Chapter 10: Parental Interference

That night went like most nights recently in Silver's household. He'd tried to have a civil conversation, sparking debate about why the lilies on the hill were blooming out of season, or the delicate economics behind why merchants sailing into port were selling their goods for more coin than ever before. Sonic and Knuckles didn't care. They were too busy engaged in one of their frivolous arguments.

"And again you forced me to go get the bread this morning even though it was your turn," Sonic slammed his fork down on the table, snarling at his brother.

"I was out late working on the docks to bring in some money," Knuckles fired back. "You know, money, that thing that you use but never accumulate."

"We both know that's not my fault! I've tried to work but everybody says I'm still too young. It's not like I'm not trying. Tails works and he's only a year older than me."

"Sure, sure," Knuckles rolled his eyes. "I've seen you out playing pretend soldier with Amy."

"Are you stalking me now? Oh, wait, no, you're just stalking Amy," Sonic sneered. The corner of Knuckles' face pulled. Sonic's words had struck a nerve.

"How dare you!"

"No, no, it's true. I'm not stupid."

"Could have fooled me," Knuckles scoffed. Silver pinched the bridge of his nose, clenching shut his eyes to block out his children's incessant bickering. He never understood why they were always at each other's throats, but it'd gotten progressively worse over the past few weeks. Silver noted that Sonic's temper had shrunk since his encounter with the now-king.

"Just because Amy prefers hanging out with me doesn't mean you need to take it out on me."

"This has nothing to do with her," Knuckles argued.

"Sure, okay, so you're just spending time protecting her little brother out of the goodness of your own heart? You're just using Ray to get to Amy, and you're just jealous because she likes me more!" Sonic bellowed.

"Screw you, Sonic. I don't know what's gotten into you recently, but you've been a short-tempered, arrogant, angry asshole."

"That's it," Sonic shouted as he slammed the palms of his hands against the oak wood that their kitchen table was delicately carved out of and rose to his feet. The wood splintered slightly, a thin crack running through its veneer. "I don't need to deal with this. I'm going to bed." As Sonic stormed up the staircase he paused at the top and shouted back down at his brother. "And I'm not getting the bread tomorrow!"

As Sonic slammed his door shut and silence descended their household, Knuckles finally turned to his father with crossed arms and chest huffing.

"Can you believe him? Talk about a spoilt brat."

"No, Knuckles, it's you whom I can't believe," Silver said solemnly, his voice distant and cold. "Sonic is struggling recently, and we need to be there for him as his family. If you weren't so self-absorbed you would be able to see that."

Knuckles' eyes grew wide, almost bulging out of his head like a fish in shock. His mouth opened to speak, but no words came out as words escaped him. He couldn't believe what his father had said. He couldn't believe his father still took Sonic's side, even after how increasingly petulant he had become.

"You really should go apologise," Silver shot Knuckles an unreadable expression. Instead of fight his father with words, things Silver was adept at contorting and weaponizing against him, Knuckles simply shook his head. He didn't owe his father, or Sonic, anything.

"What am I going to do with that boy," Silver sighed, questioning aloud to an invisible companion as he watched Knuckles storm out of the room, both his children leaving their half-eaten bowls of soup. Silver threw his head skywards, eyes studying the blotches of muck staining the roof above. "Gold, I know you're up there watching over us. Please, lend me strength."

Staring at the empty table for minutes, Silver knew this situation wasn't going to solve itself. His boys needed time, he knew that, but regardless of that fact something Knuckles said did strike a chord of truth. Sonic hadn't been acting himself. That's when his gaze finally settled on the crack that stretched across the table. How did Sonic manage to make such a sight by just slamming the palms of his hands? This table was a gift from one of the villages most renowned wood carvers. It wouldn't splinter easily. It was clear now to Silver that Sonic's growth in strength.

That wasn't important now, Silver thought. He'd file that thought away in the vast library in his mind and deal with trying to salvage his sons relationships first. With a sigh, Silver trod up the stairs and with a gentle knock, entered his son's bedroom. Silver didn't notice Sonic quickly shove something under his pillow as he strode inside.

"Sonic? Are you okay?" Sonic stirred. The twinge of anger swelling dissipated from within him.

"I'm okay, dad," Sonic sighed. "He just makes me so angry sometimes."

"And you make him angry, too. You're very different people with clashing personalities, but that's okay. You're still brothers," Silver smiled as he sat on the foot of Sonic's bed.

"How? We're so different and we don't even look alike. He's the one you've been teaching how to write, he's the one that inherited your brain, and I'm just the black sheep of the family. I'm just… me," Sonic clenched his fist.

"What's wrong with being you?" Silver soothed, placing a hand on Sonic's shoulder. "Besides, he might have inherited some stuff from me, but you inherited a lot from your mother."

"Really?" Sonic had never seen his mother, or known what she looked like. He'd heard his father's friends speak fondly of her, but she'd died in childbirth. He blamed himself sometimes, and even though Silver would never admit it Sonic knew that Silver felt a twinge of resentment because of it.

"You've got her heart," Silver mused, moving his hand from Sonic's shoulder to his head. "I see her in you sometimes, and I know she's looking down on us – on you – and smiling proudly."

"Thanks," Sonic said somewhat distantly.

"Now, please, tell me honestly; are you okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been acting strangely recently. You get aggressive easily. You're more terse, indignant, frustrated. I've noticed it since your encounter with King Shadow."

"You mean Shadow the brat," Sonic snorted. Silver shot him a disapproving look.

"I'm your father, Sonic, and you can talk to me. If something happened…" Sonic thought for a moment, mulling over whether he wanted to reveal the truth to his father yet, but as he shot a sidelong glance to his pillow, and the crimson emerald nestled beneath, he felt something shout at him. No.

"Nothing happened," Sonic lied. "I'm fine, just a bit stressed, I guess. I'm sorry for taking everything out on you and Knuckles, but I promise you I'm fine." Silver wanted to fight back; wanted to say something more, but he was scared of pushing his son even further away.

"Okay," Silver surrendered. "Will you come back down and finish dinner with me?"

"Sure, dad," Sonic forced a smile, leaving the glowing emerald beneath his pillow and following Silver back out to the kitchen.


Tails had disappeared into his thoughts, as he so often did. Nothing added up. Sonic was acting strange, and he knew sitting around mulling possibilities in his head wasn't going to get him anywhere. It was Sonic himself that so often told Tails not to spend so long thinking things through and to just take action.

Tails was going to take action.

Aldar. That was the answer. That strange forest creature knew the secret of the emeralds. It seemed to trust Tails, and was surprised when he was able to draw upon the emerald's melodic abilities. Maybe if he returned the emerald to Aldar, the creature would give him the answers he needed to understand what was happening to Sonic.

With newfound determination, Tails snatched the green emerald off the counter, wrapped it up in cloth and shoved it into his pockets. As he descended his steps a thought pinged the pit of his stomach. What if the King was patrolling the forest? It seemed silly – it had been months! Still, he recalled the sparkle in Shadow's eyes when he saw the emeralds light up. It wouldn't surprise Tails if the king had eyes on the forest waiting for him to return. He'd need to be careful, and he'd need help if he were to brave the forest again. That's where Amy came in. She'd help him. She'd have to. For Sonic.

"And where do you think you're going at this late hour?" Blaze's voice pricked his ears as he went to open the front door.

"I, uh, I'm just going out to see Amy," Tails replied quickly.

"Tails," Blaze's tone shifted slightly as his mother appeared at the door. "What have I told you about lying?"

"I'm not lying. Promise," Tails said steadfast. She studied his eyes, but relucted when she saw the pureness in his pupils. He wasn't lying.

"Is everything alright, sweetheart?" Blaze asked, her words softening.

"Why wouldn't they be?"

"I'm not blind. You've been different recently. Off."

"Off?"

"I'm not sure how best to describe it. I'm not the wordsmith Silver is," Blaze replied. "But something happened. I've felt this feeling since that day you had an encounter with the king. You, Sonic and Amy have all been different."

"It's nothing, mother. Honest," Tails said, but it was as clear as day to Blaze that he wasn't divulging the entire truth.

"Tails," she soothed as she ran her fingers through his golden curls, combing some loose strands of hair behind his ears. "Please, tell me. I'm your mother. You can trust me with any secret. I'm always going to be on your side, no matter what. You know that, don't you?"

Tails stood in thought for a moment, but deep down he knew she was right. She was always there for him – his biggest fan. The one person in the world he knew he could trust no matter what, moreso even than Sonic himself. Eventually, reluctantly, Tails exhaled softly and began to tell Blaze the story. He told her of their encounter with Shadow in the forest. Of the emeralds, and the creature, and the magic, and how worried he was for the green emerald's effect on Amy and the red emerald's effect on Sonic.

As he finally paused to breath Blaze peered into his eyes and knew her son was speaking only truth. As farfetched as it sounded, she believed him. She'd heard tales of magic, and knew it wasn't just a myth in fairy tales she'd been told as a child. It existed, and it was powerful, and it was dangerous. If her son and his friends got mixed up in powers untold, she had to protect them.

"Be safe, Tails," she said finally, and a warm smile crossed his face.

"I will. I promise," Tails replied as he embraced Blaze in a warm hug before he pulled his jacket closer around his torso and took off to Amy's house so they could make a plan to help Sonic.

Blaze allowed worry to envelop her as she made quick work of the walk between her and Silver's households, knocking on the door.

"Blaze? To what do I owe the pleasure at this time of night?" Silver answered politely.

"Has Sonic talked to you about the emeralds?" Blaze asked.

"Emeralds? I haven't the foggiest ide-ah!" Silver shouted mid-sentence as Blaze pushed past him, grabbing him by the sleeve of his blue sweater and dragging him to the kitchen table. It was there she explained everything to him that Tails had said. A sense of recognition, and then direness tugged at Silver's features. Without haste he rushed up the stairs and burst into his son's room.

"Dad? Blaze? What's she doing here?" Sonic asked.

"Where's the red emerald, Sonic?" Silver asked, his words deep and serious.

"What are you –"

"Don't play games with me. Magic brings nothing but heartache and disaster. Give me the emerald," Silver commanded.

"How do you even…" he paused as his eyes flicked to Blaze, and a sense of betrayal washed over him. "Tails."

"It's not his fault," Blaze defended her son. "I forced it out of him."

"We all promised not to say anything," Sonic growled.

"Now isn't the time for pettiness. You're playing with powers you simply don't understand. Give me the emerald, now," Silver pressed again.

"I don't have it," Sonic said defiantly.

"Don't lie to us!"

"I'm not. We buried them under a tree by the rolling hills as a precautionary measure, like you always told me to take."

"You sure nobody else knows where they are?

"Only Tails, Amy and I. I can take you to the tree and –"

"No," Silver interrupted, pulling out an old, tattered map of Ashorus and its surrounding farmlands. "I want you to stay here and stay safe. Blaze and I will go retrieve them. Point to which tree you hid them under on this map." Sonic's eyes fell across the map, before he selected a random tree at the southern end of Ashorus' borders.

"Thank you," Silver nodded, marking the tree on the map before rolling it up and shoving it in his coat pocket. "Promise me you'll stay here while Blaze and I go get it."

"I will."

"Promise me."

"I…" Sonic hesitated, his eyes flicking ever briefly to his pillow. "I promise," he said, his voice unreadable. That was good enough for Silver, as he and Blaze raced out of the house, and off to retrieve the magic emeralds. As Sonic waited in his room until the echoing of his father's footsteps on the cobblestone outside subsided until he retrieved the emerald from beneath his pillow, inhaling the red mist. Then a thought tugged at him. The way his father acted and spoke about the emerald was almost as if he knew of them - as if he'd seen them before. But that couldn't be true, could it?


The clattering of stone against glass echoed through the quiet evening as Tails lobbed another pebble at Amy's window. She still hadn't come to investigate the noise, and Tails was getting worried.

"What are you doing?" a voice perforated the quiet, and Tails jumped nearly two feet in the air out of fright. He clutched his beating heart and sighed in relief as he spun on his heels and saw it was just Ray, his vibrant red cap that he always wore contrasting the dark night.

"You scared me half to death," Tails breathed.

"You're such a scaredy-cat," Ray taunted, but Tails ignored the child's insult. He was on a mission to help his friend.

"Ray, where's your sister?" Tails asked.

"How should I know?" Ray shrugged, disinterested.

"Ray, please, this is important," Tails begged.

"I already told you, I don't know. Besides, why are you even looking for her anyway? It's not like you two are friends."

"I…" Tails paused. He needed to be careful with his words. He didn't want to get Ray caught up in their dramas. Tails took a few steps closer and knelt down so that he was shorter than Ray, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Ray, please," the inkling of a tear stinging the corner of his eye.

"I'm really worried about her. We were talking the other day and, well, I just really need to see her. As you said, we might not be friends in the formalist sense of the word, but she is still important to me, and Sonic, and I really need to talk to her right now." Ray studied Tails for a moment, before eventually relenting at Tails' vulnerability.

"She said I wasn't supposed to tell anybody," Ray sighed.

"I won't tell her how I found her, and I'm not planning to tell anybody else where she is. I just need to find her before she goes and does something she regrets."

"Would going to the forest be something she might regret?" Ray asked innocently.

"The forest?" Tails gasped. "Oh no…"

"Is she okay?"

"Ray, stay here," Tails instructed.

"But I want to come help. If something is happening I can help."

"Ray, it's too dangerous. Besides, what if we get split up?"

"We might need to. What if it rains?" Tails furrowed his brow and slightly tilted his head, like so many have when Ray spoke. "Because that way we could cover more ground."

"Ray," Tails shook his head, but a small smile appeared.

"So that means I can come?" Ray looked up with hope sparkling in his eye. As quickly as the hope appeared, it was extinguished.

"No," Tails was steadfast in his resolve. Just stay here. I'll go get her and bring her back. We can tell you everything later." Tails didn't wait to get a response from Ray as he took off down the road. His fingers fell to the emerald and tickled its edges, calling upon its mist to give him a sense of calm. He wasn't sure what Amy had planned, but he had a bad feeling. Either way, he knew he was in for a long night.


Eclipse felt like an idiot waiting outside the closed door to Shadow's throne room like a dog waiting for their owner to return. He fidgeted with his thumbs, freezing up whenever a guard would walk past on their routine security duty. He tried to listen in on Shadow, Rouge and Mina's conversation but the wood was too thick and the only sounds he could hear were unintelligible mumblings.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Eclipse could hear footsteps approaching and quickly bolted down the hallway. Fixing himself in the reflection of a mirror hanging on the wall, Eclipse nonchalantly strolled past the door, feigning surprise as Rouge lead Mina out of the throne room.

"Eclipse, what are you doing here?" Mina asked as he stopped to wave.

"Hi," Eclipse waved awkwardly.

"Hi," Mina smiled, staring at him expectantly.

"Oh, right, I was just walking past to the dining hall to grab a snack. Are you only just getting out of your meeting with King Shadow?" Eclipse asked, but Rouge cocked a curious eyebrow.

"Eclipse, the dining hall is the other way. You know that," Rouge said, a sly smile crossing her lips when she noticed him stiffen up.

"I, uh, right, sorry, must have been turned around a little bit," Eclipse forced out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. It didn't take long for Rouge to clue in on what was going on, and with a roll of her eyes she spoke.

"I must see to the guards and prepare for Shadow's training later today. Lord Eclipse, would you be able to show Mina to her quarters?" Eclipse's eyes flashed with delight. "She will be staying with us in the castle for a little while as she sees to a very important task that the king has assigned her."

"I can do what is required, General Rouge," Eclipse bowed politely, shooting her a thankful look. She nodded back before making her leave. Mina waited until she was gone before she turned to Eclipse and whispered.

"General Rouge is a scary woman. If looks could kill I'd be a shish-kebab right now," Mina giggled. Eclipse struggled to hold back a snort.

"She's not that scary once you get to know her." The two stood silently for a moment, tension thick in the air.

"So, Eclipse, are you going to show me to my quarters?"

"Right, sorry, follow me," Eclipse lead her down the twisting hallway and up the spiral staircase of one of the towers to the second floor of the grand castle. "Just act normal," he whispered to himself.

"Did you just say act normal?" Mina piped up from behind him. Eclipse spluttered, choking on the oxygen he breathed in.

"N-no," he stammered, cursing himself for voicing his thoughts. "What an idiot." Mina stared at him in confusion as realisation and embarrassment crossed his face. "I just said that out loud too, didn't I?"

"Yep," Mina giggled, and Eclipse slapped his forehead with the heel of his palm, dragging his fingers across his face. He hurried along, cursing himself for his discomfort until he arrived outside a room and gestured to it.

"This yours is room. I mean, this room is yours," Eclipse continued to fumble over his words. Mina couldn't hold back another laugh as she pushed open the door and slipped inside.

"Thank you for showing me here. Maybe I'll see you around the castle."

"I'd like that." As Mina went to close the door, she paused and turned back to Eclipse waiting expectantly in the hallway.

"You're a strange one, Eclipse," she said.

"And you're a pretty one," he replied.

"What?!"

"Shoot, did I say that out loud again?"

"You sure did."

"I… I've got to go. Bye Mina," Eclipse hurriedly forced out the words and scurried down the hallway. Mina smiled as she watched him go. Maybe living in Castletown wouldn't be that scary after all.


As night fell, Rouge finished her nightly routine of marching around the grounds, inspecting all the castle checkpoints to ensure the guards were awake and alert for their long night of guard duty. As usual, once she concluded she met back with Shadow, sat on his throne in the empty throne room with that scowl that seemed perpetually carved into his face.

"My King," Rouge bowed as she greeted him. "The grounds are secure. I'll take my leave to my chambers. Call for me if you need anything," she concluded obediently, and went to rise.

"What do you think of her?" Shadow asked. This surprised Rouge. He hardly ever spoke to her when she reported on her guards before bed. He hardly spoke to her about anything these days unless it was about the kingdom. Day after day her worry increased. He was changing for the worse. That child-like innocence and optimism that always danced in his eyes had dwindled, and although still there, it was but a mere speck stuck in the darkness of grief and bitterness that consumed him.

"Who, my King?"

"Mina. Our new scientist. Do you think she can live up to her father's abilities father used to speak so highly of?"

"She strikes me as quite the adept woman. I think she will do well here. She's fitting in well, already striking up a friendship with Eclipse," Rouge said knowingly. Shadow face twitched for a moment, but if he wanted to say something on the matter, he held his tongue, and the emotion drained off his face.

"I have given her quite the important task. It is of paramount importance. Please ensure she isn't… distracted," Shadow chose his words carefully, but Rouge took notice.

"And how are you, Shadow?" Rouge asked. "I…" she paused for a moment, deciding whether she wanted to continue her line of questioning. She knew how short-tempered he'd become, and fretted on upsetting him, but her worry was growing more cumbersome by the day. "I'm worried about you."

"Worried? I'm fine."

"Pardon my forthcomingness, but your obsession with the emeralds and those teenagers is getting out of hand."

"How dare you!" Shadow shouted. "It's hardly an obsession, as you so ineloquently put it. Besides, those teenagers are responsible for father's death, and perhaps the emeralds they have could be dangerous. You saw how powerful it made Sonic. That power could be a threat to our nation. I need to be ready."

"Are you sure this is about defending the kingdom, or something more… personal," Rouge probed further.

"Enough of these silly questions. Your forthcomingness is unwelcomed. Remember your place, General," Shadow hissed. Rouge inhaled deeply, and bowed her head.

"Of course, my King. My sincerest apologies. I forgot my place for a moment," she apologised.

"You did indeed," Shadow huffed. Rouge ground her teeth, but an image of Edward's face flashed in her mind and his words echoed in her head.

You're the only one I trust to guide Shadow. Keep him safe, and help him become a righteous king.

Righteous. Rouge held on that word. She was failing her promise to Edward, but she was still unsure how to continue. She had to try. She knew the kind-hearted prince she trained and watched grow was still inside him somewhere. She had to bring him out.

"Goodnight, Shadow," Rouge bowed again and marched away.

"Rouge," Shadow called, causing her to pause. "One last thing."

"Yes?"

"Ensure nobody distracts me except Mina. Nobody. Understood?" Shadow commanded.

"Understood."