Once, there was a hedgehog.
His best friend was a fox.
His rival was an echidna.
And his archenemy was an old man.
Unlikely stories.
Unlikely characters.
Sometimes, I laugh.
Most of the time I don't.
What they made me do...
Sometimes I wonder:
Who are those people?
See, I know the fox. But his name's not Tails. He hates being called Tails.
"No, no, it's good, it's cute. No one will buy a game with a fox named Miles."
That's what they told him.
But sir...my name is Miles. My name's not Tails. My mommy and daddy named me Miles."
He was four years old.
What they made him do...
He's having a lot of personal identity issues now. Well when you're being told all these things that you are, that this is how you came to be, and that's it that's all, you kind of start being that person, instead of yourself.
Bet you're confused.
You're not the only one.
Yeah, I'm real.
Probably the only thing they denied.
They say a lot of things that aren't true.
My name is not Sonic. My name is not Sonic the Hedgehog.
I'm Ogilvie Maurice.
And on the rare occasions I get out of this hellhole, that's what I go by.
I hate being Sonic.
When they let me go, people swarm me. They ask me for things and show me things and it's all wrong.
There's a few people out there who know how it goes. The ones that read that comic that doesn't run anymore.
That's more my life.
Whenever the taping stops, I bully him to no end. Why? It's the only pleasure I have left.
I'm 25 years old.
And I still live in a cage.
When I got caught and put in that lab, when I got zapped and completely changed forever, at first I thought it was a good thing. I mean hey, I am an animal, but people don't treat animals with respect. You think I want you to try and pet me all the time? You think I got these spines 'cause I like being petted? But when I was able to walk and talk, act like people, I thought maybe I could tell them. I thought maybe I could change stuff for me and other animals like me. Who just want to be left alone and not seen as something else to be exploited.
They said they understood. They said they would let me spread my message if I just did this one thing for them.
20 years.
And I'm still doing it.
And I'm getting less respect than I ever did.
Let me put it down for you:
I live in a cage. Doesn't matter if I can act like people. It's only acting. I'm still treated like an animal, and not even one that people care about. I don't get fed all the time. When I do it's usually cat food or cereal or something. Now I'm screwed up inside. I'm not built to eat that. Just because I can stand and talk means I changed completely? People are stupid. I am still an animal, I get that. But if I'm being made to act human, shouldn't be treated like one?
I wish I hadn't lived this long.
I'm starting to get tired all the time. They want me to do things I can't do, stuff I used to do ut I can't anymore. I don't know why I can't do it. I don't have the energy anymore.
They try to condition me. They try to train me like a dog or sometimes they punish me. But I can't do it anymore. And I don't want their damn dog treats. Why is that supposed to be a reward?
I guess I'm a little naive.
I was hoping that if I could hold on, if I could give them what they want, they'd let me do what I asked to do. But honestly:
I don't think I'm going to last much longer.
I've been alive too long.
But I don't want some other hedgehog to have to do this. Don't want them treated like a neglected gerbil. I want them to stay free.
It's the only reason I keep being Sonic, keep listening to them and doing what they make me do. I don't want anyone else to be hurt by them.
I'm almost beyond caring now, after what they did.
See, they keep us all in the same room.
We ignore each other.
We're not allowed to talk to each other.
Someone is watching us all the time, and if we talk we are punished.
They don't want us to band together and escape.
They have to protect their franchise.
I'm going to tell you why I'm thinking about all this, all this stuff that I hate and try not to think about, from when I went from being free to being a slave.
Miles.
They let him on the Internet. They gave him an iPod or something.
I don't know why.
I don't know what he saw on there.
But after they took it away, he started crying.
He cried all night.
All the next day.
Started asking us questions, which we didn't answer.
He wanted to know where he came from.
He said he couldn't remember.
Sonic? Did you come take care of me when I was all alone?
He wanted to know who his parents were.
I know my dad was big...but that's because I was so little, I think.
He wanted to know what he had to do to get out of there.
I need to go home, Sonic. I don't know where it is but I need to go there.
He didn't stop crying that whole week.
They were pretty mad. They couldn't do photo ops or shoot video. Because he didn't stop. And they couldn't make him move. I don't know how he did it but they couldn't get him out.
I was kind of glad. I didn't have to do anything because of him.
Then he started talking nonsense. He just blabbered on and on about who knew what, and the rest of us were just sitting in our corners wishing we had something to plug our ears with.
He asked me a question that I didn't answer.
Sonic? Do you love me?
No, Miles. I don't love you. I'm supposed to, I pretend to, but I don't love you. You're a fox, for God's sake. Do what you're supposed to do. Eat me and put me out of my misery.
But of course Miles didn't know he was supposed to do that.
They took him away from his parents before he learned it.
Sonic? I know we're not supposed to talk...
It was late at night.
Sonic?
I pretended I was asleep.
Sonic?
I don't know how he did it. I thought he'd been 'safetied', as they called it.
Just this once?
I wish I knew how he'd done it.
I want to go home.
Poor kid.
Now I wish I'd helped him.
I'm going home, Sonic. I know how to do it. I know what to do.
I wish I hadn't seen it.
This is a cage, Sonic. All I have to do is open it. Then I'll be able to go home.
Some nights the dreaming is so vivid that I wake up screaming.
You can come with me. My parents won't mind. I know they won't. Come with me, Sonic.
He cut himself to pieces.
He didn't feel the pain.
Or maybe he did. But it wasn't as bad as the pain he felt inside.
I feel that way sometimes. That I would rather tear myself up then do this anymore.
But I could never do what he did.
Not just because they dulled my quills.
But I guess I'm not that desparate.
I have a little hope.
Miles had nothing.
Sonic? I'm...I'm going home...will...will you come with me?
I'm starting to wish I had.
They blame me.
They're punishing me for it.
I didn't even know the kid.
Sonic...I'm scared...it's not working...
Sometimes I think about running away.
I don't know why I'm still here.
Sonic...what did I do wrong?
I guess there's nothing out there for me anymore.
Sonic...I think I'm dying...
Even if I left, it's not like I could go and live in the bushes. I'm four feet tall.
...Sonic?...
I never used to think about him.
Now I can't stop.
I used to hate him.
But now I just feel sorry for him.
Sometimes I cry.
At least I had a childhood.
...my parents are gonna worry...I don't think I'm going home...I think I'm dying...
He's still there.
They didn't move him.
I don't know why.
But I just sit here. And look at him.
I can't look away.
...S...Sonic...will you miss me when...I go...
Well I guess he did one thing for me.
He made up my mind.
He was too young to understand.
I'm not going to save the life of anybody. I'm old and useless. They're going to replace me soon anyway.
I don't eat.
I don't sleep.
I just stare at Miles.
I hope he went to a better place.
I hope I'm going with him.
I don't have the guts he did. Yeah, he went a bit nuts at the end there, but even doing that when you're nuts takes courage...
So I'm not going to do it like that. I'm just going to sit here until I can't move. Then I'll sit here until I can't think.
I should have done this a long time ago.
Heh.
It's going to be the first Sonic-like thing I've ever done.
I don't know if I miss him, exactly. He was a nice kid, but because of them he never became himself. He became someone he thought he was.
Miles, I'm coming. Just hang on.
Hey, maybe he's still around somewhere.
I hope he is. I need to make up for how I treated him.
Why do you make fun of me, Sonic? Aren't we friends?
You know what, Miles?
Hang on a bit, will you?
I'll go home with you.
Just give me time.
I hope I'm going home...I...I know...you don't like me...but I like you...v...visit me...I'll miss you...
I'm talking crazy now.
I feel crazy now.
I can't see straight.
I'm so tired.
I'm in so much pain.
I hope this ends soon.
I'm starting to see things.
I wish they were real.
I start laughing.
I don't know why.
You know what?
They were right. For once.
I have no master, except the wind that blows free.
I don't know where I'm going.
But when I'm finished, I'll be out of this cage.
He had it right.
My body is the cage.
And now I'm going to let it go.