Flames licked the sky, fire chased him through the forest. He knew he should keep running, but his body ached and exhaustion was creeping into him. Fear kept him moving, making his heart thump loudly in his chest and leaving him feeling helpless and lost. The lush green forest of life he had traveled and explored in became a burning and scorching scene with black smoke rising into the night sky smothering the moon and the stars. Dark reds, oranges, and yellows intermingled together in their path of destruction until everything had been burned.

Sweat ran down his face as he panted, no matter how fast the fastest thing alive could run. He couldn't outrun the fire hellbent on chasing him. Tears built up in his emerald eyes as he thought about those who were left behind. His family, his home, his life it was all gone. Breathing hard and gasping for air while he pushed himself to keep going. Anguish built up into him. His mother Aleena, his brother Manic, his sister Sonia, his uncle, his home and people. They were dead, they had been killed by the notorious and infamous Robotnik who was determined to destroy his family and rule with an iron fist over the people of Mobotropolis who he had roboticized as his slaves. There was no denying in their deaths, Sonic heard their screams and he saw their home explode from missiles and the flying bots in the air firing at the neighboring home and people, Sonic's attention snapped to his Uncle Chuck who laid on the ground dying. An array of missiles shot straight for Sonic's home with his family still inside it.

"No!" Sonic screamed, he was in a dilemma. Check the remains of his home or help his Uncle in his...in his last moments. Tears leaked from his eyes and the child repeated with denial, "No, no, no, no."

The image would forever be burned into his mind, his Uncle Chuck slowly turned to him, his breath was raspy and the blood pooling under him left him pale and sickly looking. Uncle Chuck gave Sonic a weak smile as the young child stared in horror and dropped to his knees by the older hedgehog.

"Go sonny, run. Defeat Robotnik and never let him win. It's up to you now." Sonic shook his head, crying. "I can't leave you uncle!" Chuck looked to the side where the fire had spread and continued to. "Go on now, you need to leave! RUN!" Chuck looked Sonic in the eyes and with his shaky limbs he pushed Sonic up. "RUN SONNY!" Sonic was frozen in place and he sobbed before sprinting off farther into the forest. The darkness of the night illuminated by the brightness of the fire let him know that Chuck was gone now. Everyone was.

Rage fueled him and it was the first time Sonic had broken the sound barrier. Robotnik would never know what hit him, Sonic vowed to destroy Robotnik and end his tyranny. The young hedgehog, only ten at the time disappeared and Robotnik began to attempt to take over places outside the soon forgotten capital of Mobotropolis on Mobius and everyone that night had perished under Robotnik's hands and Sonic was the only survivor.

Sonic escaped the flames and Eggman's fatal attack with a lust for vengeance running through his veins. His name, popularity and fame rose with each time Sonic had stopped and thwarted Robotnik who went by Eggman now. Along the way over the years the cobalt hedgehog grew up and made new friends and they had taken down Eggman time and time again but the slippery man had weaseled his way from his inevitable death at Sonic's hands one time too many.


It had been one of those days for Sonic, more than one really, where his upbeat self had broken into a darker demeanor. Sonic disregarded his friends' contact with him and he only desired to be left alone to mourn what was taken from him. So his friends had chose to leave the sulking and brooding hedgehog alone, for now at least. He was glad for that, he didn't have to worry about hiding his feelings when he was alone. He could let out all the anguish and bitterness he held up inside.

Sonic had locked himself up in his room where he stared sorrowfully at a guitar medallion necklace cupped into his hands. It had once been a sleek and shiny bright white but the glass medallion had turned into a dark grey. He clenched it in his fist and sobbed. There were two others to match, his sister's was a piano and his brother's a drum-set. Together when all three had been harmonized they would change into their instruments and weapons.

The medallion was what let Sonic know that his brother and sister had been truly lost. Because his had lost it's abilities and it's vibrant glow and he knew that his brother and sister's medallions were gone and so were they.

Sonic dropped the medallion onto his bed as if it had burned him, the memories only opened up fresh wounds that never healed and having that medallion made it worse. No matter how much he wished it would glow white once it never did.

Angry tears streamed down his face as he laughed bitterly. Eggman had taken away his childhood and his family, to no avail Sonic had desperately tried and tried again and again to capture Eggman but the man evaded Sonic's wrath only to come back to mock him again and again.

Mocking him and baiting him into his traps was one of Eggman's 'specialties' the evil man had. To Sonic's friends and allies he looked gullible and naive when he fell for those traps but Sonic didn't care. Eggman knew what buttons to push to annoy him and he went too far. It was Eggman who had made Sonic snap completely and lock himself away days ago.

...

"Give it up Egghead, you'll never rule the world and you'll never win!" Sonic taunted below onto the ground, he had spin-dashed into dozens of useless robots that belonged to the mad scientist and left behind shredded broken metal frames, Eggman sat up high in his flying egg-shaped escape pod, the human growled viciously before a malicious smirk crept up his ugly face.

"That's where you're wrong rodent! I still have complete control over Mobotropolis and I have squashed down any of those 'freedom fighters' that attempted to resist me. You're the last living one from that place but of course you know this already." Eggman cackled at Sonic who stood frozen with pure loathing and spite. Soon he began shaking with fury, logically he knew it was a bait for him to get angry and he ignored it. He barely acknowledged his friends' protests and Sonic let out a venomous roar before dashing to unleash hell upon the human. "How DARE you bring them up! I've waited long enough to kill you, I should do it right now!"

Sonic never got that far anyways, two pairs of hands were holding the infuriated hedgehog back by his arms, Sonic nearly hurt them when he lashed out with his razor sharp quills trying to hurt the human who was gone by now. A third set of hands pulled him back by his shoulders though Sonic didn't care. His quills bristled and s

He wanted Eggman to pay dearly, for him to bring up Mobotropolis and the freedom fighters was too far and he knew it. Sonic twisted and snarled trying to escape from his friend's grasps. His quills rose up threateningly and he bared his teeth, his pupils were thin slits as he glared where Eggman had once stood.

"Sonic! Sonic calm down! SONIC!" The familiar voice of his little adopted brother Tails had brought him back. The anger he felt had dissipated just a bit to where he could relax. Emerald eyes met blue ones and Sonic dropped to his knees. His quills slightly dropped down and Sonic panted for air, most of the rage had left him and he felt drained of energy. His friends' had let him go from their grip and Sonic looked away from Tails with glazed eyes.

"...Sonic?" Sonic flinched, it was Amy and she cautiously placed her hand on his shoulder. In a flash Sonic turned stood up in a defensive stance ready to fight until he faltered. Amy gasped softly at Sonic's state. "It's okay he's gone..." The pink hedgehog spoke softly. Standing around him was Amy, Tails, Silver, Knuckles, Blaze, Shadow and Rouge. Omega was off at G.U.N. Headquarters for repairs.

"Are you okay?" Tails asked tentatively. Sonic laughed mirthlessly, it made everyone flinch by how toneless and hollow it was. The thought of Eggman only brought back his feelings of hatred and resentment tenfold.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Sonic coldly said, his voice dipped low and quiet but everyone had heard it. "Robotnik had gotten away, just like he always does." His voice was sharp and dangerously calm. A frosty smile graced Sonic's lips.

"Robotnik?" Blaze wondered aloud. Sonic stopped laughing and his smile vanished. A blank mask hid his real feelings and Sonic mentally berated himself for letting Eggman's real name slip out. He had decided long ago to hide his past, it was easier than letting everyone know and pity him. "Who is that? Eggman?"

"..." Sonic stayed silent, he knew his emotions were out of control and if he continued to speak he would only say things he would regret, but each with each second passing he was trembling once again.

"Aren't you going to answer?" Shadow muttered. Sonic bit his tongue to keep from lashing out at the elder ebony hedgehog. Starting a fight with him would only make things worse. It was like every piece of anguish and hatred towards Eggman had been unleashed and unfortunately for everyone he couldn't hold back those feelings that haunt him.

"Let's go home, we're all exhausted." Knuckles suggested, he was trying to keep the atmosphere neutral to prevent anymore outbursts and fights. To his dismay it only worsened Sonic's sudden temper.

"That's all we do isn't it." Sonic said harshly, "We fight, he escapes, then we go home tired for the next time he'll come along." Knuckles was taken aback by Sonic's sudden hostility. Sonic didn't mean to snap at his best-friend and brother but all the feelings he bottled up had just escaped and poured out. Knuckles had been trying to motion to everyone silently to not say anything else but no one saw. The wine-red echidna knew what Eggman had said had gotten under Sonic's skin and destroyed what carefully placed walls that kept him from remembering something awful he seemed to have kept secret. It hurt Knuckles to see him like this, for some odd reason he felt like he knew what was bothering him but he couldn't explain how and why.

"Why are you so mad Sonic? You've never been this worked up before. We'll get Eggman eventually." Tails piped up, the young kitsune squeaked when Sonic's eyes narrowed and his ire was on him now.

"Why did you guys hold me back. I could've ended it then and there." Sonic snapped. Amy rose to Tails defense, she didn't like the way Sonic was acting and she decided she was going to put him back in his place. Wrong move.

"We're not murderers, and knock it off now. You're acting childish." The air tensed and felt suffocating. Amy didn't feel the change in the atmosphere and made a 'humph' noise with satisfaction thinking she helped.

"No. But he is and I could've stopped him if you hadn't held me back. He's nothing but a murderer who would've gotten the karma he deserves for everything he has ever done to harm another." Sonic hissed. Amy looked at him with shock on her face. Everyone was, they had never seen Sonic truly rage before and felt disturbed and unsettled.

"Relax there blue. We shouldn't be fighting each other." Rouge added in, her voluptuous voice held a firm tone that left no room for arguments. It was normally one reserved for Shadow when he took things too seriously. Sonic was about to round on the ivory bat when Tails pointed out a small object that fell from Sonic's quills while he struggled to escape earlier.

"Sonic is that yours?" Tails gently picked up a type of necklace but Sonic snatched it from his hands and held the necklace close to his chest. The thought of losing the one little piece of his family left him full of fear and distress. Tails was at a lost of words at Sonic's off behavior.

"You obviously aren't okay and whatever Eggman said seems to be really bothering you." Silver tried to coax the cobalt hedgehog into calming down. "You don't have to tell us but you shouldn't be fighting everyone like Rouge said." Silver's words got through to Sonic and Sonic felt horribly guilty for how he was acting.

"I- I'm sorry. I just need..." Sonic trailed off. For a fleeting moment he felt a ghost flash of energy shoot through him from his medallion and thought he saw that white glow but when he looked it wasn't there. It never would be. "I have to go- I can't." And Sonic was gone. Leaving his friends behind with questions and no answers as to what happened and what was wrong with their blue friend.

...

Sonic kept his house locked with all the curtains and shades drawn closed and he shut off his communicators and left them in the living room so his friends couldn't contact him. Little streams of light peaked through the edges of his curtains to barely illuminate his bedroom.

Sonic refused to eat anything, he refused to leave his bed. He couldn't, the weight of guilt held him back and the memories of his family flooded through and kept him so depressed he couldn't do anything except think. Even if thinking about the past hurt him he still did it.

A loud thump and crash echoed throughout his soundless house and Sonic groaned quietly, he knew it was only a matter of time before his friends got fed up with how he was acting and they would eventually try to get answers.

The memory of his Uncle Chuck lying on the forest ground dying suddenly came into view. Regret oozed into his heart and Sonic wept silently. He should've stayed with his Uncle, he should've helped him. He should've went looking for his family. Instead he ran, ran away like a coward. Just like he ran away from his friends.

Sonic ran his hand through his quills in frustration with tears rolling down his face. He had pushed those memories and his past away a long time ago. Sonic knew that someday Robotnik would bring up his family and who he had previously fought once again, no amount of time passing could ever prepare him for the torment and heartache he felt.

His brother Manic, he was as emerald green as Sonic's eyes and Manic was full of mischievousness and he loved playing with his drum set, he even kept his drum sticks with him at all times. His brother was always into hacking and had great mechanical skills at a young age, and Manic adored surfing on his hover-board. Manic may have been brought up as a thief but he was so full of good-nature and he was very warm-hearted if not brash and inconsiderate at times especially when it came to stealing more than he could take. Sonic's lips quirked up in a rueful smile.

Then there was his sister Sonia, a purple fuchsia hedgehog who may have been a little bratty at times. But Sonic and Manic didn't blame her, she had grown up with a noble aristocratic lord and lady as adoptive parents so she had every materialistic item she could ever want. She was bit bossy and tended to be vain about her appearance, especially with her hair. Though Sonia always pulled through being the logical sister who became exasperated with her brothers' crazy antics at times.

Sonic tried to focus on the present and not the past, he wiped his tears away and just in time when his door was knocked on so hard the door shook a bit from it's frame. Sonic frowned, more thumping resounded and the floorboard creaked outside his room like the weight of a lot of people was on it. The doorknob jiggled and twisted then it stopped and Sonic heard Tails's voice muffled through the door.

"Sonic open the door. You know we need to talk, please." Tails requested, there was a wobble in his voice when he said please and Sonic sighed. Sonic walked to the door and without hesitating he opened it.

In front of him was Tails, and only Tails, Sonic's ears twitched and he heard movement down the hall and in the living room, his previously darkened home had been shone light once again when the curtains in the living room had been pulled open so Sonic knew where the others were. Tails noted his ears twitching.

"They wanted to give us privacy." Tails meekly said, Sonic gave a short nod and motioned Tails to come in. Tails did so and he squinted his eyes in the darkness. The younger boy nearly jumped up in fright when the door clicked shut but a moment afterwards Sonic's drapes had been pulled open and the sunlight poured in. Blue eyes zoomed in onto the necklace laying on the hedgehog's messy bed but he said nothing. Sonic leaned against the wall next to the window and stared at Tails expectantly who was still hanging around the door. Tails had no clue what to say, or what to ask and Sonic sighed before speaking quietly.

"You know R-Eggman's been around for a long time right?" Tails nodded. "I've fought and known Eggman way before I met any of you guys...in fact he's been trying to kill me since I was born." Tails looked up with surprise. Sonic's eyes flickered to meet his and he averted his gaze to the floor.

"Why would he go through so much trouble to kill you when you were a baby?" Tails questioned. Sonic's expression became pinched with pain.

"He was trying to take over the land where I grew up in...Mobotropolis."

"But what did that have to do with you from when you were born?" Tails asked.

"My mother, her name was Aleena. Her official title was Queen Aleena and she ruled Mobotropolis when it was still peaceful. Eggman, Eggman used to go by Robotnik." Sonic spat out the name as if it was poison to his tongue. Tails was feeling astounded and amazed by this new information Sonic was telling him. "Robotnik tried to take over the throne and the land and he did in the end. His inhumane ways turned normal people into robots and his slaves. Those who weren't were scavengers and thieves up to the noble aristocrats who funded his robots and evil work. He outlawed the royal family after my mother fled when she gave birth to us."

"U-us?" Tails stuttered. Sonic gave a short jerky nod before continuing.

"Triplets, she had triplets and I was the oldest..." Sonic's voice died off and he took a deep breath. "Sorry, it still gets to me. Heh." Tails shook his head sadly.

"Oh Sonic, what happened?" Tails gave his big brother a hug and his heart clenched when Sonic tensed up before relaxing into the hug.

"I was the oldest, I had two other siblings. My sister Sonia and my brother Manic. Robotnik wanted us gone. He knew our mother was pregnant and he tried so hard to catch her. He didn't and she had us before the royals were outlawed. There is more though."

"More!?" Tails cried out, "Sonic you shouldn't be holding this all in you know. I- I kind of get why you didn't but still. I thought we trusted each other, there are no secrets between us." Sonic's ears folded back in shame.

"I know little brother, it killed me everyday holding this in. It got easier pretending the past didn't exist until Robotnik brought them up. I just, I couldn't hide it anymore and I panicked and I lashed my anger out on you guys. I'm sorry. Chaos I'm so sorry Tails." Sonic whispered. Tails hugged Sonic tighter, Tails head was pressed close to Sonic's chest and Tails's ears twitched from Sonic's fast heartbeat.

"It's okay Sonic, you've been the hero for too long. So long. You don't have to hold this all in anymore."

"Thank you Tails. I don't deserve having you as my little brother." Sonic choked out, he had a lump in his throat, he gave Tails a small smile with tears pooling into emerald eyes. Tails felt his own eyes watering up.

"I don't deserve to have a strong big brother." Tails sniffed, the small fox buried his head into Sonic's chest. Sonic laughed weakly. There was a tiny high-pitched squeak and both turning their heads to the door they shared a knowing look.

"We know you're listening guys. Come on in." Sonic quickly brushed away any tears on his face and rubbed at his eyes.

A moment later and an embarrassed Amy sheepishly peeked into the room, she got shoved in by Knuckles who gave her an irate look for eavesdropping. Amy gave him a half-hearted glare and dusted off her dress.

"Who's. Who's all here?" Sonic asked, an anxious feeling flooded through him and he felt too ashamed of how he reacted and behaved to his friends during their previous 'get together.'

"Pretty much everyone from the um- last Eggman attack." Amy tentatively stood in place. Fidgeting with her dress.

"How much did you hear?" Sonic questioned, there was no anger, just curiosity.

"More or less everything." Amy squeaked out, Knuckles nodded.

"Yeah, what happened to, "Let's give them some privacy guys." Amy?" The pink hedgehog huffed and crossed her arms against her chest tersely.

"I just wanted to make sure Tails was okay and all." Amy admitted, instantly her eyes widened and she pressed her hands to her mouth and began spewing apologies to Sonic. "I'm so sorry Sonic! I didn't mean it like that, it's just that you were so..." She paused, "So furious and upset I never seen you act like that before and-" Sonic cut her off and waved his hand.

"It's fine, Amy. I understand." He said simply. "I suppose you all want to hear my explanation?" All three friends nodded. "I'd rather tell you all at the same time. I don't think I can say it more than one more time."


A side project I have been working on for weeks. I loved working on it, and I wanted to share it with you guys. I can't wait to read your feedback and thoughts. So please leave a review of what you liked, and what you think is going to happen next.

R&R and enjoy!