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"Until the End of Forever"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Prologue: From Heaven to Home

   Beyond the reaches of the physical universe and her people lay the afterlife; a retreat for all souls once they are freed from the grip of life amongst pain and suffering.  This place was far removed from worlds of the living, and yet, still close enough for those who had passed on, to keep a watchful eye over their loved ones.  Yes, this, was the realm of the souls of the dead, where after death they came to dwell forever, even as they left those they loved behind them.

   There were so many souls here, including nearly every echidna soul ever to draw breath on the planet Mobius, except for the last two sons of the Guardian, Hinsei Hidama, and Knuckles the Echidna.

   The afterlife was peaceful for them all, and they even lived in a community of sorts, all under the watchful rule of perhaps the greatest echidna of them all, Kashoku the Echidna, and his queen, Lady Mitsukai.  He was the creator of the Master Emerald and Seven Chaos Emeralds, and was loved dearly and respected by all of his followers.

   Every guardian to follow him was here, as was every echidna from his time and onward, up until the near wipeout of the Angel Island echidnas; yes, even Hidama’s and Knuckles’ parents were here, and one day, Mikomi, son of Knuckles and Amy Rose, would finally come among them, and despite his mixed blood, he was one of the most celebrated descendents of Kashoku and Mitsukai to ever live, and was met with open arms upon his arrival.

   Getting to meet his grandparents was a thrill for him, as well as finding so much acceptance from his extended echidna family members even though he was a hybrid.  He was even greeted by Kashoku himself, who, as Shadow could already guess, honored Mikomi greatly for his selflessness in sacrificing his life to save mankind.

   And though it was endless day in this blessed realm, a number of years would pass by for Mikomi after his arrival, before things would begin to change.  He became one of the leaders of the community, and though he was loved by all of the echidnas, it was with Kashoku, and his grandparents that he spent most of his time.

   Quite often, Mikomi could be seen walking with his grandparents, his grandfather on his right and his grandmother on his left, the three of them walking the vast expanse of their corner of this undying realm, talking about their rich linage, and even about Hidama and Knuckles.  Mikomi would tell them about his sister and cousin, and even his mother and aunt, but mostly he talked about his father and uncle, for they were the sons his dear grandparents had to leave so many years ago, and these stories of how both of them had found happiness comforted them, and it also did wonders for Mikomi’s soul, to remember the wonderful family he could only wait for as they remained in the world below.

   It was on one of these walks that Kashoku and Mitsukai came to them; Kashoku, despite being in an eternal paradise, free from grief and pain, had a thorn of worry wedged deep in his heart; it was a concern for mankind, the fate of the world, and his final surviving descendents, their families, and friends.

   Holding Mitsukai’s hand with one hand, and his guardian staff in another, he walked up to the trio and said, “Mikomi, my child, I have need to speak with you…and your grandparents.”

   Lord Kashoku was the respected leader around here and nobody passed up chance to speak with him, especially when the need was dire, and Mikomi, growing wiser with the passing years, could see this fear in the amber eyes of his ancestor.  He nodded, looking to his grandparents and said, “We’ll come with you, Lord Kashoku…Lady Mitsukai; I see that the need is great, and yet now I fear what you must tell me, for how it will ultimately affect me and those I hold dear…that we all hold close to our hearts and thoughts.”

   The red echidna with the golden stripes nodded, extending his arm towards a distant hill, at the top of which stood a golden tree, with leaves that never fell, and glistened in the lasting light around them.  The five echidnas turned and walked to this hill, and sat together in a circle, Kashoku with his back against the tree, Mitsukai seated to his right, and Mikomi, his grandmother and grandfather right before him.

   Once settled, it only took one breath before Kashoku would speak; looking at his distant descendant, he said, “Mikomi, in giving your life to sap the Master Emerald of its power, power that could no longer safely exist in the hands of a developing world such as theirs, you brought on a long and extended peace for not only your loved ones and those that walk among them, but also for all of us here who could only watch on and pray for solace and relief from evil.  That peace has lasted many years, long enough for your loved ones to grow up; ten years have passed since you sacrificed it all for their good, and the benefit of the entire free world.”

   Taking a pause, Mikomi nodded, almost hesitantly; the passage of time held no place in this blessed realm, for they lived in a place where eternity was the only measure of time; there were no days, months, and certainly no years, so the echidna hybrid had to close his eyes and struggle to remember what this meant for his family.  His little sister, Amarie, came to mind first, and as he remembered how young she was when he left her, twelve, he realized she was now twenty-two, his parents nearing the end of their forties, and his cousin Kelsey would be twenty-five.  In that moment he began to wonder what the years had done for his loved ones, but seeing the urgent look in Kashoku’s eyes, he simply nodded, acknowledging all that was said.

   Kashoku, glancing up into the limbs of the golden tree, exhaled slowly and said, “However, that peace…is beginning to crumble.  The craft wielded by the hand of man has also made a leap in the past decade, and now the evil in the hearts of many now thirsts for power and control; this is the kind of power that only the Seven Chaos Emeralds exist to supply in the wake of the loss of the Master Emerald.  Now, I created the Seven Chaos Emeralds to draw their power from the one Master…on their own now, they are somewhat weaker than they were before, however, seeing as there has been little need to use them in the past years, this has gone largely unnoticed, but now is a dangerous problem that cannot be left unresolved.”

   Mikomi’s grandmother brought a hand to cover her mouth, letting out a soft gasp, while his grandfather’s eyes widened in a horror that was rarely seen in this haven of everlasting solace; Mikomi gave a worried eye to Mitsukai, who looked at her distant grandson gently, before glancing to her husband Kashoku, who felt the same worry as those around him.

   “This is not good,” Mikomi’s grandfather said, “The Seven Chaos Emeralds did draw a large part of their power from the Master Emerald…I never realized how greatly its loss would weaken them.”  He paused, looking to Mikomi, then to Kashoku and said, “Surely Sonic or Shadow would have discovered this by now; were they to go into their Super forms would they not immediately realize this change?”

   Mitsukai nodded and said, “Of course…but you must remember; the world has not seen such turmoil in the past years to require that kind of strength from either of them.  Without the Master Emerald to drive souls wild, any danger was limited to what mankind could produce on its own.  Sonic the Hedgehog kept five of the Seven with him in Blaze the Cat’s galaxy, while Shadow the Hedgehog and Rouge the Bat kept their two.  However, Sonic realized they should be in the galaxy that needed them, more than ever without the Master Emerald, and brought them back.  Even so, the Seven have not been together for some years now, so there is no way to notice this change.”

   Mikomi’s grandfather fell silent, lowering his eyes, now filled with dread, worried for his two sons, Hinsei Hidama, and Knuckles the Echidna, now that he knew trouble was heading their way once more.  Kashoku broke the silence, speaking once more; “Even so, the threat of danger is close, and the Seven Chaos Emeralds are all the free world has to come to her rescue.  Too late will be the time, I fear, when they realize exactly how much weaker the Seven have become, especially in the face of this new evil the hand of man now dangles precariously over them.

   “You see, when Sonic brought the Five back to Mobius, he alerted the denizens of Station Square to their existence once more.  In the years that have gone by, our kind have become more trusting of man, and man more trusting of those that walk beside them.  The humans have helped our loved ones immensely, again proving that there is good in every heart and the desire to do what is right exists in all souls.  However, in the shadow of all this kindness, evil was also stirred, and over the years, a small legion of people has spent years trying to figure out how to ensnare the Seven Chaos Emeralds, using them to their crooked advantages.  Truly, it is the advancing science of mankind and the waning power of the Seven that will push this peace to the brink of destruction and despair once more…and I fear the power of the Seven, and the hands of the resident heroes below, is not enough to save them…not without the Master Emerald…for without its power, the Seven are probably incapable of allowing Shadow or Sonic to go Super anymore,” Kashoku explained.

   “Oh my…,” Mikomi’s grandmother murmured; she too thought of her dear sons, as well as the family she had never met.  One thing they learned in this blessed realm, was that you would only see your loved ones again when it was truly their time, and that if they were in danger, it was okay to watch over them.  Since the time for her sons was still a little while in coming, she feared for their safety, in a place where she could no longer protect them.

   Mikomi looked back to Kashoku and said, “Isn’t there any way to restore their full strength Lord Kashoku?  I’m sure the Seven can step up to the task if they’re at their full strength.”  He paused, and then said, “But…I thought that when I let the Master Emerald use me as a gate to release its power that it would go straight to the Chaos Emeralds…why  didn’t this happen?”

    “Because, Mikomi, when you let the Master Emerald use you in this way, you didn’t provide a way for that power to escape you…you only allowed that immense amount of power to leave the Master Emerald and enter you instead.  That is why you died; it’s because the power overloaded your body…it would overload anyone, even Hidama and Knuckles.  It has nothing to do with how much guardian blood you have, of course, without the guardian blood that kind of maneuver would be impossible to begin with, but those two knew that when this was going to happen that it would kill them.  Their bodies would absorb that power and try to contain it.  Of course, your body couldn’t contain it, but instead of escaping…it—it followed you even in death, becoming part of your very soul.  You, Mikomi, are essentially the Master Emerald in living form.  All that power is now tied to your very soul, which is alright because we have no need for such power in this place,” Kashoku explained.

   The hybrid echidna let out a gasp, his back going straight and rigid, frozen in thought.  His grandparents both looked to him; in his time in the afterlife, this never occurred to him, that the Master Emerald’s power remained tied to his soul, safe from harm.  He looked to Kashoku in disbelief.

   The echidna king looked at him sympathetically and said, “It is burden, I would never wish upon any of my followers…let alone a descendant of my very own.  The very power that once flowed through my veins, subject to my control, is now part of your very spirit.  It is almost as if I gave that power to you directly.  You wield my power now Mikomi, and are a lord in your own right, a prince of echidnas, and it is why I come to you alone for a resolution to this evil that now threatens the world the Master Emerald can no longer protect, and therefore we no longer have a way to help them, except in you alone.”

   “What are you saying?” Mikomi’s grandfather asked, placing his hands on Mikomi’s shoulders as Mikomi’s grandmother pulled him into her arms, the two fearing what Kashoku had planned for their grandson.

   Kashoku stood up slowly, looking down to the place the souls of the echidnas now called home, and glanced at Mikomi, beckoning him to rise and stand beside him, while nodding at the other three to let them stand alone.  Placing his hands on Mikomi’s shoulders, he turned to him and said, “I love you Mikomi, as I love all of my descendants, and I know I have an obligation to look after my followers, which includes the last ones to walk Mobius, your father and uncle, and their families.  I wouldn’t ask this of anyone were the need not this urgent, nor if I didn’t think they could handle it, but, perhaps there is a chance we can help them once more.”

   Mikomi could feel his nerves tingling as Kashoku spoke; he looked back to his grandparents, trying to smile, then looked back to Kashoku and said, “What must I do?  I have given my life to help them before, and I’ll gladly do it again, even if it means returning to walk among them, giving up the peace I have found with the afterlife.”

   Both of his grandparents let out a worried gasp when he said this.  Kashoku nodded, almost with a sense of resistance at what he was about to say.  “Mikomi, prince of the echidnas, and guardian of life, I believe that if you were to return to the world of the living once more, back to the home and souls you once knew, that the guardian power within you might be able to strengthen the Seven once more, as well as the Seven souls that will now wield them in an alliance against evil.  If only until this battle is won will I ask you to do this, and perhaps by then I will have found a way to unleash the Master Emerald’s power free from your soul…if I did it once with my own power, I can surely do it again through you.  Once I figure out how to divide and release the power to the Seven, they will be at full strength indefinitely, and you can return to us.”

   Having heard enough, Mikomi’s grandfather stood up, walking up to Mikomi and putting his arm around him, then looked to Kashoku and said, “Are you mad?  Do you have any idea what something like this might do to him?”

   “Patience!” Kashoku cried, “Patience with me please…I beg thee, hearken to me first.”  After Mikomi’s grandfather relaxed, Kashoku took a deep breath and said, “It is not impossible for us to pass freely from this place to the world we once walked in life; infact it is only impossible to move from there to here until death bids one here.  Mikomi can go there with quite ease, the only thing is, once his task is done, he must return, for he does not belong there and cannot linger there after it is all said and done.”

   Mikomi looked to Kashoku and said, “Can I really do it Kashoku?  Can I really see my mother and father again?  Can I see my sister, and cousin, and my friends, really?”

   Kashoku nodded and said, “Yes, Mikomi, but remember you cannot stay longer than you have to.  Once the battle is won, you will have no choice but to return to us, but do remember that when their time comes, every one of them will come to us and be here forever.  At least you will be blessed enough to see them again, even if only for a fleeting while and in a time of great fear and danger.”

   “It’s worth it,” Mikomi said, “Even though I head into adversity, I feel so blessed to be able to see them all again, for I was pulled away from them so quickly…there was no closure.  Now, I have that chance.”

   Mikomi looked grateful, almost excited to get to return to see his family again, finally able to have the closure his death denied them all.  Yet his grandparents didn’t look too sure of things, worried now for their sons and their families, and now their grandson who had to go back into it all.  Kashoku could see this worry in their eyes and said, “Fear not, for I would never send Mikomi back on his own.  Hidama and Knuckles are descendants of my own blood, as is Mikomi, and as the king of all echidnas, it is my duty to protect them, especially since I created the Master and Chaos Emeralds in the first place, dooming them to this fate.”

   Mitsukai, who spoke little through this all, got up fast, standing beside her husband with fear in her eyes.  She said, “But, my lord, are you really going to leave us here?  What can you possibly do there that you cannot do here?”

   The echidna looked to his wife, taking her hands in his own, and whispered, “My lady, I can finish what I started in my life; I created the Master Emerald and the Seven as gifts to you, and yet I made them far too magnificent and powerful for their own good.  You heard me before did you not?  If I was able to channel almost all of my power into their making, then surely I have the strength to channel the Master Emerald’s power into the Seven so they may be at full strength forevermore, freeing Mikomi from the burden of it being tied to his spirit, and allowing for the Seven to properly protect life as long as they need to.  After this, Mikomi and I can return to you all, and we can be at peace again, as well as the lives of everyone we must leave behind.”

   The queen was distressed, but nodded slowly, loving and trusting her husband.  She leaned in, kissing him lightly on the cheek, before moving to his lips, lingering there longer for a kiss before pulling away, nodding once more to acknowledge that she trusted him; “I understand…and I trust that you’ll see Mikomi and the world through safely no matter what faces you.”

   Kashoku smiled, before nodding in response to her.  He turned back to Mikomi and said, “Now, I will say this, much of what you’ve experienced here will become temporarily obscure to you as we walk below, for elements of this world cannot pass back to the first without becoming seriously corrupted.  So, I’ll help us overcome this by simply obscuring all that we know of here from our minds; we will only remember what we could know without having come here.  Of course, once we return, so shall our memories of this place, unharmed, as we shall be.”

   “Now just a minute,” Mikomi’s grandfather said, “Neither of you have bodies to return to.  Mikomi’s was practically eradicated, and yours is buried on a cliff overlooking the eastern sea.  How do you intend to walk among them to a point where they can interact with you again?”

   Mikomi looked to Kashoku, who looked at Mikomi’s grandfather with a stern eye, almost as if he was scolding him at being challenged.  His grandfather looked away in silence, unable to handle Kashoku’s piercing amber eyes.  The echidna king then shook his head, sighing and said, “I am capable of many things my son, and I’d hope that you’d trust in the soul that created the Master Emerald and was the father to the son that you descended from, to carry us to a peaceful resolution.”  Mikomi’s grandfather was silent, as was everyone, struck down with silence.

   Kashoku smiled weakly and let out another sigh.  “I apologize,” he whispered, “This is not a place for ill will and mistrust.  Let us remember that it is the lives of those we wait for that are in danger, and offer all of our concern for them, watching over them in their plight.  Only, this time, merely watching for their safety is not enough.  This time, we must intercede and walk among them once more.”

   He looked to Mikomi, who returned his gaze with his own.  He nodded and said, “Really, Lord Kashoku, how are we going to go back there and help them if we have no bodies to return to…at least you could dig yours out of the dirt…I just evaporated.”

   Letting out a laugh, Kashoku stood beside Mikomi and said, “My body has long wasted away by now Mikomi.  Trust me, I have it all under control.  There’s something I need you to see before we depart.  Come with me.”

   Mikomi and Kashoku walked alone to a special sanctuary just downhill from the golden tree.  Inside of it, on the top of a stone pedestal, sat a glittering gem.  It was almost translucent like a diamond, but had a swirl of opalescence below the surface; the center of the gem was filled with an orb of light, which flashed with every color of the rainbow, and the entire spectrum of colors in between.  This gem, shaped like a chaos emerald, only a little larger, was called the Celestial Emerald.

   Walking up to it, Kashoku said, “Mikomi, while creating the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds almost completely drained me of my power, upon my arrival here all that power was restored.  Reunited with my beloved Mitsukai, I combined my renewed power with her precious Light and created this final treasure for her and our kindred.  In an essence it was a way of bringing the Master Emerald with us, which was an heirloom to my family, a treasure, significant of our race.  It was meant to be a gift to Mitsukai, and again, another symbol of the echidna race, for we have no need for protection against evil here.  While I am almost certain it will prove no use in battle, I know it has the power we need to walk among the living once more.”

   Mikomi gazed at the gem; in his years here he had never seen it this close, nor had he heard the story of its making.  After a few moments, he looked to Kashoku and said, “Then we must go, and quickly, for they need us desperately don’t they?”

   The two looked to each other and then out a window of the sanctuary to the kingdom below.  Kashoku sighed and said, “They have such great need, but don’t even know it yet, I’m afraid.  You are right though my son, we have little time to waste.”  He paused, then looked to Mikomi and said, “That’s funny…for so long…I have had no need to measure the count of years to pass in that distant realm, and yet, it seems now the little time I have is all I can think about.”

   Consumed by silence, Kashoku and Mikomi both glanced back at the Celestial Emerald, trying to find words to say, and still coming up short.  Kashoku walked back to it and said, “It’s been years since I walked among the living…it will be quite an experience to go back, even though we’ll have no need to draw breath.”

   Eyes widened, Mikomi said, “No, wait, Kashoku, can’t we at least try to look like we’re, well, alive like they are, or physical, or whatever.”

   Kashoku laughed and said, “Don’t be distressed Mikomi, the Celestial Emerald can handle it, as can my power; it will serve as a way to stay connected to this realm though we may be disjointed.  I may need it when the time comes to drive the Master Emerald’s power back to the Seven, and free from your soul.”  He paused, then taking the Celestial Emerald from its base he said, “Come, we have no time to waste.  We must say our goodbyes and return…though I’m unsure of exactly what lies before us, we must go forth and leave our fears behind.”

   The two left the sanctuary and began the walk to the kingdom to bid farewell to their brethren.  Both were silent on the way, and as Mikomi walked, he closed his eyes and thought, “Gee…I’m twenty-seven now aren’t I, though, depending on what month it is I may already be twenty-eight.  It’ll be wonderful to see my family one more time before they come here to join us.  I wonder how they’re doing…I wonder if Kelsey’s okay…or…Amarie.  I wonder what happened to her and Pyro…will they even recognize me…or remember me?”

   Eternal day suddenly gave way to darkness as eyelids covered lime green eyes, shut tight as she slept, until this dream, or nightmare, jarred her free from her sleep.

   “No!” she cried, shooting up in bed.  It was Amarie, ten years older, frightened from her sleep by this strange dream she was having about her dead brother and ancestors she never met before, and yet had clear pictures of their faces, her uncle Hidama had told her so, recognizing their faces from old paintings of them before their ancestral home, Angel Island, fell out of the sky.

   Sweat drops rolled down her cheeks as she panted.  Next to her, her husband of almost two years was awoken by her cries.  Pyro, the son of Sonic the Hedgehog, sat up beside her, trying to comfort his wife.

   “Amarie!  Relax, just relax, everything’s alright sweetie, I promise.  It was just a dream,” he said, pulling her into his arms and holding her.

   She looked up at him, trying to catch her breath and said, “But Pyro, it was the same as before…Mikomi and whatever his name is, Kashoku, are talking about how the world is in danger, and how they have to come here and stop it.  I just wish it would go away…it’s the same way every time.  It ends with Mikomi wondering if I’ll even remember who he is…wondering if anything will ever be the same…it scares me so badly.  I wish it would go away.”

   Amarie burst into tears, burying her face into Pyro’s chest as she wept.  He held her tightly, kissing her on the head before resting his head on hers, trying to soothe her tears.  He was used to her crying like this, at least more than normal, as her moods were constantly out of whack.  He smiled and looked down at her tummy, which was now quite round, as they were expecting their first baby in the weeks to come.  Taking his hand, he rubbed her pregnant belly gently and whispered, “Come on now Amarie, you need your rest and you know it.  It’s just a dream, albeit one of those recurring ones, but it’s never gonna happen.  I’m sure Mikomi is just fine and he will be until we get there, but hey, we should be focused on life now, right?”

   Inhaling deeply to try and suppress her tears, Amarie looked up at Pyro again, and returned his smile with her own, though it was shaky.  As he helped her sit up, she nodded and said, “I—I know Pyro, it’s just…I’ve had that dream for days now, and the thing is, it just won’t go away.  I’ve called Dad and asked him about it…I’ve begged Uncle Hidama to tell me everything he knows about Kashoku and Mitsukai.  I can draw out what my grandparents look like without having ever seen them outside of this dream, and both Dad and Uncle Hidama both rave on how accurately I draw them…Uncle Hidama even talked about how I drew Kashoku and Mitsukai…I mean, he’s never seen them but says my pictures are just like the ancient paintings he remembers.  It’s just…scary.”

   She glanced down and rubbed her tummy, letting out a sigh that turned into a yawn midway.  She looked back to Pyro and said, “I know you think I’m crazy and it’s just being pregnant that does it to me…but, this dream, it’s just so real…I hate it so much, because it scares me to no end.”

   Pyro laughed softly, placing his hand on hers, looking down at her middle and said, “Aww, I don’t think you’re crazy…just because your moods are a little off because of the baby doesn’t make you crazy.  It just hurts me because I know you’re really shaken up by this…I want you to feel better, okay?”

   He kissed her gently and said, “Now come on, you need your sleep, and so do I.  Remember that Oliver and Aries are coming to visit soon…you know how much I love it when my sister comes to check up on me for Mom and Dad.”

   As Pyro rolled his eyes and started to lie down, Amarie laughed at his sarcasm.  She snuggled down under the covers next to him, and as he put his arm around her she said, “Aww Pyro, you know she only comes here to visit because she loves you…I mean, think about it; your parents are further away than just a walk down the street, or even a car trip away.  They’re in another galaxy…so I guess she feels it’s her responsibility to look after you.  I know if Mikomi were here he’d do the same thing, like Kelsey tries to do for him.”

   “Or like he told me to do before he died maybe?” Pyro asked, looking at her once more and grinning.

   She smiled, lowered her eyes and whispered, “Like that…just like that.”  After a few moments, she looked up at him and said, “I love you Pyro.”

   Kissing her on the cheek once more he replied, “I love you too Amarie.  Now, relax, and try and get some rest.  Remember it’s just a bad dream…and I want you to have sweet ones, okay?”

   Amarie giggled softly, then nodded, kissing him goodnight, before they both went back to sleep.  Sure Amarie felt better, but, was her nightmare, really just a bad dream, or was the miscommunication of time between this world and the afterlife simply giving her visions of what was to come?

   Far away in the Emerald Hills, just outside of Station Square, a brilliantly colored shooting star appeared in the heavens.  A squirrel searching for food looked up at it, amazed by its color and brightness, only to quickly run away in fright as it grew larger and larger, heading straight for the hills below as it flew out of the sky.

   The object that plowed into the ground however, was not a meteorite; the Celestial Emerald, its radiant, colored light still beaming from within now rested on the ground.  As the tremors cleared, the squirrel looked from behind the tree, only to see two figures cloaked in black, slowly materialize beside it.  They were both about the same height, except, one of them had two red ears tipped in white that the squirrel could only see briefly before he pulled the hood of his cloak over them.

   “Ugh, Kashoku…that was…quite a ride,” one of them said.

   “I know Mikomi, but let’s be grateful that it was the Celestial Emerald doing the crashing and not us…I’m not sure how fragile these temporary bodies are, so it’ll be best not to be reckless,” the other replied.

   Both of them paused, consumed by silence again.  The first one murmured, “We’re back…I feel chills Kashoku.  This is hardly the world you remember, but for me, not much has changed, save the absence of Angel Island in the sky…I wonder how everyone is doing…where they all are?”

   “Well, there’s no time to simply ponder Mikomi.  We must round everyone up quickly, including Shadow the Hedgehog for the two of the Seven he possesses.  Come, we’d be best finding the other Five first.  Then, we’ll find your father and uncle,” the second one explained.

   Picking up the Celestial Emerald, the two figures then raced into the night, but, this was not a dream.  No, this was a dream made real, only now, the world would find out if Amarie’s dream, was truly a dream, or the beginning of a long, and literally unending nightmare.

Description
"Until the End of Forever"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Prologue: From Heaven to Home

   Beyond the reaches of the physical universe and her people lay the afterlife; a retreat for all souls once they are freed from the grip of life amongst pain and suffering.  This place was far removed from worlds of the living, and yet, still close enough for those who had passed on, to keep a watchful eye over their loved ones.  Yes, this, was the realm of the souls of the dead, where after death they came to dwell forever, even as they left those they loved behind them.

   There were so many souls here, including nearly every echidna soul ever to draw breath on the planet Mobius, except for the last two sons of the Guardian, Hinsei Hidama, and Knuckles the Echidna.

   The afterlife was peaceful for them all, and they even lived in a community of sorts, all under the watchful rule of perhaps the greatest echidna of them all, Kashoku the Echidna, and his queen, Lady Mitsukai.  He was the creator of the Master Emerald and Seven Chaos Emeralds, and was loved dearly and respected by all of his followers.

   Every guardian to follow him was here, as was every echidna from his time and onward, up until the near wipeout of the Angel Island echidnas; yes, even Hidama’s and Knuckles’ parents were here, and one day, Mikomi, son of Knuckles and Amy Rose, would finally come among them, and despite his mixed blood, he was one of the most celebrated descendents of Kashoku and Mitsukai to ever live, and was met with open arms upon his arrival.

   Getting to meet his grandparents was a thrill for him, as well as finding so much acceptance from his extended echidna family members even though he was a hybrid.  He was even greeted by Kashoku himself, who, as Shadow could already guess, honored Mikomi greatly for his selflessness in sacrificing his life to save mankind.

   And though it was endless day in this blessed realm, a number of years would pass by for Mikomi after his arrival, before things would begin to change.  He became one of the leaders of the community, and though he was loved by all of the echidnas, it was with Kashoku, and his grandparents that he spent most of his time.

   Quite often, Mikomi could be seen walking with his grandparents, his grandfather on his right and his grandmother on his left, the three of them walking the vast expanse of their corner of this undying realm, talking about their rich linage, and even about Hidama and Knuckles.  Mikomi would tell them about his sister and cousin, and even his mother and aunt, but mostly he talked about his father and uncle, for they were the sons his dear grandparents had to leave so many years ago, and these stories of how both of them had found happiness comforted them, and it also did wonders for Mikomi’s soul, to remember the wonderful family he could only wait for as they remained in the world below.

   It was on one of these walks that Kashoku and Mitsukai came to them; Kashoku, despite being in an eternal paradise, free from grief and pain, had a thorn of worry wedged deep in his heart; it was a concern for mankind, the fate of the world, and his final surviving descendents, their families, and friends.

   Holding Mitsukai’s hand with one hand, and his guardian staff in another, he walked up to the trio and said, “Mikomi, my child, I have need to speak with you…and your grandparents.”

   Lord Kashoku was the respected leader around here and nobody passed up chance to speak with him, especially when the need was dire, and Mikomi, growing wiser with the passing years, could see this fear in the amber eyes of his ancestor.  He nodded, looking to his grandparents and said, “We’ll come with you, Lord Kashoku…Lady Mitsukai; I see that the need is great, and yet now I fear what you must tell me, for how it will ultimately affect me and those I hold dear…that we all hold close to our hearts and thoughts.”

   The red echidna with the golden stripes nodded, extending his arm towards a distant hill, at the top of which stood a golden tree, with leaves that never fell, and glistened in the lasting light around them.  The five echidnas turned and walked to this hill, and sat together in a circle, Kashoku with his back against the tree, Mitsukai seated to his right, and Mikomi, his grandmother and grandfather right before him.

   Once settled, it only took one breath before Kashoku would speak; looking at his distant descendant, he said, “Mikomi, in giving your life to sap the Master Emerald of its power, power that could no longer safely exist in the hands of a developing world such as theirs, you brought on a long and extended peace for not only your loved ones and those that walk among them, but also for all of us here who could only watch on and pray for solace and relief from evil.  That peace has lasted many years, long enough for your loved ones to grow up; ten years have passed since you sacrificed it all for their good, and the benefit of the entire free world.”

   Taking a pause, Mikomi nodded, almost hesitantly; the passage of time held no place in this blessed realm, for they lived in a place where eternity was the only measure of time; there were no days, months, and certainly no years, so the echidna hybrid had to close his eyes and struggle to remember what this meant for his family.  His little sister, Amarie, came to mind first, and as he remembered how young she was when he left her, twelve, he realized she was now twenty-two, his parents nearing the end of their forties, and his cousin Kelsey would be twenty-five.  In that moment he began to wonder what the years had done for his loved ones, but seeing the urgent look in Kashoku’s eyes, he simply nodded, acknowledging all that was said.

   Kashoku, glancing up into the limbs of the golden tree, exhaled slowly and said, “However, that peace…is beginning to crumble.  The craft wielded by the hand of man has also made a leap in the past decade, and now the evil in the hearts of many now thirsts for power and control; this is the kind of power that only the Seven Chaos Emeralds exist to supply in the wake of the loss of the Master Emerald.  Now, I created the Seven Chaos Emeralds to draw their power from the one Master…on their own now, they are somewhat weaker than they were before, however, seeing as there has been little need to use them in the past years, this has gone largely unnoticed, but now is a dangerous problem that cannot be left unresolved.”

   Mikomi’s grandmother brought a hand to cover her mouth, letting out a soft gasp, while his grandfather’s eyes widened in a horror that was rarely seen in this haven of everlasting solace; Mikomi gave a worried eye to Mitsukai, who looked at her distant grandson gently, before glancing to her husband Kashoku, who felt the same worry as those around him.

   “This is not good,” Mikomi’s grandfather said, “The Seven Chaos Emeralds did draw a large part of their power from the Master Emerald…I never realized how greatly its loss would weaken them.”  He paused, looking to Mikomi, then to Kashoku and said, “Surely Sonic or Shadow would have discovered this by now; were they to go into their Super forms would they not immediately realize this change?”

   Mitsukai nodded and said, “Of course…but you must remember; the world has not seen such turmoil in the past years to require that kind of strength from either of them.  Without the Master Emerald to drive souls wild, any danger was limited to what mankind could produce on its own.  Sonic the Hedgehog kept five of the Seven with him in Blaze the Cat’s galaxy, while Shadow the Hedgehog and Rouge the Bat kept their two.  However, Sonic realized they should be in the galaxy that needed them, more than ever without the Master Emerald, and brought them back.  Even so, the Seven have not been together for some years now, so there is no way to notice this change.”

   Mikomi’s grandfather fell silent, lowering his eyes, now filled with dread, worried for his two sons, Hinsei Hidama, and Knuckles the Echidna, now that he knew trouble was heading their way once more.  Kashoku broke the silence, speaking once more; “Even so, the threat of danger is close, and the Seven Chaos Emeralds are all the free world has to come to her rescue.  Too late will be the time, I fear, when they realize exactly how much weaker the Seven have become, especially in the face of this new evil the hand of man now dangles precariously over them.

   “You see, when Sonic brought the Five back to Mobius, he alerted the denizens of Station Square to their existence once more.  In the years that have gone by, our kind have become more trusting of man, and man more trusting of those that walk beside them.  The humans have helped our loved ones immensely, again proving that there is good in every heart and the desire to do what is right exists in all souls.  However, in the shadow of all this kindness, evil was also stirred, and over the years, a small legion of people has spent years trying to figure out how to ensnare the Seven Chaos Emeralds, using them to their crooked advantages.  Truly, it is the advancing science of mankind and the waning power of the Seven that will push this peace to the brink of destruction and despair once more…and I fear the power of the Seven, and the hands of the resident heroes below, is not enough to save them…not without the Master Emerald…for without its power, the Seven are probably incapable of allowing Shadow or Sonic to go Super anymore,” Kashoku explained.

   “Oh my…,” Mikomi’s grandmother murmured; she too thought of her dear sons, as well as the family she had never met.  One thing they learned in this blessed realm, was that you would only see your loved ones again when it was truly their time, and that if they were in danger, it was okay to watch over them.  Since the time for her sons was still a little while in coming, she feared for their safety, in a place where she could no longer protect them.

   Mikomi looked back to Kashoku and said, “Isn’t there any way to restore their full strength Lord Kashoku?  I’m sure the Seven can step up to the task if they’re at their full strength.”  He paused, and then said, “But…I thought that when I let the Master Emerald use me as a gate to release its power that it would go straight to the Chaos Emeralds…why  didn’t this happen?”

    “Because, Mikomi, when you let the Master Emerald use you in this way, you didn’t provide a way for that power to escape you…you only allowed that immense amount of power to leave the Master Emerald and enter you instead.  That is why you died; it’s because the power overloaded your body…it would overload anyone, even Hidama and Knuckles.  It has nothing to do with how much guardian blood you have, of course, without the guardian blood that kind of maneuver would be impossible to begin with, but those two knew that when this was going to happen that it would kill them.  Their bodies would absorb that power and try to contain it.  Of course, your body couldn’t contain it, but instead of escaping…it—it followed you even in death, becoming part of your very soul.  You, Mikomi, are essentially the Master Emerald in living form.  All that power is now tied to your very soul, which is alright because we have no need for such power in this place,” Kashoku explained.

   The hybrid echidna let out a gasp, his back going straight and rigid, frozen in thought.  His grandparents both looked to him; in his time in the afterlife, this never occurred to him, that the Master Emerald’s power remained tied to his soul, safe from harm.  He looked to Kashoku in disbelief.

   The echidna king looked at him sympathetically and said, “It is burden, I would never wish upon any of my followers…let alone a descendant of my very own.  The very power that once flowed through my veins, subject to my control, is now part of your very spirit.  It is almost as if I gave that power to you directly.  You wield my power now Mikomi, and are a lord in your own right, a prince of echidnas, and it is why I come to you alone for a resolution to this evil that now threatens the world the Master Emerald can no longer protect, and therefore we no longer have a way to help them, except in you alone.”

   “What are you saying?” Mikomi’s grandfather asked, placing his hands on Mikomi’s shoulders as Mikomi’s grandmother pulled him into her arms, the two fearing what Kashoku had planned for their grandson.

   Kashoku stood up slowly, looking down to the place the souls of the echidnas now called home, and glanced at Mikomi, beckoning him to rise and stand beside him, while nodding at the other three to let them stand alone.  Placing his hands on Mikomi’s shoulders, he turned to him and said, “I love you Mikomi, as I love all of my descendants, and I know I have an obligation to look after my followers, which includes the last ones to walk Mobius, your father and uncle, and their families.  I wouldn’t ask this of anyone were the need not this urgent, nor if I didn’t think they could handle it, but, perhaps there is a chance we can help them once more.”

   Mikomi could feel his nerves tingling as Kashoku spoke; he looked back to his grandparents, trying to smile, then looked back to Kashoku and said, “What must I do?  I have given my life to help them before, and I’ll gladly do it again, even if it means returning to walk among them, giving up the peace I have found with the afterlife.”

   Both of his grandparents let out a worried gasp when he said this.  Kashoku nodded, almost with a sense of resistance at what he was about to say.  “Mikomi, prince of the echidnas, and guardian of life, I believe that if you were to return to the world of the living once more, back to the home and souls you once knew, that the guardian power within you might be able to strengthen the Seven once more, as well as the Seven souls that will now wield them in an alliance against evil.  If only until this battle is won will I ask you to do this, and perhaps by then I will have found a way to unleash the Master Emerald’s power free from your soul…if I did it once with my own power, I can surely do it again through you.  Once I figure out how to divide and release the power to the Seven, they will be at full strength indefinitely, and you can return to us.”

   Having heard enough, Mikomi’s grandfather stood up, walking up to Mikomi and putting his arm around him, then looked to Kashoku and said, “Are you mad?  Do you have any idea what something like this might do to him?”

   “Patience!” Kashoku cried, “Patience with me please…I beg thee, hearken to me first.”  After Mikomi’s grandfather relaxed, Kashoku took a deep breath and said, “It is not impossible for us to pass freely from this place to the world we once walked in life; infact it is only impossible to move from there to here until death bids one here.  Mikomi can go there with quite ease, the only thing is, once his task is done, he must return, for he does not belong there and cannot linger there after it is all said and done.”

   Mikomi looked to Kashoku and said, “Can I really do it Kashoku?  Can I really see my mother and father again?  Can I see my sister, and cousin, and my friends, really?”

   Kashoku nodded and said, “Yes, Mikomi, but remember you cannot stay longer than you have to.  Once the battle is won, you will have no choice but to return to us, but do remember that when their time comes, every one of them will come to us and be here forever.  At least you will be blessed enough to see them again, even if only for a fleeting while and in a time of great fear and danger.”

   “It’s worth it,” Mikomi said, “Even though I head into adversity, I feel so blessed to be able to see them all again, for I was pulled away from them so quickly…there was no closure.  Now, I have that chance.”

   Mikomi looked grateful, almost excited to get to return to see his family again, finally able to have the closure his death denied them all.  Yet his grandparents didn’t look too sure of things, worried now for their sons and their families, and now their grandson who had to go back into it all.  Kashoku could see this worry in their eyes and said, “Fear not, for I would never send Mikomi back on his own.  Hidama and Knuckles are descendants of my own blood, as is Mikomi, and as the king of all echidnas, it is my duty to protect them, especially since I created the Master and Chaos Emeralds in the first place, dooming them to this fate.”

   Mitsukai, who spoke little through this all, got up fast, standing beside her husband with fear in her eyes.  She said, “But, my lord, are you really going to leave us here?  What can you possibly do there that you cannot do here?”

   The echidna looked to his wife, taking her hands in his own, and whispered, “My lady, I can finish what I started in my life; I created the Master Emerald and the Seven as gifts to you, and yet I made them far too magnificent and powerful for their own good.  You heard me before did you not?  If I was able to channel almost all of my power into their making, then surely I have the strength to channel the Master Emerald’s power into the Seven so they may be at full strength forevermore, freeing Mikomi from the burden of it being tied to his spirit, and allowing for the Seven to properly protect life as long as they need to.  After this, Mikomi and I can return to you all, and we can be at peace again, as well as the lives of everyone we must leave behind.”

   The queen was distressed, but nodded slowly, loving and trusting her husband.  She leaned in, kissing him lightly on the cheek, before moving to his lips, lingering there longer for a kiss before pulling away, nodding once more to acknowledge that she trusted him; “I understand…and I trust that you’ll see Mikomi and the world through safely no matter what faces you.”

   Kashoku smiled, before nodding in response to her.  He turned back to Mikomi and said, “Now, I will say this, much of what you’ve experienced here will become temporarily obscure to you as we walk below, for elements of this world cannot pass back to the first without becoming seriously corrupted.  So, I’ll help us overcome this by simply obscuring all that we know of here from our minds; we will only remember what we could know without having come here.  Of course, once we return, so shall our memories of this place, unharmed, as we shall be.”

   “Now just a minute,” Mikomi’s grandfather said, “Neither of you have bodies to return to.  Mikomi’s was practically eradicated, and yours is buried on a cliff overlooking the eastern sea.  How do you intend to walk among them to a point where they can interact with you again?”

   Mikomi looked to Kashoku, who looked at Mikomi’s grandfather with a stern eye, almost as if he was scolding him at being challenged.  His grandfather looked away in silence, unable to handle Kashoku’s piercing amber eyes.  The echidna king then shook his head, sighing and said, “I am capable of many things my son, and I’d hope that you’d trust in the soul that created the Master Emerald and was the father to the son that you descended from, to carry us to a peaceful resolution.”  Mikomi’s grandfather was silent, as was everyone, struck down with silence.

   Kashoku smiled weakly and let out another sigh.  “I apologize,” he whispered, “This is not a place for ill will and mistrust.  Let us remember that it is the lives of those we wait for that are in danger, and offer all of our concern for them, watching over them in their plight.  Only, this time, merely watching for their safety is not enough.  This time, we must intercede and walk among them once more.”

   He looked to Mikomi, who returned his gaze with his own.  He nodded and said, “Really, Lord Kashoku, how are we going to go back there and help them if we have no bodies to return to…at least you could dig yours out of the dirt…I just evaporated.”

   Letting out a laugh, Kashoku stood beside Mikomi and said, “My body has long wasted away by now Mikomi.  Trust me, I have it all under control.  There’s something I need you to see before we depart.  Come with me.”

   Mikomi and Kashoku walked alone to a special sanctuary just downhill from the golden tree.  Inside of it, on the top of a stone pedestal, sat a glittering gem.  It was almost translucent like a diamond, but had a swirl of opalescence below the surface; the center of the gem was filled with an orb of light, which flashed with every color of the rainbow, and the entire spectrum of colors in between.  This gem, shaped like a chaos emerald, only a little larger, was called the Celestial Emerald.

   Walking up to it, Kashoku said, “Mikomi, while creating the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds almost completely drained me of my power, upon my arrival here all that power was restored.  Reunited with my beloved Mitsukai, I combined my renewed power with her precious Light and created this final treasure for her and our kindred.  In an essence it was a way of bringing the Master Emerald with us, which was an heirloom to my family, a treasure, significant of our race.  It was meant to be a gift to Mitsukai, and again, another symbol of the echidna race, for we have no need for protection against evil here.  While I am almost certain it will prove no use in battle, I know it has the power we need to walk among the living once more.”

   Mikomi gazed at the gem; in his years here he had never seen it this close, nor had he heard the story of its making.  After a few moments, he looked to Kashoku and said, “Then we must go, and quickly, for they need us desperately don’t they?”

   The two looked to each other and then out a window of the sanctuary to the kingdom below.  Kashoku sighed and said, “They have such great need, but don’t even know it yet, I’m afraid.  You are right though my son, we have little time to waste.”  He paused, then looked to Mikomi and said, “That’s funny…for so long…I have had no need to measure the count of years to pass in that distant realm, and yet, it seems now the little time I have is all I can think about.”

   Consumed by silence, Kashoku and Mikomi both glanced back at the Celestial Emerald, trying to find words to say, and still coming up short.  Kashoku walked back to it and said, “It’s been years since I walked among the living…it will be quite an experience to go back, even though we’ll have no need to draw breath.”

   Eyes widened, Mikomi said, “No, wait, Kashoku, can’t we at least try to look like we’re, well, alive like they are, or physical, or whatever.”

   Kashoku laughed and said, “Don’t be distressed Mikomi, the Celestial Emerald can handle it, as can my power; it will serve as a way to stay connected to this realm though we may be disjointed.  I may need it when the time comes to drive the Master Emerald’s power back to the Seven, and free from your soul.”  He paused, then taking the Celestial Emerald from its base he said, “Come, we have no time to waste.  We must say our goodbyes and return…though I’m unsure of exactly what lies before us, we must go forth and leave our fears behind.”

   The two left the sanctuary and began the walk to the kingdom to bid farewell to their brethren.  Both were silent on the way, and as Mikomi walked, he closed his eyes and thought, “Gee…I’m twenty-seven now aren’t I, though, depending on what month it is I may already be twenty-eight.  It’ll be wonderful to see my family one more time before they come here to join us.  I wonder how they’re doing…I wonder if Kelsey’s okay…or…Amarie.  I wonder what happened to her and Pyro…will they even recognize me…or remember me?”

   Eternal day suddenly gave way to darkness as eyelids covered lime green eyes, shut tight as she slept, until this dream, or nightmare, jarred her free from her sleep.

   “No!” she cried, shooting up in bed.  It was Amarie, ten years older, frightened from her sleep by this strange dream she was having about her dead brother and ancestors she never met before, and yet had clear pictures of their faces, her uncle Hidama had told her so, recognizing their faces from old paintings of them before their ancestral home, Angel Island, fell out of the sky.

   Sweat drops rolled down her cheeks as she panted.  Next to her, her husband of almost two years was awoken by her cries.  Pyro, the son of Sonic the Hedgehog, sat up beside her, trying to comfort his wife.

   “Amarie!  Relax, just relax, everything’s alright sweetie, I promise.  It was just a dream,” he said, pulling her into his arms and holding her.

   She looked up at him, trying to catch her breath and said, “But Pyro, it was the same as before…Mikomi and whatever his name is, Kashoku, are talking about how the world is in danger, and how they have to come here and stop it.  I just wish it would go away…it’s the same way every time.  It ends with Mikomi wondering if I’ll even remember who he is…wondering if anything will ever be the same…it scares me so badly.  I wish it would go away.”

   Amarie burst into tears, burying her face into Pyro’s chest as she wept.  He held her tightly, kissing her on the head before resting his head on hers, trying to soothe her tears.  He was used to her crying like this, at least more than normal, as her moods were constantly out of whack.  He smiled and looked down at her tummy, which was now quite round, as they were expecting their first baby in the weeks to come.  Taking his hand, he rubbed her pregnant belly gently and whispered, “Come on now Amarie, you need your rest and you know it.  It’s just a dream, albeit one of those recurring ones, but it’s never gonna happen.  I’m sure Mikomi is just fine and he will be until we get there, but hey, we should be focused on life now, right?”

   Inhaling deeply to try and suppress her tears, Amarie looked up at Pyro again, and returned his smile with her own, though it was shaky.  As he helped her sit up, she nodded and said, “I—I know Pyro, it’s just…I’ve had that dream for days now, and the thing is, it just won’t go away.  I’ve called Dad and asked him about it…I’ve begged Uncle Hidama to tell me everything he knows about Kashoku and Mitsukai.  I can draw out what my grandparents look like without having ever seen them outside of this dream, and both Dad and Uncle Hidama both rave on how accurately I draw them…Uncle Hidama even talked about how I drew Kashoku and Mitsukai…I mean, he’s never seen them but says my pictures are just like the ancient paintings he remembers.  It’s just…scary.”

   She glanced down and rubbed her tummy, letting out a sigh that turned into a yawn midway.  She looked back to Pyro and said, “I know you think I’m crazy and it’s just being pregnant that does it to me…but, this dream, it’s just so real…I hate it so much, because it scares me to no end.”

   Pyro laughed softly, placing his hand on hers, looking down at her middle and said, “Aww, I don’t think you’re crazy…just because your moods are a little off because of the baby doesn’t make you crazy.  It just hurts me because I know you’re really shaken up by this…I want you to feel better, okay?”

   He kissed her gently and said, “Now come on, you need your sleep, and so do I.  Remember that Oliver and Aries are coming to visit soon…you know how much I love it when my sister comes to check up on me for Mom and Dad.”

   As Pyro rolled his eyes and started to lie down, Amarie laughed at his sarcasm.  She snuggled down under the covers next to him, and as he put his arm around her she said, “Aww Pyro, you know she only comes here to visit because she loves you…I mean, think about it; your parents are further away than just a walk down the street, or even a car trip away.  They’re in another galaxy…so I guess she feels it’s her responsibility to look after you.  I know if Mikomi were here he’d do the same thing, like Kelsey tries to do for him.”

   “Or like he told me to do before he died maybe?” Pyro asked, looking at her once more and grinning.

   She smiled, lowered her eyes and whispered, “Like that…just like that.”  After a few moments, she looked up at him and said, “I love you Pyro.”

   Kissing her on the cheek once more he replied, “I love you too Amarie.  Now, relax, and try and get some rest.  Remember it’s just a bad dream…and I want you to have sweet ones, okay?”

   Amarie giggled softly, then nodded, kissing him goodnight, before they both went back to sleep.  Sure Amarie felt better, but, was her nightmare, really just a bad dream, or was the miscommunication of time between this world and the afterlife simply giving her visions of what was to come?

   Far away in the Emerald Hills, just outside of Station Square, a brilliantly colored shooting star appeared in the heavens.  A squirrel searching for food looked up at it, amazed by its color and brightness, only to quickly run away in fright as it grew larger and larger, heading straight for the hills below as it flew out of the sky.

   The object that plowed into the ground however, was not a meteorite; the Celestial Emerald, its radiant, colored light still beaming from within now rested on the ground.  As the tremors cleared, the squirrel looked from behind the tree, only to see two figures cloaked in black, slowly materialize beside it.  They were both about the same height, except, one of them had two red ears tipped in white that the squirrel could only see briefly before he pulled the hood of his cloak over them.

   “Ugh, Kashoku…that was…quite a ride,” one of them said.

   “I know Mikomi, but let’s be grateful that it was the Celestial Emerald doing the crashing and not us…I’m not sure how fragile these temporary bodies are, so it’ll be best not to be reckless,” the other replied.

   Both of them paused, consumed by silence again.  The first one murmured, “We’re back…I feel chills Kashoku.  This is hardly the world you remember, but for me, not much has changed, save the absence of Angel Island in the sky…I wonder how everyone is doing…where they all are?”

   “Well, there’s no time to simply ponder Mikomi.  We must round everyone up quickly, including Shadow the Hedgehog for the two of the Seven he possesses.  Come, we’d be best finding the other Five first.  Then, we’ll find your father and uncle,” the second one explained.

   Picking up the Celestial Emerald, the two figures then raced into the night, but, this was not a dream.  No, this was a dream made real, only now, the world would find out if Amarie’s dream, was truly a dream, or the beginning of a long, and literally unending nightmare.