A Game of The Throne

(Revised edition)

2014 and deciding to start again with my Sonic projects. Learning the error of my ways is something I do when it comes to fanfics and since it has been a 9 month break, I'll start anew here and around. Now, as for rating, well depending on how much language, romance, references, and violence, I am sure it is going to stay at T, but I think it may go to M. I don't know.

Prologue

2012 is the year Eggman Nega's regime stepped up, after his counterpart Dr. Ivo Robotnik, infamously known as Dr. Eggman, defected to allegiance to Mobius and the Acorn crown following the pathway his daughter had helped him create, abandoning the generations old empire ways in their family orchestrated by players such as Julian Robotnik and Denise Bridgen. Lady Katherine-Maria Robotnik, Ivo's daughter, became the first human, also first human born in Mobius, to become Lady of Acorn when Elias -very hesitantly- succeeded his father in ruling the kingdom.

Nega became a quiet player as he had raided the former base of his former ally and took many of the remaining mechas and weapons. Most of which that either did not get to be used by the Royal Army or the Mobian Resistance, or were of a minority that was set aside for either the Ferian Freedom Fighters or the Guardian Units of the Nation to decide upon.

Compared to his regime against Midora, he was more stable in planned attacks than a hellish apocalypse, because the power source, the God of the Night, Mephiles had defected to the good. The main powers of the dimensions, including a small-scale resistance army in Midora called the Midorian Resistance and the small-size army/resistance on the Angel Island Tribal Republic, agreed upon contesting and putting efforts towards finally stopping the empire. In addition, bring Nega, his wife Milena Sajava, along with their general, Anavatoia Vane, to justice for their crimes against humanity.

Blaze, in her role as Deputy Commander of the Ferian Freedom Fighters aside from Princess and heir to the Ferian throne, watched as the deal was struck with their counterparts: Commander Clarissa Cousteau of the Guardian Units of the Nation representing Earth. King Elias Acorn, Lady Katherine Robotnik and even their Defence Minister, Ivo Robotnik representing Mobius and the Acorn Kingdom. Queen Safire Prudence and her grandson, Knuckles, and Tikal representing the Angel Island Tribal Republic. Lastly, there was her boyfriend, Silver Cava, along with his mother, Queen Sifora Cava representing Midorian Fera.

Four Years pass and it is November of 2016, everyone has grown up, as we know of aside from the little-little kids. Mephiles and his girlfriend, Avira married and are now King and Queen of Midora and are expecting their first child. Elias and Megan have their first child heir together, a younger half-brother to Megan's daughter, Alexis. Katherine Robotnik and her boyfriend, Zachery Bond are engaged. Sally Acorn and Sonic are happily married with two kids. Amy Rose (Sally and Elias' half-sister, do not ask as it is a very touchy subject) is dating Vandit Latore, Kate's cousin. Marine's older sister, Raspberry, settled down and married Senator Amin while Marine herself is dating Tails. There have been some losses; Alicia Acorn sadly left a widow after her late husband's death 4 months ago.

As it is November of 2016, it is now around the time of Blaze Calibre's coming of age… and the same time as the tenth anniversary of the massacre of her family leaving only her father and her alive afterward. John, her father, is absent from the kingdom on surveillance and raid missions in Diseraya Desert, Midora Provence, on the Western Ferian Continent and has been for a few months. –Along with her boyfriend, Silver, representing the future world's forces that they are working with. Between running meetings, conferences and business trips, between running the Ferian Freedom Fighters and the senate, paperwork and public appearances, Blaze feels as though this is not new to her, as she has been groomed for this her whole life as the only heir to when, Goddess forbid, her father will die.

She just hopes that her father and her beloved Silver are doing to be home for her coming of age.

Chapter 1: Birthday

A solitary alarm clock ticks in this large chamber, naturally back in the day this was her nursery, where a queen sized bed is where her crib had been, the place where she was born, and now after many years, paint-jobs and life in general, well, you'd barely recognise it. The teenage years have brought much of a modern lifestyle of the young adult cross… antique furniture. Posters on the walls, a corkboard noticeboard with a calendar and above all else photos: Of friends, her dad, vacation photos, selfies of her and Silver, drawings even sticky notes on the wall with words, or messages on them… Most of a corner of the room, from the left side of her bed to her desk in the corner is covered with these pieces of paper, photo paper and otherwise.

Blaze sits up, her purple hair flopping all over the place as she checks the time, 6:30am. She doesn't mind being this early when the lack of… well, palace movement is peaceful without barely any noise. A bird chirp outside the window is a sign that it is an early morning start as Blaze places on her dressing gown, and ties her hair back. A knock comes to her bedroom door and she answers promptly, walking over to answer. At first, there is no one there; thinking that someone would be playing a trick on her, but at her feet there is a package. The guards must have set it there for her.

She takes the package inside and takes the letter off the top, immediately just by the writing on the front of the envelope, it is from her father. She thought if he was going to get her a gift the least he could do is give it to her in person unless… he is not going to make it. Dreading to hear the words, she opens the letter anyway.

"Dearest Blaze,

If you are reading this, your hair is a mess and it is the first thing in the morning. I am sorry for how it would have been awakening to receive this, but you know express delivery works if you are a regal. Very express, very quick.

I know I said that I would be giving your birthday present in person, well… This is not it, dear. This is actually some things I had gotten for your ceremonies today. Now, I know you are attending the party that Sonic is holding, so do not get caught up there when you should be getting ready for the ceremony. I know how hard it is to think of it, as your mother died then, however the least you could do is attend, representing both me and us.

Do have fun at the party and at your ball, dear. That is all I would hope for you if things delayed here.

With love,

King John Calibre (Father)."

Today, November 20th, is Blaze's birthday, but besides that, 10 years ago a tragic massacre happened upon this same day. Every other member of the Calibre family was killed, including Blaze's mother. That night is also when her boyfriend's father, Nathaniel Cava, went missing, and for a long time is, presumed dead That is when John had a wakeup call, founding the Ferian Freedom Fighters and his mission… Destroy the Ferian Empire and a mission to groom his young only daughter to become the Queen of Fera after he is gone.

A text message comes to Blaze's phone and she picks it up…

"Hey, PB, are you still coming to the party? I heard from Sally that your schedule sorta clashes with that event this afternoon you have to hold and I wanna know whether to hold it or not, seeing what would be convenient."

Now, for a moment there she thought it was Sally, but then again Sonic must have used all of his credit again or misplaced his phone and is using his wife's again. –Most likely the second one when his daughter always plays games on it. She then opens her messages and writes a reply…

"I don't mind if it clashes, you've put a lot of effort into the party I wouldn't want to seem like the one to ignore that and stuff, you know, be a bitch and all that. Besides, I'll just have to make cutbacks in hair and makeup or something to save time."

She then waits a few moments and his reply.

"Cool, see you at 11, PB."

She then puts her phone down and then goes off to the bathroom. She and Sonic, known to be each other's counterparts, have been friends for a long time since they were younger and he has been volunteering with the Ferian Freedom Fighters to help Amin with running the fighters. In the absence of John and with Blaze's extra duties as regent for the moment, she has not had enough time to catch up on that the Ferian Freedoms are doing and couldn't be running the control room and everything.

She heads downstairs and heads into the commercial kitchen in the palace and the cooks are already making few of the foods for tonight's ball that take up to forever to make. Some too busy to notice that the Princess has entered the room when most of the time she –and her father- are very self-reliant towards their lives and they accept it. -The least they do half the time due to the royals' self-reliance is the laundry, cleaning and general house duties, the gardening because John does not exactly have a green thumb, guarding, obviously when they do have powers and a stash of weapons in each room of the house, and cooking dinner for guests and events.

After some breakfast, Blaze then does her morning workout: of a jog around the palace grounds, weapons training and powers training at the facility her father had put in here at the palace, finish with some yoga. As an active member of the FFF, and being the Deputy Commander, she trains every morning and twice a week at the Ferian Freedom Fighter Special Abilities Training Centre. She's been trained there ever since her powers became stronger when she was seven and her father having powers of Ice, he could contain her if she became unstable… except that hasn't happened since she was 8… but on occasion when she loses the inner focus she has controlling her flames… It is best not to think about it.

She is in the middle of warming down with some yoga when her phone makes a cheeping beep-beep-beep sound, as usual when there is an alert on. She then gets up and checks it…

Birthday party at Mobius 11… 9:30am

Blaze looks at it not very impressed… Where has the time gone? But then again she took the long way around the palace and did three laps, taking about half of an hour and using the simulator for about two and a half practicing some of the things she is having trouble on, as it is said that perfection is hard to achieve and with her flames it's right to say so. It's unpredictable sometimes the control she has, the sub-conscious worry of her father and boyfriend's safety is there, causing much unstableness in control.

She wishes this mission would end this long running war, delay the empire's movements a little, anything. Mobius and Earth seem to get along when their relationship is neutral, and they have their social, cultural and political issues with each other, had a five-year war with each other and many conflicts over boarders, but they had resolved their differences to cooperate a little. Fera and Midora get along as sister realms, but there is one thing that is disrupting everyone and everything and that is the extremist force known as the Ferian Empire. Fera and Midora are known to be peaceful societies where Anthropomorphic and Humans can live together in harmony under one government… however, with the Empire they caused this and will want to finish what they started.

Blaze just hope that things will actually be all right to the level that they are returning home… as it would not be her birthday without her dad nor would it be a happy birthday without the man she loves by her side.

She heads back upstairs, then gets in the shower and stands in front of her wardrobe looking to herself a little overwhelmed…

"What in the hell am I going to wear?" She mutters to herself, having good reason to ask herself that question…

Now, as a princess, coming across something that looks the least bit casual seems to be a little unlikely in a muddle of a mess of a massive wardrobe. Now, she is wondering to herself what she can wear that will be practical to be classified as formal-casual. She looks through then gets a dress with a belt, small-heeled shoes and she thinks that it is not too cold to be wearing an overly bothersome coat so she decides on a simple cardigan. Blaze sits in front of the mirror and feels discontent, what bothers her is that she will have to host the memorial and that really does not come across as easy… She has a very shaky set of social skills. Unlike her father who is outgoing and the sort of king you'd be able to have a drink with, she's reserved and due to anxiety and making friends isn't exactly easy, but she somehow made these friends she has so it's not too bad… Public appearances such as this one… ruled out greatly. The leadership skills she has when directing about thirty members of Tactical Response is fine, but with a whole crowd… not really.

Let us just hope the party will take her mind off it.

She arrives outside Sonic's place on the waterfront in Cealia and walks up to the door though the gates, hearing muffled loud music as she walks up. Balloons with crowns embossed on them hang from the mailbox, which is considered the international sign that there is a party going on. She hasn't been held a birthday party like the one Sonic has been raving on about planning for her, not one by herself at least where she is pretty much the last of her friends who are pretty much all 20somethings, most of which are already married and have kids, will be drinking. As she knows, the average rate of a Team Sonic pub-crawl is once every six months, and they had one last Halloween so… the only one likely to be blind is Amy, even when it is a little too early to be blind already.

Blaze knocks on the door, the music then is turned down a bit and Sonic promptly answers.

"Oh, hey, Happy Birthday, PB." Sonic says, greeting her warmly, before turning his head, "Hey, guys the guest of honour has arrived to her party."

Suddenly as word follows, she is draped in a pink novelty sash with "18 today" written in glitter as everyone comes to greet her. Greetings consisting of mostly either the hug and kiss on cheek, from close friends, handshakes and plain just a wave acknowledging her presence, coming from Vanilla who is watching whatever the children are doing.

The party continues, presents beside PB that the Royal Guards are minding for her, children are playing with toys and the waterslide was set up, since there has been a bit of pre-summer heat happening here. She is sitting with the girls; Kate, Megan, Rouge, Sally, Mary, Tikal and Tia-Sina and Elias was hanging around for a bit, before he ducked off with to get the baby a bottle.

"Unless he is going to finds $300 from under the sofa he is not going to get one of those new gaming consoles. Bloody, I told him straight up that when he often always makes some frivolous purchases." Mary says, before taking a sip of her cocktail

"Yeah, I don't know why but he's been a little like that since he heard grandma's going to step down soon from being leader…" Tia says

"Pre-leadership nerves… Clarissa was like that when daddy was dying." Rouge says

Mary shrugs, "I just don't know, mate… Especially how he has the money from when we used the money he got from his parent's inheritance to pay off the rest of the new house, used some of it to buy new equipment for the Resistance outpost and put the rest aside."

"Well at least were not in the next generation if you know what I mean…" Rouge says, getting a refill of her cocktail, "Sure, I've got a million in inheritance since daddy died, so does my GUN commander sister and Shadow, he works casual part-time like me and guards Kate full-time and gets a fair bit, but at least we're wise with it."

"Don't you get worried that you'll be raising spoiled kids like your dad with Antoinette?" Blaze asks, "Honestly, we were all raised with good parents who taught us all better but then again, she is in the generation where spoiled brats like her got rich for doing nothing and she fits the profile well when she gets her inheritance."

"None taken, sugar, but then again she's Clarissa's problem and she's considering sending her to one of those strict boarding schools." Rouge says with a tolerable wave of her free hand, "But I'm going to do better with my little ones, Clarissa would too if she spent a little less time in the office… Dad was too relaxed with Antoinette since mum was gone by then."

"We're sending Alexis to a really nice private school with her cousin. Of course, Alicia insists she'll be up to etiquette training when they get older…" Megan inputs, though the last part seems a little unsavoury to mention

"Yes… My mother is a traditionalist…" Sally adds

"That's not the only thing you have to worry about with her…" Elias says, handing over their newborn son to his mother, "Edward's changed and fed, he'll just be falling asleep… Even in this noise, I don't know how he does it."

"What do you think? He gets it from you." Megan affectionately quips, rolling her eyes amused with herself, "If you can sleep through the goddess-awful noise of Alexis, that night when you fell asleep on the armchair, when she tried to play Kate's violin then I'm sure Ed can sleep through all of this."

"Yep, unfazed like the kids whenever you put them in front of the TV." Kate inputs, causing all the ladies to laugh and Elias to stand there looking at his second in command unimpressed

"Oh lighten up, King serious." Sonic says, playfully hitting Elias in the shoulder, "The girls are only kidding as they always do whenever the legal ones have a few cocktails and the confessional begins. FYI, your half-sister's a little tipsy again…"

"Yeah, we know." Elias and Sally say both disgruntled and embarrassed, "Get Vandit onto it, don't come bothering us when she's barely related to us."

"Okay then… Alicia was right about the shared temper…" Sonic says, perturbed by their response

Sonic heads off, not going to let Amy ruin the party, when she is a minor and should not have been drinking in the first place. Elias and Sally just facepalm, oh if the press found out about this escapade they'd have a field day, as regrettably they are related to that through their mother of all people to have an affair. She is a semi-dedicated traditionalist at heart, then again, it was an arranged marriage with their father, and it was a very shaky time with the war and all that… Sally and Elias still find it hard to acknowledge the truth still…

"Hey, let's just take our minds off that…" Tikal says, at least one who has the courage to interrupt the total angst that the Acorn siblings have, "So, what is everyone wearing tonight?"

"I'd like to hear you hen's cluck on but… I'm gunna bounce." Elias says, going to get out of there since there is one thing only that he cannot stand and that is when they talk about fashion, which leads to shopping days and Megan… sadly making the credit card bill rise again...

One thirty already and she'll be expected back at the palace in an hour, Blaze just tunes out and while getting some of the party pies, guilty pleasure to eat junk food occasionally, checks her phone and in her messages. Many have wished her happy birthday, Amin has been sending her links all day of the media's and the people's way of saying a happy birthday to the princess, they the media (nosy pricks she says), and the United Kingdoms of Fera are fond of, that leaked all over social media… Still no word from Silver or her father… that is the real bummer here as she hasn't heard a single message out of them (well aside from her dad's letter) all day.

"You okay, Blaze?" Sonic asks, noticing how downcast she has gotten all of a sudden

"It's nothing…" Blaze replies, turning the phone's display off

"It's that Silver isn't here isn't it? I can sorta tell." He asks, having somewhat an intuition, not great, but not wrong either

"I'm worried he's not coming home in time… Neither is my father..." She admits, sadly "It's been so long and it… it wouldn't be my birthday if my father didn't come home nor I could… See Silver after these months he has been away…"

"Hey, if I learned anything from that dad of yours, he's punctual and loves you to pieces." Sonic says, reassuring her, "Now how about you join the party and live a little before the memorial?"

Blaze puts her phone away in her clutch, thinking what they hey and she joins in the party. Now she heard once that she has to live a little, from pretty much everyone she knows including her father, this blue hedgehog and even the goddess had said it on one occasion, and usually she's one to be serious and reasoning most of the time. Although she would check the time every few minutes up until it was time for her to go, and by then she had the cake.

Back to the Ferian Palace, where everything is ready to go for the event… and that is when she looks upon first glance onto what her father sent her for this event. A traditional crown and headdress set to complement her mourning dress. She sits there without complain as she is primped and pruned, enduring straightening and curling as they work the headdress in and put her hair half up half down, which seems to be a popular style with the royalty as it helps to hold things in place, that is accompanied with a lot of hairspray that is.

She reluctantly gets in the car, as this is something she has to direct herself this year… and worse, it just seems like another duty when she is supposed to representing her father, though she has to view it that way or it will just overwhelm her… Now, public appearances, as I had said, are not exactly her cup of tea, but this one is just the one, which is the breaking point.

Arriving at the shrine, Blaze receives the Calibre Sceptre as she gets out of the car. She has watched as her father would start the ceremony this way the last ten times, and now it is her turn. Camera crews are around, filming this live for TV and it is hard not to feel this type of pressure as everyone in the United Kingdoms of Fera and elsewhere is watching, and will be judging. Guards line the walk, dressed smartly in their uniforms and next to her is their Prime Minister who carries a wreath, along with Amin, current head of the FFF also with a wreath. Blaze takes a breath and then walks down the path to the shrine, where audience members are watching on from four metres away.

She has entered the point of no return and there is no going back now.

Blaze walks down the way that she has seen her father do so many times, as directed anyway, already telling that someone on some TV station broadcasting it live would be documenting her every move. Holding the Calibre Sceptre high with some forced pride and a forced smile that looks seemingly legit… For until she comes to the front of the shrine and the two figure heads place the wreaths aside a stand where the sceptre rests, behind a podium with a microphone set up right in front of Amin, on the left hand side of the stage. Blaze takes a breath as she walks over to the podium, Amin's handheld sits there with a PDF open to a prepared speech and everything she and the others need for this event.

"Leaders, Senators, People of the United Kingdoms of Fera, I welcome you to the tenth ceremony of remembrance to the Calibre Massacre. I represent my father, our beloved king, King John Calibre, today as my first of many official royal appearances since my coming of age today." Blaze says stifling all she can into doing this, somehow sounding faultless and confident, "All of us are here to pay our respects for the fallen. The deceased members of the royal family, palace staff, soldiers and other dear people who perished that night, we pay respect to today. I hand over to Senator Amin Rokai who will say the opening remarks."

Generous claps are given from the audience as Blaze takes a seat and Amin takes the stand. As much as she would be listening, she tunes out as it is the same material all said before, especially the prayers, definitely heard those a thousand times since she is the goddess' descendant and head of the Secret Order of Guardians. The whole thing is the same repetition of words, but the only break from tradition would be her father's speech. Every year he would write a speech and read it, some years drawing those to tears and others left dry eyes and a few laughs in between. Blaze didn't know weather this year would it be her turn to read a speech, but that is a challenge and a half in her social issued life, but… John left a speech for this year both emotional and rousing… to be read by Senator Amin.

"In the absence of my father, this year's speech will be read by our close friend and Secretary General of the Ferian Freedom Fighters and Senator for Kana Vera Provence, Senator Amin Rokai." Blaze announces, receiving some claps as she then takes her seat again

"Now, when John left we thought to ourselves who would read the speech for this year's memorial and that honour was given to me to read the words of a man whose jokes can be as a hit and miss as taking him clay shooting." Amin says, leaving a soft laughter coming from the crowd in a well-meaning joke, "So, we ended up with an email from King John with what he has to say… It's a letter by the way. He said…"

"My people, subjects of the United Kingdoms of Fera,

I apologise for not being here this year, and I know it has been ten years since this dark day had come and gone, but in my mind I think heavily of it, but with these apologies, I say that you are lucky to have my daughter lead the ceremony this year. She has just come of age this year, no, today and though she doesn't have much of a strong social prominence, but I know that she will be a great queen someday.

Now, on this ceremony day, I don't know where'd I be at this time, but what I'd hope most is that I would be here for my daughter's birthday, and I would want it to be a much better experience than this time 10 years ago. I'd hope that the friends she has made over the last 4 years are going to be there for her tonight, as I see that they are more than just her comrades, rather being like family to her and ten years ago, the REAL family was taken away from her… including her mother.

From where I write this I say that this year will be a year of change since the wounds mayn't be far from healed in this tenth year that has passed and not just members of my family were killed that night, many of the palace staff and servicemen died that night. We have stuck together as a kingdom over these years, and may it be that the last four have been fraught with countless attacks and attempts on the kingdom; we will stick together as a kingdom. In my words, I say that the love I have for you, my subjects, means that the actions of me, my daughter, our staff and our senators put you, the people, into consideration in all out decisions. I can tell the feelings are neutral towards us from you with all the messages I receive of how you participate in celebrating my daughters coming of age.

May this Memorial Day go well for all, as we mark 10 years since the event that changed the course of history in this kingdom, but… We have means of a celebration too, as this is my daughter's coming of age day, her birthday and we should consolidate the past, but celebrate the future of our kingdom, as I know that when someday my Blaze takes command, as I said, I believe she will be a fine queen.

Good night and fair day and sincerely yours,

King John Calibre of the United Kingdoms of Fera"

Amin takes his seat before they rise and Blaze takes the Calibre Sceptre as the international anthem of the kingdom plays, everyone singing the words and Blaze remains silent as she focuses on the sceptre and its powers… She will have to hold this more often someday and she knows that somehow, her powers are stronger whenever she holds it and she has to walk with it again as the ceremony concludes. And some relief comes when she sits in the car, as she mayn't cry at these things anymore, it still hurts her in a way physical pain cannot compare… because she almost lost control of her powers...

Music, laughter, dancing and small talk, the atmosphere of a royal ball and the guest of honour has yet to be presented. The guests are greeted by Senator Amin, since Blaze's changing times are going over the recommended timing, but it is all necessary because the event has called for her coming of age ceremony to have to be moved from the recommended time to a little later tonight, but with the food and atmosphere being entertaining, they don't care less. Guests have been arriving since five in the afternoon and it is now seven and they are from all the allied nations they have, kings and queens and their former counterparts, inner circle members, nobles, higher members of their military organisations, unexpected but then again… maybe had John and Silver arrived home?

Trumpets and fanfare plays, announcing her presence is soon to be, as the musicians cease playing for the moment. Everyone turning their heads towards some double doors, Senator Amin standing there at the doors ready to open them on his cue.

Her Highness, Princess Blaze Calibre of the United Kingdoms of Fera.

He doors open and Blaze enters, wearing a stunning golden dress, with a tiara and headdress, and with the heightened risk looming and her insisting so, she has her swords suspended at her waist with the gold complementing her dress so no one could complain. Everyone she knows and all of her friends are here for this party and they are singing happy birthday as her cake is rolled out of the kitchen for a photo op…

Suddenly the room goes dark, only the bright light coming from the moon shining in the windows outside which are then shattered as soldiers are sent flying through them, forcing the crowd to back away and the resistance members (and other guests associated to the resistance) to draw their weapons… And what can they say, they can't leave home without them if shit like this happens, as immediately, they know they're Ferian Empire soldiers. Blaze draws her swords with much haste, alike Elias, Amin and Katherine (who too had melted the ice sculpture and wields that as a weapon). Sally and Sonic, even Megan who hurries her job of getting the children to somewhat safety (this case under a flipped over table) taking out their pistols they carry with them, Avira, Mephiles and Sifora are wielding their powers.

The nervous tension of where the empire leaders are is tested as shadows pass the windows and bellowing laughs are heard thought the ballroom. Smoke bombs are let off and the soldiers stand at attention as they have come…

"Oh happy birthday indeed to you, Blaze dear…" Eggman Nega chortles as she arises from the smoke lowering his hood

"What are you doing here, Nega?" Blaze sternly asks, everyone standing at position if they need to attack the threat

"What, no warm welcome to me either?" Anavatoia, better known as Alexis, Nega's General pipes up sarcastically from beside him, lowering her hood, "Well now, Blaze Calibre, I thought your social skills were terrible, but this is just silly."

"Why are you here?" Blaze asks again, with more venom in her voice, "I haven't the time to be playing your retarded mind games."

"Well, the birthday girl is not happy now is she? Congratulations, Blaze… You're all grown up now aren't you." Nega sarcastically retorts, beating around the bush just to piss her off, "And by the looks of it your "daddy" isn't here to bail you out this time to stop me from getting what I want."

"You'd better stand down because not even you could stand chance to all of us." Katherine growls, backing the Calibre Princess

Nega takes a step and the wall of armed resistance members stand even more ready with their weapons, "Oh Katherine Robotnik… It's been years since I last saw you and your father… By now I was beginning to miss your irritating voice and that uncanny way you bring out the failure in your family by being the cowards who follow the half-wit son of Maximillian Acorn who wouldn't know leadership if it hit him over the head."

"Oi, you sorry bastard, you leave her out of this!" Elias snaps, as he can take an insult but that is just below the belt insulting a member of the said family when she has done nothing wrong, "The Robotnik's are the ones who are the better here because they don't believe the lies they were told anymore and did the right thing."

"Oh you and what lies, silly boy that you choose to believe…" Nega says, shrugging it off like it was nothing

Blaze charges in attack, "This has gone on long enough…"

As she charges, ready to attack an ice wisp flies straight past her and hits Nega, sending him flying straight through the doors behind him and Alexis looks on frightened before drawing her weapons, everyone turning a glance to the back of the room where glowing hands are as a cloaked figure stands…

"Father…" Blaze utters, in her surprise and delight, "You're home!"

"Blaze, watch your head!" John yells from the back of the room in urgency

Blaze ducks under as a chair is sent flying over her and Alexis is about to attack when a silver blur goes over her and attacks Alexis. In the struggle, she orders the soldiers onto the crowd with every moment she could get a word in between blocks and hits… but they are all retreating in fear of John and his powers before she is taken down with a blow to her chest, sending her crashing to the ground.

"Silver…" Blaze utters

"Looks like we made it to the party." Silver quips, his marks aglow in the darkness of the room

Nega chuckles as he gets up, brushing fragments of wood off his jacket, "Well, well, well, John Calibre, again you show up at the worst times as always…"

"There is no worse time when my daughter is in danger, Jonathan." John replies, in a relaxed nature he approaches before adopting a battle stance, "And you've resisted our arrest and this time, I'm sure our allies will be right with me in saying that we will take you down, right here, right now… And if we don't… we're getting close."

"Well that is mighty foolish… Because you'll never win, John Calibre, none of you will and your kingdom will be mine… And maybe I'll even go for the rest of your kingdoms as well." Nega replies, marching forward to take stance

"In… Your… Dreams…" Blaze replies slowly

She charges ahead swords ready to attack, to once again due with her archenemy in combat, to defend her kingdom and all else from this threat, like she has always done since she was old enough to fight, before something blindsides her and sends her flying…

"Blaze!"

Her eyes flutter open and she stares at the ceiling… Her head and back pounding with pain and she struggles herself to sit up, and places her hand on bandages on her head and one on her back. Just muscle pain, nothing too severe she thinks to herself before opening her eyes. She is dressed in her pyjamas, her head has a bandage on it, and her hair is shockingly untidy while still in a low sitting bun, just thinking to herself that aside from whatever happened, she looks too much of a mess after it.

"She threw you hard into the present table… the only things you squashed was a couple of dresses, an iTunes gift card and a laptop cover… Nothing hard at least, though some have to re-buy some of your presents since they got a little… broken."

Blaze looks to her left, "Silver…"

Silver wraps her in his arms and she starts to cry tears of joy, as he is home, he is home and came home as she had wanted so badly for the last few months, no, the whole time he has been on this military mission. He runs his hand through her hair and gently pats her on the back, as she would have some serious bruising underneath her lavender fur from what happened.

"Oh my goddess…" She whispers, through the tears, "You're home and… You're okay… I missed you so much…"

"I missed you too, PB." He says kissing her check lightly, "Happy birthday…"

"It's happy now, Siv… It's only happy now that you're home…" She replies, shedding even more tears

"Well, I guess no one had considered telling me that my daughter is awake…" A voice says

"Sorry, sir… She's got a hold of me." Silver replies

Blaze turns around and her father stands at her door, still dressed in his royal attire and a sword by his side. She could never understand how her father would always be clean dressed, and even now when it is… whatever time it is. He calls his attire his "kingly suit of awesomeness" and has been calling it that ever since he told her that since when she was five.

"Dad!" Blaze exclaims, cheerfully

She stumbles to her feet in the excitement and runs over and hugs her father, like she was when she was a five year old. Silver sits on the bed admiring the sight with a smile, as ten dollars said she would act this way when he got home and I guess John owes him that then.

"Thank goddess you're alright…" John utters, then taking a look at her, "My, my, you've grown last time I saw you and I know it, your hair as gotten longer alright… Every day you're becoming more of a woman… I guess eighteen has now had an impact."

"Dad, it's only been a few months." Blaze replies

"Not when you're in combat with the empire, my darling." He replies, kissing the gem on her forehead, "It feels like years…"

Down in the ballroom they admire the damage, broken windows, broken furniture, bullet holes and the door is missing among all of the damages that need to be repaired. He fills her in that after she passed out, he had acted out on a rage and ended up taking Nega and their cohorts down with the others. They ended up getting the guests and the children out in the process and escorted through the passage to the ruins until fervour notice that later hour.

Blaze stumbles back as her mind flashes back to this room on this night 10 years ago… and she loses her footing, John catching her quickly and helping her to her feet.

"Blaze? What happened? Are you dizzy or seeing things without reason?" John asks, immediately worried

"Dad… I'm fine." Blaze replies

"Well I'm making you take a few days rest because a knock like that did a little damage, and it doesn't take Mary to tell me otherwise. I'm lucky you didn't break anything." He declares, with a sharp nod as if it were a decree, "Now, did you notice your present?"

"What present?" She asks, feeling confused

"Silver." He proudly replies, "Now I was planning on a dramatic reveal, but I guess those plans were dashed when Nega showed up with his soldiers after… well, let's just say our efforts were successful enough that that sorry bastard would end up retreating like the coward he is half way frozen solid by me and Lady Robotnik."

"So that's why he came here?" She asks then shaking the thought off, "Never mind… It's so good that you and Silver are home, daddy. How can I repay you?"

"A dance with my… all grown up daughter, since she mayn't need me anymore to hold her hand and protect her." He says, looking like he's choking down tears with that sentence…

"How could you say that daddy?" She asks

"Of course, I'm kidding… As I'll always protect you, my girl. But… I know that you are all grown up now. I'm proud of you, Blaze…" He says, holding out his hand

Blaze takes it, smiling brightly, "I love you, daddy."

Remembering proper form, they walk to the middle of the room, he bows and she curtseys, before dancing a waltz… Now she wasn't always one to be good at ballroom dancing taking many tries to have even learnt, but she was young and 10 years ago, she was only watching the dancing before something like this… no something worse than this happened.

"I remember when you had to stand on my feet when you were little, your mother said you had two left feet at times." John reminisces

She looks blank, visions of that night coming back to her whenever she looks around… She sees the fire and the bodies… the bloodied bodies of those who died that night… bodies of all the family members and everyone else caught in the line of fire from the gun, all which perished. The perils of that horrible year coming back to her as she sinks to the ground, tears stinging in her eyes, as the post-traumatic stress doesn't exactly go away that easily, all of the children in this generation have this in some form… and they know that.

"Blaze… Blaze…" John shakes, as his hands holding her shoulders, "Snap out of it… You're losing control of your powers!"

"Mother… Mother… No!" Blaze shrieks, her fists becoming aflame

John uses his ice powers to put it out and freeze her hands, though they melt at a rapidest pace. Silver rushing in and not needing to kick down the doors, as they're lying dismantled to the side.

"What's going on?" Silver asks, in emergency

"She's having some visions and… she… she is losing control of her powers…" John replies, with urgency, "I knew this would happen at some stage… It always happened every few years…"

"What should I do?" Silver asks

"Sedate her, please… I can't control this for long and she won't calm down…" John calmly requests, at least trying to keep it together so he can keep his daughter, whose connection with her powers has gone rogue from her usual control, can be dangerous.

Silver sighs, as he hates it when he has to do something like this, but it has to be done for the good of her because there is no telling what she can do whenever her powers go rogue from her control and she cannot contain it, and moments like these are what make the control seep away. He then kneels beside Blaze and the only way he knows to sedate her is through touching her forehead with some of his powers, a skill his mother wanted to teach him in case of times where things get difficult. He then does so, she stops and upon falling unconscious, her body temperature immediately cools down…

"I'm sorry, sweetheart…" John says, picking her up and cradling her, "Sorry you had to see all of that all those years ago…"