Chapter Eight - Eggman
Sonic thought a lot during the journey back, about the fact that he had been found, and what were his friends going to think of his new physic. He had grown a lot on the diet of meat, and was now bigger than Shadow, and a lot hairier. His canine teeth were now fully set in, with two centimetre long fangs top and bottom.
Shadow. He looked over to is black counterpart, who ran beside him, quietly concentrating on the road ahead. Sonic with Tails on his back. He couldn't understand why the black hedgehog would risk so much for him. Tails, yes, the little fox was young and naïve, and truly believed in everything Sonic did, but Shadow. No, there was more to it then that, and he was determined to find out what. They didn't use their full speeds for the journey back, and it was nightfall before they made it back to the small woodland, on the edge of the land that surrounds Tail's House.
Upon seeing it, he squealed, jumping off Sonic's back, taking to the air, spinning his tails, creating his helicopter, flying back home. He was eager to get there. There were lights on in the house, someone was waiting for them.
'Knuckles.' Sonic thought. 'Properly Amy, Cream and Cheese too.' He sighed, as he watched Tails run ahead of them, in the evening light. They had been walking through a woodland. His eyes fell on Shadow, his black form slightly difficult to make out in the darkness. He had been silent throughout the entire journey. Nothing. No even in Thought Speech. His eyes were staring into the distance, also watching Tails leaving them behind in the woodland. Sonic looked up at the House as Tails went in, and felt prickles of fear. He wasn't ready to got back, not just yet. He wanted to stay in the woodland.
Then he began to feel strange, very ill, very quickly. Huge pain came over him, in his stomach, and his head. He groaned, and he fell to knees, his hands on the ground. What was happening? There was someone by his side. Shadow was kneeling next to him, frowning at him, his black quills, with their red stripes, glinting in the moonlight. Sonic stared.
Moonlight! He whirled round, and raised his head. The full moon shone above them, a large bright disc of beautiful white light, lighting up the clear night sky. It shot nothing but fear, straight through Sonic's veins. He had completely lost track of time. He dropped his head to the ground, as he began to grow. He was transforming, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He 'inner wolf' charged forward in his mind.
Shadow watched in horror, as he saw his friend grow into a beast four times his size. He had grown, again. He was forced to back off as Sonic's arms began to bulge, growing long claws. His legs elongating, re-jointing, growing paws and claws, his shoes disappearing. His tail grew, swaying in the wind, as long fur sprouted all over his body, including his quills. His muzzle grew and the teeth filled out, long four centimetre fangs, top and bottom, sticking out of his mouth. Sonic was exhausted as the transformation finished, collapsing on the ground. It had happened faster, then last time, and was a lot less painful, but he still wasn't used to it. He closed his eyes, breathing heavily on the ground. Then he heard it. Deep inside his mind, of a now familiar voice of someone who was still there.
{Sonic?}
Shadow was still reeling from watching Sonic's transformation and now his mind had come full circle. He first saw Sonic as the wolf, and then turn back to normal. Now he was wolf again, but Shadow didn't know what to do. He never saw Sonic transform before, this was the first time and now he had the mighty beast lying in front of him of the ground, his eyes shut. Shadow was desperate to see those eyes, he wanted to know if Sonic was still behind them, like before. He looked down the beast, saw the muscles ripple down its huge body, under the long, dark grey fur. He smiled, he couldn't help himself, as he heart shell now chris-crossing with cracks, sending emotional tears down his face. It didn't pain him and he could feel the his compassion coming through for Sonic. He was absolutely beautiful.
The wolf didn't move, he lay there, eyes closed. Shadow frowned, he was beginning to get worried.
{Sonic?} He asked again. Despite Sonic's beauty, he was very large and dangerous, and Shadow respected that. He knelt about a metre away, holding out his hand, calm and steady. He had no idea how the wolf would react. He waited.
Sonic's head was spinning. His 'inner wolf' gnawed at him to get up and get moving. He roared, and got up so quickly, that he made Shadow jump back. Everything was blurry, but Sonic felt his 'inner wolf' began be growl, as his nose filled with the smell, the smell of another werewolf. After what he had been through in the colony, he didn't want them to come back for him. Whoever he was, Sonic wanted him gone. Sonic looked around for his rival. He couldn't see him in the fuzzy darkness.
Shadow was surprised to see Sonic growling at him. Those green eyes staring at him. They looked somewhat blank and confused. Shadow began to panic. Sonic was not lost behind those eyes, he had to believe that. Maybe he just didn't recognise him. He had to keep trying.
{Sonic?} He said again, as softly as he could.
That voice, Sonic knew it, but where? How was it able to get so deep inside his mind? Only another werewolf could do that. He head was still spinning, he still wanted that werewolf gone.
{Hey! Hedgehog, snap out of it!} The voice now spat, and it brought Sonic back to his senses. Only one person ever called him that. Shadow. He was still here, he was the werewolf. Now he understood. He closed his eyes, and shook his head. He opened his eyes and looked around for his friend, things were getting clearer. He saw him, just, in the darkness. His dark form still difficult to make out. He was kneeling a short distance away from him, his hand held out firm. Sonic stared at it, he sniffed at it. He wanted to take it, his 'inner wolf' did too. But he was scared, he didn't want to hurt him. Shadow must have seen his fear. He smiled, and Sonic thought he saw sparkles in those eyes.
{Come on!} He encouraged. His smiled broadened. He understood why the wolf was frightened, but he trusted him. Nothing was going to happen.
{But I don't want to hurt you!} Sonic whimpered, still scared. He saw Shadow roll his eyes.
{You won't!} He said, so sternly, that Sonic believed him. He ran forwards and took Shadow's hand on his forehead. He purred, it felt so good. He felt another hand come around and scratch his ear, sending tingles down his spin. He was jumping for joy, he had never felt so happy, his 'inner wolf' licking like crazy.
Shadow was finding himself getting very wet, very quickly, as the wolf tried to lick him to death. He didn't care at that moment, he was extremely happy had his friend was still with him.
They shared this moment, like two friends who haven't seen each other in a while, greeting for the first time. Shadow could feel the wolf's power, and felt his own instinct's begin to come forward. He let them. He now knew what they were now, those new instincts. His own werewolf instinct's, his 'inner wolf'. He realised that they weren't as strong as Sonic's as he wasn't a full werewolf, but now an accepted part of him. He smiled at Sonic as he closed his eyes, lost in the pleasure of Shadow's stroking him on his head.
Then it came, it smashed their moment into pieces and caused them to stare at each other. A blood curlicuing scream from the house.
Tails!
Shadow was just about to run, but Sonic stopped him.
{Get on!} He said, indicating with his head to his back. They stared at each other for a moment, Sonic stood on all fours. He was so large that his head was level with Shadow's as he stood opposite to him. But Sonic was sure of what he was doing. The black hedgehog was heavy but he was sure he could take his weight. He felt like he had grown since the last full moon. Shadow looked back uncertain, he had never ridden the back of another animal before.
{Are you sure?} He asked, a frown on his face, lips unmoving. Sonic was getting annoyed at him, he was eager to get moving.
{Yes!} He said. {I can take it!} He stared back at his black hedgehog, why could he be so difficult sometimes?
Shadow thought. He wasn't sure about the idea, but when a second scream from the house rang out, Shadow made up his mind. He placed a hand on Sonic's huge shoulder, and with a leg up, jumped onto his back. It felt very strange, as he placed his hands on the back of Sonic's beefy neck and his feet on his hips, he could feel him breathing, beneath him. The werewolf's power was immense. And yet it felt right. Shadow felt his 'inner wolf' come forwards in his mind, and adjust his position on Sonic's back, as the huge Werewolf began to run. Shadow was amazed, as he began to sway in perfect time to Sonic movements as they ran. It felt so easy, as he noticed the Werewolf respond to the slightest movements of his hands on his neck. Only now did Shadow realise just how fast the Werewolf could run, and understood why he had had so much trouble tracking him down. He smiled, this felt fantastic. They were as one, wolf and rider, and heading towards Tails' House fast.
Sonic ran, Shadow on his back. Despite the hedgehog's immense weight, he felt very light, and a joy to carry. He seemed to know him, his movements, and how to get the best out of him. He could feel Shadow's hand on his neck, a firm grip, not painful, but they moved to Shadow's will. Sonic knew what to do, or rather his 'inner wolf' did, responding to those movements obediently, at they ran towards the house. They didn't speak, they didn't need too. They were both running on instinct, and an unbreakable bond, formed from something special.
As the house approached, they saw something on the roof. Sonic jumped. Shadow held on as Sonic catapulted himself from the ground to the roof of the house, in a single bound. Sonic landed on the roof, on all fours, sliding to a halt, and what he saw, made both he and Shadow growl.
Eggman. He had found them.
He was laughing, and Sonic hated him with every ounce of his being. He was sat in a cockpit, high in the body of a large, ugly looking, ten legged robot, which stood way above the house. Four of the feet were on the ground, and other four were held in the air, and two sticking out of the front. In each of the feet, wrapped tightly in metal, where each of his friends. Tails and Cream were screaming, be waved about side to side, Amy was crying, extremely frightened, and there was Knuckles. He was limb and lifeless. He was unconscious. He looked like he'd put up a fight. Eggman had caught them completely off guard, but at what price. Sonic wanted his head. But he wasn't the only one. He could feel Shadow's anger building, through his hands on his neck. He felt more one with the hedgehog then ever, as Eggman made a break for it, as he robot on four feet began to stride out across the countryside.
Shadow was still on his back, and swiftly kicked him the ribs. Not hard, but Sonic knew what it meant. Time to get moving. With a roar, Sonic surged forwards and jumped from the roof, and landing on the ground with a thump. Barely staying on the feet, Sonic with all his might, ran after Eggman, Shadow still clinging on to his back. The robot was surprising fast, its long strides, eating up the landscape, with every pace. Each foot hitting the ground with such force, that it shook the earth, each of the three toes, slicing the rocks to pieces. Sonic rang along the ground behind the monster machine, Shadow steering him left and right avoiding those massive feet, as they smashed into the ground.
It was obvious that Eggman hadn't seen them. He was more interested in taking his new quarry back to his base. They had to stop him. Sonic had to get his attention. The machine was moving to fast to jump onto the body, even though Sonic could make it. Then it hit him, he had a brain wave. He put of bust of speed, and to Shadow's surprise, the ran past the robot and almost stopped, turned back on it. Eggman still hadn't seen them.
Shadow frowned. {What are you doing?}. There was anger in the voice in Sonic's mind.
{We need to get his attention.} Sonic said hurriedly. {Trust me!} he added, as he took a deep breathe. He filled his lungs as full as they would go, and gripped the ground with the claws on his front paws. Sonic's 'inner wolf' took the lead as he lifted his head into the air, pointing his nose to the sky, pursing his lips.
Shadow was really confused. What was the werewolf doing? They had to move. Then he heard it. The Howl. The loud but crisp, beautiful single tone that came from Sonic's muzzle rang out across the landscape, the most wonderful note that Shadow had ever heard, in his life. Emotions filled Shadow, as tears ran down his face, his heart shell cracking right to the very bottom. He was falling more and more for the werewolf everyday.
'No time for that now!' Shadow thought. He shook himself as Eggman stopped and rounded on them. He finally saw them. He looked confused, unsure of what he was seeing. He saw Shadow astride a mighty beast, the both of them growling. One set of red eyes and one green were glaring at him, angry. He knew those green eyes. Then he realised. Sonic! He'd thought his arch nemesis had abandoned his friends. What had happened to him? Eggman didn't much care as they ran towards him. If they wanted a fight. He'd give them one.
With incredible speed and power, Sonic sped forwards towards the mechanical monster, still grasping his friends. He felt Shadow steer him to run dead straight at the robot. He felt him lift his hands off his neck, a foot moving from his hip to the small of his back, between his shoulders, the other to the base. Shadow had stood up, still swaying to Sonic's movements, perfectly balanced. He could feel Shadow's chaos speed build up fast, he knew what the black hedgehog was going to do. Spin Attack. Jumping off Sonic's back, spinning and dive bombing Eggman. A firm favourite. The more power he could give Shadow the better, as Sonic bolted towards Eggman. A front leg of the robot came surging towards them. Sonic jumped, and Shadow let it rip. He span and sped off into the sky, as the robot toppled backwards, but stayed on its feet. More three clawed feet came pelting towards Sonic as he ran along the ground, he dodged them, trying to get close enough to the cockpit, to jump onto it.
He ran left, then right, trying to get to the cockpit but without much luck. Those clawed feet just kept coming. He now had cuts in his ribs and legs. They were getting close. Too close. He needed a create a gap, a chance the to break through, to reach the cockpit. Tails and Cream was still screaming. He heard Shadow whizzing around in the sky above him, what he really needed was him to hit Eggman squarely between his front legs, distracting him long enough, for Sonic to jumped to the cockpit. After dodging three more clawed feet attacks, he howled and barked at Eggman, and prayed.
Shadow span through the air, ripped with anger. He hated Eggman now more then ever, for attacked Sonic and his friends. They had now accepted him was one of their own, and that meant a lot to Shadow. He dived bombed Eggman, again and again, getting angrier with each attack. Then he heard it, the howling and barking from far below him.
Sonic! At first, he feared the worse, but a glimpse at the ground, mid spin, saw Sonic was at stale mate with Eggman, dodging the attacking feet, unable to get through. Shadow smirked. He knew what was needed. He curved his attack round, and allowing the anger to consume him, he aimed for the front legs of that hideous machine. With incredible speed, Shadow rushed at Eggman, dodging all flying feet as they came towards him. He roared.
Sonic saw Shadow come rushing down, he felt delighted, but had to quickly concentrate. Sonic whirled around and ran for the cockpit, he knew that Shadow's impact would only give a split second gap to break through to the cockpit, he had to be ready.
Shadow hit he target dead centre, Sonic smiled, he expected nothing less from the black hedgehog. The robot toppled backwards, its feet flailing. He saw a gap and jumped. One of the claws of the feet, hit Sonic in the side of the enormous werewolf body, as he sailed through the air. He screamed, but kept moving, and landed with a crash on top of the cockpit. From within, Eggman panicked, and for a brief moment, the two enemies looked at each other. Sonic didn't think, as he immediately ripped at the cockpit, metal crunching and glass smashing. Again and again, Sonic clawed at the cockpit, keen to get at the prey within, Shadow spin attacking the robot from all sides. It was beginning to malfunction. It was swaying badly, the robot was going down.
Sonic roared in anger, completely loosing control, he wanted Eggman, he wanted his head. But he didn't see it coming. One of the clawed feet had curved back round and aimed itself at the cockpit. Without warning, one of the mechanical feet's long claws hit Sonic square in the back, cracking his ribcage, piercing his heart. Blood poured from his back, as Sonic's eyes when wide, as extreme pain filled him. He screamed as he felt body being thrown around like a rag doll, as the clawed foot grabbed him. He felt himself hitting the ground hard, loud commotion from behind him, then a giant explosion. He knew that explosion, Shadow had lost it completely with Eggman with a Chaos Blast, most likely blowing the robot to pieces. He smiled, typical Shadow, never subtle about anything.
But then the darkness came, as he lost consciousness, his heart failing. His head began to spin, and then he fell down the dark bottomless pit. He closed his eyes. He was gone.
Sonic didn't know how long he fell, but after what felt like an age, he began slowing. Light filled the world around him, as his mind began to return to his body. He could feel his hands and feet, his head was throbbing but rich smells filled his nose. Familiar scents that he hadn't smelled in a very long time. He heart leaped, he knew them. There were sounds in the background all around him, muffled at first, but slowly became clearer.
Voices. Familiar voices, talking about him.
"Do you think he'll be alright?" One voice asked.
"Well, he was technically dead, so you tell me!" Another spat back.
Dead! Sonic gulped. He hadn't realised he's heart had stopped. So this was what death felt like. It didn't feel like much as the voices were getting clearer, but he couldn't make them out yet.
"I don't know how!" Said a third voice. "But he's coming back, he's healing like nothing I've never seen before. He's an immortal!" There was shock in that voice.
Sonic rolled his eyes, it made sense, and he had forgotten again. All Werewolves were immortal, well to a point, and Sonic still hadn't found his limit. He hoped that he was never going to either. But he wasn't concerned about himself. He remembered the explosion, he was more concerned about his friends, did they make it out.
'Guys!' Sonic thought. 'I'm here, I'm alright, did you get out?' He called out in his mind. Nothing. He was alone in emptiness, which was getting lighter, but still extremely lonely. He cried.
'Guys?' He stammered. {Guys?}. Sonic didn't realise he used Thought Speech for the last word until someone responded.
{Sonic?}
That voice deep in his mind again. He knew that voice, a voice that had been with him ever since this whole werewolf thing started.
{Shadow!} He cried, as he bolted upright. His heard screams as he world came into view very quickly. He looked around. He was sat in his bed in his room, sunlight pouring in through the window. He felt gloves on his hands, shoes on his feet, his arms and legs aching. He teeth has shrank down to size and his royal blue fur coat short and mattered in the daylight. He was back to normal. How long had he been out? He didn't know as he moved and felt an unbearable pain in his back where the claw had gone in, and realised that he was covered in bandages. Then he felt something grab him and hug him, arms wrapped round him. Sonic felt wet as tears fell. Sonic looked down, it was Tails. He smiled.
"Hi!" He stammered, his voice extremely cracked. He looked up. Amy, Cream and Cheese and Knuckles were all stood in his room looking at him. Now he had found the source of the voices. But someone was missing. But who? Sonic couldn't think as they spoke to him. He saw Knuckles rolls his eyes, smiling.
"Man, I thought you were a goner!" He exclaimed. Sonic shook his head. He smirked.
"It takes more then that to take me down." He said, voice cracking. Then he remembered. "The explosion. Are you guys alright?" He looked around. Knuckles raised his hand to calm him.
"We're fine. Shadow finished him off. Man, I have never seen that guy loose it so badly. When you went down. He thought you were dead, we all did!" Sonic gulped. The two girls were in front of him, shaking. Were they frightened of him? Tails silently clucking his middle, also scared. Then it hit him, Shadow, thats who was missing. He looked around for him. Cried out using Thought Speech. Nothing, he was gone. Sonic was about to get up to look for him, when Knuckles rounded on him.
"How did you do it? How did you come back?!" They all stared at him. Sonic knew the answer. He bit his lip. He had to tell them. He was scared, he didn't believe his friends would accept him after everything that had happened. After all the years of lying. But they wanted answers, and he owed them that. Tears began to rolls down his face.
"I'm a Werewolf!" He cried. They all looked at him, he thought he saw them laugh. He stopped them.
"No, seriously, a real one!" He stared. They stared back. Then he told them everything, the Serum, the syringes, the transformations, the fear and panic it bought, the clearing in the forest, to the colony and what happened there. They listened in disbelieve to his story. Sonic panicked, if they didn't believe him, it meant that he was going back to the colony. Sonic didn't want that, there were good people at the colony, but this was his home. He didn't want to leave. Tears were streaming down his face.
"I didn't mean to lie!" He stammered to them. "I was scared of what you would do to me!" He cried.
Knuckles walked up to the bed, and pushed Tails aside, he had made up his mind. He knew what the books said about Werewolves, and right now he didn't care. Up until recently, he had wanted Sonic gone. After the incident with the syringes back when this whole thing started, he believed Sonic a traitor, for lying to him all these years. But now, after the loyalty and self-sacrifice Sonic had shown for him and his friends, despite what happened to him. Knuckles had decided that he was a person worth fighting for, no matter what creature he was. He had forgiven him. He was not one of those bloodthirsty, killing machines, Knuckles was certain of that. But what concerned him now was that his friend was alright and that was all that mattered. He grabbed Sonic and hugged him. Sonic frowned.
"You don't hate me?" He asked confused. Knuckles smiled. He shook his head.
"Hate you, why would I hate you? I'm just glad your alright." He looked at Sonic, putting a hand under his chin, lifting his head up to look at his long fangs, which were protruding slightly from his mouth. He whistled.
"But a bit more honesty before today wouldn't have gone a miss. Did you really think I'd kick you out?" He added. Sonic went red embarrassed. He nodded. Knuckles laughed.
"You, seriously underestimate me! I knew it was you all along! When I first saw you transform, I didn't believe my eyes. Yes, I'd read the stories about Werewolves. You are not one of those brutes and I couldn't believe I'd been living with one all these years." Sonic went even redder. "But then you defended us like that, when Jet attacked, and the story from Tails at the colony, your still you, no matter what creature you are." Sonic stared, still red, embarrassed. Knuckles still believed in him, Sonic wasn't sure if he still believed in him. His thoughts rested on Jet. He vaguely remembered Jet, and asked what happened.
"He's fine, but won't be tinkering with Werewolf Serum anymore." Knuckles smirked. They all laughed. Then he realised something.
"You know, I don't understand is why Shadow got so heavily involved. He had nothing to gain from this." Sonic stared. Knuckles did have a point. Why did Shadow get involved? He was glad he did, both he and Tails owed him their lives. He asked what happened to him.
Tails sighed. "After we bought you back here, he was really upset. I've never seem him get so emotional. When we thought you were gone, he lost it completely, couldn't believe it. Keep asking to bring you back, to keep trying. He'd said he'd fought for you this hard, he wasn't going to loose you. But when we failed to bring you back, he stormed off out into the woodland. That was a few days ago, and we haven't seen him since."
Sonic gulped again, the black hedgehog really did care for him after all. Sonic cheeks when very red. Knuckles shifted on the bed next to Sonic, eyeing him.
"Is there something going on between you two?" He asked, arms folded. Sonic looked at Amy, she wasn't going to like it. He nodded. Eyes still streaming with tears,
"I'm sorry, Amy." Sonic said. "There was never any us. My heart belongs to someone else."
That news when down like a bombshell with his friends, worse then being a Werewolf. Sonic had been so worried about them finding out that he was a Werewolf, that he hadn't stopped to consider how they would react to his interest in Shadow. It was worse then he could have imagined. Amy cried her heart out, storming off downstairs, quickly followed Cream, Cheese and Tails. Sonic was left very shaken by that, that he didn't notice that Knuckles was still in the room with him. Of all his friends to object to him and Shadow, Sonic thought that Knuckles would be one of the worst. But he stood there, smiling however. Sonic didn't understand. He asked Knuckles for an explanation. He laughed.
"Before a few days ago, I would have reacted like that too. But when we brought you in, the way Shadow reacted, it was like he cared about you, really cared about you. I didn't think someone like him was capable of something like that, plus the way you look at him, its all over your face." Sonic went red again. Was he really that transparent?
Knuckles shifted slightly, he wasn't truly comfortable with the idea, but he thought he'd give them a chance to make it work.
"I guess maybe two guys can really can love each other." Knuckles sighed. Sonic laughed. He stared.
"I'm not exactly a 'guy'!" Sonic said. Now Knuckles really stared. He smiled, making him swear not to tell anyone, he told him about the unusual arrangement of the Werewolves gender setup. About breeding and non-breeding Werewolves and the differences between them, telling him about being a non-breeding female. Knuckles was dumbfounded at the story, it was incredibly far fetched. Werewolves were really weird. He didn't believe him until Sonic stood up out of bed, and he saw the lack of male groin for himself. He laughed. Sonic stared.
"You couldn't have gotten together with Amy, even if you wanted to." He giggled. Sonic shook his head. Knuckles felt a bit better about Sonic and Shadow now. With Sonic being a 'female' roughly speaking, it felt a little more natural. Then Knuckles realised something.
"Does he know?" Sonic didn't need to ask who he was talking about. He hadn't told his friends about Shadow being a Werewolf. In his opinion, it wasn't his place to tell them. But he hadn't told Shadow about his strange gender arrangement either. What would he think of it? Sonic had no idea, and felt very scared. He knew Shadow. He would swing one of two directions on the issue, either accept it or shoot him. Both extremes of the scale. The latter, frightened him. He shook his head at Knuckles.
"Then you'd better get out there and tell him!" Knuckles joked, pointing to the window. Sonic stared.
"Why are you helping me?" He asked. This was out of character for Knuckles. He smiled.
"Because I can see that you have both suffered long enough over this, over the last few weeks, you need to start talking to each other. He cares about you, you need to have faith in him." Knuckles frowned. He never thought he'd say that about Shadow. Sonic continued to look at him.
"Don't worry about the Tails and the girls, I'll just explain that your a Werewolf, and that your different, and this is what Werewolves do!" He said, gesturing with his hand. "Give them time, their'll get used it." Sonic went very red, as he smiled. Knuckles was one incredible friend at times, far beyond his years in experience. He smirked.
"Didn't I say to get out there!" Knuckles said again gesturing to the window. "I don't know where he went, but he was pity upset when he left. I'm worried about him." Sonic raised an eyebrow at Knuckles. He smiled embarrassed. Knuckles worried about Shadow. That was a first. But he did have a point, as Sonic looked out of the window, taking off his bandages. He was fully healed now, he didn't need them anymore. He saw an orange glow out through the window, that seemed to cut across the land outside. He asked Knuckles what is was.
"A Shield. Tails built it. It covers the whole house. Don't want Eggman coming back again, now that he knows we're here. Don't worry, Tails has programmed it to let anything apart from Eggman pass through it. We can still come and go as we please." He said. Sonic sighed. The kid fox's inventions never stopped amazing him. They were safe for now.
When Sonic left his room and when downstairs, he found the place empty. Tails and the girls had left. He knew he'd have to confront them again, but that was for another time. Knuckles came downstairs behind him and went into the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast bar. He indicated to the front door, encouraging Sonic to go. Sonic had to go, he had to find his black knight in shining armour, they had been through too much together. Was he alright? Sonic didn't know as he ran for door, and with a last look back at Knuckles, opened it and ran through it, out into the garden, through the shield, and onwards towards the woodlands, on the edge of Tails' land.