Sonic and the Chaos Kingdom

Ch.2

By: Cutegirlmayra (Holy molly, this is gonna be a GREAT story! :DDDD –remembers the plot- oh no…

Oh dear….

You're all gonna cry a lot.)

That night, Sonic hadn't returned to his room, instead, he had retired to the library, where he opened the book that had dubbed him king.

As he walked over and lazily flopped himself down on a seat, he let the moonlight hit the book through a rather large window consisting of three pillars with sharp tips at the end, all plastered together to make a really beautiful window that resembled a palace almost.

He continued to flip through the book, until reaching more of the legend within it.

However…. It is said that the immortal prince did not grow up evil. The scientist had a young granddaughter, whom the prince had grown very fond of as one of his closest friends.

This young human girl was sadly killed during an invasion by the Chaos Kingdom, and rumor has it that one of the knights threw his spear, and sadly, it struck her when she ran out to protect the prince.

In his rage, he tortured and killed many for the murder of his only true friend.

The scientist went mad as well, as he swore to find a cure to death, but only ended up killing himself with his own experiments.

The immortal prince vowed to revenge the young human girl by any means necessary, and he has tried to take over the kingdom and end the blood line of his father's foes ever sense…

Now begins the rules of the People-

Sonic closed the book, and leaned back in his chair, letting himself fall down in it as he looked outside. "…So. You didn't really care about the war and the fighting for power… did you?" he sighed, rubbing his head as someone barged open the door, and seemed to gasp for air as they looked around the room.

"Oh Sonic!" Tails gasped out, and finally let himself fall to his knees, walking over to Sonic in the darkness. "I was worried sick when they said you didn't return to your room…"

"I'm not escaping… not now anyway." Sonic… kinda reassured his friend, and looked away from him toward the window, holding a hand up to his chin to keep his head stationed there, and lifting a leg over his other one as his ankle remained on the others knee.

"…What are you reading?" Tails saw the book's title shine slightly in the moonlight, and his eyes widened. "…Are you reading the rules?"

"No… just looking back over the legend." He admitted, and took the book and tossed it to Tails. "I'm bored with it again." He stated, and smiled.

"Wh-hey!" Tails fumbled a little, but finally secured the book in his hands. "Are you crazy!? This book is centuries old! And sacred! It holds the laws, rules, regulations, legends, and statues of old! You can't just toss it around-"

"I realize you want to be Royal Historian Tails… but give it a rest." Sonic wasn't in the mood for this right now, as he shifted in his chair, laying his head back and putting his hands to each armrest, lowering his leg down from the other too, and seeming very bored. "Don't you have enough titles on your head as it is?"

"..Sonic." Tails looked insulted slightly, and walked over to put the book back on in it's glassed box and pillowed seating. "If you really hate all my jobs, you could fire me. And besides that, if the book bores you so much, why do you read it so often? At least twice a week." He shut the glassing around it and tapped the glass. "I really wish this was more heavily guarded…" he muttered, "If I was Royal Historian… I would keep it safe and out of sight…"

"…I like to be reminded how boring it is." Sonic got up from his chair, and folded his arms as he stood in front of his father's old desk. Staring at it, he began to live events when he used to jump up on his father's lap, as his father would laugh and admit he's working on a new ordinance that needed to be written, and didn't have time to play.

He would always say that, but the minute the guard closed the door, he would wrestle and play fight with Sonic, who loved it more than anything else in the world.

His dad would always be busy or gone, so those little moments were held close to his heart…

"…Sonic?"

"I can't be a great king like my father was… because I can't throw away the joys of life."

"…."

"My father would try and spend every second he could with me… but ended up always getting pulled away back into his duties. He'd fake a smile as he left… but I knew he wanted to spend more time with me, he just couldn't…"

"…Sonic,… you need to get some sleep. You have trials tomorrow…"

"…Yeah, well. I've always had to abide during a trial. Why is that? Can't a judge do that?" he turned back to Tails. "I'd like to sleep in for once. I'm 23 now,… can't I get a day off?"

"You have days off, but tomorrow isn't one of them." Tails shook his head, showing Sonic there was no way out of his morning routine.

Sonic groaned, and headed out with Tails. "I'm gonna be old and grow a white beard…"

"Hey, I don't remember a beard on your old man?"

"No.. that's cause he liked to keep a clean, and unthreatening face for his people… my Mom always liked him with a beard…"

"You're mom liked beards?"

"Oh yeah. She loved the burly man look."

"Oh… I remember you're mother very differently."

"Everyone does… she never acted her true self in public. Not even my father knew who she really was until after their arranged marriage."

"Haha! He did love your mother tho… he once told my dad, who then relayed it to me that she was, literally, love at first sight for him." Tails chuckled slightly, as they both walked down the hall to the royal chambers.

"Heh, that's the day he believed in it." Sonic smiled, remembering how his mother and father told that story very differently. "Did you know my mother wanted to run away?"

"What?!" Tails stopped, looking to Sonic in complete dumbfoundment. "Why!? I heard your father was-"

"A stud, right? That every woman wanted to be his wife, reguardless of his station of king, but that's a loud of-"

"Right, right. But I still heard he was handsome. Well built. Stuff like that."

"He had to fight a lot in his youth, Shadow never gave my dad a breather, as it were. But my mom once told me she was terrified to marry him, but when she warmed up to him, realized she had married a truly remarkable man, and fell in love with him." Sonic looked down and gestured his head to Tails, whispering… "When do I have to be forced to marry again?"

"26.. and you have to have born an heir by 28." He stated, smirking.

"….Right…. Right." He stated the first one, but then groaned on the second one. "And I can choose?"

"As long as you pick one before your 26, then yes, it's your choice." Tails grinned, and then flicked up his chest fur. "Or I get the pleasure of picking one for you~" he beamed, teasing Sonic as he literally hated to see Tails being so smug about his role in leadership.

"I'd rather marry a frog."

"That can be arranged. I'll remember that."

"Please don't…"

"Hahaha! Before you start thinking about a future queen, maybe you should look into what the Eggman Empire has been doing lately."

They finally made it to his bedchambers, as Tails stopped at the door. "I should inform you, Knuckles has been keeping a close eye on the territory line lately… and he says it's too quiet. He wants to double the guard, but I'm not sure if he's just antsy or not."

"…Hmm. I'll try and give you an answer in the morning. I need to um… sleep and what not." Sonic opened his bedroom door, a huge room with a little to much space for Sonic's liking, with a giant king-size bed and red everywhere in the room, with gold decorative symbols of royalty all around it. At least he had a cool balcony… but they stationed guards on the roof now to make sure he didn't escape that way either.

Bummer really…

"Night, Tails." Sonic stated, having lost his anger with sorrow over the space of the day, greeting other important people from different lands and even meeting other royalty. He just wanted to dream the whole thing away… tried of being forced to do things he didn't want to do.

At least those people's stories at his dinner party were intriguing enough, but spiked his heart even more at realizing he'd never be able to visit those places as he wished. It would have to be scheduled, he'd have to stay at their palace, he'd have to be entertained by them, yadda yadda….Why can't he just explore the world without having so much 'honor' given to him? He didn't want a 'grand time' at the palace of the other place! He wanted more… he wanted the land, the people, the things they made and the brawls in the taverns. You can learn a lot about people and their culture through their taverns… so he heard.

"Goodnight…, your majesty." Tails bowed, as he reminded Sonic he was king, throwing him out of his ranting thoughts for a moment as Sonic twitched, and stared back at his friend.

"… You will forever more address me as Sonic. Unless in the presence of people who we need to impress. Come on, Tails. Don't be like that." Sonic looked hurt by Tails's 'etiquette' towards him. "We're closer friends than that mumbo jumbo."

"Haha, so you really aren't gonna act like a king now, are you? I thought that little act you pulled back at the wall meant you had changed…. To be honest, I'm glad you didn't." he winked, and began to walk about. "Night, Sonic! I'm glad you're still here… I was worried I lost a friend." He lazily waved behind him and started to sway as he walked, showing he was quite concerned before but now he's relaxing down from all the stress of the day.

"Heh… yeah… I'm still here." He closed the door, and climbed into bed.

Sighing, he started taking his royal robe off from on his shoulders, when he thought he heard something.

Sitting up, he looked around…

He didn't see anything, so he just flopped back down and tossed his robe away, something he knew was shaming his title, but he really couldn't care about clothes.

He started taking off his shoes when he felt his arm hit something, and started patting it down.

"….AMY!" he kicked her off from under the covers as she rolled out of the bed, and started to freak out as she crawled under the bed.

"Y-you really shouldn't just toss your cape like that..!" she spat out.

"GRRR!" he jumped down, chasing after her.

"Yikes! I know you said never to come in here like this b-but I was worried about you and so I hid to try and see you and I know you're upset cause you said to stop doing this after we grew up, but hey, I still get scared from nightmares at night, are you sure I can't still come back in here, and another thing-" she was rambling in her fright, knowing full well he could catch her at anytime, and quickly ran around the room, jumping out of his grasp at the last moment, knowing how his body worked when he ran and how he moved, so she was able to predict his movements. She crawled across the bed and grabbed the royal robe, draping it over the correct holder for it in his room before racing under the bed again.

"IT'S A ROBE." He grumbled out, but you could hear how upset he was in his voice, as he literally slid down and tried to grab her from under his bed. "COME HERE."

"I-I-I-Is that an order?!"

"NOW!"

"I'm taking that as a suggestion!"

"DANG IT, AMY! You know I wouldn't force someone with an order!"

"You do it all the time!"

"I can break my vow I made as a kid as much as I want! It's not your business!" he clawed at her with his arm, but she was able to stay on the far side and not get caught. He raced to the other side and finally got a hold of her ankle as she tried to rush to the other side to escape him. "Ah-ha!" he pulled her out, and she screamed.

"Shh!" he covered her mouth, sitting down and holding her in front of him, grabbing her waist to keep her there while a guard tapped the roof.

"Your highness?"

Sonic gritted his teeth, having sweat trinkle down the side of his head. If by some awkward chance the guard leaped down and saw Sonic with a WOMAN in his room,… well, it wouldn't be good for his image. Sonic threw Amy on the bed, and let her go by her waist, and placed his pointer finger up to his mouth. "Shush!" he shouted a whispered command and slowly moved over to the balcony, waving up at the two guards above.

"Everything's fine! Hehe~ I'm just…uh, exercising." He stretched out his arm to the side. "Anyway, I'm gonna close the windows now. Night, guys!" he gave the biggest grin he could to fake out the guards, and closed the windows, turning to see Amy was gone, and narrowing his eyes, peering around the room.

He slowly bent down a little and walked across the room, before heard a movement in his large wardrobe and opened the wooden doors on it. Glaring down at her attempt of bundling up in the clothes to hide herself.

She blinked her only eye that wasn't covered in royal attire as some of her maid's clothes was still noticeable.

He huffed, and reached in, getting the clothes off of her and picking her up.

"No-no-no! Let me down! Sonic!" she also shouted out whispers and kicked back in protest as he set her down by the door.

"Get out of here! What do you think you're even doing anymore?!" he scolded her, gesturing the door to her. "I've had a pretty rotten day, mind you! Do you really think sneaking into my room AGAIN is going to 'improve' it somehow?"

"…I… I just wanted to make sure you were okay." She started tearing up, seeing as he was shouting at her, even if it was in whispers. "I'm sorry.. I'll go now." She opened the door and closed it very lightly, so no one heard her.

Sonic breathed heavily, before leaning on the door with his arms and putting his head to it. "Dang it… Amy… Amy wait!" he opened the door, and stopped her from leaving the hall way, moving her up against the wall with him so that the guard that passed by the around over the hall in front of them that Amy was about to go around the corner too didn't see them. "I'm sorry. Look, I'm fine." He stated, moving her away from his body as she was just momentarily held up close to him for a moment. "I'm not happy with this… but it's my life. I don't want you thinking you have to do me any favors." He stated.

"I didn't mean it like that! I just wanted to talk to you, maybe help you go through this." She stated. "And friends do favors for friends!" she shouted out, lightly gesturing that she would of stomped her foot if it weren't for the guard around the corner.

"Alright, alright. Thank you. But stop climbing into my bed, you know I hate how that looks." He looked away from her, as she started to smile.

He saw her smile, and returned it with his own, as the two started to laugh softly as they didn't want to be too loud.

Amy covered her mouth as Sonic did the same and she moved back into his arms, as he held her for a moment because he didn't want her muffled laughs to be heard.

"Now get your behind back to bed!" he moved her away and swung a leg at her butt, as she chuckled a moment and started on her way. "I swear, you're sooo werid!" he whispered loudly to her.

"You're weirdER!" she shouted quietly back.

"I don't see how that's right." Sonic shook his head to her, walking away, as she laughed again and spun forward, heading to the maid's rooms.

He actually felt some stress and tension die inside him, thanks to Amy's little stunt, he felt more tried and at ease. Maybe her little plan to cheer him up worked after all.

He went back inside before the guard turned the corner to walk down that hall way and got back into his bed.

-The next morning-

Knuckles was up, bright and early as one of his men handed him some warm meat on a dish. Ignoring the knife placed next to it, Knuckles just picked the bone up and held the giant piece of meat up and started biting into it. "Last night?"

"Went soundly sir. He didn't escape and no one got in."

"Excellent. Maybe he's finally giving in now and ready to be a proper king."

"…"

"You're suppose to laugh. HAHAAH!" Knuckles tore into his meat again, talking with his mouth full, as barbarians usually do. His men were… well, they got used to this behavior, but we're too proud to join him in his eating habits.

"I believe the king could be a good one. If he just had an outlet for all his pent up energy." The young man stated, having taken off his helmet to address his general, which was customary in the army.

"…Oh, is that so?" Knuckles stopped, swallowing and biting his foot again, but in a little size this time. "… you think Sonic's got what it takes?" he asked again.

"…I… I do, sir." The man stated boldly. "After all, he's a kind man. And he often spars with the new recruits, as they sometimes become homesick, he cheers them up with playful banter and some training advice."

"….Good man." Knuckles hit the meat to his chest, and walked on. "My warriors must be forever loyal to their king, and be sure to see the good in him. If you see the good in your king, you will be able to serve him full heartedly, and not just for honor, but for the kingdom's sake by which he asks you to defend." Knuckles took one more huge chunk out of the big piece of meat and put the bone back, having to move his mouth around to get all the meat in his mouth, but finally achieved his goal in the endeavor and had a 'healthy' breakfast. "Send the men to scout the outside walls, I want to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary, and anything from the territory lines?"

"No, sir. We've received the messengers from every post but the territory line, sir."

Knuckles's foot reached the ground with a solid sound that rang through the hall, as he slowly turned his head to the boy.

"…What did you just say?" he shifted himself to the boy.

"Everyone but THEM!?" he lifted the boy by the scruff of his neck's shirt and shook him. "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT THAT MEANS?! Why didn't you alert me immediately of that VITAL news before handing me food!?" Knuckles let the boy go with a bit of force, and ran to the guards stationed ahead of him. "I need men to guard every lousy inch of this place! Alert the king! And get the citizens to safety! We're riding up to the territory lines!"

"Captain!" Another solider, this one opening the doors to the main entrance of where the palace's main room was station, looked much older and wiser than the young guard boy beside him, and stopped to catch his breath once reaching Knuckles. "Come on, good man. Spit it out." Knuckles was kind enough to let the man catch his breath, before he looked up with worry at him.

"They've attacked! And they've managed to make it by the third ranks! They plowed through our defenses and trenches and are heading straight for Angel Island! They've already taken down the City of Square and are using it as a military offensive base. We're trapped at the water's edge, Captain!"

"…Oh no." Knuckles turned to the boy beside him, and hit him upside the head. "DO YOU GET IT NOW?!"

"Yes, sir! Sorry, sir! I didn't… I didn't know!"

"Well, now you do. Tell the guards to surround the palace, just incase this is a set up. I have to protect my- I mean, the kingdom's emeralds! You!" he pointed to the man who charged into the room for him. "Come with me!"

"Yes, my captain!" The man narrowed his eyes, showing that he was ready to fight, as Tails came rushing up around the corner.

"Knuckles! What's going on? I heard you shouting, and this time, it wasn't your usual ranting voice."

"Ranting voice?! Ugh, nevermind, Tails! We're under attack!"

"What!?"

"Alert Sonic and get me my army! I'm heading to the coast of Angel Island!"

Sonic was on his throne, bored out of his mind as he was sideways on it, one leg up on the throne and his arm up on the rest to hold his head up. He yawned, as two men bickered and protested, stating that the wagon was sabotaged and that the man next to him had tried to kill him.

"Well… do you hate the guy?" Sonic asked the other man.

"I…Why no, your majesty. I've never wanted to cause harm to anyone!" the man cried out, as the other man pointed to him and was held back by two of his friends.

"This man lies! He's hated me since I bought a farm that produces good soil! My king, please! He's trying to murder me!"

"Alright, alright, calm down." Sonic sat up, lifting his leg down and placing his hands on his head, rubbing it and bending down. "Ay, ay, aye…" he repeated in annoyance.

"Psst!"

"..Hmm?" Sonic looked to the side of him, seeing Amy below and to the side of where his throne, which was raised pretty high off the normal ground level, was pointing to a wheel.

She mouthed the words, 'Chip! Chip in the wheel!' and continued pointing to the wagon.

"…Ohhh." Sonic realized what she meant, and got up from his throne. "Alright." He stated, standing up. "You." he pointed to the man who claimed he was innocent. "Where did the wagon break or… he claims you altered it on."

"The wheel's left side, your majesty." He responded, bowing to his king.

"…Sir, I never asked the other man where the wagon broke to the other man. And you claimed earlier you've never looked at the wagon before. So how come you knew where the wagon's fault was?" he raised an eyebrow, as the man next to him cried out in hallelujahs.

"Y-…your majesty, I-"

"Send this man to jail for attempted murder and-"

*COUGH, COUGH* "EHEM."

"Uhh…" Sonic stopped to see Amy having a coughing fit, as she walked closer to his throne, looking around to make sure the head maid wasn't their to scold her, and coughed in her hand again.

"Coff!DamageofCoff!PrivatePropertyCoff!"

"…I mean, not for attempted murder.." Sonic waved his hands out in front of him, showing he was nulling that sentence. "But for damage of private property."

"Then, your highness, your stating this man must go to jail for 6 months instead of 7 to 9 years?" The Council man confirmed, as he was to supervise over the meeting instead of Tails, who usually decided to do it but decided to skip out to take care of other matters.

"..7 to 9 years.." Sonic's face looked to one of horror, as he looked to Amy, and realized why she had corrected him. "Ehem, yes. Yes, that's what I meant. Heh, heh." He sat down and covered his mouth as the Council man gave the order and the man was dragged away, kicking and screaming insults to the man that had arrested him.

"Thanks, Amy. I almost gave a severe punishment to that guy…" he whispered, but kept his hand up, not wanting anyone to see a king speaking to a servant, or praising one for helping him in a trial that matter.

"Hehe, I live to serve my king." She chimed, and winked to him.

"Ugh…" he awkwardly looked away, and moved his hand, using it to scratch his head and hold it up again.

"Why do you have to act like that?" Amy raised an eyebrow up, smiling proudly as she felt it was HER who solved the case, and placed her hands on her hips.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Sonic stated, looking down at her and then giving her a kind grin.

"Hehe, you're not that spooked by it." She stated, and giggled again, facing him more directly now. "I've flirted with you since I was 6! Why on earth do you always shy away? You should be used to it by now."

"Heh, yeah well you-…!" he looked up over her shoulder and seemed terrified at something, before looking away and not finishing his sentence.

"Huh?" Amy blinked her eyes in confusion, before hearing the voice and fearing for her life.

"AND WHY, CHILD, ARE YOU FACING THE KING AT SUCH A CLOSE DISTANCE?! WERE YOU REALLY ATTEMPTING TO TALK TO HIM!?" The lead head maid slammed her broom into Amy's head, as she whimpered out a 'oww…w..w…" and gripped her head.

Sonic winced for her, wishing it didn't have to be this way… And felt truly sorry for her.

"NOW GET BACK TO WORK!" She shoved the broom into Amy's hands and stomped off, her large and fat frame leaving the room before turning at the door, holding her two fingers to her eyes and then shoving them in Amy's direction, warning her that she was watching.

Amy had sweat drops on the side of her face as she looked fearfully back at her boss, and then sighed, dusting in spot for a moment, about to move on.

"… you okay?" Sonic whispered down to her.

"…." Amy looked up to him, looking sad that she couldn't respond, but sent a charming smile his way with a thumbs up.

"….Heee~" he shone a fantastic grin her way, and gave her a wink. Showing he supported her and was glad she was okay.

Amy continued her work away from him and he watched her, eyes drooping down slightly, as he wished she wasn't a servant girl…

"Sonic dear, your bath is ready." His governess, a old bunny who was the mother of Cream, a chambermaid, bowed to Sonic as he sighed.

"Right… bath." He grimaced.

She smiled and giggled, "After all this time, you still hate taking baths. I would of thought by now that the young prince of the famous King of the Chaos Kingdom would have outgrown his fear of water."

"Vanilla…" he groaned out, embarrassed she would say that out loud when there were so many people here of high blood and wealth that had come to see the new king carry out the people's trials. "I have a question." He got off his throne and walked with her as they headed toward the glamorous and ginormous bath room that was pure white and slick to the bone. It was like a built in lake and sauna deep inside and under the castle grounds…

"What is it, my dear?" she asked, walking down the stairs to another hall. Sonic was so sick of hall after hall, as he had memorized each one as a baby, when he first learned he could speed around and not get caught by Vanilla when bath time usually came up. But he was always caught by hired trappers… as they ended up being paid to teach Vanilla how to capture him at his full speed. She soon just learned where his favorite hiding spots were, and if she made the best food, he would usually come out and let her bath him.

He was too old to really need someone to bath him, but by the pleasures of royalty, he still had to be bathed by his servants. Since he hated that rule, he only allowed Vanilla in to do the job.

"Why do they need me to solve petty trials like who chipped the wheels?" he asked, as she lifted his arm and started washing it. He was in the large dome of the royal bath house, where him and his father used to practice swimming together before he was finally old enough to just admit he hated the water. Still, his father used to the love taking baths, and sometimes invited his closest friends in for a public bath. Sonic was never comfortable with having anyone with him while he bathed though…

"Hmm… I do believe it's because the Counsel takes care of the bigger problems in the kingdom, realizing you, yourself, weren't trained by your father enough to be able to wisely make those decisions quite yet. You're still too inexperienced for the real challenging problems.." she admitted, always being honest with Sonic right down to the T.

Sonic washed his foot, not liking people touching his feet, as he heard her words and pouted. "I could do the big stuff…"

She giggled again. "Without… Miss Rose's help?"

"Huh?! H-how'd you-?" he freaked a bit, splashing in the shallow end of the large pool as he turned to her, blinking at her insight.

"It's my job to keep an eye on you, remember?" she winked.

"…Hmph. She's just there to give me pointers.." Sonic commented, puffing up a side of his face and folding his arms.

"So immature." She rolled her eyes. "You obviously need her for those trials more than you're letting on."

"…She's a good friend. I want to make her chief judge soon." Sonic stated, getting back to cleaning himself up.

"…A woman?" Vanilla stopped with handing him a washcloth as he said that. "You mean… you're going to change the law?"

"Of course. Women are more than capable of holding higher positions in society. I mean, they have to teach there sons anyway, why not teach their daughters too? More educated and capable people in the kingdom, the better the prosperity, right?"

"….Sonic… that is…" she was soft spoken for a moment, before smiling and having her face light up. "The most noblest and clever ideology I have ever heard."

"..So you'll support it?" Sonic turned to Vanilla.

"Of course!" she beamed. "Then my precious Cream and finally leave the labors of manual work and be a teacher like she's always wanted to be." She stated, and then looked to be about ready to cry. "To think… my precious daughter won't have to be a slave anymore…"

Sonic looked into each of Vanilla's eyes, seeing her begin to cry. "Why, it just makes me want to cry!"

Sonic reached up and hugged her, as she began to pour her heart out in the tears of her eyes.

"…This is the kind of king I want to be." Sonic stated, as Vanilla pulled away to look at him.

"What kind of king?" She asked.

"The kind that makes his people cry tears of joy." He smiled, "But not for long or anything! I want them to laugh more than cry." He explained himself further, as Vanilla scratched his head in praise.

"You will be a magnificent king! I hope they let you have that authority.. you're still so new to being king… even if you have been a prince and the Counsel has taken over the kingly roles… I do hope you prove to them that you can handle your own. Maybe then you can truly make the kingdom a land of life and adventure as it once was."

"Your highness!"

"W-woah!"

Sonic was caught off guard and tripped back, falling into the water and then bursting out from it's surface and clinging to Vanilla, still terrified of the water.

"We're under attack, sire!"

"H-huh?"

"When did this happen?" Vanilla asked, remembering when war raged when she was a young girl, and hoped Sonic wouldn't have to experience what his father went through…

"This morning! Apparently, at the crack of dawn! We didn't hear about it until latter this afternoon, but the armies are at war as we speak!"

"…Oh chaos…" Vanilla placed a hand up to her mouth, her tears beginning to withdraw as her fear took over her. "Not again."

"Wait, where's Knuckles then?" Sonic got out of the water, standing up now and having the water at his heels, helping Vanilla stand up as her dress was slightly drenched from leaning in to hug him from the water's edge.

"He's coming to the front lines, sire. We've got to get you to safety-!"

"Safety!? I need to fight!"

"Fight? But sire.. you have just been made King! You do not know the ways of-"

"War? My father taught me well, even as a boy. I may have lost three years where he could of taught me more about duties of a kings, but while he lived in my 20 years with him, I learned how to wield a sword and fight! I'm not afraid!"

"….."

"Sonic, he is, sadly, right."

"Vanilla…"

"You've never been to war before. Please listen to him, for at least now. Where is Tails? Let him advise you on what to do."

"….Fine. Where is Tails?"

-Battlegrounds near the coast of Angel Island-

"Knuckles! We can't hold them back much longer!"

"I know that you, dimwit! If they think they can steal MY emeralds…"

"..Y-your emeralds, sir?"

"I-I mean-! The Chaos Kingdom's emeralds! Of course!" Knuckles corrected himself quickly as he lead his men into a retreat. "We need more cover! Where is there some cover around here!?"

"We've got some rocks sir, they may-"

"Cause a rock slide when struck? It's too dangerous! Dang it! I won't have my men killed by lack of direction!" a huge canon was launched as the ball fired near Knuckles, causing him to duck as debris went everywhere from the ground it hit. "Fall back!" Knuckles shouted, "Fall back!"

Knuckles was born in the barbarian waste lands beyond the uncharted lands where many have failed to venture, due to it's unwritten perils and dangers. He had learned about a land with ancient wonders and jewels, and had plans to raid it once his lord and master of his village gave the command.

He was a proud warrior, but also led his brothers in arms with a kind heart, before he sailed to find the wonder of the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald. Taken in by their beauty and lore of protecting the land with magical properties and enhancing hearts to their greater goods, he betrayed his land to try and protect them, not steal them, and claimed them in his own name.

Sonic's father had confronted his men who he had betrayed as Knuckles vowed allegiance to anyone who would protect these magnificent stones. Swearing that he had been blessed by them and his heart changed. Sonic's father took careful caution in trusting Knuckles, but before long, Knuckles had proven his worth and his soul's value in loyalty through battle and obedience to the king's wishes. He was then knighted, and quickly worked his way up to General over the King's Armies.

To this day, he still claims that the king of this land will be blessed with a good heart, as was his heart changed by the power of the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald.

"Captain! We need a plan!" another barrage of canon fire and large boulders being swung on giant contraptions kept pounding the armies of the king back, as Knuckles ducked behind a poorly and quickly dug up trench.

"You call this a secured cover!?" Knuckles hated the trenches, as he saw it the worst way to fight. "It's a coward's game!" he cried out, remembering how many of his friends died in the last battles of his home and on this land. "We need better cover before we can attack!"

"There's nothing, sir! They pinned us against the sea and sand! All we have are rocks and earth!"

"Darn it!"

Another giant blast of canon fire came howling through the skies, as his men we're being struck to and fro, no matter how they tried to dodge, there was no cover.

-The Taken City of Square-

Shadow rose from the highest tower the city could provide, his royal cape of purple flying like a flag behind him and at his side, as he looked over the balcony, and placed his hands on the railings.

"..You seem quite tense, my young king." Eggman walked in, holding two glasses in his hands, as he gave one to Shadow.

"You know full well my age. I have seen plenty of battle and war… When will this all end?" he looked down, not even taking a sip of the drink as Eggman looked a little worrisome at his words.

"Why have it stop? We need it to continue in order to place you on the throne of the Chaos Kingdom! The Eggman Empire must-"

"Flourish? Under this war that never ends?" Shadow gestured to the robots they used to fight. "I don't even have my own people's allegiance to join the war! They try to leave my nation and escape to the Chaos Kingdom! I'm nothing but a sham, anyway… You are the one ruling… I'm merely a puppet monarchy, I do not deny it." Shadow turned his head away, still holding the rails with tighter conviction now. "I'm a disgrace."

"…Do you not remember who you're fighting for?" Eggman turned his body to lean on the rail, as he held his glass out in front of him. "I still remember… poor Maria's last words…"

The name struck Shadow to the core, as he began to twitch violently, his eyes widened, looking like an animal in rage as he sweat profusely, seeming to hold in his anger.

Eggman grinned evilly, seeing he struck the cord he wanted. He took a drink and looked back out over the battleground. "You don't even need to be out with a poisoned sword this time, Shadow. The new king is too weak and inexperienced to show his face in battle quite yet. Yes… they'll want to preserve him. It's the perfect time to act. His general must be at his wits ends, trying to figure out where to find good canon cover, who-ho-ho-ho!" Eggman lifted his head back and laughed, before drinking again.

"..M..Maria…" Shadow began to grow teary eyed, as Eggman looked down to him, and clicked his glass with his.

"Cheers! To not only revenge for the fallen, but! A bright new future for us and our loyal people." He drank up again, taking the last of the drink, and then shrugging and reaching over to Shadow's drink, drinking that too. "I'll be out making sure we get those Chaos Emeralds in safe care… We probably can swipe the Master Emerald too at this rate." He seemed pretty happy, as he danced his way out with the two empty glasses, and then kicked his legs up to click his heels and spin out the door. "Yippe!"

"…I… I must win." Shadow looked up, glaring at the armies of his timeless foe. "…Maria.. you all killed her! MARIAA!" he threw back his head and shouted her name, as Knuckles still had no clue what to do, Amy still swept the castle floors, Tails raced to the Emeralds alter on horse back, and Sonic struggled from being pushed in his room and kicked the ground as he was shoved into his chambers to be 'protected' by thousands of his men swarming the castle to keep him safe.

All he wanted was to help and fight back… could he really be the man and KING as his father once was?