It was a windy day along the beachfront of the coastal front of Emerald Coast. Silver the Hedgehog, the futuristic hero of Mobius was currently staying there on holiday, having just saved the world once again from some sort of terrible disaster, the hedgehog felt it right to take a break, and since this time period was still in one piece, he decided it would be the better option than his home time.

The sky was a bright blue, merging with the ocean off along the horizon. White clouds lined one side of the city, slowly rolling in as the hedgehog changed his fancy boots for simple sandals. He took a deep breath in, feeling the salty fresh air fill his lungs. To smell such a thing was like a pleasure to him, beaches don't exist in his time zone, so he made up for it by coming here.

As the hedgehog walked down to the sandy dunes, he noticed the beach was empty; no other Mobians had visited today, and he was left to wonder if the beach was closed, or if he had managed to find a secluded one. He hadn't seen any signs, so figured this was a more secluded beach, as easy as it was to access. But he didn't mind, this just meant he could have peace and quiet, no annoying fans to bother him while he tried to relax.

Once he was down near the water's edge, the hedgehog laid a white towel out onto the sand, before laying down on it and looking up at the sky. The sound of the waves moving around him was so relaxing, he couldn't help but close his eyes. With the warm sun basking down on his silvery fur, and the winds overhead, the hedgehog found himself snoozing in a matter of minutes.

While the hedgehog rested on the beach, another creature swam just below the surface of the cool ocean water. The (f/c) mer(a/t) popped her head out slightly, spotting Silver and diving back under in fright. This was the first time a Mobian had trekked so freely onto her beach. Her heart raced as she slowly surfaced again, keeping her muzzle below the water. Her (h/c) hair moved around her as she slowly swarm closer, using her (f/c) tail to move silently through the water.

The hedgehog had fallen asleep near the water's edge, so the mer(a/t) beached, crawling up to get a look at her guest. Her tail slapped the sand behind her, causing the other to stir. The girl startled again and scrambled for the water, diving down just as the hedgehog opened his golden eyes.

"Huh...?" He asked drowsily, sitting up and holding his head, "Whoops... I must have fallen asleep."

He yawned, stretching his arms out before the hedgehog froze. His eyes moved to the sand, seeing the drag marks created by someone other than him, the sand had been disturbed in places that looked like it had been kicked up, and then something had been dragged into he water. Silver tilted his head, getting to his feet and stepping closer to the water's edge.

The mer(a/t) was watching from just below the surface, and Silver saw a glimpse of (e/c) staring directly at him. The futuristic hero stumbled back in surprise; eyes wide at the dark shadow that now stood out in the water. Whatever it was didn't surface, but it didn't move either. Whatever it was, it was waiting. But for what? For him to jump into the watery depths and possibly his death?

The hedgehog noped out of there as quick as Sonic would run a race, grabbing his towel and heading back up towards society. But for a moment he stopped, and he glanced back over his shoulder. That's when he saw her, the (a/t) in the water. Only her eyes were visible, a bright (e/c) that stood out in the ocean water. The shadowy figure from before was behind her, and Silver had to wonder what he was looking at.

"Not today." He grumbled, walking back to the beach house he had borrowed for the week from Tails. And yet he found himself thinking about the girl he saw in the water, the large shadow behind her, and he couldn't help but wonder what she was.

Curiosity was going to get him killed.

The silvery hedgehog found himself returning to the water's edge of that very same beach the next day. The sky wasn't as clear, white fluffy clouds speckled it, some grey ones floating around here and there. This time, Silver sat a little further back from the shoreline, resting his head on his arms. He closed his eyes, wondering if he should let the warmth of the sun envelop him again, or if he should sit and wait.

So, he sat and waited. A few minutes passed, nothing happened. And then another.

About 20 minutes had passed when he heard something leave the water. Whatever it was, it was dragging itself across the sand. Silver found himself holding his breath, he was tense, waiting for the right moment to have a look and see what was watching him. The shuffling and dragging finally came to a stop, and the hedgehog did his best to not react as the light shining above him went dark.

The creature was above him, this was the perfect time.

He opened his eyes.

Bright (e/c) eyes stared back at him in awe, before they blinked and filled with terror. A (f/c) (a/t) was leaning over the hedgehog, and when she realised he was awake, she yelped and tried to move back. But the girl struggled to move away, a large (f/c) fish tail was in her way. Silver was confused at first, the scene in front of him was slowly processing in his mind before he realised the fish tail was connected to the (a/t).

Silver stared in shock, eyes wide and jaw slack as he watched the mer(a/t) pull herself towards the water's edge. She looked panicked, glancing over her shoulder at him as she slowly pulled herself into the water. He shook his head, jumping to his feet and hurrying after her,

"H-Hold on! I won't hurt you!" He said just as the long (f/c) tail disappeared under the surface.

The hedgehog stood there, ankle deep in the ocean, searching the watery area for the magical creature. A large shadow moved away from him, into deeper water, before the (a/t)'s head popped out once again. Silver gulped, not entirely sure what to do now. He had wanted to know what had snuck up on him yesterday, he wanted to know who the girl in the water was but...

He didn't expect to see a mermaid out here. To think such a creature existed, one he'd only heard about in stories since he came to this timeline. To think such a magnificent creature no longer exists in his world... Considering the beach was deserted again today, Silver was able to discern that the mermaid's existence was still a mystery to the coastal town. And by the way she reacted to him seeing her... She wanted it to stay that way.

He raised his hand slowly, waving out to the creature who watched from afar, before walking back to his belongings and picking them up. Once he had everything packed away, he started for the sandy dunes, but he could feel something watching him. The mer(a/t) still had her bright eyes on him. He turned around again, she was closer now, moving slowly through the water, her head tilted slightly.

Silver took a deep breath, glancing back at the dunes. In the sky above, the clouds were turning dark, it would probably be best if he headed back. But... Turning to the shore once more, the girl was even closer; she was observing him. And then her hand raised from the water, and she gave a wave back.

A smile spread out on Silver's lips, she was either copying him, or she knew what that meant. He gave her one final wave of his hand, before returning to the beach house. There was a warm feeling in his chest, replacing the uncertainness of his findings, knowing the terror in her eyes was only a temporary reaction to her discovery.

The next day the clouds overhead were dark. Thick, rolling balls of fluffiness covered the sky, no sign of blue or white. The hedgehog was disappointed, sensing the storm off in the distance. As if to confirm his suspicions, thunder boomed in the distance, and the hedgehog made sure to close the wide glass doors as the rain started pouring.

Silver had planned to go down to the beach again today to try and communicate more with the mer(a/t), but that clearly wasn't possible. He let out a sigh, making himself a warm cup of hot chocolate and making his way out to the covered deck. At least he could see the beach from this spot, not that there was much to see.

The water was dark with the lack of sunlight, the rain creating an infinite number of ripples. The waves crashed into the shore, washing away the sand. Lightning flashed overhead, signalling the arrival of the storm. Silver let out a sigh, leaning on the railing of the balcony, the warm cup in hand. He leant his muzzle in his other hand, searching the chippy waves for any signs of the girl.

How did she react to such storms? Would she surface? Stay deep below? The hedgehog lowered his gaze, hoping she would keep herself safe.

But then he questioned why he worried. He had only discovered her yesterday, but she existed before then, and there must have been multiple storms in her life. Of course she'd be safe, she'll know how to look after herself. He chuckled lightly, taking a sip of his coco and turning to go back inside.

And then it hit his ears.

The sound of singing, of absolute, distraught singing. The hedgehog hurried back to the railing and gazed out into the ocean, seeing the mer(a/t) beached on the sand. Her tail was twisted and tangled in netting clearly designed for catching fish. A boat was heading in her direction, a light moving through the dark rain.

Silver's eyes widened, connecting the fishing net and boat. They either caught her, or were looking for their net, and if they found her Silver was certain they wouldn't let her go. He flew inside, attacking the kitchen draws with an urgency he'd only ever experienced when friends were in danger. Finding a knife, he flew out through the balcony doors and down to the beach.

The boat was getting closer to the shore, the hedgehog surprised that it hadn't somehow beached in an underwater sand dune. A bell could be heard dinging on the deck as he landed next to the mer(a/t). She looked up at him with terrified (e/c) eyes, her hair was mattered to her face, her tail and fur slick with rain.

Silver had to shield his eyes as he inspected her tail. There were clear burns on her tail caused from her trying to remove the rope, and parts of it looked a sicky (f/c). The rope was too tight around her, her tail wasn't getting the blood it needed.

The hedgehog jumped into action, trying to be careful and cursory as he wiggled his fingers under the tight rope, slipping the knife under and hacking at the material. The first line snapped, and he moved on to the next. The mer(a/t) was moving frantically, and he had to hold her tail down.

"Stay still." He yelled over the rain. Lighting cracked in the distance, followed by immediate thunder, "I need to get all of it off!"

The mermaid seemed to still, watching him and glancing up at the ship in fear. Finally, the hedgehog finished cutting the net and turned to her. She moved her tail and turned her attention to him, giving him a small smile and a nod.

Silver returned the smile, giving her a thumbs up before turning to see how far away the ship was. Only to be covered in another net. The hedgehog stumbled to the ground with a cry, dropping the knife. He instantly held his hands out, sending a pulse of turquoise light into the sky and throwing the net off.

Another crashed on top of him, this time followed by two large Mobians jumping from the boat and grabbing him by the arms.

"That's some expensive rope you're damaging there." One of the Mobians growled, lifting him up, "Don't think you can free our catch without consequences."

The other Mobian let go of him, taking the netting off the hedgehog and walking past him, towards the mer(a/t). Her eyes were wide and she tried moving away, but not being a creature of the land, she couldn't manoeuvre through the sandy terrain. He threw the net over her, scooping it under the magical creature and lifting the netted sack over his shoulder.

"N-No!" Silver struggled, using his powers to throw the Mobian holding him away. He ran at the other, the knife flying into his hands and swinging his arm in one smooth motion. A large turquoise blade appeared around the knife, slicing through the net. The mermaid fell to the ground with a thump and a yelp, and Silver jumped in front of her, holding the knife up in a threatening stance.

The Mobian blinked, eyes wide in fear. He backed away from Silver, before running back to the ship. The hedgehog was panting, seeing the one her threw also return to the ship, it slowly started to move away, turning to go in the other direction.

He dropped the knife, his knees buckling out from under him. A pair of hands instantly grabbed his arm, shaking him lightly. He turned and gave the mermaid a small smile, another thumbs up.

"You're safe now." He said, "And I'll make sure you stay safe..."

The girl was staring at him now, before a smile spread out over her muzzle and she gave him a thumbs up. Silver chuckled, before falling face first into the sand. He'd never used his power in such a way before.

The mer(a/t) freaked, poking and prodding the hedgehog in panic. She pulled at his arm, rolling him onto his back. She studied him, picked up on his breathing and relaxed. The rain was still pouring down on them, and she moved her tail to shield his face from the stinging water.

She stayed with him, waiting for the hedgehog to wake up. At some point she dragged herself across the beach, grabbing small things to bring back to the hedgehog when he woke up. The girl was searching for anything pretty, shiny, colourful. When she got back, she had a small collection of things she hoped he would appreciate.

The hedgehog was still unconscious when she returned, and she gave a worried whine. Putting the things down, she moved around him, once again covering his face with her tail. She watched him now, completely mesmerised by the creature that had saved her life. He had glowed at some point, thrown a net off him without even moving. He had managed to cut through that net with ease.

His spikes looked a bit messy, and the girl reached forward, tidying them up as best as she could. As she did so, the mermaid started to hum, which turned into quiet singing. The noise made Silver's ears twitch, and he let out a groan. His golden eyes opened, and at first he was confused. Where was he? What had happened? Why was there a large tail hovering over his face?

The hedgehog startled, sitting up quickly. The motion surprised the mer(a/t) and her tail moved, slapping the hedgehog across the muzzle. He stopped and held his muzzle, pouting as he looked around. Seeing the mermaid, his memories returned.

"S-Sorry." He said, rubbing his cheek, "I didn't mean to startle you..."

But the mermaid was in distress now, she pulled his hand away to inspect his cheek, poking it lightly. He blinked, before chuckling,

"I'm fine, you didn't hurt me that badly."

She seemed to sigh with relief, before she perked up and shuffled over to her small pile of trinkets. She picked them up, dropping them on Silver's lap. The hedgehog tilted his head, moving his legs so the items would fall to the sandy ground. Shifting, he crossed his legs and reached down, picking up pieces of coloured glass, twigs and small shells.

"Uh... Thanks...?" He asked, turning to her.

The mer(a/t) was smiling wide, leaning on her hands in anticipation. Did she think these things were gifts? Was this her way of thanking him?

Silver couldn't stop the smile spreading out on his muzzle. He held up a piece of blue glass and waved it. The girl was ecstatic, her tail slapping the ground behind her. Then she held something else out to him. The hedgehog blinked, taking it from her slowly.

It was another shell, but this one was much bigger, he couldn't wrap his fingers around it. It was a type of conch shell, with a mix of pink and orange swirling on the inside, disappearing into the pointed yet thick white shell. It shone in the rain, and Silver wiped it with his finger gently. It was the most beautiful shell he had ever seen.

"Thank you..." He said, looking at her, "It's gorgeous."

He placed it next to him, looking around. It was still raining, so the hedgehog assumed it was the same day. How long had he been out? The rain was lighter now, and the thunder was in the distance, so he figured it was a while.

It had been a long time since Silver passed out from his powers, but he never had turned a normal kitchen knife into a weapon, that was a whole new skill he didn't know he could do.

The mermaid slapped her tail on the ground, catching his attention. She was looking at the water, her eyes swimming with worry. The hedgehog followed her gaze, before looking back at her,

"You're worried they'll come back?"

She looked at him, made a strange sound with her throat, before pulling herself across the shore. Silver got to his feet, holding his hands out,

"Here, let me." He started glowing, and so did she. He lifted her up slowly, moving her across the beach and towards the water, "Don't be afraid, they won't come back."

The girl looked at the water, before turning to him again. She gave another strange sound with her throat, similar to a whine.

"Hey, it's okay. I'll be here." Silver said, slowly setting her down in the shallow water. The mer(a/t) watched him, not moving from her spot. The hedgehog was confused now, "What is it?"

She pointed at him, and then at herself, her tail splashing in the water. The hedgehog scratched his head.

"Uh... What?"

"F... Frriend..?" She tilted her head.

"Yeah, friend." Silver smiled, crouching down in front of her, "You can speak huh? What else can you say?"

"Naaame..." She said, pointing at him again, "Naame?"

"My name? I'm Silver." He said, a hand on his chest, "And you are?"

"(Y... Y/N)..." She said, before smiling, "Ssssilver, (Y/N)."

"Yep, that's us." The hedgehog smiled, and she clapped happily.

The mermaid then turned around and swam into the ocean. Silver watched her, getting to his feet and putting a hand on his hip. (Y/N)... What a name.

The girl's head appeared over the water, giving him a big wave and Silver couldn't help but chuckle, returning the action. He then headed back home, picking up the knife and ruined rope from the beach. He made his way back to the building, shivering as he shielded himself from the rain.

Once he had gotten rid of the rope and cleaned the knife, he grabbed his communicator, calling Tails to ask if he could make his holiday more permanent.

There was no way he was going to leave (Y/N) out here by herself, and he vowed to protect her from any dangers he could from here on out.

Ughhhhh thank God, I wasn't sure if I'd get this out today. This chapter was such a pain to write and caused some problems... but I'm very happy with how it turned out, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Haven Out!!!