Sonic returned to the house hours later. He had waited till midnight to return so his friends wouldn't see his tear-soaked muzzle. He had cried for hours until he had no more tears left. He carefully unlocked the door with his bright blue key. Everybody who lived there got one. Which was basically everyone except Knuckles. They figured it would be easier if they all just saved up their rings and bought a HUGE house instead of buying small, separate houses away from each other. It was safer too, because they almost always knew were someone is so it's harder for eggman to capture someone without the others knowing. He carefully shut the door and locked it. Moonlight flooded the living room through the many windows on the walls, and some on the ceiling. Apparently Knuckles decided to stay for the night because he crashed on the couch in the middle of the two other couches. The blue blur slowly walked behind the couch and up the stairs, careful not to wake the sleeping guardian. he then went up the stairs as fast and as quietly as he could and went into his bedroom. He slipped off his shoes and climbed in his bed exhausted. It wasn't long before he fell into a deep sleep.

Sonic woke up as his super sensitive ears picked up on arguing from down stairs. He was going to ignore it and go back to sleep when he looked at the clock. 10:00. Time to get up. Knuckles better not tease me about sleeping in.. he thought. He rose from his bed and pulled off the baby blue covers. He looked at the mirror and say that a cyan marking was starting to appear on his quills. The small , faint marking resembled a flame. The swirly black marking on his chest resembled wind. Great. just Great. Another marking from the past. He sighed and put on his shoes. Hopefully his friends wouldn't notice his "new marking".

Sonic made his way down the stairs. Rouge and Knuckles were arguing about who gets the last of the coffee and Blaze and Amy were trying to break them up. Shadow was sitting on one of the white couches watching the two bicker with amusement. Silver was doing the same on the other couch across the room. Cream was sitting on the couch in between the other two with Tails, watching the news for any reports of eggman or any reason they would have to save the city. Luckily there was no reports.

Sonic's P.O.V.

Knuckles: I'm your guest! I should get the last of the coffee!

Rouge: Yeah, well you didn't buy it!

Blaze: Guys! Break it up!

Amy: Yeah! It's just coffee!

Knuckles & Rouge: STAY OUT OF IT!

I went unnoticed and sat on the couch next to Tails.

Tails: Hey Sonic...

I noticed the arguing behind me fell silent. I looked around to see everyone staring at me. Tails turned off the TV. Everything was silent. I waited about 2 minutes for someone to tell me what was wrong but nothing happened. They all just stared at me, Amy, Cream, and Blaze looked slightly scared. Finally I couldn't take the silence and confusion no longer.

Sonic: WHAT!?

Shadow: F-Faker? Did you dye your quills or something?

Sonic: What!? No!? They're-

Silver: Cyan? Why are they cyan!?

Blaze: Are those.. flames?

Tails: Sonic are you okay? Why would you dye your-

Did he not just hear me!? I said I didn't dye my quills! I guess to prove it I would have to tell the truth. DAMN! Why did my quill markings have to make themselves know when I'm around my friends!?

Sonic: I .didn't. dye. my .quills! If you guys would listen to me for a minute I could actually have a chance to explain!

Finally! I can talk without being interrupted!

Sonic: They're markings! And they're permanent. I was born with them. They don't come off see!

I rubbed my quills. If it had been dye, my glove would have had cyan all over it. But since it wasn't dye, my glove was still white.

Amy: If you were born with them then why are they showing up NOW!?

Sonic: I.. I don't know.

I lied. Of course I knew! It meant my brothers return. I guess I should be happy, that is, if my brother didn't have his mind set on killing everyone he sees that are not useful to him. I had already came up with a good lie about my markings so I didn't seem suspicious.

Sonic: They just all slowly disappeared one day ,one by one.

Knuckles: Uhh... would they appear one by one as well by chance?

Sonic: I don't know... Why?

Rouge: Because your ear now has a cyan marking on it...

I sighed. If I remembered correctly that marking is supposed to look like lightning bolts. Just one more marking before... he comes.. ~ TO BE CONTINUED ~