FINALLY! *Faints*

Jesus, this chapter took FOREVER! I think this is my longest chapter yet, even if this is more of a filler. ^^;

Anyway, I hope you enjoy! :)

NOTE: I ONLY OWN MY OC(s)! EVERYTHING ELSE BELONGS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS!

CHAPTER 8: BLOOMING FRIENDSHIPS

Somewhere in a far-off place, Sonic the Hedgehog was running around at the speed of sound without a care in the world. If there's one thing he likes more than stopping Eggman from taking over the world, it's running around the globe and seeing the sights (while doing impressive stunts along the way).

His feet made a screeching sound as he stopped near the edge of a cliff, the view showing a cluster of pine trees and rocky mountains in the distance. He crossed his arms and his foot began to tap against the ground, even looking at his left wrist as if there's a watch there.

Was he waiting for someone?

He got his answer when he heard the sound of whooshing behind him and he turned his head with a grin.

Miles away was Selene, and she was running at the same speed as the Blue Blur himself. For the past week, they discovered that the merhog was capable of being fast on land just like how she would swim super fast when they were on their way to Soleanna. She was having the time of her life, letting out whoops and hollers as she performed all kinds of parkour (thanks to a certain hedgehog's teachings).

She could see Sonic in the distance. With determination in her eyes, she began to skid to a stop, her eyes closed as she prayed that she timed it right. Sensing that she stopped moving, the merhog slowly opened her eyes to see that she was right at the edge of the cliff; she didn't even fall on her behind, let alone fall off a cliff.

"YES!" Selene cheered as she hopped in place. "Nailed it!"

"Awesome!" Sonic laughed as he offered a high five, in which the merhog reciprocated. "You, my speedy friend, are a natural!"

Selene giggled. "Thanks!" She then looked away in embarrassment as she scratched her cheek. "I mean, it took me a week and a lot of crashes and falls to get the footwork right, but it was worth it."

"Oh, absolutely!" Sonic assured before grinning. "Am I an awesome teacher, or what?"

"Yeah, but I am the first student you ever had to teach."

"Eh, that's true," Sonic then got an idea. "Say, why don't I show you one of my favorite places to relax? Think of it as a graduation present."

This got the merhog's attention. A new place to check out? Sign her up! "Oh, that would be wonderful!"

"Great!" Sonic smirked as he got into a running position. "Try to keep up!" He then took off, laughing along the way.

"H-Hey!" Selene yelped and immediately dashed after him. "Wait for me!"

Both Sonic and Selene raced through Central City, passing by moving cars and civilians as they made their way to a very popular place just outside of the city's bustling borders. As they got closer after crossing the bridge while dodging a lot of traffic, both runners slowed down as they approached a big cave.

Curious about what Sonic wanted to show her, Selene braced herself as he led her inside. It didn't take long to see the other side; it was like the old cliché of seeing the light at the end of a tunnel. As they emerged, Selene had to blink at the sudden brightness before her vision was back in focus.

And what she saw made her gasp in shock and awe.

It was a beautiful garden with vibrant green grass, beautiful flowers, and palm trees with a delicious assortment of fruit. There was even a crystal clear pool near a rocky wall and waterfalls; a cave could be seen behind one of the waterfalls. But what really got the merhog's attention was the adorable creatures in an array of colors and types having the time of their lives.

Selene's eyes were wide as she gazed at the beautiful garden before her. "Holy mackerel… Is this what I think it is…?"

"Eeyup!" Sonic grinned as he spread his arms out. "Welcome to the Chao Garden!"

Some of the Chao that were close by the entrance turned to the guests and they let out happy chirps as they recognized the blue hedgehog. They waddled or flew over to greet him.

Sonic chuckled at this and kneeled down to give them loving pats. "Hey, little guys. I hope you're all behaving and looking after each other."

"Chao!" The Chao chirped happily as they waved their arms in the air.

Selene couldn't help but giggle at the cute display before her. "You're quite popular here, I see."

"Yeah, I come here a lot whenever I'm in the neighborhood," Sonic grinned as he continued to pet some of the Chao.

A couple of Chao looked at Selene curiously, having never seen her before. The merhog gave them a gentle smile, showing them that she's a friend. A Hero/Swim/Swim Chao flew up until it was at eye level; it blinked at her while Selene blinked back, wondering what the Chao's up to.

The Chao then let out a happy coo and flew up until it landed on the merhog's head. It gave Selene's head a cuddle, which honestly made the latter want to collapse to her knees for how cute and welcoming it was being; she even had to bite her bottom lip to stop herself from squealing.

Sonic couldn't help but laugh at her expression. "Doing okay there, Selene?"

"S-Shut up!" Selene pouted before carefully taking the Chao off her head and hugged it, making the halo above the Chao's head turn into a heart. "I think I just died and gone to heaven."

"That's what everybody says the first time they enter here," Sonic grinned as he managed to control his laughter.

He looked up to see what the other Chao were up to, but then he let out a yelp and his muzzle turned pale. Curious to see what made the hedgehog freak out, Selene and the Chao close by turned to see, to their surprise, a young Neutral Chao climbing up the cliff by the pool. But what really got their attention was that the little one was climbing with its eyes closed.

It was sleepwalking!

"Aw, geez!" Sonic groaned as he got a sudden case of déjà vu. "Not again!"

Being mindful of his speed, he hurried over to the cliff and quickly climbed to the top. As he was about to grab the sleepwalking Chao from possibly falling off the cliff, the little one began to fly away, with its eyes still closed. Sonic lost his footing as he failed to grab the Chao, and he fell into the pool.

Luckily, the pool wasn't that deep, but Sonic's expression went flat and the déjà vu grew stronger as he just floated there; a couple of Chao that were swimming watched him curiously.

Selene didn't know whether to laugh or feel bad, but she saw the sleep flying Chao coming near her as she went over to sit under a tree. After putting the Hero/Swim/Swim Chao down next to her, she gently reached up and grabbed the little one, holding it to her chest like a newborn baby.

"Gotcha, you little cutie," the merhog cooed softly as she rocked the Chao in her arms, the little one cooing in its sleep as it somehow relaxed and not moved around as much as it usually does.

Sonic got out of the pool and shook his head to remove most of the water from his quills. He looked at some of the Chao nearby suspiciously as he put his hands on his hips and began tapping his foot on the ground.

"Alright, who let the little guy loose?" He asked with a raised brow.

The Chao looked at each other, wondering who was crazy enough to let the Chao roam free when they knew that it had a tendency to sleepwalk and put itself in danger. Whenever it's naptime, the Chao would work together to tie the little one to a tree (per Sonic's request) until it wakes up.

Snickering could be heard and they looked to see a Dark Chao a short distance away from the group, covering its mouth to conceal its giggles. This made Sonic roll his eyes and slapped his hand against his forehead; he should've known it was that little troublemaker. The Chao were giving annoyed looks to the snickering Dark Chao before a Hero Chao came over and whacked the Chao on the head.

The Dark Chao let out a pained chirp before glaring at the Hero Chao. "Chao chao chao chao?!"

The Hero Chao wasn't fazed one bit and glared at the Dark Chao for doing something stupid and putting the baby Chao in danger. "Chao chao!"

The other Chao joined the Hero Chao in giving disapproved chirps to the Dark Chao. Deciding that they can handle this, Sonic went over to sit down next to Selene, who was watching the exchange in amusement.

The blue hedgehog gave a shrug to the merhog. "Kids, am I right?"

"They are a handful," Selene snorted as she continued to cradle the little sleeping Chao. She then let out a content sigh. "Still, being in a place like this is really refreshing."

"It sure is," Sonic nodded as he put his hands behind his head, crossed one leg over the other, and closed his eyes. He then opened one eye to look at Selene. "So…what's on your mind?"

This made the merhog turn to him with wide eyes. "Huh?"

"Come on, I can tell from your eyes that you're bottling something up inside," Sonic chuckled at her surprised expression. "Heck, during the past week, you've been rather tense whenever we practice your running or even just relaxing like we are now. Now, tell me what's up?"

Selene blinked before sighing with an eye roll. "Geez, I can't get past you, can't I?"

"Nope!" Sonic answered with a goofy grin.

Selene sighed as she rocked the Chao in her arms while watching the other Chao play without a care in the world. "It's…kinda silly… Back home, I try to live up to everyone's expectations for being the Moon Keeper. I train pretty much every day, even looking through old journals from past Moon Keepers to see if there's advice and incorporating their waterbending forms to my style."

"And judging by how well you use your powers on land, I'd say there's some pictures that help with that, right?" Sonic asked curiously.

"Oh yeah, and I'm so glad I decided to check those out during my free time," Selene giggled before frowning again, much to the hedgehog's concern. "But I can't help but worry that the Leviathan's seal will be broken. So I have to make sure I'm prepared to face it head on should it happen."

Sonic sat up and raised a brow at the merhog. "Don't you mean 'we'?"

Selene turned to Sonic with wide eyes yet again. "What? But it's my responsibility! I-I couldn't possibly–"

"We're friends, aren't we?" Sonic interrupted with a smile. "And friends help each other out, no matter what. Whether it's protecting an ancient relic, fighting your biggest enemy, or subduing a giant sea monster."

This declaration made Selene feel touched. To think that Sonic would go this far to help someone who he has met for a short time; it makes her feel grateful that she ended up being found by him and his friends. Who knows what would've happened if she was found by someone else? She gave Sonic a gentle smile, making the hedgehog smile back, happy that he didn't need to do more convincing in letting him and his friends help out.

They were brought back to reality when the Chao in the merhog's arms let out a cute yawn. It opened its eyes and looked up at the one who's holding it. "Chao?"

"Hello there," Selene giggled as she tickled the little Chao's stomach with her finger, making it laugh. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Chao chao!" The Chao cooed happily at the merhog. Its eyes then noticed Sonic and it began to reach out to him eagerly. "Chao!"

Sonic laughed and gently took the Chao from Selene's arms. "Hey, buddy. Did you watch Chao in Space before your naptime again?"

This made the Chao blush in embarrassment and rubbed the back of its head. "Chao chao…"

As Sonic 'scolded' the little Chao, Selene took another look around the garden. Seeing all of the adorable Chao playing together brought a smile to her face. And the atmosphere's certainly relaxing. Places like these just make her want to play her beloved ocarina as a way to unwind and not make her stress out so much.

Oooh, that's an idea! Selene thought with a gleeful look in her eyes as she took out the instrument from her pocket. She got into a comfortable position before she began to play a soothing tune.

(Play: Princess Zelda - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

Sonic and the Chao in his arms turned to the merhog when they heard a soothing sound. To the hedgehog's surprise, Selene had her eyes closed as she played a gentle song on her ocarina, and she's not missing a note; a gentle breeze even blew into her long hair, making the merhog appear ethereal.

The song also brought the attention to all of the Chao in the garden. They stopped what they were doing and turned to Sonic and Selene's direction with curious expressions. Feeling drawn to the music, the Chao began to waddle over with smiles on their adorable faces.

Unaware of the gathering audience before her, Selene repeated the melody once more without a care in the world. Sonic, meanwhile, couldn't help but watch the merhog with an awestruck look on his face. Everytime he would see Selene play on her ocarina, she looked so majestic and had a soothing presence. Heck, he feels calm whenever he hears the notes coming from such a small instrument; even the Chao in the hedgehog's arms was entranced by the music.

Selene soon finished her little song with a satisfied smile. But when she looked up, she let out a startled yelp. Sonic looked over to see what made Selene jump, and couldn't help but laugh when he realized that every single Chao had gathered around and were looking at the merhog with sparkling eyes.

"Chao…" All of the Chao cooed happily as they clapped after hearing the lovely performance.

"Looks like you got a following," Sonic snickered in amusement.

Selene blinked in surprise before looking at her ocarina in shock. She knew whenever she played a song, all aquatic life–especially Sea Chao–would feel happy and more at peace. She had no idea that it would work on creatures of the land. Well…at least the Chao.

Seeing that the Chao wanted to hear more songs, Selene smiled and asked them, "Do you want an encore?"

"CHAO!"

Sonic laughed before getting comfortable as he let the young Chao leave his arms to join the others. "I'll take that as a yes."

Looks like they'll be here for a while before heading back.

Back at the workshop, Petri was rolling a big black ball over to a metal platform. She wanted to show Tails, Cream, and Cheese how she got the inspiration for chemistry. The fox, rabbit, and Chao watched the cyan merterfly with interest and confusion in their eyes.

"What's that ball, Petri?" Cream asked with a head tilt.

"This is tungsten carbide," Petri explained excitedly as she flipped a switch on a wall so that the platform would hold the metal ball in place for her little demonstration. "A kind of metal used for all sorts of things."

"And how much tungsten carbide is that?" Tails asked, wondering where Petri got this much material.

Petri turned to him with a grin. "Four hundred pounds!"

Tails' eyes almost bulged out of his sockets from that answer. "WHAT?! Where did you even get that much?!"

"That's a secret."

Cheese turned to Cream as the dot above his head turned into a question mark, signifying that he's confused on what's going on. "Chao chao?"

Cream just giggled and gave her dear friend a gentle pat on the head. "Don't think about it too much, Cheese."

This made the Chao coo as the dot turned from a question mark to a heart, showing that he loves the way Cream rubbed his head.

"Now, come on, come on, come on!" Petri grabbed Tails and Cream's arms and dragged them over to her miniature meth lab that she set up during her stay (with Tails' permission, of course). Petri began to narrate each step as her audience watched in awe. "A dash of perchloric acid, a smidge of cobalt, a hint of hydrogen peroxide, super-heated to 500 Kelvin, and…"

Tails, Cream, and Cheese watched as Petri grabbed a little nozzle and placed it on the finished product. She takes the container and hurries back to the tungsten carbide ball, with the fox, rabbit, and Chao following her. With a giddy smile, the merterfly sprayed the ball as she fluttered around in excitement, her pigtails bouncing along with her.

What came out of the container was pink mist, and it seemed to be hovering around the ball of tungsten carbide, almost as if the chemical's attracted to the metal alloy. Petri then flipped another switch, magnetically drawing the pink spray to the ball so that it permanently sticks. Now the tungsten carbide ball is completely pink.

"TA-DA!" Petri made jazz hands to her masterpiece, smiling as she could see the amazement in her friends' eyes. "It's pretty great, huh?"

"Wow!" Tails gasped in amazement.

"It's so pink!" Cream beamed happily.

"Chao chao chao!" Cheese flew around the pink ball in excitement, his eyes sparkled in awe. He was almost tempted to touch it, but refrained himself as he didn't want to upset both Petri and Cream.

"Here's the best part," Petri singingly giggled and slowly moved her pointer finger to the ball, her grin not fading in the slightest.

Once she touched it…

POOF!

The giant ball blew up in a cloud of pink, enveloping Petri's workstation in mist. The cloud soon dissipates, and Tails, Cream, and Cheese were awestruck as they watched the finale unfold from a safe distance.

"Whoa…" Tails and Cream breathed in awe.

Petri was now covered in pink powder from head to toe as she turned around to face her friends with a wide smile. "I know, right?!" She laughed as she took off her dirty glasses so she could see them clearly. "Chemical metal embrittlement!"

"Oh, but you're all dirty!" Cream got worried. "I hope the powder's not dangerous."

"Oh, don't worry," Petri assured the rabbit as she grabbed a wet rag and wiped her face to get the pink powder off. She put her glasses back on after cleaning them. "It washes off easily."

"Feel free to use the shower," Tails offered with a smile. "And I can put your clothes in the washer and dryer for you."

Petri smiled at the kind offer. "Thank you so much!"

"It's amazing that your parents let you do this kind of thing," Cream admitted, but she was still smiling in awe. "They must be really proud of you!" She and Tails got concerned when Petri lowered her gaze sadly.

"Yeah, I'm sure they would be…" The merterfly muttered quietly.

"Petri…?" Tails asked quietly, worried that how the girl responded before meant what he thought it meant. "Are your parents…?"

Petri nodded sadly. "Yeah, they're not around anymore…"

Cream gasped and bowed profusely, the guilt increasing by the minute. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have said anything!"

Petri was quick to wave her hands to assure the rabbit that it's not her fault. "No! Don't be silly! You didn't know!"

"Um…" Tails couldn't help but feel a bit hesitant on what he was about to ask the Mermobian butterfly. "Is it okay if you tell us what happened?"

"Of course," Petri smiled softly, not looking upset at the fox's question. She crossed her arms as she began to recall the incident all those years ago. "My parents were involved in a tragic accident. I don't exactly remember the full details of it, but I was only a toddler when it happened."

"Oh, that's so sad…" Cream sniffled sadly. "So you were all alone?"

"Oh no, I wasn't all alone," Petri assured the rabbit with a smile. "My late parents were really close friends with Oracle, the Sea Wizard and advisor to the Aquaria royal family. He decided to raise me, and I've been living in the castle ever since."

"Wow!" Tails' eyes lit up in awe. To get to live in a castle at such a young age? That's like a dream come true! "That's really nice of him."

"Oh, I've always wanted to live in a castle!" Cream hopped in place happily. "What's it like? And there really is a wizard like in those storybooks?"

Petri giggled as she waved her hands in front of her to calm the rabbit down. "Why don't I get cleaned up and I can tell you all about it when I'm done?"

"That's a good idea," Tails smiled as he gestured for the merterfly to follow him. "Let me show you where the laundry room is so you can grab a basket and toss your clothes in. I'll take care of the washing."

"I'll help you, Tails!" Cream offered with Cheese nodding to offer his assistance, too.

"Thanks, guys," Petri beamed as they all left the workshop and headed over to the main house.

Verde was in the middle of a clearing practicing her punches and kicks. But they weren't the normal kind; they were engulfed in fiery hues. Of course, she made sure the clearing she's in didn't have anything that would catch on fire.

She wasn't alone, as both Knuckles and Blaze were watching her from the sidelines with interest in their eyes.

For Knuckles, he was impressed with how much power her punches and kicks are, especially how he remembered the way she demolished Eggman's robots a while back. For Blaze, she has never met anyone with the same powers as hers, even though Verde's were limited. It makes her wonder if there's something new to learn from her, or vice versa.

"Your fighting style is very interesting," Blaze commented once Verde took a breather. "What is it called?"

"Krav Maga," Verde answered with a smirk as she wiped some sweat off her forehead. "An intense martial art that combines all kinds of techniques."

Knuckles crossed his arms, looking intrigued. "Huh… No wonder some of those moves look familiar. And you're really strong based on how much energy you put into your punches and kicks."

"Thanks, músculos," Verde then got into a stance and held out an arm, her palm facing toward the echidna. "Wanna see how strong I can be?"

Knuckles blinked before looking at Blaze, the cat giving him a light shrug. He turned to look at Verde again. "You want me to punch your hand?"

"Of course!"

Knuckles was at a loss for words. Not a lot of people would ask him to punch their palms. In fact, it's always the complete opposite! There are some fans who want to punch his palm just to see how strong the echidna is. He's not exactly sure how that proves anything since he barely feels anything, but if it makes his fans happy, how could he say no?

Sighing–and deciding to humor the merchidna–Knuckles got into position. "Okay, but don't come crying to me if I break your hand."

All Verde did was grin, which made Blaze curious to see if Verde wanted to show Knuckles that she can handle the echidna's iconic punches. Taking a deep breath, Knuckles clenched his fist and reared it back to build up his momentum. With a shout, he punched into Verde's palm as hard as he could, the impact echoed across the clearing.

…

…

…

"HA-HA-HA-OW!" Knuckles cried out in pain as he collapsed on his knees and clutched his aching fist.

Blaze's eyes widened as she covered her mouth with one hand, not expecting that outcome. "Oh my…"

Verde lowered her arm, her grin still evident on her face. "Not bad, músculos. Usually the pain happens right away, but that only took you a few seconds."

"HOW DO YOU NOT FEEL THAT?!" Knuckles shouted as he rubbed his fist to make the pain go away faster.

"I used to punch the ironwood trees near my hometown to train. Now I feel nothing."

This made Knuckles gasp. He's heard of those trees! Their wood's said to be one of the hardest and heaviest woods in the world!

"How long did you have to do that?" Blaze asked incredulously.

Verde put her hand under her chin in thought, trying to recall how long she punched those trees. "Hmm…about ten years, I think."

"WHAT?!" Knuckles exclaimed in shock, much to the merchidna's amusement. "And you still do that?!"

"Sí, but not as much as I used to. But whenever I stop by to see some of mi familia back in Santa Marina, I'd find an ironwood tree and keep on practicing for a while.

Knuckles wasn't sure whether to be impressed or intimidated by the merchidna's strong will to stay strong. "I-I see…" He then thought with a sweat drop, How the heck are there actual trees in the ocean?!

"But I've been curious about something for a while now," Blaze crossed her arms as she stared at Verde with intense eyes. "How in the world can you use your pyrokinesis despite living underwater?"

"Ah, I was hoping you of all people would ask something like that," Verde grinned, having grown to admire the fire cat since meeting her. "See, Mermobians who would have powers that don't exactly mix well with water–say pyrokinesis or electrokinesis–would have a magical aura surrounding them whenever their powers are in use. In my case, I can't start fires, but I can still cause burns and scorch marks in a way."

"How interesting…" Blaze was impressed to say the least. Guess merfolk are more magical than people seem to realize. "If there's time, perhaps you can show me what it looks like?"

This made Verde smile. "I'd like that. And that's not all I can do with my fire powers."

At Knuckles and Blaze's confused looks, the merchidna took out a small pouch from her pocket and poured some sand onto her hand. Focusing the flames within her, her hand began to glow in its warm hues and the sand began to melt into glass, much to the echidna and cat's surprise.

They watched as Verde rolled the melted glass into a ball, but she didn't stop there. Using her finger, she carved a fireball inside the glass orb; even using her inner magic to change the color of the fireball to a gradient of red, orange, and yellow.

She presented her masterpiece to the Mobians with pride in her eyes "¡Hecho!"

With permission, Blaze gently took the fireball globe and examined it. "Incredible…"

"You do glass art?" Knuckles asked in amazement.

Verde scratched her cheek with her finger shyly. "Sí, it's just a silly little hobby I do during my free time."

"'Silly'?" Blaze questioned with a disbelief look. "This is quite the gift you have. What made you get into this?"

"I guess it started with mi madre," Verde said with a soft smile as she couldn't help but look up at the sky in remembrance. "She was quite the artist, and she can do all kinds of things: Paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and so on. When I was little, I would always enjoy watching her work, even offer whatever assistance I could."

Blaze and Knuckles looked at each other, noticing that the merchidna had used the word 'was' when she talked about her mother. Was she…?

"It was thanks to mi madre that I was into the arts," Verde continued. "Of course it took a while to find which kind I want to do, but she was able to find something that I can do when she and papá discovered that I have fire powers." She then frowned sadly. "But many years ago, Mamá got really sick… She didn't make it…"

Knuckles frowned sadly, realizing that what he and Blaze thought was true. "I'm sorry for your loss, Verde…"

"She must've been a wonderful woman…" Blaze added with sympathy in her eyes.

"She was…" Verde nodded before looking at them. "Mi padre got depressed ever since she passed. For my sake, he decided for us to move to Aquaria to start over and to open an accessory shop. And while he was setting up, I stayed at a relative's house back in Santa Marina until everything's set."

"I'm assuming he's okay now?" Knuckles asked.

"Oh yeah, he's fine," Verde assured the echidna. "He's got me and the rest of mi familia to help him. Sometimes one of mis tíos would come to help out at the shop. I think he's interested in taking over the shop when Papá decides to retire."

"You're not going to take over the shop?" Blaze asked with wide eyes. "I would assume you would be the next owner, given you're his only flesh and blood."

"So did I," Verde agreed before smiling. "But Papá wants me to follow my own path. I still help out at the shop when I can, but I'll always be grateful for everything he's done for me."

Knuckles couldn't help but be a little jealous of Verde. She gets to do whatever she wants to do with her life, while he has no choice but to be given the duty of guarding the Master Emerald. Granted, he now has friends who would help out so he can leave the island more often if he needed to, but it's not like he didn't have a choice in being Angel Island's current guardian. Nevertheless, he's come to accept his responsibility, and he'll keep doing it until the end of his life.

And while Blaze was prepared to rule her kingdom back home given her status as princess and guardian, she always wondered what her life would be like if she wasn't given that responsibility. Still, if she wasn't who she is today, she never would've met her friends and been a bit more open.

The lavender cat stepped forward and placed a hand on Verde's shoulder while her other hand still had the glass orb. "I'm sure your father also appreciates everything you've done for him after the loss of your mother. And I know she'd be so proud of you if she were still around."

This made Verde smile a little more before giving an appreciative nod to the princess. "Gracias, Blaze." She then sees Blaze wanting to return the glass orb, so she shook her head and raised her hand. "No, no, you can keep it. Consider it a gift."

Blaze looked surprised at this. "Really?" At the merchidna's nod, the cat smiled softly before holding the beautiful glasswork close to her chest. "Thank you. I shall take good care of it. Let me put this inside the workshop and perhaps you and I can spar."

"I'd like that," Verde grinned in excitement. She turned to Knuckles. "Wanna be the árbitro?"

"I don't even know what that means…" Knuckles said flatly, much to Blaze's amusement and Verde's frustration.

The merchidna let out an irritated huff. "It means referee! Geez, it was so obvious!"

"How was I supposed to know?!" Knuckles exclaimed with an eye twitch; he doesn't know every single Spanish word!

While the two argued, Blaze decided to head back inside to put the glass orb in a safe place until she, Silver, and Cream head back to Floral Forest Village later.

Inside the main house of the workshop, Amy was in the kitchen humming a happy tune as she made lunch for everyone. Silver was present as well, offering to be the pink hedgehog's sous chef, which was greatly appreciated.

The hedgehog of the future couldn't help but get a whiff of whatever's cooking in the big pot. "Man, it smells sooooooo good!"

Amy giggled at this while putting the stove on simmer. "You always say that whenever I cook."

"Because it's true!" He then got confused. "Not that I mind a delicious beef stew, but why are we having that exactly?"

"It's for Curry, actually."

This took Silver by surprise. "Really? Why?"

"Haven't you noticed that he's been feeling tense lately?" Amy asked him as they both turned to the living room to see the yellow merhog sitting on the couch with crossed arms and looking rather agitated. "Poor thing must be feeling stressed from being away from home for so long. So before Selene left to go train with Sonic earlier, I asked her if her brother had a favorite dish."

"Which I'm assuming is beef stew?" Silver questioned.

"That's right!" Amy exclaimed happily. "I figured making him his favorite food for lunch will make him feel better." She then looked nervous. "At least, I hope it does…" She shook her head to get the nerves out of her system. "Anywho, I know we're waiting for Sonic and Selene to get back, but why don't we give him a small bowl of the stew to help him relax a bit."

"You think that'll work?" Silver asked skeptically.

"Everybody relaxes and even perks up once they have a bite of food," Amy grabbed the ladle from the pot to scoop up some stew in a bowl. "Come on!"

She skipped merrily out of the kitchen with a bowl of beef stew in hand. Silver couldn't help but shrug lightly before following her, having doubts that the merhog prince would loosen up after taking a bite.

"Hey, Curry!" Amy chirped, making the merhog turn to her with a raised brow.

"Can I help you?" Curry asked flatly, showing that he's not in the mood for idle chit-chat.

Silver narrowed his eyes a bit. "Rude, much?"

"Easy, Silver," Amy soothed before offering Curry a bowl of stew with a smile. "Would you like to have some stew? You look like you could use a little pick-me-up before we all have lunch."

Curry let out a huff before turning his head away. "I'm not hungry." But then his eyes widened when he and the two Mobian hedgehogs heard a loud growl coming from his stomach. The merhog looked down in embarrassment as his face turned red. "Okay…maybe a little…"

"I thought so!" Amy giggled before handing Curry the bowl. "I'm told that beef stew is your favorite. I really hope you like it."

Curry looked down at the bowl's contents with a curious look. To his surprise, it contained perfectly cut portions of beef in a beautiful shade of brown. There was also chopped carrots, potatoes, and onions; everything was cut evenly. The merhog couldn't help but get a whiff of the stew, and he felt the inside of his mouth salivating.

"This sure smells delicious…" He admitted as he scooped up some stew before blowing on it so that he wouldn't burn his mouth. As soon as he put the spoon in his mouth, his eyes went wide again, and sparkles even appeared within his brown pupils as his taste buds went through the roof.

"Yes!" Amy cheered as she pumped her fist in victory after seeing Curry's pleased face.

Silver was impressed that it all worked out. "Wow! You weren't kidding, Amy."

"Told you so!" Amy beamed at the psychic hedgehog before she sat down next to Curry, who took another bite happily. "Is it seasoned okay?"

"This is really tasty," Curry smiled as he took another bite. "Of course, nothing beats the way my mother makes it."

"Of course," Amy giggled. But then her face scrunched up in confusion as she realized what he had said. "Wait, your mom cooks? But isn't she a queen?"

"Yes, but she wasn't always a queen," Curry explained as he continued to eat his bowl of stew. "She was born a regular merhog from a metropolitan area with an amazing gift of taking care of plants. The Aquaria royal family heard of her talents and offered her a job working in the royal garden. She met my father and the rest is history."

"Awwwwww, how romantic!" Amy cooed as she clasped her hands together and her eyes sparkled. If there's one thing she loves most, it's a wonderful love story.

Silver softly chuckled at the pink hedgehog's reaction before focusing on the topic at hand. "So, because your mom was originally a commoner, she does typical mom stuff?"

"Not all of it, no," Curry answered. "The castle staff pretty much does everything. Of course, she at least tidies her and Father's room to lessen the workload. But she loves to offer her assistance in the kitchen, especially making our favorite meals."

"That's really nice of her," Silver smiled fondly. "She sounds amazing!"

"She is…" Curry finished his bowl before looking down sadly.

The two hedgehogs were a bit startled by this change in demeanor. Curry was just happy a moment ago, and now he's sad? What's going on?!

"What's the matter, Curry?" Amy asked worriedly as she gently took the empty bowl from the merhog's hands.

Curry sighed, deciding that he should speak his feelings to the two after they offered him some food. "I just…can't help but worry about everyone back home. I mean, it's one thing to be in a different settlement under water, but I'm practically in another world! I've never been away from my parents for this long before…"

"Did you and the others leave without telling them?" Silver questioned.

"Well, no," Curry shook his head. "I begged my parents to let me go and help my sister. Luckily, they agreed, and Petri and Verde wanted to come along to help, too."

"So why are you sad if that's the case?" Amy asked with a cute head tilt.

Curry sighed again. "I suppose I'm feeling a little homesick. Heck, eating your stew reminds me of when Mother would bring me some whenever I feel down. Even though I was allowed to come here, it was hard for me to say goodbye to my loved ones. And…I'm the prince and future king of Aquaria. I can't help but feel like I've abandoned my people…"

"Oh, Curry…" Amy gently placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know the citizens of Aquaria realize that you left to help your sister. It shows that you care for her safety, especially after Eggman invaded your home."

"I suppose so…"

Silver then cleared his throat, causing Amy and Curry to look at him curiously. "You know, Curry, I can understand how you're feeling." He scratched his cheek nervously. "I'll admit, the first time I came to the past, I was nervous to fail everyone."

This took Amy by surprise. "You were nervous? Funny, you didn't sound like it."

"Yeah, I was honestly surprised when I kept my composure back then," Silver admitted sheepishly before shaking his head. "A-Anyway, I only said goodbye to my teachers. But before I left, they must've sensed my nerves; so you know what they told me?"

"What?" Amy and Curry asked simultaneously.

"They told me that no matter what happens, they are proud that I'm doing whatever it takes to protect my home," Silver answered with a smile. "And that everyone else feels the same, even if they weren't present." His smile got wider as he spread his arms wide. "And look at me now! I've saved the future countless times and I made awesome new friends! Honestly, being in this time is like a second home to me."

Amy couldn't help but gush as she got up and gave the silver hedgehog a loving hug. "Awwww, and we're always happy to have you here, Silver!"

"Thanks, Amy," Silver beamed as he accepted the hug.

"How exactly are you allowed to come and go to the future, yet not make any more time anomalies?" Curry asked with a raised brow.

Silver blinked at the question before scratching his head. "You know, that's a good question. I guess it has to do with my special gift my teachers have been talking about ever since I was born. And I'm not talking about my psychokinesis."

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you're our friend," Amy smiled, making Silver blush bashfully; even Curry couldn't help but smile a little. Amy's phone let out a jingle from her pocket, and she quickly took it out to see that she received a text message. She beamed. "Oh! Looks like Sonic and Selene are about to head back." She looked at Silver. "Come on, Silver! Let's finish getting lunch ready!"

"You got it!" Silver gave Amy a thumbs up and followed her back into the kitchen.

"Um…" Curry raised a finger, causing the two hedgehogs to stop and look at him curiously. "Do you two need any help?"

"Of course!" Amy smiled in appreciation and gestured for him to follow. "You can help set the table." She gave him a sly smile. "Unless a prince such as yourself can't do such a simple task."

Curry couldn't help but laugh as he got up from the couch to follow the two hedgehogs. "I may be a prince, but I know how setting a table works."

They laughed again before getting right to work. Looks like today was a great day in getting to know more about each other.

And that's a wonderful feeling.

Translations:

Músculos = Muscles

Sí = Yes/Yeah

Mi familia = My family

Hecho = Done!

Mi madre = My mother

Papá = Dad

Mamá = Mom

Mi padre = My father

Mis tíos = My uncles

Gracias = Thanks

Árbitro = Referee

So we got to learn some stuff about our Mermobian friends. Did any of you catch some references in this chapter? If you did, and if you guess them correctly, you'll get cookies (well, virtual cookies lol)! :D

I would like to thank Assassin's Creed Master for giving me some ideas on how to proceed with this chapter. It helped quite a lot. Now that it's out of the way, I'll be able to hopefully work on the rest of the chapters lol.

Oh yeah, and the reason why I typed one of the Chao as a Hero/Swim/Swim is because as they grow older, they not only have an alignment (Neutral, Hero, or Dark), but they also have an evolution type and a secondary type. So it goes: Alignment/Evolution Type/Secondary Type. If you search Chao types, the first result's called Chao Type Combinations from a site called Chao Island, and it'll show pictures of each kind of Chao.

Also, I really, really, really hope this site fixes the email alert system bug! It's a pain to have to manual check here for messages and story updates. DX

Don't forget to leave a review! And NO flames, please!

See you next time!