My eyes closed as I sighed in vapors rising from the cascade of warm water. It fell over my head, down my shoulders, and into the drain. When I first stepped into the shower, the water that ran off me had been discolored, brown. After the dirt from countless weeks washed off, and I had scrubbed myself nearly raw with a rag, the water had finally become clear. Now, I was just enjoying the warm feel of it and how it put me in a relaxed state. I'd have to leave the safety of the shower soon, so Sonic could take his turn. Afterward, we would go downstairs for another awkward dinner with our captor.

        I turned off the pleasantly warm stream of water with great hesitation, wanting to stay for longer—much longer. Though the temperature in the bathroom had raised, the air felt cool on my skin the moment I stepped out of the tub. It caused an involuntary shiver throughout my body. Across from the bathtub, covering the whole wall, was a mirror. I stopped and stared at the girl that met my gaze.  

        Her eyes looked tired, with dark circles beneath them. She stood thin with ribs showing, long (color) hair unkempt and filled with tangles and mats. I reached up and ran fingers through my hair, the girl doing the same, getting caught in the numerous knots that made me wince after some painful tugging. How long had it been since our journey started? Six months? For nearly half that time I had neglected myself—I had eaten little, and I had barely paid attention to my appearance let alone my hair. I saw for the first time what all that neglect had done to me.

        I looked horrible.

        Briefly turning my gaze from the mirror, I picked up a new set of purple robes resting neatly folded on the bathroom counter and put it on. The hem reached my ankles. When I looked in the mirror again, I straightened up. I couldn't help but feel regal with the presence of the fancy robe. Mephiles had said that if I stayed with him, I'd be treated like a princess. But did I feel like a princess? Did I look the part? The dark circles underneath my reflection's eyes caught in my sight. I slouched a little. No, I'm not a princess.

        I exited the bathroom, which connected to mine and Sonic's chamber. The door was tall and skinny, placed in the far corner of the room opposite the invisible entrance. Only recently did it show up, earlier this morning. Mephiles might have realized that we mortals had the need to wash and relieve ourselves after being trapped in a room all day, and that we weren't about to lick our bodies clean. It was probably easy for him, being a demon with no mouth and no scent, and therefore not burdened with either of those mundane routines.

        A comb laid atop the dresser, and I grabbed it, nodding back to Sonic as he passed by into the now-available bathroom with a robe under his arm. I wandered over to the sofa next to the window and sat down, working at my hair and all its tangles. It was a painful experience. I heard the shower start and Sonic began humming a tune. I paused in my combing, listening closely to the boy's voice when he sung words along to the tune of a song I recognized. My heart squeezed tightly, and a sad frown crossed my lips. 

        I used to love that song. I had listened to it with my parents all the time while they cooked in the kitchen, dancing and twisting and jumping around as if I were a professional. What did my parents think of me now? Did they still think I was coming home? Or did they give up on me?

        I watched with bleary eyes, still stuck in the realm of a daydream, when the invisible door creaked open. Dinner was ready. I wouldn't leave until Sonic had finished in the bathroom, but I could feel a sense of urging, begging me to come downstairs alone. Continuing to fight the tangles in my hair, I stayed put.

        The blue hedgehog stepped out of the bathroom with a thick mist flowing around him. "Whew, that felt good," he said while smoothing his long quills. Adjusting the robe he wore, Sonic grinned when he saw me struggling with my damp hair. I was down to the very frizzed ends that seemed to not want to be tamed. "I think you might be due for a haircut. Lemme help you out there. There's gotta be scissors somewhere."

        Sonic searched through the dresser, pushing around socks and underwear and multiple clones of the robes we had on. Finding nothing, he moved onto the petite wooden drawer beside the bed, uttering a victorious cry as he held up a pair of large scissors. I stared with a wary expression as the hedgehog stalked toward me, opening and closing the blades with a sharp hiss. He stood in front of me, and I sighed and yanked the comb from my matted ends.

        "Do what you have to do," I consented, and pulled between us a basket used for garbage. Turning my head as far as it could go while sitting on the sofa, since I'd be too tall for Sonic to cut my hair if I was standing, I felt as he took a large part of my hair between his forefinger and middle finger and started snipping.

        Minutes later, my hair back to its usual length, Sonic ran the comb through it once to make sure the tangles were out and set aside his tools. "You look good as new," he remarked with a warm smile, tousling my (length) (color) hair locks in the same way I had seen him tousle Tails' bangs. "We'd better get down to dinner. Mephiles has probably been waiting for us."

        "Yeah," I sighed, standing and brushing myself off in case any hairs stuck to my robe. Quickly, I crossed the room to look into the mirror above the dresser, examining Sonic's work. My hair was clean-cut and even. "You did a good job. Thanks," I said to the boy.

        "Anything for you, Miss (Nickname)." He smirked, knowing I didn't like being called by nicknames. But I allowed it this time.

        Checking myself over one last time, Sonic and I departed our shared chamber and started for the dining hall. As we walked through the beautiful, window-filled hallway with the crystal world glowing outside, I couldn't help but notice the hedgehog's calculating gaze. I tried to get his attention with a subtle move of my arm, but he seemed determined to ignore my antics. He was longing to escape, I knew it.

        When we stepped into the dining hall, the magnificent chandelier twinkled above the table, with a banquet laid out just as it had been last night. The innumerable smells wafted around the room and tickled our noses, causing our bellies to growl in hunger. My eyes shifted to Mephiles, who stood from his chair at the head of the table and greeted us. "It is lovely to see you again for dinner," he said, nodding approvingly at our proper wear. He sat down, and Sonic and I took the same seats on each side of him as we had done before.

        Without waiting for any indication that we could eat, I picked up my plate and began piling on food from the nearest platter. I felt more energetic now than I had been all day, hungrier, too. My eyes darted to Mephiles, who watched me as always with his sickly, unblinking stare. I swallowed uncomfortably when I remembered my dream from last night, almost choking on a piece of pork. That dream had been on my mind throughout the entire day, no matter how I wanted to forget it. Mephiles most certainly hadn't forgotten. I didn't like how he could communicate with me mentally even after being granted a physical body. That was why I hesitated on Sonic's idea of escaping the palace. It didn't matter where we went, Mephiles would find us—at least, he would find me.

        As I gorged myself on the banquet, Sonic leisurely took bites in between words, finding he had the desire for conversation. "So, Master Mephiles," he started, coaxing our host into chat because I was never one to talk much. "Why is it you set out this big, fancy feast for us, yet you don't even try anything for yourself? I mean, I know you don't have a visible mouth, but surely there's got to be some way you eat or drink. Everything on Earth lives off some form of nourishment, yeah?" I slowed in my eating, curious of this fact as well.

        The snake-eyed demon raised an eyebrow at Sonic. "I'm amused you find the manner of my consumption so interesting. Has it not occurred to you that I might be eating right now, taking energy from the air just as a flower does with sunlight? You are correct in that all creatures that exist—whether they roam the mortal earth or are born from ancient powers—must function by taking in a form of nourishment. Mine so happens to be Chaos energy. Energy which you, yourself, happen to be expelling."

        Mephiles stared at the teen hedgehog with a predatory look, and I unconsciously let out a warning growl when Sonic's face twisted with unease. I quickly looked down at my plate when the two anthros turned their gazes in my direction, blushing furiously in embarrassment and discomfort. Lowering his eyelids, Mephiles tutted and tapped at the table a bit too close to my arm, which I slid closer to my plate.

        "Of course, if I wanted, I could choose to consume food as you do," he said, nonchalantly continuing the conversation. "It would give me little nutritional value, but indeed I am able to taste the delicacies conjured by my own magic."

        "Well, why don't you?" said Sonic, his voice immediately gaining strength after that brief moment of alarm.

        Mephiles let out a prolonged sigh. "I suppose. But only because you are, for whatever reason, so interested to see me with a mouth. Honestly, you have the inquisitiveness of a small child."

        I watched with wide, staring eyes as a shadowed line grew horizontally across the bottom-half of Mephiles' pale face. On either side of the line, lips slowly formed and protruded just as anyone else's. There was no doubt Mephiles resembled Shadow even closer. Summoning a plate, napkin, and utensils to the empty spot in front of him, the demon reached across the table and stabbed a juicy slice of chicken. He didn't bother cutting the large chunk of white meat on his own plate, he just brought it to his mouth—full of perfect, pearly-white teeth—and stuffed it inside.

        "Delicious, I must say," said the demonic voice, though Mephiles' mouth was closed and chewing.

        "That is so wrong," I said in a hushed whisper, feeling sick at the strange sight. Sonic and I shared equally disturbed glances, before the black and grey-striped hedgehog swallowed his meal and swiped a pink tongue over his new lips with satisfaction.

        "Would you rather I not have a mouth, my dear?" asked Mephiles through a purr. He leaned forward with a smile that wasn't all that friendly.

        Shying away from him, I avoided both hedgehogs' gazes and instead looked at the endless platters of feast in front of us, speaking with a shaky voice. "I—I got used to seeing you without a mouth, I guess. It doesn't matter what I think. You can do what you want."

        Mephiles let out a husky chuckle. "I see you're uncomfortable. I will return to my typical, mouthless state." Just like he said, the mouth disappeared, and the demon's face was smooth and pale as it had always been.

        I gave him a slight nod of thanks, my eyes falling on my plate. It hadn't been the mouth that scared me, it had been the fact that I could see Mephiles' expression. Which was strange, because I thought I had wanted to know what he felt since he knew what went on in my head. But seeing that mouth, the way it tilted with a knowing smile, as if he had everything planned—it made me scared to know what he knew. It made me want to stay in the dark.

        Dinner resumed with little conversation, as Sonic was too disturbed to say much else. After a few moments of silence, my mind switched gears and focused on the food in front of me. I tried stuffing all that I could into my stomach, not wanting to feel the pain of hunger again as I had in Holoska. The time spent there had messed with my head. I couldn't stand being alone anymore, I feared the cold, and I always felt as if I'd never see food again.

        When mine and Sonic's plates were empty, and our bellies full, the banquet and dirty dishes magically cleared away. We started to push out our chairs to leave but stopped when Mephiles fixed us a with a stare, understanding that he was about to speak.

        "All the doors in the palace will remain visible and unlocked. I trust you not to wander off. From now on, you both have free roam of the palace. I'd suggest visiting the courtyard," the demon looked at me. "I made a few additions to it since you first saw it. I have a feeling you will like what you see." He stood from his seat and bowed, dissolving into the shadows.

        Sonic got up and stretched, cracking his neck. "Courtyard, huh? Like, outside?"

        Shrugging, I left my seat and walked toward the doorway with the hedgehog at my side. We started making our way to the courtyard. "It's somewhat outside. I mean, it's still a part of the palace, like there are walls surrounding it on all sides, but there isn't a roof. Last I saw, there was only a fountain with a path around it, and a couple of trees after I asked for some."

        "He lets you have whatever you want, huh?" said Sonic while scratching his chin. "Kinda suspicious. Sounds like he's trying to gain favor with you."

        "I know he is," I said, sighing. "And I wish he wasn't. It feels like he's putting pressure on me."

        "Mephiles wants something from you." The boy looked at me, stepping closer with a protective glint in his eye. "Ignore his tricks, and maybe he won't be expecting anything of you."

        It's not that easy, I thought, continuing to walk through the crystal corridors, deep into the heart of the palace. The courtyard was at its very center. I remembered it was strongly fortified, the walls surrounding it reaching the sky, as if preventing anyone within from escaping.

        Sonic hurried ahead at the sight of a large door that sparkled with a stained-glass window. He pushed against it with both hands, it swung open, and he held it for me with a grin after peeking outside. "That creepy demon-hog was right—you're gonna love this."

        Anticipation growing, I hastened my step and bypassed Sonic, entering the courtyard. My (eye color) eyes widened in surprise. The smooth-stoned pathway was there, and so was the fountain. There stood the trees that I had asked for, but they looked different, larger and more intricate. Of course, those trees were made of a crystalline material like everything else in the palace was. Some additions of Mephiles' included benches and odd sculptures which added to the magical atmosphere. The one thing that caught my eye, that didn't appear to be made of crystals, was the green carpet of grass blades that spread in all places except the path.

        Shutting my mouth after I realized it had been hanging open, I stepped off the path and knelt down, inspecting this grass to see if it was real. Sonic hovered beside me, snickering, as I ripped up a few blades and held them in front of my face. It looked like grass. It felt like grass. I flopped onto my belly and closed my eyes, inhaling. It even smelled like grass.

        I wanted to cry. A few tears already pricked my eyes. Sucking in a shuddering breath, I rolled over and looked at Sonic, who towered above me with a wide grin. Behind him hung the sharp, sparkling branches of a crystalline tree. It was a beautiful sight. A giggle left my mouth, and a tear slipped from the corner of my eye and landed in the living grass. I had to admit, I was euphoric. Euphoric enough to change into a giant (color) (animal) without thought.

        Sonic jumped back with a delighted laugh at my transformation, grinning the whole time he watched me roll around in the grass. Then he lunged at me, wrapping little peach-skinned arms around my neck and attempting to drag me along the ground. Too heavy for him to do such a thing, and thrashing too wildly anyway, I allowed him to entice me into a game of tag.

        We raced about the courtyard, were(animal) chasing anthro hedgehog, circling the fountain and weaving through tree trunks. Sonic tried climbing one of those gorgeous gemstone trees, but it scratched at him and he gave up quickly after. Our fooling around stayed on the ground. Not long after, the game of tag turned into a fight for dominance as Sonic did his best to pull me down and pin me. He was strong, for a three-foot-tall hedgehog, but I was stronger.

        I twisted my head around, lightly nipping at Sonic's shoulder. He moved away, with a harsh grip on my scruff, and I used my leg muscles to push off the ground and launch my lower body at him. I ended up bowling over the little guy. Sonic screamed as I threatened to roll over him, which would have probably squeezed the life out of him in the process, but I halted halfway, rumbling in animalistic laughter. I plopped down on the ground beside him, my (animal) paws stretched toward the dimmed sky of warm colors. The teenager beside me sighed in relief, clutching at his forehead.

        "I thought I was done for, (Name). I really thought you would do me in. Just think of how my funeral would go, with my gravestone saying, 'Here lies Sonic the Hedgehog, suffocated by a great, big, furry (animal) butt.' For the rest of eternity, I would be known as the hero who got taken down by a tush."

        I let out a string of barking laughter, and Sonic playfully shoved my muzzle away. My laughter lasted for a lengthy time. When I finally calmed down, I turned my head to the hedgehog, panting. "That was great. It's been so long since I had fun. I guess it's probably been long for you, too. All our days are serious, serious, with no room for play. Maybe we needed a break like this."

        Sonic hummed in agreement, looking up at the crystal sky. "Today was great, but we're gonna have lots more fun once we get out of the palace." I cocked my head, wondering what he meant by that. He answered with his bright emerald eyes fixated intently on the sky.

        "We're leaving this place tonight."