The hospital turned out to not be too bad. After two days of being bedridden, Dr. Ross allowed Sonic to walk around some. He had to use crutches, which was a bit awkward at first, but he eventually got the hang of them and was practically outside for the remainder of his stay. The doctor had given him some pain medication in case his leg started acting up, and also advised Sonic to not do any serious running for a while.

"Don't worry, Doc." Sonic said reassuringly as he walked out the door of the hospital. It was a cool, crisp spring morning and Station Square was rather busy. As always, cars and other vehicles chugged along in morning traffic and those who didn't own a car cluttered the sidewalks as they made their ways to work.

Unlocking the door to his apartment, Sonic sighed happily as he plopped down on the couch, a bit of dust coming up from it. But he didn't care. It felt good to be home.

Deciding to take a hot shower, Sonic went ahead and got in, washing the scent of the hospital off his fur. Getting out of the shower, he dried his quills quickly before tossing the dampened towel aside. Turning on the TV in the kitchen, Sonic fixed himself a glass of orange juice as he leaned over the bar and watched the news.

Not to his surprise, the news of him going to the hospital was on as well as the fact that police were still working on Amy's case. Unfortunately, they had found nothing. Chugging down the rest of his drink, Sonic went into the living room and put on his trainers and grabbed some money before turning off the TV set and heading out for a morning jog- which is more like a two hundred mile-per-hour sprint.

Starting out for Station Square Park, Sonic arrived a few moments longer than what he would if he were going at top speed, but it didn't bother him. Slowing down to a fast walk, Sonic sighed deeply as he breathed in the fresh air-which contained a very tempting scent…

"Either this is my lucky day or I'm a kid again cause I smell some dogs roastin'!" Sonic exclaimed in glee as he took off toward the inviting scent, which was coming from a vendor sitting under a tree.

"Two dogs pal- you know how I like 'em." Sonic said casually as he handed some money over to the vendor before his meal being made.

Drooling over the delicious scent, Sonic eagerly finished off one of the chilidogs in almost four or five bites before beginning on his second. His focus on the food made the staring eyes of people go unnoticed. A tap on his shoulder interrupted him, and he turned to see who did it.

A youthful red cheetah with deep, luminescent-like emerald eyes was standing behind him, twirling a finger around a single strand of hair in front of her eyes. She was wearing a deep green tank top and faded blue and green jeans. A coral pendant hung around her neck. It had a kind of symbol carved into it- like a pitchfork or trident.

Gulping down a mouthful of chilidog, Sonic looked quizzically at the girl. "Something you need?"

Continuing to twirl her hair, the cheetah looked him up and down, a disgusted look on her face.

"If anything you're the one that needs help…" She replied in a judging tone. Completely offended, Sonic twirled his ears forward and crossed his arms. "Excuse me?"

"It's nothing personal, you just aren't what I expected a krenaht to go after…not that you would know what that is. One thing is for sure though- you need some help and fast." Turning her back to him, she began to walk slowly away before Sonic grabbed her by the arm.

"Hang on," He said as his curiosity grew. "First you insult me and then you leave me hanging with stuff like that? Not exactly a good way to warn someone they need help if they don't know where to go to get it."

Smirking at him, the cheetah moved toward him to where her body was almost touching his. He felt a tingly sensation in his stomach and he began to feel light-headed.

"You want to know who can help you?" She whispered huskily in his ear, a shiver going down his spine. Feeling his cheeks flush, Sonic nodded his head slightly.

"Then follow me…" Pulling away quickly from him, the cheetah started off toward a wooded area of the park, her hips swaying the entire time. Coming out of the haze, Sonic took off after the red girl, still not noticing staring eyes.

Once at the very edge of the wood, the girl disappeared inside a maze of trees and bushes, making sure her cobalt companion was following. Finally reaching a spot well away from curious eyes or ears, the girl stopped abruptly. It was a small clearing, just large enough for the two of them to sit comfortably together if they wanted to.

"Well?" Sonic asked impatiently as he pulled a cobweb off of his arm. Smirking, the girl reached into one of the pockets of her jeans and pulled out a small blue orb no larger than that of a marble.

"I will tell you what you need to know- but only that. No more, no less. Now," Placing the orb on the ground in between them, the girl took off her necklace and dangled it over as she stood up again. "You must swear that this meeting will remain absolutely concealed between the two of us, yes?"

Nodding his head, Sonic said in a very monotone voice, "Yeah, sure. I swear it." Frowning, the girl sighed but continued…whatever it was she was doing.

Taking Sonic's hand, she began to swirl the necklace in small circles over the orb. Sonic began to feel lightheaded again, and was beginning to worry as a blue-green aura began to surround them.

Just as he was about to pull away, a flash of light enclosed them and they disappeared.

Shutting his eyes as he felt a powerful wind swirling around them, Sonic flattened his ears back and loosened his grip on the girl's hand. "Don't let go!" She shouted at him through the torrent of wind, clenching her hand tighter around his. "We're almost there."

Then pulling the pendent into her spare hand, the wind stopped abruptly.

Slowly opening his eyes, Sonic looked around him in shock. The sky was dark except for a string of stars and the bright light of the moon The overwhelming scent of the saltwater filled his nostrils and the humid tropical air dampened his fur. They were on a beach.

"What the-!" Sonic's eyes stopped on a girl in the water, topless aside from long red hair that barely covered her bust. Averting his eyes, Sonic felt his cheeks heat up and looked around for the cheetah.

"My God! You mortals are all alike, I'm over here!" The cheetah's voice rang out from the girl. Shocked and slightly frightened, Sonic flattened his ears back and kept his eyes averted as the girl swam toward the beach.

"You are really strange, most men can't help but stare at me! Then again, I'm not trying to seduce you at the moment... No matter, let's get on to business." A loud splash came from the water and a bright glare of light shined out of Sonic's peripheral vision.

"Don't be so bashful- nothing is showing. Now just look at me, I prefer eye contact when I'm talking to people."

Gingerly turning his head, Sonic couldn't help but stare at the girl now. A fin was on both elbows and a magnificent golden tail was where her legs and lower body should be. She was a mermaid.

Giggling at his expression, the mermaid splashed Sonic a bit to get him out of his frozen state. "Close your mouth- you'll catch flying fish that way."

Doing as he was told, Sonic planted himself on a nearby rock as the mermaid settled down on the beach, scales gleaming in the moonlight. "Now," She began again, fiddling with a strand of her hair. "You need help of course, but from whom? Let me see…oh! I know just the loboko to do it! She'll be a challenge to get, but she'll do well. Now here's what you-"

"Hang on a sec.!" Sonic interrupted, his ear twitching in irritation at the mermaids fortune-cookie-type speech. "What the hell is after me and my friends first? And second; what the fuck is a "loboko" and "krenaht"?"

Annoyed at his improper language, the mermaid set her jaw but obliged to answer his petty questions. "What is after you and your friends is a krenaht, your Hunter will tell you all that you need to know about that."

"Why can't you tell me?"

"It is not my place. I am merely just a prophet. But you don't need to worry about any prophecy at the moment. Now, a loboko is one of the more powerful demons in our world. They are experts in transfiguration, and the one I had most particularly in mind is a female by the name of Kyra Blankley. She will be, if she can be persuaded, your protector and guide. This is where you will receive your help." She paused to let it sink in for the mortal on the rock in front of her.

Finally, Sonic got the nerve to ask. "What happens if she isn't persuaded?" Arching an eyebrow, she looked quizzically at him. "What do you think will happen?"

Immediately Sonic thought of what had happened to Amy. How she looked in the hospital, what her now destroyed house looked like. Everything revolving around what happened that night.

"That was a dumb question…" Sonic muttered, his ears and tail flicking about quickly as mosquitoes flew about him.

"Hmm, do you suppose?"

"I don't need your sarcasm."

"Get used to it. Kyra is worse than me when it comes to snarky attitude and also bitchy-ness. Oh! That was a good pun…"

"What pun?"

"You'll understand once you meet her."

The mermaid sat up after stating this and began to clumsily make her way back into the water, much like a beached fish. Noticing that she was leaving him stranded on this beach god-knows-where, Sonic jumped after her. "Wait! You aren't just gonna leave me here are you? I don't even know how to get back or find "Kyra"!"

Recalling that too, she turned back around to face him. "Don't worry about getting back, that will happen on it's own. As for Kyra, you'll run into her soon. Just look for a girl wearing a pendant with a spiral in it. She'll know you're coming. And just in case, take the journal your ebony friend found- it may help in persuasion. If there's anything else you need, just come to the library. Ask for Aurora. I'll be waiting."

Nodding his head, Sonic watched as Aurora dove into the depths of the ocean and braced himself as the blue-green aura began to form around him again.