Sonic leapt to the top of the root formation and swung out over Amy Rose, Tails and the refugee survivors. He landed on both feet.
"Okay, everyone, listen up!" He stuck two fingers in his mouth and let out a sharp whistle.
Amy Rose and Tails looked up from where they crouched on the ground, their eyes wide. Most of the Mobian survivors were awake now as well and at Sonic's words, several of them sat up.
Sonic crouched down on the branch, resting his arms on his knees. "As some of you know, the name's Sonic. I'm the Ringweilder of Mobia and I was in Aero when everything went to pot. I've known Robotnik for pretty much all my life. As I've heard from some of you already," he motioned towards Fergus and Meryl, "You all have gotten to know him pretty well too. A little too well. Over half of your people are still back at Cloven Drew being kept as slaves. Eventually, they'll be killed or roboticized. Robotnik doesn't want a living Mobian left alive on this planet when he's through with it."
The survivors' gazes were fixed on him. Tears wet the faces of several of them. They must have been crying before he showed up. Arlyn and the two other children crouched behind Meryl, watching.
"And where do we come into all this?" Sonic waved a hand. "Well, so long as we're alive and on this planet, we're kind of ruining his plans, right?"
Fergus chuckled a little. "I suppose that makes sense, hedgehog…"
Sonic lifted his chin. "It's going to take some time to deal with Robotnik. Time that your people can't afford to lose. So what do you all think about getting the rest of your village back?"
Sonic could see the instant surprise on the faces of the Mobians that had just awoken.
A Mobian otter's jaw dropped. He stood up. "You can get the rest of them out of there?"
Sonic nodded hard, his eyes flashing. "I know I can."
They began to whisper. Meryl clasped her hands together in excitement.
"If I get them out," Sonic said. "I can't promise you'll live happily ever after. Until Robotnik is out of the way for good, we're all in danger. I'll be the last to admit it—but even I know just cause I'm the Ringweilder doesn't mean I can waltz up to a mecha-human buried in a high security metal city and take him out." He smirked, cocking his head. "But I sure am more than ready to knock around some combots and bust up a couple cages."
They looked at each other, and several began to get to their feet and stand with the otter. "When can we go?" They began to ask. "What can we do to help?" "Why are you helping us?"
The others smiled, even the ones who were still crying.
Sonic held up a hand. "Chill! Now, if we're gonna do this, I need to know where your village is—where the pump is in the village and the cell tower and anything else big. I'll get more rings tonight. Any of you know how to use a shield ring?"
The otter raised his hand. A few others did as well.
Sonic crossed his arms. "I need people to lead the prisoners safely out of the village once I let them loose. We don't want any stampedes or routs, so you guys can keep them calm. Amy Rose will keep the combots back from you."
Amy clasped her hammer handle in excitement, her eyes lighting up.
"The rest of you guys'll stick close to the village, but stay back. If I have enough, I'll leave rings with you in case something goes wrong." He pretended to dust his gloves. "Which nothing will. But anyway. When we're done, we'll take you to the nearest sea port. After that…you'll have to manage the crossing part on your own." He glanced at Tails, at Amy, both smiling at him. "Me and my gang here, we're going to be sticking as close to the action for as long as we can."
Amy Rose covered her mouth. She began bouncing on her toes. Tails smirked at Sonic.
The survivors hesitated. They were still shock.
Then several began to clap.
Meryl let out a long cheer. "See, I told you he would help," Meryl said to Fergus and the Mobian next to her.
Sonic waved a hand for silence. The cheers died down.
"All right…" Sonic hesitated, as if trying to find the right words. "We've still got some time before heading out, and I…I know some of have just found out that someone you loved didn't make it through the attack…they're back there, in the clearing. They've been covered, but they still need a marker. Take some time to remember them and give them a goodbye, okay?"
The survivors nodded, sobered. One covered her face to muffle tears, several others bowed their heads.
"And that's almost all." Sonic jumped down from the root. He landed in a crouch, then stood back to his feet, his green eyes still bright.
They watched him as he walked to them. He was now shorter than most of them. But that didn't keep him from looking up straight into the eyes of each Mobian there, no matter how young or old.
"Someday, one way or another," Sonic said. "Things are going to be okay again. Everything wrong is going to be fixed—that's what's been written into our planet and our universe and every other dimension out there. We've—we've got hope."
They listened.
"Don't get me wrong," he continued. "Things aren't going to just get better. You may have to keep saying goodbye to people you love. But you know what they say-pain means you are still alive. And as long as we are alive, we cannot give up and lay down and surrender to this thing. That would just be wrong." He fisted his hands. "Try to live like that, wherever you travel to. Okay?"
They nodded. All the elders and adults and children. Tails and Amy Rose. All of them listening to the single teenage blue hedgehog in red sneakers.
"Okay." he finished. He bowed to them, and glanced at Tails and Amy, "Let's get going."
The two of them stepped forward at once. Tails lifted his tails behind him in salute and Amy Rose hefted her hammer to her shoulder with a smile.
Sonic began to turn on his heel—
"Hey, Ringweilder!" the otter said.
Sonic looked back at the Mobian.
The otter nodded. "You might end up with some of us that don't need to cross the ocean just yet." His eyes flash. "You're going to need some extra man power in the battles ahead. Commander."
Sonic's eyebrows raised at the title. He grinned for a moment, then waved a hand with a smirk. "I'm already the Ringweilder and the fastest thing alive on this planet, y'know. Just 'Hedgehog' will do."
