"Chaos merge..."

I watch in fascination as the crystal clear Chaos Emerald disappears into my body and white mystical markings appear on my fur as I feel the power the emerald held run through my veins.

I look back at my tail, the markings on it in a winding spiral around the length of it ending at the white tip of my tail. I make my tail flick experimentally, the markings briefly glowing with the motion.

I soon cease the merging, the clear gem reappearing before going back into my locket and the markings disappearing.

Experimenting was all fun and good, but I need to stay hidden and I needn't draw attention to myself.

I shut the locket with a hand and shoulder my bag with the other, sighing as I begin moving once again past the light tree cover.

I soon skid to a stop when I spot ahead of me a black and red hedgehog a little shorter than me, wearing white gloves with golden rings and odd shoes looking ahead with a distant and reminiscent look in his eyes.

I hide behind a tree, observing the hedgehog who I swear I've seen before, as he suddenly cringes.

"Who am I...? And why can't I remember anything? And, who is this 'Maria'?" I heard him question himself, before the both of us heard a sound from above.

Him and I look up to see the sky turn red as something opened up in the sky above and creatures start falling from it. They landed in the city just beyond this forested area, and my sharp hearing caught the sounds of chaos beginning as people started screaming and I heard cars crashing and being thrown about.

"...Hmph, look at how pathetic they are! I don't have time for these humans." I heard him scoff before turning around, making me huddle closer to the tree to remain unseen, however before he could take a step he stopped upon hearing a dark voice whisper.

"Shadow...." A chill ran up my tail and spine upon hearing that simple word, and something flew up behind the hedgehog as he turned around to face it, casting a projection of some hideous monster with three eyes.

I held my breath out of fear as 'he' spoke. “As you can see, the day of reckoning will soon be here. Find the seven Chaos Emeralds, and bring them to me as promised.”

W-What the heck...? I felt fear settle in my heart and stomach, though amusement briefly flickered through my mind as this monster guy didn't even know of the eighth emerald I held right above my heart, but the seven on their own were dangerous enough as it was, what in the world did this creature want them for?

I wasn't entirely sure I wanted the answer.

“Huh? Who are you and how do you know I'm Shadow?” The hedgehog, Shadow, asked in shock, sounding confused as well. “And what are you talking about?”

The thing didn't answer before the projection disappeared and the creature casting it fled, a series of explosions following it as I say Shadow reach out for it before stumbling as an explosion shook the ground and I covered my face to shield my breath from the smoke and dirt thrown up in the air.

What the hell what that about? Did this 'Shadow' promise that thing the chaos emeralds? If that thing was the leader of the creatures now invading the city just beyond us, then it getting the chaos emeralds would just spell the Apocalypse for everyone.

And, I felt some sadness as I saw the black and red hedgehog stagger to his feet, he was clearly without memories, for all I and him knew that thing was just tricking him cause he didn't remember anything. An easy victim. He could be entirely innocent from any promise that thing made for all we knew, and I....

I wasn't going to let him be tricked that easily, cover be damned.

“Just what was that all about...? If he says he knows the truth about who I am, then like it or not, I have to believe him.” Shadow said as I heard resolve firm his voice. Oh no. “The only way I'm going to get the secrets to my past, is to get those Chaos Emeralds!”

He looked like he was about to rush off, so I quickly called out, praying my voice didn't betray the mild panic I felt.

“Say hey there!” He flinched and spun around as I came out from behind the tree, brushing dirt off myself as I approached as calmly as I could. “Need any help?”

“What?” He was confused, that was for sure, so I huffed lightly.

“You just said you needed to get the Chaos Emeralds to find out your past right?” At his nod, I continued. “Well, if you're heading into that city you might need some help with abilities like mine due to all the fighting.”

“Hmph.” He scoffed at me, clearly not taking me seriously. “I don't need any help.”

I raised an eyebrow at him, skepticism overtaking my features. “Really now? You are heading into a war zone, where you are probably going to get shot at and injured, what if you get seriously hurt? You can't exactly find your memories if you're bleeding out on the pavement now can you?”

He was silent as he realized my point but he still didn't seem to believe me, so I sighed and said. “One moment, just watch.” I take off my right glove, stuff it into my pocket, then I reach into my bag, wave my hand placatingly at him when he tensed, and pulled out something wrapped in cloth.

I quickly unwrap it, revealing it to be a shard of a mirror I found that I usually wrapped the cloth around the base to use as a weapon but....

I grab it with my right hand and grip it tightly, far too tightly to be considered safe to my hand and the skin under my fur, but I clench my teeth and endure it.

It's not long before it slices through my skin, bringing forth pain but I keep my face mostly neutral as blood drips onto the grass below.

I see Shadow look shocked before stepping forward, as if to stop me, but I hold up my free hand for him to stop.

He stops and looks like he's going to verbally protest but I make the motion of one moment with my hand before I let go of the shard and cloth, the items dropping to the ground on top of each other.

'I really screwed up my hand.' I think as I examine the damage, I cut through almost to muscle and bone I can tell, before I breathe deeply and clear my mind, and slowly show Shadow my injured hand before hovering my uninjured hand over it, letting the magic flow.

Golden light came from my hand and slowly, delicately, my hand began to heal, the wound healing right before both my and Shadow's eyes. Soon it looked like nothing had even harmed my hand, and that was the whole reason I did it. Cause I knew I could heal it.

I pick up the shard with the cloth, carefully wrapping it back up and putting it into my bag as I spoke. “I can heal more serious wounds than that, but you see now?”

His eyes were wide before he snapped out of it, saying. “Fair enough, but can you fight?”

I nod. “Yeah, I can defend myself with my other skills, both offensive and defensive.” I demonstrate once more, summoning up ice daggers in my hands for a moment before letting them melt away. “This is just a simple example though, my skills aren't limited to this, far from it.”

I was intentionally vague about my skills, I didn't want him to find out about my Chaos Emerald, but I wanted him to know I could be useful aside from my healing powers.

“Huh... Alright then.” I put my glove back on and meet his eyes as he nods, offering his hand to shake. “I'm Shadow. Shadow the hedgehog. You?”

“I'm Megan Paigelynn the foxfeline.” I say as I shake his hand lightly, before I mentally realize my mistake.

“Foxfeline huh?” I heard him say curiously as he let go of my hand.

I was supposed to say Hermione, not Megan so Rika couldn't track me! Why the heck did I now, after nearly four years of going by Hermione, screw up and say MEGAN?!

Yeah, part fox and part cat.” I hid my reaction as I speak calmly with a nod as I secure my bag to my back, fox tail flicking like a cat's.

He nodded before he turned around, speaking. “Follow me closely okay? I wouldn't want you to get separated from me and be left at the mercy of the enemies.”

“Got it.” I nod though he couldn't see it, he... seemed like an alright guy, maybe it was okay for me to tell him.

I hoped, as I followed him as he dashed off, my copyist ability copying his speed due to the handshake and the shoes he wore once I saw how they slid across the ground.

He seemed pleasantly surprised I was keeping up, and I couldn't help but grin as I felt the air speed past me.

Yeah, I made the right decision in joining him and perhaps even in telling him my real name, as well as following my intuition and my magical senses in coming here, no doubt of that.

After all, the magic I knew does not tell you to where you wish to go, but to where you need to be.