By LazerTH
Note: All characters in this fanfiction are property of Sega EXCEPT Lazer the Hedgehog (my character) and others of my imagination. If you want to get to know Lazer better, read my previous fanfiction, "The New Freedom Fighter".
I take these few lines to personally thank Sonic Dust for giving me additional information and support for this fanfiction. You're the man, Sonic Dust.
By the way… this fanfic is my first attempt at a "romance" type, however, most of it is actually action/adventure. I strove for many hours to make this story acceptable to my standards. I wish you happy reading.
Chapter 1: Invitations
Morning dawned on the city. The Mobian sun sparkled in the cool dewy air, reflecting off the windows of apartment buildings and work places. It heralded the new day, as the citizens awoke and began their daily activities. This city was relatively young, and so were its inhabitants. It was the city built by the Freedom Fighters, and all who sought freedom and liberty.
For the past two years, Robotnik had been kept at bay due to the efforts of the Freedom Fighters. He had tried every plan his brilliant mind could conceive, but each and every time, he was crushed (sometimes with ignominy) by the Freedom Fighters. As a tribute to their victories, they founded this city… and dared Robotnik to destroy it. He could not. His resources had been utterly spent waging war against the Freedom Fighters, who either destroyed what he created, or stole from him.
For two years, there was something the citizens of Mobius had not experienced for a long, long time: peace.
So they had lived their lives, inviting others to share their happiness. The city had grown. Families had been started. Lives were made. The undercurrent of fear that had been the 'status quo' for so many years was now gone, forgotten in time.
They were at peace, and that was all they needed to be content. Robotnik had not died, unfortunately, and was rumoured to be brooding in his city of machines, Robotropolis, which was less than ten miles from the new city. The fact that Robotnik was practically their neighbour displayed the founders' confidence that they would never be overthrown. They were neither attacked nor disturbed, for two years.
To give you an idea of the present time, Sonic the Hedgehog, who had been a founding member of the original Freedom Fighters, was now twenty years of age. The young blue hedgehog had certainly not lost his reputation as the fastest thing alive on the face of Mobius. He could easily surpass the electronic commuter trains that had been set up in the new city. He had also grown an unruly mop of green hair, and styled it into long spikes that hung between his eyes and all over his head. It was typical of such a carefree soul.
Sonic had decided to get a job
(since the threat of Robotnik seemed to be past, and also because he wanted to
have his own money), and was now the overpaid employee of a pizza delivery
service. Overpaid, understandably, as the business had become quite popular due
to Sonic's motto of "Delivered in less than 5 minutes or free!" The customers
had to tip Sonic three times more than normal if they asked for him to
deliver their pizza. They were never disappointed, and the manager of the pizza
service was more than happy to add an extra zero to Sonic's salary.
The speedy blue marvel, wearing his jacket and a hat that advertised the pizza delivery service, was racing down one of the paved sidewalks, his shoes (and himself) a blur to onlookers. Loose pieces of paper on the ground were thrown into the air by the gust of wind he left in his wake. In one of his hands he balanced a flat, red cardboard box (you can guess its contents). He traversed another block within moments, and that was when he heard the shout.
An expensive-looking, gray sports model of new make was recklessly speeding down the road. Pedestrians (one of which Sonic had heard crying out) scattered in all directions, diving for safety, forgetting whatever they were carrying in order to preserve their lives. Groceries were strewn on the road, several had been injured, and there was a general atmosphere of alarm.
"Uh-oh! Seems there's trouble brewing…"
As he picked up the pace, he heard yells coming from the car itself! Slowing down a notch so that he would not overtake the car, and still balancing the pizza box, he looked sideways at the driver. He was a middle-aged ferret, graying at the temples, with eyes wide with fear, fixated on the road.
"Hey mister! Just because you got new wheels doesn't mean you have to show them off!"
He looked back at Sonic in a state of fright and confusion.
"I didn't order a pizza!" he cried, swinging the steering wheel to avoid another car. Sonic moved in sync with the speeding car. The buildings and people were racing past them in a blur of colours.
"Can you slow down?"
"I can't!! My brakes are gone!"
Sonic looked ahead of himself and the car, noticing that they were heading straight for a hairpin turn just before the bridge, that crossed a river running through that part of the city.
There was also a large light post at that curve.
"Aieee!! I'm going to crash!" the man shouted, crushing the brake pedal onto the floor to no avail. The two speeding objects flashed by, causing several pedestrians to turn their heads in surprise, while those on the road dodged quickly.
"Come on! Open the door and I'll bail you out!"
"What! Oh well…"
The ferret opened the door and Sonic grabbed his arm.
"What are you doing?"
"No time!"
The blue hedgehog promptly screeched to a halt, nearly jolting the ferret's arm from its socket. They paused to watch the car hurtle at top speed toward the light post. With the sound of shrieking metal, the post cut it the car into two masses of metal and broken glass. Moments later the chassis went up in flames.
"You okay, mister?"
The ferret wailed in dismay.
"My… My new car!" he cried, flinging his arms upward in a gesture of helplessness. He was suddenly angry.
"Blasted new cars! Their brakes are the first things to give problems! I'm going to sue that automobile company for attempted murder…"
"Calm down, mister! You're safe, right? Nothing broken? Okay, I'll let the fire service handle that… I've got a delivery to make!"
He began to run off but the ferret held his arm.
"I forgot to thank you, young signor! Wait a moment…"
He fumbled in his shirt pockets as Sonic nervously looked at his watch. He got a good chance to examine his latest rescue victim. Apart from the graying hair on his face, the rest of his fur did not seem affected by age. He was on the pudgy side, almost a foot taller than Sonic and he wore a handsome gray business suit, matching the car he… had.
"Ah! Here they are…"
He pressed two slips of paper into Sonic's palm. The latter looked down at them.
"They are free VIP passes for my
restaurant, Cliff Dome! I was going to give them to one of my esteemed
customers, but you have proved more than worthy of them! Bring a friend with
you anytime you wish signor… and please bring a female friend,
Sonic stared at him. What was he insinuating, 'please bring a female friend'?
"Well, many more thanks, signor, I must leave now…"
He strode off, muttering something about his insurance company. Sonic looked at the tickets once more, shrugged, and swiftly sprinted to another part of the city.
After all: five minutes, or free.
Minutes later the fire service arrived, put out the flames, and the crowd dispersed. They were glad that Freedom Fighters like Sonic came to the city on a regular basis.
Finally, the hidden camera that had been watching all the drama closed its shutters.