(Reader's P.O.V.)

I don't think, I just throw my arms around him. I'm sure it's just my imagination again or maybe Mephiles is messing with me again. But that serious expression on his face makes me wonder if it's really him. He pulls me behind him in a protective fashion. "Hmm? Well, this is impossible. You're supposed to be dead. And yet the timelines clearly say you're alive. My, what an unfaithful fiancé you have. She's moved on from you I'm afraid. Not that it'll matter when I finish you off. This time I'm going to make sure you stay dead." His eyes glow menacingly. Every fiber in my being is screaming run away but I'm too frozen to move. "Hold onto my arm." I hear 'Shadow' whisper to me. I grab hold of his left arm and a strange dark energy surrounds us. When it fades away I realize we're back in the future. Not only that but the 'Shadow' I was holding onto turned out to be Mephiles. "Sorry for lying again. That seems to be all I'm good at. I thought pretending to be him would protect you from that fox." He pants out of breath before collapsing. I'm pretty sure we shouldn't stick around here. My ability to carry Mephiles is almost non-existent as I try to drag him into a dilapidated building. I survey my surroundings. Unlike the last time I was here, everything is on fire. Outside, there's burning monsters of lava hunting for victims. I hear roars, screams, and the crackle of flames. The future changed but not how I hoped it would. Why did Mephiles bring us here? I sit in the silence of the building ignoring the sounds of outside. Maybe this isn't so bad. I'm somehow reminding myself of a certain dog on the internet. Nope, this is not okay. I'm not okay. None of this is okay. I hear Mephiles groan beside me. He's back to his crystalline form that I find so beautiful. "I must've over-exerted myself. I'm sorry about this but this is exactly where we need to be. You should stay close to me if you don't want to overheat. My body temperature is generally lower than my brother's." "Your brother?" "Right now, this future, the future you and I are standing in, is the future he created by unleashing my brother. Everything's on fire and there are lava monsters on every street corner. I'll protect you from them but I can't guarantee that you'll be entirely safe. Keep an eye on your surroundings and stay close. I'm going to look for a working computer to tell us the chain of events that led to this future." I nod and follow closely behind. Lava monsters who attempt to attack are thwarted by Mephiles' crystal shards. His attacks are kinda similar to Shadow's. I can't believe I'm still comparing the two. Back there when we were dealing with Chance, a part of me felt guilty because my feelings for Mephiles are so much stronger than my feelings for Shadow. I felt guilty because I felt I was being unfaithful to the person I promised myself to. I didn't realize it but when I looked up, Mephiles was a few feet ahead of me. I try to run to catch up to him but a monster cuts me off. A huge hand separates the two of us. "Mephiles!" The hands of rocks and lava cup around me. Almost like a child catching a bug. Except this 'bug' is actually a (H/C) colored (C/T). The hands scoop me up and I hear Mephiles shouting at the monster to put me down. The lava monster looks at me with one large green eye similar to Mephiles' eyes. A strange kind of cooing noise comes from the monster as it observes me. Almost as if it remembers me from somewhere. I've never seen it before in my life but it's possible that because it's the future, we just haven't met yet. It coos again and makes a sort of purring noise. Now I'm definitely sure it's met me before. "Iblis! Put (Y/N) down right now!" I hear Mephiles shout at the monster again. "Iblis..." Upon hearing me say its name it coos even louder. It almost behaves like a giant child. "Brother, put her down this minute!" Brother? Then that means... this monster is Mephiles' brother? Judging by his behavior, I'd say Iblis must be the younger brother of the two. But why is he so happy to see me? "Iblis, please put me down. I'm not really a fan of heights." Iblis makes a sad coo but does as I say. Gently the giant rocky hands lower to the ground and Mephiles helps me out of Iblis' hands. "That surprised me. I didn't expect him to behave like that. It's almost as if you two have met before. Have you met him before?" Mephiles' expression is a mixture of confusion and something else. A small hint of jealousy? "It's possible that I just haven't met him yet. We're in the future right? It's possible that when we go back to the present, I might meet him in the near future." My explanation doesn't seem to ease that small bit of jealousy I noticed. If anything that little flame of jealousy grew a little. Iblis seems a little disappointed that I don't know him and even gives another sad coo to prove it. However, in the moment, an idea strikes me. "Iblis, could you help us find a usable computer? You probably know this place better than we do." Iblis seems to perk up at that and holds out his hand level with the ground for us. Mephiles lets out a small groan of disapproval but climbs on anyway. I feel a bit like that tiny girl in that one movie I watched with Shadow. The wind blows through my (H/L) hair as Iblis moves through the sea of lava to our destination. We arrive at the dilapidated lab that once belonged to Eggman. I can tell because his faded symbol is all over the walls. Iblis lets us down and gives me one last coo before going on his way. Mephiles suddenly grabs my hand a little too hard. I can tell he got really jealous of his brother. I guess even though current him won't admit to it, I know that he likes me that much. At least enough to get jealous when another guy is a little too friendly. We enter a room with a large computer. I watch as he boots it up and starts typing the year we left. All sorts of news events pop on screen including the death of Princess Elise. "So it's the same as before... No matter how much I try to avoid it, my history repeats yet again..." I hear him mumble. In an attempt to comfort him I hug him from behind. "It'll be different this time, I know it will."

(Mephiles' P.O.V.)

As I looked over the news events that are to be or have already been. I notice a pattern in some of the events. "So it's the same as before... No matter how much I try to avoid it, my history repeats yet again..." I mumble to myself clutching the desk in front of me. Gentle arms wrap around me and envelop me in their warmth. "It'll be different this time, I know it will." She says those words with such strong belief I almost believe them myself. I know better though. The fox plans to gather the seven emeralds, kill Sonic, make the princess despair, and reunite me with my brother. And then Solaris will destroy time. And her along with it. I find myself trembling at the thought. The thought of losing her, it scares me. More than I thought it would. I've never felt fear before now. I've never known fear and now I know the feeling is just as unpleasant as mortals describe it. She hugs me tighter and I'm afraid that if she lets go, she'll vanish forever. I would trade anything just to be with her forever. "We should return to the present. We got what we came for and I know what I need to do. I need to help Sonic save the princess." "And what about me?" "I want you to stay far away. Even if it hurts, I want you to go home and stay far away. From me and from him."