Episode 22 Godbyes
Amethyst was only half right. Horatio could control him, but only if he gave instructions that he wasn't able to deliberately misinterpret. It was the darker side of his nature coming through, and Ame didn't want to give it up yet, or it didn't want to give up him. He smiled coldly as he watched Paz struggle in the magical links that bound him. The younger wolf-man lacked both the physical and mental strength to break them. The best he could do was appeal to Ame's better nature, or confuse him, allowing it to surface.

"If he's not in control, why are you hurting your friends?"

"Sush," Ame smiled, puting his finger on Paz's lips. When he moved it, Paz was unable to talk. "Since you're family perhaps you can help." He stared deeply into Paz's eyes, then released the chains. Paz simply stood there, as if waiting for instructions. "I know you're quite the theif, so let's put that to use."

Ame opened the door, and both he and Paz walked out of the room, looking full of purpose, and both laughing, smiling and talking naturally as they headed to the elevator, and went up to the secure floors above them.

Alarms woke up Horatio and Fenrir. It took them both several seconds to wake up, and for it to register that someone had broken in. Minutes later they had made it to the source of the sound, the labs, and saw the security agents trying to shut down the sirens. Fenrir yawned, pushed the trooper outof the way, and quickly entered his code to silence the alarms.

"What's going on?" Horatio asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Someone broke in," a guard answered stupidly, "But Amethyst had aprehended him by the time we got here, using that strange stone of his. He's taking him down to the security cells for questioning."

"Good," Horatio smiled, "At least one of my men can do his job."

"But why was Amethyst here?" Fenrir asked, "And how did he get out of his room? Something doesn't add up."

Suddenly getting a bad feeling, Horatio opened the door to thelab. It was the area that Celestus was kept, and should have been impregnable. If anyone got inside alarms would trip. Both he and Fenrir saw that the vault was open and empty.

"What did the theif look like?" Fenrir demanded.

"A young, black furred wolf man, in a delivery uniform," the chief guard told him, a puzzled look on his face.

"And what colour was the stone Amethyst was using?" Horatio asked. He had remembered the last word he had said to the wolf-guy, before locking him in the room.

"Turquiose, sir."

"Make sure you take care of the Chaos Emerald," Horatio whispered.

Both Ame and Paz ra out of the building laughing openly, so the reeptionist had no reason to give them a second glance, and she barely gave them a first one. Ame carried Koukan, but still wore his backpack, while Paz was empty handed. Once out of sight of the employees, they stopped laughing, and ran faster, until they were some distance away.

"Can't believe that it worked," Ame smiled, taking Celestus out of his bag and throwing it to Paz.

"Said it would," Paz grinned catching it, "Sound confident, invoke the name of their boss, and you can get away with pretty much anything."

"Two down," Ame said more seriously, "Now to get some more, and don't worry, this time I have a plan."

Everyone had had an uneasy night. Horatio and Fenritr had to start searching for Amethyst, his acompilse, and the Emeralds, right away. Ame and Paz stayed in a hotel, but Ame spent most of the night masking their trail. Loki hadn't slept at all as he was too worked up. Tikal had tried to keep him company, but failed and slept on the couch next to where he stood, staring out of a window and cursing the day he met Horatio. Amy had tossed all night in vague draems of loss and hurt, that scared her deeply. Tails and Klonoa shared a bed, neitherin the mood for sleep, but both wanting the company of the other. Rouge and Knuckles had thought the same way, and shared Ame's couch. knuckles had a deep feeling of dread, but couldn't assign ot a cause. Scarlette used Paz'z bed, half hoping he'd come back, and holding Pyron as she slept. Sonic and Shadow shared Ame's bed as it felt natural given their connection, and as Luc was working all night, and showing less and less inclination to be around the group. Mina was drinking coffee in an attempt to keep up with D, who even now worked on the plans to the Kintobor building, trying to narrowthe search for them when they had to go in and retrieve the Emeralds, and their friend. Only Felica got a good night, as she was mostly detatched from everything.

Sonic was fisrt awake. He had been dreaming about Shadow's life, and was pretty sure Shadow had seen some of his. He got up hoping that nothing to deep had been revealed, and walked into the main room, then quickly into the kitchen. Today they were going to finalise their plans, and then put it into action as soon as they could. It scared him that he wouldn't be there when his friends out themselves in such danger, but he knew that if he got caught, he could find Shadow, and through him, Helios, and that they couldn't risk it. His thought were disturbed by the sounds of knuckles and Rouge getting up, and the door opening. Probably Loki or D, he thought, until he heard Rouge gasp.

Paz stood in the doorway, with Ame on his back, passed out and looking ruff.

"I managed to get him out," Paz told them, out of breath, "But I couldn't find Koukan."

"What happened?" Knuckles asked, taking Ame off him, and carrying him to the bed, while Rouge helped Paz to a chair.

"I had to knock him out. I hoped that if I got him away from Horatio, he'd go back to normal."

"We'll have to see," Sonic told him, looking at Ame's still figure.

"Loki's the expert on all things Horatio," Shadow told them. He hadwalked out of the bedroom as Knuckles had put Ame down, "We should talk to him."

"Right," Rouge agree, "Paz, you stay with your brother, and keep the noise down, Tails and Klonoa are still in bed."

"Sure," Paz said, taking a few deep breaths as everyone crossed the hall.

"Time to get number three," Ame said when they were alone, smiling coldly.

D, Mina, Scarlette and Felica had been roused, mainly to see if D and Mina had found anything new about there intended target, and everyone met in Amy's apartment.

"Loki, once someone is controlled by Horatio," Shadow started straight away, "Is there anyway to unbrainwash them?"

"I'm not sure," Loki shook his head, "I think that unless he comands them, or put some deep seated instructions in them, they can act normally. Why?"

"Paz bought Ame back," Sonic filled in, "They're in his apartment now. Ame's out cold though."

"It might be better to keep him out of it then," Mina suggested, "He's been comprimised."

"Right," everyone agreed with her, for once.

"Any progress on the location?" Tikal asked.

"No. We still think it could be anywhere above floor 105," D told them, brushing her nose nervously, "Shame we can't ask Ame for help."

"No, we keep both him and Paz totaaly ion the dark. We don't even tell them where we're going to take the Emeralds," Knuckles told them.

"In that case, we'd better get Klonoa and Gaiya out of there," Rouge said, shugging, but not neglently.

"And I left Helios in his room," Shadow admitted.

"Rouge and I know what to do. We wil get them all for you," Scarlette volunteered both herslef and her sister. She had kept Pyron with her, and carried it still.

"Good idea," Loki nodded, "Better safe than sorry."

"But if he doesn't have his Emerald, then he can't be that dangerous," Mina sighed.

Minutes earlier in Ame's apartment, the white Luna had gotten up, walked into the kitchen out of habit, to take his herbal and vitamin tablets, before knocking on Tails' door. The fox boy quickly stirred, woke up Klonoa and pushed him onto the spare matress on the floor next to the bed, before getting up and opening the door. Seeing Ame he took a few steps back in shock, then asked,

"Ame? Are you okay?"

"I'm feeling great," he smiled. Tails ran forward and hugged him, and Ame hugged back, before talking to the room's other occupant, "Klonoa, I saw you handling Gaiya. You're getting very good."

"Thanks," Klonoa said, still unsure. Tails noticed this, and pulled away from his friend.

"A little too good," Ame continued, "You are too young to handle the power of all life and nature. Why not let yourself get a little older before you try and handle her full strength. Until then, I would look after the gem for you."

"You're still under Horatio's control!" Klonoa shouted at him, "Back off! You don't Have Koukan, but I have Gaiya." He pulled the Green Emerald from under his pillow.

"I was a power before I recieved her heart," Ame said, pinning them both to the wall with a gesture, "I was just waiting to see where you hid your stone."

He picked up the gem and walked into the main room, letting go of Klonoa and Tails, who had both had the breath knocked out of them, and seeing Rouge and Scarlette with Pyron between them. They saw he had Gaiya, and put it all together.

"Give that to us right now!" Rouge demaded.

"Erm... no," Ame smiled.

"Fine!" Flaming Arrow!"

"Ame!" Paz called out, jumping in front of his brother as the fire attack hit, then falling to the floor.

"Paz!" Scarlette screamed.

"What have you done," Ame whispered. His eyes were fixed on Paz, but he looked like he couldn't move.

"I didn't mean too!" Scarlette said, dropping to his side, cradling his head, tears in her eyes. Paz's eyes suddenly snapped open, and he grabbed Scarlette, wrapping his arms around her to stop he getting away. Ame jumped over them, and repelled Rouge, making her drop Pyron which he caught, before breaking a window to the balcony and jumping onto the fire escape. Paz threw Scarlette away from him, and followed as Amy and Tikal appeared in the doorway. Seeing the scene, Amy went to Rouge's side, while Tikal ran to the balcony. Looking down to the street, she saw Ame wave, and shout up to her,

"See you at the Mystic Ruins!" before he ran after his brother.


Horatio was raing at anyone that crossed his path, and even Fenrir thought it better to keep out of his way, but was doing something constructive, and scanning for Chaos Emeralds, particulaly Koukan and Celetus. He could find nither. They must either be locked away somewhere, or be being masked. Knowing Amethyst, Fenrir assumed the latter. Fenrir growled low in his throat. He had known that Amethyst was nothing but trouble, but Horatio had become complaient, trusting completely in his skills, and usually this was fine, but the mind that powered the wolf-guy was unique. Getting back to his task, Fenrir figured if he couldn't find those two, then perhaps he should check on the rest. Logically Amethyst would want to collect them all, and that had been Horatio's last 'command'. Trying to warn their owners would be less than useless given their track history, but if he watched them, and anything strange happened, it would be a complete giveaway.

Adjusting the scanners took as little time as it takes to tell, as they had recently aquired readings from all the active Emeralds. Two sets of two appeared on screen. One pair stationary and close to each other, the second set on top of one another and moving fast. They came to a rest, and briefly fenrir saw the readings of Koukan and Celestus with them, but all four readings vanished as one.

"He has four now?" Fenrir ,mumbled, "What is he planning on doing with them?"

"Obviously he hasn't teamed up with his old friends," Horatio told him, he had walked into the room as the four readings had registered, and gone. "Otherwise he'd be cloaking all six. I think this needs to end where it all began. The Mystic Ruins, the seat of Tempi."

"How can you be so sure?" Fenrir asked frowning.

"I'm just sure. I feel it in my blood, like I've always known on some level."

"I'll assemble the troops. If we go, we go in force. Last time we were out numbered. I don't plan on making the same mistake twice."

"I agree," Horatio nodded, "I can't allow the Emeralds to escape from me at this vital time."

"Vital?" Fenrir didn't understand. Horatio just walked away. He was sure that today was all important.


Klonoa and Tails were recovered physically from the attack, and while Scarlette felt betrayed, and Rouge felt hurt, it was nothing they couldn't ratioalise off as Horatio trying to hurt them as best he could. They all assumed that Horatio was still in control, and that he was now pulling Paz's strings too.

"Good thing they didn't have time to search," Sonic said, handing Helios to Shadow.

"I think he left it on purpose," Tikal said. She had felt a moment of conflict in Ame as he left, "He wanted us to have some strength, some light in tis darkness."

"Or Horatio wanted to taunt us," Loki said, scowling.

"The Mystic Ruins?" D looked puzzled, "Why would he want to draw us out there? It makes no sense."

"She's right," Knuckles agreed, "He's giving up home field advantage."

"And if he wanted to, he could just sit pretty in his tower and whittle us down until only Loki was left," Amy said looking at the cat-boy.

"Unless this is all about you," Mina said uncertainly.

"No," Tikal shook her head, "It's gone far beyond him."

"So what's so importat about the Mystic Ruins?" Shadow asked.

"It is supposedly the seat of Tempi, greatest of the Chaos Gods, then it became Echidnopolis, first city of the planet, and later the greatest, until it was destroyed by a cataclysm of the echidna's own making." Mina said, trying to summerise, but wanting to show how much she knew.

"And I found Gaiya there," D added, dusting her nose.

"We haven't found Tempi's heart yet, have we?" Tails asked, knowing the answer, "You don't think it could be there, do you?"

"That's the only lead we have," Shadow told them. He had been staring into Helios. Lots of things didn't add up, and he seemed to be the only one to notice.

He glanced over at Tikal, who sat looking at her feet. It was obvious tat she wanted to go and do something, but it also looked like she didn't know what she was supposed to be doing. She looked up and tried to smile at Shadow.

"This is going to be a trap, isn't it?" Felica asked, "But even so, I want to help."

"No. If you're there, you'll just be someone to worry about," Loki told her.

"That goes for you too," Klonoa told D and Mina.

"I know," D nodded, "But just make sure you're careful."

"We should go now," Tikal said standing, "And I have to be there. I can't not be. Don't ask me how I know this, I just know."

"I know you should be there too," Knuckles agreed, looking confused.

"Then let's go!" Sonic said, taking the lead.


Ame sat combing his hair in a mirror in his room in the hotel. His time spent with Horatio and Fenrir allowed him some insight into there ways of thinking. By now Fenrir would be scanning for the remaining Chaos Emeralds. He knew that if he let his shield slide for even a second, Fenrir would find them, so had done just that. He also knew that Fenrir would discount the place he found them, as it would logically make no sense to stay in an area that was known to your enemy. That meant he was incredably safe in the hotel, as Fenrir would never think of looking where he found them, well, not for a while anyway. Finally done fixing his hair, which he had purposely mussed, Ame smiled. He had been able to control Paz easily due to the family connection, and that years ago he had accidently almost killed his younger brother with a massive dose of wild pysco energy. At the moment, Paz stood looking out of the window, smoking, and using a no smoking sign pulled from the wall as an ashtray.

The four gems sat on the bed, and Ame looked quizically at Pyron. Seeing this, Paz dropped his ciggarette and ground it out on the carpet before asking,

"S'up?"

"Just surprised how easy it was," Ame shrugged.

"Yeah, well I just knew what to do," Paz said, jumping onto the second bed, "And luckily I got inside your shield."

"I guess," Ame said, standing, "So how do I look?"

"Like a cheap, camp tart."

"Then I'm ready," Ame grinned. He put Koukan in his backpack, and put the other three in a case he had brought at the hotel's giftshop, "And it's time to face our public."


Tikal stood at the foot of the Temple of Tempi, looking up. There ws no sigmn of either Horatio or Ame, but eveyone was still on edge. Shw wanted to climb the stair, and see the view she knew from her dreams, but didn't, as it would make her an easy target.

"Nothing," Loki growled, "I hate the waiting."

"Me too," Knuckles agreed. Everyone had the feeling that time was narrowing down, that something really big was coming, but despite this, they remained calm.

"And who are you waiting for?" Horatio's voice was calm and clear, and everyone bar Loki and Tikal had to resist looking to watch him as he approached. Those two saw him walking up with Fenrir and five armed guards.

"Try anything and you're dead," Fenrir told them, nidding at their back-up. "We also have people all around you, so if you'd just hand over any and all Chaos Emeralds that you have we won't open fire."

"Strange, they only have two," Horatio said, staring at the cornered oponents, "Where are the rest?"

"You don't have them?" Tikal asked, knowing the answer.

"Actually, I do," Ame told them. He was floating overhead in a sphere of purple energy.

"Hand them over!" Horatio shouted, "Now!"

"As if I'm stupid enough to carry them around with me," Ame smiled, "All I have is Koukan, and you're not getting her."

"Sir!" a voice came from behind him, "We have found another person on the perimiter." Paz was led forward. In one hand he carried a case.

"And I'm stupid enough to come unprepared," Horatio said as Fenrir took it, and went to open it.

Everyone was distracted, and Tikal took this oppurtunity to run, but not for freedom, up the tower. Ame dropped the few remaining feet to the floor and redirected his shield to surround the running girl before any of the troops had a chance to open fire. He wasn't sure why he did it, but he had because Koukan, who usually whispered, was shouting at him,

"Nothing must harm her!" and he could only obey. She reached the top, and was enveloped in a blinding grey light.

"Child of my children. Daughter, Princess, Priestess," Tempi spoke directly to Tikal, "Now is the time.Yours is the power. Accept the final heart, and know the destiny that awaits both you and your knight." The final Emerald, Tempi, Lord of the Gods, master of control, floated before her. She reached out and touched it, and that waas when everything happened.

A rain of missles fell from the sky, fired by Dr. Robotnik. His body had been completed barely in time, and Horatio's men were it's test. It passed with ultimate brutality, leaving unconcious, dead and dying lying all around him. A stray piece of debris had struck Tikal, knocking her and her Emerald down the steps. As he landed, Dr. Robotnik laughed, and Horatio screamed.

"Hello my son," the robot hissed, "I realise that I no longer need you. Prepare to die, and unlike me, you will not rise from the dead. Farewell." As he spoke, he targeted Horatio and fired a second volley of shells, and continued until smoke and dust filled the air, which vibrated with Robotnik's laughter. Once the scene cleared a little, Robotnik saw Horatio been held by Fenrir, both surrouded by a dome of purple energy. Ame had felt the need to protect everyone, and Kounkan helped, expanding the dome to cover all his friends, before they ran together.

The strain was showing on Ame's face as a thrid round was fired.

"We need a plan!" Loki shouted. Tikal had been pulled under the shield with Tempi, thanks to Kunckles, while Paz had recoverd the final three. "We have all seven Emeralds. What do we do?"

"Chaos. Destruction. Two are one," Tikal mumered in her faint.

"Two are one?" Knuckles repeated.

"She must mean us," Rouge said, taking Scarlette's hand.

"No," Sonic shook his head, "You were one, now you're two. She means Shadow and me."

"The Chaos Emeralds, and the power of Pandemonia," Shadow agreed, "Paz, give us those gems!"

"Sure," Paz said, handing the case to Sonic. He wasn't sure what to do with them, so was glad to be rid of the case.

"He's out of missles," Ame said, throwing his backpack to Shadow, "I think I can hold off any basic shots, but hurry!"

"Now or never," Sonic whispered.

All seven Emeralds were between Sonic and Shadow. Both could feel their power, and the power of destruction inside them, but with one difference. It felt controlled, and both boys embraced it. Sonic's quills turned yellow, and Shadow's went white. Both of them were glowing brightly. They burst through Ame's sheild and statred attacking the Robotnik-bot in perfectio formation. Sonic smashed the left shoulder as Shadow disracted the claws. Shadow cracked the eyes as Sonic went for the feet. They were much too fast, agile and strong for the robot to even mount a defence. When half crippled, the two finished it. Up to yet they had been attacking seperate, but perfectly timed, now they combined their efforts. Sonic gripped Shadow's ankles, and Shadow grabbed his. They rooled together in a goklden spin attack that went right through the construct, first horizontally, then vertically. It collapsed on itself, then exploded.

The power faded from both of them, leaving them both too tired to stand, and they slumped next to each other, both leaning on the other.

"We won," Sonic gasped.

"It's over." Shadow agreed.

"Not quite," Tikal said, standing. All seven Emeralds began floating, slowly spinning on their own axis, and around Tikal. She raised inches from the floor and sped off towards a cliff face, followed by her friends. Everyone had forgotten about Fenrir and Horatio for the time being.

When they reached the rock face, Tikal pointed at a spot above the base. It seemed to swing open, revealing a set of stone steps, that led to an altar, containg,

"The Master Emerlad," Tikal intoned, "Source of all life. I now know what I must do."

"So do I," Knuckles said, walking to the massive stone, "It is time that these powers were returned to the cosmo."

"They were never meant to be used by anyone except the gods," Tikal smiled.

"And with their power, we are now those gods." Kunckles had taken on a glow to match the master Emerald, and stood atop it.

"I must bid this planet farewell," Tikal said, smiling sadly, "I thank you my friends, but this is a final goobye."

"Rouge," Knuckles turned to the bat-girl, "Know that I will always love you, but this is my destiny."

"I understand," Rouge nodded, "Just promise you'll always watch over me." His smile was all the answer she needed, and the group watched as their two friends acsended to the heavens.


Six months later Amy, Rouge and Scarlette were walking down the street. Rouge had gotten rid of her bad-girl attitude, and Scarlette had begun mixing colour into her wardrobe, but those weren't the only changes.

"I still can't believe that no-one remembers them," Amy said, shaking her head. Anyone who had no contact with the Chaos Emeralds had retained no memory of either Tikal or Kunckles.

"I suppose it's better that way," Scarlette smiled, "It would raise to many questions if they had just disappeared."

"I know," Amy nodded, "But I still miss them, and wish I could talk to someone about it."

"We all do," Rouge sighed, "But they're watching over us now. Making sure we're doing okay."

"I hope they're watching Ame and Loki too," Scarlette said, staring at the sky.

"Still no word from either of them?" Amy asked.

"Not since Ame signed over Chao Towers to Paz," Scarlette told them.

"So how are things between you two?" Rouge asked, a teasing tone in her voice.

"Good. He wants me to move in with him."

"So I've got Heero," Amy smiled, "You have Paz and Mina has herself a girlfriend."

"The only one not happy is you," Scarlette said, gently shoving her sister.

"I am happy," Rouge said pushing back, "I know that Knuckles is always there for me, even if I can't see him."

"How sweet."


Loki watched the girls pass from an alleyway. All his loose ends were tied up and he could go as soon as Sygin turned up. She was always late, and he stamped his feet in impatience.

"You shouldn't do that," Felica told him.

"What, stamp?"

"No, interfere so much," she shook her head. "First you fall for the unknown element, then the protogodess, and you interface with a Chaos Emerald, them antagonise a moon-child. You have a lot to answer for."

"Give me a break," Loki said as massive wings unfolded from his back. They were blue, but so pale as to be almost white. "We were sent here to make sure she acsended. She did."

"You loved her, huh?" Felica asked. Her owns wings had unfoldec, and they were pale pink, "Don't worry, I won't say anything."

"Thanks, Felica."

"It's Sygin," she laughed, "I just hope that other cat-person wasn't one of us."

"He wasn't a angel," Loki said, shaking his head, "I got close enough to make sure." He sighed, then smiled sadly, "I just wish we could stay longer. Moon-children are hard to predict."

"Amethyst will be fine. You know that all moon-children have mortal advisors."

"Yeah, I know," Loki said, drawing a door in the air. It opened and both he and Sygin walked through, going home.


D was packing quickly. she had plenty of time to get ready, but she had left it until last second.Tails and Klonoa sat watching her, the rabbit boy sighed.

"You got the letter two months ago, and you're still not ready?"

"This scholarship is a really big deal. It took me this long to make sure it was for real."

"And now you're off to one of the best universities in the country," Tails smiled, "Hope I get a chance like that."

"You will, I mean, you are really smart. Why else would you be seeing my cousin?" D paused for effect, and saw both the boys blush.

"I guess there's no point denying it, huh?" Klonoa asked.

"Nope," D smiled, "I pick up on all the litle details."

"Please don't tell anyone," Tails smiled, "We're not ready to come out yet."

"Your secret is safe with me," D told them. A car horn sounded, and D quickly shut her case, "That's my cab."

"We'll see you off," Klonoa said, and they followed her down to the street.


Shadow and Sonic sat watching T.V. in Ame's old apartment. The two had moved in together, though neither suggested it, it had seemed natural. Sonic lay with his head on Shadow's lap, while some old black and white movie played. They were both happily not paying attention, just enjoying each other.


Ame had spent the last six months travelling around Europe, but had returned home now. He had known what he was doing, and couldn't undo it, so wanted to avoid those he had done it to. He sat in the centre of the maze, staring into a reflecting pool. He had come home to pick up his old life. Ame was a nice person to vacation as, but he couldn't live as him. Tonight would be his lasst night, before he took up the family buisness.

"You trying to read the future?" Marc asked. He had followed Amethyst in, and wanted to know what was on his mind.

"No. I know it'll be dark, so there's no point." He didn't turn around, so Marc walked to the edge, and splashed the water.

"The future is what we make of it," he said, then kissed Ame, "And the past is still an option."


In the back room of a warehouse in middle America, under several layers of dust, a metal storage chest began to hum gently. It shakes, as from an interanl impact, then a metal claw breaks through the lid. Laughter beins to echo from the distant walls.


Horatio stares vacantly from his wheelchair. He faces a window, and 'apreciates the view'. The mind that once held the world in it's sway is now almost blank, and the eyes that once beguiled all barely have the will to blink. He had had everything taken from him. All the power, all the glory. All that remained was his aide. Fenrir returned to the room, and smiled at the love of his life.

"Do you need anything?" he asked, not expecting an answer, "I'll get you a drink."

He walks to a water cooler, and pours two glasses. Everything except his aide, and the company that Fenrir could easily run. A company that Fenrir would either use to restore Horatio, or to burn the world down.


and that's the end! Email Ame, feedback is good
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