Silver hadn't eaten breakfast yet, Shadow realized. He didn't even ask for me to make breakfast... What if he's got anorexic tendencies; I didn't even ask Vienna what his habits are. And he was really honest when he invited Leaf to live with us, but I thought it would just be the two of us... He contemplated as he dialed Vienna's number.

"Shadow?" Vienna asked. "What's wrong?"

"Silver hasn't asked for breakfast yet."

"Well, he is used to me making it for him before he wakes up, but sometimes he doesn't show up." Doesn't show up for breakfast? What, he forgets to eat, or something? "Offer him some; he'll eat, I'm sure."

"Alright, anything else I need to know?"

"Oh, I'm sure Silver isn't that hard to figure out. He's a nice boy." Well, as far as I know, I wasn't a "nice" boy after I lost my memory, and he's pretty much behaving like I did. I'm worrying that he'll just become me, and I don't know if I want that to happen. With a thanks and a goodbye he hung up, sighed and bumped his head against the wall in his bedroom. What if Selene was wrong, what if I'm not as cut out to be a father as she thinks?

"Shadow, come on. It's only your first day and you've had a late start," Selene's ghost brushed her head past his shoulder from behind. "It takes time. You would've felt this nervous if he was just some five hours old." A glance back and he sighed. "But what if he acts just like I did some two hundred years ago? I won't be able to have a parental influence on him."

"But Silver isn't you, Shado, he's our little Dovey. He's a sweetheart just like you are now. Spend some time with him and you'll be more of a father to him." The hedgehog looked back down into his shadow. "Any advice, Mephiles?"

His shade looked back up with glowing green eyes. "For now, spend some time with him. But there is something you should understand; nothing happens overnight.

"Sorry that I can't stay with you to give more forewarning, but I have something I need to do."

"Can I help you with that, then?"

"No; sorry. Personal... Personal responsibilities...But may you have favor with Silver. I should return soon..."

Silver sniffed when he thought he smelled a doughnut or something outside his room. The door pushed opened and Dad came in with a plate of doughnuts. "Hey, you didn't ask for breakfast, so I made you some."

"Oh. Thanks."

"Probably used to getting it without asking, huh?" The younger hedgehog's ears thought they picked up, "Lazy," or "Spoiled, just like your mother."

"What?" Silver asked while his mouth was enclosing a glazed doughnut.

"Your mom liked to lie around when she was pregnant. Must've been cause of the fatigue, but anyway, I think it rubbed off on you. But at least she asked for it unlike you, you little..." he tasseled his hair a bit, making some strands stick up. "Fluff-ball."

"Aren't you going to call me names I understand, or do you have to explain all of them to me?"

"That's all you were when you were born, just a ball of fluff, asleep. Your snores sounded like coos."

"Coo? That's what birds do."

"I know, but that's what your snoring sounded like, and that's why Mom calls you 'Dovey.'"

"No! I won't let you!" he cried.

What? Are the nightmares back?

"Silver!" It was Leaf's distressful voice in this one.

"See what sort of bloodshed you've dealt out, Leaf? He wouldn't be in this much pain if you had let me kill you!" An unfamiliar voice hissed.

Kill Leaf? I'll never let that happen! Watch out, whoever you are!

"Silver? What's wrong, did you blank?"

"Be a good hedgehog and don't tell anyone."

"I'm alright, sorry."

"Looks like something doesn't belong." the same voice remarked.

You... You want to kill Leaf, whoever you are. You'd better watch it.

"Huh. Another quirk," the black hedgehog smiled. "You won't admit things easily, like pain. You won't burden anyone else with your problems. You'll bottle them up and they'll build up.

"You got it from your mom. It makes you a little insecure."

"Humph, like you aren't."

"Excuse me? How old are you again?"

"Hey, Leaf," Silver smiled. "Can I come with you?" He'd stopped her from completely going out the door.

"Oh," she was partly taken aback by his sudden gesture. "Uh...I was planning to go to some really girly places," she tried to explain to him. "Like...er..."

"I don't mind, really. We could get lunch afterward, how about it?"

"Oh, well, alright, I guess." They headed out towards the busy metropolis where the mall where the two first met was. Leaf had dropped a scarf on some steps and Silver had returned it to her. That was the spark of their love and he'd always remember it, that powdery garden where everything had started. Silver had stayed by her side loyal to Mephiles' commands, but respectfully waited outside of dressing rooms. So far nothing was going wrong...

"So, are you hungry yet?" he asked. Leaf hummed, and then nodded. "Food would be nice."

"What are you in the mood for?"

"Er...Hmm... You should choose..."

"Burgers and fries?" The green hedgehog didn't look too focused. "Leaf? Are you okay?"

"Huh?" she blinked. "Oh. I'm fine, burgers are okay."

"Something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," her voice had a firmness to it. He hadn't heard it before and he assumed that she was angry.

"Well...Alright."

It was dark by the time they left. Leaf had so many bags that Silver had to hold some for her. The sun was still setting behind the gray clouds. Some snowflakes fell from them, making Leaf shudder. "Do you think it'll storm?"

"Maybe…" Silver whispered as his mane twitched. It's eerie, like Halloween in December. Not storming, but it's playing with us. A light from the street flickered. "Creepy."

"I'm afraid that's how I prefer it," a strangely familiar voice informed from ahead. It came from a purple coyote (Silver thought that was what she was) with a lighter more pinkish colored hair. Her eyes were red, but there was no softness or hint of softness like his father's: only hatred. She had two blue earrings on each ear, and Leaf had already cowered behind Silver. That gesture, only means this person and Leaf have definitely met and has made Leaf fear her.

"Who are you?" he demanded. The lady sneered.

"Oh, yes, she hasn't told you. I am Vanity. If you don't mind, I'd like to make this quick." With a simple gesture, Leaf was thrown to the ground, out in the open. She struggled, trying to get up, but somehow, Vanity was controlling her as she walked closer to the hedgehogs.

"Leaf!" Silver tried not to expose his psychokinetic powers just yet by rushing to her side. Their shadows overlapped-

Something flung itself out of the shade and tackled Vanity with a demonic shriek, which made Leaf scream. A crystalline Mephiles was trying to pin the coyote down, but was thrown aside. Leaf was freed from the hold, though, and Silver watched the scene unfold.

"Looks like something doesn't belong," Vanity remarked, eying Mephiles. "I thought you didn't exist."

"Whether or not you're alive doesn't guarantee my presence," the demon hissed. "You know perfectly well who and what I am. And what do you think you're doing, pursuing her when Master's son is around?"

"You have a Master? That only proves what an incompetent demon you are!"

With a devilish-sounding growl, he pounced and they were locked; Vanity's hands and Mephiles' claws pushing to overtake their opponent. "What good is fighting me," she growled, "when I'm your Guardian?" Mephiles let his right arm go limp so he could strike a blow to her face. Cowardly, she fled. When the demon looked back he was normal, Shadow-like. "Are you hurt?"

The silver one shook his head but his girlfriend wouldn't look at their savior. "He's one of them, I'm sure!" she whispered into his mane. "Destroy him!"

"You know, that's no way to greet my uncle, Leaf." Her face went pale. "What?" she breathed. She looked frail; she'd faint the instance she'd stand up. Silver knew it was only right to carry her. "Can you tell me now?" He asked his uncle, still alert for Vanity.

"Yes. You've been a good hedgehog; it's only fair to explain," he agreed, picking up all that was dropped.

"Wait, what happened?" Shadow's eyebrow raised. Mephiles was still trying to explain what had happened to the two hedgehogs as Silver tried to tell about Mephiles. "Er, you see Leaf," the silver one went on, "my father and Mephiles are good friends. Almost like brothers, which is why he's my uncle. But they aren't really..."

"Someone attacked them, or attempted to, at least," the demon replied. "If I wasn't hiding in Silver's shadow they would've been broken."

"And he's not all bad. I like him, and he has a so- er, demon-spawn named Mephisto."

"He's a demon?" Leaf's eyes widened.

"Yes but it doesn't make him evil!" he almost yelled in frustration. "He's good! He saved your life!"

"So, who would want to kill Leaf?" Dad asked. The mouth-less one nodded. "I'll explain that to all of you, though, I'm sure Leaf has already been informed." He moved over so that he was the center of attention to all who sat on the couch, counting Shadow who stood.

"The person who attacked you two earlier is a person called Vanity," Mephiles started. "She is what we know as the Guardian of Darkness. There were once six guardians, all ruling over an element, like Fire or Water or Sky. But I only need to explain two of the original six in detail; Vanity and Earthia." Leaf's aura became a faint uneasy glow. "Earthia was the Guardian over Earth and Fire. Unfortunately, this cause Vanity to grow envious at Earthia's power over fire, and eventually destroyed her."

Get to the point. "What does it have to do with Leaf?" Silver asked. His father gave him a warning look, then went back to the demon.

"Ah, yes. You see, before Earthia was murdered she had two children...Flame..." he then set his eyes on the green hedgehog. "...And Leaf."