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XVII: Peace and Explanations

"And that's how we saved the world." Future Sonic finished explaining to everyone as past and future Sonic took a bow while Shadow stood there motionless and sulking as usual. Everyone else clapped and cheered and the master emerald shone brightly with all the positive energy around it.

Everyone had now broke free of the bubble after the King of the underworld was defeated and they successfully closed the first rift that had opened when all this had started. The hot summer sun was shining down on them, the sky had cleared and all the flora and fauna were returning. The shadow demons that had remained trapped in this world were dying out and Sonic didn't think they'd be hearing from them again anytime soon.

Still his thoughts remained haunted by what he had seen here in the future; where his life was apparently heading. The things the King had said…his curse. Sonic tried to shake his head to banish the thought. He'd have to look out for that tribe in the future. There was no way he was being cursed like that.

"So you knew I was going to go back in time and get you all along?" Sky gasped and future Sonic laughed and nodded.

Sky thought about this a moment. "Does that mean I'm still grounded?" She asked carefully and everyone laughed.

"Yes Sky you're still grounded." Future Sonic said before smiling. "But for helping save the world, I am ungrounding you."

"Woohoo!" Sky shrieked. "In your face Alex! This means I can whoop your ass on Extreme Gear!"

"Where did you hear such language?" Amy demanded before glaring at future Sonic who whistled and pretended not to notice.

As the sun began to set people started heading home until only Sonic, his future self and family and Knuckles remained.

"That was really nice what you did for Tails." Knuckles admitted to future Sonic as he leaned back against the stone steps that lead to the master emerald. "Even I'll admit that it was a clever plan."

Future Sonic smiled as he watched his kids chase each other around the field.

"Well as I said, I'd been through it before." He replied. "The King of the underworld had a weird fascination with my curse and thought he could control me when it took over, but as I told you before, I've been learning to control it over the years."

"Impressive." Knuckles commented. "So he's stuck there for all eternity again?"

Future Sonic nodded. "When all else fails, hope you have a wife with powerful Zanybe magic in her." He said before winking at Amy who laughed.

"Nice to know I'm useful for something." She giggled starting to sound like her old bubbly self again.

Sonic stood awkwardly to one side as he continued to think about these events. Surely there had to be a way he could change them? It was his future right? He could do whatever he wanted. Sonic started to get a headache as he thought about time and how it worked. It was all so confusing.

Future Sonic noticed Sonic's expression and walked over to him.

"Want to take a walk?" He asked and Sonic nodded and began walking next to his future self as they walked into the forest surrounding the shrine.

"I think I remember what I…err…you're thinking." Future Sonic said after a long silence.

Sonic sighed. "I just…the thought of going back and looking at my friends, knowing what they are about to go through doesn't bear thinking about. Can you not even give me some more hints or better yet explain everything to me?"

"I can't." Future Sonic said. "I wish I could, but I don't want to mess things up. Someone once told me that taking a path to avoid a certain future is ultimately the path that leads to that exact future. People need to find out things on their own. These past few days, you only got a tiny taste of what's to come."

Sonic huffed in annoyance before smirking. "Not even a little spoiler?"

Future Sonic laughed. "Where's the fun in life if you know exactly what's going to happen. It's not all bad though even though we've gone on a lot about how much has changed, but we're still the same to a certain extent. We've just grown up a lot and had ups and downs in life like most people have."

"This is getting too cheesy for my liking." Sonic replied, wrinkling his nose.

"It's the truth though." Future Sonic said. "You have so many adventures to come, new powers to discover and lots and lots of drama."

"Sounds about right to me." Sonic muttered.

"But." Future Sonic said interrupting Sonic's thoughts as he pulled a piece of paper out and handed it to him. "This was given to me many years ago, right here in this exact spot. A very small spoiler for you."

Sonic unfolded the worn out looking piece of lined paper and recognised his own scruffy handwriting.

Beware of the Zanybe.

"That's it." Sonic demanded. "Is that the tribe you've all been going on about?"

His future self nodded with a grim expression on his face.

"That's all I can tell you though."

Sonic sighed and folded the piece of paper back up and held it tightly in his hands. "Thanks, but what exactly is this curse? It looks so similar to the time I absorbed the negative emotions in the rings."

"Ah." Future Sonic said. "There's something I definitely can't talk about. I wouldn't want to scare you."

"Scare me?" Sonic gasped in disbelief. "Pu-lease."

Future Sonic smiled before they turned around to head back to the shrine.

"I still can't believe I actually settle down." Sonic laughed at the thought. Who would've guessed it?

Future Sonic snorted. "Was I really always this stubborn?"

"What do you mean?" Sonic asked.

"Just admit to yourself that you like Amy." Future Sonic smirked down at his past self.

Sonic felt his cheeks going red. Again with this whole setting him up with Amy.

"I like her as a friend and nothing more and I can't see that changing anytime soon." Sonic answered as he glared down at the grass.

"Suit yourself." Future Sonic sighed. "Just give her a chance and you'll soon see."

Sonic snorted. "Yeah right."

They arrived back at the shrine and Sonic felt a little better after his little talk with his future self. He felt prepared for the future now. He knew to look out for that tribe in the future and to stay away from them. From what people were saying, he had a feeling they were bad news. So these are the people that had cursed him then? Why would they do a thing like that? If he did happen to encounter them, then he was determined to stay on their good side.

As soon as Sky saw them she ran over to them in a light blue blur.

"I see she inherited our speed?" Sonic commented to his future self.

He nodded. "And she uses it to her advantage."

Sky rolled her eyes. "Stop putting the cookie jar on the lowest shelf then. You and mom are practically asking for it sometimes."

"Yeah well be careful otherwise you might end up as fat as Eggman." Sonic laughed.

"Wouldn't want that now would we?" Sky giggled. "But with my high metabolism, I don't think that will be happening. Unlike him, I don't want stupid robots to do my dirty work."

"That's not what you said when I asked you to clean your room." Future Sonic said and Sky cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Shouldn't he be getting back to his party?" She asked changing the subject and pointing at past Sonic.

Sonic gasped. He'd completely forgotten.

"Can I take him home dad please please please." Sky begged and future Sonic thought for a second.

"Fine, but no exploring. You come straight home." He said. Sky squealed and jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly before jumping back down again and grabbed the light blue chaos emerald.

"I've probably missed the whole party now." Sonic mumbled as he stepped closer to Sky.

"Relax, it'll be like you never left." She said winking at him and holding the chaos emerald up.

"Chaos control!" And with those words, they were once again being transported through time and space.

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