Sonic and friends returned home, exhausted from the crazy dance. Kaz hugged Bruno. "I'm happy that you came."

Bruno grinned. "Hope to do that again next year." Kaz nodded in agreement.

Sonic waved tiredly. "Well, see ya later Bruno..."

Bruno waved back. "Goodbye you guys!" He then went out of Sonic HQ.

Sonic yawned, and then stretched out his arms. "Well, better get some rest now."

Everyone dragged their feet upstairs and went into their rooms. Jericho followed Trisha into her room. Trisha flopped on her bed and sighed. "Ho man, what a night..." Jericho hung his cape on her closet door, and then sat down next to her, his eyes shrunk. Trisha closed her eyes. "That was the best first dance I ever had..." She peeked one eye open to look at Jericho.

Jericho shook his head. "I'm glad you had fun, Trisha."

Trisha scooted up close to Jericho, taking his hand. "Are you alright?"

Jericho turned away, hiding his nervous expression. Trisha mumbled. "Are you thinking about what you think you saw?" Jericho only responded with a long sigh. Trisha shifted her eyes from side to side, and then said. "Maybe we should tell Sonic about this, you know?"

Jericho again shook his head. "No... It just might have been my imagination... I must have been seeing things..."

Trisha squeezed his hand tighter. "Jericho..." Jericho gazed into Trisha's eyes. "It almost feels like you're not telling me something..." Jericho gritted his teeth. Trisha tilted her head. "You can tell me anything Jer, and I can help if it's a problem."

Jericho bowed his head. "I... I can't..."

Trisha's eyes glistened. "Why?"

Jericho's head swayed. "I just can't..."

Trisha leaned on Jericho's shoulder. "I understand..." Jericho glared at Trisha with confusion in his eyes. "It's your secret and you wanna keep it." Trisha said. "Many people have secrets... even I have held back something that I didn't wanna tell you..." Jericho closed his eyes. Trisha continued after taking a long breath. "But I think I'd like to tell you something now."

Jericho snapped his eyes wide open, and stared at Trisha. Trisha rubbed out the wrinkles on her bed, and then sat up straight. "A long time ago, before me and Anna joined the Sonic crew... I had a brother... His name was Greg... He was the only family I had since my parents brought us out into the outside world. He took care of me, kept me company... We met Anna later on, and well, Sonic found us... All of us... We were fighting Eggman, foiling all of his plans. Eventually, as the months passed, my brother became selfish. He wanted to be the hero, the only hero, instead of Sonic getting all the attention... So he ran away, and worked for Eggman, believing that with him, he would defeat Sonic and claim victory. But as usual, Eggman lost, and my brother was extremely upset for losing. So he dumped Eggman and disappeared. We haven't seen him since..."

Jericho blinked his eyes numerous times. Trisha shook her head. "I was thinking maybe you saw my brother or something, but I don't know..." She bowed her head, saddened by telling part of her past. Jericho sighed, not knowing what to do or say. His ears then perked, having that annoying sense inside him again.

Trisha looked up. "What's wrong?"

Jericho stared at the window, and then shook his head, getting up. "I need to go..."

Trisha quickly grabbed his hand. "Jericho, wait!" Jericho froze, looking down at Trisha. Trisha's eyes gleamed. "You'll go to sleep, won't you?" Jericho didn't wanna lie, but yet he nodded. Trisha frowned. "You sure you don't wanna stay here for the night instead of rest down there on the couch?"

Jericho looked away. "I'm sure..." Trisha looked at the hand that she held, then let go. Jericho stood there for a moment, and then said. "Goodnight Trisha..." He went over to the door.

Trisha smiled. "Goodnight Jericho, hope you have a comfortable sleep..." Jericho came to a halt for a second, and then closed the door behind him. Trisha gazed at the door, then got up, changed into her nightgown, and went to bed.

---

Jericho went through the alley, his eyes wide and alert. His fingers were clenched, and his ears flattened to his head. The sense was getting stronger and stronger. He could now tell that it smelled like wet dog. "I'm feeling it here." Jericho growled. He skimmed the walls, and then walked on. He then came to an abrupt halt, sensing something behind him in the shadows. Immediately he spun around, grabbed the unknown shadow, and slammed him against the wall. "Stop following me!" Jericho hissed.

The shadow yelped, holding his arm. "Ow, take it easy BB..." Jericho's orange irises shrunk, recognizing that high scratchy voice. He glared shockingly at the figure. The shadow appeared to be a life form, a black werewolf with thick locks of hair sticking out of his head. His fur looked drenched as if he just came out of the rain. His ears were large with white hairs protruding out of the ear holes. His muzzle was grey, same color as the snips at the ends of his eyes. A white puff of fur the shape of a heart covered his chest. His eyes were bright orange almost the same color as Jericho's. A colored scar revealed on his left eye brow.

"YOU?!" Jericho snarled, his teeth gritted.

The werewolf's smile shimmered in the night. "Hey there BB, long time no see..."

Jericho narrowed his eyes, gripped tighter of the werewolf's throat, and threw him across the alley. The werewolf yowled and crashed into a giant trashcan container, creating a huge dent in the metal. Jericho turned around, squeezing the air. "What the hell you doing here, Eclipse?!"

The werewolf chuckled shakily as he crawled out of the pile, his eyes squeezed shut. "Heheheh, I knew you wouldn't be happy to see me again BB." He opened his eyes, and a blue corvette came flying at him. "Aaaaaaack!" He screamed vibrantly, and retreated back into the trash. The car smashed into the can, and created a long irritating honk, until it died down. Jericho heaved angrily, glaring at the pieces of metal soaring through the air. A cough came out from beneath the smoke, and Eclipse came sliding out. He laughed annoyingly. "Heehee last time you threw something at me, it was a horse carriage."

"Get out of my sight." Jericho hissed. "Leave this place, or I'll throw a house at you!"

A sweat drop formed on Eclipse's head as he raised his hands. "Heheh, calm down Black Blood..."

"Stop calling me that!" Jericho snarled. "My name is Jericho! JERICHO!!! Nothing else understand?! Now go away!!!!"

Eclipse wiped the dirt off his matted fur, and then crossed his arms. "What's happened to you BB? You're not the same as you were..."

Jericho zoomed right infront of Eclipse, grabbed his throat, and hit him against the wall. "Why are you spying on me?!"

Eclipse mumbled. "Master brought me here..."

Jericho's eyes went big, and he released Eclipse. "What more does he want from me?! I already tried to run away from him to have freedom..."

Eclipse laughed. "Freedom?! We members are not meant to have freedom... We serve under the powers of our Master..." He took a bow, and then glanced at Jericho's eyes. "It is our duty to hunt mortal life, take mortal life, control mortal life... You... You just snapped somehow and betrayed us all, killing off our own kind, saving our meals..."

Jericho spun around, covering his face. "Shut up..."

Eclipse glided up to Jericho and whispered in his ear. "You were one of a kind Black Blood... A unique character who could make second choices, if you wanted to..."

Jericho shoved Eclipse away. "I said SHUT UP!!!" Eclipse hit the wall, then shook his head, bringing back his focus. "I've suffered enough!..." Jericho continued in an undertone. "Seeing these poor victims' lives torn apart... It's not right..."

Eclipse's face twisted. "Look what they've done to you BB... They've poisoned your mind to thinking you can be the hero. Well you're not! You're the enemy... Living beings hate you, they fear you, and want to destroy you!"

"You're wrong, I have friends out there who know me and care about me!" Jericho hissed, squeezing his eyes shut. He heard a click of Eclipse's tongue from behind, and he turned his head.

Eclipse's face was sickened. "You make me sick BB, you're betraying us more and more by being around mortals." He shook his head with disgust. "I know; I've seen you with them. Nearly made me barf seeing you and them... together! Bleh!!" He hacked a hairball. "Definitely not a good combination..."

Jericho growled in his throat. "Why have you been following me?"

Eclipse sighed. "I already told you, Master sent me here..."

Jericho turned his entire body towards him. "How did you know I was here?"

Eclipse chortled. "I didn't. Master chose me to move out and search for you... I've searched nights through active grounds and raging rivers to succeed... Until I finally found you in the least expected location: the city..."

Jericho brought Eclipse's filthy face to him. "You scum!!! Why did he want you to find me?"

Eclipse gasped. "Hack-He wanted me... to tell you... hack-that he wants you... back on the team!..." Jericho's eyes glared straight at Eclipse. Eclipse muttered. "Please don't hurt me..."

Jericho smiled coolly, and then threw him over his shoulder to the other side of the alley. "Tell him that I've quit the team years ago, and I'm never coming back!"

Eclipse howled as he flew onto the cement. He stumbled to get up until a trash bucket came falling on him. Eclipse scampered into the shadows, climbing on the brick wall with his sharp claws. He came to a stop, and hissed at Jericho. "The Master will be extremely upset once he hears about this!"

Jericho picked up a stone, and then aimed it right on Eclipse's head. "SCRAM!"

Eclipse yipped, crawled up a few more inches, and then growled. "Ohhhhh you will pay BB! Oh yes, you will pay " His voice became distant as he scurried into the darkness.

Jericho gritted his teeth, his muscles tense and fists clenched. He then exhaled solemnly. "Oh no... What have I done?..."

---

The night grew thicker with mist of clouds hovering in the starless sky. Bats fluttered through the night as wolves howled to the moon. The wind rustled past the trees, creating an eerie yowl between the branches. Beyond the patch of dead trees rested a tiny village, down below the hill. It practically appeared lifeless with torn down barns and burnt houses. Across to the other side, sitting upon a mountain, was a white castle, splotched with darkened rust on the stone, and wild vines growing endlessly around the building. Hellish flames of light flickered through the windows.

Inside the castle was swarmed with beasts, ugly spiked creatures creeping along the walls and stairways. Some curled up, snoring loudly as their bellies rose and fell. Skeletons decorated the brick walls and floors, with dried blood stains here and there. A shadowed creature picked at his teeth with a bone chipped from a leg. As you followed the shredded red carpet on the ground, it reached to the throne, with a tall darkened figure hidden in the shadows, drumming his fingers impatiently.

Suddenly, a scratchy irritating voice cried out. "Master! MASTER " The figure's head lifted, and two beady eyes shimmered in the darkness, one the color of golden yellow and the other of Halloween orange. Scrapes shrieked against the marble floor as a black werewolf scampered across, slipping and sliding past the doorway into a knight armor statue. A crash was heard, and a metal helmet rolled. Some of the beasts looked up, curious to see what had just happened.

The figure rubbed between his eyes, feeling aggravated. He spoke, his voice in a whisper. "Why did I even bring him to the team?..."

The werewolf stumbled out of the pile, and then hopped to the entrance. "Master!" It was Eclipse...

The figure's eyes squinted. "I see that you have returned..."

Eclipse bobbed his head. "Yes Master, and I have good news... and bad news..."

"The bad news is that you've gone more stupid." The figure growled.

Eclipse ignored the Master's comment, and took a bow. "Master... I found him... "

The figure leaned in, but not forward enough to reveal his facial image. "You found... Black Blood?"

Eclipse glided in, nodding slowly. "Yes Master... in the city... "

"The city…" The Master repeated in a hiss. "Well, where is he?"

Eclipse's ears drooped. "Oh uh, well Master, you won't be happy to hear this..."

"Where is he?!" The figure boomed, slamming his fists against the chair handles.

Eclipse jumped, and then whimpered. "Well, I told him that you wanted him back..."

"And?..." The Master questioned, one eye squinting.

Eclipse twisted his hands, and he groaned. "And... he didn't seem to take it well..."

"He refused?!" The figured roared.

Eclipse fell on his knees. "Yes, he told me that he quit years ago and wants to live with those pathetic mortals!"

"Well why didn't you bring him back by force?!" The Master hissed.

Eclipse mumbled, twiddling his thumbs. "Cause he was throwing stuff at me..."

The master rolled his eyes, muttering to himself. "Jeez what a baby..." He then cleared his throat, and clasped his hands together. "Well, it seems that since he's not going to come to us, we'll just have to come to him. Besides, this old castle is no longer useful to me, and the village is empty with death. These walls may be filled with memories of my needs, wants, and kills, but this kingdom seems not strong enough to me." He stood up, swirling his dark cape over his body. He hid his identity as he strode across the carpet to the entrance. "We shall abandon this place. Our new home is waiting... in that city..."

The creatures stretched out their limbs, then rushed out of the castle. Eclipse yelped, "Wait!"

The Master froze in his steps, and turned his gaze to the werewolf. "What do you want, you filthy little mongrel?!"

"Where's my reward?" Eclipse whined. "You said that if I found him, I would be rewarded!"

The figure sighed loudly, snapping something into his hands. "Very well you stupid mutt." He threw what appeared to be a choco-chip cookie, and Eclipse caught it in his mouth, munching hungrily on the treat. The Master curled his lips, revealing his pearly white fangs. "You're as pathetic as the mortals."

Eclipse licked his chops, cleaning every crumb around his mouth, and scurried to the Master. "There's more to what I found out at the city."

The figure growled in his throat. "WHAT?!"

Eclipse wagged his tail as he stood on his two legs, squeezing the air with his claws. "Well, Black Blood's got himself some mortal friends... Many of them... and one appears to be a girl, who he stands closest to almost all the time. Her name is Trisha, of what I've heard between their conversations..."

The Master glared at Eclipse angrily. He lifted a fist, ready to slam Eclipse's face. Eclipse cowered, covering his face. All of a sudden, the Master patted his head. "Very good, Eclipse..." Eclipse's ears perked, and he laughed annoyingly, his tongue hanging out. The Master smiled, his teeth twinkling in the night. "You have told me one of his weaknesses. We shall use them to force his return..."

Eclipse bobbed his head crazily. "Yes yes, Master!"

"Shut up..." The Master hissed. Eclipse dropped his head. The Master looked around, seeing the other creatures' bony faces. The master smiled devilishly. "I hear that the city is filled with living mortals, healthy and flowing with blood in their veins. We shall begin our feast once we arrive, and save our final attacks when Black Blood returns. If he yet turns away from us... he shall be punished severely..." He chuckled at the end, and the others joined in his evil laughter, as they crawled out of the castle into the shadows of the outside world.

---

The next morning as the sun brightened the world, Jericho returned home, his eyes tiny like raisins. Sonic and the others were sitting around like they usually did, chatting. "Look who came back." Sonic said with that cocky smile on his face.

Jericho didn't respond any hellos, just stood there like a mindless zombie. Trisha sprang to her feet and faced Jericho. "Where have you been? I was wondering where you were! Did you skip sleep again?"

Jericho stared blankly, and then snapped out of his inner thoughts. "Huh?"

Trisha's voice calmed. "Are you okay?"

Jericho tilted his head. "Why?"

Sonic crossed his arms. "You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

Jericho's eyes widened, thinking back about last night. Trisha gasped, and then whispered into his ear. "Did you see him?"

Jericho mumbled. "See who?"

Trisha muttered. "You know... my brother..." Jericho closed his eyes and shook his head. Sonic and the others gazed at each others' lost expressions, not understanding what they were talking about. Trisha's eyes gleamed. "Then what's wrong?"

Jericho shoved past Trisha. "Nothing, okay?!" He froze and gazed at the window.

Sonic and the others were speechless for a moment. Amy eventually squeaked. "Well, who wants to go shopping?" None of the girls said a word, but they went over to the door. Amy rushed infront. "I'm gonna be buying you a gift Sonikku!"

Sonic turned away and grumbled. "Oh brother..."

Anna looked back at Trisha. "You coming, Trisha?"

Trisha stared at Jericho. "No, I'm staying..."

Anna shrugged. "Suit yourself." The girls then went out of the house.

Sonic got to his feet. "Now that Amy is gone, I think I'll go out for a run!" He zoomed out in a flash. "Later, dudes!"

Shadow strode out. "I don't wanna be left here with these guys..."

Tails and Knuckles looked at each other. Tails rubbed his neck. "I'm gonna go check on the X-Tornado." He went out.

Knuckles rushed behind. "Hey wait, I need to check the Chaos Emeralds!" The door closed, and Trisha and Jericho were left alone in the room.

Trisha watched Jericho stare at the glow of the sunrise. She eventually said. "Something's wrong with you... I know..." Jericho shook his head. Trisha stepped infront of him. "What is it that you're refusing to tell me?"

Jericho gritted his teeth. "It's none of your concern."

Trisha's eyes glistened. "Jericho I wanna help you, but you're not explaining to me what your problem is."

"Why even? There's nothing you can do about it." Jericho hissed.

Trisha bowed her head. "Are you still thinking about Fay?"

"It's not about Fay!" Jericho snapped. "I'm tired of hearing the name Fay! She's not my problem okay?!"

Trisha jumped with a jolt, and then squeezed her hands. "But... she broke up with you..."

"She didn't break up with me!" Jericho spun around, grasping his head as if it were about to explode. "She... she was killed..." He hid his face from Trisha.

Trisha's eyes shined. "But... I thought you said-"

"-That we're separated from each other for the rest of our lives." Jericho mumbled. "Does not usually mean by breakups..."

Trisha lowered her head from heaviness, and her eyes reddened. "I... I'm so sorry... I didn't... I didn't know..."

Jericho sighed. "Well, now you know..."

Trisha looked up at Jericho's back side. "So... who killed her?..."

Jericho's eyes darted at her, giving her a sudden chill in her blood. He then turned away. "...A monster..."

Trisha's eyes widened. "A what?"

Jericho stepped farther away from her. "... You heard me... A beast, a creature from Hell!"

Trisha's eyes widened even more, shocked by his words. They sounded too unbelievable, but she took it in as a murderer. She walked up to Jericho, and he could sense her close presence. "I'm so sorry..." Tears streamed out of Trisha's eyes. "I never should have brought this up in the first place..."

Jericho muttered. "It's not your fault... You didn't know..." He turned around to look at Trisha. He then pulled her close to him and hugged her. "I shouldn't have snapped like that towards you..."

Trisha buried her face into his white fur, happy that his warmth was holding her. All of a sudden, Sonic came running back into the house. Jericho and Trisha twisted their heads to look at him. Sonic's expression was clueless. "Um... Am I interrupting anything?" He chuckled. Jericho and Trisha pushed away from each other. Sonic laughed. "Oh that's alright, sorry I barged in like that. Just finished my walk is all." Trisha smiled. Sonic stretched out his arms. "So, what did you guys talk about?"

Trisha and Jericho looked at each other. Jericho's eyes were begging not to tell. Trisha shook her head, answering Sonic's question. "Nothing…"

Sonic clasped his hands together. "Alright then, who's up for some chilidogs? My treat!"

"No one else is back yet." Trisha said. Just then, the others arrived back. That's obvious...

Sonic raised his eyebrow. "Well now, just in time... We're having chilidogs!"