Need to Want

Chapter 6: Aperture

After helping the police secure all the criminals from the Leopard Brothers Club, including the Leopard Brothers. Blaze, Sonic, and Marine returned to the Castle early in the day's twilight. They passed by a panicked single male cat on the sidewalk being followed by a female cat as they walked through the Castle gates. Guards shut the gates as they walked onto the Castle grounds.

The climate in this region was warm all throughout the year and its warm air seeped into the evening, leaving a comfortable mood around Arch City as the trio walked to the Castle's two giant front doors. Some street lights cut on and the orange, red, and violet colors produced by the sun setting made the city a beautiful portrait. Making the evening of clubs and bars brim with life for the night. Light poles inside the Castle grounds also cut on. Green metal poles with round glass casings for the lights lit up and down the various paths. Some koalas were also out cutting the grass and tending to the other landscaping.

It was so nice some Castle employees sat in the grass enjoying the evening, eating and enjoying the warm weather; some cats and some koalas. Guards who stood at the main doors willfully ignored Princess Blaze and her guests as they walked into the Castles opened doors. Though the trio did not notice after having a successful run in getting a Chaos Emerald. They were all happy and chatted all the way back.

Sonic, who firmly gripped the Yellow Chaos Emerald, was actually more glad to get back to Blaze's home. The night life Marine and Blaze had explained to him on the way was scary enough. With such a beautiful night tonight, it scared him just to think of being out tonight with the females here. The females here would marry him! Blaze scared off any females that had approached them on the way back; a few were even attractive too.

Blaze was quiet, and her face was stoical as Sonic and Marine discussed getting a warm meal. Big grins plastered onto their faces even as Marine teased Sonic about taking him out tonight. But at the entrance threshold, to the left, there was a clerk's office. The trio stopped walking when Sonic spotted Tiara and her cohorts in a small area with a few chairs and one lone yellow female cat alone on the side. There was one female cat behind a window. The clerk; a yellow furred cat with black spots. His jaw temporarily dropped, and he looked at Blaze and Marine, worried. But they were unfazed, which confused Sonic. They were even close enough to hear her conversation with the clerk and her cohorts.

Tiara grabbed the cash that the clerk handed to her, counted it, then gave a portion of it to her cohorts with a pleased expression. "Here's your cut. It's been nice working with you two."

The one on the left smiled. "I have some family problems in my hometown I gotta take care of."

The one on the right responded, "There's money to be made in Atlas city. I'll be headed there in the morning."

"Drop by and hit me up anytime girls, you know where to find me." Tiara said, shaking their hands.

They shook her hand with some more small talk as Sonic, Blaze, and Marine observed. When they finished, her cohorts walked past as they exited the Castle. They made flirtatious gestures at Sonic, and Blaze and Marine shot them unflattering looks.

Blaze's stoical expression returned and spoke calmly as Tiara turned back to talk to the clerk at the window. "Tiara is a mercenary."

Sonic looked confused at Marine and Blaze "But…"

Blaze continued to stare at Tiara as she cut Sonic off. "Yes, she works here. Our Government employs her and, to a lesser extent, the Royal Family. To curb some of the dangerous elements that have flowed into the city. Her father also works for the Government. He's a nice man. "

Sonic opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find words to express his confusion, and Marine chuckled with a smile. "She's had those girls for a while. Guess their contract was up or something."