Episode 17 New Beginings

Loki was helping Tikal make her bed. as they were now a public couple, he rarely pretended to sleep on the couch, although sometimes he still did. He enjoyed being able to have a lie in with Tikal, instead of having to rush back out early. They couldn't lie in today, as Tikal was planning to go to school, as word of Knuckles and Rouge's break-up had reached them, and she wanted to be there for him, like he was for her.

In an attempt to catch up on any work she'd missed, Tikal ad quickly looked over Amy's notes, but hadn't found anything helpful. She'd just have to get by on her natural intelligence, as usual.

"Loki, would you mind going out while I get dressed?"

"Sure," Loki replied, leaving. he decided to go to Ame's for breakfast, and wait for the grls there.

Across the hall, he found that the front door was locked, unusual at this time. He knocked, and it was eventualy opened by a sleepy Luc.

"Hel, Loki. 'S up?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Erm.. came for breakfast, just like I do most days," Loki was confused, "Isn't Ame up?"

"~I... I don' know, one sec." Luc went back to the bedroom, then to the kitchen, "Not here. Don't worry, I'll cook. He shouldn't be long."

"'K, but the girls should be here soon, plus Tails."

"And Klonoa. Don't worry, I can cook."


Sonic woke up, a smile still on his lips. This dissapeared when he realised he was alone. Knuckles had left, and in a hurry by the look of things. Sonic washed, dress, then sat down again. He looked at the clock, and decided he really should leave, otherwise, he'd be late. He didn't move. Another five minutes wouldn't hurt. An hour later he was still sitting there. He could miss one day of school. he climbed back into bed, the sleep would do him good, he thought.


Knuckles had woken early, in Sonic's bed, and he had pretty much freaked, but quietly. He had hurridly dressed, then left, making sure not to disturb Sonic. he remembered he had broken up with Rouge. He knew Sonic had tried to elp, but after that, things got fuzzy.

No, they didn't. Knuckles had known exactly what he was doing. He trusted sonic, and knew that Sonic wouldn't hurt him like Rouge had, but he didn't feel the same way he did about Sonic that he did for Rouge. He had to talk to Sonic, explain that it couldn't be, but now wasn't the right time. Later, after school. Now he just needed to make it there in time. He needed to see Rouge too.


Scarlette was going through her routine of making herself look as pale as possable, when Rouge walked into the bathroom, looking like hell.

"Sister dear, you look a fright, your eyes say you've been crying all night," genuine concern showed in Scarlette's voice.

"Wee," Rouge sniffed, "That's because I have. No leave me alone." She grabbed some tisues, and turned to leave, but Scarlette did something that shocked both of them. She hugged her sister for the first time in years.v
Rouge gave in, and cried on her shoulder. The vague reassuring noises that Scarlette made calmed her.

"I think I really love him," Rouge said between the tears, "And I've really fucked up this time, he'll never even talk to me again."

"He might, there are some names he can call you that are better said to the face," Scarlette had dropped the rhyming, and was trying to bait her sister. Even an arguement would be better than this. It got a smile before the crying started again.

"I think I need to go back to bed," Rouge broke away from her sister to leave.

"Sorry, we have school, and if you miss one more day you'll e in so deep even Ame wont be able to dig you out. Besides, you need to see Knuckles."

"i can't face him like this, I don't have the energy, or the courage," she looked in the mirror, "Or the face."

"I've seen what you can do, even when you've looked worse. No arguements, we're going."

The look Scarlette gave her brooked no arguement, and allowed no appeal. Rouge reluctantly sorted herself out, as Scarleete made then breakfast. Wen she got downstairs, Rouge looked her normal self, almost. Her skirt was longer, and her shirt fastened.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"i don't judge people. as a rule, but I gues, you'll do for school." The smile that passed between them made it clear that the conversation in the bathroom hadn't happened.


Ame's eyes slowly opened, lacking the inclination, and nergy to go any faster. Everything was white, glaringly so. He blinked a few times, wondering where he was, and how he got there. he also briefly wondered why he couldn't move, but he orderd his thoughts, and where was most important. If he was somewhere friendly, the rest didn't matter so much. If not...

To his left, he saw his backpack on a table, and felt Koukan's presence. To his right, he saw Shadow, watching him. Ame smiled, and asked,

"Did you get the number of the truck that hit me?"

"You should rest," Shadow told him, "i left a message on your machine to tel your friends you were okay."

"That was sweet," Ame managed before he passed out again.

Two hours later, he woke again. Much of his strength ad returned, along with his memory of the previous night. Shadow still sat next to him, and Ame suddenly sat up, and began appolgisng,

"I'm sorry, i can't imagine what you've been through, where I sent your spirit, but you've got to understand, it wasn't me, I was hit with this massive energy, and-"

"It's okay," Shadow smiled, "I was only traped at night, and I could outrun pretty much anything."

"Still, you must hate me." Ame hung his head.

"I did, but during the day, I followed you around,and even though you didn't really have time to, you still reasearched anything that could help me. it's more than my so called friends did."

"Any idea what you'll do now?" Ame still wanted to make amends for his actions. "If you need a place to stay, I can offer you a sofa, plus three meals a day, all for nothing."

"I hadn't thought about it. I'm sure I don't wanna go back to my 'friends, but I wouldn'rtwant to impose on you."

"You wouldn't, I still feel I owe you something."

"I'm, not sure your friends would see it like that."

"They wouldn't get a say in he matter."

At this point, Nurse Anna walked in. She had only caught parts of the conversation, and smiled at Shadow, saying,

"Don't throw away an offer, or a friend like that. They don't come around to often."

"See, even this fine young lady is telling you to listen to me. That means you have to, you're outvoted." Ame joked.

"Okay, okay, but only till I get myself sorted."

"You do realise, you'll both have to visit me," Anna joked as she checked Ame over, "I've seen you both so often, I've gotten pretty fond of you."

"Of course," Ame laughed, "But away from here. I've had enough of hospitals for a while."


"I hate him," Horatio simply said, "That term gets used to much, but I mean it. I hate my father."

Horatio had explained to Fenrir about his strange lineage. He hadn't been left much choice, with the evidence the cat-boy had provided. Fenrir had been trying to reassure Horatio, but he was in an unshakable black mood.

"But do I hate him? He quite literaly made me what I am. That is if I am something. I'm not, I'm just a tool, I'm nothing. I'm like a key to him, to this power. After that I'll be no use to him. After that I will really be nothing to anyone."

"Think about what you're saying, just beacuse you're father see's you as a tool, doesn't mean you're nothing to anyone else."

"No, they'll just be my puppets. I'm nothing to anyone, because who sees the one pulling the strings?"

Fenrir was angry. He didn't know why, but he knew that this wasn't the man he was in love with. he walked up to Horatio, and slapped him, not hard, and mainly to get his attention.

"You struck me," Horatio held his face in shock, "I could... you shouldn't have..."

"I wont let you do this," Fenrir was firm, "This is not you. Your father is the one who's nothing. He made you, true, but but he didn't plan on your power, and now you've become greater than him." he now kissed Horatio, "And you are a pupet master, but even though no-one sees you, they know you are in charge, and they fear and respect you. Finally you will always be something, because you wil always be the one i love."

"Thank you, Fenrir," Horatio's cool exterior had returned, "I had forgotten myself. You ar, of course, correct. i am a puppet master, and i think i have a job for one of my dolls."


The cheerleaders were holding another meeting. It seemed that all Amy needed to do was say 'crisis', and they turned up. Tikal was also allowed to sit in, because of the topic under discussion.

"Rouge and Knuckles have split up," Amy told them, "We have to help. Rouge is a fellow cheerleader, and a friend, and Knuckles is our quaterback, the football team needs him."

"I heard Rouge had been sleeping around," Vikki ventured, not knowin how this would be recieved.

Hilary tutted, in a manner saying this was old news,

"Everyone except Knuckles knew that!" Hilary smiled.

"I didn't," Amy looked confused.

"That's not important.," Tikal bought the group back on track, "We have to help them both, who knows how Knuckles is taking it."

"I... um...saw him earlier?" Anita smiled, "He seemed...um... distracted? He asked me if I'd seen Rouge?"

"Where was this? What did you tell him? Where did he go?" Tikal asked.

"I... um... I..." multiple questions always threw anita off, and she continued mouthing vacantly, trying to decide which to answer.

"Don't worry, I'll find him." Tikal left the girls to other matters.

"So," Hilary cold wait no longer, "Amy, how go things with Heero?"

"A little too well," Amy sighed, andtold them about the dream she'd had.


About an hour later, Rouge was sitting, and thinking. She had hoped that no-one had found out about the break-up, but they had, they always do. She had also hoped that she would just see knuckles, and everthing would be okay again, but she hadn't. Finally she had hoped to think of something to say to him while she sat alone. This hadn't happened either. All in all, she wsn't having a good day.

She felt a we splash hit her on the cheek, and anoher on the arm. It was good that it was raining, Rouge thought, no-one should notice her tears. it stopped raining on Rouge, jut when she was thinking this. it still rained around her though. She looked up to see an umbella, being held by a large hand. the umbrela was blak, and familiar. it was funny what she noticed while trying not to look at Knuckles.

"Do you really want to sit out here getting wet?" he asked when she made no effort to move.

"I'm sorry," Rouge blurted out, "I was scared. i didn't think you could ever love me like I love you, o I was still lokking. I wasn't thinking, I love you so much, and I never meant to hurt you, I never wanted to lose you."

"I know. I've had a few people speaking up for you," Knuckles smiled, "Not that they neded to. I love you, and I alawys will, now, lets get somewhere dry."

Rouge was thinking who would elp her as she waklked, cuddling herslf up to Knuckles. She looked at the umbrella again.

"Why'd you bring that with you?" she asked.

"Didn't, sometimes things just work out right."


Scarlette stood with Tikal, watching them, just out of sight. They both smiled at a job well done.

"They do make a great couple, don't they?" Tikal asked, "Even if they both are too stuborn to work out their own problems."

"I think that's what we're here for, to sort out problems, yes, I'm sure." Scarlette said, distractedly, she was sondering where she could buy a new unbrella.


The third and final onlooker reacted differently. He was happy for them of course, but he wondered where this left him. Sonic had never felt more alone in his life, and when he felt alone, he retreated to somewhere he would be safe, and he knew he'd be welcome. He started running, and didn't stop until he was outside Chao Towers. He walked quickly until he was outside Ame's empty apartment, and let himself in with a spare key. He went to lie down on Ame's bed, and waited for someone.


Loki had decided to go for a walk, but instead of a quiet stroll, and ome time to think, he had somehow managed to attract anyone who nothing else to do, and they seemed to be following him. With him were Paz, who claimed to be looking for work, who was smoking, and smiling vacantly, Felica, who kept draging everyone into shops, D, who had realised that Loki wanted to be alone, but couldn't quite get the message across, and Mina, who was trying to start an arguement.

All in all, not what he wanted.

"What I'm saying, simply put," Mina continued, "Is that you need to expand your general knowlegde." Loki sighed, even though he wasn't listening, he knew Mina was talking to him. "If you read more than comics you'd see what I mean."

"Can we sit? I need to sit for a while," Felica said from under a pile of shopping. They found a cafe, called 'The Grassy Knoll', and no matter how hard Loki tried to get away, he was forced to join them.

Suddenly something wasn't right. Loki twitched, and saw Felica do the same.

"Did anyone else feel that?" she asked, almost serious.

"It felt like the full force of Horatio's influence," Loki whispered, before he toldthe others, "We have to go, now."

"Oh wow, look!" Mina was pointing to a rather large commotion across the road, "What do you think's going on?"

"Dr. Robotnik is building, or dedicating, or donating something," Paz informed then, blowing somke rings.

"I don't like this one bit," Loki growled. He lokked around, but saw nothing. If he had looked up, he would have seen someone, holding a gun, and counting.


On the second floor of 'The Grassy Knoll' a man held a sniper rifle. he was counting. It had to be done right, and he was told to count to fifty. All that he knew about this job was that Hoartio had told him to count, at 49, he was allowee to shoot, but at fifty, he had to forget everything about this. He was sure about this.

"47, 48, 49," he fired, then finished, "50."

It was suddenly as if his mind had been wiped. He knew he was standing in a room, holding a gun that had just been fired, but nothing more. Even when the police found him, he couldn't tell them anything.


Although Dr. Robotnik had given up offical power at Knitobor Industries, he was still regarded as a prominent figure., so wasn't surprised when the museum had asked him to open it's new wing, the Robotnik wing of ancient civilisation. All he had to do was attend a groundbreaking ceremony today, then later the opening. He had his speach ready, and it wouldn't take more than an hour.

He didn't realy want to do this, as his research was much more pressing now that Horatio knew the truth, but he had made large donations to the museum, and his pride got the better of him. He arrived, delovered his speach, and posed for the press, taking the first shovel of earth. He heard rather than felt the gunshot, but he still felt the pain in his chest, and still fell to he ground.

"No," he whisperd, "This cannot be how it ends." The last thing he saw was his son's face, smiling, an image on Mr. Blank's phone.#


Ame had had a hard day. Unable to move for most of the morning, now he had to explain to his friends that a former enemy woud be living with them He sighed. Shadow had gone for a walk, so Ame could get them used to the idea, ans so Shadow coujd get any of his stuff he had stashed.

"What I need," he told himself, "Is a manicure, and a Fennel tea."

He set the kettle to boil, then went to get his mancure kit from his bedroom. and saw Sonic, crying into one of his pillows. Ame walked over, and gently patted Sonic on the back, saying,

"You wanna talk about it?"

"You wouldn't understand," he said, regaining control, "You don't know what it's like being different."

"Sonic dear," Ame smiled, "Try me. I know a lot about 'different'"

"How can you know what it's like to suddenly realise you're gay? and that the guy you like is in love with, with a girl, so you've got no chance, even though you thought you did, and you have no-one to talk to, and... and..," Sonic wasn't thinking, "and you'll never be sure how your friends are gonaa treat you, and you don't want to be different, but you can't help, you just can't!" Sonic broke down.

"You're right you know, well, partly," Ame agreed after a moments thought, "I didn't suddenly know, I gradually realised, the boy I loved, loved me just as much, and I mae a living from being different for a while, but the rest is something we all go through. However, you have someone to talk to, me. When Marc and i were coming out, we couldn't tell anyone. You have me for support. plus the guys don't need to know until you're ready to tell them, but it wont change how they feel about you, that much I'm sure of."

"Sonic stared into Ame's honest purple eyes, and smiled weakly. He wanted to appologise for saying what he had, and burdening Ame, but he couldn't find the words. Ame smiled, taped Sonic on the nose, and said,

"The kettle's boiling, you want a drink and a chat?"

"It'd help," Sonic managed.

"Good, 'cus I need to tell you something."


"It was Horatio. I'm sure of it," Loki told his friends wen they were a little distance away from the scene of the shooting. "I feel his influence in the air. i think Sigyn did too."

"Felica," She corrected, absently, "I did fel something strange."

"Horatio, wasn't he the, er," Mina was trying to be diplomatic for a change.

"Yes, we have a history," Loki glared at her, "But this isn't personal. I've come to recognise when someone is being controlled by him."

"What we need to do now is figure out why he'd want to kill his own father," D said, a serious look on her face.

"Maybe he was just in the way?" Paz hadn't been following along to well, but still tried to be helpful, "It'a a classic tale, dad's in the way, son kills him, and marries own mother."

He didn't notice the strange looks he got, but they did see a logic behind his point.

"All I can say," Mina began, "Is that the world has lost one of it's best. he was a genius, a philanthropist, and a geuinely good guy." Loki had walked ahead, sick of hearing Mina talk. He needed to find out what Horatio was up to, and the only way to do that was to get inside the Kintobor Building, which was aid to be impossable. The rest of the guys had to be told so that they could work out a plan, so he'd need to call a meeting. Just what he needed, more to think about.


Horatio sat in his fathers office, spinning around in a chair, laughing. The only ther person was Fenrir, not that it mattered.

"I should have done this years ago!" Horatio laughed, "Who knew it'd be so eay? Fenrir, is there anyone you want assaninated?"

"A name springs to mind," he thought, picturing the only other cat-boy horatio knew, while out loud,

"You'll have to issue a statewment, speak to the police, which shouldn't be a problem, then sort out funeral arrangements, and finaly sort out some of your father's less reputable friends in person."

"Even dead he causes me trouble!" Horatio continued to laugh, "When can I get into those locked doors?"

"I've decripted the passwords, but I think it would be better to see to the deceased first."

"Spoilsport," Horatio smiled, "But I suppose you're right. Can you arrange the funeral, I'm too stricken with grief."

"I've already started, I just need you to sign, then we can finalise." Fenrir handed him a form, "And apparently you have two, no, three people demading to talk to you."

"The 'less reputable friends', right?" Horatio sighed, "put them through.2 Two hours later, Horatio had sorted out his fathers affairs, and he turned to Fenrir, who had been taking notes, and confirming prices. Now the cat-boy looked nervous. using the headset he was trying to get sme facts out of a confused gaurd. His tone was not encouraging.

"Something wrong, dear?" Horatio asked.

"We have a situation," he said anging up on the caller, "Your fathers body sems to have gone missing."


Shadow ad returned to teempty warehouse the S.L.A. had used for a hideout, looking for anything he may have left behind, or any links to his past and failing to find either. The friends he thought he had, abandonned him , and now he had ben offerd a place to stay, out of some sort of obligation. He didn't know where he belonged, but he hoped that Ame could convince his friends that he was okay.

"Looks like I'm sayn' godbye to all this." Shadow sad to the empty room, "And good ridance."

"Now you can't really mean that." a robotic voice asked.

"Were two, now three, were two, now three!" came the manic voice that finished the old gang.

"Glad you guys could make it," Shadow said as Super Sonic and Metalix stepped into the light.


two cliff hanger on one ending? how do i do it [badly is the correct answer [lolh]

Ame.

E-mail Ame.

On to episode 18

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