'Reflections'
A fanfic by T. 'RockChick' Evans, this chapter edited by Latifah 27
ThaliaRockChick@aol.com
Author's note:
All characters owned by Sega/ Egmont Fleetway etc, etc…
Actually, Latifah 27 helped out a lot with this fic- she edited this chapter, and in fact her story 'The Banshee Universe' gave me the idea in the first place. Thanks Latif… and 'The Banshee Universe' is an AU of Orin's fanfics, so thanks to her too!
Continuity: This is a Fleetway fic- that is, based on the UK Sonic the Comic- and is set 1 year after the events of issue 184, and before Sonic Adventure 2.
* * * *
Chapter 1- Two Worlds
~ One year ago... ~
It was a simple dilemma, but one that could alter the course of history.
Of course, the Chaos creature didn't know that. All he saw were several irritating animals before him- one of which-- a grey- furred creature, with large and pointed ears-- was in the process of connecting a power cable. The other one was blue and somehow familiar, stirring a faint memory in Chaos' clouded mind. This one had been forced to his knees by Chaos' fear effect, a strange power which allowed him to strike terror into the hearts of his victims.
The question was this: which animal to eliminate first?
The grey one was the closest. A watery fist flashed out, knocking the helpless being aside. The rabbit thudded to the ground, lifeless.
It would have been just as easy to choose the second target. The hedgehog, made vulnerable by terror, would have felt the impact; and before the pain could even register, he would have heard a sickening crack… the sound of bone snapping…
Then there would have been a merciful numbness; and moments later, nothing at all…
But that never happened. Johnny Lightfoot died at the hands of Chaos, while Sonic escaped unscathed.
…In one world, at least…
~ Now ~
Morning, in the Emerald Hill Zone…
In the control tower's bathroom, Sonic finished washing his face, and yawned. Another normal day had begun…
Normal- yeah, right. Like that would ever happen, Sonic thought to himself, grinning. Not now that Robotnik was back in action… the madman seemed to have got over his depression, and was back at it again. So there would probably be more Badniks to fight today, more trouble to sort out.
But first, there would be breakfast.
The blue hedgehog was about to walk out of the room with food on his mind, when he thought about the one empty space at the table.
The grin fell. He had been in a good mood this morning, seeing as his sleep had been undisturbed by the frequent nightmare about… about what had happened the year before. Things were beginning to get back to normal again. But every so often, it would all come back to him… and Sonic would remember that Johnny was gone. Gone forever, and it had been Sonic's fault…
Dull pain shot through the hedgehog's fingers, and he realised suddenly that he was clutching the white enamel sink with all his strength.
Johnny wouldn't have wanted this, he told himself furiously. He had to get a grip on himself… he was Sonic the hedgehog, and he was NOT going to have a nervous breakdown!
He forced his hands to relax, and opened his eyes. The hedgehog caught his reflection in the mirror above the basin.
And jumped back, gasping in shock--
The reflection did not have the usual sleek blue fur and glowing green eyes. Instead, the fur was a bright and almost metallic yellow, and the eyes had neither pupils nor irises- they had been replaced by red swirls of shifting chaotic energy.
Super Sonic?!
Sonic backed away, panicking--
Not that! Anything but that. He hadn't been that stressed! Had he?!
But then Sonic realised that although this was unmistakably Super Sonic, it wasn't 'his' Super Sonic. The image didn't follow his movements, for a start. The yellow hedgehog had in fact moved closer to the mirror, peering into it with a look of total bewilderment.
They could see each other… it was as if the mirror was made of clear glass, a window looking into… something…
Sonic noticed other discrepancies, too- this Super Sonic had his quills combed down, almost like Sonic's own- only a bit more unkempt looking. Plus, there was some kind of gunmetal grey device attached to his chest. Thick cables protruded from the four corners of the small metal box, two passing over his shoulders and two around his waist. Presumably, they met at some point on the hedgehog's back; thus making the contraption look a little like a tiny backpack worn back to front.
Then Sonic blinked, and the apparition was replaced by his own reflection…
The hedgehog hissed, and squinted at the mirror- no, he was still blue, still normal.
Maybe it had been his imagination.
Maybe it hadn't.
Sonic sprinted out of the room…
~
Amy yelled as she was almost run over by the speeding hedgehog.
"Sonic! Watch where you're going!!" She yelled, annoyed and amused at the same time. Amy had long since given up chasing Sonic- he had never returned her apparent feelings, so now they were just friends.
The blue hedgehog barely glanced back over his shoulder in his rush for the front door.
"Sorry, Amy! But I've got to talk to Ebony and Pyjamas, now!"
"Why the rush? What about breakfast?"
He paused by the door, regarding the pink hedgehog gravely.
"I… I can't tell you why, but it's urgent…"
Amy was shocked by the fear in his voice, and could only nod silently. Then Sonic was gone, slamming the door behind him…
* * * *
Meanwhile, in the same place…and yet not…
When the strange reflection appeared in the mirror, Super Sonic had been doing the usual morning chore of sorting his spikes out.
The hedgehog's jagged yellow quills naturally curved upwards… which was fine as far as he was concerned- but Super Sonic was now a full-time Freedom Fighter. He hadn't had much choice, considering Sonic's… condition. But it was Sonic that the people of Mobius wanted to see, he was still their hero; so Super had to try and live up to that image. The new style was his way of saying that he was trying…
Even if it did make him look like Sonic. It wasn't a look he liked much. So imagine his surprise when he looked up to see his counterpart's reflection…
Super Sonic frowned at the mirror, whose image had returned to normal.
What had he just seen? Sonic? But he was at Ebony's. And it was impossible...
Maybe it was a vision… of the future? Or the past?
The amber hedgehog shook his head, smiling a little.
"I'm turning into Pyjamas," he muttered, thinking of his psychic friend; amused at the idea yet still troubled.
What did it all mean?
Maybe it was nothing. His energy -or lack of it- could be doing strange things to him again… hallucinations were a new one, but nothing surprised him anymore.
He did feel a bit drained, but didn't he always? Super Sonic sighed, and checking the watch-like device on his right wrist that monitored his energy level, he found it to be a little low.
He tutted, and pushed a button… the readout on the tiny screen changed, this time showing the status of the energy storage device that he was hooked up to.
The machine, which was attached to his chest, was basically a life support system. Super Sonic had started to run out of energy about a year ago. His body had rapidly aged; and although he had been temporarily recharged during a battle with Perfect Chaos, he had burned out again not long afterwards. It seemed that he just wasn't meant to exist on his own.
So ever since, he had been encumbered by this contraption- which supplied sufficient Chaos energy to keep him alive, and kept his power stable. The problem was, it could only store enough energy to last a day or so.
"Looks like this thing is gonna need recharging again soon," Super Sonic said to himself, slightly irked. He didn't like the idea of spending another few hours wired up to a Chaos Emerald… yes, he would feel better afterwards- but no matter how many times he went through the process, he still worried about what might happen if it went wrong.
Too much energy could be worse than too little… but at least he hadn't flipped out once in the past year.
So, Super Sonic began the journey to the Metropolis Zone. The trip would drain him further, and he could have recharged using the Chaos Emerald kept in the Emerald Hill Zone… but there was one at the Groovy Train coffee shop too, for emergencies. Besides, he needed to see if everything was all right over there after his strange sighting.
* * * *
Some time later, at Ebony's coffee shop in the 'true' STC universe.
"…Pyjamas…?"
Somewhere in Sonic's subconscious, there was a weak response to Pyjamas mind probe. It had taken her a long time to get through the strong mental barriers that Sonic had put up around this corner of his mind.
She winced inwardly; the psychic was not looking forward to this.
"Pyjamas… I… I'm confused… help me…"
"I'm sorry, Super Sonic… I can't," she mentally projected, shuddering. Perhaps it would have been more merciful if he had been destroyed completely, rather than being reduced to this… a trapped ghost, constantly struggling and failing to reconstruct himself…
"Wh… what's happening…?" The mental whisper came again.
"Don't worry, I'm just mind-linking with Sonic," Pyjamas replied, trying to make her mental voice as calm as possible. God, she hated this… "Did anything happen today? Sonic saw you in the mirror."
There was a pause before whatever remained of Super Sonic finally replied, his response hesitant and fragmentary.
"Sonic…? But… I am… no…"
The psychic felt pity towards her old friend. There seemed to be hardly anything left of his individual mind; Super Sonic was barely sentient, and Pyjamas wasn't even sure if he was now anything more than an obscure part of Sonic. He didn't seem to know, either…
"Super Sonic, concentrate. Do you know anything about what happened this morning?" she thought firmly.
"…sorry…Pyjamas…" Sonic's alter ego replied haltingly. "It's… hard to think…"
Pyjamas agreed with a mental nod; Sonic's mind was dominant, and was overriding Super Sonic's. She used her telepathy to gently ease the blue hedgehog into a deeper trance- not too far though, because she didn't want to completely bring down his defences. He might transform if that happened.
"Is that better?" she projected, sensing Super Sonic's presence get a little stronger.
"Yes…" he replied, more confidently. "Thank you… I feel almost like… like myself again."
"I can't hold Sonic back forever," Pyjamas cautioned.
"I understand," he sighed regretfully. "…and I don't know what Sonic saw… but it wasn't me…"
The psychic frowned. Odd.
"I have to go now," she thought. There was a wave of despair from Super Sonic… he didn't want her to leave him there, but he knew she had to. "Super Sonic…?" Pyjamas added.
"…?"
"Don't stop fighting," she told him, trying to give him some hope. "Try to hold on. We'll find a way to help you, I promise." She felt Super Sonic smile in response.
"As long as Sonic lives… I'll still be here…" There was another pause. "Goodbye, Pyjamas…"
Unable to take any more, Pyjamas withdrew from the hedgehog's mind. She rose from her kneeling position, lifting her hands from Sonic's forehead.
The blue hedgehog's blank stare disappeared; then he blinked and shook his head, swaying on his feet a little.
"Uh… what…?" Sonic said groggily, before shaking his head again to clear the cobwebs. "…What'd you just do to me?" The last couple of minutes were a total blank. The hedgehog looked up at the white-haired psychic confusedly.
"While you were out of it, I had a very interesting conversation with Super Sonic," Pyjamas replied. "I had to put you under so your thoughts wouldn't get in the way."
"Wait a minute-- Super Sonic?! How is that possible?" Sonic frowned… wasn't Super Sonic just another part of him now?
"Super Sonic still exists," Pyjamas confirmed. "And he said that whatever happened to you earlier, he had nothing to do with."
"And 'he' told you that himself, did he?" The blue hedgehog asked sceptically.
Pyjamas nodded.
"I don't buy it," continued Sonic. "That image I saw… it had to have been something to do with Super Sonic. Either that, or I'm going crazy."
"Stress?" the Mobian woman offered, puzzled.
"Yeah, it must have been, I guess… ah, well. C'mon Pyjamas, let's get a coffee."
* * * *
At the alternate Ebony's Coffee Shop…
Sonic gasped, eyes widening in shock. Then he looked down.
"It couldn't have been me," he murmured sadly.
Amy placed her hand over his.
"Sonic."
The blue hedgehog hesitantly met her gaze, as his girlfriend bent down and landed a light kiss on his cheek.
"It's all right. It was probably nothing," she reassured him.
Sonic returned her smile, gazing into her deep brown eyes. Then he reached up with his other hand and ran his un-gloved fingers through her pink quiff.
Amy had always been there for him; especially since what had happened last year. Strange that he hadn't realised his feelings before then… but if it hadn't been for her, he didn't know how he could have carried on…
"Thanks, Amy…" he murmured softly.
Super Sonic blushed slightly at the display.
"Eww…" he muttered under his breath, still unable to get used to the idea of Sonic and Amy being together. Yes, he had been Sonic once… but they had both changed so much since then…
"It's probably just because Super needs to recharge." Amy said eventually. She glanced over at the other hedgehog. "Right?"
"Maybe…" he replied uncertainly. "But it seemed so real. Sonic was holding in to the sink, and he seemed so sad… like he was about to burst into tears or something. Then he looked into the mirror- he must have seen me, because he looked terrified."
"Hmm…" Sonic mused. "Are you sure you didn't imagine it? You're under a lot of pressure- after all, being a hero is a tough job. Especially when you're not cut out for it… going against your nature like that, no wonder you're seeing things."
"Sonic!!" Amy hissed.
Super Sonic just shrugged. He had got used to Sonic's occasional jabs about his past, and knew it was only natural.
"Don't worry about it, Amy," the yellow hedgehog said quietly.
Sonic sighed.
"Sorry. It's just that… I wish I could be out there…" he mumbled, again lowering his eyes. Amy squeezed his hand reassuringly.
"You will, Sonic." She whispered. "One day."
Super Sonic knew it was a bad idea to give him false hope, but Sonic had to have something to hold on to. So he chimed in anyway, the words he had uttered so many times before grating on his ears.
"And then I'll race you to the end of the Emerald Hill Zone."
"And I'll beat you," smirked Sonic in reply. The three animals grinned at each other, but there was sadness behind their cheerful exteriors. It would never happen…
Super Sonic wearily got to his feet.
"In the meantime, I need to recharge," he sighed. "My energy is at rock bottom." He started to make his way over to the back room; then stopped dead--
"What the hell--?"
Slightly translucent yet perfectly visible, another Sonic was walking confidently towards him!
The image saw him at the same moment, stopping in its tracks. The blue hedgehog's jaw dropped, and he took a pace backwards…
"Guys? Do you see…?" Super breathed.
Amy nodded, shocked into silence, while the Sonic beside her gasped audibly…
* * * *
-- Sonic saw the vision of Super Sonic walking towards him, moments before he was enveloped by blinding light. There was a sudden sensation of falling, a lurch in his stomach… and then the light was gone--
The blue hedgehog instantly dropped into a fighting stance…something had changed, something indefinable was different about the room around him.
And Super Sonic was still there.
"You?!" the confused Sonic exclaimed. As far as he was concerned, a malevolent demon had suddenly appeared out of nowhere… so he did the most logical thing that came into his mind.
He launched into a spin attack.
Super Sonic saw the attack coming and ducked at, well, supersonic speed. The other Sonic flew over his head and landed on his feet behind the yellow hedgehog.
"Whoa!" Super yelled. "Watch it, pal--"
But Sonic was already coming back for another go.
"I don't know where you came from, creep- or what you're up to, but you're not gonna get away with it!" the blue one snarled.
Super Sonic shook his head and quickly leaped into the air to avoid the spinning Sonic. Landing on top of him, he pinned the lookalike to the ground; holding the furious hedgehog's arms tightly to his sides.
"Let… me… go!!" Sonic fumed, struggling violently but unable to break Super Sonic's grip.
"Not until you tell me what's going on here," countered Sonic's captor.
"I'm not telling you anything, you… you monster!"
"Hey, you're the one who attacked me!"
Sonic twisted his head around to get a better view of the yellow hedgehog.
Hostile green eyes met confused red.
"Huh?" Super Sonic said, noticing something familiar stirring in the emerald depths.
His grip loosened; just a fraction…
Sonic picked up on this; having already detected his alter- ego's ragged breathing, the slight weariness in his voice.
He tensed; and a quick spin later, Super Sonic had been thrown clear across the room… where he crashed into a stack of chairs.
Which promptly fell on top of him.
"Not as tough as you'd like to think…" Sonic smirked, getting to his feet.
Super Sonic grumbled to himself as he fought his way out of the furniture mountain.
"If I wasn't drained of energy, I'd give you something to really think about!" he muttered, that old Sonic temper rising to the surface.
"Eager for more, huh?" Sonic chuckled, gearing up for another spin attack.
However, the attack never came.
"Sonic, stop!!" yelled a disturbingly familiar voice…
Sonic turned around, disbelievingly…
* * * *
"You could've intervened a bit sooner," Super Sonic grumped, walking up to the two figures.
Sonic ignored him, and continued staring in stunned silence.
Amy… she was standing there with a look of total shock on her face. Her hand was clasped affectionately around that of the seated figure, who was…
Was…
"It's … me…" the blue hedgehog breathed, staring at the other Sonic who made no attempt to rise to his feet. This was just too weird…
Like the version of Super Sonic he had just encountered, the hedgehog was similar yet not the same- he looked…older; run-down somehow, and perhaps a little thinner. The greatest change was in his green eyes, which seemed to have lost some of their spark; the hedgehog wore no gloves, and also sported jeans and a white T- shirt… strangely out of character…
"Who the heck are you?!" the two Sonics exclaimed simultaneously. The seated hedgehog was unable to take his eyes off his counterpart, his gaze taking in his effortless, athletic stance…
"Amy… what're you doing here? I left you back at Emerald Hill!" the standing Sonic frowned.
"I don't know what you're talking about- I've been here all morning," she replied.
"Wait a minute, something like this has happened before…" the new Sonic reviewed his memories. "This must be a Mirror Zone!" He had once been to a parallel universe where it was him who had turned evil because of the R.O.C.C accident, not Robotnik. "You guys must be from an alternate reality, where something in the past happened differently to the real Mobius."
"This IS the real Mobius, pal. And I'm the real Sonic!" was the reply.
"Yeah, right!" the other blue hedgehog exclaimed. "This is one messed-up universe. I mean, you're wearing clothes, you're holding hands with Amy…and you're on good terms with--" he gestured at Super Sonic, "--That."
"I have a name, y'know…" Super started, beginning to get annoyed.
"This guy could be a clone or a robot for all we know," Mirror Sonic growled. Super Sonic shook his head.
"If he is, he must be a really good copy. His energy trace is identical to yours," The yellow hedgehog said, showing off an ability to sense Chaos energy that Sonic lacked. "And I'm not sure, but I think--"
Before he was able to continue, a new voice broke in.
"I heard shouting- what's going on?"
Sonic froze- and he could have sworn that his heart briefly stopped---
"It… it can't be… " he murmured. The hedgehog turned around, very slowly. "J…Johnny?"
He looked up at the friend he had seen die a full year ago. The grey rabbit stared back, equally shocked.
"Sonic?!" He gasped. "You… you're--?! But how?"
Sonic felt like he had been hit by a battering ram. He was stunned. In this dimension, Johnny was alive…
…Alive!!
--But if Johnny was here, then…
Sonic turned, meeting the puzzled gaze of his near-identical copy. Who took his hands off the top of the table; moving them to his sides in a disturbingly familiar movement.
Standing beside the rabbit, Sonic watched as Mirror Sonic left the table and approached--
--In his wheelchair…
* * * *
to be continued….
Right… ok. Will this ever be finished? Still not sure. Um… I have writer's block…