Hey guys!
I haven't done a Sonic fic since the 2016. Not to mention this idea been in my head for a while now. So enjoy!
~ShyWrites
I only own the concept!
Sonic had seen better days.
Since he was young, he always had nightmares and sometimes no dreams at all. When he was a young child, the night horrors were sporadic. Coming in every once in a while, causing him to shamefully leave the place he was sleeping or maybe not sleep that night. The fact that he grew up alone was worse. The little Sonic had so many fears and stayed to himself.
Children he came across wouldn't talk to him or pay him any mind. Playing by themselves or with the friends they had, and Sonic envied that. He wanted friends of his own, a family even. But all he had was himself and the nightmares. Constantly reminding him that he was alone and a coward. And he would never be truly happy.
His first time out of his cowardly disposition was when he saw robots attacking innocent creatures, caging them up and running away. At first, Sonic was skeptical, thinking that it would be best to stay out of it but his heart said the opposite. He looked over at a nearby robot and bashed them open, revealing a small blue Flickie. It warmly chirped at the hedgehog and flew away.
He remembered that feeling like the back of his hand. He remembered the days he met Tails and Knuckles, treating the two of them like true treasures. Like his family. And in a sense, the nightmares went away. He felt complete. Sonic felt happy as long as he had his friends by his side. Truly, he felt like a new person. Heck, he even ate healthier and got himself into shape. He knew everything was changing for the better…
Except for the nightmares…
If anything, they had gotten worse. Terrorizing him to the point that he didn't sleep at all. Days to weeks, he would spend awake. Drinking gallons of coffee and going on long runs to keep his blood pumping and everyone grew worried. They even tried to assist with the hero's sleeping problem.
Amy bought Sonic a new bed and moved some things out of his room so it could be more open. Rouge bought him newer blankets and softer pillows. Knuckles insisted that he should sleep on his island because of the open air. Cream read him a few of her bedtime stories she would read to Cheese. Vanilla fixed him a healthy dinner. The Chaotix tried to play some soothing music for the hedgehog and Silver even tried rocking him to sleep. And none of it was working.
Tails watched it all with a heavy heart. He'd never seen Sonic this 'out of it' before. He was always running around, enjoying the sights and quick about getting things done. But now, he was sluggish. Mostly staying at home and only really coming out when he needed to restock on food or energy drinks. It seemed like these nightmares were killing his best friend.
He needed to do something! But how?
Is there anyway to attack the inner recesses of the mind? And if there is, could it help Sonic?
Either way, he had to try. Tails then lock himself in his house, allowing Sonic to succumb to the horrors that ran rapid in his brain. For him, it was scary to even close his eyes for a second. His worst fears clearly visible to him at every waking moment. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry but most importantly,
He wanted to sleep.
Sonic seethed at the thought of going through with it. It was too much for the blur to bear. He couldn't sleep. He had to stay awake. He didn't want to deal with it alone. Seeing his friends killed before him. Seeing their corpses with faces filled with blood and larvae. Watching them become mutilated and their screams echoing through his mind. Their bones breaking loudly and crumbling before the hedgehog. He could do this anything longer.
"Get out of my head." He begged, balled up in the corner of his room. His eyes streaming with tears of fear and agony. "Get out of my head. Get out of my head. Get out of my head."
"Oh poor Sonic…" a voice spoke. It was harsh sounding but at the same time, soft and comforting. It was clearly male and it seemed to have came from behind him. Sonic looked around.
"Who's there?" he sniffled, realizing that he was alone. He then shook his head rapidly. It was probably a hallucination, tricking him with his lack of sleep. He grumbled and wiped his face with his glove. It was all in his imagination, right?
"The people he held dear, left him alone to weep…" it spoke again. "They're not your real friends, are they?"
"Of course they are." He replied. "They've done so much for me."
"Maybe it's because they pity you." It said. "They pity that you had no one to cradle you when you're scared or lift you up. They don't care about you… No one has ever care for you."
"That's not true!" Sonic spoke, removing his knees from his chest. "Who are you, anyways?!"
"It isn't?" It questioned. "Then why would they leave you in this big house by yourself? Surely they come over to ease your heartache for a little while but when they're gone, you're left alone…They want your protection Sonic, nothing more…"
"LIAR!" he shouted, clenching his teeth. "You're a LIAR!"
"Am I?" It chuckled. "Or are you lying to yourself?"
"Who are you?!" Sonic asked angrily. "Where-!?"
He stopped as he felt nails and fingers rub against his chest and up his neck. The comforting embrace almost made him want to fall asleep at that given moment but he refused, attempting to turn around but the voice quickly said.
"Don't."
"Why not?" Sonic asked as the stranger rubbed his face. It then chuckled.
"Because you shouldn't have to see me to enjoy my company… right?"
"Sure but-"
The stranger shushed him and swayed the blue hedgehog back and forth, almost like a mother. But before Sonic could say another word, he heard a knock at his front door. The stranger hummed soothingly, walking Sonic to the window. The hedgehog's emerald eyes surveyed the ground and saw Tails. He flew up to his window and beamed at Sonic. The blur opened it and let the fox wander inside. Tails smiled proudly before saying.
"Hey Sonic, you feeling alright?"
"As great as I'll ever be…why?" Sonic said as the stranger stepped to the side, allowing Sonic to sit on his bed. He then looked next to him and his eyes widen. The stranger was another hedgehog, it's quills were shaggy and pointing upwards. It was yellow and his long nails cut through it's white gloves. He was tall in stature and was almost, maybe even is, double his height. Tails blinked, staring in confusion at his friend.
"What's wrong?"
"You don't see it?!" Sonic's eyes widened, pointing to the tall hedgehog next to him. Tails shook his head before chuckling.
"You're probably hallucinating. Either way, I made something for you!" he opened up one of the small pouches in his tool belt and showed a beaker with red liquid. Sonic looked at it with a puzzled expression and asked.
"What is it?"
"He's gonna use it to get rid of me." The voice hushed. "Don't take it."
"It should help get rid of those nightmares you've been having." Tails explained. "It should decrease most of the activity going on in your brain so that you can get the proper rest you need."
"Really?!" Sonic said happily, ignoring the voice and directing the question to Tails. The fox nodded, handing the beaker to the hedgehog. He then stated.
"Do exactly what it says on the bottle and you'll be just fine!"
Sonic beamed brightly, hugging Tails and saying. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
As the duo continued their embrace, the voice spoke. "If you take that just know, you're getting rid of the only person who's been there for you."
"What do you mean?" Sonic questioned, letting go of Tails and turning around to where the being was standing. Sonic looked around the room and there was no sign of the hedgehog he was just standing next to. Tails smiled at the hedgehog.
"Come on Sonic, lay down. Those hallucinations are really getting to you huh?"
"No…no..." he started as Tails laid him on his bed. He then dapped two drops of the liquid on his forehead before rubbing it in. The fox smiled before saying.
"Go to sleep Sonic, you need it."
Sonic closed his eyes and instantly saw the stranger again. Its back was turned to him and he turned around to look at Sonic. Its eyes remained closed as it forced the blur's head to look downwards, refusing to let him make eye contact with it. Sonic then asked again.
"What did you mean?"
"I'm sure you know." It spoke. "I've been here since you were small. Those nightmares is my way of conveying my feelings…" It almost sounded sad as it continued. "I refuse to watch these bastards take advantage of you. Use you for your power than leave you alone to weep. You deserve so much better than them."
Sonic could feel its tears now, hitting his head like the rain before a storm. He was starting to fell sorry for this being. He then quickly asked.
"What can I do? To help you, I mean."
"Throw it away." It spoke. "You don't need that to have a night's rest, if you're tired, just ask and I'll leave you be."
He wasn't sure it he should believe or even trust such a creature. However, it's saddened tears and voice conveyed to Sonic that its pain was real. And so he nodded.
"I trust you."
"Thank you." The voice sounded happy. That warmness came to Sonic again as the stranger wrapped his arms around the hedgehog. He swayed his back and forth, calming him and soothing his body. Whoever this stranger was, it knew exactly what he needed. And he needed this more than he need some silly potion or concoction that Tails put together. More than he needed a new bed or new pillows. It was clear to the hedgehog that this stranger knew what he needed and it didn't feel strange at all.
~I~I~
Tails had noticed a change in Sonic and it wasn't for the better.
Sure, he was getting the proper rest he needed but he would barely leave his house. Closing himself indoors and talking to someone. When he would see Sonic out in the open, he would talk to someone. He didn't seem to be on the phone with anyone and Tails could only conclude that Sonic was losing it.
One day, he decided to go over Sonic's house to make sure he was taking the medication he had gave him about a month prior. He knocked on the door and Sonic swiftly answered.
"Hey Tails! How's it going?"
"Fine," Tails started, looking behind him at the empty house. "I've been… just thinking. Why don't we go out, y'know, go get some lunch?"
"No thanks Tails." Sonic smiled. "I have food here."
The fox slowly nodded. Sonic smiled back, closing the door. "Welp, see you later T-"
"Wait!" Tails put his hand in the door, pulling it open before walking inside. He looked around and saw nothing out of place. He then turned to the blue hedgehog and asked. "Who've you been talking to?"
"Tails, what are you-"
"You know what I'm talking about!" Tails interrupted. "You've been out in public, talking to someone! But I don't ever see anyone around! Who are you talking to?"
"A friend of yours." The voice instructed.
"He's gonna ask who." Sonic turned away from Tails. The fox, confused by the one sided conversation, spoke.
"What are you talking about?"
"It's a friend of mine." Sonic reasoned. "Don't worry about them too much."
"Good…good…" it beamed, stroking Sonic's head soothingly. Sonic smiled, enjoying the pampering as Tails looked at his friend before saying.
"Try this Sonic."
Tails reached into another one of his pockets of the tool belt. Before he could pull out what's inside, a force closed it and latched it shut.
"They said I don't need it." Sonic told him. "Trust me bud, I'm fine."
"I don't know what that is but it's manipulating you!" Tails said worriedly. "Don't trust it!"
"Relax Tails," Sonic chuckled. "Maybe you need some sleep."
Tails blinked at the statement before saying. "Wha-"
The fox immediately slammed against the floorboards, blood oozing from the side of his head. His eye that wasn't against the ground, rolled out of his socket. Sonic's emerald eyes widen in shock before turning to the being.
"What the hell?!"
"He was get between us with all of his 'what-its' and 'do-dats'! We don't need him."
"But he's my friend." He looked at the fox on the floor as tears welled up his eyes. The being saw this and said.
"He's giving you these potions to try and fix you! To him, you're a lab rat. They all only see you as is a shield in a sense."
Sonic continued to look at the floor as the being kneeled down and caressed the hedgehog's face with his hands. He looked into the yellow hedgehog's red spiral eyes as it spoke to him.
"I know what's best for you and all you need is me." It spoke calmly as it held the blue blur closely. "Don't you trust your best friend? Don't you trust me?"
Sonic continued to look it the stranger's eyes and all he saw was a timid smaller hedgehog, afraid of the world around him and scared of people. Scared of mystical things like monsters and aliens. Scared of simple things like bugs and water. There he saw the former shell of himself in the arms of this being.
Being cradled when he cried. Nurturing him when he was injuried and playing with him when no one else would. These people who came into his life now haven't done what this being had done. He deserved so much more than being thrown to the side, wasting away as he enjoyed these strangers' company. Saving these strangers from danger. Letting these strangers poison his body and under the raidar call him crazy. This being would never to that to him. No, this person would never do that to him.
In his eyes, he could see fires burning the people around him and letting him resurface. Proving that he and his friend standing right in front of him are all that matter. Not some people who he was saving for nothing. Not some people who put chemicals in his body. But him and his best friend in the world. The one that stayed by his side and will stay by his side until the end of time.
As they rubbed his quills, Sonic looked into his eyes and nodded.
"I trust you, Fleetway."
Fleetway smiled evilly as he hugged the hedgehog. He stabbed his nails into his back and let the blood run through his fingers. Sonic smiled as the being said with his (Sonic's) own voice.
"Thank you."
I loved writing this! The thought of Fleetway being a demon inside of Sonic, (even though I already know this isn't true. I know he's basically Dark Sonic before the actual creation of Dark Sonic) was always a cool concept to me. And I hope you enjoyed this!