Welcome to My World

Prologue~

He groaned and rolled over to his side, grabbing tightly at his head. His legs pulled up to his chest, curling him into a ball. His eyes were squeezed shut tightly so, yet he couldn't stop the horrendous flashbacks from splitting across his vision.

Tails was crying, Knuckles was screaming. Eggman was laughing hysterically. His vision was blurry, but he knew he was in pain. Terrible, excruciating pain. He could hear a female's voice yelling at someone in the background...Amy, and a pounding that was most likely her hammer. Another shock and wave of blinding white pain tore through his body, and he couldn't stop the scream from breaking his lips.

He groans again, rubbing his eyes, before pulling at his ears rather harshly. "Mmmake it stop..."

An explosion could be heard in the distance, and someone mentioned the name 'Omega'. Tails was sobbing now, pleading, begging. Eggman just laughed harder. He found himself not able to breathe then, choking on something, inhaling it...water...and another wave of pain broke his body, making him only take in more of the fearsome liquid. He tried his eyes, but found it still impossible to see.

He whines, his quills rising just slightly in defense, before letting out a hoarse scream. "Stop it, stop it!"

Then he began to feel...warm. A strange, but familiar energy could be felt rising inside of him. It was like a warm flame, enveloping his body and bringing a comfortable embrace to him. He reached out for it, knowing it was his only hope. Suddenly, Eggman was no longer laughing but screaming the words, 'No! No! No! No!' and he was no longer in pain, no longer choking on water, but powerful, unstoppable, and ready to fight. Ready to end this.

He lay there, shivering; each breath that left his body came with a soft, barely audible whimper.

His dark form was only something he used when he absolutely had no other choice. This was that moment. What bothered him yet was the fact that he still could not see. Of course...he still didn't have full control of this form yet. He trusted his friends would get to safety...because he was going to put a finish on everything that Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik ever was and wished to be. "I'm sorry, Kintobor..."

He went silent and frozen, as realization dawned on him.

The last thing he felt was an explosion, and he couldn't help but grin as he lost his form. Mobius was safe, Eggman was...hopefully gone, and that's all that mattered to him. He remembered Kintobor's wish: For all life to live happily, with no evil in the world. Did he do it? Even if he was unable to save him, was Kintobor happy with him? Everything was fading around him, and he could hear distance screams and calls for his name. Would Tails understand?

He wasn't breathing. His heart wasn't pounding.

He heard someone scramble down to their knees beside him, and someone lift him up in their arms. "I got you, Sonic! You're gonna be okay!" Tails was sobbing... He wished he could hug him... "Wake up, Sonic! Please, wake...up..."

He slowly pulls his hands from his eyes, blinking them slowly open. Where was he? "Shh...easy now, my boy..." He tries to roll over towards the source of the calm voice, but his body was too heavy...too tired... "Don't get up yet..."

Everything faded to black as Tails's cries got quieter, and all feeling was gone from his body. It was just silent, dark, empty... "Dear Gods, Sonic..." he heard a familiar feminine voice, but couldn't see anything still. She was almost...chiding him. "You are very lucky that Chaos has chosen you. Good luck."

His vision slowly started to come back to him, and he could only stare at the beige-colored walls in front of him. He felt something soft and cushiony beneath him, and upon placing his hand slowly on the surface, he discovered he was on a bed. Movement in the corner of his eye brought his attention to the red echidna making his way to the side of the bed. He sat there, on the edge, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you with me, Sonic?"

The cobalt blue hedgehog blinks his eyes, once, twice, before closing them completely, and then rubbing them open with shaky hands. "Wh..." he starts, but his tongue seems to twist up on itself. He tries to push himself upwards, but pain shoots through him and he lets out a quiet cry.

"Hold on, Sonic..." the echidna tries, reaching down to get a good hold on the hedgehog, rolling him slightly over to his back, and then carefully helping him into a slouch, but sitting position. He grabs ahold of the hedgehog's fawn muzzle, and makes the younger one look at him, meeting his eyes. "Slow, boy. Take it easy..."

Sonic blinks again, now fully taking in the appearance of the echidna holding him. He looked like Knuckles but...older. His fur was a deep ruby red, but he had a darker, crimson stripe that would almost compare to Shadow's on top of his head. His front two dreadlocks had the same stripe wrapped around them mid-way. His eyebrows were large, bushy, and grey, as was the small goatee on his chin. His eyes were a deep sky-blue, reminding him of Tails, and he wore a brown tunic with a green emerald design on his belt. Sonic tries his words again, squinting as his vision starts to fade in and out again. "W-Who...?"

The echidna gives him a soft, sad smile. "My name is Locke, my boy, and I am Knuckles's father."

Sonic's eyes widened at that statement, and he tries to sit up further on his own. Another wave of pain stopped him from getting anywhere, however, and Locke frowns. "Easy, Sonic. I know you're confused beyond belief, but you need to give your body some time."

The hedgehog groans in protest, yet begins to take heed to Locke's advise. He lays there for a moment, and then he realizes once again, that he is not breathing. His eyes open almost immediately, and he lifts a hand to his chest. "W-What?!"

Locke nods understandably. "I know, I know... It'll take you some time to get used to it, just take it easy."

Sonic seemed fearful now. "Wh-what's-s w-wrong w-with m-me?"

Again, that sad look crossed over Locke's eyes. "Sonic my boy, listen very carefully to me: You took more damage than your body was able to handle... You are no longer on Mobius."

Sonic blinked again, his eyes wide, shaking his head and looking at the echidna pleadingly. "W-wha-Where am I-I?"

Locke bites his lip, his hand still holding the side of the hedgehog's muzzle for support. "Sonic...in a way...you... Well... You weren't able to survive the battle. You...died...sort of."

Sonic froze and just stared at the echidna, his pupils shrinking slightly in shock. "I...I...I'm..."

Locke takes the hand that was holding the hedgehog's muzzle, and runs it through his blue quills. "Shh...easy. There's still a chance for you to get back, but you're far from ready to start yet." He didn't like the shocked state the teen was in, but it was to be expected. At these words, Sonic looked directly at him, and the elder echidna could tell he was more confused than ever. With a heavy, breathless sigh, the former guardian continues. "Sonic, you are very special when it comes to Chaos energy; I would assume you know that. When you, 'died', your body fell into a frozen state, yet your 'soul' or 'spirit', which is your Chaos energy, was brought here." He stops and studies the hedgehog, who seemed a bit calmer, but was still trembling like crazy. At least he was listening.

Locke continues. "Your body and Chaos are separated, but you could get them back together and go home. However, your Chaos energy is still very weak and fragile right now, and so at the moment you are too weak to be able to do much of anything. It could take a week, a month...for you to recover, but you have plenty of time to do so..."

Sonic opens his mouth to speak, but then closes it immediately afterwards He opens it again, then repeats the process. Locke sighs again, but again without any breath to do so. "Soak it in... This is never easy for anyone to take in when they first arrive here. Just know right now that, you're going to be okay." He stops and grabs his muzzle again. "Are you with me, my boy?"

Sonic just stares, before slowly nodding his head. He was...dead...but at the same time he wasn't? "S-So..." he starts shakily. "I-I...I m-mean my body's...b-but I-I'm still...?"

Locke nods. "Yes. Your body is in a state of deep rest back on Mobius, but you yourself, your spirit, your Chaos energy, is here in this world...realm...whatever you wish to call it. Are you okay?"

Sonic swallows, before slowly nodding once again. "A-And I-I c-can go b-back?"

Locke gives that soft smile to him once again, carefully laying the hedgehog back down on the bed. "Yes, but not right now. I need you to take some time to rest for me, and then I will better explain things to you. Just trust me when I say, you are going to be okay."

He grabs the blankets that had been kicked away, and pulls them up over the shaking hedgehog, who at least seemed a bit more calm with some sort of an understanding. Sonic nods, closing his eyes tiredly. He wanted to ask so much more...but he felt like he didn't even have the strength to keep his eyes open. Locke sat with him at the edge of the bed, stroking the sapphire quills to ease the young one to sleep. Once Sonic was, the echidna rubs a hand over his own head and sighs for what felt the hundredth time that day. The sound of footsteps brought his eyes up to the doorway of the small room, and he shares a sad look with the female echidna now standing there. She looked scared, and her voice trembled as she spoke.

"H-His energy signature was strong enough for nearly every being here to feel it." She pauses at Locke's now horror-struck face, and she walks over to him with fearful eyes. "Locke...what if Mephiles felt it?"

The former guardian scowls deeply, looking at the blue hedgehog that slept without a movement, without a sound. "Then we protect him. If Mephiles gets ahold of him, then he would use him to break free of this hellish place."

The female echidna nods and looks to the hedgehog as well. "Does...does Tikal know about this?"

Locke frowns and crosses his arms. "I wouldn't doubt it. I'd hate to see how angry and upset Chaos is right now...that his other half is now stuck here... Tikal probably has her hands full, as does Knuckles."

The female nods sadly, crouching by the side of the bed where Sonic lay. "Poor boy...he's just a kid for Solaris's sake."

Locke sighs. "They all are, but this was unfortunately the hand we were all dealt. I'm just glad Aleena isn't here with us right now...and still out there somewhere alive and well."

"At least the former," the other agrees, running her hand through Sonic's quills. There was a short moment of silence, the both of them thinking quietly to themselves.

"You know..." Locke says softly after this moment. She looks up at him expectedly, raising a brow in question. "When a Chaos Being comes here, aren't they usually given a timer?"

Her eyes widen. "Does...does Sonic not have one?"

A slow, soft smile begins to curve the elder's lips. "He does not."

A hopeful sparkle grows in her eyes. "So...that means..."

Locke grins. "Because he is a part of Chaos himself, he pretty much has all the time in the universe to get back to Mobius. All he needs to worry about, is Mephiles."

The female stands up to her feet with a bright smile. "That is good! That is very good! Well, not good that he has still to deal with Mephiles, but good that he isn't timed."

The elder chuckles. "Yes, which should make it so much easier for him to return home. His Chaos energy will have way more time to regenerate, and he can always take a step back from this if he needs to." He pauses and smiles broadly. "Though, considering who we're talking about, he'll most likely want to do this as quickly as possible..."

She frowns thoughtfully. "Do you still have that dial?"

"Ah!" Locke cheers, standing up to his feet. "Wait here and watch him, I will go and get it. He'll need that for sure."

She laughs lightly and sits on the bed beside the hedgehog, waving him away. Locke smiles as he steps out of the room, closing the door behind him. He stands there and closes his eyes, looking up at the ceiling. "Please, Solaris guide us... Help us get Sonic back, and back safely." He shakes his head and looks down. "Please don't let Mephiles get him..."

The black and grey-ish-blue hedgehog smirks to himself, tapping his claw-like fingers on the arm of a makeshift throne. "Oh, Locke, you always have been a fool..."