Normally, the World Gates acted as a barrier as much as a gateway. Nothing could move through it without some force. On either side of the invisible wall that shimmered only lightly when its surface was disturbed, air simply ceased to move. Yet the warm wind that had originated on Mobius passed through it into the streets of Osaka, Japan.

It then flew northward to the edge of the Hokkaido region of Japan, the northernmost island. This was arguably the most beautiful region of Japan, hosting most of its agricultural roots, coldest winters, and unspoiled landscape. It was here in the budding light of day that two hedgehogs walked a dirt road, marked on one side by rice paddies and grassy knolls dotted with farm houses and an old abandoned shrine on the other.

"How did I let you talk me into this?" the male asked darkly. The tan and white yukata his mate had managed to get him into made him feel like he was wearing a dress. It was summer, it was cotton, it wasn't that it felt bad; it was just weird. It felt strange, especially considering his usual tendency to not wear clothing aside his gloves and shoes.

Next to him, the female hedgehog, sky blue with brown bangs and eyes, smiled softly. "You promised me a vacation after Ash moved out," she replied simply. She was dressed in a yukata as well (which looks very much like a kimono but is usually made of cotton rather than silk). Hers was more colorful, with a gradient purple-pink fabric with a few flowers embroidered onto it. "And you know how much I've wanted this," she concluded, enjoying the scenery's sights and smells.

The black and red hedgehog grunted a reply. The warm wind circled their feet and gave him pause somehow. "You didn't say anything about the bath robe..." He scowled a bit. Sara didn't have to look at him to know what he was thinking and hid her own coy grin. "..It itches." He took another step forward, and the wind caught his back. For one shining instant, he was positive a pair of hands had pushed him. 'Wha?'

Sara laughed, "Oh Shadow...lift your feet a bit more when you walk. I know you don't like it but you don't have to shuffle, it'll only make things worse."

"I didn't trip!" he growled a bit.

Sara sighed as yet another potentially romantic excursion was ruined by their conflicting tastes. It was the suddenly puzzled face that caused her to hesitate. "Shadow? Are you okay? Daijoubu?"

"Yeah…it's nothing..." He paused, but in his mind it wasn't.

A pair of hands lightly caught Shadow on the back and pushed him forward. He stumbled a few steps and his ear twitched at the laughter filling his ears. "Oh Shadow...!" a female voice had called behind him. It was Maria. It was on the Ark... 'So why now...am I remembering this?'

"Shadow?" Sara asked again.

The warm summer breeze didn't seem to want to leave this one as it tickled his ear, drawing him back to where he was. "Yeah. What?" His tone softened.

"Sorry, you're not having fun, are you?" She lowered her head a bit.

Shadow took his proper place beside her and draped an arm over her shoulder. "It's okay." He paused a moment, considering Sara and looking into her soft brown eyes. "You like it? ...You've been talking about this for years."

"I do." She leaned against him and gave him a hug. "We'll be home soon enough...and you know Papa can handle Ayame for a little while."

"Yeah." Shadow glanced in the direction the wind had blown, wondering why it played on his mind. 'Maria...?' "Come on. Sooner we get where we're going, the sooner I can get out of this costume."

"Ahh, now that's more my Shadow-kun." Sara chuckled a bit and walked beside her love.

The wind now let itself be swept by the natural paths of the globe, somehow relaxed, if that was possible. The rotation of propeller blades cut in as it drifted across the ocean. With seeming interest, the summer breeze picked up speed and followed the plane. It had an unmistakable blue and yellow motif with an orange pair of tails pasted as a logo on it.

In its cockpit, Tails had just set a course for home. It wasn't a test run for any new technology, nothing big, just heading home with a slumbering Fiona on his lap. The pair had visited Hawaii and was heading home. He smiled to himself at having her so close. She was first on his mind, so he absently set course on the autopilot. Their path now set, Tails could relax and pay attention to what he treasured far more than any bobbing hula girl on the dashboard.

The gentle wind eventually spiraled down after brushing past most of America. It seemed it wanted to linger just a little longer, spurred on by the pairings it had passed. As it floated around the city's edge, it swept past a young male fox with two tails and an apparent Lynx.

"Mmm...feel that?" He smiled warmly as the summer air swept by.

"I think so," the Lynx replied. Her synthetic fur moved realistically with the breeze and she closed her eyes. "You know, it doesn't matter how many sensors you give me, Kit, I'll never be alive."

"I know." The fox nodded. "Still, I can't seem to let it go." He smiled a bit at the Lynx robot.

"Why not?" she inquired.

"I just...feel like you're more than a robot, Kunoichi. So I have to help you." He shrugged. Kunoichi shook her head at him and laughed. "What?" he asked in a slightly offended tone.

"I'm glad you're my friend," she said softly and took his hand, watching his cheeks fill with color. "Just remember there's others who care about you..." She trailed off a moment. "Wasn't there a fox I saw you talking to the other day?"

The color of his cheeks deepened. "I was just helping her with some studying, that's all..." Kit replied nervously.

"I'm sure," Kuno replied.

Carrying on its way, the gale rattled the curtains of another apartment, one belonging to a bat and a weasel. "Can't you close the window for once?" The lavender weasel partly sneered as he stormed across the room and shut the window harshly.

The white bat, in the middle of watching soap operas, regarded him mildly. "Ahh...you're too stuffy. The breeze would be good for you, dear." She gave a saucy, knowing smile and idly filed her nails. She had a more than attractive figure, though it was a bit more modest these days, in cut jean shorts and a black and pink sleeveless top. Her sandals did have heels on them, though, and she was quite capable of fighting in stilettos if she wanted.

"It's gonna be a hundred degrees today, and you think opening a window would be a good idea? You're crazy," he replied and plucked an old Stetson hat off a coat rack nearby. He then picked the paper off the coffee table and had a seat.

"No crazier than you wearing a hat indoors." She smiled wryly. He growled a little and shoved it down next to him roughly. "Ahh, very mature."

"So what?" He leafed through the pages of the paper. Certain articles caught his interest, most of them revolving around local robberies and such.

"Want to go for a walk?" she interjected.

The fanged weasel lifted his ears to her and considered it. "I told you how hot it's going to be, Rouge."

"True. But we could always duck into a restaurant or something. It's been a while since you've treated me, darling." The bat put down the nail file to stretch over the coffee table and pick up the remote. Her wings fluttered lightly, stretching out from being idle so much. The pose also gave the weasel reason to smile as her features were accented by the clothes.

"I guess," Nack replied in a more gentle tone. "How fancy you thinkin'?" He stood and offered her a hand in a most gentlemanly fashion.

"Oh, nothin' much. Vinnie's maybe?" She slipped an arm through his, pleased he listened to her.

"Not too much, though, you're starting to get a little junk in that trunk." He grinned in spite of being stepped on “accidentally.” "I like it, though," he quickly put in and kissed her cheek.

"Now I see why I stuck with you..." Rouge said as the two headed out the apartment door. "You're good at quick recoveries."

As the midday sun beat down overhead, it touched down on the roof of a cozy ranch-style house. It was fairly typical of houses in that neighborhood, with a couple of trees in the yard, a flower garden, and some lawn furnishings. It had an old swing hanging from one of the branches of an apple tree, though it hardly saw use anymore. The warm breeze, which had started on Mobius, now made the swing sway, and encircled the two hedgehogs who owned the house.

The pink-furred one was carrying a tray with two glasses of pink lemonade out to a patio table, where a blue hedgehog was waiting. "Here you go, Sonic." She smiled brightly.

"Thanks, Amy," Sonic said in reply, taking the glass and a subsequent drink. It was really nice out, and the breeze gave him some measure of comfort. While he would have enjoyed the winds running through his quills wildly, this was the first time he'd been out of the house in some time without a cane or some other support.

"You want to go for a walk?" Amy asked, anticipating his roaming eyes. They were staring at the peaks of mountains set behind their house and the tall skyscrapers of the city on the other side. There was a time when he could scale them in a second, but it would still be a while until he got to that point.

"Sure I won't fall apart?" He gave a lopsided smile.

"Oh Sonic..." She was still a little apprehensive about his healing. Sonic wasn't known for his patience, and the months spent inside had just about eaten him alive. Of course, trying to cope with that and a nearly deaf son had taken its toll, and were the reason the blue blur had purposely slowed himself down.

Sonic set the glass down and stood up from the table. Amy kept her eyes on him the whole time as the hedgehog stretched his legs. "Yeah, I think I can go a few steps." There was a gleam in his eyes as one about to bolt, but he didn't. "So how about we check on Chris and Helen?" he said casually as he stretched his arms. There was a slight twinge in his back, but nothing like what he'd been through about a month ago.

"That's halfway across the city!" Amy complained, but she saw the look in his rich emerald eyes. 'Only for you, Sonic...' "Oh fine." She took a quick sip of her lemonade, then frowned, "What about the drinks I just made?"

The blue hedgehog shrugged and began heading to the edge of the property. The summer breeze coiled around him again, and it made him smile. "Let the flies have it." Amy heaved a sigh then rushed up to her love.

The two walked arm in arm down the white sidewalks into the city. It was a slow pace from what Sonic was used to, but the breeze kept after them, tickling their faces and running with them. As they reached the Thorndyke mansion and the familiar faces of bright-eyed Chris Thorndyke and his wife Helen, the wind left them. Sonic glanced back at where the wind had headed to, feeling as though something familiar had just passed through.

"Sonic! Coming in?" Chris asked in his typical cheerful mood.

"Yeah!" Sonic smiled and headed into the mansion.

The breeze floated lazily once more before it winked out, a thought carried upon it in the soft tones of a girl who’d lived only a short while. 'So these are the lives you touched…. I was worried about you...I guess it was for nothing. Sayonara...Shadow!'

-The end.