Chapter Ten – The Psychic Link
By the time the Restoration found Sonic, he was in utter shock. He was kneeling next to his brother, with his head in his arms, tears rolling down his face, shaking very badly. The Restoration had witnessed the explosion, and had feared the worse, but were relieved to find both the twins alive, though one was unconscious. They has since learned that with Sukko, this was not unusual. How Eggman ended up dead, was a mystery when the truth came out as to the type of explosion it was. It shouldn't have killed him. Tails worked it out. He knew straight away which twin was which, in the immediate aftermath of the explosion, when Sonic started sucking his thumb.
It was how the Hero of Mobius reacted to deep trauma. Granted, they had been just children, not long after they met, the last time Sonic had had this reaction, but nothing had change. But Tails was seriously worried. They all were. What had happened out there? They had seen very little from base camp. Extremely pale, shaking, in tears, mute and sucking his thumb, Sonic would need round the clock care. The Resistance transported everyone back to the Restoration, some staying behind to rebuild Sunset City. The Wisps were there to, helping where they could. The damage there was not a bad as first feared. Most of the building were still intact and structurally sound, and the many of the locals were able to very quickly return to their homes.
But Sonic was in a very bad way. No one other then Tails was able to get him to eat, and even a trip to Angel Island and the wisdom of the Master Emerald did nothing. Knuckles was in total horror upon seeing his friend like this. His duty to the Master Emerald had meant he'd sat out of the previous fight. He'd never trusted that so-called brother of his, believing far too powerful for his own good. He knew it would end in disaster. If this so-called brother was real, the Sonic would have told him. Tails wasn't so sure, even he didn't know.
Knuckles cradled the Blue Blur at the foot of the Master Emerald, at the top of the alter. Still mute, tearful and sucking his thumb, he'd said nothing since Eggman's death. Not even the Master Emerald was able to shed any light on what happened. Sukko was still unconscious. This was not uncommon, it was how you dealt with Magical drain, you slept it off. Sonic knew he'd wake up eventually, but to see him kill Eggman, so suddenly, so brutally, with no warning beforehand, utterly shocked Sonic into complete withdrawal. Being the smaller, and younger of the twins, his brother had raised him alone, until his independence, just before he met Tails.
All of Sonic's famous Heroic attributes especially the no kill, no injure, all came from Sukko. To have his brother turn on his own teachings was more then Sonic could bare.
Why? He was desperate to know. What had turned his brother into a killer? He wasn't corrupted, Sonic was certain of that, but that's what made it even more frightening. Sukko had done this, in complete control, out of his own choice. Now Sonic was scared, really scared.
Knuckles and Tails were at a loss with him, clueless as to what to do. Knuckles was very upset, cradling his friend. He hated being this helpless.
"Come on, Sonic. Talk to me." He pleaded. He wasn't used to seeing the usually annoying, bouncy, noisy Hedgehog this quiet. He grabbed Sonic by the head, and look into his eyes. They were still streaming with tears, very blank. He sighed. "I wish I knew what was going on in there." He added. Then Tails bolted upright, a huge brainwave hitting him. He grabbed Knuckles.
"There might be a way." He said excited, the first time in days. Knuckles stared.
"What do you mean?" He asked. Tails was panting.
"The Psychic Link!" He exclaimed. Knuckles scoffed, disbelieving.
"That doesn't exist, Tails. It's pure myth." He shrugged. But Tails growled at him.
"No." He spat. "I seen it with my own eyes. Sonic and Sukko have one." He announced. Knuckles eyes widened. Psychic Links between identical twins had been written about in ancient Echidna culture, but was exceptionally rare and very special. Between extremely powerful siblings. It also meant that Sonic and Sukko were genuine. Knuckles stared at Tails.
"What did you have in mind?" He asked, curious. Right now, he'd take anything to improve Sonic's situation. Tails' mind was racing, turning things over in his head.
"I think I can invent a device that can tap into the Psychic Link." He exclaimed. Knuckles stared, confused.
"What?" He asked. "As in, listen in?" He frowned. Tails nodded, and this now peaking Knuckles' curiosity, he picked up Sonic, carrying him in his arms. Tails was going back to the Restoration. Knuckles sighed.
"I'm coming with you." He declared.
There was a queue of people at the Restoration willing to look after Sonic while Tails worked on his device. Knuckles found himself sat at Sukko's bedside. He never had the opportunity to have a good look at Sonic's brother. Several weeks on, and he was still unconscious. But nobody appeared worried, however. Apparently this was normal for the Sorcerer. He was still breathing. He'd be fine, eventually. The likeness to Sonic, however, was uncanny, and Knuckles found himself sighing, rubbing his eyes. Why didn't Sonic tell him? But considering Chaos Sorcery was involved, he knew why? It was illegal, with a death penality involved and there was still every possibility the Mobian Authorities could still come for Sukko, now with Eggman gone.
But Knuckles realised he wasn't alone, someone had been watching them, and quickly vanished, when Knuckles looked round. He asked the Doctor in the Sick Bay, what was going on.
"That's Tangle!" He smiled. "She's been coming here everyday since Sukko arrived." He added, before moving off. Knuckles frowned. Granted, he didn't know the Lemur that well, but why would she have an interest in a Hedgehog? Inter-species relations were not the norm. He sighed and left, only to be immediately collared by Tails.
The device was finished. They went to find Sonic, who was having a cuddling session with Jewel in the Main Control Room, she too visibly upset by Sonic's predicament. She been telling him a story. Tails sat in front of Sonic and switch on the device, and began tuning it, turning the dial. Sonic's eyes were still blank, tearful, and the thumb was still in the mouth. Tails was getting frustrated, nothing was happening.
"Come on, Sonic, say something!" He pleaded, as he tweaked the device still further, then he heard it. Sonic's voice rang out from the device, without him even moving a muscle.
{Why?} He cried. {Why?} He sobbed. There was so much emotion there. They all looked at each other. It was working. Knuckles stared. The Psychic Link was real. They were about to ask Sonic what happened to him, when someone else got there first.
{Hey.} He spat through the device. His voice, hard, strong, and incredibly protective. Sonic's eyes widened as he stared at the device. {Back off.} He growled. They all looked at each other. It was Sukko.
Every time, he'd been knocked out due to Magical drain, both his mind and his body had both fallen unconscious. He'd never been able to separate the two. But this time it was different. His mind had awoken up from the drain, as what he'd believed as normal, he quickly realised it wasn't. He was still in the darkness, but he could feel the Psychic Link, stronger then ever, and seemed to be able to pass his Magic through it. He could feel Sonic on the other end, and his which meant his brother was alive, which in return also meant he was.
He was glad, but he left him wondering how he was doing this. He genuinely didn't know. He definitely knew he'd pushed himself way too far again. Having never been taught Magic, Sukko's own powers would often astonish him, even though he'd never admit it. He'd give the impression that he was always in control even though sometimes that wasn't the case. Was he ascending to a new plane of existence. Was it his time? Sukko was terrified. He wasn't ready. He still had too much unfinished business.
Suddenly, he felt an enormous wave of fear which he immediately recognised, straight down the Psychic Link. Sukko had always been able to feel Sonic's emotions down the Link, but the opposite wasn't true. Sonic had always been to impatient to listen. The fear got to Sukko so badly, it sent him running. He dived down the Psychic Link and into Sonic's mind and saw through his eyes that his brother was in tears. He was too upset to notice him there and about to be interrogated, with some kind of device. He knew why, and as to the device, he quickly realised what it did and knew exactly what to do, to make himself heard. Anger filled him.
{If you want to grill someone one what happened to Eggman, then take it out on me. Leave my brother alone. He did nothing wrong.} He spat. Tails gulped.
"But your still..." He stammered, but was cut across before he could finished the sentence. Sukko huffed.
{Unconscious.} He smirked. {Well, Duh, Sorcerer!} He giggled. Faking the attitude, sounding like his brother. {Normal rules need not apply. Only my body needs to rest, not necessarily my mind.} He smiled, but then sighed. That wasn't entirely true, but he wasn't going to tell them that. But then a second voice came through the device, quiet and severely shaken.
{But you didn't say anything. I didn't know you were there.} He sniffed. Sonic was hanging on Sukko's every word through the device. There was silence. They all looked at each other. Sonic blinked the water out of his eyes.
{Why?} He pleaded. He was so desperate to know. There was so much emotion in his voice through the device. Sukko sighed. At that moment he hated himself. He'd never felt Sonic in such a bad way, and he knew he'd done this. His brother deserved an explanation.
{How far would you be willing to go for someone you love?} He said, ashamed. They all stared, it was not what they were expecting him to say. Then Knuckles suddenly thought.
"Tangle?" He asked. "You love her, don't you?" He smirked. Sukko sighed again, through the device.
{Yes.} He admitted. {But one of the problems of being a Telepath, is that you can accidentally dive a person's mind when you really didn't mean too. You know, heat of the moment.} He admitted. Jewel gasped.
"Sukko!" She squealed, but Sukko cut across her.
{Yes, I know, I know.} He stammered. {But that's was when I learned about her secret.} He said. Tails frowned.
"What secret?" He asked. Jewel sighed and answered before Sukko could.
"I've known Tangle since we were kids, and she's always been a daredevil." She said, as Sukko giggled down the device. Jewel looked at it. "I know. That's why you like her so much." She smiled. "But she is also desperate to be a mother. However, she can't. She was born without a uterus. A womb. She was absolutely devastated when she found she'll never carry a baby." She cried. There was again, silence. Sukko finally broke it.
{She can now!} He said, warmly. They all stared. Sonic removed his thumb out of his mouth, and spoke for the first time in weeks.
"Sukko, what did you do?" He gasped, his voice incredibly cracked. This stunned everyone, but Sukko was pleased to hear his brother speak again, it meant he'd be alright. He sighed.
{Well, I decided she should bare a child, despite the fact that the Power-That-Be had decided otherwise, with her being born barren.} He paused. {So, I broke the Law of Nature.} He huffed. {It is entirely possible to create life using Magic, but the price-tag is a ruthlessly high one. You must take a life, first.} He said, ashamed. Sonic looked up, he want back to the Psychic Link, it was easier then speaking.
{Eggman?!} He exclaimed. But Sukko cut across him.
{Yes. I know. It went against everything I ever taught you. Everything we held dear. But hearing Tangle's mind cry in absolute agony over this, was more then I could bare. I knew, as a Hedgehog, I could never father her child, it would mean breaking the Law of Nature twice, that that was more then I was willing to do. Maybe I could give her the single child of her own kind, a Lemur, and grant her the wish she'd always dreamed. A life for a life.} He sighed. {Once I'd decided this, I knew exactly whose life was going to take, in the hope it was going to be enough.} There was silence. Sukko continued. {I could feel you bringing me back here, as I wasn't completely unconscious, and so when Tangle came to see me, I used my last ounce of energy to transfer Eggman's life-force into her, before I properly passed out.} He giggled. {Typical Tangle, she didn't even notice. Fully healing her, I immediately sensed it had worked.} He grinned. {I would suggest you go and check her over.} He smiled. Jewel immediately squealed and put both her hands over her mouth.
"She's pregnant!" She giggled. Sukko laughed.
{Like I said, I'm not the father.} He sighed. {Call it a gift from a Sorcerer.} He added, but his voice was beginning to fade. Sonic Instantly noticed this.
{Sukko!} He squealed, but Sukko cut across him. He sounded exhausted down the device.
{Sonikku, I'm fine. I'm just tired. My mind needs to sleep. Doing this had been quite draining, but I needed to tell you first.} He sighed. That was entirely true. He still had no idea how he was doing this. Was it because of the Life-For-Life cast? Somehow Sukko doubted it, even though it was the most complicated cast in Chaos Sorcery. Maybe it was that in combination of the Disintegration explosion. In hindsight, ripping that Octopus robot in half with his Telekinesis might have been a better use of his abilities. He was more then powerful enough but the explosion was Sonic's idea, even though he thought otherwise. He sighed. Now he was struggling to stay awake. There was a long pause. {Sonikku, please forgive me!} He added as he voice faded to nothing. Time to head back into the darkness and sleep. He was very tired. He let himself go and vanished. They looked at each other. Sonic grabbed the device.
{Sukko.} He squealed. {SUKKO!} He shouted. No answer. He dropped the device and ran. When the King of Speed moves, he really moves, and was gone in a blink of an eye. He ran across the Restoration to the Sick Bay, to find Sukko, still unconscious in his bed. He hadn't moved. Tangle was by his bedside again, having no idea of what just happened. He takes a deep look at Tangle and grabs Sukko, sitting him up for a deep embrace while still unconscious.
Sonic was still very torn about Sukko killing Eggman, but he didn't do it for himself. Sonic guessed he figured that Sukko had a better use for Eggman's life-force then the Human. But to have such power of life and death, really scared Sonic. Was that too much power for one person? He suspected so, but would he be allowed to keep it, properly not. Sonic also suspected that Sukko was destined to greater things. Sonic's job was here, on Mobius. He was their Hero. But to who was Sukko a Hero too? He didn't know. Right there and then he didn't care. He just wanted his brother back.
{You are forgiven. Sukko.} He cried. By the time the others had caught to Sonic, he was sucking his thumb again. He felt extremely alone, and even though he now wasn't quite so traumatised, he still wasn't quite ready to take on the world just yet. Tails could see this in his eyes, and was relieved he'd be alright. All Sonic needed was time. He'd stop talking again, however was more then happy to talk via the Psychic device. He found that way much easier, and a lot less effort. While Sukko was still alive, the Psychic Link was still active, whether he was asleep or not. It needed both of them to work. Something Tangle found fascinating.
She herself quickly got collared, and admitted to the Sick Bay, to her complete confusion. A long explanation and an ultrasound scan later, found her pregnancy to be true. She was stunned, and absolutely delighted, and placed in a bed next to Sukko, with whom Sonic had stayed. Jewel, Knuckles and Tails were there to. Sonic was sat on the end of Sukko's bed, his knees up to his chest, his thumb to his mouth, watching his brother, obviously listening for anything to indicate he was finally waking up. Tangle grabbed the Psychic device off Tails.
"Hey!" She spoke into it, rather loudly. "Did you know?" She demanded, talking about the pregnancy. Sonic squinted. He didn't know how that device worked but he felt that straight down the Psychic Link and it was rather loud and painful. He sighed, looking at her.
{Tangle!} He said, rather harshly down the device, his voice as clear as anything. It made her drop it. He didn't move a muscle, not even his mouth. {You don't need to do that.} He said. {I can hear you!} He added. Tangle grinned.
"Now that is so cool!" She giggled, and then frowned. "Did you know?" She asked, again. Sonic sighed behind his thumb.
{No.} He replied. {When it comes to this Psychic stuff, Sukko always been a lot better at it then me, and I know he doesn't tell me everything. I just use it to talk, he uses it for far more complicated things.} He sighed. The look on his face clearly said, don't ask, as it was obvious he didn't know. But something was burning Tails, something he was desperate to ask Sonic, ever since they got back to the Restoration and now was a good time considering he was talking again. Well sort of. He was bouncing.
"Sunset City...?" He asked, but Sonic immediately raised an eyebrow, and cut across Tails.
{The switch!} He interjected. Tails nodded. They all did, as the story of the twins swapping places at Sunset City had spread right across the Restoration like wild fire. Then Sonic smiled behind his thumb. {My idea!} He said triumphantly. Tails' eyes widened.
"Whoa!" He exclaimed, but then he frowned. "But how did you know?" He asked, meaning Eggman's plan to turn Sukko. Sonic sighed and looked back at his brother.
{No. I didn't.} He admitted. This was all his brother, again. {Sukko had a hunch that the attack of Sunset City was a trap. But a trap for what? We genuinely didn't know. But he had no proof so he forbid me from telling you. You see, with Intelligence, you don't tell unless your one hundred percent sure.} He sighed. He'd never go against his brother. {So that's when I came up with the idea of swapping places with him, with Silver's help.} He added. Tails gasped.
"Silver!" He exclaimed, but Sonic growled at him, under his breath, to silence him.
{Hey. Don't take it out on him!} He spat. {I can't pretend to be someone with a powerful mental Chaos Power without help.} He smirked. He did have a point. Tails was stunned.
"You absolutely fooled everyone." He sighed, astonished. But Sonic giggled.
{We had no idea if it would work, but that's the power of the Psychic Link for you. So much of it was done on the fly. Totally winging it. Constantly updating each other. Constantly working out our next move. But the end of it, I was mentally exhausted, I don't know how he does it.} He said, indicating Sukko. {As for the end, I had no idea that he'd do that. That why it threw me so badly.} He added, tears beginning to roll down his face. Tails grabs him and hugs him. Sonic let him. He needed it. Tails smiled.
"Sonic, you saved your brother's life." He exclaimed. They all knew that a Sorcerer corrupting was a fate worse then death for them. "And that saved us all." He added, because if Sukko had turned, he would have completely destroyed all of them, including his brother. Sonic was honoured, he never thought of it like that, but he still seemed distant. Tails looked at him.
"But..." He hinted, hoping Sonic would answer, but he didn't. Silence filled the room, as Sonic had had enough of talking. He just couldn't to think about the next part. They still had the Mobian Authorities to deal with. Also the Wisps. They had stayed around to help rebuild, which was a great help, but he didn't know how long they would stay for. As for Eggman, the power of the Psychic Link had saved everyone, it was a power entirely unique to them.
Something they shared.
A lifesaver.