I just want to give you readers a fair warning; there will be some sensitive scenes in this chapter, so proceed with caution.

The inspiration for this chapter's title came from Linkin Park's song "Crawling".

Disclaimer: I do not own any Sonic the Hedgehog characters! I only own my OCs!

Chapter 8: Crawling In the Skin

A lone figure sat in an office somewhere in Tokyo watching the international news. Words of Dr. Eggman's terror had spread overseas so news channels showed their viewers clips of Sonic and his friends' heroic actions against the mad scientist. Some of those clips featured the first attack on Station Square with Kon-King battling Shadow.

The black silhouette put the video on pause. They rewound the clip in slow motion and paused at the right frame. They leaned closer to the screen and narrowed their eyes when they spotted Mikoto and Aria.

They drummed their fingers on the desk. "So, she's gotten herself involved with some problematic characters. Looks like I have to make a quick trip home and reeducate her."

XXXXXXXXXX

Mikoto woke up this particular morning with a shiver running down her spine. She didn't feel cold as the weather was getting warmer the closer it got to summer. Usually, her body reacted this way when something terrible was about to happen.

And her sixth sense turned out to be right.

It all started during breakfast. She, Shadow and her caretakers are together when the home phone startled them. Masato left to answer the call leaving the others to finish their meal. The butler soon returned to the dining room with a downcast face. "Mikoto-sama, I have unfortunate news."

The blackette froze when she was about to eat her pickled vegetables. She lowered her chopsticks and stared nervously at the adult. "Yes…?"

"Nakashima-sama is coming home tonight."

Shadow instantly noticed the change in the atmosphere. Mikoto looked like she got slapped in the face, the color on her cheeks drained. Akane lowered her head, eyes glowing in a sad dark shade.

"Wh-When exactly?" Mikoto asked after she somewhat recovered from the news.

"Around 6 p.m."

Mikoto put her chopsticks on top of her rice bowl, her appetite entirely gone. "I'm done. May I leave?"

"Of course, Mikoto-sama", Akane nodded.

The girl quietly left the table and barely muttered her goodbyes before she left for school.

Shadow stared after Mikoto with a crooked brow. Something clearly wasn't right. The way everyone in this household changed after that one phone call concerned him. It was like somebody had shoved a pile of snow indoors and turned the atmosphere cold.

Masato cleared his throat. "Shadow-dono, I must ask you to leave this house."

"Why?" Shadow asked.

"It is only for as long as Nakashima-sama is here", Masato elaborated. "He does not like any…unexpected guests staying over in his mansion without his permission."

"So, none of you, not even Mikoto, informed her father about my presence?"

"It's for your own safety, Shadow-dono", Akane spoke up while she cleaned the table. "Nakashima-sama is a very frightening man when he gets upset. It's best you don't witness it."

Shadow knew they were concealing something from him. They weren't shy expressing their dislike toward their boss, but now they were suddenly forced to behave submissively. Mikoto's father clearly had an iron grip on his household.

Shadow sighed. "Fine. I'll stay over someplace else."

"We truly appreciate your cooperation", Masato said. "Once Nakashima-sama leaves the premises, you are more than welcome back. You are Mikoto-sama's guest and she does not wish to kick you out without probable cause."

The black Mobian went to his bedroom and grabbed his few belongings. He hesitated for a second when he reached for the sachet he received from Mikoto. He knew he was going to get questioned by the girls if he brought it to Aria's place and he didn't want to deal with them.

Then again, he could just scout around for the Chaos Emeralds and return for dinner.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mikoto could barely concentrate on her classes. Her mind was like a black void. The only sound she heard was white noise that drowned her ears. She didn't even hear her friends in the middle of their lunchbreak until Thomas snapped his fingers in front of her face.

"W-What?!" Mikoto blinked as she returned to reality.

"She's back", Thomas said. "Dude, you disappeared on us. You okay?"

Her friends' concerned expressions made her feel bad. "I-I'm fine! What were you talking about?"

"We were thinking of going over to Aria after school and continue our research about Chaos Power", Cindy explained. "You're coming too, right? We need to find out why the green Chaos Emerald only resonates with you."

As much as she wanted to escape reality and ignore her evening schedule, Mikoto knew it would just make things worse for her. "Um… I'm sorry, but my father is coming home today."

"Makes sense", Thomas nodded, arms crossed. "You want to prioritize your family."

Aria could tell the blackette held back a grimace, but she didn't point it out. "Then you think you can come over tomorrow, Miko?"

Mikoto shook her head. "I don't know…"

"You don't know?" Thomas tilted his head. "You can just tell your dad you wanna come over to Aria's place. Surely your dad doesn't want to hog you all to himself?"

His comment made Mikoto even more uncomfortable, the color on her cheeks turning pale. Aria snapped at her friend. "Thomas!"

The redhead jumped by the loud shriek. "What?"

Mikoto closed her lunchbox, not even half of it eaten, and swiftly left the gazebo with her head bowed. "Excuse me…"

Cindy adjusted her glasses while she stared at the retiring girl with a questionable look. "She got weirdly silent once her father was mentioned." Aria hummed sadly, agreeing with her girl friend.

Mikoto rushed to the woman's bathroom and splashed water on her face to calm herself down. Droplets ran down her cheeks while she stared at her reflection in the mirror in front of her. Her gaze was still clouded but her mind felt a little clearer than moments ago.

She looked around to make sure she was all alone before she pulled the long sleeve up of her school uniform. Scars marred her arm like a carved painting. She could sense the phantom pain whenever she got punished, the old scars throbbing for each strike she heard in her memories.

Mikoto took deep breaths while she pulled down the sleeve before a random person could see the nasty scars. Somehow, the fear that she had for so many years suddenly didn't feel as strong. Maybe because she had people around her and just thinking about them gave her courage.

"I'll be fine… I can do this… This is nothing new… Just the…regular thing."

XXXXXXXXXX

Sonic held back a muffled laugh after he and his friends learned about Shadow's change of residence. "S-So… You got kicked out of Miko's house?"

Shadow glared at his annoying doppelganger. "No. I had to temporarily move for some time."

"But why?" Cream wondered, cuddling a sleeping Cheese in her arms.

"Her father is coming home and he doesn't like strangers."

Blaze quickly caught on there was more to the story than just Mikoto's father returning home. Ever since Shadow told her about suspected abuse, she had been on the edge. While she had never experienced such vulgar behavior, she didn't stand by it at all. She had seen terrible parents amongst her people who mistreated their children.

It angered her how parents could think they had the rights to put their hands on their own flesh and blood.

Takumi served Shadow a cup of coffee beans. "I've been told Mrs. Helen has given you permission to stay here, Mr. Shadow. We'll have a room ready for you by the evening."

Shadow hummed with a light nod, crunching the coffee beans like they were made of cotton candy. "I only have one request; I refuse to share a room with Sonic."

"Hey, I don't even sleep in a room, Shadow", Sonic pointed out.

"Really?" Amy smirked. "Then how come I often find you sleeping in a chair in my room, Sonic?"

Sonic flushed hard by the female hedgehog's remark. He fumbled with his words as he tried coming up with an excuse. "I-I just…" He felt lots of pressure by the way his friends grinned teasingly at him. He couldn't take the embarrassment, so he did the only thing that came to mind. "I'll be back later!" He zoomed past Nelly who came in with a tray of dessert and barged out for a run.

"Wow, I've never seen Sonic act like that before", Tails chuckled.

"It would do him good if he's being honest with himself for once", Cosmo giggled.

Amy sighed a little sadly at Sonic's escape, but she knew he could be quite shy. Years ago, she'd be upset with him for running away from her, but now that she had gotten older she knew she couldn't really force her crush to like her back in the same way she loved him.

She was still hopeful, though. Sonic never pushed her away, so it was a sign that he cared about her in his own way. "I'll catch up to him someday."

Shadow left the group and went outside to prepare himself for another day of looking for Chaos Emeralds. Blaze followed him and watched while he stretched his limbs for warm-up. "What do you want, Blaze?"

"Are you really going to ignore the fact that Mikoto's possible abuser is coming home?"

Shadow grunted softly while he made sure his Inhibitor Rings were strapped on properly. He tried his best, but he simply couldn't get the image of Mikoto's pale face out of his mind, never mind the scars he saw on her calves. If those weren't self-inflicted, then who did that to her?

"Her butler and maid warned me not to get myself involved. Mikoto's father must be a dangerous man if they told me to relocate until he leaves the house."

"That sounds to me he won't hesitate to rely on violence to get things done his way", Blaze frowned.

"That's possible." Shadow turned to the feline princess with a raised brow. "But why are you so concerned about Mikoto?"

"I just can't stand knowing somebody I'm friends with is subjected to abuse", Blaze growled while doing her best to keep her passion power in check. "While I know it doesn't involve me, I want to help Mikoto."

Shadow hummed, keeping his poker face to hide his frown. He couldn't really recognize himself nowadays. Why was he so bothered by somebody he had only known for about a month? His memories were still covered by a thick fog, and yet his soul warned him that if he didn't listen to the red flags he would regret it.

"I'll go over in the evening and spy on them to see what exactly is happening in that household."

"Can I go with you?"

"If you'll be quiet."

"Of course."

Satisfied with the answer, Shadow took off skating. Blaze watched him until he was out of sight. A sigh slipped out of her lips, feeling lonely now that her crush was away. She turned around to get back to her friends, but she nearly yelped out when she saw Silver. "Silver! How long have you been there?"

The silver Mobian leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. "Long enough to know you and Shadow are gonna sneak to Miko's house to help her with something."

It took Blaze everything not to sigh loudly in relief. It appeared Silver hadn't heard about the abuse going on in the Nakashima household that she and Shadow wanted to investigate. "Yes. We just want to make sure she's safe. We won't interrupt the family reunion."

Silver gave her a worried gaze. "Blaze… I know how you feel about Shadow, but I don't want you to get hurt."

For this, Blaze had to sigh at her childhood friend's constant worry. "Silver, I was raised to be prepared for news that can break my heart. While I harbor feelings for Shadow, I fear my parents will one day announce a random fiancée to be my consort once I'm crowned the next empress. I still want the freedom to love somebody of my choice even if he might never reciprocate my feelings."

Silver wished there weren't so many responsibilities resting on Blaze's shoulders. She was still a teenager full of dreams and hope for her future, but there were obstacles in her way and duties to prioritize before her desires.

"Just…don't keep your hopes high, Blaze."

She returned a reassuring smile to Silver. "I'm a realist, Silver. I don't want to be a princess who images things will go her way as long as there's romance involved."

"Like those maiden games Cream got interested in after Aria showed them to her?"

"Exactly."

XXXXXXXXXX

Mikoto barely had time catching up with her friends at school as soon as the last class was done. She put away her books in her locker and tucked away her last quiz sheets in her bag before she hurried home on her bicycle. She knew she had at least three hours left to prepare for her father's return. Every second couldn't go to waste.

She barged into her home with sweat coating her face. "I'm home!"

"Welcome home, Mikoto-sama", Masato greeted her with a light bow.

"Is he here, Masato-san?"

"Not yet. Akane-san is upstairs preparing your clothes."

With haste, Mikoto rushed up the stairs and past Kuro who sat on top of the railing. He meowed in disappointment when his master didn't greet him with a pat on his head like she always did, but he could smell the anxiety emitting from her which made him curl his tail.

Akane had laid out Mikoto's kimono on her bed and set up her makeup desk with necessary bottles and brushes. She heard Mikoto's quick steps echoing outside the room, so she didn't have a reaction when the blackette threw the door open.

"Welcome home, Mikoto-sama", Akane bowed lightly.

"I'm home", Mikoto's voice was hoarse as she tried keeping her rapid heart under control despite the panic growing within her. "I'll take a shower real quick."

After a swift shower to get her body clean, Akane helped Mikoto dry her hair before it was time putting the kimono on. The blackette grimaced when her maid tightened the obi around her stomach. It made her so stiff and it felt overall uncomfortable.

Akane shaped Mikoto's long hair into the same style as a geisha's wig and proceeded to cake lots of makeup to turn her into a pale ghost with lips red as blood roses. Her eyes stared at the figure in the mirror. She recognized herself but at the same time she didn't. Right now, she had to play the role of a lifeless doll if she wanted to survive her father's tyranny.

Masato and Akane finished preparing everything and gathered by the front door with Mikoto. The young woman switched the invisible lever in her head on and reacted automatically when the door opened.

The grand figure of Nakashima Yamato stepped into his luxurious home. Dressed in a loose kimono that exposed his well-trained abs, he carried himself with a confident aura, an open paper fan in his hand. Mikoto and the servants bowed deeply for the master of the house.

"Okaerinasaimasen (Welcome home), otou-sama", Mikoto greeted first, voice void of emotions.

Yamato scanned his daughter up and down looking for any flaws in her appearance. "Hrm. Tadaima."

It took Mikoto every ounce of her being not to sigh loudly. Yamato would usually throw a hurtful comment about her dress or even behavior, so she guessed he was in a pleasant mood.

"Danna-sama (Master), dinner is ready", Masato informed. "Would you like to dine?"

Yamato folded his fan with a loud swish. "Certainly. I missed Akane-san's cooking."

Said maid bit back her remark that she so wanted to throw at her master. 'But not your daughter.'

Without any other questions asked, Masato brought Yamato's luggage to the master bedroom. The master of the house made himself comfortable by the dining table while Mikoto obediently stayed right by his side. He hadn't given her permission to take a seat and share a meal with him even when she was famished.

Yamato enjoyed himself to the home cooked meal along with many cups of reishu. As soon as his small cup was empty, Mikoto soundlessly poured more of the alcoholic liquid. It continued repeatedly until her father was done with his meal.

"Thank you for the meal." He wiped his mouth clean before he left the table. His eyes shifted into a serious glow which sent shivers down Mikoto's spine, his voice dripping with venom. "Let's go to the living room, Mikoto."

XXXXXXXXXX

The moon was far up in the night sky when Shadow teleported himself and Blaze to the Nakashima mansion. The lights were on so the Mobians remained outside. Shadow guided Blaze to a window connected to the living room where they found Mikoto with her father and caretakers.

For a brief second, the Mobians couldn't recognize the young blackette. She wore a foreign dress with heavy makeup covering her face and hair combed and held up with gold hairpins. Shadow and Blaze were stunned by the radical transformation of the quiet girl, if not even dazzled by her beauty. One of the windows had a small crack open so they heard the words spoke between the humans.

Yamato had demanded Mikoto to bring all her quiz sheets so he could examine her grades. His eyes turned into a frown when he came across a sheet marked with a large red B. Mikoto immediately got down on her knees, holding her back straight like a tree peony.

"Why did she kneel…?" Blaze wondered, keeping her voice low so nobody could see her and her companion.

Shadow frowned but stayed quiet.

Akane served Yamato's favorite rice sake while he continued studying the papers. His cheeks soon turned into a dark pink hue. He dumped the sheets on the coffee table and turned to his daughter. "What are these results, Mikoto?"

Mikoto bowed until her forehead touched the carpet. "I apologize, otou-sama."

Yamato got down on one knee in front of her and raised her chin with his fan, her empty eyes meeting his chilling gleam. His strong breath reeking of alcohol made her want to grimace, but she held herself back from showing her discomfort. "I expect the best from you. Two B and one C while the rest is A? Are you even considering your future?"

"I am, otou-sama", Mikoto responded, her voice now monotone.

Yamato pulled his fan from her chin hard enough to leave a small red mark on her jaw. "I've given you enough freedom to play in the garden and conduct experiments in that gloomy shed of yours. You cannot waste your time on meaningless things. You have to become an intelligent and obedient wife for your fiancée I have arranged for you. You must not bring shame to the Nakashima family."

"I know, otou-sama."

Yamato made a motion with his hand which gave Mikoto permission to stand up. He returned to the couch while the blackette straightened her back. She knew the worst part was about to come soon.

"I actually learned something interesting the other day", her father spoke up, a dark glare coating his eyes. "You've gotten yourself involved with some abnormalities that spawned on Earth a while ago."

Mikoto tensed up at the mention of the Mobians. He must have seen news of the attack on Station Square. It was obvious it made headlines across the globe, especially with the return of Sonic and his friends and their enemy Dr. Eggman. There was no question she got filmed by the news crew when she ended up in the midst of the chaos.

Yamato didn't like the silent treatment from his daughter. "Answer me."

Mikoto clenched her hands, trying her best not to show how her body was shaking. "Y-Yes, otou-sama."

Her father finished his last cup of sake with a long sigh. "Masato."

"Yes, danna-sama?"

"Bring the whip."

Shadow and Blaze couldn't understand a single thing that was said because Mikoto's people spoke in Japanese the whole time. While they were eavesdropping, Kuro joined them and purred between their legs. He never meowed like he knew it would blow their cover.

The Mobians noticed Masato acted reluctantly at Yamato's commands before he opened a drawer and pulled out a brown whip. Blaze muffled a gasp that came close to slip from her lips. Shadow narrowed his brows at the tool that was passed to Mikoto's father. Said girl had no visible reaction. All she did was pulling her sleeves up, revealing all the scars she had previously received during punishment sessions.

"N-No…", Blaze gaped, still in shock. "He's really going to-"

A loud smack echoed in the living room at the first strike on Mikoto's skin. She bit back her pain as the punishment continued. Her skin burned as it swelled up into a strong ruddy color by each hit.

Shadow gritted his teeth at the scene before him. He could feel his Chaos Power tingling in his hand. He was tempted to barge in and throw a Chaos Spear at the man that inflicted pain to his own daughter. He raised a hand to fire his power when Masato made eye contact with him. The butler shook his head, eyes pleading with the dark Mobian not to get involved. As much as Shadow wanted to hurt Yamato, he quickly realized his action could in turn put Mikoto in a worse position.

He canceled his power and sat down against the wall next to Blaze who covered her ears, not wanting to hear the sound of slapping skin. It made her sick to the stomach. Shadow felt the same way, unable to comprehend what Mikoto had done to deserve this treatment.

Mikoto collapsed on her knees once her father was done. Her arms were ablaze by pain, eyes glossy by tears and breath coming out in light gasps. Her skin was torn with blood lightly dripping on the carpet and her kimono.

Yamato gave her a strict look of authority, like he wasn't the one who had done something wrong. "Look what you made me do, Mikoto. You were such a bad girl you gave me no other choice but to punish you."

His toxic words floated around Mikoto's brain. She so wanted to go against her father and tell him this was his own doing, but her words meant nothing to him. "Yes, otou-sama…"

Yamato smirked at her submissive state. This was how he liked seeing his daughter; obedient and loss of ambition, a simple doll for him to play with like a game of chess to obtain what he needed for his family to grow and succeed. He dropped the blood smeared whip and walked past his flesh and blood. "Clean yourself up and go to bed."

"Yes… Oyasuminasai (Good night), otou-sama…"

XXXXXXXXXX

Mikoto sat on her bed, now changed into a nightgown after little difficulty because the touch of fabric irritated her skin. Her arms were still swollen and sore by the corporal punishment, so she treated them by using a cold and damp towel as a compress.

She might view the world around her in a different way, but she knew she hadn't done anything wrong for her father to brutally discipline her. She was old enough to understand that everything Yamato did to her was child abuse and verbal manipulation. Yet another part of her wanted him to acknowledge her and her achievements.

"I survived…again…"

A sudden flash erupted in Mikoto's room that frightened her for a second. She thought someone had thrown a flash grenade like Dr. Eggman had tracked her down. To her relief, it was two of her alien friends.

"Shadow-kun? Blaze-san? What are you two doing here?" Mikoto whispered, not wanting her father to discover her visitors.

Blaze said nothing while she approached her. The girl noticed Kuro was in her arm until he jumped onto her bed, meowing with a sad look. Shadow warped away without a word. Mikoto was confused, but her thoughts went out the window when Blaze removed her towel and applied salve on her bruised arms. She bit her bottom lip as her skin screamed in pain. She caught the scent of the salve, recognizing it as one of her concoctions that contained anti-bacteria medicinal herbs. Blaze must have taken it from her shed to treat her.

Shadow returned with a plate of rice balls and a glass of water. He settled them on a nightstand and crossed his arms, eyeing Blaze's soft movements as she smeared one more fingertip of salve. "Why do you allow this to happen to you?"

Mikoto's eyes drooped, staring emptily at her now treated arms. That question told her they had witnessed everything that occurred an hour ago. "I can't control it…"

"You can", Blaze said, putting the lid on the salve container. "You must tell the authorities."

"I can't…", Mikoto insisted. "I'll be in big trouble if my father figures out I reported him for child abuse."

Shadow narrowed his brows at her poor excuse. "Then why haven't your maid or butler alerted the authorities? They are adults; they are responsible for your wellbeing."

"You don't understand…" Mikoto's frustration was building up as she was getting questioned by her family circumstances. She was frustrated at herself. She couldn't do anything to escape the cruelty she had lived in her whole life.

Blaze cupped her hand with a gentle gaze. "Then can you tell us so we can understand? We won't understand until you tell us. We promise we won't tell anyone. Right, Shadow?"

Shadow let out of puff of snort.

Mikoto shifted her eyes between the two Mobians. She hadn't known them for long and yet she felt like she could trust them with her family's dark secret. Kuro purred against her before he curled into a ball on her lap. She instinctively started brushing her cat's fur, finding comfort in that soft texture.

"This has been going on…for a long time", Mikoto began her tale, her eyes turning red by unshed tears. "My father is a brutal man. He has always been strict and vicious. My mother walked out of my life when I was four years old. The only family I had left was my grandmother. Obaa-chan (Grandmother) taught me as much as she could even when I had a hard time understanding what was happening around me. Everything got worse after she left this world. My father only sees me as a tool. He wants to shape me into a mindless robot who obeys every order so I don't bring shame to the family… Even robbing my freedom of what I should do in the future…like arranging a marriage for me with a man I don't know about…"

A tear ran down her cheek before another one dripped onto Kuro. Her pet didn't feel comfortable getting wet so he got off her lap and settled next to her licking his paw clean.

Blaze sat down next to Mikoto and softly rubbed her hand with her thumb while the blackette did her best to hold back her tears. Shadow remained silent and stared intensely at the bruised girl.

Mikoto took a deep breath and wiped her face with her cold towel. It eased her sore eyes after tearing up so much this evening. She clenched the towel so hard she was close ripping it apart, strong emotions stirring within her. "But I don't want that. I want to make my own future. I want to study pharmacology in university and create new effective medicine with zero artificial chemicals. That's why I made a business with my hobby to save up money so when I graduate high school next year and become an adult I can leave this place for good."

"But you shouldn't endure this torture", Blaze argued.

A soft snort escaped Mikoto's lips, hands shaking by imminent fear. "I've held on for so long, I can do it one more year. I think… I hope…"

The Mobians shared a knowing glance. Mikoto was shackled to her home and had no way to flee as long as she was minor. So she'd rather play the role of a submissive daughter and endure all the pain until she had the power to stand independent and no longer rely on her father for food and shelter with the cost of never knowing parental love.

"So, I beg you two… Don't tell anyone about this. Please…", Mikoto begged.

Blaze sighed. Her mind screamed to tell the Thorndykes about Mikoto's situation and alert the authorities on her behalf, but it was best to hold back for now. There was something about Yamato that made her own fur stiff and she had no idea why.

Shadow felt pretty much the same. Yamato was a dangerous man and he knew what he and Blaze had witnessed today was only the tip of the iceberg.

"We promise", Blaze finally spoke up with stern eyes. "But! You must promise us to run away if your father tries doing something unforgivable to you."

Mikoto instantly knew what the feline princess meant. "He hasn't tried doing that to me yet… And I hope he has enough moral to never assault me."

A growl erupted from her stomach. She flushed hard and clutched her abdomen, getting reminded she hadn't eaten anything else since lunchbreak. Shadow grabbed the plate he brought from the kitchen and pushed it into her hands. "Your butler came out after your father retired to his room and told us to give these rice balls to you."

"Thank you, Shadow-kun", Mikoto smiled before she took a large bite on a rice ball. A delightful hum fled her as she enjoyed her late night meal. She suddenly felt a little bad eating by herself so she held the plate to the Mobians. "Have some too."

"It's your food, Mikoto", Blaze retorted.

"I want to share it with you."

Blaze bit back a grimace, but she fell weak for Mikoto's pleading eyes so she grabbed one rice ball. She had never seen such intriguing food before, so she took a large bite. She got quite the surprise when she discovered there was mayonnaise seasoned tuna hiding in the lump of rice wrapped in dried seaweed. "It's tasty."

Mikoto smiled at the feline's flabbergasted reaction. "Rice ball is my favorite food. It's easy to make and carry around as a snack. Want one, Shadow-kun?"

Shadow wasn't that hungry, but he still accepted the offer and took one rice ball. He only did that so Mikoto's mood wouldn't fall after it got better. He had enough of tears for one day.

The trio ate until the plate was clean. Kuro licked up some grains while Mikoto emptied her cup of water. "Thank you, Shadow-kun, Blaze-san. I feel better after I told you about my…circumstances."

Blaze's eyes softened while she reached for Mikoto's hand and gave it a squeeze. "You were courageous to tell us. Don't think for one second it's your fault that this is happening to you."

"I thought so before…when I was younger", Mikoto admitted, her eyes now glowing with a ray of hope. "But I know better now. I can keep up with this act for one more year before I'm truly free."

"Just don't overexert yourself", Shadow warned the blackette.

"I won't."

Blaze stared at the girl with strict eyes. "Do you promise?"

Mikoto had seen the same type of eyes from her father, but those glares were usually cold. Blaze's eyes were burning but felt warm and gentle at the same time. She raised her right pinky finger. "I promise."

Pleased with the answer, Blaze hooked her pinky finger with the teenager's. Shadow got a brief flashback of how he did the same thing with Maria when they made a promise. He couldn't remember what that promise was about, but it felt equally important as the one he remembered in the heat of moment onboard the ARK.

"It's late", Shadow spoke up. "You should get some sleep, Mikoto."

Mikoto nodded with a soft hum before she hid a yawn. "Mm… I'm exhausted." She followed the Mobians out to her balcony so she could send them off. She wrapped a robe around her frail body as the late spring air brought a chilly breeze. "Good night, Blaze-san, Shadow-kun."

"Good night, Mikoto", Blaze smiled back.

Shadow merely hummed and warped himself and Blaze once the feline princess took hold on his shoulder. Mikoto remained on the balcony and admired the starry sky, tucking loose strands behind her ear. Her heart felt a lot at ease after sharing her problems with a couple of friends who she trusted. 'How weird I trust aliens more than humans', she giggled lightly, a sad sheen glowing in her eyes. 'Maybe because I feel comfortable with animals rather than humans… Humans are so unpredictable.'

XXXXXXXXXX

Much to Mikoto's relief, there was no more punishment during the rest of Yamato's short stay at home. She was though still grounded so she wasn't allowed to leave the premises or contact anyone. She had no other option but to stay in her room studying extra to cover the errors she made on her tests. After a quick review, Yamato was pleased with her efforts, but said nothing much.

Shadow and Blaze showed up another night to check on her, partially because Aria had tried contacting her to no avail. Mikoto explained her smartphone got confiscated and she had no email address to her blonde schoolmate. Her wounds had also healed up thanks to the quick treatment so there were no visible scars left behind expect the old ones inflicted when she was much younger.

Yamato had his bags packed to return to Japan for business meetings during summer as it was the high season for his company to thrive. Before he left, however, he forewarned Mikoto about some plans he had for her.

"Mikoto, I have arranged a meeting with your fiancée in August. Make sure to read the files I gave you so you know how to behave around him."

His daughter was once again dressed like a geisha to bid him farewell. She was glad she had lots of white powder on her face so she could hide a frown that barely twitched at the corner of her lips. "I understand, otou-sama."

Yamato hid his proud smirk behind his fan. "Good. Keep looking after her, Masato, Akane."

"We will, danna-sama", Masato bowed alongside the housemaid.

"Have a safe trip, danna-sama", Akane said.

"Stay safe and healthy, otou-sama", Mikoto bowed deeply.

Yamato cast one last glance at her and left the mansion, leaving behind a cold atmosphere. The trio watched the limousine drive off before they entered the building, releasing a mutual sigh of relief.

"He's gone…", Mikoto mumbled, collapsing on her knees after the tension finally left her body, all her energy drained after having to act like a decorative for days.

Masato helped her up on her feet, both of them proud of how she endured another terrifying week with her father. Akane could finally pull her into a warm embrace, light sobs emitting from her throat. "I'm so sorry we couldn't protect you, Mikoto-sama…"

Mikoto patted Akane's back with a tearful smile. "It's okay… I know you can't intervene when otou-sama gets physical with me. If you do…you'll get fired."

Masato wiped a small tear from his eye. "You are resilient, Mikoto-sama."

The girl nodded against Akane's nape, returning the hug. "Just one more year…and I'll be free."

The trio flinched when there was a knock on the door. Did Yamato forget something and he had to come back? No, if so he would've barged in right away.

"Are we expecting somebody?" Mikoto wondered.

"Allow me." Masato carefully opened the door and peeked outside. His lips widened into a smile and fully opened the door revealing Aria and the Mobians. "Welcome, everyone."

"Hi!" Aria smiled with a light wave.

Mikoto couldn't believe her eyes. "E-Everyone? What are you doing here?"

"Well, we heard from Shadow you weren't allowed outside while your dad was here, so we wanted to surprise you after he left", Sonic grinned.

"This was your idea, Faker", Shadow spat irritably.

Amy was awestruck by Mikoto's kimono. "Wow! You're so pretty! Is this what they call a kimono?"

"Y-Yes", Mikoto stuttered, surprised by how curious the pink hedgehog got by her attire.

"You look so pretty, Ms. Mikoto!" Cream smiled. "Like a princess from the east. Right, Cheese?"

"Chao chao!" Cheese chirped.

Aria pushed a small note into Mikoto's hand. "I heard you weren't allowed to keep your phone, so here's my email. You really had me worried when you didn't answer my calls."

"You were…?" Mikoto mumbled, surprised.

"Of course I was", Aria said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'd be worried sick if I don't hear from my friend."

Those warm words touched Mikoto's heart. She could hear the sincerity in Aria's voice and her eyes showed no deception. She wiped a small crystal tear off her cheek as it smeared her makeup. "Arigatou, Aria-san. Make yourselves at home. I'll be right back after I've changed my clothes."

Her dreadful days with her father were quickly erased as the Nakashima mansion got filled with warmth and laughter as Mikoto and her friends spent hours enjoying themselves to treats baked by Akane and play games.

This was the kind warmth Mikoto sought for years and she didn't want to lose it.