Chapter One: Good Future
The city below was truly a splendor to see. A majestic cityscape created with the power of Chaos itself. White and gold buildings all leading up towards the grand temple that sat above all the skyscraping towers. The temple itself was one of a kind. A grand stature of white and gold with marble steps leading up to the main entrance. A magnificent sight, crafted by the mighty empress herself.
The male ruler leaned on the balcony, overlooking the city lights below and enjoying the mild breeze running through his quills. He smiled with content at the highly active city of which he ruled.
He was blessed. Insanely. Compared to the fate that was left to him had he not lucked out with this future was forever a reminder of how blessed he really was. A wife, four children with another two to shortly follow and the world bowing at their feet. Yes, he was truly a man to be envied.
And it was all thanks to her.
"I thought I'd find you out here." His wife could be heard from behind him. A smile appeared on his lips knowing she'd find him on the balcony.
"You cheated." He told her. "Using magic doesn't count."
The pink hedgehog walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. "That was an unfair accusation. I merely found you out of habit." Her husband turned to face her, greeting her with a brief kiss. "What are you doing out here anyway? Oh, don't tell me..."
His smile grew, knowing she was reading his mind. She had closed her eyes, focusing intensely. She shortly opened her eyes. "Getting away from the advisors again. My, what am I going to do with you?"
"Read my mind again and you'll have a very effective solution." He smirked.
Curious, she read his mind again. Her eyes snapped open as she gasped at the thought. "Sonic The Hedgehog!" She giggled.
"Told you." His smirk grew wider.
"We have to get back. Everyone will be waiting for us." She insisted. He moved closer to her and began to kiss her neck. Despite what she had just told him, she didn't protest to his actions.
"We're in charge around here. They'll wait." He briefly stopped his affection before continuing to seduce her. "Besides." He mumbled against her neck. "Would you rather an appointment with the advisors or with me?"
She moaned softly, tilted her head back slightly. "The answer will always be you."
"Good girl." He resurfaced from her neck and kissed her passionately. His hands seeping through her cascading hair before gradually moving down to the fabric adorned on her slender shoulder. The light blue cape clipped at her collar bone was the first thing he discarded. Amy giggled against his lips, keeping her hands around his waist to allow him easy access to undress her.
He rubbed her shoulders lovingly, admiring their deception of appearing small and feeble yet they carried the weight of the world. Amy herself was a living, breathing contradiction. She appeared to be an easy target. A petite woman, though toned, looked easily defeatable. That wasn't the case at all. She was a formidable opponent, stronger than him and all their subjects.
He removed the chiffon fabric from her shoulder, easing the dress off from her upper body. She removed her hands from his waist and pulled down the rest of her dress, leaving her partially nude before him. Smirking at his wife, he took her in his arms and placed her on top of the balcony edge.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to get rid of me." She said.
"And lose my world? Never." He looked down at her protuding bump and paid his unborn children some attention by touching her bump. He smiled, knowing just days away, he would have another two more hedgehogs to chase around, nurture and raise to become a part of the Chaos Order. "When will they be here?" He asked his wife.
"Soon." Amy responded.
"You knew what was implying." Amy rolled her eyes and gave her husband a look. "Come on, you knew when the other children were coming."
Amy sighed, looking round at the city below. "Sonic, we talked about this. For once, I just want something to be a surprise. Unexpected. Unpredictable. Do you have any idea how monotonous life can get when you know the answer to everything?"
She had mentioned her frustration about her powers many times. They were a blessing, no denying that. But having the power of clairvoyance was one of her peeves. Knowing every event coming their way made life pretty predictable for her. Knowing all futures, all possibilities was, as she put it, exhausting.
Which was why she had blocked out all clairvoyant predictions from ruining any spoilers to this pregnancy. She had predicted they would be expecting twins and had left the future to take place on it's own.
Sonic had to admit that this particular power was often exploited by himself as well as their subjects. Being predictable kept them prepared, kept their rule in tact, saved lives and overall protected their empire.
Feeling bad for asking, Sonic looked down in shame. "You're right. I should be patient..."
Amy looked back at his sorry expression, feeling somewhat bad. He had been so used to her simply gathering information from their futures, was it really his fault for expecting her to do the same for their twins? She exhaled. "Alright... I'll see when they're coming. But we won't know their sex, okay?"
He lifted his head and smiled with gratitude. She closed her eyes momentarily before opening them to reveal the glowing white that had stolen her jade eyes. Sonic stood by, watching the empress cross dimensions right before him. Luckily for him, her face revealed her emotions. He had been expecting her to display a smile, any positive reaction even. Her expression was the opposite. Devastation, a frown and then a determined look.
Sonic blinked, now paranoid by her expressions. "Ames...?"
Coming back to their reality, Amy shook her head. Her jade eyes became present again though they danced with fear. "Chaos sake! I shouldn't have blocked the future!" She scolded herself aloud. She hopped down from the balcony and power walked back inside.
Sonic dashed to her side. "What did you see? Are the babies okay?"
"He's back." She said as she fabricated a short, red nightdress onto her body.
"Who?"
"Eggman. It seems I have skipped a vital piece of history. Eggman issued a document containing the events of my awakening sometime before he was encased in his cytogenetic chamber. So our Eggman had left this document to the Eggman of the past which revealed everything that's going to happen thus creating the possibility of erasing me from the timeline. He's also reconfigured the timing on cytogenetic tank to release the doctor sooner than anticipated. He's attacking the city."
Just then, a loud bang could be heard in the distance. A minor tremor shook the ground around them. "I have to go back and stop Eggman from killing you." Sonic told his wife with determination.
"No. You'll summon the others and protect the city."
"But I can't just allow Eggman to kill you." He walked up to his wife and grasped her shoulders. "I won't lose you. You know what will happen if I lose you."
Amy nodded. "I know. But trust me. I know what I'm doing."
His quills raised with anxiety at the thought of his alternative future threatening to return. He couldn't let that future happen. No matter what, that couldn't be his destiny.
Yet he couldn't personally go back in time and save that Amy. The Amy who knew absolutely nothing of her powers, of her significance to his fate. To go back would mean to leave his kids in a state of emergency.
Blast that doctor for complicating both timelines at once.
Amy kissed his cheek, bringing him back to reality. "Save the city and it's people." She told him before she began to walk away.
"Where are you going?" He asked his empress. By the looks of her, she appeared to be heading for bed.
The pink hedgehog turned back to him. "Oh. The twins are coming." She said simply before wincing at a contraction hitting her. She bared through the pain while gritting her teeth. "See you in a few hours." She said as she teleported elsewhere in the temple.
He took a moment to process what was happening. So, his past was currently in the process of being rewritten, Eggman was attacking the city and his wife had ironically gone into labour during all of this. He swept his quills back to try and ease his stress. There wasn't another moment to lose. He had to protect his children and his subjects from the mad doctor.
Pulling out a chaos emerald from his back quills, he contacted Tails' modified workshop within the city. The chaos signal connected to Tails' interface. "Tails. Are you there?"
Tails appeared within the chaos emerald. "For a moment! Eggman's unleash a bunch of Death Egg Sentinels and they're heading right this way! I've activated the first order of defenses but judging by the size of those things, they'll penetrate it no problem! I've calculated their speed, they should be here within the next hour. Where's Amy? Is she able to create a force field around the city?" Tails appeared to be typing hastily into his computer.
Sonic shook his head. "No. She's gone into labour."
The fox looked up at the screen to the emperor, his face filled with shock. "Please tell me you're joking?"
"Now's really not the time for jokes, Tails..."
Sighing hopelessly, Tails resumed his hasty typing. "Congratulations and all but she really couldn't have picked a worse time."
"She doesn't just choose when she's gonna go into labour." Sonic frowned at his best friend. "We can do this without her. We've fought without her before. It'll be just like old times."
"You're right. Sorry... I'll give you the baby gifts once this is all over."
"Thanks buddy. Be with you in a sec. Oh, did you get the others?"
Tails frowned at him through the screen. "Did you really have to ask?"
"Just checking." He smiled at his friend before disconnecting the signal. He placed the emerald back in his quills before racing through the temple to find his children and ensure they were in the safest location before he could fight the doctor. He dashed into the children's room to find his eldest son, Jolt, holding his triplet siblings close. They were huddled in the corner of the room.
Jolt was the protector. The purple hedgehog was more like this mother. Serious and virtuous. He had inherited Sonic's looks. Same shaped quills and same tanned skin and emerald eyes. He possessed Amy's bangs. They fell between his eyes, bringing out the colours of his eyes moreso.
The triplets were a major surprise to the couple. What was more surprising was the dizygotic pregnancy. Two identical twins within the triplets. Core, the first born of the triplets. The trouble maker of the four current children. He had two large quills and unkempt bangs on his forehead. He was definitely the most unique looking out of all of them. A light blue pelt and tanned skin with his mother's hue in his eyes.
Astra followed in her fraternal brother's footsteps. His troublemaking accomplice. Like her identical twin, Nova, her wavy, lilac quills cascaded down pass her elbows. Bangs matching her mother's along with her eye colour. The only way to tell the two girls apart was their skin: Astra having the tanned skin like her brothers and Nova being more pale, like her mother.
Their personalities could also tell them apart. Astra and Nova were polar opposites of one another. While Astra was outgoing, bold and devious, Nova was sensible, sensitive and compassionate. He knew it was wrong to have favourites but Sonic held a dear soft spot for his current youngest child, Nova.
"Hey..." He said soothingly as he approached his children. The triplets ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. Jolt slowly approached his father, sensing the high nerves radiating from him. Sonic looked up from the triplets and gave Jolt a comforting smile. "I know tonight's a little busy and noisy but I promise, everything is going to be just fine."
"What's happening out there?" Jolt asked. He knew his dad was going to play the whole situation off as something minor. There was a glimmer of worry in his eyes. Something that Jolt could see right through. "Are we under attack?"
Sonic inhaled, uncertain whether to be honest with such news. He didn't want to scare his children. He decided to play it off. "It's just a little disagreement is all. Your dad's gonna sort it all, okay?" He smiled reassuringly to his eldest son before looking at his younger children.
Jolt frowned. "Dad. I know something is up. I can feel it." He placed his hand near his heart. Surprised by the child's intuition, Sonic gasped slightly before shaking his head.
"Alright. You got me." He chuckled lightly to ease the worry. "You know that man I told you about? That not-so-nice guy, mummy and I used to fight all the time?"
"Egg-breath!" Core shouted.
"Egg-face!" Astra joined in.
"Eggman." Nova said, correcting her siblings.
Sonic nodded. "Eggman's back on the scene. But... The team and I will sort it, I promise."
"Where's mummy?" The four year old asked her father.
Sonic looked down at his youngest child and smiled. "Mummy's having the babies now. Once daddy cracks that egg, he'll come back for all of you and we'll go and meet them. How does that sound?"
The triplets cheered enthusiastically for the day they had all been waiting for. Jolt too got excited about meeting the babies. He gave his father a smile. "Be careful out there, dad."
"You know it, little dude." He gave his son a fist bump. Giving the children a final hug, he called for their nannies to take them down to the underground sector to remain safe throughout the fight. He guided them through the temple halls when they heard a loud crash and felt the ground shaking. Servants, advisors and guests ran out of the throne room and ran passed them, screaming in horror and fright.
Sonic turned to the nannies. "Keep them safe. You know where to go."
"Don't leave us, daddy!" Astra screeched.
"I'll fight that Eggbrain!" Core said, throwing punches in the air.
Sonic brought all his children into one big hug. "Stay with Beatrice and Mary. They'll get you to safety." He looked up at the nannies and smiled. He kissed their foreheads individually before he got up and ran towards the throne room. "Be good!" He shouted back to them.
Dashing into the throne room, he immediately looked towards the hole in the ceiling and the fallen debris just below it. In his Egg Mobile was Eggman himself, looking around at the throne room. His eyes shortly fixated on Sonic. He sneered. "Sonic The Hedgehog."
"Eggman."
"Long time no see! How long has it been? Twelve years? I must say, you've done well for yourself. But where's Amy? Grown tired of you?"
Sonic crossed his arms. "She's fine. Shame you won't be around long enough to see her yourself."
Eggman grinned. "We'll see about that." He clicked a button on his Egg Mobile. A Death Egg came falling through the hole in the ceiling and landed in front of Sonic, shaking the floor as it landed. Sonic staggered back and looked up at the giant machine. It's head was metres from scraping the decorated ceiling.
Sonic growled at the doctor. He expected a battle but in the middle of his home?
This was no good. He still needed to ensure the Sonic from the past was aware of what was to become of him, of his future without Amy. How vital she was in his timeline. Without that knowledge, his alternative future was sure to become a reality.
But who could go in his place? Admittedly after all the battles that had been brought to an easy defeat by the empress all these years had made the team rather blind to any threat without her. They couldn't afford to have one of the fighters go, neither he or Amy could go. Who could?
Being inches away from the incoming gigantic fist, Sonic leapt back and landed on all fours. He watched the robot slowly turn to him and steady it's gun. The hedgehog kept his focus on the robot, preparing to dodge the firing assault.
That was when he heard whimpering. "Huh?" Looking to his left, he saw a pair of black, pointy shoes with what seemed to be silver buckles across the top of them, under a nearby table. A pair of worldly outdated shoes that only one person Sonic knew would proudly be seen dead wearing.
Cryptic.
A newly appointed advisor with as much character as a mute turtle. He came across rather spineless and feeble, unable to say a few sentences without a bashful stutter and very clumsy. He was a tall, skinny, grey pelted badger adorned in a fitted suit. A perfect outfit to match his refined demeanour.
Despite his reputation for being a feeble, nerve stricken advisor, he was very much loyal to Sonic and Amy. He was very aware of their Sonic's and Amy's history and how they came to be rulers. Knowledgeable enough to possibly even go back in time and deliver this vital message for him.
Acting quickly before the robot could unleash his ammunition, Sonic pulled out a chaos emerald and held it above his head. "Chaos Control!" Time slowed down around him. Sonic ran towards the Death Egg and ran up the robot, searching for a potential deactivation button. Running from the robots legs to his head, Sonic luckily found the button on the robots neck. Slamming his hands onto the button, he quickly ran back to where he was originally standing and corrected the time.
"Fire!" Eggman yelled. He pointed towards the blue hedgehog in the centre of the living room. The robot remained inactive. "Hmm?" Eggman looked towards the robot to find the robot had been shut down. "What the-- How?!"
"Hope you don't mind. Thought your robot was due it's nap." Sonic grinned.
"Why you little--"
Before Eggman could reactivate his robot, Sonic had spin dashed into his Egg Mobile and sent the doctor flying back through the hole he had created. "Sorry Egghead. Just got something to do before we get down to the main event." The ruler turned towards the table where he had spotted his advisor. He walked towards the table and stood in front of it. "Cryptic." He let the man know he was aware of his presence.
"Y-your Imperial Majesty?" Cryptic popped his head out from under the table. Seeing his emperor standing above him, he quickly scurried to his feet and bowed his head. "F-forgive me, your Imperial Majesty. I-I--I took refuge from the assault."
Bothered by the use of the title, Sonic inhaled and shrugged it off. "You did the right thing, Cryptic." He turned away from the man and headed towards the grand doors. "Come. We have much to do."
Cryptic looked puzzled. "F-forgive me, your--"
"Cryptic. We've been through this many times. Call me Sonic." The blue emperor informed the stuttering man.
The advisors stopped himself from speaking and reconsidered his words. "M-may I call you, S-s-sire, your Imperial M-majesty?"
Sonic sighed. "Sure."
Cryptic's eyes danced at the opportunity to use such an informal title to the king of kings himself. He was well aware of the emperor's intolerance to the correct addressing to his title but the badger himself couldn't possibly break years of teachings in regards to the strict protocol of etiquette. "May I ask, Sire? W-what it is you require?"
"I'm so glad you asked." Sonic grinned at the advisor. He grabbed the man's wrist and ran with him in tow towards the library. The man yelped as he experienced the emperor's speed first hand for the first time. Coming to a halt in the library, Sonic released Cryptic and watched as he tried to regain his footing. "Sorry. We don't have much time on our hands." He said. He began to rummage through the books on the various shelves, searching for the books Amy had written about the events of her awakening and various parts of history. Upon finding the information he was looking for, he piled the books onto Cryptic.
Cryptic struggled under the weight of the books. "M-may I ask, S-sire--?"
"What do I have planned for you? Why I've piled these books on you? Very good questions." Sonic continued to rummaged through the books and documents. "You like to travel don't you, Cryptic?"
"I-I do get a little t-travel sick..."
"Great!" Sonic failed to listen to the advisor's condition. He stood before the struggling man. "You have been chosen to go back in time and save me and my family."
Cryptic's eyes widened, his anxiety now on fire. "B-b-but Sire... I am but a mere advisor. I'm sure there are better suitors for this task."
"Nonsense. You are the perfect man for the job. All you have to do is go back in time, tell my younger self about what is to come. Simple. We'll get you once the battle is won, okay?" Cryptic opened his mouth to protest on the idea but was shut down by the blue hedgehog. "That's what I like to hear!" Sonic pulled out a chaos emerald and located his wife. She was located in one of the guests rooms, beneath the temple. "Let's move."
He lifted the chaos emerald in front of him and teleported Cryptic and himself to his wife.
Teleporting into the bedroom, Sonic stepped forward towards Amy. She lay in the middle of the four poster bed, surrounded by midwives and nurses. The white, sheer fabric canopies covering the bed posts just barely shielding her dignity.
Waving her hand, Amy used her powers to open the canopies, exposing herself to the men.
Cryptic bowed his head and kept his head down. "Your Imperial Majesty."
Sonic looked back at the advisor to ensure he was not staring at his wife in her vulnerable state. Pleased to see the man respectfully keep his head down, he smiled. Turning back to his wife, he approached her with an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry to have to ask you this right now."
Amy grinned at her husband. "Stealing energy from me when I need it the most. How dare you." She jested.
Sonic bashfully chuckled. "You know I'm not the greatest at pinpointing my portals."
"Amateur." She bantered. "If you must take my knowledge, I expect something back in return." She flashed a flirtatious smile towards him.
He smirked. "Everybody look away." He told the others in the room. Seeing everyone had turned around, he leant down and kissed his wife passionately. She eagerly returned the same amount of passion, bringing her hand to rest on his face as she pulled him close.
Her energy and experience flowed into her husband as she transferred her magic into him. Weakened, Amy broke the kiss and fell back onto her pillow. Sonic held her hand briefly before slowly backing away from her. "Thank you."
Turning back to Cryptic, Sonic pulled out a chaos emerald once more and held it before him. "Chaos control!"
A portal appeared in the middle of the room. The power radiating from the portal emitted a gust of wind through the room, causing everybody to brace themselves from the winds. Once the wind eased, Sonic grabbed onto Cryptic's shoulder. "This portal will teleport you exactly ten weeks before the war. That should be enough time to persuade my younger self about his potential futures."
Persuade? What was that supposed to mean? Did the young emperor not agree to his future? Was that why he was given all that time? To persuade?
"Now you need to remember. Don't call him Your Imperal Majesty or Sire. Stick with Sonic. And don't bow." He pushed the advisor towards the portal. "This Future lies in your hands. I'm counting on you, Cryptic." He told the man before pushing him into the portal.
Cryptic screamed as he fell into the portal. It closed behind him. Without losing another minute, Sonic gave his wife a final kiss on the head before rushing out of the room and out of the temple to assist his team in fighting the doctor.
With all his hope, he prayed the feeble man would succeed in his endeavours to save him and his family.