I smiled as bright sun danced across my face, opening my eyes I looked out side of the train window and gasped. Deep blue sky and sea green waves were only a few miles away, everything was so gorgeous. For a moment I forgot why I was even on the train, then I remembered. Grimacing I shifted in my seat stretching, sleeping in a train over night wasn't exactly comfy.

"Emerald Coast! Everyone for Emerald Coast this is your stop!" I heard a shout as people began to shift in their seats, I got up slinging my backpack over my shoulder. Waving goodbye to the engineer, I got off and realized what I had just done. I was away from everything I knew, looking for someone that I had no clue who exactly he was or where he lived to tell him his best friend was captured by fairies! I sighed and sat on a near by bench, closing my eyes I blanked out.

"Please, Anita. I need you. Please help me." My eyes snapped open at the sound of Sonic's voice. I looked around but nothing but the swaying trees and falling flower petals swirling around me…around me! I got up as pink peach blossoms swirled around me almost dancing and at the same time comforting.

"Sonic?" I said then it stopped, the petals dropped to the floor and I was left alone.

"Okay, okay. I get it. Although I don't think he'll listen." I said softly then headed towards the beach, maybe someone can tell me where he lives. Five hours later I sat on the sand ready to give up and go home, I was tired and oh so hungry. I had the money but I just didn't want to spend it, especially since I wasn't sure how much a ticket cost to get back home. I looked to my side to see a yellow hedgehog sunbathing, something told me to ask, while another thing told me not to bug her.

"Umm. Hello, I'm sorry to bother you. But could you please tell me where Tails Prower lives?" I asked giving in, I told Sonic I would look for him and a promise is a promise. She sat up and looked up at me through her red sunglasses disgusted then laid back down.

"He lives a few blocks away from here, right at the edge of a cliff over looking the sea. Now move! You're in my sunlight." She snapped I quickly muttered thanks and got away from there, part of me felt giddy. I was finally going to see him, and just like the hedgehog had said there was a huge house overlooking the ocean…she just didn't tell me about the huge security gate. I looked around trying to see if there was a handle to push on or a speaker to talk into when I heard a voice.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" I could tell it was a young kid by the sound of his voice, I looked up at the sky for a moment to see thunderclouds. Weird.

"Umm. My name's Anita and I'm looking for Tails Prower I-"

"I'm not doing anymore interviews if that's what you want." He said cutting me off, I yelped afraid he was going to leave

"NO! I mean, no I'm not here to interview you. I have something important to tell you, he said he was your friend. Could I please come in?" I asked as the wind began to pick and the skies started to darken. The boy didn't reply only the gate swung open, I quickly ran through the gates before they could close and hurried towards the house. A yellow fox stood at the door, and just like I had guessed he was just a kid.

"You'd better get inside, it looks like a storm is coming." He said as he moved to the side allowing me to enter inside. It was a plain simple hall there was an entry table and the walls were a plain grey.

"Thank you." I said as he closed the door, he looked at me with sad sky blue eyes.

"So what were you going to tell me, Miss Anita?" He asked as we stood in the hall, I tucked a loose strand of hair nervously.

"Well…Umm. How do I say this." I said panicking, I knew I was going to sound crazy, but there wasn't any other way.

"Sonic told me to tell you not to worry." I said in a rush, there I said it, I told him I can leave. Or so I thought.

"Sonic? Sonic's been missing for three months. Do you know where he is?" He said getting closer to me his eyes filled with hope.

"Umm, kinda sorta. He's with…He's…he's been captured by fairies." I said sighing then Tails looked at me then closed his eyes and for a moment I thought he believed me, that went crashing down hill

"Do you think this is some kind of a joke? If so its not funny!" He shouted as tears filled his eyes, I held out my hands.

"No! I'm…It's not a-" I said trying to tell him but he just glared at me

"Just go! Get out of my house!" He yelled getting closer to me, he was just a kid so I didn't think he could do anything to me, but I felt like I just made things worse. I ran and ran till I reached a bench along the side of the road and this time it was pouring down rain. I collapsed on the bench and cried. I failed. I told him and he didn't believe me. I sat there in the pounding rain with my head in my hands just shaking. One- Because I came all that way for nothing and Two- I was so cold and now hungry. I sat there feeling horrid, I couldn't go home. My mother would be furious and I would disappoint Sonic. I shivered then I noticed it stopped raining. Then I realized it didn't stop raining, I was just not in the rain. I was underneath an umbrella, looking up I saw a dark ebony hedgehog standing in front of me with an annoyed look on his face.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked his voice harsh and deep, I gulped afraid that I could get kidnapped by this guy.

"I…I…" I stuttered as I looked up at him and shivered from the cold, he growled then handed me the umbrella. Confused I took it as he shrugged out of his black jacket, he shoved it in my hands as he took the umbrella back. I sat there like a complete idiot wondering why he did that.

"Put it on before you get hypothermia." He growled then sat down next to me, afraid that he'd get even more upset I put the jacket on and wondered why I didn't put it on sooner. It was so warm and soft.

"Thank you." I said avoiding his gaze, then finally looked at him.

"So are you going to tell me why you're sitting out here in the middle of a thunderstorm? Only an idiot would be out here." He said his eyes narrowing, I felt my face flush then retorted.

"Then why are you out here?" He glared at me as I shrunk back

"I live in Jasper City, it's a few hours away from here. I came here for a friend, I had to tell him something. But he didn't believe me and I got kicked out. So here I am. I'd better be going." I said as I started to reach for my backpack when something clinked to the ground, reaching down I grabbed what ever it was before it was swept away by the rain. I stared in amazement at what I held in my hand. It was a ring. Like a jewelry ring , but bigger almost like a bracelet.

"Sonic must had stuck that in my backpack when I wasn't looking." I muttered to myself completely forgetting about the dark hedgehog, until he yanked the ring away from me.

"Hey! That's mine." I said reaching for it but stopped when he gave me a deathly glare, I pulled by my hand and watched him afraid he would take off with it.

"Where did you get this?" He asked his crimson eyes set on me, I shivered.

"I…umm…I think Sonic stuck it in my backpack." I said figuring the hedgehog would think I had a friend named Sonic.

"Sonic? How did Sonic even get this in your backpack, he's been missing for months." He said as I felt my face burn from his eyes staring intently at me.

"Well umm…I saw him yesterday. He…he was captured by…by fairies. I know I sound crazy! But it's the truth! I swear and-" I said as he held out his hand motioning me to stop

"I believe you." I stared at him blankly.

"What?"

"I believe you. He had told me before he had disappeared that he felt like he was being followed. Fairies, you say? Hmm…What has that faker gotten himself into?" He murmered then handed me back the ring and stood up.

"You were speaking to Tails Prower, correct?"

"Yes, but he won't-"

"He won't believe you, he's a genious so to speak. He doesn't exactly believe in mythological creatures. He'll listen to me though." He said then stared at me, I sat there wondering what he was going to do. His eyes narrowed then I heard a low growl.

"Are you coming or not? I don't have all day!" He growled impatiently, jumping up I quickly walked over to him.

"I'm Anita by the way." I said holding out my hand, he stared at my hand almost like he didn't know why I had my hand out. We shook hands the he looked me his blood red eyes gazing into mine.

"I'm Shadow. Shadow the hedgehog…"