Brothers 9

Amy stared in disbelief at Iblis for a moment, then growled to herself. "Fine you can keep it. It was our only picture of Shadow so don't be digging through for anymore." She said to Mephiles. Mephiles blinked but nodded, stuffing the photo into his quills.

Amy shook her head, walking into the kitchen. She gazed at whatever the yellow fox had put onto the table, then dug around in the cupboards for something to eat.

Mephiles walked over to Iblis, wrapping his arms around the rocky weasel. Iblis blinked. "Thank you..." The hedgehog said, letting the other free. Iblis smiled. "It's your father, you have the right to keep it."

Mephiles nodded, smiling. He blinked then looked at Iblis. "Did you have any pictures of your dad...?" He asked, blinking. Iblis thought a bit. "I don't think I did...it doesn't matter anyways, Mom said he was a traitor to Soleanna and exiled him." Mephiles blinked. "He was a prince from some other land...eh don't remember maybe they're in the scrolls...which were burned in the fire as well I'm guessing." Iblis continued, tapping his foot against the floor a bit. "Hmm...all I know is that I was conceived before Mom and him got married...so he was never really a king or anything like that." He said with a slight blush. He shook his hand a bit. "It doesn't matter, really..."  Mephiles blinked again.

"Your story is a bit more complicated than mine." He said, grinning.

Iblis shook his head. "I wouldn't say that...I was never an orphan..." He said, hesitating before saying the last bit. Mephiles looked at the ground for a bit. Iblis twitched his ears. " I shouldn't have said that, Mephiles I-" "What are you going on about now? I was thinking." Mephiles chuckled. "Don't worry about hurting my feelings I know you don't mean any harm...just thinking about what would happen if I were to see my father again...would he recognize me?" He asked more to himself than the weasel standing in front of him.

Iblis blinked. "I'm sure mine wouldn't recognize me...even if I hadn't obtained these...rocks and the fire on my tail." He said. Mephiles blinked. "Maybe if there was a way to remove the rocks...have you tried cutting them off?" Iblis snorted. "Yes find me something that can cut off rock and I'll try." Mephiles chuckled. "Just an idea."

He looked around the room they were standing in for some kind of inspiration. He blinked at seeing a sheet over a box looking structure.

He walked over to it, Iblis not far behind. Mephiles glanced at the door to the kitchen to see if anyone was watching, then peeked under the sheet. He widened his eyes a bit then took the sheet off completely so Iblis could see. It was a purple emerald in a glass container, probably with the sheet over it so no one would know that it was there just from looking at it.

Mephiles quickly put the sheet back over the box as he heard someone cough. Iblis looked over at the kitchen door then back at Mephiles. "That blue hedgehog said that those could grant your wishes..." He started. Mephiles grinned. "Maybe we can get them all and shed you of these rocks." He said, pulling the green emerald out of his quills. Iblis smiled. "Yes!" He said.

"I highly doubt they're going to let us have the emerald though...maybe we could 'borrow' it tonight?" Mephiles suggested. Iblis snorted. "You're such a thief." He said, ruffling the other's teal bangs.

Mephiles chuckled. "You should know that by now, you met me by me stealing your garbage." Iblis chuckled. "What do you suggest we do after we borrow it, they're probably going to blame us first?" Iblis asked, going over to the couch that was sitting in the middle of the room. Mephiles thought for a bit, then sighed. "Run?" He said.

"To where though, it's not like there's a nice mansion for us to run to...and I don't know many people outside of the royal family." Iblis said. Mephiles thought for a bit, then grinned.

"Silver!" "Who?" "My brother!...My real brother..." Mephiles said. "He moved away far before Mom died. I haven't seen him in a while but I still know where he lives."

Iblis blinked, twitching his ears. "How do you know he's going to let us stay with him?" "He's my brother, would you let me stay with you if I had nowhere else to go?" Mephiles asked, chuckling.

Iblis sighed, smiling. "Yes. So where does he live?" "Right outside the border of Soleanna." Mephiles said, his tail wagging a bit. "Maybe I should've went to him instead of starting a bad habit of stealing." He said, smiling sheepishly. Iblis blinked. "Did you steal when you were with us?" "Yeah...uh...you missed out on some stuff...here and there." Mephiles chuckled nervously. "Like what?" Iblis asked, blinking. Mephiles paced a bit. "It was nothing too big...a few rings here and there...some clothes which I actually never wore because I had sold them...stuff like that." Iblis blinked. "Just from me?" "No I stole from your mom too..." Mephiles chuckled a bit. Iblis chuckled. "Don't worry 'bout it." He said.

"So it's a plan?" He added. Mephiles nodded. "Tonight we take it then we run to my brother's place." He said.

Iblis smiled.

After a while the two hedgehogs, the fox, and the weasel all sat at the dinner table. Amy had cooked their meal, it being some kind of pasta with sauce.

Mephiles was sitting like a prince, not wanting to show that he was just some ragamuffin that didn't know any manners. Iblis however was relieved to not have to follow the 'royal prince' manners. His elbows rested against the table, a thing that if his mother would've seen, he'd be hit with a ruler. He sighed a bit, having finished before the others.

Amy looked at Mephiles then at Iblis. "So I'm guessing the roles are reversed now that you look like a monster?" She said. Iblis widened his eyes. "I'm just sick of having to use manners...and I do believe if I am a monster, then you should really get a person who does make up better." Iblis said, looking at the table. Amy's eye twitched. "My makeup is removable at least!" She yelled, standing. Mephiles and Tails looked at her. Amy blinked but sat back down, tail twitching. She grumbled something under her breath but none of it made any sense.

Mephiles smiled.