Chapter 2: To the human world.

I think that Blaze is a very interesting character in the Sonic series, since her fighting techniques are unique.

Most characters like Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles fight by closing the distance and then smacking their opponents at close range with their fists or spikes.

The only exceptions to this rule are Shadow; who can sometimes shoot beams of Chaos energy, and Amy; who can throw her hammer as a ranged attack.

This makes Blaze technically one of the most powerful heroes in the entire Sonic series, since she is one of the only heroes who can attack at range thanks to her fire powers. Also unlike Shadow the hedgehog who keeps duped by Eggman , Blaze is not a morally grey character and firmly on the side of good.

Blaze the cat is also more even-tempered and less clingy than Amy. So her overwhelming power is also backed up by a well-balanced personality that aims to only use her powers responsibly.

In most fighting games (E.g: Streets of rage, double dragon, Street fighters), your main character can only use punching and kicking attacks to hit enemies at close range. In the early levels, your enemies can also only punch and kick you in return; making the fight fair. But in later levels, some of the enemies start carrying guns or having other ways to hit you at range, making the fight very unfair and one-sided.

While your character is still using fists and kicks, enemies are shooting at you with pistols or bazookas. Blaze the cat is a Sonic character which breaks the mold, able to use powerful ranged-attacks to destroy foes from afar.

Blaze has many parallels to Shadow. While Shadow uses the Chaos emeralds to power up himself, Blaze uses the Sol emeralds instead. Both Blaze and Shadow are shy loners who mostly work alone. Both of them were hostile to Sonic at first, and only slowly opened up to him once they realized he was on their side and trying to help them.

I'm surprised people don't pair Blaze with Shadow more often. Especially since there is a well known game called "the Shadow and the Flame".

In addition, I would like to share my view on what country each of the Sonic characters would be from if they were all human instead of human-like animals, as well as why I think this.

I've seen a lot of amazing fanart depicting the Sonic team as humans, and I really just want to add my views on what a human Sonic universe would look like.

...

Sonic = English.

One of the most common breeds of hedgehog is the European hedgehog, which likes to hide in bushes during the day and only come out at night.

In addition, Sonic is often depicted as speaking English in most of his appearances in both media and games, including in the Japanese versions. There is a very common gag in the Japanese Sonic games and shows; where Sonic speaks slightly accented English to look cool.

This is most likely because Sonic's Japanese voice actor (Junichi Kanemaru) once worked as an English tutor, and can even sing in English despite being Japanese.

...

Tails = German.

In one of the supplementary materials you can read about Tails' past, his deceased parents are named Amadeaus and Rosemary Prower. Both of these are distinctly Germanic names, especially Amadeaus. Think Wolfgang Amadeaus Mozart; the famous German composer.

Germany is also famous for several Engineering companies which make cars, planes and more. E.g: Bosch, Mercedes, Seimens. Tails is a master engineer who can build almost anything, especially planes. Germany once had a collection of the best planes in the world in the form of the Luftwaffe (Air weapons).

For a long time, Germans were treated badly by the English for their part in WW2, which correlates with how Tails was badly mistreated by everyone until Sonic found him.

...

Knuckles = Maori.

Knuckles' Echidna tribe is implied to be an island tribe which relied heavily on oral tradition, and made it their goal to protect nature.

The Maori tribe of New Zealand are known for doing both these things, and for having a strong penchant for sea-travel. In some of Knuckles' appearances, he is depicted as a treasure hunter who enjoys exploring new places when he's not busy guarding the Master Emerald.

...

Amy Rose = French.

This one is a bit more obvious. France is often viewed as the country of love, and Amy's love for Sonic is very strong.

The name Amy also sounds like the french word "Ami"; which means friend in English.

France is also known for its very fancy fashion, and Amy is one of the most fashion-obsessed characters in the entire series, since she has one of the most varied wardrobes even compared to the other Sonic female characters.

Pink is also a very popular color in French fashion, and roses are regarded as a very romantic flower. A large part of Amy's character focuses on her romantic attraction towards Sonic.

...

Rouge the Bat = French.

The word Rouge means "red" in French. Rouge's fascination for fancy jewelry mirrors how France is where some of the most valuable gems in the world are kept.

Unlike Amy, Rouge represents a darker side of France filled with con-artists and swindlers. The alleys full of gambling dens and illegal gangs.

...

Shadow = Malian (Mali is the country in Africa where Timbuktu is located, and where Mansa Musa lived).

This is a harder one. Apart from the European hedgehog, the other breed of hedgehog commonly kept as a pet is the African pygmy hedgehog.

Mali was once a very prosperous country ruled by the wealthiest man in the world. Over time however, it fell from grace very hard and became impoverished and weak.

Shadow's backstory follows much the same road. He was part of a wealthy and succesful family (the Robotnik family), before eventually having everything he loved taken from him.

...

Blaze the Cat = Japanese.

The cat is seen as a sacred animal in Japan. Many Japanese motifs such as the Phoenix and Dragon also have a fire element. Blaze's personality is also very similar to an Anime character, quiet and meek when she's calm and extremely aggresive when angered.

Japan also used to be very isolated and closed off from outsiders, which mirrors how Blaze's universe is closed away from Sonic's and Chris's universes. Blaze is also a very isolated person, in that she used to always refuse help from others until Sonic came along.

Blaze's fire powers are very similar to a very popular Japanese Anime character called "Sailor Mars".

...

Cream and Vanilla rabbit = Japanese.

Cream was written to appeal to a Japanese audience, and to have all the perfect Japanese qualities. Meek, obedient and very polite.

In addition, Cream is a rabbit. There is a very well-known Japanese Anime character named "Usagi Tsukino" which means "Rabbit in the moon". Usagi has her own show named "Sailor Moon".

...

Blaze's point of view.

We trudged onward silently without a word. The blizzard that seemed to rage endlessly on this mountain, became stronger with every step we took.

Marine had found a piece of runed dark cloth snagged on a branch a little way back, and we had both agreed that it must mean the target we were searching for was not far from here.

Our target had kicked the hornet's nest, and we were about to return their crime with interest. We would prove that Sonic or no Sonic, the Sol dimension was safe under mine and Marine's watchful eyes. No evil could befall my kingdom, not while I had my flames and Marine her sharp wits.

Marine...

A self-made orphan driven to desperate acts after fleeing the abusive environment she called her home, and the two monsters she called her parents.

The Sparrows. One of the most notorious pirate gangs roaming the rivers and coasts of my land. Known for being merciless and insatiable in their greed for gold. Thieves without honor, and psychopaths without souls to save. Marine's mother and father had fallen far into error, and were determined to drag their baby daughter down with them into the pit of despair.

Marine fled the pirate ship she was born on when she was very little. She stayed briefly in an poorly funded and under-staffed orphanage. The orphanage woman treated all the children like her slaves, forcing them to work late into the night to sew dresses for her to sell at her sweatshop, and to shovel manure for the stabled race horses she owned and betted on as part of a side-business.

Marine was a hard-working and charming young girl, neither argumentative nor rude. For those innocent qualities, the abusive nursemaid worked her harder than anyone else.

Then when Marine could bear such disgusting domestic abuse no longer, she left to begin her days stealing food for a living. Stooping to the level of a brigand, just to not starve or freeze to death the next day.

She lay in the corner of a farmhouse one night, and hid in an abandoned quarry the next. Sometimes she begged food from strangers. Other times she resorted to theft, which usually involved breaking and entering.

But never physical violence towards another living person. Marine was many things, but bloodthirsty was not one of them. It was one of Marine's redeeming qualities, which made her far better than her parents; who had since been apprehended and sentenced to life in prison for their treasonous attacks on the kingdom and severe child abuse.

Marine had been dealt a very bad hand by life, and I was truly grateful to fate for guiding me to her so I could catch a falling star before it was too late. Once again, I had Sonic to thank for introducing me to Marine.

Sonic did more than just save me from Eggman and Eggman Nega. He also saved Marine from a life of crime and punishment, and led her to her rightful destiny as my personal royal bodyguard. This was how reformed Marine had become in the short time Sonic had gone away.

Then I saw a dark, shadowy figure standing before us. The stranger who attacked the Sol Temple and stole the Sol Emeralds, which were now most likely in the sack he carried in his right gloved hand.

As I willed an arcane flame into existence in my hands in anticipation of a fight, I felt gripped by an unexplained fear. A fear that I could not quite explain, even to this day when I think back to that dreaded confrontation.

The one reason I could think to be afraid of the unknown being before me in the moment, was the idea that this was a creature not supposed to be alive. That the man or woman beneath that eerie mask, had been living on borrowed time for an immeasurably long epoch. That this heartless thief and murderer; was more dead than alive a strange as that might sound.

"I, I am Blaze. The royal princess of this kingdom, and the sworn guardian of the Sol emeralds." I said, trying my utmost to hide my fearful emotion from the enemy looming before me. "Return the emeralds to me at once, and identify yourself."

The stranger said nothing. Nor did they make any gesture, whether threatening or non-threatening. It was as if they had not heard my introduction and request at all.

"You have until the count of five to comply with my request." I continued, deliberately raising my voice so as to cover up my insecurity at this tense situation. "Failure to follow my order will be met by lethal force."

"Yeah you big meanie. Do as Admiral Blaze says, or else!" Marine squeaks weakly in an attempt to be helpful. Helpful. The only thing Marine ever wanted to be to her society, her kingdom and her friends.

I took the time to flash a brief smile to Marine in thanks for her support, while silently gesturing for her to ready her cutlass in case of an armed conflict in five or less seconds.

"One." I announced shrilly, holding up the burning ball of flame in my two hands so as to show I was not bluffing when I threatened the use of lethal force.

Marine gulped as she drew her small but sharp cutlass. A keepsake that had been with her since the first boarding action she was forced to commit under the tyrannical order of her pirate parents. A gruesome reminder of her tragic past.

"Two, Three" I counted counting, a bead of sweat trickling down my increasingly painful forehead. If the being under the metal mask was at all frightened by my threats, they certainly didn't show it.

Marine had adopted an almighty fighting stance, in which she could easily dodge and parry. Though she didn't like to show it, Marine was a very capable fighter in her own right. Not to the extent of Sonic obviously, but that was Sonic's invincible might spelled out for you.

"Four. Fi..."

I never finished my countdown. Nor did I get the chance to carry out my threat of burning the thief to ashes as punishment for grand larceny and conspiracy against the good people of the Sol Kingdom.

Because in the next fraction of a second, the masked marauder had whipped out an intricately decorated firearm of some kind from his free hand that wasn't holding the cloth bag most likely containing the Sol Emeralds, and had discharged a searing bolt of shining blue energy in my direction from their bizarre weapon.

My feline reflexes instantly kicked in from the second I heard the faint click of my enemy pulling a trigger, and I was able to feint left and avoid the deadly energy burst in the nick of time. I was no stranger to firearm warfare, especially after fighting Eggman and Eggman Nega alongside Sonic.

I simply felt guilty for bringing Marine along on this mission. She had seen enough guns being used and abused during her pirate days, and I deeply regretted not telling her to stay back while I tracked the thief alone.

As I dodged, I released the ball of fire in my hand at my opponent. They had now threatened the sole remaining royalty of the Sol kingdom, and had to pay a heavy price for their misdeeds.

My eyes went as wide as saucers at what happened next.

My fireball struck the thief squarely in the chest. It indeed burned a large hole in the silvery metal armor covering the strange being from head to toe, and I saw glimpses of charred white skin beneath the armor.

But I saw it for only a second, for soon the black around the damaged section of skin began to whiten at alarming rate once more. The wounded flesh began to cobble itself back together, as if it were being assisted in its recovery by some sort of reanimation protocol.

Even the hole in the armor was instantly repaired before I had time to conjure up another fireball. It was as if the stranger had sustained no damage from my fiery onslaught whatsoever. It was a shocking sight to behold.

Once again the gaunt figure raised its intricate weapon and fired. This time I was not so lucky, and I suffered a nasty graze to my left arm; as the beam of pure atomic energy billowed towards me at lightning speed. Somehow I dodged the worst of the blast, but in doing so I fell painfully on my back against the hard icy ground.

My life flashed before my eyes as I tried and failed to jump back on my feet, only to skid and crash back down again. Would I die this very day?

Was this the end of the Solaris royal line?

Marine the raccoon's point of view.

I had thus far regarded Blaze's fight with the dark-hearted stranger in complete silence and inaction. From the instant we set eyes on this alien abomination, I had felt gripped by an unexplained terror. An ancient and primal form of terror which words alone could not do justice to.

But watching as Blaze tripped and fell in her vainglorious attempt to defend her kingdom to thee bitter end; I felt a valiant anger begin to blaze within me.

If Blaze died here and now, no one would come to retrieve her frozen corpse. No one would pity her. No one would remember her. The kingdom would irrevocably fall into utter chaos. There were entire cabals of greedy lords and ladies who would gladly take Blaze's place on the throne once she was gone, and turn it into a barren wasteland where joy and laughter would become things of the past.

I could not let that scenario play out. Not when I'd sworn a solemn pact to shield Blaze's life with my own. Not after all the good Blaze had done for me, none of which I deserved with my completely disgraceful past conduct.

So with the loudest battlecry I could muster up, I lunged at the cloaked thief with my cutlass. I didn't care if their invincible armor could protect them from Blaze's mighty fireballs. I only cared that my attack bought Blaze enough time to recover her poise and escape to safety.

I didn't land so much as a single blow.

The armored villian dealt me a vicious backhand blow and sent me sprawling across the ridge, my cutlass flying from my sword hand as I landed face first in a large pile of snow.

I pulled my freezing face from the snow just in time to find myself staring down the barrel of their terrifying firearm, which was clearly not constructed by any gunsmith I knew of. This enemy was way out of our league, and out of this world.

I was weaponless, cold, scared and badly bruised. I could hardly think straight, let alone attempt any sort of evasive manouvre as the stranger aimed their highly advanced weapon carefully at me. It was apparent that they were eager not to waste any further ammunition with how slow and precise their movements were.

This elaborate aiming attempt bought Blaze just long enough to stagger to her feet, and launch an entire stream of searing flame at their backside.

While even this ferocious attack failed to neutralize the invincible enemy, it at least forced them to drop their pistol to the ground as they dropped to the snowy floor to roll around in a desperate attempt to put out the fire engulfing their body.

Sensing the advantage, Blaze charged towards our enemy as she charged a glowing fist of fire. She was aiming to take the briefly decapitated stranger with a fire punch, her most feared and powerful attack.

I took a step back to allow Blaze a clear route towards our opponent, who had not let go of their sack this entire time.

Whoever they were and whatever their intentions, they badly wanted the Sol emeralds for themselves. And for that reason, they were a very serious threat that needed to be quashed at all costs.

But Blaze never got the chance to deal her decisive finishing blow.

For as she closed the distance towards the foe that should have become an easy picking by now, the still grounded foe tossed a small black ball in our direction.

Had I been a second faster to realize the danger this "ball" posed, we may not had to face the risky predicament we were about to be thrust head first into.

The ball exploded with a light boom, and showered us in a field of jet black. The landscape around us seemed to vanish completely, as Blaze opened her mouth to let out a scream of pure desperation and woe.

I screamed too, and somehow managed to grip hold of Blaze's hand as the fire engulfing her fist fizzled completely out in a single puff.

We felt as if we were being pulled through the sky, as we continued to hold onto each other for dear life.

I felt the air being squeezed from my lungs as we began to tumble through the field of endless black, no longer able to scream in terror or cry out in sadness.

I didn't know exactly what was happening to us. But I did know that when this eerie green light faded, we would no longer be in Glacier Ridge of the Sol Kingdom. Especially since there was a very tiny round orb that appeared to be getting closer to the two of us, getting bigger by the second.

It was a round sphere of mostly dark blue, but splattered with spots of dark green, grey and brown. It looked so beautiful, yet so terrifying. So inviting, and yet so repulsive. So attractive and at the same time; so ugly.

"Uh, Blaze?" I asked, unsure of what exactly to say at this exact moment in time where I felt uncertain of everything. I felt as if everything I had seen my whole life long was but an illusion, and that I was staring at the true nature of everything that had ever existed and would ever come to exist.

I would later learn that the device used by the stranger was in fact a warp activator, and that the place I had currently entered alongside Blaze was called "the Warp". The immaterial gap between the various universes, where time and space did not really exist. A place that was never meant to be entered, for very few who entered made it out alive.

But I did not know any of that yet, and so I could only close my eyes as I prayed for the wild ride to all be over.

Then all of a sudden, the force pulling me towards the colorful sphere in the distance became stronger than ever. I tried my hardest to continue to hold on to Blaze's hand, but my strength failed me and I had no choice but to let go.

"Blaze!" I shrieked regretfully in panic.

"Marine!" Blaze called back worriedly, as she quickly began to fade into the complete darkness that encompassed everything except the sphere of many colors.

"Blaze! No!" I cried weakly, flailing my arms in desperation.

"Blaze. Please come back. Please don't leave me." I pleaded, as the lilac cat vanished from my sight.

I tried to weep, but my tears wouldn't come.

The mental image of every single good deed Blaze had ever done for me flashed before my rapidly blurring eyes.

From the day she found me trying to rob a market stall for my dinner, and took me back to her temple to feed me the first good meal I had eaten in days. How she let me use the temple's royal bathhouse just to clean myself, before letting me wear one of her finest robes while she had my own clothes washed.

Then Blaze gave me a home, a job and all the rum I could drink in exchange for my friendship and my solemn oath to help her protect and honor the Sol emeralds which kept our world in peaceful balance. Blaze showed me what it was like to have a loving parent, a caring big sister and a fair admiral all at once.

She was a good person in every sense of the word, and she chose to use her high position to help a petty thief like me.

She gave me a new lease on life when I felt everything was pointless.

And Blaze did all this before Sonic ever set foot in our kingdom. Blaze was the incredible, humble leader that never bragged of her accomplishments, but always got things done when it mattered the most. Not the hero that Sol deserved, but the one it needed. The hero I needed. My ultimate hero.

My last thought as I whited out from the sheer speed at which I seemed to be both rising and falling at the same time; was who would defend Sol now in Blaze's absence?

It mattered not where we were going or what would happen to us when we got there. I knew it wasn't back to Sol. Sol's days were numbered. A ruthless thief with technology powerful enough to bamboozle the avatar of flame and the victor of a thousand battles; was now free to misuse the Sol emeralds however they saw fit.

It felt so cold in the void. So lonely. So isolated. All my friends gone far away from me. Blaze was not here to comfort me or hold my hand. Everything I loved and cherished; all gone.

Was this how Sonic felt when he was teleported to Sol by the Chaos emeralds?

The last thing I saw as I lost consciousnes; was a crowded metropolis of tall stone and metal buildings beneath me getting closer and closer. In the naked light I saw ten-thousand strange creatures of varying heights and colors, all dressed very differently from one another.

Some pointed upwards at me with gasps of great surprise, others cared not at all. Not one of them looked anything like the citizens of Blaze's kingdom, or even like the foreigners which sometimes visited Blaze's court on diplomatic missions.

But one unifying theme common among all the strange aliens now huddling around me as I fell hard on my back to a stony street; was a coldness in their beady eyes.

An icy bitterness which made the harshest winters seem warmly inviting in comparison.

A look that seared through my skin, mind and soul like a knife through butter.

A look that told me that they would not be gentle handling me as darkness engulfed my vision, and the rest was silence.

Helen Priestly's point of view.

I very carefully wheeled myself down the final street standing between myself and home. While neither mum or dad would be home until much latter in the evening, they had left me the keys to the house so I could wait for them in the comfort of my humble yet cozy house.

Though I didn't wish to say it to either myself or my friends, a part of me could not help but blame Sonic's arrival for making me feel so very alone in the past few days.

Chris was a gracious host and a kind soul to offer the highly-intelligent animals his home. I understood that. But the fact that it came at the time he'd otherwise spend with me, Frances and Danny was still an irritating phenomenon.

Just as it was irritating that Chris's mum just happened to be the most famous movie star chosen to star in all the movies pumped out by her studio, and Chris's father's role as head of the largest electronic company in America required that he tend to his business 24/7.

Chris's grandfather Chuck was a great scientist whose inventions had hugely benifited mankind. I couldn't deny that. But Chuck's inability to give much time to the single boy who looked up to him most, still made me a little bitter at him.

In the same way that while Police Captain Sam Speed was very good at paying attention to crime and rapidly responses to safeguard the city from domestic disturbances, the one domestic location he neglected was his own family household. The one family he could not be a strong role model towards was his own.

Sam's inspirational speeches had inspired entire generations of youngsters to break the chains of injustice. If only he had given some of those speeches to his beloved nephew Chris instead. If only.

Chris's very serious problems with being forgotten by his family most of time, made me even more furious with myself for being unable to walk properly.

It also made me a tad cross with the egotistical pride of my mum and dad, since they refused the very generous donations the Thorndyke family tried to give us or to take up Chris's offer of moving into his mansion so they could have food and housing without the need to work as hard as they did now.

It was a crime to steal money from a bank when it didn't belong to you. I knew that. You knew that. Everyone who reached the first grade in elementary school knew this simple fact.

But when the money and help was freely given as a humble act of honest kindness and with no strings attached, it seemed a little wrong not to take it. Perhaps if the giver had a history of cunning dishonesty, then it made sense to refuse.

But Christopher Thorndyke had proven his moral integrity countless times, in both his words and actions. His presence emitted a glow of complete sincerity. He wished to be the change he wanted to see in the world, and was not just another boastful loudmouth willing to sit and do nothing when immediate action was needed to save the world.

If my mum and dad would only allow us to move into Chris's mansion. If they could only get over their sentimental memories of fixing up our crumbling house from the dishevelled state we bought it in, and then re-painting it from top to bottom.

...

Our house was nothing more than a piece of junk deemed uninhabitable, which we agreed to take in desperation. It had no bids at any of the auctions it was placed in for three whole months before we had bought it. During the time mum and dad renovated it from scratch, we had to stay at Frances's house next door because we had no money to pay for a hotel room.

This was the awful situation we were in 5 years ago. But I still remembered every last detail is if were all just yesterday. Such was the blessing and curse of my near-perfect memory, which also let me remember the various different flowers in my garden which Chris and I had planted together.

Chris could have chosen to be the life of the party at the massive ceremonies his parents regularly held as head socialites of our society. He could have drunk until he was dead drunk. Or taken long trips around the globe, staying in all the luxury hotels most people would never dream of affording.

Paris, Dubai, Tunis, Rome, Sydney, Beijing and even Tokyo:Japan. Exotic faraway locations that seemed like the pipe dream of a pipe dream to the average taxpayer, were like different corners of a tiny backyard for Chris which he could see from his window. This was the extent of the Thorndyke family wealth, and Chris could have gone to all those places and more.

Instead he chose to stay with me. He declared that he belonged with me. He used his massive savings to buy our poorly-funded school its entire library of books, and his connections to his dad's electricity and software company to provide the school with a state-of-the-art computer block.

...

A loud banging noise roused me to instant alertness. I straightened up as much as I could in my wheelchair, and looked around to see nothing amiss. Were my epileptic seizures really getting so serious as to imagine things that were not really there? Did this mean I would need even more expensive medications than the ones I was already taking?

There it was again, far louder this time. With a herculean effort, I twisted my neck back so I could see what was behind me.

I really wish I had kept looking straight on instead.

For marching down the roadway I had just come from, was the malevolent Dr Eggman in one of his colossal metal robots, this one broad enough to cover the entire width of a two-lane street. I was deeply thankful that there were no cars driving through at this late hour. I very much doubt Eggman would have cared enough to move aside for their sake.

The merciless man who had tried time and again to murder the heroic Sonic in cold blood, had come to me. The murderous expression in his gaze, filled me with dark terror to the very bottom of my trembling heart.

His two robot minions Decoe and Bocoe were seated to his side in the high cockpit from where he now looked down at me as if I were an insect waiting to be squashed. The experience shook me to my bone, and I felt totally helpless. More than I usually did on account of my disability.

But somehow I managed to spin myself round to face my adversary, with a face a hundred times braver than how I felp deep inside. "What do you want with me, Dr Eggman?" I demanded with a harsh voice uncharacteristc of my usual mildness. "I haven't done anything to you. I'm just trying to mind my own business and go home to make some dinner for me and my mum and dad. Why don't you just go away and do the same?"

The mad doctor laughed. First a giggle, then a chuckle and then a full on laughing fit that lasted the better part of an entire minute which felt more like an eternity.

His two robot underlings joined him, more out of fear than actual glee. I had the sinking feeling that those two were not treated well in the slightest by their master, but I could bring myself to feel no pity for them in my current shocked state.

"I've come to take you prisoner, Helen. Unlike that meddling monkey Chris, you don't have an annoying blue hedgehog and his irksome team of misfits to safeguard you from me." He announced, as if he had not heard my earlier remarks at all. "Accept your fate. Pegleg. You can't run and you certainly can't fight."

"Don't you dare call Chris a monkey, and how can you just make fun of my disability in such a low way?" I murmured under my breath, as I balled my fists and averted my gaze from the malevolent master staring down at me from his perch.

"You had better do as the doctor says, young miss. He is not known for joking around when you make him angry." The yellow robot named Decoe added in a monotone that was neither friendly nor unfriendly.

"It's not as if you could run for help even if you tried." The fat grey robot named Bocoe beside him chimed in.

This final reference to my bad legs broke me. I lifted a clenched fist for all three evil masterminds to behold, and looked up to let them see the pure anger in my completely red face and bloodshot eyes; which were still wet with my salted tears which I had just uncontrollably wept out.

"No!" I declared, softly but dangerously.

"What?" The evil doctor hissed back as he recoiled slightly in shock at my defiant attitude.

"I said NO!" I replied, starting my sentence in a whisper before strengthening my voice into the loudest bellow I could muster up. "You take back everything bad you just said about Chris, Sonic and the others right now, and go take a hike. They don't deserve such rudeness, especially from a criminal as hateful as you."

My throat was burning and my head was pounding, but boy did it feel good to defy the root of all evil which had been terrorizing Station Square, even if I had only my empty words to strike at him and his posse with.

Instead of looking more offended at my demands, the doctor merely grinned at me with a grimacing smile which made the Serial killers in 18+ horror movies seem soft in comparison.

"Mmm. You've got clout. It's been a long time since someone's dared to insult me so shamelessly as you just did, young lady." He nonchalantly replied, with a finger to his chin as his grin only continued to widen until he resembled the Cheshire cat. "Well you've clearly not learned what becomes of my enemies when they refuse to submit to my perfectly reasonable terms of peace."

"You've made a bad decision bad-mouthing the good doctor Helen, and now you are really going to get it big time." Decoe said, with a faint hint of sympathy. Was it even possible for lifeless robots to feel human emotions such as sympathy? It certainly felt like this was the case at this moment.

Especially since neither of Eggman's main robot helpers had ever referred to me by my name. Not ever. Until now.

"I'll give you one last chance, because I'm impressed by your completely superflous courage." the doctor offered after a few seconds of introspection. "Besides, a precious young thing such as yourself shouldn't be wasting your valuable time on a miserable shell of a man like that cowardly cheater Chris."

I discreetly slapped myself in the face. Everyone had taken to the awful trend of taking the mickey out of Chris's already tarnished reputation, and had made a game out of making fun at his expense. Well I wasn't going to be one of them. Not while I drew breath.

"Well Eggman, I love Chris and I'm not afraid to admit it. You can go ahead and attack me now. What a shame that you can't see all the good in him, you shallow two-faced bully." I called back, looking him squarely in his brown eyes with my own blue ones.

Dr Eggman made a sarcastic breathing sound with his lips, and wagged his finger lazily.

"It's a waste of time trying to get you to see sensible reason. Time for you to submit to your capture." He muttered impatiently.

Then before I could move or speak again, the massive left claw of his gigantic mechanical beast swooped down towards me with its fingers outstretched.

I really had kicked the hornet's nest this time with my sly tongue, and I was about to pay the ultimate price.

"Sonic. Tails. Knuckles. Amy. Cream. Vanilla. Cheese. I'm sorry." I whispered as I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes, knowing that there was no way I could wheel myself faster than Eggman's robot could run from what I'd seen of it prior to this meeting. "And you too Chris. I'm so sorry I've been such a burden to you with my disability."

But then in my darkest moment of pure hopelessness, a loud scream and two metallic cries of alarm rang out. These three shouts of anguish were laced by a faint sizzling noise, as if someone had just put out a barbecue to grill some meat on a hot summer's day.

I very cautiously opened my eyes to behold a searing black hole in the titanium chest of Eggman's mechanical behemoth. The claw that had intended to capture me, had gone completely limp and Eggman's two robots had taken to covering their ears and tucking away their heads.

A few red flickers of flame still burned in the now ruined metal of the damaged metal giant.

Standing between me and Eggman's huge Mecha, was the most cute cat I had ever had the pleasure of beholding in all my years of binge watching cat videos on the wi-fi enabled smartphone Chris gifted me.

A lilac anthropormorphic cat standing on two legs like a human, dressed sharply in a regal yet modest purple robe which screamed of traditional Japanese royalty in its most authentic iteration.

Her back was turned to me, making it impossible for me to see her face. But I could tell that her ears were incredibly fluffy, and her long and bushy tail would be incredibly comforting to stroke.

"Cease your causeless assault on this defenceless and innocent young girl this instant Eggman, or prepare to bear the heat of a thousand suns." The lilac cat threatened, as she conjured up a searing ball of blazing red flame in her razor-sharp claws and held this deadly weapon at the ready with her legs apart in an almighty fighting stance.

Pyrokinetic powers. An eye-catching yet modest dark purple robe. Long pointy ears and belonging to the species of cat.

Where had I heard of this noble cat beforehand? In which of mine and Chris's conversation had he briefly mentioned the list of princesses whose kingdoms Sonic had rescued from certain doom at the hands of his irredeemable enemy Eggman.

What was her name?

How powerful the flame which struck Eggman's titanium giant in the chest must have been; if a few cinders of it were still blazing radiantly on it's charred hull built from the sturdiest metals available.

Flames. Blazing.

Blaze.

Princess Blaze of the Sol Kingdom in the Sol dimension. Guardian of the Sol emeralds, and defender of the faithful.

The respectable protector disrespected by everyone. Loved by no one and feared by all.

Somehow Blaze the Cat had against all odds ended up in my world. Something very important must have brought her here.

...

Thank you for reading. Please review if you like this story and want me to keep going.

I think that Blaze is a deeply underrated Character who really deserved more relevance than what she got. Her interactions with Sonic were truly endearing, and it would have been amazing for her to have media depicting her.

People complain that Cosmo the Seedrian got little Screentime and was underused, but I think Blaze is just as starved for representation. Especially with how important Sonic clearly is for her, and how we know about Marine the Raccoon from her.