The Gems in Us All (HIATUS)

The Search Begins

Sonic slept good that night, exhausted from the fight. But the next day, he was up and ready for more instruction. "Good morning Wind." He greeted. "Sleep good?"

I don't sleep. I have to be alert in case you're attacked while you're asleep.

"I see..." he walked into the bathroom and looked into the mirror, seeing Wind staring back. "So what's the plan for today?"

"We find more Amethysts, of course. But first, let me explain how we got started in the first place..."
"Long ago, there was our queen, Hope. Now the queen had two suitors, Dominus being one of them. The other I shall not name to protect his identity. Anyway, both of them wanted Hope as theirs, but Hope chose the other suitor, not Dominus. That got Dominus mad."

"Let me guess, Dominus tried to kill the other suitor." Sonic suggested.

"Correct. But Hope got in his way. She cast a spell that prevented Dominus' attacks to work on her mate, but that only made Dominus want to kill both of them.
So Hope forged us Amethysts to find suitable keepers and be her emissaries, preventing Dominus from destroying the world..."

Sonic smirked, "So this war between you and the Obsidians was all because Hope didn't pick Dominus? That's stupid."

"I agree, but that doesn't change history. Dominus is also mad because we managed to get one of his own emissaries to join our side..." Wind sighed. "I'm proud of you, you know."

"Really?"

"Yeah...you agreed to do this so fast... August took weeks."

Sonic grinned, "I've always been quick on the uptake! Now let's do this thing...!"

................................................................

"...so you're running around with another person in your head?" Knuckles asked. "That's messed up."

"How do I know which one of you I'm kissing?" Amy inquired.

Sonic rolled his eyes, "I don't think Wind would do that."

"Well, at least your 'insanity' problem has been solved." Tails murmured. "How are you planning on finding the rest of the Amethysts' keepers, though?"

"Wind says I'll feel it when they use their powers. Like a beacon or something. Unfortunately, the Obsidians can sense it too."

"So once its on, its a race on who gets to them first." Knuckles smirked, "sounds like fun. More fun than waiting for my bride-to-be to show up."

In echidna society, the girls were given to the sons of whoever their parents chose as wives. Knuckles thought this to be stupid, but he didn't want to make a scene by rejecting her.

That was the reason the four stood waiting at the docks for her to exit the boat. Knuckles' eyes skimmed the crowds, until he saw her walking towards him, dressed in traditional betrothal clothes. "Here we go..." he mumbled.

"Knuckles, I presume." She set her solitary bag down and bowed. "I'm Tikal. Thank you for being here for me."

"Um...yeah." Knuckles rubbed his neck. "Guys, this is Tikal. Tikal, this is Amy, Sonic and Tails."

Amy took Tikal's hands with a smile. "Welcome to the group, Tikal. You want anything?"

Tikal nodded, "I could use a drink after being on that boat for so long."

Amy nodded, leading her away with a wink to Knuckles.

"There's Amy for ya," Sonic joked. "Taking the attention all for herself."

Knuckles sighed. "I barely handle it when you guys stay on the Isle with me. How am I supposed to deal with a nervous little girl on it with me 24/7!?"

"Who knows?" Tails suggested, "Maybe she won't be so bad."
Suddenly Sonic stiffened. "What is it?"

"...I think another Amethyst manifested."

................................................................

Shadow stepped into the apartment, dropping his bag by the door before collapsing onto the couch with a sigh.

"Hard day at the office?"

Shadow looked up at his fiancé, who was currently slicing lettuce and putting it in a bowl. "Rouge, I don't want to see another release form ever again."

Rouge giggled. "Don't worry, we just have bills here."

Shadow's head fell onto the couch with another sigh. Then he noticed the silence. "Rouge, where's Silver?"

"Sleeping. Come to think of it, he's been sleeping most of the afternoon."

Shadow forgot his own fatigue, getting up and poking his head into the secondary bedroom.

Silver had been a part of Shadow's team since they'd found him in an abandoned lab, being used as a living battery while in stasis. No kid deserved that kind of torture.
That had been a year ago, and Shadow had started to enjoy having him around, he had potential.

Today, Shadow found his charge awake, but cuddled under multiple blankets. "Shouldn't you be doing your chores, Silver?"

"Too cold..." Silver murmured.

Shadow walked over, putting a hand on Silver's forehead. "You are pretty warm."

"You don't have to worry about getting sick...with your super immune system, and all."

Shadow smirked. "I'll let Rouge know you're not feeling well."
He closed the door behind him. "He's running a fever in there."

"Poor thing. He's usually pretty healthy." Rouge set her knife down. "Dinner will be done in a few minutes, so wash up."

Shadow nodded, going to the sink and turning it on. At first he didn't notice it, but then as he pumped soap onto his hands, he saw the soap begin to bubble, and not like normal.
It was boiling.

"Rouge...!" He whispered. "Look at this...!"

Rouge turned and gasped, "what the heck!?" She hissed. "Your hands are dry too."

How was Shadow holding boiling soap and yet it not even feel hot? He washed off the soap down the drain and the water evaporated as it touched his hands. "This is insane...!" He said. "I'm heating stuff just by touching it and it doesn't even feel hot!"

Rouge put an ice cube on his palms, watching it melt within seconds. "Weird."

Shadow nodded. He'd never admit it, but this scared him.

................................................................

"Sir... we are picking up a second Amethyst manifestation. In the same town as the other."

Lord Dominus grinned, the grip on his staff tightening. "I feel him too...Good... Close in on him. Zircon!"

The knight rushed over, bowing low. "You called me, my lord...?" He asked.

"Yes...go to the Center World and wipe out our new adversary, before he learns of his true identity...!"

Zircon grinned. "Of course, my lord...I will win where poor Onyx failed."

Lord Dominus' smile widened as Zircon vanished in a puff if smoke. "Your life force will soon be mine, Spring Thaw...!"