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"Until the End of Forever"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 2: "Now That You're Here..."

   The storm that started with Kashoku’s and Mikomi’s arrival thundered on into the night, and yet Mikomi lay in deep sleep undisturbed by any of it.  Kashoku explained their arrival just as he had explained it to Mikomi’s grandparents before they left, even if he left out his vision of doom on the horizon to keep from scaring them, seeing that poor Amarie was already shaken enough.  The entire time, she kept one hand on her tummy, and the other went between caressing Mikomi’s brow, and tightly holding onto his hand.

   He finished telling the story, and was dismayed when Knuckles and Hidama had yet to arrive.  There was nothing he could do but wait, and because Mikomi still lay in an unwavering slumber, it was a very nerve-racking wait for Kashoku.  He took Mikomi back to one of the guest rooms where Amarie remained to sit at his side; Aries kept her company, while Oliver and Pyro stayed in the living room with Kashoku, Oliver wanting to talk to the ancient high king, and Pyro sitting in an arm chair, arms folded, and watching him closely, as if wary of him and his presence.

   “I don’t understand…why are wielders needed for this transference of power Kashoku?  Why can’t you transfer the power with the Celestial Emerald?” Oliver asked.

   Kashoku looked up from a book he was reading at the hybrid fox, shook his head, laughing and said, “My boy, it’s far more complicated than you think.  To answer your first question; I had it set up before my death how the Master Emerald could be drained of its power, and it involved the Guardian and the Seven Village Elders.  The Guardian would provide both the means and the medium of passing the power to the chaos emeralds, one of each was to be held by the seven village elders.  Mikomi tried to do the same thing, but since he didn’t have the ample amount of experience or Guardian blood, he was unable to direct the power properly and thus it destroyed him before becoming tied to his soul.”

   “Hmm, okay, so the Seven of us, whoever we are, are taking the place of the village elders,” Oliver started, “I understand that…but, if the Guardian is both the means and the medium for this transference, why do you need the Celestial Emerald?”

   “Well, think about it Oliver.  Mikomi’s body is still fragile, and even if it were fully mortal like yours, it’s still more fragile then solid strength of the Master Emerald.  The last thing I want is to start to pull the power out of him and put it straight into the chaos emeralds.  That could rip him apart.  Instead, I’m going to have it pulled into the Celestial Emerald, which being immensely stronger than the Master Emerald ever was, can contain it with ease, providing an even smoother transference than even the most experienced Guardian could.”

   Oliver looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned, looking to Kashoku and said, “That being you, right?”  Kashoku smiled, slightly embarrassed as he tried to remain humble.  Oliver laughed and then added, “Okay, I think this is making sense now.  We just have to gather the seven chaos emeralds and the wielders up, and then we can do this…”

   Pyro, who had remained silence for the entire time, stood up fast and said, “Wait a minute…you said Amarie is one of the wielders…you’re telling me you’re going to expose her to the same power that turned Olermere and Feldmort into those terrible mutant creatures?  Are you insane?  No way…I don’t care what you say…you’ll just have to find someone else.  Why can’t Aries do it?”

   Kashoku paused while listening to Pyro’s words.  He heard Oliver mention gathering both the chaos emeralds and the wielders.  This troubled the echidna king, for he had hoped the seven remained together under Hidama’s and Knuckles’ guard, even though he knew that Shadow and Rouge liked to keep two of them.  He was also unaware of the lengths he would have to go to gather the final four wielders, all of which he knew had to have some tie to either the Guardians, the Captains of the Guardians, or the souls that had the power to wield The Seven.  While this troubled him, he could not ignore Pyro’s words, and was beginning to grow impatient with the hedgecat, for while he was still a spirit, this didn’t mean he couldn’t be a malevolent one.

   He stood up, closing the book and sitting it on the table below him, and took two steps towards Pyro before stopping to stare him down, scolding him for his misbehavior in a way that even Sonic couldn’t ever approach.  Pyro’s glare softened into a worried gaze as Kashoku took three more steps toward him, causing him to take two steps back towards the chair before the echidna stopped again.

   “You’re questioning me…how dare you speak such ill child.  I may look young, but I have knowledge of the world as it existed from the birth of life until now, and I will not be talked down to by some child who’s only walked the planet for a weak second of her life span!” Kashoku shouted, a fire flaring up in his eyes as he spoke.

   Pyro fell back into the arm chair, clutching his legs as he curled into a ball, whimpering after being yelled at.  Even as a spirit the echidna high king could be very frightening, and even this little shout was enough to bring Pyro to his knees, as if he were a toddler running in tears to his mother’s open arms, and Kashoku could see this immediately.  The fire in his eyes died down and his anger melted away.  Oliver watched them, his arms folded, as Kashoku knelt down beside the arm chair, taking Pyro’s hand in his own, and placed his other hand on Pyro’s head, causing the trembling hedgecat to open his eyes.

   Kashoku smiled again, shook his head and said, “I apologize for scaring you, Pyro, son of Sonic and Blaze.  You do need to learn respect for your elders however; you’re a man now, almost a father and in charge of your own life.  It’s okay to hang on to the freedom of your youth, but don’t let that eclipse your newfound maturity.  You’ll need to be a leader someday, and thus need to have respect for all life if you expect any in return.  You also need to be a good example for those to follow; your father understood this, and so should you…alright?”

   After collecting his spilled emotions, Pyro nodded and murmured, “Okay,” in response.  Oliver grinned and let out a peaceful sigh as he shook his head.  Pyro stood up, heaving his own sigh as he did so.

   Kashoku took a minute to rise, still feeling light fatigue from putting his temporary body through so much so quickly, but as he did so, he said, “Anyway, to answer your concern Pyro, which I shared with you from the beginning, no, I’d never bring that kind of risk to Amarie or her baby, that’s not even a question.  Your sister, however, is not one of the Seven Wielders, and I can’t choose them; they were pre-chosen according to their ties to three criteria; they are all related to either the Guardians, the Captains of the Guardians, or any of the Souls that can wield the Seven.  You and Oliver are two of the wielders because both of your fathers can use the Seven to go Super, thus you meet the third category.  Amarie meets it because she is the daughter of one of the Guardians.  I’m sure that Hidama’s daughter is one of them, and Shadow’s is as well because he can go Super, however the identity of the final two eludes me.  Aries is not one of them because she is already a Guardian.”

   “Wait…you said the Captains of the Guardian right?” Oliver asked.  “What about the Brokenstar Twins…aren’t they the sons of one of the Captains of the Guardian?  Wasn’t their father’s name Armundae or something?” he added, looking to Pyro for confirmation.

   Kashoku’s eyes lit up; he looked to Oliver and said, “Armundae…distant cousin to the Guardian…he did have two sons didn’t he?  They were the first hybrids to walk the world…Aranelion and Elianaron.”  He paused, turned to Oliver and asked, “Tell me, do they have children of their own?  They are the only survivors of the House of the Captains, so their children would meet that criteria and would be the final Wielders.”

   “Oh sure, Aranelion and Elianaron both have sons.  Aranelion’s son is named Zachary, and he married Kelsey, Hidama’s daughter.  Elianaron’s son is named Jeremy, and he married Shadow’s daughter, Amberly.  The two couples live in Sandysun City, not far from where Aranelion lives with his wife Camillia in Starshine Town.  Elianaron lives there too, but his wife died a few years after Jeremy was born,” Oliver explained.

   Upon hearing this, Kashoku closed his eyes, folding his hands together, and lowering his head in prayer for the wife of Elianaron.  Pyro and Oliver were silent as they watched this, and were humbled by Kashoku’s actions, immediately saying a prayer of reverence and peace for her, and to comfort the souls of those she left behind, even though she had long since passed on.  He murmured, “May the mother of one of the chosen wielders be at peace…I pray for your comfort until your loved ones return to you, wife of the Captain…daughter of my house.”

   Pyro blinked, and thought, “That’s right…Armundae is a distant grandson of Kashoku’s, just like the Guardian was, which means Elianaron and Aranelion are also his distant grandsons, just like Hidama and Knuckles are.  He’s praying for a family member…”

   “Alas…more of my kindred that are touched by this peril…,” Kashoku said, stirring Pyro out of his thoughts.  Rolling his neck along his shoulders, he sighed, letting his arms fall loose at his sides as he stood erect.  “I shouldn’t have left my family with such a burden…even the sons of Armundae, the proud captain, must suffer.  My own flesh and blood have toiled, suffered, and bled to protect her and any of those who come under threat due to her existence…one even died for the good of all life, good and evil.  This should have been undone a long time ago…before my heart crumbled to death for the love of my dear Mitsukai.  This is…my fault…”  His voice was barely audible as he spoke those last words, and almost as if it served to make him feel even worse, a loud crash of thunder answered him in reply before he could draw his next breath to sigh.

   Pyro and Oliver continued to watch in silence.  Oliver’s ears pressed back against his head in sadness, for he could feel Kashoku’s pain, pain that was obviously tied to his very spirit…guilt for any suffering he influenced, whether directly or indirectly.  He glanced at his watch, wondering what was keeping Knuckles and Hidama, so perhaps this dark mood could be lifted.  He glanced at Pyro who felt the same sadness that Oliver did, and yet still looked as if one more question was dying to escape his lips, even as he fought to hold it back, almost as if he was afraid that if he did that he would shatter the somber fog about them like a pane of glass.

   However, Kashoku demonstrated his power, sensing this resistance without even looking at Pyro.  “Speak Pyro…do not restrain eager words in fear of misspeaking them.”

   After letting out a gasp, Pyro rubbed the back of his head and said, “Well, I was just…wondering…after what you said; why did you create the Master Emerald and Seven Chaos Emeralds to begin with?  Was there really a need for all that power?”

   It was Kashoku’s turn to let out a gasp.  He turned around, smiling weakly and said, “Of course not Pyro…after I came into power, there was little confrontation in the infancy of the world…I created them and their counter parts, the One Jewel and the Seven, as gifts for my Queen, Lady Mitsukai.  I poured a large part of my power into their making and was weak for some time…but they became symbols of the greatness of the echidna race…heirlooms to my family.  The Seven Spirit Jewels I buried with Mitsukai when she died, the Seven Chaos Emeralds were offered to the Hedgehog tribes as a symbol of their alliance with the Echidnas after my death, leaving the two Masters for the families of my son, Sutei-Midoka, and my daughter, Alamalie.  Of course, in The Battle for Power, the descendent of Alamalie and her followers killed one of the distant grandsons of Sutei-Midoka, and the remaining son banished her and her people.  They took the Master Jewel with them, and the son and his followers abandoned my kingdom on the sea cliffs for Angel Island, taking the Master Emerald.  Dividing the Masters and the tribe was the beginning of the end…together they stood strong and proud, divided, they fell, and died together.”

   Oliver and Pyro stood with wide eyes as they took in all that was said.  They exchanged glances before looking back to Kashoku, who laughed weakly and said, “That was when the need for power arose.  When they became divided, the alliance also died.  The tribes were on their own…they were attacked by new enemies and became to rely on the Master Emerald to save them more and more, instead of taking up arms, dying for the glory of their kindred, in favor of exposing the power of the Master Emerald to more unworthy eyes.  They brought their deaths onto themselves when they abandoned one of their own for her favor, worshipping her like a god instead of forgiving their own flesh and blood, creating enemies in their kindred, Olermere and Feldmort, by whom, they met their end.  I should not preach as if I did nothing wrong…I trusted them with too much.  It was my fault for making the Masters and the Sevens vulnerable to both good and evil intentions…that’s why the Celestial Emerald will only serve good.  I hope that now by restoring the Seven, I can make it so they can only be used for good…then maybe the nightmare I created will be lay to rest at last.”

   Suddenly, the grandfather clock in the hallway gonged ten times.  Oliver glanced at his watch to confirm that it was ten o’ clock at night.  Kashoku looked to him and said, “You two go and spend time with your wives…especially you Pyro.  Amarie needs your support.  I’ll wait out here for Hidama and Knuckles to arrive.”

   Taking off his demin jacket, Oliver nodded, and walked off to the guest room without a word.  Pyro, however, walked up to Kashoku and said, “Are you sure you’ll be okay?  Do you need a drink or…oh, heh.”  Pyro paused, flushing red, remembering that Kashoku was only a spirit.

   Laughing softly, Kashoku replied, “I’m alright…it’ll be good for me to try to relax so this fatigue will leave me.  You go on…”

   Pyro nodded and turned to leave, but paused, looking back once more and said, “One more thing Kashoku…you said that your son was named Sutei-Midoka and your daughter was named Alamalie.  They sound just like Suta-Mikomi and Amarie.  Now is that just a coincidence or did Knuckles name them after your children?”

   Kashoku looked to Pyro and said, “Nothing is coincidental here…Hidama was given the title, “the Doomed Guardian” as a sign of hard times to come in his life, such as the massacre of his kindred, but he was also dubbed the new hope for his time, and he has made it through all of the adversities in his path…he was named the Heir to Kashoku because he inherited more of my character than any before him…he was thought to be a reincarnation of me…that was also a sign of the times to come.  But, to answer your question…I’m sure Knuckles knew nothing of the names of my children…and yet just as the Seven Wielders were chosen by fate, so were those names preordained for his children.”

   “Preordained…hmm,” Pyro said, closing his eyes in thought.  “If this was all preordained, then does that mean that everything is preordained?”

   “Of course not; we all have the freedom of choice…if anything all that is preordained remains part of the choices we’re given.  Only we can choose the outcome of these events…my kindred could have remained humble and forgiven Olermere, and had the choice to, but chose not to, and enacted this negative outcome.  Hidama knew he was named “the Doomed Guardian.”  He could have chosen to believe it and give up the fight, but instead he fought against it and brought peace.  Does that answer your question?”

   Pyro finally smiled, nodded and said, “Yeah…I think it does.”

   Nodding, Kashoku said, “Good…now, go do as I said and sit with your wife and family.  I’ll wait for Hidama and Knuckles.”

   Without another word, Pyro nodded once more, then turned and went to the guest room, leaving Kashoku alone with the silence that now enveloped him.  He let out a sigh, resting his eyes, and murmured, “We all make choices…now is the time for me to amend my own.  They call me the High King…and yet I am the reason all but a few are now dead.  It is time I amended it, and bring to them their peace before returning to my own.”

   Kashoku fell silent after this, listening to the rain, enchanted by the sound it made, as he had not heard it in years, but somehow reminded him of happier times, days that he could remember before his own soul passed away.  He knew that even through all the sadness there was still a ray of hope, and he smiled, for he knew everything would be alright.

   Though the rain continued to fall in abundance, Knuckles, Amy, and Hidama wasted no time gathering up the five chaos emeralds in their possession before rushing over to Pyro and Amarie's home, where they were told their long dead son and nephew now waited for them, sickened, but alive, and yet another visitor awaited their arrival, although Pyro was vague as to who he was or why he needed to see them.  The storm slowed their progress a bit, but it would take more than that to slow them down, not because of what Pyro had told them, but because the three of them, Knuckles more than any of them, were in great disbelief at what they were told and were that much more eager to get the story straight.  The last thing Knuckles wanted was to be teased about his son supposedly coming back from death, and by his own son-in-law no less.

   When they arrived, Knuckles banged on the door feverishly.  Hidama placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder and said, “Easy, easy Knuckles.  You don’t want to put your fist through the door do you?”

   As Amy hung on to Knuckles’ arm, he looked back at his brother and said, “Pyro told me that my son is alive…right now I’m not concerned about anything except finding out what would motivate him to lie to me so terribly.  If I find out this was some shrewd joke, I’m taking my daughter and my grandchild and leaving.”

   Hidama heaved a sigh, clenching a black velvet bag, which held the five chaos emeralds he guarded, tightly in his fist.  He shook his head and murmured, “I'm more curious about this ‘rogue visitor’ that begged for our presence…not only that, but for the chaos emeralds.  What would this have to do with Mikomi’s return I wonder…”

   Amy looked to Knuckles and said, “Oh, Knuxie, why do you think Pyro would just make something like this up?”

   Heaving a sigh, Knuckles replied, “I don’t…but…it’s just too miraculous to be real.  We saw Mikomi die…how could he just…come back from the dead like this?”

   Before Amy could offer a reply, Pyro pulled open the door.  Knuckles’ eyes met his own in a cold stare.  As he stepped inside, shaking his wet hair free of the loose rain drops, he whispered, “Okay Pyro…I warn you, if you fabricated any of what you told me on the phone, I swear you’ll never see Amarie again.”

   “I—I understand that you’re upset Knuckles, but I swear, Mikomi is alive…he came here with that other guy in the black robe, but fainted shortly after Amarie, my sister, and Oliver got here.  He’s back in the guest bedroom with Amarie, I swear, I wouldn’t make this up,” Pyro explained, pointing towards the guest bedroom. “Aries and Oliver are back there with them,” he added.

   With eyes widened in disbelief and confusion, Knuckles bolted in the direction of the guest bedroom, with Amy close behind.  Hidama, however, still holding the black velvet satchel with the chaos emeralds, turned to Pyro and said, “This visitor…who is he?”

   The hedgecat let out a sigh, clenching his eyes shut in annoyance.  He said, “Oh, him…I dunno…what was his name?  He’s some ancient echidna king or whatever…he says that you’re his family or whatever…what was his name?  Ugh…”

   Now Hidama’s eyes widened in similar wonder and disbelief.  He turned, leaving Pyro to ponder, and walked into the living room, where a fire continued to blaze in the fireplace, providing more ambience than light, which came from two table lamps and a chandelier hanging from above.  Hidama froze when he saw the figure in a black hooded robe, inspecting a row of pictures on the hearth, taking interest in two in particular.  One was of Angel Island before it crashed into ruin, and the other was of Hidama and Knuckles, standing before the Master Emerald on its altar, again, before the fall.

   He murmured, “Oh, what became of Angel Island fair?  Mmm, it’ll never be the same as the ancient sea kingdom which I took rule of…when my children fought…the beauty was lost forever, in the separation of the Masters…I failed my people.  I did not provide them a means of escape from their colossal power, and thus, my very descendents suffered, even died for her.”

   Hidama’s breath fell short as he took in a soft but sharp gasp.  This caught the ears of this stranger, who turned around, the locks of his hair, golden stripes against red, to gaze at him.  His amber eyes went warm as Hidama came into his sight.  A smile graced his face as he turned around fully, and said, “Hidama…my child…you’ve come.”

   It may have seemed strange, these words coming from an echidna that looked almost younger than Hidama himself, but this was indeed the first high king of the echidnas, the creator of the Master Emerald and the Seven Chaos Emeralds, Kashoku the Brave, standing before Hidama with a smile on his face.  Hidama was overwhelmed with emotions, above all honored to be before his king, shamed at his lowly presence before Kashoku’s glory, and filled with sheer exasperation at beholding his power.

   He took a step towards Kashoku, the velvet bag falling loose from his hands as they went weak, and two of the chaos emeralds tumbling out as it hit the floor, before falling to his hands and knees before him, whispering, “My…my Lord Kashoku…I am honored to be in your presence, even as mine is nothing worth praising.  Don’t speak of failing your kindred…for that is where I met my misfortune…the Doomed Guardian…and not you.”

   Kashoku’s eyes widened, for he could again feel how his kindred even went as far as to blame themselves for their suffering, even if they were partially to blame, and yet laid none on their king.  He knelt down, placing his hand on Hidama’s face, and raising it gently so they were eye to eye.  Hidama’s lips quivered as he trembled, and tears formed in his eyes; the color drained from his face, almost as if he was about to get sick just for being in Kashoku’s presence.  Kashoku smiled again, shaking his head and said, “Your title means nothing more than reference of the hard times you would face, and you have come out on top beautifully.  Mikomi’s death was his choice, not your mistake, and was not in vain…but rejoice, for now he is among you again…even in these uncertain times.”

   Hidama managed a weak smile as Knuckles walked into the room with Pyro at his side, both of them looking for where Hidama disappeared to.  Hidama rose with Kashoku, sniffing and drying his tears, holding his hand out to Kashoku and saying, “This, Knuckles and Pyro, is none other than Kashoku the Brave, the creator of the Master Emerald and chaos emeralds, and the first High King of the Echidnas…my king…and my first ancestor.”

   Kashoku could feel his spirit race with joy at beholding the second son, Mikomi’s father, Knuckles, standing before him.  He could see the overwhelming joy at Mikomi’s return painted on Knuckles’ face, but at the same time could understand how much this was to handle at one time.  He walked up to Knuckles, Pyro stepping away from them, as Knuckles, at last, came face to face, with the High King of the Echidnas, of whom, he only knew from stories and history.

   He too went weak like Hidama did, frozen and unable to speak.  He lowered his eyes, staring at the ground, and while this was something he rarely did openly, a flood of tears poured from his eyes as he fell to his knees.  Hidama tried to go to him, but Kashoku stopped him, and whispered, “Leave him…his tears speak of the mass of emotions storming in his heart…no comforting can quell it.  Words can only move to try and justify what is happening.”

   This first bit of wisdom from Kashoku left Hidama speechless.  He merely nodded, bowing his head and letting Kashoku do as he pleased.  Kashoku looked back to his second son, knelt down in front of him, and pulled him into his arms, cradling him as he wept.

   “Knuckles…younger son of the Guardian, I will answer your heart’s tears and say that your son has indeed returned to you.  Whether or not he chooses to resume life among the mortal is his choice, for his body has not fully adapted to life yet, which is why he is sickened now.  I do believe, however, that after he’s reunited with his loving family and friends once more, the chance to live again will be too much to ignore, even in favor of returning to eternal peace.  He would much rather wait until you can go with him, so do not weep…rejoice, for you are all given a second chance,” Kashoku said.

   Following his own advice, Kashoku did his best to allay Knuckles’ tears before telling him the full story.  Knuckles looked up at his first ancestor, his eyes glassy with the last of his tears.  The warmth of Kashoku’s amber eyes and his smile seemed to cause the tears to fall away in favor of hope and comfort, and Knuckles was able to smile.  He murmured, “I just…can’t believe…he’s come back to me.  He should have never had to go through that…it was my duty.  I have wept every year since his death for failing him.”

   As he and Kashoku stood up, the echidna king sighed and said, “My sons, Knuckles and Hinsei Hidama…I beg you to stop laying blame on yourself for the choice Mikomi made.  No longer shall you live in the regret and sadness of the past…don’t do that to your son…to your nephew.  His spirit is very frail now…he doesn’t even remember dying anymore.  Now that he’s becoming mortal again, it’s as if he is just now waking up from that day.  The last thing he’ll need is you two apologizing for failing him.  He needs you to be strong…your daughter, your niece, she needs you to be strong.”

   Knuckles and Hidama looked at each other, feeling weak when they learned of Mikomi’s predicament.  Hidama looked to Kashoku and said, “How long before he becomes mortal?  What are you two here for?”

   Pyro threw his hands into the air and said, “Oh not again…I’ve heard this story three times already…first before Amarie came home, then again when they did, and before now with Oliver.  Can’t you tell it all telepathically or something in five seconds?  You’ll have to tell it again once you get the rest of them here…and what about Shadow?  How are you gonna find him and Rouge?”

   Hidama and Knuckles looked even more confused, while Kashoku shot another scolding glare at Pyro, who frowned apologetically before lowering his head.  Kashoku sighed and said, “Unfortunately it is a story I must tell now, and again, once the four Wielders have come here…as for Shadow and Rouge…I’ll see about that once the rest have gathered to me.”  He looked to Hidama and Knuckles, and then to the couch and said, “Come, sit with me…I’ll tell you what really happened to Mikomi on the day he died…the day the Master Emerald’s power, became tied to his very soul, and his very soul, the one thing our very existence would come to depend on once more.”

   Both brothers let out a gasp when they heard this, concerned now more than ever for what ailed Mikomi’s spirit.  Pyro was sent so Amy could hear the story, but she was almost unwilling to leave her son.

   “Do they really need me out there?  I just can’t leave him,” Amy said.

   Pyro sighed and said, “Well, I’m sure you can hear the story at least twice more, but Kashoku asked nicely for your presence and he’s not someone you wanna get angry…trust me.”  A hidden fear that Pyro nursed flashed in his eyes as he spoke that last part, remembering the cold glare Kashoku gave him before.

   Amy giggled softly, but weakly, giving Mikomi a kiss on the forehead before leaving to go to the living room, where she, along with Knuckles and Hidama, would be the next to hear what had happened to Mikomi, what this meant for the world, and what was to come in the next days.

   At the same time, Oliver and Aries left to go to bed, but Amarie, though tired, would not leave her brother, even when Pyro pleaded for her to.  Holding on to his hand, she said, “Please Pyro, if you’re tired, go to bed, but I’m staying with Mikomi until he wakes up.”

   Pyro sighed, looking at her gently as he sat beside her.  “Amarie…think about the baby…you need your rest.  He’ll be okay…”

   Shaking her head, she whispered, “I can’t trust that…he’s going to be weak and sick until he’s mortal again…this is going to be hard for him, and I’m going to be there for him.”  She looked to Pyro and said, “But you are right Pyro, and I am tired, so I think I’ll sleep in here with him.”

   “Amarie, I have nothing wrong with you sleeping in here with him, but, if he’s sick, you shouldn’t get close to him…you might catch something…you’ve already had one close call.  I won’t let you risk it again.  I’ll make sure someone tells you the minute he wakes up, I promise.  I love you Amarie, and I know this is hard for you, but he’ll be here when you wake up.  Everything’s gonna be alright,” Pyro said.

   Amarie looked at her husband, and as much as she wanted to say, she couldn’t deny his words.  She felt the baby stir within her again, and knew that she had to think about its well-being as much as her brother’s, even if they were almost as equally as vulnerable.  She sighed sadly, rubbing Mikomi’s brow once more before standing up and walking back to her room with Pyro.  She looked back once more and said, “I love you Mikomi…please…be alright.”

   Shortly after this, Kashoku finished telling the story once more.  Amy was in tears, while Hidama and Knuckles were caught between anger and disbelief.  Knuckles was torn between the health of both his son and daughter, wanting to free Mikomi of the Master Emerald’s power, but not wanting to put Amarie or her baby at risk.  He looked to Kashoku and said, “So, if we don’t want to hurt Amarie’s baby, we’re going to have to wait a month to do this, but at the same time, the build up of this dark force will continue.  Seems like we’re caught between a rock and a hard place.”

   Kashoku sighed, looking to the clock, which was now almost on eleven o’ clock.  Feeling the fatigue of his temporary body again, even when he didn’t need sleep, he said, “Look, the threat is still distant…and I think that the Master Emerald’s power is part of what’s helping his body become mortal again, so I don’t want to separate it from him until I’m sure of his health.  Still, it’s late now, and I think we should all rest until morning.  Tomorrow, I need the final four Wielders, and we need to look for Shadow and Rouge as well.  For now, let’s rest, alright?”

   Hidama nodded, stood up and said, “I think I’ll go sit with Mikomi…but first I’ll call Delilah and tell her what’s going on.  She’ll be here tomorrow I’m sure.  I think we all need some rest after all this.”

   Knuckles and Amy stood up, nodding, and walking hand in hand together back to Mikomi’s room without another word.  Hidama looked back to Kashoku, who now had his eyes closed as he leaned back in his seat.  He asked, “Are you going to be okay Kashoku?”

   The high king looked to Hidama and smiled, saying, “I don’t need sleep Hidama, for I’m a spirit.  I simply need to rest this temporary body…go be with your family.  We’ll talk more in the morning.  Goodnight.”

   Hidama nodded and replied, “Goodnight…”  He walked back to the bedroom, looking back at Kashoku once more in admiration, before moving on.  He walked into the bedroom, at last seeing Mikomi again, and like Knuckles and Amy, was now overcome with tears and happiness.  His brother sat on the bed beside Mikomi, resting his hand on his son’s head as he looked to Hidama.

   “You can feel it Hidama,” he said as Hidama sat beside him, “Lay your hand on him…can’t you feel the Master Emerald’s power within him…flowing out from his heart.  It really is tied to his soul…it has been this entire time.”

   Hidama’s eyes widened as he rested his hand on Mikomi’s chest.  He lowered his eyes sadly and said, “The poor thing…we thought that the power went to the chaos emeralds, but instead it’s what killed him and followed him…even death couldn’t save him from it.  I just…pray that after he’s freed from it he can be at rest, whether he stays with us, or goes back to the afterlife.”

   A weak roll of thunder clapped outside as the storm began to fade into the night, and Knuckles was fighting off the tears.  He looked to Hidama and said, “I can’t go through that again Hidama…I won’t lose my son again.  I know it’s his choice…but, how can he leave us again?  How can he leave his father, his mother, his pregnant sister…do you really think he’ll want to leave us?”

   After yawning deeply, Hidama hugged Knuckles tightly and said, “Let’s get some sleep Knuckles; Mikomi will always love you…and us all, and something tells me he’ll want to stay…but, let’s try and rest now.  Hopefully he’ll wake up by morning.  Now that he’s here, I think we can rest easy, at least for now.”

   Knuckles let out a yawn, and although he wanted to stay, he agreed, to go and rest, leaving for the guest room he was sharing with Amy.  Hidama, however, stretched out on a couch in the room, sitting with his nephew, just as he did when they were both younger…and times were simpler, and he was able to rest.  Everyone was able to sleep easy, except for Kashoku and Mikomi…Kashoku trying to fight off the fatigue of his temporary body, as well as the anxiety that now plagued his spirit, and Mikomi suffering with not just the sickness and weakness of his body trying to become mortal, but already, having to deal with the choice of whether he wanted to stay and deal with pain like this again, or go back to eternal bliss, even if it meant leaving everything he loved behind him again, as he did all those years ago.

Description
"Until the End of Forever"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 2: "Now That You're Here..."

   The storm that started with Kashoku’s and Mikomi’s arrival thundered on into the night, and yet Mikomi lay in deep sleep undisturbed by any of it.  Kashoku explained their arrival just as he had explained it to Mikomi’s grandparents before they left, even if he left out his vision of doom on the horizon to keep from scaring them, seeing that poor Amarie was already shaken enough.  The entire time, she kept one hand on her tummy, and the other went between caressing Mikomi’s brow, and tightly holding onto his hand.

   He finished telling the story, and was dismayed when Knuckles and Hidama had yet to arrive.  There was nothing he could do but wait, and because Mikomi still lay in an unwavering slumber, it was a very nerve-racking wait for Kashoku.  He took Mikomi back to one of the guest rooms where Amarie remained to sit at his side; Aries kept her company, while Oliver and Pyro stayed in the living room with Kashoku, Oliver wanting to talk to the ancient high king, and Pyro sitting in an arm chair, arms folded, and watching him closely, as if wary of him and his presence.

   “I don’t understand…why are wielders needed for this transference of power Kashoku?  Why can’t you transfer the power with the Celestial Emerald?” Oliver asked.

   Kashoku looked up from a book he was reading at the hybrid fox, shook his head, laughing and said, “My boy, it’s far more complicated than you think.  To answer your first question; I had it set up before my death how the Master Emerald could be drained of its power, and it involved the Guardian and the Seven Village Elders.  The Guardian would provide both the means and the medium of passing the power to the chaos emeralds, one of each was to be held by the seven village elders.  Mikomi tried to do the same thing, but since he didn’t have the ample amount of experience or Guardian blood, he was unable to direct the power properly and thus it destroyed him before becoming tied to his soul.”

   “Hmm, okay, so the Seven of us, whoever we are, are taking the place of the village elders,” Oliver started, “I understand that…but, if the Guardian is both the means and the medium for this transference, why do you need the Celestial Emerald?”

   “Well, think about it Oliver.  Mikomi’s body is still fragile, and even if it were fully mortal like yours, it’s still more fragile then solid strength of the Master Emerald.  The last thing I want is to start to pull the power out of him and put it straight into the chaos emeralds.  That could rip him apart.  Instead, I’m going to have it pulled into the Celestial Emerald, which being immensely stronger than the Master Emerald ever was, can contain it with ease, providing an even smoother transference than even the most experienced Guardian could.”

   Oliver looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned, looking to Kashoku and said, “That being you, right?”  Kashoku smiled, slightly embarrassed as he tried to remain humble.  Oliver laughed and then added, “Okay, I think this is making sense now.  We just have to gather the seven chaos emeralds and the wielders up, and then we can do this…”

   Pyro, who had remained silence for the entire time, stood up fast and said, “Wait a minute…you said Amarie is one of the wielders…you’re telling me you’re going to expose her to the same power that turned Olermere and Feldmort into those terrible mutant creatures?  Are you insane?  No way…I don’t care what you say…you’ll just have to find someone else.  Why can’t Aries do it?”

   Kashoku paused while listening to Pyro’s words.  He heard Oliver mention gathering both the chaos emeralds and the wielders.  This troubled the echidna king, for he had hoped the seven remained together under Hidama’s and Knuckles’ guard, even though he knew that Shadow and Rouge liked to keep two of them.  He was also unaware of the lengths he would have to go to gather the final four wielders, all of which he knew had to have some tie to either the Guardians, the Captains of the Guardians, or the souls that had the power to wield The Seven.  While this troubled him, he could not ignore Pyro’s words, and was beginning to grow impatient with the hedgecat, for while he was still a spirit, this didn’t mean he couldn’t be a malevolent one.

   He stood up, closing the book and sitting it on the table below him, and took two steps towards Pyro before stopping to stare him down, scolding him for his misbehavior in a way that even Sonic couldn’t ever approach.  Pyro’s glare softened into a worried gaze as Kashoku took three more steps toward him, causing him to take two steps back towards the chair before the echidna stopped again.

   “You’re questioning me…how dare you speak such ill child.  I may look young, but I have knowledge of the world as it existed from the birth of life until now, and I will not be talked down to by some child who’s only walked the planet for a weak second of her life span!” Kashoku shouted, a fire flaring up in his eyes as he spoke.

   Pyro fell back into the arm chair, clutching his legs as he curled into a ball, whimpering after being yelled at.  Even as a spirit the echidna high king could be very frightening, and even this little shout was enough to bring Pyro to his knees, as if he were a toddler running in tears to his mother’s open arms, and Kashoku could see this immediately.  The fire in his eyes died down and his anger melted away.  Oliver watched them, his arms folded, as Kashoku knelt down beside the arm chair, taking Pyro’s hand in his own, and placed his other hand on Pyro’s head, causing the trembling hedgecat to open his eyes.

   Kashoku smiled again, shook his head and said, “I apologize for scaring you, Pyro, son of Sonic and Blaze.  You do need to learn respect for your elders however; you’re a man now, almost a father and in charge of your own life.  It’s okay to hang on to the freedom of your youth, but don’t let that eclipse your newfound maturity.  You’ll need to be a leader someday, and thus need to have respect for all life if you expect any in return.  You also need to be a good example for those to follow; your father understood this, and so should you…alright?”

   After collecting his spilled emotions, Pyro nodded and murmured, “Okay,” in response.  Oliver grinned and let out a peaceful sigh as he shook his head.  Pyro stood up, heaving his own sigh as he did so.

   Kashoku took a minute to rise, still feeling light fatigue from putting his temporary body through so much so quickly, but as he did so, he said, “Anyway, to answer your concern Pyro, which I shared with you from the beginning, no, I’d never bring that kind of risk to Amarie or her baby, that’s not even a question.  Your sister, however, is not one of the Seven Wielders, and I can’t choose them; they were pre-chosen according to their ties to three criteria; they are all related to either the Guardians, the Captains of the Guardians, or any of the Souls that can wield the Seven.  You and Oliver are two of the wielders because both of your fathers can use the Seven to go Super, thus you meet the third category.  Amarie meets it because she is the daughter of one of the Guardians.  I’m sure that Hidama’s daughter is one of them, and Shadow’s is as well because he can go Super, however the identity of the final two eludes me.  Aries is not one of them because she is already a Guardian.”

   “Wait…you said the Captains of the Guardian right?” Oliver asked.  “What about the Brokenstar Twins…aren’t they the sons of one of the Captains of the Guardian?  Wasn’t their father’s name Armundae or something?” he added, looking to Pyro for confirmation.

   Kashoku’s eyes lit up; he looked to Oliver and said, “Armundae…distant cousin to the Guardian…he did have two sons didn’t he?  They were the first hybrids to walk the world…Aranelion and Elianaron.”  He paused, turned to Oliver and asked, “Tell me, do they have children of their own?  They are the only survivors of the House of the Captains, so their children would meet that criteria and would be the final Wielders.”

   “Oh sure, Aranelion and Elianaron both have sons.  Aranelion’s son is named Zachary, and he married Kelsey, Hidama’s daughter.  Elianaron’s son is named Jeremy, and he married Shadow’s daughter, Amberly.  The two couples live in Sandysun City, not far from where Aranelion lives with his wife Camillia in Starshine Town.  Elianaron lives there too, but his wife died a few years after Jeremy was born,” Oliver explained.

   Upon hearing this, Kashoku closed his eyes, folding his hands together, and lowering his head in prayer for the wife of Elianaron.  Pyro and Oliver were silent as they watched this, and were humbled by Kashoku’s actions, immediately saying a prayer of reverence and peace for her, and to comfort the souls of those she left behind, even though she had long since passed on.  He murmured, “May the mother of one of the chosen wielders be at peace…I pray for your comfort until your loved ones return to you, wife of the Captain…daughter of my house.”

   Pyro blinked, and thought, “That’s right…Armundae is a distant grandson of Kashoku’s, just like the Guardian was, which means Elianaron and Aranelion are also his distant grandsons, just like Hidama and Knuckles are.  He’s praying for a family member…”

   “Alas…more of my kindred that are touched by this peril…,” Kashoku said, stirring Pyro out of his thoughts.  Rolling his neck along his shoulders, he sighed, letting his arms fall loose at his sides as he stood erect.  “I shouldn’t have left my family with such a burden…even the sons of Armundae, the proud captain, must suffer.  My own flesh and blood have toiled, suffered, and bled to protect her and any of those who come under threat due to her existence…one even died for the good of all life, good and evil.  This should have been undone a long time ago…before my heart crumbled to death for the love of my dear Mitsukai.  This is…my fault…”  His voice was barely audible as he spoke those last words, and almost as if it served to make him feel even worse, a loud crash of thunder answered him in reply before he could draw his next breath to sigh.

   Pyro and Oliver continued to watch in silence.  Oliver’s ears pressed back against his head in sadness, for he could feel Kashoku’s pain, pain that was obviously tied to his very spirit…guilt for any suffering he influenced, whether directly or indirectly.  He glanced at his watch, wondering what was keeping Knuckles and Hidama, so perhaps this dark mood could be lifted.  He glanced at Pyro who felt the same sadness that Oliver did, and yet still looked as if one more question was dying to escape his lips, even as he fought to hold it back, almost as if he was afraid that if he did that he would shatter the somber fog about them like a pane of glass.

   However, Kashoku demonstrated his power, sensing this resistance without even looking at Pyro.  “Speak Pyro…do not restrain eager words in fear of misspeaking them.”

   After letting out a gasp, Pyro rubbed the back of his head and said, “Well, I was just…wondering…after what you said; why did you create the Master Emerald and Seven Chaos Emeralds to begin with?  Was there really a need for all that power?”

   It was Kashoku’s turn to let out a gasp.  He turned around, smiling weakly and said, “Of course not Pyro…after I came into power, there was little confrontation in the infancy of the world…I created them and their counter parts, the One Jewel and the Seven, as gifts for my Queen, Lady Mitsukai.  I poured a large part of my power into their making and was weak for some time…but they became symbols of the greatness of the echidna race…heirlooms to my family.  The Seven Spirit Jewels I buried with Mitsukai when she died, the Seven Chaos Emeralds were offered to the Hedgehog tribes as a symbol of their alliance with the Echidnas after my death, leaving the two Masters for the families of my son, Sutei-Midoka, and my daughter, Alamalie.  Of course, in The Battle for Power, the descendent of Alamalie and her followers killed one of the distant grandsons of Sutei-Midoka, and the remaining son banished her and her people.  They took the Master Jewel with them, and the son and his followers abandoned my kingdom on the sea cliffs for Angel Island, taking the Master Emerald.  Dividing the Masters and the tribe was the beginning of the end…together they stood strong and proud, divided, they fell, and died together.”

   Oliver and Pyro stood with wide eyes as they took in all that was said.  They exchanged glances before looking back to Kashoku, who laughed weakly and said, “That was when the need for power arose.  When they became divided, the alliance also died.  The tribes were on their own…they were attacked by new enemies and became to rely on the Master Emerald to save them more and more, instead of taking up arms, dying for the glory of their kindred, in favor of exposing the power of the Master Emerald to more unworthy eyes.  They brought their deaths onto themselves when they abandoned one of their own for her favor, worshipping her like a god instead of forgiving their own flesh and blood, creating enemies in their kindred, Olermere and Feldmort, by whom, they met their end.  I should not preach as if I did nothing wrong…I trusted them with too much.  It was my fault for making the Masters and the Sevens vulnerable to both good and evil intentions…that’s why the Celestial Emerald will only serve good.  I hope that now by restoring the Seven, I can make it so they can only be used for good…then maybe the nightmare I created will be lay to rest at last.”

   Suddenly, the grandfather clock in the hallway gonged ten times.  Oliver glanced at his watch to confirm that it was ten o’ clock at night.  Kashoku looked to him and said, “You two go and spend time with your wives…especially you Pyro.  Amarie needs your support.  I’ll wait out here for Hidama and Knuckles to arrive.”

   Taking off his demin jacket, Oliver nodded, and walked off to the guest room without a word.  Pyro, however, walked up to Kashoku and said, “Are you sure you’ll be okay?  Do you need a drink or…oh, heh.”  Pyro paused, flushing red, remembering that Kashoku was only a spirit.

   Laughing softly, Kashoku replied, “I’m alright…it’ll be good for me to try to relax so this fatigue will leave me.  You go on…”

   Pyro nodded and turned to leave, but paused, looking back once more and said, “One more thing Kashoku…you said that your son was named Sutei-Midoka and your daughter was named Alamalie.  They sound just like Suta-Mikomi and Amarie.  Now is that just a coincidence or did Knuckles name them after your children?”

   Kashoku looked to Pyro and said, “Nothing is coincidental here…Hidama was given the title, “the Doomed Guardian” as a sign of hard times to come in his life, such as the massacre of his kindred, but he was also dubbed the new hope for his time, and he has made it through all of the adversities in his path…he was named the Heir to Kashoku because he inherited more of my character than any before him…he was thought to be a reincarnation of me…that was also a sign of the times to come.  But, to answer your question…I’m sure Knuckles knew nothing of the names of my children…and yet just as the Seven Wielders were chosen by fate, so were those names preordained for his children.”

   “Preordained…hmm,” Pyro said, closing his eyes in thought.  “If this was all preordained, then does that mean that everything is preordained?”

   “Of course not; we all have the freedom of choice…if anything all that is preordained remains part of the choices we’re given.  Only we can choose the outcome of these events…my kindred could have remained humble and forgiven Olermere, and had the choice to, but chose not to, and enacted this negative outcome.  Hidama knew he was named “the Doomed Guardian.”  He could have chosen to believe it and give up the fight, but instead he fought against it and brought peace.  Does that answer your question?”

   Pyro finally smiled, nodded and said, “Yeah…I think it does.”

   Nodding, Kashoku said, “Good…now, go do as I said and sit with your wife and family.  I’ll wait for Hidama and Knuckles.”

   Without another word, Pyro nodded once more, then turned and went to the guest room, leaving Kashoku alone with the silence that now enveloped him.  He let out a sigh, resting his eyes, and murmured, “We all make choices…now is the time for me to amend my own.  They call me the High King…and yet I am the reason all but a few are now dead.  It is time I amended it, and bring to them their peace before returning to my own.”

   Kashoku fell silent after this, listening to the rain, enchanted by the sound it made, as he had not heard it in years, but somehow reminded him of happier times, days that he could remember before his own soul passed away.  He knew that even through all the sadness there was still a ray of hope, and he smiled, for he knew everything would be alright.

   Though the rain continued to fall in abundance, Knuckles, Amy, and Hidama wasted no time gathering up the five chaos emeralds in their possession before rushing over to Pyro and Amarie's home, where they were told their long dead son and nephew now waited for them, sickened, but alive, and yet another visitor awaited their arrival, although Pyro was vague as to who he was or why he needed to see them.  The storm slowed their progress a bit, but it would take more than that to slow them down, not because of what Pyro had told them, but because the three of them, Knuckles more than any of them, were in great disbelief at what they were told and were that much more eager to get the story straight.  The last thing Knuckles wanted was to be teased about his son supposedly coming back from death, and by his own son-in-law no less.

   When they arrived, Knuckles banged on the door feverishly.  Hidama placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder and said, “Easy, easy Knuckles.  You don’t want to put your fist through the door do you?”

   As Amy hung on to Knuckles’ arm, he looked back at his brother and said, “Pyro told me that my son is alive…right now I’m not concerned about anything except finding out what would motivate him to lie to me so terribly.  If I find out this was some shrewd joke, I’m taking my daughter and my grandchild and leaving.”

   Hidama heaved a sigh, clenching a black velvet bag, which held the five chaos emeralds he guarded, tightly in his fist.  He shook his head and murmured, “I'm more curious about this ‘rogue visitor’ that begged for our presence…not only that, but for the chaos emeralds.  What would this have to do with Mikomi’s return I wonder…”

   Amy looked to Knuckles and said, “Oh, Knuxie, why do you think Pyro would just make something like this up?”

   Heaving a sigh, Knuckles replied, “I don’t…but…it’s just too miraculous to be real.  We saw Mikomi die…how could he just…come back from the dead like this?”

   Before Amy could offer a reply, Pyro pulled open the door.  Knuckles’ eyes met his own in a cold stare.  As he stepped inside, shaking his wet hair free of the loose rain drops, he whispered, “Okay Pyro…I warn you, if you fabricated any of what you told me on the phone, I swear you’ll never see Amarie again.”

   “I—I understand that you’re upset Knuckles, but I swear, Mikomi is alive…he came here with that other guy in the black robe, but fainted shortly after Amarie, my sister, and Oliver got here.  He’s back in the guest bedroom with Amarie, I swear, I wouldn’t make this up,” Pyro explained, pointing towards the guest bedroom. “Aries and Oliver are back there with them,” he added.

   With eyes widened in disbelief and confusion, Knuckles bolted in the direction of the guest bedroom, with Amy close behind.  Hidama, however, still holding the black velvet satchel with the chaos emeralds, turned to Pyro and said, “This visitor…who is he?”

   The hedgecat let out a sigh, clenching his eyes shut in annoyance.  He said, “Oh, him…I dunno…what was his name?  He’s some ancient echidna king or whatever…he says that you’re his family or whatever…what was his name?  Ugh…”

   Now Hidama’s eyes widened in similar wonder and disbelief.  He turned, leaving Pyro to ponder, and walked into the living room, where a fire continued to blaze in the fireplace, providing more ambience than light, which came from two table lamps and a chandelier hanging from above.  Hidama froze when he saw the figure in a black hooded robe, inspecting a row of pictures on the hearth, taking interest in two in particular.  One was of Angel Island before it crashed into ruin, and the other was of Hidama and Knuckles, standing before the Master Emerald on its altar, again, before the fall.

   He murmured, “Oh, what became of Angel Island fair?  Mmm, it’ll never be the same as the ancient sea kingdom which I took rule of…when my children fought…the beauty was lost forever, in the separation of the Masters…I failed my people.  I did not provide them a means of escape from their colossal power, and thus, my very descendents suffered, even died for her.”

   Hidama’s breath fell short as he took in a soft but sharp gasp.  This caught the ears of this stranger, who turned around, the locks of his hair, golden stripes against red, to gaze at him.  His amber eyes went warm as Hidama came into his sight.  A smile graced his face as he turned around fully, and said, “Hidama…my child…you’ve come.”

   It may have seemed strange, these words coming from an echidna that looked almost younger than Hidama himself, but this was indeed the first high king of the echidnas, the creator of the Master Emerald and the Seven Chaos Emeralds, Kashoku the Brave, standing before Hidama with a smile on his face.  Hidama was overwhelmed with emotions, above all honored to be before his king, shamed at his lowly presence before Kashoku’s glory, and filled with sheer exasperation at beholding his power.

   He took a step towards Kashoku, the velvet bag falling loose from his hands as they went weak, and two of the chaos emeralds tumbling out as it hit the floor, before falling to his hands and knees before him, whispering, “My…my Lord Kashoku…I am honored to be in your presence, even as mine is nothing worth praising.  Don’t speak of failing your kindred…for that is where I met my misfortune…the Doomed Guardian…and not you.”

   Kashoku’s eyes widened, for he could again feel how his kindred even went as far as to blame themselves for their suffering, even if they were partially to blame, and yet laid none on their king.  He knelt down, placing his hand on Hidama’s face, and raising it gently so they were eye to eye.  Hidama’s lips quivered as he trembled, and tears formed in his eyes; the color drained from his face, almost as if he was about to get sick just for being in Kashoku’s presence.  Kashoku smiled again, shaking his head and said, “Your title means nothing more than reference of the hard times you would face, and you have come out on top beautifully.  Mikomi’s death was his choice, not your mistake, and was not in vain…but rejoice, for now he is among you again…even in these uncertain times.”

   Hidama managed a weak smile as Knuckles walked into the room with Pyro at his side, both of them looking for where Hidama disappeared to.  Hidama rose with Kashoku, sniffing and drying his tears, holding his hand out to Kashoku and saying, “This, Knuckles and Pyro, is none other than Kashoku the Brave, the creator of the Master Emerald and chaos emeralds, and the first High King of the Echidnas…my king…and my first ancestor.”

   Kashoku could feel his spirit race with joy at beholding the second son, Mikomi’s father, Knuckles, standing before him.  He could see the overwhelming joy at Mikomi’s return painted on Knuckles’ face, but at the same time could understand how much this was to handle at one time.  He walked up to Knuckles, Pyro stepping away from them, as Knuckles, at last, came face to face, with the High King of the Echidnas, of whom, he only knew from stories and history.

   He too went weak like Hidama did, frozen and unable to speak.  He lowered his eyes, staring at the ground, and while this was something he rarely did openly, a flood of tears poured from his eyes as he fell to his knees.  Hidama tried to go to him, but Kashoku stopped him, and whispered, “Leave him…his tears speak of the mass of emotions storming in his heart…no comforting can quell it.  Words can only move to try and justify what is happening.”

   This first bit of wisdom from Kashoku left Hidama speechless.  He merely nodded, bowing his head and letting Kashoku do as he pleased.  Kashoku looked back to his second son, knelt down in front of him, and pulled him into his arms, cradling him as he wept.

   “Knuckles…younger son of the Guardian, I will answer your heart’s tears and say that your son has indeed returned to you.  Whether or not he chooses to resume life among the mortal is his choice, for his body has not fully adapted to life yet, which is why he is sickened now.  I do believe, however, that after he’s reunited with his loving family and friends once more, the chance to live again will be too much to ignore, even in favor of returning to eternal peace.  He would much rather wait until you can go with him, so do not weep…rejoice, for you are all given a second chance,” Kashoku said.

   Following his own advice, Kashoku did his best to allay Knuckles’ tears before telling him the full story.  Knuckles looked up at his first ancestor, his eyes glassy with the last of his tears.  The warmth of Kashoku’s amber eyes and his smile seemed to cause the tears to fall away in favor of hope and comfort, and Knuckles was able to smile.  He murmured, “I just…can’t believe…he’s come back to me.  He should have never had to go through that…it was my duty.  I have wept every year since his death for failing him.”

   As he and Kashoku stood up, the echidna king sighed and said, “My sons, Knuckles and Hinsei Hidama…I beg you to stop laying blame on yourself for the choice Mikomi made.  No longer shall you live in the regret and sadness of the past…don’t do that to your son…to your nephew.  His spirit is very frail now…he doesn’t even remember dying anymore.  Now that he’s becoming mortal again, it’s as if he is just now waking up from that day.  The last thing he’ll need is you two apologizing for failing him.  He needs you to be strong…your daughter, your niece, she needs you to be strong.”

   Knuckles and Hidama looked at each other, feeling weak when they learned of Mikomi’s predicament.  Hidama looked to Kashoku and said, “How long before he becomes mortal?  What are you two here for?”

   Pyro threw his hands into the air and said, “Oh not again…I’ve heard this story three times already…first before Amarie came home, then again when they did, and before now with Oliver.  Can’t you tell it all telepathically or something in five seconds?  You’ll have to tell it again once you get the rest of them here…and what about Shadow?  How are you gonna find him and Rouge?”

   Hidama and Knuckles looked even more confused, while Kashoku shot another scolding glare at Pyro, who frowned apologetically before lowering his head.  Kashoku sighed and said, “Unfortunately it is a story I must tell now, and again, once the four Wielders have come here…as for Shadow and Rouge…I’ll see about that once the rest have gathered to me.”  He looked to Hidama and Knuckles, and then to the couch and said, “Come, sit with me…I’ll tell you what really happened to Mikomi on the day he died…the day the Master Emerald’s power, became tied to his very soul, and his very soul, the one thing our very existence would come to depend on once more.”

   Both brothers let out a gasp when they heard this, concerned now more than ever for what ailed Mikomi’s spirit.  Pyro was sent so Amy could hear the story, but she was almost unwilling to leave her son.

   “Do they really need me out there?  I just can’t leave him,” Amy said.

   Pyro sighed and said, “Well, I’m sure you can hear the story at least twice more, but Kashoku asked nicely for your presence and he’s not someone you wanna get angry…trust me.”  A hidden fear that Pyro nursed flashed in his eyes as he spoke that last part, remembering the cold glare Kashoku gave him before.

   Amy giggled softly, but weakly, giving Mikomi a kiss on the forehead before leaving to go to the living room, where she, along with Knuckles and Hidama, would be the next to hear what had happened to Mikomi, what this meant for the world, and what was to come in the next days.

   At the same time, Oliver and Aries left to go to bed, but Amarie, though tired, would not leave her brother, even when Pyro pleaded for her to.  Holding on to his hand, she said, “Please Pyro, if you’re tired, go to bed, but I’m staying with Mikomi until he wakes up.”

   Pyro sighed, looking at her gently as he sat beside her.  “Amarie…think about the baby…you need your rest.  He’ll be okay…”

   Shaking her head, she whispered, “I can’t trust that…he’s going to be weak and sick until he’s mortal again…this is going to be hard for him, and I’m going to be there for him.”  She looked to Pyro and said, “But you are right Pyro, and I am tired, so I think I’ll sleep in here with him.”

   “Amarie, I have nothing wrong with you sleeping in here with him, but, if he’s sick, you shouldn’t get close to him…you might catch something…you’ve already had one close call.  I won’t let you risk it again.  I’ll make sure someone tells you the minute he wakes up, I promise.  I love you Amarie, and I know this is hard for you, but he’ll be here when you wake up.  Everything’s gonna be alright,” Pyro said.

   Amarie looked at her husband, and as much as she wanted to say, she couldn’t deny his words.  She felt the baby stir within her again, and knew that she had to think about its well-being as much as her brother’s, even if they were almost as equally as vulnerable.  She sighed sadly, rubbing Mikomi’s brow once more before standing up and walking back to her room with Pyro.  She looked back once more and said, “I love you Mikomi…please…be alright.”

   Shortly after this, Kashoku finished telling the story once more.  Amy was in tears, while Hidama and Knuckles were caught between anger and disbelief.  Knuckles was torn between the health of both his son and daughter, wanting to free Mikomi of the Master Emerald’s power, but not wanting to put Amarie or her baby at risk.  He looked to Kashoku and said, “So, if we don’t want to hurt Amarie’s baby, we’re going to have to wait a month to do this, but at the same time, the build up of this dark force will continue.  Seems like we’re caught between a rock and a hard place.”

   Kashoku sighed, looking to the clock, which was now almost on eleven o’ clock.  Feeling the fatigue of his temporary body again, even when he didn’t need sleep, he said, “Look, the threat is still distant…and I think that the Master Emerald’s power is part of what’s helping his body become mortal again, so I don’t want to separate it from him until I’m sure of his health.  Still, it’s late now, and I think we should all rest until morning.  Tomorrow, I need the final four Wielders, and we need to look for Shadow and Rouge as well.  For now, let’s rest, alright?”

   Hidama nodded, stood up and said, “I think I’ll go sit with Mikomi…but first I’ll call Delilah and tell her what’s going on.  She’ll be here tomorrow I’m sure.  I think we all need some rest after all this.”

   Knuckles and Amy stood up, nodding, and walking hand in hand together back to Mikomi’s room without another word.  Hidama looked back to Kashoku, who now had his eyes closed as he leaned back in his seat.  He asked, “Are you going to be okay Kashoku?”

   The high king looked to Hidama and smiled, saying, “I don’t need sleep Hidama, for I’m a spirit.  I simply need to rest this temporary body…go be with your family.  We’ll talk more in the morning.  Goodnight.”

   Hidama nodded and replied, “Goodnight…”  He walked back to the bedroom, looking back at Kashoku once more in admiration, before moving on.  He walked into the bedroom, at last seeing Mikomi again, and like Knuckles and Amy, was now overcome with tears and happiness.  His brother sat on the bed beside Mikomi, resting his hand on his son’s head as he looked to Hidama.

   “You can feel it Hidama,” he said as Hidama sat beside him, “Lay your hand on him…can’t you feel the Master Emerald’s power within him…flowing out from his heart.  It really is tied to his soul…it has been this entire time.”

   Hidama’s eyes widened as he rested his hand on Mikomi’s chest.  He lowered his eyes sadly and said, “The poor thing…we thought that the power went to the chaos emeralds, but instead it’s what killed him and followed him…even death couldn’t save him from it.  I just…pray that after he’s freed from it he can be at rest, whether he stays with us, or goes back to the afterlife.”

   A weak roll of thunder clapped outside as the storm began to fade into the night, and Knuckles was fighting off the tears.  He looked to Hidama and said, “I can’t go through that again Hidama…I won’t lose my son again.  I know it’s his choice…but, how can he leave us again?  How can he leave his father, his mother, his pregnant sister…do you really think he’ll want to leave us?”

   After yawning deeply, Hidama hugged Knuckles tightly and said, “Let’s get some sleep Knuckles; Mikomi will always love you…and us all, and something tells me he’ll want to stay…but, let’s try and rest now.  Hopefully he’ll wake up by morning.  Now that he’s here, I think we can rest easy, at least for now.”

   Knuckles let out a yawn, and although he wanted to stay, he agreed, to go and rest, leaving for the guest room he was sharing with Amy.  Hidama, however, stretched out on a couch in the room, sitting with his nephew, just as he did when they were both younger…and times were simpler, and he was able to rest.  Everyone was able to sleep easy, except for Kashoku and Mikomi…Kashoku trying to fight off the fatigue of his temporary body, as well as the anxiety that now plagued his spirit, and Mikomi suffering with not just the sickness and weakness of his body trying to become mortal, but already, having to deal with the choice of whether he wanted to stay and deal with pain like this again, or go back to eternal bliss, even if it meant leaving everything he loved behind him again, as he did all those years ago.