A/N: DragonKnight159 here and thanks for checking out my first author crossover with SonicCrazyGal. This would not have been possible without her. I'll shut up now so you can continue reading. Enjoy!
My name is Silver and I'm a Hedgehog, both in name and race. My father, he's...well, he's the one who destroyed my world, figuratively and literally. The man who swore to protect us turned on us when we refused to bow down to him. Within days he had brought down every major government and executed all their leaders. Their armies were destroyed and I could see in his eyes that he was just getting started. I joined up with a group calling themselves 'Freedom Fighters' and for a time we fought side-by-side trying to bring my father down. That was when I was just a normal hedgehog, or at least something close to it.
My old man made sure that I would never be normal again.
You see, I'm what you call psychokinetic. I can't read minds but I can affect the world using my mind. Those guys you see bending spoons without touching them? Yeah, I'm one of them except when I use my powers I can level buildings pretty easily. Or at least I could if there were any buildings left on my world. Before I could just pull things to me and push them away, nothing to make me stand out. But my father did something to me and now I have these strange markings all across my body. When he first did this I wasn't able to control them so they would lash out at full strength. I jokingly pushed my girlfriend away and broke her back. Well, ex-girlfriend now, I guess. She didn't want much to do with the guy that nearly killed her, not that I blame her. So I'm on my own...again. Sure, I help out the others when I can but the look in their eyes tells me that they fear me as much as they do my father.
Several champions have risen up over the last few years to challenge my old man. There was Shadow the Hedgehog (no relation, thank the gods for that), Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Miles Prower, etc. The list gets pretty long. The list of dead heroes is just as long. Mobius used to have a population in the billions, now we're lucky if there are even a few thousand of us left. Simply put, my world is dead. Not dying, dead. So what's a guy to do?
The Time Stones. Retrieving them wasn't the issue. Eggman is long since dead and my father has no interest in altering time. He's arrogant enough to believe that even if someone did go back they couldn't kill him and to be honest he's probably right. Still, what do I have to lose? My father is a monster who murdered my mother and turned me into a freak, my friends abandoned me, and the woman I loved wants nothing to do with me. So I'm willing to die trying.
The ancient hieroglyphs tell me how to use the Stones. By combining all seven they form a single Stone just bigger than my fist. I decided to call it a Chronos Emerald for kicks. The ancient Mobians only ever used this thing to observe the past, never to change it. I'd already considered the Grandfather Paradox (though more Father in my case), you know the one about if you go back in time and kill your grandfather you'll have never existed to come back and kill him, and I didn't care. If I could put an end to this then so be it. Besides, there was a good chance that even if I did succeed and survive somehow I would be stuck in the past. I wouldn't be a part of the future that I'd create, I would just be alone all over again. Better to die in the past a hero and alone than live in the present as an outcast and freak...again.
So I used the Chronos Emerald. Not sure if this black portal is supposed to be some gateway to the past or what but the way I see it, why the hell not? With every step I take ice forms a path beneath my feet. I'm afraid of what will happen if I step off into the darkness and am in no hurry to see either. There's a bright light in the distance which is none too comforting. When I reach it I step into a world filled with light and birdsong. I have to take a moment to smell the roses, take in all the life around me.
This seemed like it was my world. The city is a bit different than I imagined it but there are humans and Mobians walking and talking to each other, just like the old stories told until my father wiped out humanity. I was still a bit shell shocked, taking in the sights and the technology all around me. Nothing like the desolate time that I came from.
There it was, the unmistakable aura that emanated from my old man. This one was a bit different but there was no doubt it was his. I keep forgetting my father used to be one of the good guys so the oppressive evil aura that was missing threw me off. This aura felt swifter (if that's even possible) and a bit stressed, like a dam holding back a river. Still, I don't care. My father may have been one of the good guys in the past but now he makes every evil thing on Mobius look like child's play. As I charged my father's younger self I felt my powers pushing out, trying to get civilians out of the way while lashing out at him. This was my moment, the only chance that I would get to save my world. There was only one thing I was certain about:
Sonic Hedgehog will die.
"So what exactly am I supposed to be doing?" Chaos Sonic asked, his foot tapping impatiently on the marble floor.
"There is a version of yourself that has been consumed by dark energy," Purity explained as she waded into the pool. "He is immensely powerful, having nearly destroyed his entire world. Even now there are forces mounting against him that cannot hope to..." She paused, her expression saddening. "He has already destroyed them. This may be more than you can handle alone."
"You're joking, right?" Chaos Sonic asked in surprise. "You turn me into some kinda universal protector, with powers I don't fully understand, but I still need to find more help? What can possibly fight against that?"
"Not what, who," Purity answered as she closed her eyes. "There is another Sonic that will be of help to you. His abilities will complement yours nicely and should allow you to destroy the fallen Sonic." Her eyes squeezed shut even tighter. "There's something else, something...wrong. But that's not possible."
"How bad is it?" Purity opened her eyes, both of them pitch black. The darkness quickly faded and the white hedgehog leaned against the pool wall.
"His world is cut off from this place," she explained. "Almost as if someone or something is trying to prevent anything from escaping." She closed her eyes again and whispers filled the room. "I see. Your normal means of travel will not work but there is a spell that exists to open a gateway there." Purity walked out of the pool, her robe completely dry as a number of bookshelves materialized. As she read through several books Chaos Sonic touched the surface of the pool to see a silver-furred hedgehog with bright green markings on his limbs walking through a black portal. His quills were fairly long and five of them were raised up in a crest above his forehead. Chaos Sonic could tell he was still basically a kid but his white mane and the dark accents around his gold eyes made him look much older, not to mention the lines under his eyes as if he had seen untold horrors.
"Purity, you might wanna see this," Chaos Sonic called to her. By the time she returned to the pool the silver hedgehog was running down a path that looked like ice. It didn't take him long to reach the end of the darkness and then the image disappeared. "Can you teach me to do that?"
"He used the Time Stones," Purity commented. "I see. His father is the one that destroyed that world so he's attempting to go back in time to stop it from happening. Normally the Stones fix the paradox by rewriting the world around it but something he did threw him into another universe rather than time. But why that one? Why send him to the one we can't reach by normal means?"
"You'd better hurry with that spell then," Chaos Sonic said standing, brushing off his knees. "If he can get there what are the chances that his old man can follow?" Purity nodded and returned to the shelves.
It was supposed to be just a routine Saturday. Nothing bad had happened for nearly a month and Sonic couldn't have been happier. He'd even volunteered to take the patrol duty they normally handed out to the new recruits. The only problem he had with routine was that: A) 'routine' never worked out to be routine, at least when he was involved; and B) it was boring. REALLY boring. Still, he did appreciate a day or seven where the world didn't seem to rest on his shoulders or giant ice monsters trying to crush him underfoot or even having three-headed beasts trying to eat him. It was a nice, calm Saturday.
That is, until, the silver hedgehog came barreling at him.
The stranger had managed to push the civilians out of the way with the energy flowing from his entire body. Then another wave of it formed around his hand and he fired it at Sonic. He'd never been hit with anything like it before as it knocked the wind out of him and threw him through the wall of a bank. It only took a moment to regain his composure as he leapt to his feet and braced himself for another blast. The stranger just stood in the hole he'd made, energy gathering around the bands at his ankles and wrists but otherwise doing nothing. Sonic glanced behind him and saw several civilians running for cover.
He doesn't want to hurt them, he realized as his respect for his attacker increased. Then I know just the place. Sonic charged at the hedgehog, pushing him out of the way as he headed to the southern part of the city, a mostly abandoned area called the Boroughs He felt the shunpo kick in as he leapt to the top of a short building and ran across the rooftops. A quick glance behind him told him that the silver hedgehog was not only following him but flying as well. That is so not fair.
The Boroughs had seen better days. When Xenodome still kept Mobians and humans separate the Mobians stayed here. Back then it had been just like the Residential or Market District with its own unique flow. But when the Mobians started moving in with humans the Boroughs had been left abandoned and dilapidated. The way Sonic saw it this would be the perfect battleground since the vast majority of people living here were hardened criminals and many of the buildings were in need of demolishing. When he landed several of the inhabitants took off running. It was good to see his reputation preceded him for once. The silver hedgehog landed behind him and launched a barrage of attacks that Sonic barely dodged and instead leveled the building that had been in front of him. Sonic maneuvered behind his attacker with Kaiyō Mujō drawn. The hedgehog turned and raised a single glowing hand and blocked Sonic's attack, prompting Sonic to jump back just in time to dodge a counter.
"You're pretty good, kid," Sonic complimented him. Inexplicably it only served to make his attacker furious.
"You have no right to talk to me, you monster," he growled, forming long ropes of green that he swung like whips. "After what you did to my home the only thing you deserve is death." One whip hit the side of a building, causing the side to cave in and several chunks of rock and glass to fall.
"This is a new one," Sonic said to himself, blocking the next whip with Kaiyō Mujō. When the two weapons met the blast threw Sonic back, his feet digging into the street as he tried to hold his ground. "Okay, already sick of this." Sonic ducked beneath the whip and shot forward while sheathing Kaiyō Mujō and moving her to his hip at the same time. The silver hedgehog's eyes widened as Sonic drew his sword again, slamming the pommel into the attacker's chest and throwing him down the street. He bounced several times before coming to a stop. Sonic sheathed Kaiyō Mujō and walked towards his attacker who was now twitching on the ground. "Oh come on, I didn't hit you that hard," he said as he rolled the boy onto his back. He was gasping for breath, his hands covering a large welt on his chest. "Okay, maybe I went a little overboard. You'll live." He looked at the crippled building and knew that if he left it like that it would likely collapse and hurt someone. As he walked over orange energy gathered around his hands. He touched the wall and said, "Tsukurou*," and the energy dispersed up that wall, mending the breaks and even straightening the building. Sonic let out a loud sigh as he released the energy. He looked back towards the silver hedgehog just in time to witness a figure clad in black arriving.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked.
I guess my old man wasn't kidding about being strong when he was younger. Still, the only decent hit I got on him was when I ambushed him, after that he just dodged or blocked them. I had no idea he was that fast though. One second he's blocking my PsychoWhip and then next he's driving the pommel of his sword into my chest with the force of a freaking train. Needless to say, I wasn't getting up from that any time soon. When he rolled me over I half expected the next attack would be through my heart. Instead he told me, "You'll live," and then walked off to fix the building I'd all but destroyed. From what I'd heard about him I expected him to drop it on me. Rather, this strange orange glow went from his hands into the walls and the thing looks good as new.
This wasn't the man I'd heard about. Sure, he was a hero, even saved the planet a couple times. It was part of the reason my mom fell for him. I'd always figured she'd exaggerated a few things but she never said anything about this. In fact, no one I knew mentioned any of this. Maybe it just got forgotten in all the evil he's done. Maybe he never showed anyone. Then another possibility crossed my mind:
Maybe I was in the wrong time or worse, the wrong world.
That's when HE showed up.
Chaos Sonic touched down in the Boroughs not far from Sonic and Silver, having just witnessed the building's restoration and let out a low whistle. Purity hadn't been kidding about this version of him, he was strong, even more than he let on. Still, he'd seen the way the dark Sonic had wiped out an entire world and there was no way that one guy would even have a slight impact.
"Who the hell are you?" Sonic asked, his hand wandering towards his sword. Chaos Sonic felt the shift in energy around him as he did so. That was no ordinary sword, like it had a life of its own. "I don't really have time for this, Sparkles, so just get to the point."
"My name is NOT Sparkles," Chaos Sonic growled, but impressed that this Sonic could see his glow. The cloak Purity gave him normally prevented anyone from seeing his energy. This Sonic must be a lot better at sensing energy than I was. "So I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me that again." Sonic laughed.
"You're more talkative than the other guy," he said, pointing to Silver. "So, you wanna tell me why you're glowing, Sparkles? It's a neat effect but you stick out like a sore thumb. Also, by any chance are you with him and about to attack me too?"
"I'm not with him, I'm not going to attack you, and stop calling me Sparkles!" Chaos Sonic replied, his temper getting the better of him. Was I ever this annoying? "I'm here to help. There's something coming here that I, unfortunately, need your help stopping. Are you willing to hear me out?"
"Get him to stop trying to kill me and you have a deal," Sonic said. His guard had barely dropped but as far as Chaos Sonic was concerned it was a good start. He turned and placed his hand on Silver's chest, white light flowing into the younger hedgehog's body and healing his wounds.
"I know why you're here, Silver the Hedgehog," he said quietly so only Silver could hear him. The cloak prevented the silver hedgehog from seeing his face, but he listened all the same. "I know you came back to kill your father before he turned but you have to know this version isn't him."
"Damn it," Silver said with a cough. "I was afraid that might've happened. So where's my old man?"
"Knowing my luck, on his way here now. Using the Time Stones gave him the perfect opportunity to conquer new worlds." Silver's eyes widened as he realized what he'd done. "It's okay," Chaos Sonic assured him, "because all three of us are going to stop him, here and now. You got it?" Silver took a few moments to collect himself before nodding. They walked toward Sonic who was patiently waiting. "Is there somewhere better we can talk? Preferably somewhere private."
"I know just the place," he said with a smirk, grabbing both Chaos Sonic's and Silver's hands as they disappeared in a blast of wind.
* Mend