The sun shone brightly over the lush green forest; its gold glow casting a majestic feel to the place.
He stood there as he breathed in the fresh air, a new and pleasant change to his lungs. The wind rustling his royal blue quills as his granny smith eyes took in the scene around him with hunger.
He spotted a glimpse of pink on the other side of the meadow on a hill, a good way away from him. He knew immediately what it was. Gently nestled between the random blooms that sprinkled the bright green grass.
His smile widened as he kicked his legs into high gear and ran towards it. The feeling was exhilarating: the adrenaline kicked in, sending his nerves into a frenzy; the wind whipping his face; the tears that stung his eyes.
The feeling of being free.
Oh how he had missed running round the world, without a care in the world. Never stopping to wonder about consequences or rules. He lived on his own, in his own world and that's how he liked it.
A sharp pain cutting across the blue fur on his scarred back brought him back to his senses as he stumbled to the ground.
"HEY, GET UP RODENT!" A voice boomed as three pairs of arms desperately clawed at his arms as they tried to haul the fallen hedgehog to his feet.
As the fallen hedgehog righted himself on his feet he looked around and came to the sad, sudden realization that he was just day dreaming. Again.
The hedgehog sighed before nodding at his saviours, a dirty, red echidna, a bruised, silver hedgehog and a dusty, black and crimson hedgehog.
"Thanks guys" He whispered before they nodded and he was met with another fiery sting across his back.
The blue male cried out and fell against the dry, dusty rock they were forced to quarry, day in day out.
For you see he was a slave for the kingdom of Hades. Working in the exhausting heat of the day,from sunrise to sundown, with little food and water, living in cramped conditions with dozens of men, women and children.
Him and his three companions were taken from their kingdom, where they were known, respected, royalty. Free.
But now he and his friends along with some others that he was close with were trapped in this cruel world.
"Sonic, come on" The echidna, Knuckles, whispered to him as they both tightened their grip on the rope and helped their friends.
Knuckles, a good guy, who always fought for what he believed in, he may be hard-headed at times but he was a loyal friend and an a class fighter.
Silver,a great guy, a little crazy at times but he was always there when you needed someone to talk to and happened to be telekinetic.
Shadow,a complete mystery, a bit anti-social but will always be there to back you up when you needed him.
Sonic felt his blood boil 'They don't deserve this' he thought 'No one deserves this!'.
Sonic used his anger and pulled his pick axe over his shoulder and with all his might he brought it down on the rock, cutting a chunk off the wall face. The dusty sand made gaining a firm footing hard, the heat made his hands sweaty. Where men would work soldiers patrolled the area, making sure every man worked and no had a single moment's rest and they stayed in there area. Escape was no way near possible. The castle was in the center of the kingdom and walls surrounded all the land the royal family owned. Soldiers were placed around the top at all times and to make matters worse, joint next to the castle was what the prisoners feared most.
The ring.
It was a massive arena that was designed to look like a roman colosseum, where villagers from this kingdom and people from the next kingdom over, come to watch a few slaves fight some beast that was captured for these barbaric purposes. And this was introduced why? Because of the king.
Kronus.
A dark grey hedgehog with burning amber eyes. He had the power here that Sonic's mother had back at his home,but she used it for good.
You had to exist but never be seen here because if you even put one hair out of line you will be thrown into the cells and left there, like a bad thought hidden beneath many layers and years of happy lies and deceit.
So life, in general, for our blue hero was hell, ironically.
The day passed grudgingly slow as usual. Sundown came eventually. Sonic's body ached as he trudged, with the rest of the slaves, into their living quarters. It wasn't five star residence. Just a load of tired, sick, sweaty people, who are being held against their will, thrown into jail cells.
Sonic and his friends were strong working males so they managed to pull a few strings and get a room for themselves and the rest of their friends to spend the nights in.
He, Knuckles, Silver and Shadow all flopped inside and against the wall as their exhaustion took over.
Sonic's heavy eyes lifted as the sound of footsteps echoed through the room. Soon a small yellow two tailed fox walked through,looking thoroughly beaten, his eyes red and dry, tear marks streaked his face. Tails was to young to work physically but the guards knew about his high I.Q so they moved him to the more technical side of things, luckily or else he would have been killed.
"Tails?" Sonic asked as the small fox came and sat next to him "What's up buddy?".
"You know Cosmo?" The little kitsune asked, his voice no more than a whisper.
Sonic nodded, he remembered all the times after a hard day's labour when his little brother would run up to him, buzzing with excitement, wanting to tell him all about his new friend. The little seedrian.
"Well….." He started his voice high and uneven "Today we found out that she...she..killed herself" Tails cried out as the tears fell and he dove at Sonic.
The blue hedgehog caught the youngling in his arms as his mind relayed the information. Cosmo, dead. No she wouldn't. After all Tails had told him she seemed like such an optimistic person, albeit a little timid but. Sonic knew that many had given into grief and ended their lives but he didn't think someone so young could.
Sonic held his little brother as he continued to grieve the death of his friend. The blue male was so engrossed in the little fox that when a soft hand landed on his arm he almost hit the roof.
He turned his head and saw Cream, A small beige bunny who was separated from her mother when the soldiers of this hell hole attacked her village. Sonic had a little soft spot for the rabbit and was pleased she got a job as a maid or she would have been killed as well.
Sonic lifted one arm from around Tails and embraced the little girl as she snuggled into the warmth he brought from being out in the sun. Sonic looked up and saw that he hadn't noticed the two other females they shared this cell with had come in.
'Probably with Cream' Sonic thought.
Blaze, a purple cat, a smart girl who was loyal, caring and was always there for the kids that were captured not to mention she was pyrokinetic and a princess. Her dark trousers were damp as she slid down the wall and wrung the sweat out of her long violet shirt.
Rouge, A tan bat, quite attractive but very flirty, she had managed to get extra food for the group by flirting with the guard but they had let Tails and Cream have the majority, she was a great fighter and used to be a spy when she lived with her family. She was now leaning against Knuckles, her beige tights covered with holes and her black corset and teal dress splashed with the odd stain.
Sonic glanced around the room, he smiled slightly as he closed his eyes. Even though the circumstances of them meeting wasn't the best, these mobians he grew attached to were his family and he wouldn't change that for the world.
R.S
