Alright guys, this is my fourth chapter with this fun story here. I want to send some thanks to Chimichangar for sending some constructive reviews for this story, and if any of you have input, feel free to send a review for this or any chapter. Speaking of Chimichangar, go follow his Sonic-Zootopia story Broken Glass. That one has definitely been a very great read, love where his story is going, do me a favor and give that one a favorite. So, for now, here we go, Chapter 4 baby!

Love In The Open: Chapter 4. Why?

Although Gazelle told Sonic "Goodnight my friend," he still didn't have a good night's sleep. In

fact, he was having a terrible time staying asleep. His eyes were shut, but his brain was still

running as fast as he himself would normally run. Maybe even faster. Several thoughts

occupied his mind as he tossed and turned in his "guest room" bed.

"Oh man. I didn't know she'd ask that right off the bat." "How should I respond to her?" "Should

I even tell her at all?" "Would she even want to be around me if she knew the truth?" "What

would she think about me then?"... Sonic's thoughts swirled around his head like a tornado.

(Not Tails's plane, the X-Tornado, but a real tornado twisting, turning, and wrecking

everything in its path.) Until, finally, a memory appeared in his sleepy mind.

Dream/Flashback

Mobius, Yesterday, 15 minutes after Sonic's victory.

The reporters, as friendly as they were, tired Sonic out of his red sneakers with their many repetitive questions. "Hey Sonic, show us the pose." "Sonic, how did you ever guess his plan this time?" "Sonic, how were you able to do all those stunts?" Sonic usually liked being in the spotlight, showing off the moves, and answering questions. But today, something was different. This time, it felt as if the reporters that gathered around him were like annoying robotic telephone receptionists. Asking the same questions over and over again, never understanding the answers no matter how many times he explained it to them. They were good people with good intentions, but today, Sonic found this unending chatter too… routine. As if every day had the same things happen over and over again. Sonic finally was done with the reporters and decided to take a run to clear his head. "Oh man. What's going on with me?" "It seems that I haven't enjoyed my life as much lately." "All of these people I save, it's as if I've forgotten why I save them to begin with." "I mean, what's the point with all the fights, all the battles, and all the saving?" Sonic thought of all this as he ran, until he found a log next to a lake. Normally, Sonic was not a water animal, but today, he just couldn't help staring at his own reflection in confusion. As he stared at his reflection glaring off the lake, Sonic asked himself the following question. "Why."

15 minutes later.

Sonic decided to give his good friend Tails a call to see what advice he could give him. Talis, a twin-tailed fox that can use his tails to fly like propellers, was Sonic's first and closest friend. If anyone could understand what Sonic was going through, he could. "Oh, poor Sonic." Tails said, while he was in his workshop. "It seems like you need some time to think." The twin tailed fox said into the phone. "You got that one right buddy." "I need a LOT of time pal." "But what about the city?" "And the people?" "And what is the point of it all?" Sonic said. Tails wasn't a psychiatrist, but he did know that the quicker his friend could have his vacation, the better.

15 MORE minutes later.

"Here you go Sonic." Tails threw down a blanket that unveiled a new portal contraption that looked like something from a Sci-Fi movie. "Wow, pretty impressive Tails." Sonic said, giving his friend a thumbs-up for approval of his latest creation. "Now, how about getting me somewhere nice and quiet?" Sonic asked, hopefully. "I don't know about quiet, but I do know a place where you can think and still have a great vacation." Tails said. "Oh well, I'll take it. So where am I going?" Sonic asked. "Oh it's the place I went to last year to test out this portal." Tails said. "Right, the place you haven't told me about because you wanted to save that trip for my birthday." Sonic joked with a sneer. "HEY!" Tails screamed accusingly. "Don't look at me," Sonic admitted, "You were the one that accidentally included me in that group text, remember?" Sonic never lost his confidence during his personal ordeal, and he still was the same hedgehog that displayed heroism. It was just now that the confidence seemed more forced and manual, rather than free-flowing and natural to him. "Oh yeah, I forgot. Well, hop right in." Tails said, as the machine started to whirl up its mechanical magic. "And Sonic," Tails said one last time before Sonic was about to hop in. Tails embraced his friend. "Be careful Sonic." Sonic returned the embrace, then broke out, waved, then jumped into the portal. However, not all things are as they seem to be in dreams.

15 YEARS later…Mystery Location...

Whooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaa!

(KB's Sideways starts to play)

("Sideways, Came in this thing sideways, Get turnt get lit Sideways, Haters lookin' at me Sideways…)

This time, however, Sonic span REALLY FAST, even too fast for him in a swirling tornado, until he fell with a solid hard crashing THUD to the ground. Sonic groaned as he held his head as he tried to recover from the headache. However, this time, Sonic was sent straight to Sahara Square. This time, he was the only one there, and the city was desolate. Almost like an Old Western ghost town. "Sonic?" a soft tender female voice called out from nearby. Sonic was shocked to discover Gazelle lying down next to a cactus as she turned to see him. Sonic ran over to her to make sure she was ok. But this time, she slapped his hand with her hoof. What shocked Sonic is that as Gazelle slapped his hand, it almost disappeared, as if Sonic were a ghost. "Why didn't you trust me?" Gazelle asked brokenhearted, with tears in her eyes. To say Sonic was shocked was an understatement. "What are you talking about?! Are you ok?" Sonic asked as his scared green eyes looked into her clearly hurt brown ones. "Why didn't you tell me who you were? And what you were going through? Sonic, I was your friend. I thought you trusted me. You could've came and asked me to be a part of your life. You could've been honest with me. If you would've just put down the act, if you would've let me in; let me help you find the answers. Then you would still be alive in my heart right now." Sonic looked at his hand and saw that it was back. "What do you mean by that?" Sonic asked, now fearful about these events. Gazelle simply pointed to a nearby cemetery. Sonic immediately ran over there to see the most shocking sight he had ever seen.

(KB: Sideways, Came in this thing like, Sideways, came in this thing like…)

What he saw before him was a lonely grave marker with a single wilted rose in an extremely disclosed part of the cemetery. The gravestone read, "Sonic the Hedgehog. 'Hero' of Mobius. Born: June 23, 1991. Died: June 20th, 2016. Died without a purpose, and without a friend." "What?!" "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sonic shouted, as he wept at the desolate sight with his hands in his face, gushing out the tears. "Gazelle, where are you?!" he cried out. "I didn't mean for all of this to happen. PLEASE, I beg of you! You don't hate me that much, do you?! Please, please still believe in me, please still believe in me… "

(music ends)

DREAM OVER

"Please still believe in me, please, please still believe in me." Those words, and the way Sonic

was shouting them woke her up early in the morning, 6 o'clock in the morning to be exact. A

little bit earlier than Gazelle was used to. But the pleading cries of her friend woke her up

immediately as she ran at Gazelle speed to Sonic's guest room. "Sonic, Sonic, please wake

up!" Gazelle shouted frantically as she roughly shook the frazzled hedgehog out of his

slumber. Shockingly enough, Sonic woke up with a start. But he was still crying as he just

hugged his friend's legs. Gazelle lifted him up to his feet. "Sonic, look at me, ok?" Gazelle

asked him. Sonic complied to her wishes, but his time, her eyes were the same calm,

welcoming ones he had seen the night before. Sonic's tears stopped when he saw this, but was

even more convinced by what she said next. "It's normal to be scared. It's normal to want to

feel like you have to go through things on your own. I know this because I've seen it in others,

and I've seen it in myself. But it's also normal to need help. It's also normal to ask. I haven't

changed since last night, because I'm not that kind of Gazelle. I'm not that kind of friend either,

in case you haven't known before." Sonic's suspicions and doubts about her friendship were

slowly washing away. He now not only wanted to help her, but was also more than willing to let

her help him whenever she saw his need. Sonic never saw this type of true devotion and loyalty

in a friend before. He finally recovered composure and just hugged his friend. Gazelle also

hugged him as well, seeing that he was feeling better now. "So, I'm sorry about jumping the gun

by asking you that personal of a…" Gazelle started, but was quickly interrupted by Sonic. "It's fine. I'll admit, it came as a shock, but it

also helped me realize that I need to be honest with you, and not just pretend my confidence on you. Although I am confident in reality

as well. Now, about why I came here, and that awful nightmare…" he shuddered. "It's ok Sonic, how about you tell me about it all after

breakfast?" Gazelle offered. "I wouldn't mind waiting until then" Sonic replied, as the two friends walked hand in hand down the long

hallway to the kitchen area.

Well guys, there you finally have it. We now know why Sonic came here in the first place. To give you all a heads-up, KB's song "Sideways" is not owned by me. It's owned by Reach Records. If you're interested in hearing how the whole song goes, go on Youtube and search "KB Sideways lyrics." The reason I portrayed Sonic the way I did in the second dream sequence (the grave scene) was to show Sonic when he's most vulnerable. To see if the hero is ready to realize where he is, and if he's willing to let others help him. So, I know some of you are thinking, "With Sonic gone, what is happening on Mobius now?" We'll get to that and more next time. Also, I'm looking for some OC ideas for a villain for the next chapter. I'll probably tweak it a little bit to fit my story, but I will indeed use the best idea I receive. Goodnight everyone, see you all at the next chapter.