Dreams of an Absolution

Things are going well

"And after they shared from a cotton candy stick he offered to take her home on his bike!" Vector stated pouring another large jug of water in the rectangular aquarium we picked up from a cheap market. Charmy set the bags of gold fish into the rising water so the temperature of water would regulate to the fish, "Yeah and nothing says bonding like a ride home on a super cool bike with a super cool guy, being super close and hugging around him!! It's a total classic cliche move; but Shadow pulls it off."

"Oh listen to you." Espio chuckled, "aren't you just a professional love expert. Remember Shadow isn't exactly a modern kind of guy. He's back from the fifties, when holding hands was just as big as kissing but kissing was just as bad as already having sex."

"Wow really???" I looked up from the filling table and bobbing bagged fish, which Espio took it upon himself to write the fish names on the bags. I still don't understand how we'd be able to tell them apart once they're set free... But that really isn't something to stress over, I wonder how Amy; a modern girl into fashion and adjusted to today's acceptance of PDA, is going to fee comfortable with a guy that thinks holding hands is a "big deal."

"Yeah, but Shadow isn't like that. He's the total greaser rebel! He'd be killer in a leather jacket like what's his green face, with the bike and everything. He's the guy to skip the hand holding and just get it on in the parking lot on the hood of a car!" Charmy made pelvic thrust motions in the air.

"Charmy!" I hid my eyes, "these are supposed to be my parents, please!!"

"No he has manners and respect, you don't know him at all Charmy." Espio shook his head.
"How dare you, I am his number one fan and sidekick."
"Yeah he kicked you to the side." Vector grumbled, "I really don't care what he's like, as long as our plan is working and our friend Silver isn't fading into nonexistence then he can be cliche all he wants."

I smiled these guys are so nice there's no way I can repay them with just a few rings.
"I can't believe you thought the Tea cups was the best ride even after the tornado." Charmy shrugged changing the subject still obviously bothered that Espio told him he didn't know much about his 'idol'.
"It wasn't the ride itself... Let's just say I met a friend there."

"A girl friend already in just the first meeting?! Wow, moves like Jagger. If only it was that easy with Amy and Shadow. How did you manage that!?" Vector gasped.

"N-no not a girl friend! I mean she's a girl-"

"You can't play around like that Silver what if you fade away and leave her all alone and heart broken!?" Charmy yelled.

"But she's not my girlfriend!" My face was getting hot I don't understand why, but they shouldn't assume anyone I meet is automatically a significant other! "I mean she's a friend. Just a friend!"

"Vector and I are just friends, but getting in the same ride doesn't make it 'the best ride ever'." Espio crossed his arms., "So what makes this 'just friend girl' so special?"

"Wha- oh my god you guys, ok..." I took a deep breath calming myself down hopefully I could pass this blush off as just being hot with anger. I mean I was angry that they would say that and not at the curious image of Blaze and I being together as in... Together. "Her name is Blaze, and she's a friend that I once lost to Iblis 200 years into the future. But since things have changed she's back and still alive. And we bumped into each other on the tea cup ride so I was really happy."

"She died?" Espio's eyes were wide.
"What's an Iblis?" Charmy asked.
"Blaze.... I think I've heard that name before but I just can't place it..." Vector tapped his chin.

"Yes she died. Right in front of me... And there was nothing I could do to save her..." I looked down remembering the flames engulfing her whole body until she faded away.
"What's an Iblis!?!" Charmy asked again.
"It's a monster made up of nothing but fire, magma, and volcanic like rock, that is hard as hell to kill, and was sealed away so you don't have to worry about it so there's really no point in trying to explain because it's too hard!" I rubbed my temples getting a head ache.
"Wow 200 years in the future must have been pretty bad with something like that on the loose." Espio shook his head.
"You have no idea."

After a light dinner, being as we ate a lot from the carnival Charmy let the fish loose in the tank watching them swim around for a while.
"Did you know watching fish swim relieves stress?" Espio looked up from his book watching us all get attracted to our new aquarium, and the way the scales of the fish glittered in the light of the tank all swimming past each other as a family reunited and exchanging greetings.

"Does it?" Vector mumbled softly, "then we should of had one a long long long time ago."
"If we did I'm afraid you would have drowned Charmy in it."
"Hey I am not that bad!" Charmy grumbled.
"Naw, you're alright kiddo." Vector pat his head with a laugh, "I think it's time for bed now though." He straightened up, "see you guys in the mornin' "

Espio and I made it in his bedroom and took our usual spots he on the floor and I on the bed, he read from the book as usual and I watched out the window looking up at the sky and its stars. Everything was turning out so much better from when it first started, Shadow and Amy are close, Blaze is alive, and I'm going to be okay! I just know I am, things are going too well for them to crumble into disaster. I fell asleep easy, and actually had a good dream of sunny skies, lots of friends and Blaze. Perhaps it was more a vision of the near future instead of a regular dream.