A/N

So, hopefully apparent, but I'll specify that this is based on the trailer for Sonic Mania Plus and the original intro cinematic for Sonic Mania. Using the loosest definition of "based" that is.

The Elevator on the Edge of Forever

So, like, who are these guys?

I can tell that Sonic knows who they are. I can tell that Knuckles also knows who the armadillo is. But seriously, who are they? And why's the squirrel looking at me funny.

"Um, Sonic?"

"Hmm?" Sonic looks at me – he's in the centre of the elevator. The centre of the world…or worlds…no, seriously, where does this elevator go anyway? Its levels are marked "1," 2," "3," "K," and "M."

"Um, just wondering," I begin, "but, ah, who's the squirrel and armadillo?"

"Oh, they're just some old friends of mine," Sonic says. "Before your time."

"Before my time?"

"Yeah. Like, before Westside Island."

The squirrel's smile widens. "Not the best of circumstances," he says. "We were imprisoned together-"

He's a felon?

"…by Robotnik."

Oh.

"Yeah, Robotnik," adds the armadillo. He looks at Sonic. "Hey, didn't you say that the other Robotnik calls himself Eggman or something?"

I open my mouth, but Sonic beats me to it. "Yeah. Weirdo dressed funny too. And the other Sonic was…"

"Was?"

"I dunno, the same? Different? Talked far more as well."

"It's quite interesting," I say, trying to get in on the conversation. "When we factor in the multiverse theory, we-"

"Hey kid, don't interrupt," the armadillo snaps. He looks at the control panel. "Hey, we going up yet?"

"We should be," Knuckles says, looking at Sonic. "Unless we've got too much weight."

"Don't look at me Knucklehead, you're the heaviest one here," Sonic says.

Knuckles raises his, um, knuckles. And I fear for a moment that things might get violent until a jingle begins to play. I look at the squirrel, who has a look of horror on his face.

"You okay?" I ask.

"Elevator…" he whispers.

"Elevator?"

"Elevator…mu…music…" He gets down on his knees, puts his hands over his ears, and begins whimpering. "Not the music…anything but the music…"

"Why don't you like elevator music?" I ask.

The armadillo shoots me a look that says "seriously, did you ask that?" or "no, really, did you ask that?" or potentially "you did not just ask that!" One of those things, along with clenched fists. I still don't know the armadillo's name mind you, or the squirrel's. Only that Sonic knows them well enough to just let them walk into the elevator, no questions asked.

"Yeah, thing about that," said Sonic. "Ray doesn't like elevator music."

So that's his name. "Why?" I ask.

"Eh, long story."

The jingle is still continuing. "We've got time," I say.

"No we don't," says Knuckles. He starts pressing the "M" button on the control panel. "Come on you piece of junk, move!"

"Maybe try K and walk up?" the armadillo asks.

"Sure Mighty," says Sonic. "We'll just walk up through time and space to M level."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help."

"Yeah, well, you're failing."

This elevator…is it getting hot in here? I mean, I can still see Green Hill through the open doors…no, really, why is this elevator here? I saw some really strange stuff with the double Robotniks and the Time Eater not too long ago, but none of that would account for an elevator in the middle of nowhere.

"You got a plan?" the armadillo asks.

Sonic sighs. "I'd say 'wait,' but…"

"Maybe there's just too many of us," I point out.

"No way, we're not leaving anyone behind," Sonic says. "I ain't seen Ray or Mighty in years, there's no way they're missing out on this adventure."

Mighty. So that's his name.

"Can't have an adventure if we're stuck listening to elevator music," Knuckles says. He presses the "M" button again. No dice.

"The music," Ray whispers, still cowering. "They're still playing the music…"

Yeah…I don't get this squirrel. I mean, music plays every time I or Sonic (usually Sonic) get an invincibility monitor or run past one of those sign posts Robotnik leaves around at the end of each part of a zone (seriously, what's up with that?). Doesn't affect us, and hey, we get to work on our poses as well. But there's no reason for this squirrel to suffer any more than necessary, so I make my way through the elevator.

"Here, let me," I say. I draw out a screwdriver from my glove and open the panel. "Maybe I can splice the wires or something."

"You carry a screwdriver on you?" Mighty asks.

"Oh yeah, I carry lots of things," I say. "Power rings, screwdrivers…heck, I've even got one of the sonic kind."

"Sonic kind?" Sonic asks. "What's that mean?"

"I dunno. I got it as a freebie when I last went to the doctor." I pull it out, flicking on its light. "See? Got a blue light too."

"Green would be better," Knuckles murmurs, frowning. "And why's a doctor giving out sonic screwdrivers?"

"I dunno Knux, why are we in a trans-dimensional elevator?" I start to work my magic, or to be more precise, science.

Kitchen? Mezzanine? I still can't help but wonder the "M" level stands for. Multiverse?

Some sparks fly – maybe it's a sign that I'm on the money. Or, as the light goes out and the music stops, maybe it's a sign that I messed up somewhere. One or the other.

"The music…" Ray whispers. I glance back at him, seeing that he's looking a lot less agitated, and a lot more…well, sane. "The music's stopped."

"Thank goodness for that," Mighty says. "We-"

The lights come back on. The music begins playing. Four pairs of eyes look down on me, soon reduced to three as the squirrel is reduced to a quivering heap again.

"Eh, sorry guys," I say. "I'll just-"

"Sonikuuu!"

Oh no.

"What?" Knuckles and Mighty ask.

"No," Sonic whispers. "No no no no no no!"

I look up at Sonic. He's staring out the elevator doors with a look of horror on his face, and seeing what he sees, I can't say I blame him. Because-

"Amy?" Knuckles asks.

Yep. Amy. The Amy of this reality, and not the one we visited thanks to the Time Eater awhile back. Y'know, the Amy that isn't sane.

"Found you!" cries the pink hedgehog. "I knew you'd wait for me! The cards said you would."

"Close the door," Sonic murmurs out of the corner of his mouth.

"Sonic, I've still got to-"

"Tails, close the door right now!"

"Alright, alright," I say, going back to my work. "Sheesh."

Would it be so bad if Amy joined us, I think? I mean, I've got to deal with a squirrel who's afraid of elevator music, and an armadillo who's got a grudge against me. By those standards, Amy Rose isn't so bad. Loud, sure. Obsessed, sure. Dangerous? Well, sure. But at least her attention is focused on Sonic, and her hammer on Robotnik's badniks.

"Tails, come on!" Sonic yells.

"Almost there…got it!" I exclaim.

The doors close. The elevator begins humming.

"Sonic, open up!" There's a 'clang,' followed by a hammer-shaped indentation on the door. All of the guys recoil. All except Ray, who's still quivering, and myself, who's wondering if this day can get any weirder.

We regret to inform you that Level M is out of service, comes the voice of a loudspeaker. Please get off at Level K and take the stairs if you wish to continue.

Silly me. Of course it could.

"Fine," Sonic says. He pats Ray on the shoulder. "Hey, cheer up buddy. We'll be out of the elevator sooner at this rate."

"G…good," Ray stammers.

I don't say anything. Not as the music plays, not as we finally arrive at level K, not even as the doors open. And most certainly as we get out, passing a black hedgehog on the way.

"Going down?" Sonic asks.

"Hmm."

"Groovy."

The black hedgehog disappears as the elevator hums, scowling at us like he's some kind of edge lord. Strange. Part of me feels like I know him…or am meant to know him…or will know him…or…

"Soniku!"

"Amy," Knuckles whispers.

"She's taken the stairs," Mighty says.

"What?" Sonic asks. "How could she take the stairs? There were no stairs on the ground level. In fact, why does a trans-dimensional elevator need stairs and…" He shakes his head. "Never mind. Run!"

We all do so. Sonic's the fastest of us all, but we're not slouches ourselves. We run up the fire escape, which is covered with graffiti, and pictures of birds and fish for some reason. Other things I could swear I've seen before…

Day keeps getting weirder and weirder. But as we reach the top, as Sonic slams the door behind him, as we behold the landscape before us, I realize that it doesn't matter how weird things get now. Not with a sight like this. Not with-

"Hello."

"Gah!"

I jump back as I see a green bird flying down towards us. Knuckles and Mighty look uneasy. Ray looks curious. Sonic looks like he knows it.

"Oh hey, it's you," he says.

Apparently it does.

"Yes, it's me," the bird says. It coughs up something from his beak. It's a power ring. A very large power ring. One that Sonic picks up and stares at.

"What's this?" he asks.

"Compensation," the bird grunts.

"For what?"

"For the elevator being out of order."

"Hmm…" Sonic holds the ring tightly, and it disappears. "Y'know, you could have given me an extra life."

"I could have, but the Special Zone is on a budget," the bird says. "People keep running down the half pipe and setting off the bombs. Nasty stuff. We're paying the cleaning guys overtime."

"They alright?" Ray asks.

"Yeah, they're fine." I suspect the bird is lying, but I don't press its luck – there's some things you don't want to tangle with in this universe. One of those things is wolves. The other is green birds that give compensation for malfunctioning trans-dimensional elevators.

"Well, see ya," the bird says. "I'd say my gut says that you're going to see me again as you hunt down the Chaos Emeralds but…"

"But?" Sonic asks.

"Well, I'm a green bird made of Chaos energy, so I don't have a gut." It spreads its wings. "Toodles."

I watch it go. And I think to myself that we will see the bird again.

That, or flying fish.

You know it makes sense.