Author's Note: This is a compilation of Sonic Universes, limited by my own knowledge of both. And also, this is my first story! Woo! So comments, please? But if you're going to criticize, please be constructive about it. I don't appreciate bashing.

I'll try to be quick here. So despite my own personal disappointment in the TV show Sonic X I thought that the concept of the character Chris was not as annoying as some other people. My problem came with the last season. I felt that by changing Chris back into a kid it worked against the show's attempts to mature him. His realization, at the end, that he had to leave this world, was not enough in my opinion. Lastly, I disagreed with the Metarex because it took away the opportunity for the humans to learn about Sonic's world, where before Sonic and co. had a lot to learn about our world.

So I started thinking: Say Chris was able to visit Sonic's world and was able to learn about it. All those questions they talked about in the last episodes of the second season: what's it like? And Sonic's response throughout the series: The Sky and the Moon are the same. How would they be answered? And would the humans realize that their species had more similarities or differences between them? If the world could learn about Sonic and his world – about the supernatural things that occur and their advantage in technology – how would they response? I think some people would want to exploit it.

Lastly, and most importantly, What would Sonic's world be like?

So I thought up this little tale, and as my own preference, I used the SatAM cartoon version of Sonic's world here. I did this not necessarily out of laziness, but because let's face it: The SatAM world is awesome, and though it was a child's cartoon it provoked so many complexities. And because it has a darker outlook than Sonic X I felt it would a) serve to show Chris that the hero who fell out of the sky one night does not necessarily live in a wonderland, and b) provide a complex environment for other humans to make their own assumptions.

HOWEVER, realize that though I love Sonic, my version of his world is so tainted it's unbelievable. I've read the comics more than watching the show, because I watched the show so long ago that I don't remember half of it. My knowledge of people such as Ixis Nagus and the Void and such is very limited, so I avoid putting any of that in my version of the universe.

Anyways, Legal stuff: All Sonic X characters are copyright 4KidsTV and the respective companies that created the show.

All SatAM characters that appear in this story are copyright the SatAM cartoon and its creators. Sonic is copyright SEGA and I don't own any of these people.

Any places used on 'Earth' that are, well, real, are copyright Earth.

All other characters that might appear in this story are copyright me. Rawr.

And here we go.

Chapter 1: Be Thankful

The smooth, steel edges of the machine towered over the laboratory. Their sleek and arched design, positioned in the exact center of the room, made them reminiscent of the mythical gateways described in myths and legends. And accurate, too, for a gateway was precisely what it was…

It was evening. The room that held this awesome spectacle was dimly lit, and the brownish-yellow light burning from the bulbs reflected off the walls and windows, slightly obscuring the view of the city. Like the device the room was aesthetically pleasing, but had a cold and mechanical feel. This feeling was mirrored by the silence that protruded the air. Then, suddenly-lightly-, the rhythmic sound of typing echoed from its origins down below. A boy by the console of these arches, rapidly punching in data on the display screen. He looked to be about eighteen, and his blue eyes flashed furiously from the display screen to the machine.

After a long sequence of numbers was punched in, the boy paused to brush his reddish-brown hair away from his eyes and sighed. With a sense of finality he pressed a button on the console.

A hissing noise filled the air as hydraulic pistons drew hidden panels back from the steel exterior of the arches. Within there emerged a series of lasers, mounted upon mirrors. At first they appeared to be aimed at one another, but upon firing the red strip of light passed only inches from their 'targets', instead bouncing off the mirrors and creating a star-like pattern. It bounced from mirror to mirror, creating a web of lasers until the gateway shined a bright red. For a moment nothing happened, as the engines of the machine roared in increasing intensity. Then, suddenly, the red layer shifted to white, and the brightness increased to a blinding point before dying down. The engines' roar slowed to an idle. Now in place of empty space there stood a swirling portal between the arches, randomly shifting to all colors of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The boy, who had been shielding his eyes behind his arms, slowly took in the sight before him now. His expression faded from dumbstruck awe to jubilation. He gasped slightly as he took in a triumphant breath. He had done it…

"Well done, Mr. Thorndyke," Came a voice from behind. The boy's expression faltered, and he turned around to find that he was no longer alone in the laboratory. A man stood before him now, adorned in a blue pinstriped suit, and escorted by an entourage of black-suited security. The man was smiling slightly, and clapping his hands.

"A portal system capable of penetrating time and space. Impressive. And as rumor has it, unlimited by the concept of dimensions. I must say, Mr. Thorndyke, you've outdone yourself," He grinned, walking up to the console the boy was standing at, and placed his hand upon the controls. He glanced at them for a moment, then his eyes met the boy. "Bet you the folks down at the University will pay off those student loans in jiffy once you present this, eh?"

"…Who gave you clearance to enter?" The boy asked defiantly. He typed something into the machine's console, and the bright light of the portal dimmed. It faded back into the red lasers and then simply died out, powering down completely.

"The President of the United States, who else?" Replied the man, walking up to the steel arches. "Carl Warner, Secretary of Defense. It's a pleasure, Mr. Thorndyke." He reached the first arch and placed his hand upon it. Still cool. Meanwhile, the boy stood by uncomfortably, not sure how to react.

"The President has taken an interest in your project, Christopher," said the Secretary of Defense, "And so have I. In your report you stated that you wanted to develop this machine as a means of exploring different dimensions that we normally could not penetrate, so as to better understand the fundamental properties of our universe. However, I've read about your personal experience with dimensions that exist separately, but parallel, to our own. Your experience leads me to believe that you may have a more personal agenda in opening this portal."

The boy frowned, clenching his teeth together. He did not answer.

Carl Warner, Secretary of Defense, smiled. "I thought so. You're going to have to come with me, Christopher."

Christopher Thorndyke sat upon a red velvet seat, hands folded, in the hallway leading to the Oval Office. Next to him stood two guards, one on each side. They stared straight ahead, as if concentrating heavily on whatever was being fed to them through those clear-wired ear pieces. He glanced at them for a moment, and then sighed. He had been here for hours, it seemed.

From around the corner there were footsteps, and the slight sound of something rolling. Chris looked up to see two figures walking towards him, both escorted by guards. One was senile, with grey hair exploding out from his scalp. The other was younger, about his age, and bound by a wheelchair.

"There you are!" called the elder of the two.

"We came as soon as we heard," said the young woman. Despite the situation, she was grinning ear to ear. "Is it true, Chris? Did it really work?"

Chris returned her grin, "Yeah, it really worked. Oh Helen, you shoulda seen it. It was beautiful."

"I'm so jealous! I wish I could've been there. We both do, huh Chuck?"

Chuck, the elder one, grinned and folded his arms, "Would've been nice. I have no idea how you got it working," He frowned as a door opened from down the hall and a man in black ushered them forward. "However, it seems there are more pressing matters at hand here."

The four guards now escorted the trio down the hallway. They followed silently, each puzzling over what this presidential summons would entail. They entered the doorway, and found themselves in the Oval Office itself, in front of the familiar wooden desk. At its head was the President, and also present were The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and a man Chris recognized as Thomas Weldenburg, the nation's leading scientist in biological genetics.

The president, a tall and well-statured man, extended a hand towards the two white couches in front of them, "Please, sit down."

Chris, and Chuck did so while Helen positioned herself between the two couches. They waited as the President stood up, and moved towards the window. He pulled down a row of blinds with his hand, looked outside for a moment, then let them snap shut. Then he turned and looked at the boy with an expectant expression, "You're aware of the incident that took place when a portal like this was opened before, correct?"

Chris straightened up and frowned at this unexpected question. "You're talking about the melding of our two timelines."

"Opening this portal," interjected Mr. Warner, "Travelling through it, or bringing something back is a direct threat to our national security. To our wordly security. If you're planning to do what I think you are, you realize I can't let you continue," He hesitated, glancing towards the President. "We can't let you continue."

Chris, frustrated, looked down at the carpet. This had always been the concern.

"But you fail to realize what actually caused the timeline distortion. It was the Chaos Emeralds that did that, not the portal itself. The power of the Chaos Emeralds is random. It left holes in the fabric of time and space that threatened to tear our worlds apart. My machine doesn't use Chaos power. It creates a controlled opening, like a fine jet of air through water. Once the jet dissipates, the water closes around it and goes back to normal. There is no danger."

"Danger takes many forms…" The President said softly. "My predecessor was soft on this issue. He allowed the aliens that came through that portal to live amongst us without taking any action. The result was chaos and confusion amongst our civilians, billions of dollars of damage done to the nation's property, lives lost, and strained relations with our neighbors," The President removed his glasses and massaged the surface of his eyelids, "And you, Mr. Thorndyke, want to bring that all back."

"No," Chuck retorted, standing up. All the security guards in the room flinched instinctively, "Nothing would be brought back to our world. We do not wish to take beings from their home. We wish to travel to it ourselves. When they came here they learned so much about our world and our culture. We learned nothing about them. We want to see how they live."

"An exploration mission," Said the President softly.

"Exactly," Helen replied, then added, "…And a chance to reconnect with some old friends."

"Who are not aliens." Chris said.

"I beg to differ," The Secretary of State retorted. "Mr. President, these creatures are extra-terrestrials that imposed themselves upon our world and brought their war here. They posed a threat to the nation with their escapades, with their disregard to our laws. And lastly, they possessed abilities far greater, in some cases, than of our nation's defenses. Not to tread on Mr. Warner's ground, but Mr. President, these creatures are weapons. We cannot allow ourselves to be exposed to them again."

"None of them were weapons!" Chris said strongly, standing up. "Only one of them had that kind of power, and he used it to help us in our time of need!"

"Against a threat that wouldn't have existed in the first place if they hadn't come here," said Mr. Warner.

"Now, now, this discussion is not meant to get heated," said the President. "Sit down, boy. I am well aware of who you speak, and I know that his intentions were good. But just because something is done in good faith does not mean that the consequences are different. I fear what opening this portal could do if one of them were to find a way back."

"In all fairness, Mr. President," Chuck said, smirking, "They had this technology way before we did. They always had the power to come back. If they had wanted to so badly, don't you think they would have done it by now?"

The President did not answer. Both Secretaries were fuming behind him.

"Please, sir. We seek nothing other than the chance to learn."

"Mr. President…" The State said.

"Mr. Weldenburg?" The President turned and looked towards the Geneticist, who had not yet spoken. "Your thoughts?"

He smiled. It was a warm, strong smile. The man was big, bigger than most scientists. Bigger than most other men, actually. He put his hand to his chin and chuckled, scratching his beard.

"Ever since their arrival seven years ago I have been dying to see how these aliens work, especially the quickster. Their race is a prime example of evolution in the future. Think of all the scientific knowledge we could acquire by studying them, both genetically and anthropologically. The prospect of observing an entirely new world of races is an astounding one. Of course it is not without risks, but then again, since when has Science not? Were there risks to sending man to the moon? Of course, but we took that risk and look where it got us: amazing breakthroughs in technology and knowledge. I, as a scientist, approve of this mission. And I know of a couple other specialists that would as well, and possibly like to accompany the boy on this expedition."

The President sighed, and sat down in his chair, glancing at the four intellectuals in front of him. "I have always been one to urge new scientific connections. Assuming these people are peaceful, it would be quite a feat to learn more about them. Perhaps even learn more about their technology and medicine. They have proven to be far superior to our own in the past. Mr. Warner, Mrs. Dubois, how possible would it be to keep this mission a secret to our neighbors?"

The Secretary of State looked flabbergasted, but grudgingly replied, "If we pool some resources, completely possible, sir."

Mr. Warner had grown quiet, but nodded to confirm Mrs. DuBois's assumption.

The President smirked, and looked at the trio reluctantly.

"Our national security rests in the assurance that these are a friendly people, as you three say. I want not one of these creatures brought back here, understood? You and a team of scientists that Mr. Weldenburg selects will travel to this other dimension and gather exploratory information. But that's all. Got it?"

The three smiled, and answered in unison, "Got it."

The President turned his chair away from them, sighing. "Good Luck, and God Speed, Mr. Thorndyke."

Upon exiting the Oval Office, Chuck grinned and pumped his fist into the air. "Alright! We got our clearance. Not exactly the clearance we had in mind, but at least we're going, right?"

Chris and Helen grinned at Chuck as they walked, and the adolescent boy put his arms behind his head, puzzled, "It seemed almost too easy, don't you think? The President just caved in after talking to Mr. Weldenburg, despite all that talk from his cabinet."

"He's an adventurer at heart, I'll bet," Chuck said, nodding his head in agreement with himself. "Lighten up, Chris. Be thankful."

"Yes, be thankful."

The trio turned around and found the scientist in question towering over them. He was grinning that same grin, "I've already been talking to the President about this issue behind closed doors. As soon as I heard the rumors I jumped at the opportunity to endorse this idea. In fact I've already chosen a crew for you. Pack well, but light. We are leaving first thing in the morning."

"The morning? But we just got the Portal working. We haven't even tested it yet..!" Helen exclaimed.

"Rewards do not come to those who are overly cautious, my dear," Replied Mr. Weldenburg, "And since I am under direct orders from the President I don't think it would be wise to go against me. We meet at six A.M. tomorrow morning. Get a good night's sleep, alright? I'll introduce you to the crew then."

Before any of them could answer the man waved and disappeared down another corridor of the enormous White House. Upon his departure Chris shot a dirty look at the floor.

"Something's off about him."

"I agree," Helen scoffed.

The grey-haired Thorndyke brought his hand to his chin, and 'hmm'ed aloud as their feet stumbled onto the marble surface of the 'lobby', "He's a bit over-enthusiastic, but what choice do we have? This is our only ticket to the other side. We'll just have to make due."

Six A.M.

"Way too early…" Chuck groaned, stretching his arms out to the sides, "I'm eager to get to the next dimension and all, but for cryin' out loud: would it kill these people to let us sleep in?"

"Your luggage, as you requested, sir," responded Mr. Tanaka, setting down a dark blue backpackers' pack next to Chuck. The scientist began to rummage through the pack slowly, inventory on each item he had packed. Everything, he mumbled, had to be secured for this trip.

Chris smiled sleepily, not responding to his grandfather's complaints, and rubbed his eyes gingerly with his gloved hands. Everyone going on this 'mission' was dressed in backpacking wear. Nobody knew what to expect, or where they would end up, for that matter. It was best to dress for anything.

"Trouble sleeping, Master Chris?" Tanaka asked as he handed the boy an orange pack. Chris grinned, taking it from the butler and shrugging it on. He had already inventoried his things ten times, during the night.

"Too excited to sleep," He replied, his expression widening.

"I hear you," Helen said, rolling up. She was also dressed in waterproof clothing, and her green pack was clipped into the straps on her chair. She shot Chris a double thumbs-up. "I'm so psyched! I didn't sleep a wink!"

The boy began to respond, but was interrupted by another. Mr. Weldenburg approached them, dressed from head to toe in what looked like heavy duty safari gear. His backpack was huge, and all sorts of tools were hanging out of it. He was taking this very seriously.

"Good Morning, co-workers!" He said, much too energetically, "Let us all go and meet the crew, yes? Oh, dear…"

He frowned when he saw Helen. "I did not know you were coming…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Helen asked.

"Nothing, just…" Mr. Weldenburg hesitated. "Well, with your impairment, you might…"

"Slow you down?" Helen finished bluntly.

"…Yes."

"It won't be a problem," Chuck insisted firmly, standing behind Helen. "She goes. Or none of us do. And you need us."

Mr. Weldenburg bit his lip, as if holding back what he truly wanted to say, "Alright then. Over here, if you will."

There were three other members of Weldenburg's 'specifically selected' group that were to be following them into the Portal. There was Mary Michaels, who had a doctorate in Psychology and specialized in Psychological research, Brent Kilmer, an anthropologist who taught at a prestigious college in the United Kingdom, and Jen Rogers, a biologist who specialized in cataloging rare species of biological life. Together the four of them made up a research team that was to survey the planet they were travelling to, the people, the plants, and their culture. Then there was Chuck, Chris, and Helen. Chuck and Chris had been pressed (but not ordered) to gather technological information. Helen hadn't been given any directions, since she was not believed to be coming, but now fell in with the same assignment. The prospect of being on a 'mission' was both exciting and disappointing.

"Alright…" Chris said, standing at the control consol in front of the machine. "Here goes."

He pressed the button and again the procession of panels and lasers appeared between the gates. The engines roared, and the brightness became blinding. Everyone shielded their eyes until they heard the whine of turbines lessen. When they opened them, they were greeted with the swirling gate of colors.

"It's beautiful…" Helen murmured.

"Magnificent…" Weldenburg said, grinning.

"We should get going," Chris explained. "The Portal only has enough power to last for a couple of minutes at a time." He walked up to the crew and handed them each a necklace with a pendant attached. "The Portal has a set date to bring us back, a couple of months from now. When that happens, it will lock on to the energy signature in these pendants. It's our only way back."

"Interesting…" Weldenburg said, putting his on. The rest of the crew did the same, "Well, then: Into the Abyss!"

The group lined up at the entrance of the gateway, each grabbing the other's hand. Contact ensured they all be transported to the same location.

"Alright! Here we go!" Chuck said, smirking. The group walked forward, into the portal. Chris couldn't help but smile. After six years of absence he would finally be able to see his friends. Not only that, he would be able to see the world that they had described to them. The flowers, the different plants, the places they lived. And the moon. For some reason, he longed to see the moon there. He remembered, in a conversation once, one of the last conversations he had had with one of them, about how the moon was the same in both worlds. He imagined stepping into that world and seeing them all, one by one, his friends: Cream, Cheese, Amy, Knuckles, Tails, and Sonic. And the sky, beautiful like they had all described it, above them. And everything would be alright again. As they entered the portal he closed his eyes, and as the woosh and whirl of time and space rushed around him, he imagined everything being alright again.

But when it became silent, and he opened them, all was not.