There were few things that could bring Sonic a sense of inner peace, but none as much as finding time to sit down and play his guitar. It was a soothing feeling. One that brought his often racing mind to rest.
For the past hour, he'd sat on a bench down the sidewalk of main street in Mobotropolis, the capital city of Acorn Kingdom jurisdiction. He'd not be accompanied, not by Sally, nor by Tails. He didn't mind having his own personal time, especially in this case. Everyone had their own way of coping with these trying times, and he'd figured this was his.
Sonic peacefully plucked away at the chords of his instrument as the people of Mobotropolis passed by. It was an odd thought to him how they continued to roam the city like nothing had happened. He saw it as "very bizarre".
"Hi Sonic." One of the bystanders greeted him as she walked passed with her child. He gave her a gentle smile in reply, keeping both hands playing.
"Hero of Mobius, what's up man!" Another fellow Mobian greeted as he passed by.
"How's it goin." He briefly replied with the same smile.
He didn't know what to expect by clearing his head in the center of the city, though there was something about socializing with the common people that made him feel at ease. Well, either that or he just loved the attention.
"Sonic?" He then finally heard a voice he could recognize in a heartbeat. He'd looked up from the guitar, and saw Tails strolling on by.
"Tails? What are ya doin' in the city buddy? Where's your mom?" He questioned as he sat the guitar down next to him on the green bench.
"Actually... I've been avoiding being at home. Things have gotten pretty tense around the house." His voice slightly dropped, tugging on Sonic's heartstrings.
"Rosemary and your dad fighting?" Sonic questioned with concern.
"Well, it's just safe to say dad hasn't been around much. He and mom have been arguing, and I just can't look at him right now." Tails sat down on the bench next to Sonic as he moved his guitar.
"Yikes.. that bad, huh?" Sonic asked.
"I just... I want things to go back to how they were. I hate this! I hate everything about it!" The fox child began to sound choked up as his voice rose.
Sonic stared at him for a moment with a heartbreaking expression. He himself hated what was happening, but seeing it affect his young friend in such a way hurt him dearly.
"You and me both, buddy." Sonic easily patted Tails on the back.
But as their heart-to-heart had only just started, Sonic had noticed something.. rather strange. The local Mobians that were scattered all around the square were each beginning to turn their attention to the sky. Curious, Sonic too looked up.
The beautiful baby blue skyline, was quickly being taken over by a heard of clouds like he'd never seen. These clouds were not average storm clouds, no they were something worse. Something far more sinister.
They were a purple color, with a light crimson hue to them. Within moments, the sun was no longer in sight. The clouds had covered it like a slew of solid rocks. The atmosphere had a dark aura, sending harsh chills up Sonic's spine. It took him longer than expected, but he finally began to understand what was happening.
"Umm, Sonic... what's going on?" Tails stood up from the bench as he looked to the sky in awe. He noticed Sonic's eyes had widened in fear, as he too stood to his feet.
"She's coming.." He spoke in terrified awe. He finally tore his eyes off the dark sky and looked down at Tails. "Buddy, I need you to listen really good to what I'm about to say, okay? You need to fly home as fast as you can. You and your mom lock yourselves in the basement until I come back for you!" He firmly spoke to the child as he places his arms on his shoulders.
"Why? Sonic, what's going on?" Tails began to frantically question, trying his best not to feel scared. Sonic wanted to explain everything about the Iron Queen and her history, but there was no time. They had to make every second count that the could.
"Just do it, okay? I'll be by there shortly!" Sonic spoke one last time to his favorite kid, before sprinting off with his super speed. Miles, now knowing Sonic wouldn't answer his question, finally did as asked and launched himself into the air with his dual rotating tails.
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Sally had just started drying off her hair from the shower, now in the process of putting her blue vest and boots back on. While doing so, she looked up at the windowed double doors of her bedroom balcony to see her reflection. Her hair was frizzy, just barely starting to take its usual wavy shape.
But in the window, she had looked past her hair, and saw the newly forming clouds. The dark red mystical aura the surrounded them caused her to drop the hairdryer she had in her hand and gasp in fear.
"Oh my god.." She quietly spoke to herself.
But as she was just in the process of understanding what was about to happen—and not just to her, but to her people too—she heard the front door of her secret safe lodge fly open. She quickly skipped around the corner, seeing Sonic standing before her. He too, had the same face of slight distraught.
"Sonic... tell me it isn't true." Her voice stayed soft, afraid of his answer. Though somehow, she already know. He hadn't said a word. Nor did his facial expression change.
"Blue, please tell me she isn't here!" Sally stomped up to Sonic, easily placing her hand on his chest.
"Sal, I know you're scared. But we don't have time to sit around and panic. We have to go grab—
"Sonic do you not remember what she did?! How many lives it took to keep her down—
"Sally, listen! We have to go get Tails and Rosemary and go to the Freedom Fighters HQ. Naugus doesn't know where it's at, and neither does Amadeus. That's the only safe place we have right now!" Sonic wanted to calm her down, though he knew at this point, there was no point in doing so.
"Right... right, got it." Sally took a deep breath, recollecting herself. She too knew she needed to calm down, but at this time it was just too hard. Not to mention, she was the leader of the Freedom Fighters. And as leader, keeping a cool head was not only necessary, but mandatory.
"Come on! We don't have much time." Sonic spoke once more in a hurry, aggressively leading her out the door.
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Elias hadn't thought about his exile for nearly the entire day now, which was his best record so far. His mind had been on other things. Peaceful things. Things that included Meg's beautiful village, the ever growing green forest, Alexis and yes, Meg. That was the main one. The only one that brought even a slight amount of plague to his conscious. Though he didn't see a resolution to his exile any time in the future, he still saw a conflict in his interest of Meg.
He sat alone on her backyard wooden porch, letting the gentle breeze and perfect weather help ease his mind. The overhead awning blocked out any direct sunlight, keeping him nice and cool. It was peaceful to have times like this. He was so deep into his thought, he'd forgotten exactly where he was twice now.
"Care if I join you?" He then heard Meg's sweet soothing voice from behind. He slightly turned his head, seeing her approach from the back door.
"Not at all, please." He welcomed her with a soft and friendly tone. She joined him by sitting down on the chair next to him with only a small table in between.
"You've been quiet today. Is there something on your mind?" She selflessly questioned the exiled one.
He wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her everything. From the ailment of his father, to the royal blood that ran in his and his sister's veins. Hell by now, he thought she deserved to know. After all she'd done for him, and he was still keeping things from her. Important things.
"I've just been... trying to figure some things out. That's all." He briefly replied, knowing no other way to word it without spilling everything about him.
"I can tell. In fact, I've noticed ever since you've been in my home," She stopped, gaining his entire attention, "I never like to pry. It's none of my business, so I don't want to intrude your life. But you seem like a man who's very conflicted." She easily placed her hand on his forearm.
More than you'll ever know. He thought to himself.
Elias sighed, and turned his body almost completely to face her.
"I can't tell you how bad I've wanted to explain to you my inner demons. Somehow over the past few days, I've grown a comfort around you that I've only ever had with my sister. It's an... odd, feeling. I don't know how to explain it. But I know if I ever told you who I really was, that would put you into some very dangerous crosshairs. And I can't do that. Not to you, and not to Alexis." He tried his hardest to keep it inside. But even he knew he was letting it slip.
"What do you mean? Are you a... Hitman or—
"No, no! Nothing like that." Elias slightly chuckled at her interesting guess.
"It's just—where I'm from, I guess you could call me an... important person of interest. I have some powerful enemies, and I don't want you to get tangled up in it all. You're a great person and amazing mother, you don't deserve to be caught up in my life." He was so close to letting it all out. Oh how he wanted her to know so badly!
"Elias, listen to me," She stopped, easily pulling his face to look back at her with her palm, "I don't care about all of that. You're a wonderful man, and an even better person. The entire world could be against you, and I'd stand by your side. No matter what." She slightly stroked his cheek as she spoke from the heart.
This was it. The exact feeling he was talking about. The strong emotional connection he felt with the woman. Internally, he knew exactly what it was. But as he'd stated, he didn't want her to get involved with his extremely dangerous and complicated life. One with with a child was not meant for it, though he could never figure out how how own father did it. However, Elias always was adventurous.
They had leaned in closer than they'd realized. The heat could be felt off of one another's cheeks. It wasn't intentional, though neither of them wanted to stop it either.
It was at this moment, Elias realized he could actually be wrong. And as tough as it was for him to admit, he'd hoped he was wrong.
In an instant's pass, their lips had met. It was done. He'd crossed that line he desperately wanted her to stay away from. Both their eyes had shut to embrace the passion of the moment. Elias had placed his hand on top of hers that covered his cheek. There was no point in denying it any longer. He had fallen for her.
They'd pulled off of one another not long after, meeting his blue eyes with her soft green. Both of their faces could not be explained. A mixture of emotions circulated through their joined energy.
"I'm.. sorry, I just—
"No! No... it's.. it's alright." Meg promptly interrupted him from apologizing. "It.. felt right. Felt needed.." Meg shyly cut off, slightly turning away from him. He stared at her in surprise for a moment, before happily sighing with a gentle smile.
"I've felt strongly about you the past few days... and I didn't think it fair to do so. You lost your husband, and I didn't want you to think I was trying to jump in there since there was an opportunity." He explained himself, hoping she understood what he was doing.
"For reasons just as selfless as that is why I've.. fallen for you, Elias. I've never met a kinder, more selfless man in my life. Any one person would be lucky as hell to have you in theirs." She easily stroked his forearm with her palm.
Those exact words are what he was worried about. He'd have to tell her the truth about his identity now, right?
"Meg.." He sighed as he turned away from her to face the newly red-clouded skyline. "There's something about me you need to know..." His voice had dropped. "I'm not just some random guy you found in the woods. I'm actually the heir to the—
Wait a second, red and purple clouds?
Elias stopped speaking, as he quickly switched his gaze back up to the sky. The familiar pattern and tint of something he knew to be far more sinister than any storm.
The return of the Iron Queen.
"Impossible.." He spoke to himself, standing up from his deck chair in terrified awe.
"Elias?" Meg questioned in concern, she too was standing and staring into the clouds.
"Those are some very odd clouds." She then stated, raising a brown in confusion. Elias then quickly turned to her, and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Meg, we can't stay here. It's not safe for you and Alexis anymore." His random statement caught her by surprise.
"What?! Elias, what is going on! You're starting to scare me!" He could feel the skin beneath her fur grown goosebumps. He wanted to take her and Alexis right then and just run. Run as far as they could. But he knew if he didn't finally come clean now, he'd lose her trust.
"Meg," He sighed, placing his hand on her cheek, "it's time for you to know the truth. My name is Elias Acorn, heir to the throne of the Acorn Kingdom." He stopped, watching as her eyes widened in silent awe. "I was exiled from my home. From the throne. And the people who did it, are about to bring the harshest wrath Mobius has ever seen. So I need you to trust me! We have to go, now." He finally let it all spill out. Now she knew. She knew everything.
"Do you trust me?" He again asked, gaining no other reply than her shocked expression.
"Meg, do you trust me?" He asked one final time, watching as she forcefully shook herself from her daze.
"Yes.." She quietly replied. It made him feel warm and incredible that she trusted him sith not just her life, but her daughters as well. But there was no time to bathe in it. Right now, he had to get them back to the kingdom.
Back to the headquarters of the Knothole Freedom Fighters.