HaosBlossom, Jacklethekitsune, Stendylover, SherryHedgehog, Moonstone the Wolf, Amyfan111! And...

Alyssacookie: I am dedicating this chapter to YOU girlie. I'm dead serious. If it wasn't for you, I might have given this whole story up around chapter 9 or so. I was just that frustrated, and you sent me an awesome review, like always, and it really encouraged me to keep on chugging. So thank you.

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This chapter is dedicated to Alyssacookie, an obsessed Silvaze fangirl, my most loyal reader and reviewer since I started who's encouraged me to become the writer I am today. Hope I don't let you down with this chapter (and that I'm not embarrassing you) ^_^

Just get past the first part, I know it's terrible -_- Bear with me for the first 500 or so words.

The rest, though, I'm very pleased with. Certainly among my best writing. :)

Enjoy!

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Chapter 20: Sol Mates

"They can't be far now," Blaze assured Silver as the pair made their way through the soggy terrain of Mystic Ruins. It wasn't hard for Silver to guess why Blaze had insisted that just the two of them hunt down the last Emerald. Silver himself didn't really mind working with the others, but knew that Blaze preferred to work with just him.

"I hope so," Silver said. "This place isn't exactly a paradise." His yellowish eyes scanned the swampy undergrowth.

Blaze suddenly stopped as a frog leaped past them. Something like this normally wouldn't faze her a bit, but there was something about it that made her take notice.

"What is it?" Silver asked.

The cat didn't know, but she continued to stare at the frog, feeling her Sol Emeralds glowing brightly.

"Ribbit," the amphibian croaked.

"Blaze, it's a frog," Silver said. Gosh, she'd been acting so spacey lately.

There was suddenly a large rustling in the bushes, and three figures hopped out and faced Silver and Blaze. A large crocodile (or was he an alligator?), a purple chameleon, and a small bee. The five of them blinked at each other for a second.

"Who are you?" Charmy asked.

Blaze had to suppress a sigh.

"Uh, Silver and Blaze, but that's not important," Silver said quickly. "We really need to-"

"Ah, what's the rush?" the large reptile said loudly. "There's no need to be unfriendly!"

"Vector," Espio said, tired of his boss getting distracted so easily.

"Are you a crocodile or an alligator?" Silver couldn't help but ask Vector.

"Same difference," Charmy said and rolled his eyes.

"No, we crocodiles are much more intelligent and good looking," Vector insisted.

"I'd hate to meet an alligator," Espio quietly quipped.

"We don't have time to chat," Blaze insisted, and gave her tail a flick in annoyance. "We're looking for something."

"Well, the Chaotix detective agency is at your service!" Vector said, and the three of them hit their chest with their fists in a Roman salute.

"Actually, we require no help," Blaze said coolly.

"Well, that's not the way things work around here, missy," Vector said.

The cat bristled as the last word. Seeing this and realizing the flames were about to start flying, Silver decided to butt in.

"We're looking for the last Sol Emerald," Silver informed the three detectives.

"Sol Emerald?" Vector echoed.

"Ribbit," Froggy said, reminding everyone of his small presence.

Espio, remembering their mission, made a grab for the frog, but he was interrupted by large foot falls echoing through the forest.

"FROGGY!" Big yelled and excitedly made a run for him, but tripped on a root and tumbled to the ground right on top of Froggy. Upon the 400 odd pounds crushing him, the Emerald was forced out of Froggy's stomach.

"Ouch, it's not fun to fall down," Big muttered and lifted his large frame off the ground.

"Ribbit," the crushed frog croaked painfully.

"Froggy, you really should be more careful," Big scolded him. "You are such a small frog to be hopping off by yourself," he continued and scooped up his small friend to carry him back to his favorite fishing pond, leaving the Sol Emerald behind without a care.

Blaze, however, was not so oblivious and finally gathered the last of her beloved Sol Emeralds in her hands. There, everything was perfect. Now they just had to get out of here.

"It's...kinda a long story," Silver said to the Chaotix. "We're not from here..."

"And we don't have time to explain. Good day," Blaze said curtly, and took off in a burst of flames.

Silver smiled at the detectives a little apologetically, and then propelled himself after Blaze. He caught up with her after they'd gotten out of the swampy jungle. The couple now found themselves in much more dry deciduous forest nearby.

"We finally have all the Sol Emeralds," Silver said.

"Yes," Blaze said, relieved. "Now we just have to get back."

Back. To their world. Why did that prospect not seem as enviable as it had just yesterday? Was it because, despite this most recent annoyance, this world was somehow more desirable? Blaze didn't know, but she wasn't going to dwell on it.

"Would you like to do some more exploring of this world now? I mean, while we're still here," Silver babbled. "This seems like a cool planet, and I'm sure there's more places we haven't seen here."

"That sounds like a plan," Blaze agreed.

The cat and the hedgehog then went on a self-guided tour of Mobius, taking in the rugged beauty of Crystal Mountain and the amazing panoramic view from so high up, the shining stalactites from the caves inside the mountain, the overwhelming fields full of wildflowers blooming every color imaginable, the stillness and elegance of lakes, the excitement and action of waterfalls, the silence and repetition of the desert, and the rhythm of the ocean. Both were in awe, and harbored secret thoughts about how romantic the whole journey was.

"This place is amazing," Silver gushed as they paused on the sandy beach. "Where is all this stuff in our world?"

Blaze had been wondering the exact same thing, and she had no answer. "Why don't we rest here awhile here?" Blaze suggested. They'd been running around for a good bit, and the beach was a good place to relax.

The couple both sat down on the sand and continued to take in the beauty of the ocean waves silently. Silver let out a contented sigh, and let his mind drift where it would. Of course, just like always, it settled on Blaze and his relationship to her.

It was only natural that they'd been drawn together - back in their world, where violence and war was the norm, they were the outcasts. One a young man thrust into war at a young age, armed with only his psychokinesis, the other the only remaining member of the previous royal line, the princess that brought back memories of the golden era of their world. It was up to them to stop Nega or interfere with the terrible anarchy and unrest that "ruled", since all the others seemed only interested in themselves and their agenda.

But these two had found each other, and had developed a mutual dependence. It was almost like, somehow, they were meant to meet and become close, seeming as to how they fit each other so perfectly.

Silver had always seen Blaze as unreachable, unlockable - the beautiful yet deadly warrior princess, who didn't want or need anyone. Yes, if you got too close to her, you'd get burnt. It had been a slow process getting her to open up to him, to trust him, but he' d been willing to be patient.

He'd gotten to know Blaze like no one else had, yet she still had yet to bare her inmost soul to him. Blaze was such a mystery - and that mystery captivated him. His ears were always perked up to her voice, always on the lookout to find out more about her. Even though they'd known each other for years...she'd still been guarded toward him, even though she was getting better.

Blaze was a paradox: strong, but still feminine. So graceful, so elegant, yet not fragile or delicate. Blaze could certainly handle herself in a fight.

She was all this...and Silver? He was only the awkward, naive little hedgehog who just didn't get it, no matter how he tried. Silver had tried to grow up, become a man, so he could impress her. But he still never quite felt good enough. Silver had always been a little insecure in himself; it was one of the results of being teased just as Blaze had. Silver had been made fun of for everything: his oddly shaped quills, his voice, his powers, his slowness, his immaturity. Every word that had ever been said against him, he'd already thought a thousand times more, and a thousand times stronger. So when Blaze had been teased, he'd felt her pain.

But Blaze had been the one to give him some sort of confidence. She had made him feel like he was doing something right, like he was actually on the side of justice. She was the one who made him feel like a man for once. He'd just felt honored that Blaze would treat someone like him, him, like an equal. Like a friend.

Oh, but would friends be all that they'd ever be? Silver hoped not, but he couldn't let himself bring his hopes up. He could never be lucky enough to have someone like Blaze to fall for him. What could he really offer her anyway? What did he have that she lacked? Most of the time Silver wondered why she even put up with him. It had allowed him to hope, though, that maybe one day, they could be more than friends.

All these thoughts were running through the hedgehog's head at the moment, as they relaxed on the beach. He turned to peek at Blaze, and once again, her beauty made his heart warm. She just looked so lovely right now, her lavender fur illuminated by the sun. As always, the cat was deep in thought. Silver wished that his psychic powers allowed him to read minds...

...

"What are those?"

"These are the Sol Emeralds," the young cat said proudly, yet evenly. "It is my duty to protect them."

Silver tilted his head. "Protect them? What do they do?"

"Nothing," Blaze admitted, and this realization suddenly hit her.

"Then why do you have to protect them?"

The cat glared back at him with fiery eyes. What did he know - who did he think he was? These were the Sol Emeralds. It'd been drilled in her head enough times that they were important. It didn't matter that they were incredibly dull and completely useless. They were still the royal family jewels.

Suddenly the Emerald in her hand started floating and drifted over to the silver hedgehog. Blaze immediately tried to snatch it back from him, but it came to rest in the middle of the circle on his palm. He had used those powers of his. Childishly.

"Give it back," Blaze insisted, and made a grab for the Emerald. But when she touched his hand, the Emerald started glowing. Blaze gasped and stared at it, entranced. She adjusted her hand so it now curved under Silver's, their hands cradling the gem. They could feel raw power radiating from it and being absorbed by their hands.

"Wow," Silver said in awe. "I guess they do something after all."

...

What had it all meant? Years later, Blaze still wondered. When their hands had touched that day, it had given the Sol Emerald some sort of power for the very first time. But why? What was it about their simple contact that had brought about such power?

She recalled something Tails had said back at the group meeting. "The Chaos Emeralds are powered by the heart...you must have been having some strong emotions then."

Could it be that the Sol Emeralds were the same way, powered by thoughts and feelings? Could it be that when wielded by her when she was in her unemotional and lonely state, the Emeralds were actually useless? It certainly cleared a lot up about what happened, but if that were true...than the only reason that the Sol Emeralds had any power at all was because of the feelings her and Silver shared. Blaze had never actually considered that these feelings could actually make the power of the Sol Emeralds...stronger.

Blaze leaned back and let her hands support her. It was amazing how coming into this whole new world had opened her eyes to her emotions. Maybe it was just the air, the environment here that was different or more conducive to positive feelings. Either way, there was no denying that she certainly felt something for Silver now. But had she always...or had it just happened yesterday? No, it must have been a gradual thing, but she'd been too blind to notice it.

She snuck a glance at Silver, and the hedgehog looked away. He'd been looking at her. Did he like her, too? Blaze didn't know; there was a good chance that he did. Either way, wasn't it about time she told him how she felt at least?

"Silver," Blaze said, and her heart skipped when he turned back to her.

He absolutely loved the way she said his name.

"Silver, have I ever told you...how much you mean to me?"

His eyes widened and his heart clenched at these words, and the hedgehog had to wonder if he was dreaming for a second. Maybe it was just a childish fantasy, but he'd often pictured Blaze telling him this one day. But here they were, and Blaze, in the flesh, was sitting next to him and telling him this.

"I mean something to you?" he asked a little awkwardly, almost feeling like he was spoiling the moment. In his dreams, he'd always been the guy who'd just sweep Blaze off her feet. But here in reality, he was just the typical awkward and insecure Silver.

"Silver..." Blaze paused and drew on every ounce of courage she possessed. She'd put this off long enough. "I've always wanted to get close to you...but my flames, my duty...I always thought those meant a life of solitude. But you, Silver, have shown me that I never have to be alone. Ever. You've been the one to give me hope, to break me out of my shell. If it wasn't for you...I might have died from bitterness," she paused, for she wasn't used to talking so much, especially about her feelings, at one time. Silver, though, was hanging onto her every word, just like he always did.

"You've always been there for me, Silver," Blaze continued, and placed her hand gently on his. "Even when I could be difficult. You stuck with me, and made me realize it's not good for anyone to be alone. You have been a true friend to me. And I've always wanted to tell you that."

"Thanks...but is that...it?" Silver asked, and then immediately regretted his words. Could that not be enough for him?

Blaze knew exactly what he meant; but what could she say? How to tell someone you loved them? It was hard enough for Blaze to just get this far, to just admit that she thought of him as a good friend. Her mind desperately tried to come up with words, but conveying her feelings with words were not her strong suit.

"No," was all she said.

Silver froze. No? Did that mean no, she felt more, or no, she didn't want to continue? Why did she have to be so cryptic?

"No, that's not it," Blaze clarified. "But I don't know what these other feelings are, or what they mean."

What? No, it simply wasn't possible that Blaze actually had feelings for him. He just couldn't be that lucky.

Silver watched as she placed a hand on her chest and closed her eyes, slightly smiling, her upturned lips having the same melting effect on Silver's heart.

"Do you mean you...like me?" he asked, but blushed when his voice cracked.

She opened her her eyes to study his, taking in the yellowy-hazel orbs and how they were flecked with a darker golden color. She loved his eyes; they seemed to change colors in different light. They contrasted yet complemented his silver fur. Silver and gold.

"Yes."

Silver blinked. She was joking - no, Blaze never joked.

"You like me?" Silver repeated, if just to hear her say it again, for his own confirmation.

"I do, Silver. Although I'm not sure what that means," Blaze confessed and let her fingers intertwine with his, reminding the hedgehog that they were indeed touching. He curved his own bigger, boyish fingers around hers, still a little shocked by this whole thing. Blaze the Cat, the lovely, graceful princess, the fearless guardian of the Sol Emeralds, liked him.

Wow.

"Blaze...I like you, too, I always have," Silver admitted, dazed. "I just...can't believe you like me." This was way too good to be true. He felt a smile crawling up his muzzle. He giggled a little, nervously yet giddily. There were just so many emotions running through him at that point...

Blaze suddenly gripped his hand tighter and moved herself so she was now sitting in front of him, clasping his other hand. Silver's eyes widened. Oh gosh she's going to kiss me.

Blaze brought her lips close to Silver's muzzle, turning her nose a little so it wouldn't be jammed into his. Their lips brushed slightly. Was this how a kiss worked? Was she supposed to move her lips somehow? Terribly unsure and shy, Blaze pulled back. Silver looked at her, confused, and then she realized what he must have thought.

"I'm sorry...I've never kissed anyone before," Blaze admitted, blushing.

Silver was red as well. "Neither have I. But...I'd like to learn how."

"Oh Silver," Blaze said and hugged him closer to her. She went in for another kiss, this time moving her lips slightly and felt Silver's move to match hers. His lips were just so soft and they were caressing hers so gently...it almost felt too wonderful.

The cat and the hedgehog, best friends turned lovers, pulled each other closer, and together learned what this whole kissing thing was about.

Silver felt a vibration near his chest, and it dawned on him that she was purring. He smiled and held her close, enjoying the pleasure of it all. He certainly had to be the luckiest guy alive.

And Blaze had never felt so safe, so content as she did now, when she was here in Silver's arms, with his lips fitting hers so perfectly. She felt like she was floating. Wait, she was floating!

"Silver!" Blaze yelled and clutched his back quills, unsuccessfully trying to keep herself from burning him. How had he levitated them up so high, so fast? The familiar panic didn't rush through her body as strongly this time, though, as Blaze realized that Silver was holding her, and he was in complete control.

"It's okay, Blaze, I got us," he assured her. The hedgehog guided them both back down to solid ground, still holding the cat close to his body, not really caring that she'd just burned him. Everything would be okay...as long as he could keep holding Blaze in his arms. And he saw nothing that would keep him from doing just that.

...

EEK! Love is so beautiful! :D

Just to say, writing this has made Silver and Blaze my second favorite couple (after SonAmy of course) ^_^ They're just so...perfect together. It makes sense that I'd like those couples, since my personality is a mixture of those 4 (mostly Blaze and Amy). I'm still waiting for my knight in Silver armor, though. :/ Anyway, enough about ME!