Playtime

"Sonic! When can we play?" Corie bounced down the steps the next morning, already dressed in a soft cotton dress and ready for the day.

Sonic turned from the stove. "As soon as you eat, of course. Playtime lasts longer when you eat properly." He continued to speak as Corie joined him, tracing her hands along his diaphragm to feel the vibration of his voice, her ear very near his rumbling stomach.

"You're still a fishy," She pouted.

"Well, duh," Sonic lifted her up onto the counter and flipped a pancake easily, stirring some eggs with the other hand. "I'll eat with you. I wouldn't without you, silly." He nicked her nose with his thumb tenderly.

"Is Tails gonna play, too?" Corie asked.

"I dunno," Sonic shrugged, sniffing and placing one hand over his stomach as he did so. "Mmm. Smell that, Corie?"

Corie sniffed. "It smells good, Sonic."

"Yeah it does!" Sonic swept her off the counter and placed her into a chair. She giggled as he set the table lightning fast and pulled himself into his chair, eagerly beginning to wolf down his eggs. "You'd better eat, too," He said after swallowing a mouthful, indicating to her plate with his fork. "Or playtime won't last long at all."

Corie, well warned, began to eat her smaller portion. "Sonic? What if you have to go save the world and stuff?'

"Tails'll look after ya till I come back," Sonic answered, already finished and putting his plate into the sink.

Corie pouted. "I wanna come too!"

"Okay, okay." Sonic laughed, scooping her up into his arms and putting her plate in the sink. "You can come. You'll need more practice anyway, and I'm tired of being the dummy!"

Corie laughed, settling herself in his arms so she could look around. "Hey Sonic?"

"Yeah?"

"What're we gonna play today?"

Sonic shrugged. "I dunno. What did you have in mind?'

Corie shrugged, looking up towards the sky. "Run." She told him, inching up onto his shoulders.

Sonic, eager to please her, ran. His feet beat along ground and his heart pressed against her knees. Corie laughed into the wind as her hair danced into her face. She was looking up at the beautiful clear sky, unchanged by their speed.

Sonic ducked under a low branch so the little girl in his arms wouldn't bump her head and Corie caught a handful of leaves. "Stop." She said, twisting in his arms.

Sonic skidded to a halt and looked around him, his breathing coming faster now though he was not out of breath. "What?" He asked, looking up at his little charge.

She thrust the leaves in his face. "Look!"

Sonic pretended to bite the leaves, making chewing noises and pretending to bite for them as she pulled them from his reach. "Don't eat it!" She squealed. "Stop!"

Sonic set her down, not at all worn out, and Corie danced away in the direction of the open fields behind them. "What kind of leaves are they, Sonic?"

Sonic shrugged. "Maybe maple leaves, Corie."

"Are they gonna turn red soon?" She asked eagerly as he matched her step by jogging.

"Hmmm." Sonic flopped down into the grass before her, rolling over onto his back. "I dunno." He closed his eyes a moment, feeling the grass tickle his ears. The wind was a little sharp and cold. "Soon."

Corie sat on his stomach, not hard, but Sonic was surprised. "Easy," He chuckled. "I don't wanna lose my breakfast."

Corie got up off of him, focused now, too. Her frozen eyes scanned the landscape. "Knuckles." She said, pointing forward.

Sonic inched up on his elbows as his friend and rival came forward. "Hey there, Knuckles. Got nothing boring to do today?"

"Very funny." Knuckles answered skeptically. "I came to check on Corie." He rested a hand on her head.

"I'm fine," Corie answered brightly, her eyes shining. "How's the Emerald?"

Knuckles eyed Sonic, who was pretending to be bored by yawning ostentatiously. "It's all right," He said at last, appraising the way Corie looked at Sonic. "Those eyes…"

It was true. When Corie set eyes on Sonic, they seemed to glow bright blue and her cheeks seemed to redden slightly. Knuckles wondered at this, removing his hand from the top of her head.

Upon being released, Corie barreled into Sonic. The hedgehog caught her, laughing. His eyes seemed to sparkle in a similar way when around her. "Interesting," Knuckles said to himself.

"What?" Sonic asked, standing. Corie had managed to climb upon his back, her legs supported by him, and peeked out from behind his handsome blue quills. Her look was quizzical as well.

"Nothing." Knuckles answered. "Sonic, did you know you've got a Power Keeper on your hands?"

Sonic cocked his head. "Let's walk. I can think better if I'm moving." He bounced Corie into place and followed Knuckles' lead.

"Power Keepers." Knuckles stole a glance at Corie. "They're spoken of in echidna lore. They can control and sense any kind of power, and are able to copy the learned abilities of others. They receive the setbacks of those powers as well, but experienced ones can bypass such meager limitations."

"Uh…what?" Sonic asked. "You sorta lost me."

Knuckles sighed. "Basically, Power Keepers can copy another person's powers. It's an interesting trait, and once it's mastered, its possibilities are endless. Of course," He gestured aimlessly. "They were supposed to have died out four years ago."

"When I rescued Corie!" Sonic snapped into attention.

"Exactly." Knuckles nodded. "She's the very last Power Keeper."

"How do you know?"

"Guardians can sense them," Knuckles bragged. "Legends say that Eggman destroyed the last of their cities. But, the little girl you rescued isn't even a human at all."

Corie's chin was resting on Sonic's shoulder, her hands clutched at his neck for support. Sonic eased into this new position, adjusting automatically to the shift of weight. "Power Keepers aren't human?"

"They look, smell, and act like humans, excluding their powers and one other difference." Knuckles reached his hand out towards Corie. Sensing what he wanted, she touched him. Her eyes sparkled and she eagerly grabbed his fingers. Her hair suddenly had bright red highlights in it. "She just copied my abilities," He explained. "You can tell by her hair."

Sonic peered at her. Corie nuzzled him and then leaped off his back. Her hair was tinged blue as she sped around him. "Ah!" He cried jokingly. "Stop it!"

"She's copying you now." Knuckles watched as Corie stopped speeding and wilted into the grass. Sonic gently scooped her up, cradling her in his arms cautiously. Her head buried into his shoulder. "Unfortunately, she hasn't learned to harness the speed. As you were when very young, she has uncontrollable speed for a few seconds, and then her energy is spent."

"You said there was one other thing that makes her different from humans." Sonic balanced Corie easily, stroking her beautiful, blue-highlighted hair. "What is that?"

"Oh, right." Knuckles looked towards the sky. "A life force."

"Don't we all have that?"

"Yes, but Power Keeper life forces are far more complex. Theirs, unlike ours, changes color depending on how they're raised. My father has encountered green life forces, which are normally raised Power Keepers, red which represents anger or abuse and evil tendencies, and of course blue for extreme amounts of love and happiness. I've never heard of such a beautiful blue life force as hers is." He smiled. "You spoil her, Sonic."

The hedgehog shrugged, looking lovingly at the little girl asleep in his arms. "I don't think I could hurt her for anything in the world."

They continued to walk on together until Knuckles had business to attend to. Sonic went his separate way, as he usually did, and Corie stayed asleep on his shoulder, the blue highlights still there in her hair.

Corie sat up, rubbing her eyes. A stitch in her side made her recoil in pain. "Ouch!" She exclaimed. "What happened?"

Sonic yawned from behind her and she turned around to look at him. He was sprawled lazily against a tree with the grass growing all around him. It was midday, the sun shining directly overhead. That, and it was very hot. Definitely cooler in the shade, but still hot. "You passed out, sweetie. Aw," He stretched, yawning again. "Days like this just make you wanna sleep, don't they?" He rubbed his eyes and settled back against the tree. "I'm sleepy. Good day."

Corie shook her head. "Don't sleep!"

"Eh? Why not?" Sonic asked, not opening his eyes at all.

Corie looked up towards the sky for a moment. "Never mind," She said. "Go to sleep if you will."

Sonic chuckled. "I'm sorry I'm no fun, Cors, but to be honest, days like these drain me. Lates, I'm beat." And his breathing slowed.

Corie slid off his lap and into the grass. It was impossible for her to be sleepy after a nap. She felt refreshed and ready to play. But, if her main playmate was sleepy, she had no choice but to wait for him. After all, Sonic was the most entertaining person around.

She lay her head against his stomach and closed her eyes, feeling the gentle breeze touch her hair. Suddenly, she heard a strange gurgling noise that did sound like a fish at first, but ended in a fierce snarl. She sat up, scared a moment. Then, she shook her head and reached her hand out for Sonic's face.

One emerald orb opened on contact, lazy but eager. His small smile showed that his sleep hadn't been deep for one reason or another. "What's up, Cors?"

Corie laughed. "Your tummy's snarling at me," She scolded.

"Is it now?" Sonic chuckled, still groggy. "Oh well. Guess it's been a few hours since breakfast." He lifted her up under her arms and smiled at her. "I suppose we can get some chow. It'll be cooler in a restaurant anyway."

"Way past cool!" Corie laughed. Sonic shook his head, lifting her up onto his shoulders as he made his way through town.

"What do we do now, Sonic?" Corie quizzed eagerly.

Sonic yawned. "I dunno. Isn't it getting late?"

Corie nuzzled him. "Not much." She said.

Sonic chuckled. "Really?" He observed her clutching at his fur. "So then why are you acting all sleepy?"

"I'm not." Corie mumbled in protest.

Sonic lifted her into his arms. "Come on. Time for little ones to go to bed."

Corie shook her head into his shoulder. "No, no." She moaned.

"Shh," Sonic told her. "If you want, we can watch the sun set."

Corie nodded. "Yeah."

But, on their way to that special hill, Corie fell asleep in his arms. Sonic smiled and plotted a quick course for home.