"So Rudy!" Sonic as he walked up behind Rudolph. "Whacha doing?"

"Thinking." He responded simply.

"Hmm, thinking, tell me more about it."

"Are you bored?" Rudolph asked getting annoyed.

"No, just wanna give you some company." Sonic said as he sat down next to him. "So do you like Tikal?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure. Why do you care anyway?"

"It just seems like you like her."

"Yeah like you and the cat?"

"Yeah."

"Well Tikal and I are too different."

"So what! Blaze and I are completely different! As a matter of fact, we're opposites. I like freedom, she likes priorities. I like fun, she likes training. I LOVE junk food, healthy food for her, nasty."

"Then why are you with her?"

"Because we don't let any of that get in the way of how we feel for each other. And though we're different, we have a lot in common, speed, power, ideas, out looks, and we love each other. We didn't even let a dimensional barrier come between us."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well about three years back, Blaze use to live in a completely different dimension. But when Robotnik and his twin Nega joined forces for the umpteenth time, they somehow expanded and fused our worlds together creating one new world."

"That would explain why it seemed as if the dessert got bigger." Rudolph said as he stared at the clouds.

"Yeah that was sure a rough year, but before that, even though Blaze and I weren't together at the time, we always watched each other's back. So unlike you, I didn't let anything get in the way of how I felt for her."

"Well it doesn't matter either way."

"I don't know… have you two experienced Soultouch yet?"

"Soultouch?"

"That love-at-first-sight-thing only echidnas have. You know when two echidnas look in each other's eyes and fall in love."

"I know what it is, I'm an echidna too you know?" Rudolph growled.

"Then you love her?"

Rudolph paused for a moment remembering the moment he had with her under the moonlit sky, "… Why?"

"Don't know." The two remained quiet until, "I've been meaning to ask, what's the beef between you and Tikal's tribe anyway?"

"They don't like me." Rudolph answered.

"I got that much, I mean why?"

"It's because of what I am."

"What are you?"

"A half-breed."

"Half-breed? You look like a full blooded echidna to me. You don't look half vulture, no wings on your back."

"I am a full-blooded echidna."

"Then how are you a half-breed?"

"My father hails from Tikal's and Knuckles' tribe, the Northern Echidna Kingdom while my mother hails from the Southern Echidna Tribe."

"So?"

Rudolph sighed, "I see I'm going to have to explain our history. A long time ago, thousands of years ago, our two tribes were once one. But somewhere along the way, some echidnas began digging deeper in the echidna religion and started worshiping the idea of one all-powerful god instead of many demi-gods. And due to the ways these rituals were carried out, the echidnas who were apart of the old religion, their fur began to deepen in color until it became a pitch-black color. Outraged by this, the leader banished all the black echidnas to the desert where my tribe was force to live."

"So… how are you a half-breed?"

"My mother is a black echidna from the Southern Tribe while my father is a red echidna that comes from the Northern Kingdom, which is why my fur is such an even brown."

"Makes sense."

"And because I'm half of each, both sides hate me. They think I'm some kind of unholy creature."

"Well that's not fair." Sonic said as he folded his arms. "Hey wait a second! You said that the two different tribes hated each other, then how did your parents meet?"

"Wow, pretty perceptive." Rudolph cooed with a smile.

"Yeah I can listen when I want to." Sonic grinned. "So anyways how did your parents get together?"

"Well my dad met my mom when she was still a princess and-"

"Whoa! Princess? Does that mean you're a prince?"

"I guess. I never really cared."

"Cool! Me too!"

"Really?" Rudolph asked as he looked at Sonic in disbelief.

"Yep! But anyway, continue."

"Well like I said, my dad met my mom when she was still a princess and the two fell in love through Soultouch. But though they loved each other, they kept it a secret… at least until my mother became queen. Once that happened, my tribe wondered why she hadn't settle with anyone and yet was pregnant and begun sneaking around, following my mother until they found her with my dad. My tribe was in outrage and since everyone found out, my mother tried to make my father the new king but no one would allow it. So my parents continued their relationship with my mother forbidding anyone from harming him. Once I was born, I was thought as a demon, a monster. I spent my whole life being attacked, spit on, insulted, just about anything you could imagine. Everyone despised me because my father was from the Northern Kingdom. Though my father would visit me often, most of our time was devoted to training me to guard the Chaoskey."

"So you're like Knuckles since he protects the Master Emerald." Sonic said letting Rudolph know that he understood.

"Yes."

"So what are your parents like?" Sonic asked.

"My mother… she alone besides my father was the only person who saw me for who I am and not for what I was. She's a very strong leader, always calm, quick thinker and actor. She just always knows what's best for everyone. Luckily, she and my tribe were able to get away before Robotnik attacked."

"Was that the same night that we found you all bruised up?"

"Yeah."

"What's your dad like?"

"He's very powerful, nearly as strong as Knuckles, but also very peaceful. He was one of the few echidnas form the Northern Kingdom that didn't hate the Southern Tribe. One of his favorite hobbies was to just lay in the fields and stare at the trees, sky, just the scenery in general. He would hardly speak, but his calm nature was reassurance enough to keep you happy." Rudolph said with a smile. "One thing my father would always say is that you should always care for others, even if they hate you. And that I shouldn't let what other people say affect me, and I should be happy being me. Everyday possessions can be replaced, but those you care for and care for you, they can never be replaced. Someday we will unite the two tribes into one, but until then, protect what's important to you."

"Sounds like a cool guy." Sonic grinned.

"Yeah, he was."

"I hope I get to meet him someday."

"You can't."

"Why?"

"He's dead."

"Really? No wonder why you want to kill Robotnik."

"He didn't kill him."

"Oh… then how old was he?"

"26."

"So young? What happened to him?"

Flashback

"Wow! Tikal was so cool! She's the only person who doesn't hate me. I gotta remember my promise, no matter what." The young Rudolph said happily with gee as he ran home. But on the way, he felt a familiar energy, "Dad? Cool! Maybe I could meet up with him!" Rudolph said as he changed his direction and headed towards his father. But once he was close to his father, Rudolph saw that his father was being held up by three dingoes and was bleeding immensely with one dingo standing in front of him. Staying quiet, Rudolph slowly got as close as he could, hiding behind a bolder. "Dad…"

"Where is it!?" The leader shouted.

"I don't know what you're talking about." His father said resulting in the leader punching him in his stomach causing him to cough up blood.

"Now answer me! Where is the Chaoskey!!? We know your it's guardian! Once we have it, we can start destroying every echidna until we control this entire land!"

"Dad…" Rudolph whispered to himself. "You know where the Chaoskey is, it's in my room, just tell them."

"Where is it!?"

Rudolph's father grinned as he slowly rose his head, "You won't find it."

"Oh really?' the dingo said as he pulled out a revolver. "You got 'til the count of 3 before I blow your brains out! How about that!?"

Rudolph quickly step forward, 'No son!' and then he then instantly stopped in his tracks.

"D-dad?"

'Yes Rudolph, it's me.'

"1!!!"

'I don't have much time.'

"Dad just tell them where that Chaoskey is so you can go."

'They'll kill me either way if I do."

"2!!!"

'Rudolph, I love you and your mother so very much. Please take care.'

"Dad!"

"3!!!!" BAM!!!!

Silence ran over the desert as his body felt lifelessly to the ground.

"Damnit!" One dingo yelled. "Now I got blood all over me!"

"DADDY!!!!!!" Rudolph shouted causing the dingo to turn their attention to him. Quickly, the four dingoes pulled out guns and began firing at Rudolph forcing him to run leaving his dad's body behind. From then on, Rudolph didn't stop running, even long after the dingoes stop chasing him, he kept going. He couldn't stop, every atom in his body was telling him to run, run, don't stop running. By the time he made it back to his home, his body was too weak to move, but tears kept flowing from his eyes. His mother soon opened the door and to her shock found Rudolph lying on the ground in tears.

"Rudolph! Rudolph honey, what's wrong!? What happened!?"

"Dad! He's gone!"

"Gone? What do you mean?"

"I saw them! They killed him!" Rudolph wailed in his mother's arms. "DADDY!!!!"

Later that night both Rudolph and his mother were crying in his room, holding on to each other as tightly as they could. But soon both were unable to cry any longer.

"Rudolph…" his mother whispered receiving no answer. "Rudolph, I'm going to bring us something to eat. I'll be right back, I promise." Then Rudolph's mother quietly left the room leaving Rudolph sitting on his bed.

"Why… why…" Rudolph asked himself as he walked over to a chest in the side of his room and pulled out his glowing Chaoskey. "Dad… why… why did this have to happen…" Rudolph asked himself as he gripped his birthright and the room slowly began to dim and a green aura began to form around him. "Why… why… why… why… WHY!!!?" Rudolph screamed as he gripped his head, his eyes began to glow green, and his aura begun to explode shaking the very foundation of his building, even causing the ground around his entire village to tremble. Then suddenly Rudolph found himself staring at a large group of dingoes in the middle of the desert. The hundreds of dingoes turned to the small brown boy who was engulfed in a green aura and all quickly drew weapons.

"Who the hell are you!?" One dingo shouted but Rudolph didn't reply.

Then a very large and muscular dingo walked over to Rudolph, "Hey you dirty echidna, just who are you anyway?" he asked as he grabbed Rudolph by his head. Rudolph's glowing green eyes quickly narrowed and he suddenly disappeared then reappeared behind the dingo and kicked his head off his body. As his head rolled on the ground, Rudolph landed on the ground and turned back to the other dingoes that stood in horror.

"Who is this kid?" one dingo asked until he noticed the relic in his hand. "That kid has the Chaoskey!"

The leader, the same dingo from before stood up, "So that's where it was, huh? I guess the old man thought we wouldn't hurt some kid to get a hold of it, think again!" The Dingo laughed as Rudolph placed the Chaoskey around his neck. "Take it from him! Rip it from his neck! Kill him!" he shouted causing everyone to charge towards Rudolph, but everyone who came in contact with his green aura completely disintegrated causing the others to turn around and run in fright. "Where do you think you're going you pussies!!!?" the leader yelled until he turned around and stood face to face with the raging boy. As he began to back away, the dingo tripped and fell on his back, utterly terrified. "Please don't hurt me!" he begged.

Hearing this only caused Rudolph's fury to increase, "You don't deserve forgiveness." Rudolph said as he rose his free hand and placed it in front of the dingo's face. "None of you do." Then a chaos energy ball shot from his hand that completely engulfed the dingo, obliterating him. Then Rudolph rose his hand to the crowd of dingoes that was still in a frenzy and in a bright green flash, every single dingo in the area was gone from existent.

Rudolph walked through the desert until he found the body of his father. Rudolph looked over it carefully, and then Rudolph placed his father over his shoulder and began walking. Soon Rudolph was within the Land of the Vultures and there he left his father's body in their care and left with only a promise to uphold his duty over anything else. Rudolph simply walked across the desert and back to his home where his mother lay in his room crying over her missing son. But once her eyes laid sight on Rudolph, she grabbed a hold of him and clutched him tightly in her arms.

"Rudolph! Where have you been?" She asked through her tears.

"I killed them." He said quietly. Slowly, Rudolph's mother pulled Rudolph far enough away to see his face. Rudolph stood there, cold and emotionless, looking at his mother. "Those dingoes, they won't be harming anyone anymore. They're all dead, I made sure of it." Rudolph said calmly as his mother stared at him. She quickly drew him into a hug with Rudolph returning it.

Flashback End

"Wow… I'm sorry." Sonic said as he began to sulk.

"It's alright." Rudolph said simply.

"Well that would explain why the dingo population suddenly got smaller."

"Yeah, even though I tried to keep it a secret, my tribe could sense my leftover energy where I killed them, so they knew it was me."

"So I guess that means they begun to like you right, and stopped beating you up?"

"They stopped attacking me, but it was more out of fear than respect. Everyone was afraid of me because of how powerful I was becoming after I started training. I was able to complete trials that would take everyone weeks in a few hours. But even though they stopped trying to hurt me, they would always keep their distant and would say things behind my back." Then after a short pause, Sonic began chuckling, and then went into a full blown laugher.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh it's not you!" Sonic said as he tried to calm down. "It's just that everyone I meet seems to never have friends. Tails was made fun of cause of his two tails. Knuckles' dad left him all alone on Angel Island to guard the Master Emerald, Amy was abandoned by her family and left in an orphanage, Shadow's family was killed by gun, and Blaze was made fun of and feared because of her powers and now you. I feel like Dr. Phil without actually trying."

"Yeah well at least you always people who care about you, your family, and friends."

"At least your mother was there for you."

"She was the only person who ever cared."

"And besides, you'll always have your friends to watch your back."

"I told you already, I have no friends." Rudolph said as he turned away.

"What!? Then what does that make me!?"

Rudolph snapped his head towards Sonic, "W-Wha?"

"What does that make me? We're friends right?" Rudolph couldn't help but look at Sonic in disbelief. "Are we?" Sonic asked waiting for an answer.

"I… I don't know."

"Well that means I am your very first friend, right?" Sonic asked with a grin. "And don't think for a second I'm your only friend. Tails, Blaze, Knuckles, Shadow, all my friends, they're yours too you know?" Sonic said as he turned to his sleeping friends. "Don't forget, Tikal wants to be your friend too. She cares a lot about everyone, even you." Hearing this, a smile began to form on Rudolph's face.

"Thanks… Sonic."

"No prob!" Sonic grinned. "Now we should get some rest."

"No its ok, I'll stay up and watch over everyone tonight."

"Are you sure? Shadow can do it for you. After all, he is the supposed Ultimate life." Sonic said as he turned to Shadow who was leaning on a bolder. "That guy doesn't need to sleep, eat, or drink anything. As a matter of fact… I've always wondered if he even breathes." Sonic said as he scratched his chin.

"It's fine, just remember, tomorrow we take down Robotnik's stronghold and take back my Chaoskey." Rudolph grinned as he cracked his knuckles.

"Yeah! Damn right!" Then a yawn came from Sonic as he rubbed his eyes. "Well Rudy, good-night and sleep t- never mind. Later!" Sonic waved as he jumped down the cliff side, rolled up in his sleeping bag and went to sleep. Rudolph turned back to the night sky and his smile widened as each and every star in the world seemed to glow brighter than ever before.