazzi are on my tail."

Blaze sighed, her ears drooping slightly in sympathy. "I know how annoying that can be."

I was suddenly overcome with a wave of rage, and jumped out of my chair. "Annoying? Annoying! Do you have any idea how paranoid I've been? They've been following me everywhere! When I step outside my house, I get bombarded with interviewers. Everything I do when I'm outside, ends up in the next magazine! It's driving me crazy!" I frustratingly paced back and forth, I rarely raised my voice, and it was with this realisation that I stopped. "I apologise." I took a deep breath in. "That outburst was uncalled for."

Blaze now stirred her tea once again, this time the teaspoon scraped against the bottom of the cup. She looked back up at me. "It's fine. It's better to let it out than let it bubble up vigorously inside."

"Y-yes." I felt my cheeks burning a little, I didn't want to cause a scene. I slowly sat down again and gathered myself. "I was wondering, with the fact that you are a princess. you've dealt with such experiences yourself. So I'd like to know how you have dealt with such a situation. As I would prefer to have my privacy back."

Blaze took a sip of her tea, it was the first she'd taken this whole time. She must've found it became a bit cold, as she let a flame flicker from the tip of her index finger, hovering it gently over the tea to warm it up. "There isn't a specific way to deal with it."

"Well, what can I do?"

Blaze shrugged, she looked disappointed with herself for not giving a better answer. "I can only suggest going out disguised, if you wear a large hoodie or something, you'll be surprised how easily you can go unrecognised. However, there is always the possibility that walking around with a large hoodie and your head bent down can make you look suspicious, which will make you the centre of attention."

After a pause, I groaned and put my head in my hands. "Anything else?" I asked desperately.

"I could suggest moving to a more rural area to stay out of their radar, but that depends if you're willing to go through all that hassle. With your job as a G.U.N agent, that would probably be impractical anyway."

I could only sigh in defeat, clearly there was no way of getting around it.

"If I was you, I'd spit in their face and pound them in the dirt!" Marine declared, adding her two cents in. I'm sure this was well intentioned, but it didn't really help at all.

Blaze suddenly lifted her chin up, with a decisive look in her eyes. "Now that Marine brings that up. I would like to say something important. When dealing with the media, your reputation and your attitude mean everything. You make one wrong move, say one wrong thing, your life goes into shambles. You can say one mildly insulting thing, or do something questionable and the next thing you know G.U.N want you back in a test tube in their custody."

I glanced awkwardly around me. Could people really be that dramatic?

"All I'm saying is to closely monitor how you speak and how you act. Never say anything that could be taken as something bad out of context. For some people, it's easier to use a persona when with the media. You're problem is is that you have to create a believable persona based on what others already know about you. It's not like you were some random person after all, you were still an important figure then. I am warning you to be very careful. You don't have a manager or bodyguards out to protect you. You're on your own."

I was surprised at the intensity in Blaze's tone. I couldn't believe it could be so dramatic. Was I really never going to have my privacy again?

"Miss Blaze?" A curious voice could be heard from the door way. Some kind of maid with a frilly dress was standing there. "Our guests have arrived."

Blaze blinked. "Already? They're early."

She then turned back to me. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of much use, and I'm also sorry that I have to ask you to leave now.

I nodded, her words had brought me back to reality from my thoughts. "Don't worry about it, you said what you could." I then turned around, but with one last glance I added. "I should really visit you more often, sometime when I don't just have a problem to ask, but just to talk." Shadow was surprised at himself for saying this, he usually wouldn't bother, but there was something about the cat's calm and sensible demeanour that he appreciated.

Blaze smiled softly. "I'd love that, you'd almost think we're friends.

I let out a "hmph," but with a grin, "I prefer the term acquaintance."

"Sure you do."

"Miss B-Blaze" The maid raised her voice nervously. "They're waiting."

"She'll come when she's ready!" Marine shouted in the maid's face.

"Don't worry! I'm coming! I'll see you some other time!" Blaze quickly added, following after the maid.

"Same to you." I opened a portal and returned to Mobius, right back in the living room where I'd left.

"You weren't gone for long." Rouge remarked, she was reading a book on the couch and didn't look up from the pages.

"She had some business to attend to." I replied.

"Learned anything useful?"

"I've just become more paranoid than I already am." I sighed, crossing my arms.

Rouge tutted and looked up from her book. "Blaze tends to be pessimistic. Tell you what," she smiled pleasantly, "get some sleep. I know, I know you're the ultimate lifeform and you don't need sleep, but I recommend it. It'll clear your mind and help you relax. Your head should be clear to think in the morning."

I then looked out of the window, the sky was a pleasant midnight blue, and the silhouettes of the trees swayed lightly in the breeze. The moon was softly glowing down onto the living room. I then suddenly felt tired as my eyes began to droop, I knew I wasn't really supposed to feel tired, but I supposed the stress and paranoia had taken its toll. "I suppose I'll do that." I said softly, swallowing down my pride.

"In that case, where do you want to sleep? I can give you my bed or the couch?"

"I don't need your bed!" I huffed. "The couch will be more than sufficient."

"All right then, tough guy, I'll see you in the morning." She said, getting up from the couch and groggily walking up the stairs. I looked up at the clock above the couch. It was ten to midnight. I was shocked, Rouge usually paid close attention to her sleeping schedule, always trying to go to bed at ten. Was she really trying to get me out of the cupboard for that long? I wanted to slap myself for being so idiotic.

Rouge's bedroom door closed with a click and I laid down on the couch. The couch was stiff compared to the chairs in Blaze's castle, but it felt more like home. I plumped up a small cushion and placed it under my head so I could rest on it. I didn't really know what sleeping was like or even how you fall asleep, yet, my body seemed to automatically know to close my eyes and let my mind go blank.

It is time.

The purple mist that had been hiding in the bushes stirred. It flew out, and with no hesitation squeezed through the cracks of the window.

Finally

It lingered slightly, observing it's victim. He was quiet; strangely peaceful. He didn't deserve to rest.

I didn't deserve to die.

His chest rose up and down, slowly and rhythmically.

He doesn't deserve to rest.

He looked warm; comfortable, even.

I am your worst nightmare.

AUTHORS NOTE

WOOPDIE DOO! CHAPTER 3 DONE! YA'LL CAN NOW LOOK FORWARD TO SOMETHIN' NEXT CHAPTER. LET THE CORRUPTION COMMENCE, MWAHAHA!

I FEEL LIKE SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT, I WAS LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC WHILE WRITING THIS... AND IT'S MAY :'( I APOLOGISE TO MY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COUNTRY.

I AM A NEW WRITER, SO CRITIQUES AND REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED!

THANKS TO ALL THOSE THAT HAVE FAV'D , FOLLOWED, AND LEFT REVIEWS ON THIS STORY SO FAR. YOU'RE ALL AMAZING! I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS STORY!

HAVE A NICE DAY FOLKS!