Shadow and Rutan had just arrived at the house in which they lived. It was a small hut that was in the middle of a vast forest very far from the city. The hedgehog and the echidna lived together for eight months in this very peaceful place where no one has bothered since Rutan stayed there.
==FLASHBACK==
Rutan had left home after having a heated argument with Dimitri. But he was not prepared to leave things well and left without a place to go. He could not get a job to earn some money and buy food, so he had no choice but to steal in the supermarkets without anyone noticing.
One night while walking through the forest, starving and without energy to continue, he was surprised by a group of policemen. He tried to flee but there were too many and the missing energy could not help him escape them; so they managed to catch him, they pushed him to the ground. They were reported that someone had stolen the food from the supermarkets and they went to look for this guy, attempting to send him to the prison.
When they got him up and began to take away, suddenly there was a shadow in front of everyone that launched an attack, which caused a large cloud of smoke. When everything was settled, the mysterious being and Rutan were gone. The police began to review the entire perimeter, but they found no trace of them.
Far away, the mysterious being and the echidna had appeared in a cabin. Both were safe from the police.
"Thanks for helping," Rutan told his savior, who was wearing a hood that covered the face.
"Not at all," the being replied, taking off the hood to reveal that it was Ex-King Shadow.
The echidna is surprised to see him, for he had not heard of the black hedgehog since the coup in which he had been dethroned.
"It's you! How did you know I needed help?" Rutan asked.
"I've been following you since the day you left your house," Shadow answered.
"Why? You were spying on me?"
"No. I was in a building near your house watching the moon when suddenly I heard that you were yelling at Dimitri not wanting anything from him and that you could take care of yourself."
"So you decided to follow me?"
"Yes. But the reason is because Dimitri asked me to follow, as he is very worried about you. He asked me to protect you."
"That old fool worried about me after what happened?"
"He knew that if I let you just end up worse than they already are right now. He wanted you to have a guide in your life so you're a better person and so when he learned that I had returned, he asked me to."
"Why you?"
"Look, when I was released from my prison I released Tikhaos in Kingdom of Acorn and saw how it destroyed the entire city. I realized what I had done wrong in the past. That's when I decided to be a better person and help whoever needed. Therefore Dimitri asked me to be your guide. If you knew it has changed a lot in your absence."
"I see, but despite that I will not forgive him."
"Well, that's your decision. And tell me, why were you stealing food from the supermarkets?"
"I had no money for food, so I had no choice."
"Life is very hard for someone who does not plan anything ahead."
"Yes, I learned that lesson. But now I have another problem. Such as the insurance police are looking for me right now and I have to go, and I will not go back home."
"You could stay and live here with me. This cabin is very spacious for the two. I could tell Dimitri you're here."
"I dunno, I think I really do not like this environment."
"IF you want you can go, but this time I'm not going to save you from the police."
"Well, okay I'll stay. But only because I have to go. Not yet relied heavily on you."
"As you wish."
Suddenly the echidna's stomach rumbled, drawing both of them to his belly.
"Are you hungry?" the hedgehog asked.
"Yes. I have not eaten anything all day."
Shadow took some apples from a small fridge and gave them to Rutan to eat. This boy took them and started eating them faster.
Over time the two became good friends until they reached a point where they began to have a father/son relationship.
==END OF FLASHBACK==
"I still cannot believe that Salma is dead. If I had been there at that moment, she would still be alive," the echidna bemoaned.
"Rutan, you must stop thinking about what could have happened. I know what you feel, because I also lost a dear person over eighty years ago," the black hedgehog reminded him.
"I know, Shadow. Since you told me many times in the past eight months. But apart from that, I also feel a little sad for my aunt and my cousin."
"That surprises me about you. You told me you did not have much contact with Julie-Su and Lara-Su - you had a bad relationship."
"Yes, but I ended up discovering that deep down I wanted them after all."
"Those feelings come to light when it is too late. I'll prepare lunch. What do you want to eat?"
"Anything. Anything would help me cheer up."
"Wait for ten minutes and I'll bring your lunch. You can read one of the books that are on the table."
The echidna reached out, took one of the books, and began to read.
…
Tikal was a stranger to her place or at least in those moments when she remembered nothing. It was in front of an altar on which there was a giant green emerald. Around the altar there were seven pillars on which each had a small emerald with various colors.
"Where am I? This place is very familiar to me. But I do not recall ever being here."
Suddenly a group of small blue creatures came flying toward her, being very happy to see her.
The orange echidna approached the creatures and told them as they stroked their heads, "What are all of you cute?"
The creatures were happy and started saying one word repeatedly, "Chao, Chao." Then they started to fly up to the large emerald.
Tikal went upstairs and saw the creatures revolving around the emerald while laughing.
Suddenly a female voice was heard saying; "The servers are the seven Chaos… Chaos is power, enriched by the heart."
"That phrase. That phrase is…"
The orange echidna awoke suddenly. She only had a dream, but it seemed so real. She sat on the bed trying to remember what she had just dreamed. She wondered which could mean everything.
Suddenly the bedroom door opened and a viper red being came in.
"That's good. Now you wake up. How do you feel?" Knuckles asked.
"I feel great. Thank you, Mr. Knuckles," Tikal answered.
"No need to call me Mr. Knuckles. Just call me only by my name. I do not like formalities."
Suddenly, there came another red echidna into the room carrying a tray in his hands.
"Tikal, I want you to meet my half-brother. His name is Knecapeon Mace, but everyone calls him Kneecaps," Knuckles introduced.
"Nice to meet you," Kneecaps greeted.
"My pleasure," Tikal smiled.
"We bought a soup," the brothers said.
"Thanks a lot."
"For now, only you could have this. When our friends, Vector and Espio, return from shopping, will bring something more," Kneecaps explained.
"Do not worry. That's fine. I do not want to burden," Tikal stammered.
"Do not say that, you're not a burden. You are rather our guest," Knuckles assured.
Knuckles and Tikal had an exchange of views and a light blush came on the girl's cheeks, which Kneecaps noticed.
The orange echidna came back to reality without knowing she had just happened in those seconds that finished crossing.
Kneecaps approached and passed the tray with the soup to his half-brother.
"Tikal, the soup is very hot, so be careful to drink it," Knuckles reminded, handing a spoon.
"I will."
After six minutes of eating, Tikal finished her soup and handed the bowl and spoon to Kneecaps, who left the room to wash the objects.
"So you want to continue lying in bed or get up a bit and prefer a walk around to discover the kingdom?" the guardian asked.
"I want to do the second thing," the orange echidna answered.
Knuckles helped Tikal get out of bed. When the orange echidna took the first step to walk, she almost tripped, but the red echidna caught her in his arms before she hit the ground. Upon seeing him so close to her, they blushed slightly. But they let those feelings aside quickly.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. Please keep me from falling."
"Do not mention it. Well, let's take a walk, I'll be your guide."
"I'm very anxious, I want to see everything."
"Ok, let's go."
When both left the house, they did not realize Kneecaps was watching them the whole time and began to smile at them being together.
…
Vector and Espio were going towards the supermarket to buy things that Knuckles and Kneecaps had commissioned them. Both had met with Charmy again on the road and this was accompanying.
"I cannot believe Tikal has returned to her normal form. I thought that this merger would be permanent," the bee assured.
"I believed it too, but things went well," the crocodile pointed out.
"Now the question is, how will all this happen?" the chameleon inquired.
On the way to the supermarket, three passed the ruins of the Castle of Mobius. Vector and Espio began to feel sad, recalling that they were dead; Argyle, Salma, and Juanita, and that the funeral of them had been on this morning.
Charmy saw them and put his hands on his friends' shoulders, "Do not be sad, because soon you will see that things will get better for you two. I have confidence in that."
The crocodile and the chameleon turned around and smiled at the bee, as that phrase put them in a good mood.
They walked a few blocks whilst talking about various things that had happened in the past, they soon forgot about the tragedy.
"By the way, Vector, those blows everything with you and Espio. You don't have them from this morning," the bee suspected.
"Say you had a confrontation with Knuckles and this was the result," the crocodile answered.
"So who lost?"
"Not at all. This time it was me who won."
"As if to believe that lie. Knuckles the Echidna is stronger than you are."
"I'm telling the truth, seriously."
"I'm not the same naive kid as before. I am an adult and I know when you're lying."
"Charmy, this time Vector was the one who won," the chameleon interrupted.
"Wow, that's great," the bee exclaimed.
"Because if you believe it and not me," the crocodile scowled.
"For the simple reason that he has always been honest with everyone, not as 'other' I can mention," Charmy explained.
"I've never lied," Vector hissed.
"What are you doing now?" Espio inquired.
The crocodile decided to remain silent before they were to humiliate themselves while discussing the subject of honesty.
When they were one block from the supermarket, they heard a female scream that came from one of the alleys. The three came and saw five beings with black masks on the faces surrounding a mother rabbit, a daughter rabbit, a small blue creature, and a magenta hedgehog with pink spikes.