While they followed him Sonic kept reminding himself he can do it. He was a leader for years. It's time the old Sonic came back.

Then he heard something and stopped.

Everyone stopped confused.

"Sonic-" Tails started but was cut off by Sonic bringing his hand up telling him to stay quiet.

"So, Nebula Emerald and Shadow Hedgehog are here. Where are the others? Is Sonic at home to scared to come with you? And the others staying with him?" Eggman said.

"Sonic is here!" Shadow said. "So are the others!"

"Sonic will be the old Sonic one day!" Nebula said.

"Oh I don't think that's true." Eggman said. "Neither of you knows our history. Sonic is an orphan thanks to me when he was two! After his uncle taking him in he started fighting me in a way. Destroy my robots and shields! Then when he was five I robotasized his uncle leaving him by himself!"

Everyone looked at Sonic in shock while Sonic started shaking in anger.

Tails and Knuckles could tell the old Sonic was coming back listening to him.

They looked at each other and smiled a little.

"Then about two years later he was leading the Freedom Fighters. He lost them all when he was ten. Two years later I see him with the fox Tails. A year later I talked Knuckles into joining me thinking Sonic wanted the Master Emerald. (Knuckles winced remembering back then) Three times in one year that happened and he would still win! And to my surprise I see Knuckles with the hedgehog and fox!"

That shocked them all, except former (?) Team Sonic even more.

"Every time we fought he won. Until a few months ago I won. The great Sonic the Hedgehog was to scarred to fight again. It took you until last time to talk him into coming. Shadow has been leading them all! And now that he's with me trapped and the Sonic still scared I'll win easily!"

"You won't win! Sonic is now leading them and looked just like his old self before they left!" Shadow said.

"Hahaha! The hedgehog, Team Sonic and Freedom Fighter leader we once knew is gone and will never be back! He's still scared and only hiding the fear for them all!"

That was it. After hearing that Sonic backed up, started running, jumped and turned into a ball breaking open to get them at Eggman.

"The hedgehog!" Eggman said surprised to see him back to his old self.

"I am my old self! After what happened to Shadow and him telling me I needed to lead them all I was nervous but at the same time knew he was right. I have the most experience with you. I told myself I could do it. I was a leader for years. Leader of the Freedom Fighters and Team Sonic! It's time the old Sonic came back!" Sonic said.

Then he started running, jumped and got one of the Swatbots as if it never happened.

Everyone but Eggman smiled and cheered.

"Knuckles, get as many as you can with your fist, Silver help him, Tails I need the young genius we all know and love to get rid of the things outside and power rings. Blaze try and make sure there are no other people here!" Sonic said and they all nodded.

Knuckles and Silver went after the Swatbots and Tails handed him a few power rings and got the chance to take care of the things outside.

Then Sonic took a power ring and went through multiple Swatbots and got Shadow and Nebula free.

Shadow was healed up after Nebula used her healing abilities.

Then Shadow went after Swatbots while Sonic took care of Eggman. He knew his leading time is now up and Sonic is back to leading them.

"I'm surprised the old hedgehog is back already." Eggman said.

"I was gone for a while but after the last fight Shadow had and I helped him got me to start getting my old self back. Not much but a little fighting Swatbots." Sonic said.

Then for the first time in six months Sonic fought the Swatbots and for the first time in a year Eggman.

While they worked together Shadow, Tails and Knuckles would look at Sonic and watch him. They didn't see the scared Sonic this time. They saw the brave, strong and old Sonic they all know and loved.

When they were done Sonic looked at Eggman as if the accident never happened.

Everyone was back and with Tails, Shadow, Knuckles and Silver.

"You lose again Egghead." Sonic said then kicked him hard getting him to lose consciousness.

Then Sonic stood there and looked at them all looking like his old self.

Then he smirked.

"Yeah!" Tails said gave him a hug.

Knuckles gave him a high five.

Shadow stood there smiling and nodding.

He had gotten the old Sonic back after a year.

While they all cheered Sonic was smiling.

Then Shadow started walking to him and took off the communicater.

"Here, it's yours again." he said smiling. "I'm not the leader anymore, you are."

Sonic looked at it then Shadow and took it and put it back on his wrist.

"Thanks for taking care of this for me." he said.

"No problem. I'm here if you ever need it."

Then Sonic looked at everyone.

"Alright, let's get out of here and get back home." he said smiling and they followed him home.

When they got there people were looking at them and saw Sonic looking back to his old self.

Everyone started clapping and cheering.

Then they headed to Sonic's to relax.

When they got there they sat down and had a snack.

"We're probably gonna be in the paper and want one of you four to say something." Silver said.

"Probably." Shadow said then saw Sonic was asleep. "Looks like Sonic dowsed off."

Everyone looked at him

"I'm not that surprised. He used a lot of strength and such." Knuckles said.

Then Shadow gently picked him up. Then he headed to his room and put him to sleep.

Then they decided to split up and let him get some rest.

The next day they were at town and Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Silver, Blaze and Nebula were standing there smiling.

Sonic, like Shadow did a few days after saving Sonic stood there about to tell them what happened.

They were a little confused about why Sonic was telling them and not Shadow.

So he cleared his throat.

"Hi." he said. "So yesterday Shadow, Tails, Knuckles, Silver, Blaze and Nebula came to my house and told me Eggman was trying to destroy everything and tried to ask me if I could go help them. I started out saying no until Knuckles and Tails told me about the past. While I thought I reminded myself that I was the leader of the Freedom Fighters, fought Eggman for years, have the most experience with him and plenty more. After thinking about it I agreed and hid my fear."

"When we got to Robotropolis Shadow was still in charge and had me break open the door because it was stuck. After getting us inside we headed to the lab. On our way there we were found by a few Swatbots and Shadow, Tails and Knuckles fought them while me, Silver, Blaze and Nebula stood behind them. Then on the last one Shadow was hit and hurt so I started running and went through it. When they were done we checked on Shadow and saw him bleeding. He was to weak to continue at the time so had me take it from there." he continued then shut his eyes for a second then opened again.

"I didn't think I could lead them yet but after Nebula saying she'd heal him I nodded and lead them to the lab. While we did that I heard Eggman and had us stop and listened. He had Shadow and Nebula and said a few things I didn't like. Some telling them things I never wanted anyone to know while others that got me even madder. Finally I went flying into the lab with Tails, Knuckles, Silver, Blaze and Nebula with me."

"I had Tails fix up everything, Blaze make sure nobody was there and me, Knuckles and Silver took care of the Swatbots. I brought a few power rings with me and had Tails hold onto them for me. He gave me a few power rings when I asked him to while he fixed up the computer. After getting another Swatbot with one I freed Shadow and Nebula. While they took care of the others I took care of Eggman like I used to but not scared of him or anything that time. When he was done It felt good to be back to my old self."

"Shadow knew I was ready to take my place as leader of Team Sonic again so gave me back my communicator and I accepted it." said then stopped for a second. "I promise I'll never say that I'm done or quit ever again. So thanks for all the help Shadow, Tails, Knuckles. I don't know if I'd be back to my old self if you didn't force me to do things again."

"And thanks for taking care of me when I got home Amy, Cream, Nebula and Vanilla I owe you. I'm lucky to have friends like you." he said then looked at Tails and Knuckles. "Team Sonic is my family though. Shadow and Silver are like brothers to me but Tails and Knuckles will always be my family. So that's about it. I'm looking forward to the next Eggman fight though."

Everyone started clapping and cheering for him.

He sighed smiling and Tails, Knuckles and Shadow stood next to him smiling.

The old Sonic was back.