Chapter 4

Sonic was still following the scent of the hedgehog when he saw another wanted poster of him. He got mad and ripped it up until he heard a branch breaking. He hid behind and rock and pulled a branch over to hide him, and oddly enough it seemed to show his features even though he was hidden.

Sonic jumped out in front of the figure with his dagger in hand until he saw it wasn't the one he was looking for. He actually looked like an older version of him.

"You almost gave me a heart attack." Mephiles said to Sonic.

"Sorry sir." He replied sheathing his dagger back into place. "Have you seen a black hedgehog around here? Red stripes, gold rings?"

"No, I'm sorry to say I haven't." Mephiles said. Then he realized something. "Where's the rest of the soldiers...Shade!" he ran back to the tower leaving a confused Sonic alone.

Mephiles got to the tower and yelled, "Shade! Let down your hair!" to his dismay nothing happened. "Shade?!"

He ran around the tower and ripped of branches and vines find rocks piled into a small hole in the wall. He moved the rocks and climbed up the steps into the floor of the tower. He got up and ran to Shade's room. He looked everywhere in the tower and ripped of the curtains to the window bed, but nobody was there.

He held his head scared until something shone in his eye. He looked to see something under one of the steps. He pried it open to find the satchel and the tiara inside. He dropped the tiara remembering everything he did to get Shade.

He searched more to find the poster of the Ultimate Life-form inside. Mephiles got up, opened a drawer, and pulled out a dagger.

"I know it's around here somewhere." The hedgehog said as the turned. "Ah, there it is. The Snuggly Duckling. Don't worry, very quaint place, perfect for you. No need to get scary and giving up on this whole endeavor, eh?"

"Well," Shade said awkwardly, "I do like ducklings."

"Yay!" the hedgehog said sarcastically.

The hedgehog burst open the door leaving a very freaked out Shade. All around the place were thugs and ruffians. Each looking more ugly than the next. She pulled out her frying pan just incase.

"You smell that?" the hedgehog said pushing her forward. "Take a deep breath through the nose. Really let it sink in. What are you getting, 'cause I got bad man smell, and REALLY bad man smell. I don't know why but it smells like the color brown, your thoughts?"

Someone behind them tugged on her hair. "That's alot of hair."

"She's growing it out. Is that blood on your mustache? Blondie, look at this. Look at all the blood in his mustache." The hedgehog really wanted to get out of the deal if his was doing this.

Shade backed up into a tall crocodile named Vector by accident. He growled at her making her freak out even more.

"Hey, you don't look so good, Blondie. Let's take you home, call it a day? You're probably better off; this is a 5 star joint after all. And if you can't handle this place, well, maybe you should be back in your tower."

The door slammed shut before they could reach it with his wanted poster on the door. The crocodile from before pointed to it, "This is you?"

The hedgehog moved his hand off the poster revealing his quills all messed up and curled. "Ok, now they're just being rude."

"Oh, it's him alright." A red echidna named Knuckles walked up to them. "Wave, go get some guards." The purple swallow ran outside. "That rewards gonna buy me some new knuckles."

A hand came and grabbed the hedgehog from his spot. "I could use the money!" he said.

Vector took him next, "What about me? I'm broke!" Soon everyone started to fight over him. Shade tried to stop them, but couldn't.

"Leave him alone!" she yelled.

"We can work something out!" the hedgehog yelled over them.

"Gimme back my guide!" Shade started bashing the men with her frying pan but it didn't seem to bother them. They started to hold up the hedgehog as Knuckles was about to punch him.

Shade threw her hair over a beam and it wrapped around a branch. She pulled it back and before Knuckles could throw the punch, let go of the branch and it banged against his head. He stood in shock for a moment.

"PUT HIM DOWN!" She yelled.

Knuckles turned angrily to face her.

"Ugh! Okay, I don't know where I am and I need him to take me to see the lanterns because I've been dreaming about them my entire life! Find your humanity! Haven't any of you ever had a dream?"

Knuckles walked towards her with a sword he took from another person while Vector put the hedgehog on a hook.

Shade backed up against the bar table, but didn't expect Knuckles to say this, "I had a dream once."

He threw the sword at a bee missing him by an inch. He started to play the accordion and Knuckles started to sing.

"I'm malicious, mean, and scary. My strength could curdle dairy. And violence my hand are not the cleanest. But despite my evil look, and my temper, and my hook, I've always wanted to be a concert pianist."

He started to play a piano.

"Can't you see me on the stage performing Mozart? Ticklin' the ivories 'til they gleam? I'd rather be called deadly for my killer show tune medley. Thank you, 'cause way down deep inside I've got a dream."

Everyone stared to join in, "He's got a dream, he's got a dream."

"See, I ain't that cruel and vicious as I seem. Though I do like breaking femurs, you can count me with the dreamers. 'Cause way down deep inside I've got a dream."

Outside the singing could be heard, and Mephiles walked towards it with his hood on.

Back inside, another dreamer was up to bat. He was an ivory hedgehog with 5 quills sticking upward and 2 going down the back of his head, and white chest fur. His name was Silver. He wore dark blue boots with white gloves that had aqua blue symbols on it as well as his gold rings around his wrists.

"I've got scars, and lumps, and bruises, and something here that oozes. And let's not even mention my complexion. But despite that I get chills, and my powers, and my quills, I really want to make a love connection."

He got in a wagon with a stick and a bit drunk yellow hedgehog girl was there with him.

"Can't you see me with a special little lady? Rowing in a rowboat down the stream. Though I'm a freaky looking blighter, I'm a lover not a fighter, 'cause way down deep inside I've got a dream."

"He's got a dream, he's got a dream."

"And I know one day romance will reign supreme. Though my face leaves people screaming, there's a child behind it dreaming. Like everybody else I've got a dream."

"Tor would like to quit and be a florist, Gunther does interior design, Big is into mime, Attila's cupcakes are sublime, bruiser knits, Killer sows, Fang does little puppet shows, and Vector here collects ceramic unicorns."

Everyone turned to the hedgehog and took him down from the wall.

"What about you?" Silver asked.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"What's your dream?" Knuckles asked.

"No, no, no, sorry boys. I don't sing." All of them had their swords in his face. Later he was singing.

"I have dreams like you, no, really. Just much less touchy feel-y. They mainly happen somewhere warm and sunny. On an island that I own, tanned, and rested, and alone. Surrounded by enormous piles of money!"

Shade stood on the table. "I've got a dream. (she's got a dream) I've got a dream. (HEY!) I just wanna see the floating lanterns gleam."

Mephiles looked through the window of the tavern.

"And with every passing hour I'm so glad I left my tower. Like all you lovely folks I've got a dream."

"We've got a dream! We've got a dream! So our differences ain't really that extreme. We're one big team. Call us brutal, sick, sadistic, and grotesquely optimistic, 'Cause way down deep inside, we've got a dream. I've got a dream. I've got a dream. I've got a dream. I've got a dream. I've got a dream. I've got a dream. Yes way down deep inside I've got a dream! YEAH!"

Wave came inside the tavern, "I found the guards."

The hedgehog grabbed Shade and pulled her down behind the bar. The guards pushed Wave out of the way and the commander spoke.

"Where's the Ultimate Life-from? Where is he? I know he's in here somewhere. Find him! Turn this place upside-down if you have to."

The hedgehog looked above the bar to see Jet and Storm handcuffed with guards. He ducked back down again and a fist with spikes on it was inches from his face. Knuckles glanced towards the wall. He pulled a lever that opened an underground passageway.

"Go, live your dream." He said.

"I will." The hedgehog replied.

"Your dream stinks! I was talking to her."

Shade kissed the echidna on his cheek, "Thanks for everything."

He blushed as the 2 hedgehogs went into the tunnel.

The others were trying to stall the guards by saying one of them was the Ultimate Life-form, but it was no use.

Soon, Sonic burst through the door smirking. "Hello, ladies."

"Sonic." The commander said.

"Where's that hedgehog?" he murmured to no one. He picked up a scent at followed it to behind the bar. "He's down here." He said. He hit the lever and the floor opened to the passageway.

"It's a passage! C'mon let's go." The commander said going inside. "Newbie! Make sure the boys don't get away."

The new guard pointed his sword at them, but Storm knocked him out with his head.

"We'll play it safe," Jet said while Storm broke the chains. "We'll go get the crown."

Mephiles turned away from the window trying to figure a plan. Soon the drunk girl from earlier came out sing "I've got a Dream" to herself. She saw Mephiles and fell head over heels.

"Wow, do you...work out or something..." she said slurring.

"Thank you for the compliment. Now," he pointed the knife at her neck, "Where does that tunnel end up?"

"...knife..." the girl said scared.