A couple of weeks had passed since her tumble down the hillside, and everyone was shocked by her speedy recovery. When she went to the clinic the first day after it happened, there were still obvious signs of a concussion and side effects from it forming. Now though, just a scant two weeks later and the doctors couldn't find a trace of any trauma at all! Anywhere!

And she felt bad for the baffled doctors, she truly did. But she knew why her body had healed so quickly though she played it off as the wound being far less severe than what was originally diagnosed. It was because of the Chaos Emerald in her possession. A few days after they had came to live with her, the hedgehog family had sat her down and explained all they knew about the power of the emeralds in full, and she in turn confessed to them about her meditations with it. Queen Aleena was the one who came up with the theory that as she used the whitish-gray emerald more and more in her meditations, she had learned how to tap into the chaos energies naturally. That was something that no one had ever been able to do before...no human at least, and definitely not naturally without the use of machines.

Following that lead, it was Sonia who came up with the creation of the Heart stone Kharis had found. She theorized that as Kharis became more and more in tune with the ancient gem of power, the power that grew inside her formed a physical form itself.

It was no wonder to them when she showed them the small diamond heart she had found in her bed that very morning, which confused her slightly. In fact, they gave off the impression at first that they knew what it was. Even their 'theories' were stated as if they knew them to be concise, inarguable facts! They said it was a diamond, which represented that she was born in April and also fit her personality the best, and it was shaped like a heart for the very same reason.

It was small, about the size one would find in a ring or necklace. But it pulsed lightly, and was so very warm and comforting to Kharis that she refused to be parted with it. If anything they said made sense to the young woman, it was that this Heart was a part of her, a manifestation of her own heart and soul given physical form.

Bringing her mind back to the present, she noticed her hand inside her pocket and grasping the velvet green pouch she had gotten to put the heart in. It pulsed lightly at her touch, warm and comforting as she drove down the small, winding road to the shopping plaza of Station Square. She was on a mission, to get her some new clothes as well as some for her new family. She had taken measurements of them before she departed, and had dug into her savings a little to pay for such a spree.

Kharis had to sweat drop at the memory of Sonia's pouting face when the Queen told her daughter that she wasn't allowed to accompany the human on the trip, so Kharis had to promise she could come next time, and pick the teenager up some beauty supplies. Was beauty supplies really that necessary though..? Most in the makeup department Kharis ever wore was perhaps some mascara and lipgloss...maybe some eyeshadow if the circumstances called for it.

After her little shopping trip, in which she picked up a bit more info on Sonic the Hedgehog, she was heading home when it happened.

She saw a young boy on roller blades going as fast as he safely could to a location, but wasn't school in session? What was he doing? She parked the car as fast as she could near by in a small parking lot, and went after him.

She didn't know why she did it, she almost swore she did it unconsciously. All she knew was that something big was about to happen, and that the Heart was pulsing rapidly in her pocket.

What she found made her almost wish she stayed in the car.

She had followed the boy, albeit with much difficulty since she was on foot, to a construction zone that was currently abandoned. What the boy picked up from the mound of dirt, and unknowingly out of a largely obese bald man's grasp was a very familiar looking gem of a different color. It was a green Chaos Emerald!

*Kharis' P.O.V*

"LOOK OUT!" I cried, forcing my already throbbing legs into action once more as I ran to help the child. Just because I was thin on average didn't mean I was in shape after all. I had been brought up to speed on the round man thanks to Manic, and started watching more of the news in the last week as well. It was Dr. Robot is in the flesh, and that could only mean he meant nothing good for the child, or the emerald.

"Blasted interlopers! Give me that Emerald!" He bellowed, ripping it from the boys hand before I could get close enough and jumped into a strange...metal half orb of a machine. I was dumbfounded on how it began to hover and fly despite his obvious density in weight, but spared no second as I saw the boy latch on to the bottom. Using a small burst, I jumped on to the other wing and held on for dear life as it flung into the air at rapid speed in take off. "Hey! Get off! This isn't a ride!" The man bellowed again, and I wanted to roll my eyes, though I tried to keep his attention as I made note that the boy was climbing up on the other side.

"If it was a ride, it would be a pretty poor one!" She said weakly, trying to goad the man into anger. It was the most idiotic plan she had, but she had never been in this position before and didn't know what to do! Her body was pumping adrenaline faster than ever before, shaking as it clung tightly to the wing before she finally got it to move as the man tried to drive the contraption and steady it from the unbalanced weight-load. She lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck to prevent from falling down to her death when it happened.

The Chaos Emerald in his hand hit against the pocket where the Heart was located in his attempt to dislodge her, and created a bright flash of light that blinded them. She felt an uncontrolled burst of energy that flooded her system and she could barely make out the Doctor's confused shouts and the boys scream that echoed her own. Squinting as a wave of pain flooded her mind, she attempted once more to help the child and shoved the Chaos Emerald into his grasp before she blacked out.

*No ones P.O.V*

Down below the city streets where in an uproar as they watched the insane Doctor Eggman's egg-carrier careen through the sky almost uncontrollably. Sonic was down below, running after it as fast as he could when even he had to stop and cover his eyes from the blinding light that just erupted from it. "CHRIS!" He cried out as he jumped to sonic speeds in half a second once the light dimmed enough for everyone to see...

Just to see Chris falling from a height that could only end in his death.

Sonic raced, using his momentum to run up buildings and his strong legs to jump, catching the boy gently in his arms and saving the human adolescent from death. "You okay, bud?!" The blue hero asked once Chris opened his eyes. "I'm okay, Sonic! I even got a Chaos Emerald!" He said, winded but happy and showed it to Sonic. "But Sonic...! There was someone else with me! She tried to stop Eggman to! But when the Chaos Emerald came in contact with her, it created that blinding light!" Chris explained fearfully. Sonic nodded, confused but with his hero instincts still in high gear he put Chris down and ordered the human lad to get back home safely, he'd see about the

mysterious woman.

Dr. Eggman was blinded for a few seconds, angered he had lost the Chaos Emerald to nothing but a woman and a mere child! The woman was half way in his carrier, unconscious and her body twitched every now in then as what he could only guess was spasms of pain. He wondered why the Chaos Emerald had such an effect with her though. If he had to guess, it was as if the coveted Emerald had just pumped an unimaginable amount of power and energy into her, but why would it do that?

He debated about taking her back to his island fortress to do some experiments, but when he saw that blasted blue rodent heading his way, that plan was set to the back burner as he immediately took off, tossing the limp body onto a near by rooftop so the weight wouldn't slow his escape down. He'll come back for her later.

Sonic reached the rooftop just in time to catch the tossed out body of the mysterious woman, struggling a little as she was taller than him as an adult human normally was. He was able to keep her from receiving any major damage at least, and he couldn't see any physical wounds on her. She looked...familiar to the Blue Blur. Like someone he knew in his past...exactly like...

He gasped, as his heart clenched and he tugged her upper body close as tears forced their way into his eyes. Her head lolled lightly against his chest, and he had to take steadying breathes to calm down. Once that was accomplished, he used his communicator to signal Tails for a pick up, and after confirming his location he sat down with the woman's head in his lap.

He sighed, before something clicked in his mind that made him recheck her body again more thoroughly. He found it in seconds, the velvet green pouch and the absolutely glowing jewel inside. It had grown in size by a fraction, and pulsed as the excess energy chaotically running through its owners body was absorbed. It both relieved him and worried him.

Relieved him because it meant she would be safe, any wounds she would receive would heal faster than a normal humans, and worried for the dangers he felt was to come.

As Sonic's sensitive ears heard the approaching hum of the Tornado, he murmured quietly to Kharis' prone form as if he was lost in thought. "Chaos is power...Power enriched by the Heart..."

*Dreamscape, Kharis' P.O.V*

I opened my eyes groggily to the familiar white expanse around me, feeling my head being cushioned on something soft and warm. Tilting my head slightly I locked gazes with furious red orbs that where diluted with worry. "Hey..Shadow..." I said with a smile, and a light groan as I felt him idly running his gloved fingers through my short hair.

"What in the hell did you do now, stupid woman?" He asked coldly, and I winced. "Um...tried to stop a bad man from getting a Chaos Emerald and hurting a child..." I replied weakly with a sigh. I couldn't...wouldn't lie to Shadow. Everything that's been happening since I got the concussion and let those Mobians live with me, I told to Shadow at night during our usual meetings. It was even more shocking when I found out that my Heart jewel came with me in these meetings, so I could show it to him along with the Chaos Emerald that came along as well. He always got quite when I mentioned the Chaos Emeralds though...I wonder why? He wouldn't tell me any way, and I didn't want to pry as he himself looked unsure.

Bracing myself the best I could, with my head in his lap and body to sore to move at the moment, I told him about the days happenings as he listened with undivided attention. I did however made sure to omit Dr. Robotnik's name, as the last time I mentioned it he nearly went crazy again when I told him about what the others told me.

I felt safe with him, happy even. Beneath his cold exterior and cruel demeanor, he was kind and patient and I began treasuring the moments I could get him to smile, or even laugh.

"You...are undoubtedly the most stupidly idiotic, and foolish human I have ever met..." He growled finally when I finished, just resting his hand on my head now. "Yes well...at least it's never boring?"

"True indeed..." He said, giving his soft smirk. "Just...try not to be so reckless in the future?" He nearly begged. I had to laugh though, eyes just as sad. "I can make no promises, as I just follow where my heart leads me."