Sonic gasped as he sat up in bed, putting a hand to his chest. "Ah...Oh, I felt that one...!"

I can feel you're in physical distress. Wind asked. What's the matter?

"I felt something...Another Amethyst, but this one hurt!"

Hmm. The last time that happened, it meant another Autumn Amethyst had manifested somewhere. We'll have to be on guard.

Sonic swallowed hard as the pain subsided, looking at the clock. "Who'd be manifesting at 2:30 AM?"

"Perhaps they are in another timezone."

"Yeah...maybe..." Sonic's head fell back on the pillow as he yawned. "You think the kid can take care of himself until tomorrow...?"

Probably, though we don't really...know...for...

Sonic was back asleep before Wind could finish.

..........................................................

To find a child in the trunk wasn't what Shadow had anticipated.

He too had felt the Amethyst manifesting, though it wasn't as painful for him as it was for Sonic. He'd decided to postpone calling Sonic until morning, and the next day, he found a trunk on his front porch. He didn't remember ordering a trunk, but he brought it inside anyway.

Rouge wasn't so calm about it. "What if it's a bomb that the Obsidians disguised?"

"I dunno... What harm comes from a box?" Silver murmured. "We can keep it until somebody reports a missing trunk."

That's when the trunk moved.

Rouge screamed.

Shadow suddenly had Silver in his arms.
He rolled his eyes then dropped the younger hedgehog onto the couch. "Wimp." He groaned, then went towards the trunk.

"Careful...!" Rouge whispered.

Shadow broke the lock holding the trunk shut, then opened the trunk, raising an eyebrow as he saw the contents. "Well hello."

A little hedgehog, no older than ten, sat up from inside the trunk, looking utterly terrified. He looked almost identical to Shadow, only with green eyes and blue streaks and being much younger. "I-I'm sorry, sir." He stammered. "I didn't know this was your box."

"It's not." Shadow pulled him out, looking him over. "You're a long way away from home, kiddo."

"I...I don't know if I have a home, sir." The hedgehog looked down at the floor. "I don't know anything but my name."

"And you don't look like you've eaten in weeks!" Rouge came over to him. "What were you doing in a trunk?"

"Hiding, ma'am. There were these guys with swords trying to kill me! I s-saw the trunk and- I wasn't going to stay in it, but then they locked it shut and-"

Shadow bent down to him. "Guys with swords, huh...? What's your name?"

"...Autumn. Or at least, I think it is."

Shadow nodded. "Don't you worry, Autumn, we won't let those guys get you. I'm Shadow, and this is Rouge and Silver."

"Hi." Silver came over to him. "Where are you from, Autumn?"

"Sssssoleanna?"

"Soleanna, I see."

Shadow watched as Silver and the little hoglet bonded, then he went to the phone, dialing Sonic's number.

...Shadow? Good, I was meaning to talk to you.

"About the manifestation last night? I felt it too."

Where do you think they are?

"Actually...He's here in my apartment."

Silver!?

"No. A little ten-year-old. He was in a trunk that got sent to my house by accident. I'll explain later, but what name he remembers is Autumn."

Autumn...Got any ideas what his powers are?

"Not yet, but...I think Silver wants him go stick around."

I'll come over as soon as I can, Shadow.

"Right. Bye." He hung up, then turned to Autumn. "So kid, you hungry?"

"Yes sir..."

"Then let's see what we've got in the kitchen..."

........................................................................

Sonic hurried to Shadow's apartment, tapping his foot as he waited for Shadow to answer the door. "...Alright, I'm here." He said as the door opened.

"Good. Come on in."

Sonic stepped inside, seeing the new Amethyst sitting at the table with a grilled cheese sandwich. "He looks a lot like you..." He whispered.

"I know... And all he remembers is the name Autumn and that Obsidians were trying to catch him in Soleanna."
"Soleanna... So they are spread out on the planet..." He groaned. "I was hoping they were all in town..."

"Tough luck." Shadow led him into the kitchen. "Autumn, this is Sonic. He's gonna help protect you."

Autumn nodded. "Why do those guys want me, anyway?"

Sonic smiled, "Well, those guys know you have special powers... Me too, so that's why I'm gonna help you, cuz they want me too."

"My powers...?" Autumn bent down to Sonic's shadow on the floor, then Sonic watched as he picked it up off the floor, like a piece of thin fabric. "Like this...?"

Equinox! Wind shouted.

"What...?" Sonic whispered.

You and Shadow. The mirror. Now.

Sonic took Shadow's arm. "Shadow, don't forget we had that thing we needed to do."

"What? I don't re-" he paused as Sonic motioned to the hall. "Oh, right! One second, guys."

Sonic pulled Shadow into the bathroom, then both Thaw and Wind appeared in the mirror. "What about Autumn?"

"He's Autumn Equinox!" Thaw replied.

"You remember how I mentioned that one of Dominus' emissaries went to our side?" Wind asked.

"That was Autumn?" Shadow asked.

"Yes. Because he was originally an Obsidian, his powers are over darkness...he's also the only one that forges his own vessel rather than picking a pre-existing one."

"So Autumn isn't holding an Amethyst...he is an Amethyst." Sonic murmured.

"I have reason to believe that when he forged this form, he lost control and has forgotten his true nature. If you can get Autumn to transform into his winged form, he might remember who he is." Thaw explained.

"Or he might not, since we help our keepers manifest and he doesn't remember how to transform." Wind replied.

"Who asked you!?"

"Do I need your permission to give my opinion!?"

"Stop!" Sonic shouted. "You're making my head hurt..."

"Mine too." Shadow agreed. "Well, we have to try with him."

Sonic nodded, then they went back out to Autumn. "Sorry, had some stuff to do."

Autumn smiled. "It's okay. But who were you yelling at?"

Sonic and Shadow looked at each other. "Nooooobody?" Sonic replied.

Shadow sighed, "We were yelling at Spring Thaw and Autumn Wind, you remember those names?"

Autumn looked thoughtful. "...No."

Sonic sighed. "Don't worry, you will soon..."