Okay, this is my very first time at formatting . . . I know I may suck at it now, so please don't say it so rudely, You could at least give me a few tips to tell me how to format correctly. I've never done it before so please, don't speak out in nasty ways. :D This is the beginning of my story that I did on DA. It may be connected to my Sonic fan characters more than the originals. So if you like Sonic fan characters, please read this. It sort of has romance in it as well. :) But not in a while . . .

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"SURPRISE!" Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Cream, Kaz, and Rouge exclaimed as they sprang out from behind the couches and book cases. Shadow, on the other hand, slowly took his time creeping out from behind the wall, barely caring about the set-up that Sonic and crew had planned for days.

Jericho stood there dumbfound at the door, his orange eyes narrow and aglow. Sonic and the others dropped their heads and groaned with disappointment in their throats. Jericho raised one brow, "What's that about?"

Sonic waved his hand, "Oh it's nothing, Jericho. It's just that we were expecting someone else."

"Someone. . . else . . . " Jericho repeated in a sway.

Tails nodded, "Yeah, you wanna join us?"

"No thanks," Jericho grumbled. "I just came here to tell you guys that I'll be out longer . . . later."

Sonic jumped to grab Jericho's arm, "Wait Jericho!" But he was not quick enough to stop him. Jericho had already stepped out of the house and shut the door. Sonic slid a glance to the rest of the team. Everyone, besides Shadow, revealed a twisted expression of nervousness on their faces.

---

Jericho explored the wild city. All was bright with blinding lights, crowded with live mortal beings, and noisy with people talking and walking around the streets, while the entire city was surrounded by a heavy blanket of the nightly sky. Jericho just wanted to be alone, away from the world, so he turned and took the grimy alley.

"Why do I feel like I've fallen into a ditch and someone has buried me alive to suffocate?" he wondered to himself. "Such pain and sorrow I have had too long, I cannot bear it anymore."

He came to a halt and thought, visioning his horrific memories of his past life as a young one. He then shook it off, "My images of my past are beginning to haunt me. All I see are overflows of blood gorging from mortal veins. These burning eyes that watch my every move I make." He pictured a tall grey wolf, wearing a cloak, covering his appearance. He revealed one eye to be yellow, and the other eye to be orange, sharp like a raptor's. Another role played, showing living beings screaming and falling to the floor, crying for mercy. And they suddenly collapse and rot in their own pool of blood. Jericho shook his head violently to erase such nasty pictures, "These things, I must throw away . . . I should at least feel safe now, away from such force." He then closed his eyes, playing yet another video of his memory, but not a so gory one. A cream-colored female hedgehog came into his thoughts. She was naked, but her arms hid her breasts. Her eyes glowed a rosy pink. It was his long lost love he once had, Fay . . .

"Fay," Jericho murmured as he opened his eyes. His muscles tensioned, his flesh going cold. "This emptiness saddens me. Darkness is overpowering my soul . . . Before that day, have you not loved me? . . ." He did not wait for a response, "Perhaps I am out of favor with my loved one. But why even mourn more for you if you're dead? You're free from demon wings and hell's fire. This beast that you've seen, be punished." He lowered his head, meaning himself as the beast. "Rip out my heart and torture me if you will . . . God strike me!" He fell to his knees and hissed, "I've suffered enough! There is no purpose for me to live, strike me!" He reached out his hands to the sky. All he got was the blow of the wind.

A window from one side of the alley slid open, and a dog's head appeared, "Eh, shut up will ya? I'm trying to get some sleep here!" Jericho blinked and did not speak. The dog slammed the window shut and closed the curtains.

Jericho bowed his head, then muttered, "If you do not wish for me to die, at least hear my voice . . . Reserve one star for my wish . . . Do not let me love another mortal. I cannot take anymore of this curse, spreading this virus to innocense. Please keep that hold and remember those words." He stumbled to get up, and spoke again, "And please, don't let anyone love me. This is all I can take . . ." He took his step, and walked straight into the open streets.

As he went down the illuminated part of the city, he rubbed his face with intimidation, feeling miserable, "I should probably head back home, I think I had enough talk with myself for tonight." He suddenly bumped into an orange echidna.

"Oh sorry," she said.

Jericho never looked up and he groaned, "Sorry . . ."

The orange echidna just stood there in his way until a tan-colored hedgehog tugged on her arm, "Come on Anna. Let's go."

"Okay," the echidna said. "Sorry I ran into you. You should watch where you're going next time." They both disappeared into the crowd.

Jericho just stood there motionlessly, his head bowed. "I deserved that . . ." he said. "Maybe I should stay longer . . ." He turned around and went through another alley.

---

The moon rose higher into the night, which began to light up the shadows of the alley. Jericho wandered through the darkened streets, thinking nothing but agony of his life. He passed a gang that blended into the murky colors of the garbage cans and walls. They looked at each other, then smiled something sly, their crooked yellow teeth revealing beneath their lips. Jericho kicked a can and sighed, until the leader of the gang stepped forth and spoke, "Hey!"

Jericho stopped, then glanced over his shoulder, "It's a bad moment for you to be talking to me . . . I have no time to speak to you mortals . . ."

"You calling us weak?" the leader hissed. Jericho turned around to face them, his expression not changed. The leader stomped one foot, "You're gonna get it for saying that!"

Jericho huffed, "What is there for you to do?" He suddenly heard some more members closing in from behind him. He sensed danger, but did not budge.

The leader laughed, then leaned on one side, "There are many to list for what I can do to you . . . But I don't plan to do any of the sort." Jericho stared blankly. The leader and members walked up to him, until he was face to face with Jericho, "I see you looking depressed . . ." Jericho looked away, agreeing to what he said. The leader sneered, "You know, I just wanna talk . . ."

Suddenly, he stabbed his fist into Jericho's gut. Jericho lost his air. A gang member from the back then slammed his back, sending Jericho to the ground. The gang started kicking him and beating him up. "Who's the weak one now, Hedgehog?!" the leader shouted. Jericho curled up, grumbling to himself. Just then, a voice echoed throughout the alley, "HEY!" The gang froze.

"Pick on somebody your own size!" the voice said.

The leader waved his hand, "Come on, this guy is nothing . . . Let's get out of here." They scrambled into the night.

"Yeah you better run, or you'll be dealing with me!" the voice snarled. "I don't wanna see your faces again!" Jericho groaned and coughed, holding his stomach. He heard footsteps come up to him, and he saw two blurry shoes standing before his eyes. Jericho was losing focus, and he could feel himself being rolled over. Looking up, he saw the orange echidna that he had bumped into earlier in the night. The echidna's eyes grew big, "It's you . . ." Jericho tried to get a clearer view of the echidna's face, but blacked out . . .

---

Jericho groaned and slowly opened his eyes. The light was bright until his eyes finally got used to it. Sonic and the others were staring down at him. So was the orange echidna he did not know. "Heyya Jericho," Sonic said, grinning. "Glad you're okay . . ." Jericho carefully sat up in the couch, rubbing his head.

The orange echidna jumped, "Wait, you know him?"

Sonic nodded, "Yep, he's been part of this group since you two left on a little trip."

"Oh, well then, hi there, Jericho," the echidna said. "My name's Anna." Jericho blinked at Anna, and Anna shook his hand. "It's nice to have a new member on the team," she smiled.

Jericho grumbled, "Hey . . ."

Anna snapped her fingers, "You know, you sort of look like Shadow, only with green stripes. Are you his twin?"

"We've been through this before!" Shadow hissed. "We are not related!"

Anna bent back, then wiped the spit off her face, "Oh, well excuse me . . ."

Jericho rubbed his eyes, "What happened . . . How did I get back here?"

Sonic wrapped his arm around Anna's neck, "Anna found you being beaten up by some gang members."

Jericho looked at Sonic, then at Anna, "Thanks . . ."

"Now why didn't you fight back?!" Knuckles snarled. "If they threw a fist at me, I'd give them a reflection!" He swung his fist through the air, almost hitting Sonic.

"Cool it down Knux," Sonic said, lowering his hands to settle Knuckles' rage. Jericho stared, then something caught his eye behind Anna. He leaned over to one side, trying to get a better view. It was the tan-colored hedgehog, sitting on the staircase. Her head was turned. She wore a thick green turtleneck sweater long blue jeans. The hedgehog finally turned, feeling as if someone was watching her. Her eyes were cinnamon brown. She looked alittle scared and surprised.

Jericho's eyes widened as he whispered, "Who's that?"

Sonic glanced over his shoulder, "Oh her, that's Trisha." He jumped over to her and pulled her up to her feet, "She's the other one that went out on a journey with Anna."

Jericho got up and outstretched his hand, "Hi." Trisha stared at his hand then turned away. Jericho tilted his head.

Sonic chuckled, "She's shy, barely speaks at all . . . If you ever hear her speak, it's a miracle. She usually talks to Anna." He sighed, "I don't know, she just trusts Anna more because they were with each other when we found them."

Jericho frowned, "Found them?"

Sonic itched his nose, "Yep, same in a way we found you . . . Lost and alone . . ." Jericho looked down at Trisha, feeling somewhat sorry. Trisha looked up at Jericho, then quickly turned away. Sonic slid his eyes from Jericho to Trisha, then said, "Trisha, aren't you gonna say hello?"

Trisha bowed her head, then spoke softly, "Hi Jericho . . ." Jericho jerked, surprised by her voice.

Sonic praised, "She speaks! Yes!"

Anna rolled her eyes, "Oh please, Sonic . . ." Sonic shrugged.

Amy sprang infront of him, "I'm sleepy, let's go to bed. We have everybody here."

"Okay then," Sonic said. "Let's go!" Sonic and the others ran up the stairs. Trisha still stood infront of Jericho, her face hidden. She finally looked up at Jericho for the longest time.

Jericho smiled alittle, "Hey." Trisha showed no expression. She stared blankly.

Anna cried out from upstairs, "Come on Trisha, time to sleep!"

Trisha looked back, "Okay . . ." She went up the stairs, took out a key from her pocket, and unlocked the door to her room. She went in and shut the door. Jericho blinked his eyes, "So that's why the door's been locked. It's her room . . ." He then huffed and shook his head, "I should get myself some shut-eye too." He switched off the lights to the main room, then lied down on the couch and fell into a troublesome sleep, dreaming once again of his tragic days as a young one.