Notes: This chapter has been rewritten as of September 22 2013.

Chapter 1
Give it up

For as long as he could remember, Sonic loved to run. He would push his legs as fast as they could go, until the wind streamed through his fur and the noise of the world was reduced to nothing more than a muffle of music. He would run for hours, exploring all parts of the world, and meeting all different people.

He would run to the mountains at night and watch the stars overhead and breath in the cold air and just feel at peace with the world.

He loved to run, because running meant freedom.

But it also meant he could run from responsibilities.

And for a very long time, he had done just that. When Amy would pepper him with unwanted affection, he would run from her. When an enemy was to powerful, he would run. When he was feeling unwanted or unhappy, he would run.

So he needed to stop running.

He knew he wouldn't be able to protect his friends if he continued to run. One day, he would run to far, and he wouldn't be able to reach them in time. He would run to long, and wouldn't have the strength to find his way back. He would run to fast, and find himself leaving his friends behind.

Whenever he thought he ran to fast, his friends had always found a way to find him again. As of lately, he found that instead of being relieved when they caught up, he was sad. Not because he hadn't wanted to see them, but because he had forgotten he had even left them behind.

So now here he was, laying on the very mountain he had thought about earlier, watching the sun set, and trying not to think about what would happen once the sun disappeared.

The thought occurred to him that maybe he had run to fast this time; maybe he had finally done it, and his friends would never find him.

But then he heard the footsteps, and knew he had been mistaken.

He raised his eyes to see Amy's face, and found himself at peace.

Amy however, was not so peaceful.

"Sonic the Hedgehog," she said sternly, hands on her hips. "So this is where you've been hiding. We've been looking for you." Sonic offered a sheepish smile, and she didn't return it.

Turning away from him, she called out, "I found him! He's over here!"

Sonic's heart jumped in his chest. It was one thing if Amy was witness. She had seen it before. He wasn't sure if he could handle all of his friends watching him…

He sighed, and felt his body relax into the dirt under him.

He would have to tell them all one way or another anyways…

He blinked, and his friends had joined them. He hid a grimance, Amy had brought everyone. Knucnles, Tails, Cream, Cheese, Shadow, and even Chip had arrived. Why on earth the little sprite had decided to stick around, Sonic had no idea. He was grateful none the less.

Shadow glanced at Chip every few minutes, and Sonic inwardly snickered, "What are you all doing here? Did I do something wrong?"

Shadow's eyes fell on him, and he opened his mouth to speak before he stopped suddenly. Blinking a few times, Shadow spoke, "What did you do?"

Unsurprised that Shadow had already figured it out, Sonic only shrugged. They would find out whether he told them or not.

Tails looked down at him, confused, "What does he mean Sonic? We heard that Eggman was back, and wanted to make sure you were alright. Did you do something? Are you alright?"

So Egghead was bakh was he? Sonic sighed. Somehow he knew he would cause more trouble than he was worth.

Sonic smiled at him, then stood. "I'm fine Tails. Nothing I wont be able to handle.

"What. Did. You. Do?"

Sonic glanced at Shadow, who had gritted his teeth and was glaring at the hedgehog. Sonic frowned.

"Shadow relax. Everyone will find out in a few minutes anyways."

Knuckles sat next to him, shortly followed by the others. "What will we know? What did you do?" Tails went to place his hand on Sonic's shoulder when Sonic stiffened.

"Sonic?" Amy asked, worried. "What's wrong?"

Sonic's shoulders sagged, before he looked at Tails, clearly bored, "You did say Eggman was back, right?"

Tails nodded.

"Well he's here, so..."

Tails had no time to wonder how Sonic knew, before they were surrounded. He gasped.

Eggman was surrounded by Dark Gaia lower minions, the very same ones Sonic had defeated only a few days ago.

Amy exclaimed in surprise, before drawing out her hammer. Tails tossed Cream a wrench before taking one up himself, and Knuckles barred his fists. Shadow stared at Sonic, who was standing nonchalantly off to the side.

"Faker." Sonic glanced up at Shadow, "What did you do."

"I promised to protect all of you."

And then the sun set.

Chip placed himself on Sonic's head, ready to fight but unwilling to. He looked down to say something to the hedgehog but froze when he felt the being under him shudder.

A familiar sight met his eyes, and Chip's heart broke for his friend, while Eggman's heart froze out of anger.

Darkness enveloped Sonic, and Chip flew from his head carefully, not wanting to upset the change. The darkness ebbed its way into the vision of everyone present, blinding Eggman, and knocking his friends out in the process. As the light faded, the form Sonic had become to familiar with in the past few weeks reappeared.

He was taller. Much taller. His bright blur fur had darkened and elongated into a poisonous purple color. His bright green eyes had darkened, turning sharper and colder, while his arms stretched, claws sharpening.

Eyeing his hands, Sonic sighed.

He had made a promise to himself, and the Gods of Gaia.

If this is what it took to protect his friends, than so be it.

And then he attacked, and he won. And he carried his unconscious friends back home.