Chapter 2
Adjusting
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With his hands behind his head, Sonic slowly opened his eyes, focusing on the empty ceiling and began to think to himself. The bed he was lying on was quite comfortable, but while he was resting luxuriously, others have suffered or have died. How could he possibly just lie here and forget everything that has happened? That explosion…did it possibly wipe out the entire field? Did it destroy everything?
"How did Amy know, and how did she do it to transport me back? Am I…home?"
The light flickered, almost as if it was trying to answer his question, but went right back to normal. He began to feel uncomfortable and insecure, unsure about everything. He hated not knowing what was going on, and even worse hated not being able to help others in need. But right now, there was nothing he could do about it. He was here, nowhere near the underground hideout, apparently, and that bothered him tremendously. But until he has some answers, he was in the Hospital wing, which apparently was just a separate room off of Tails' garage, and just might as well make the best out of it.
"My god. This place looks so much different than I remembered."
"Finally up?" Tails walks into the room with a tray of chilidogs. Sonic cannot help but notice and focuses on them, becoming hungrier by the second. A grin appears on his face, something Tails just couldn't ignore and feel happy for.
(Least that can take my mind off of this, even for a little while…)
"Yeah. Been up for a while, just amazed at the quick renovations. Man, been a long time since I've eaten some of those! Thanks!"
"Quick?" Tails remarked, as he set the tray down. "Well, for you, I guess. Eat up, you need to start eating after today."
Sonic jumps up from the bed almost instantly and begins to literally inhale the numerous hot dogs. Tails can't help but be stunned by how much he could eat, and after a while, began to laugh.
"Whub? Whuds sub fuh– *gulp* – what's so funny?" Sonic asked, with dabs of chili left on the
sides of his mouth.
He stopped laughing and halted to a giggle.
"No, it's nothing really. It's just that I almost forgot how much we use to eat, and you eating like that just reminded me of the past, like how much we use to hang out. Oh, you have some…" He made a gesture, wiping the side of his mouth.
"Oh okay…was about to say." He wiped his mouth with his arm.
Tails then pulled up a chair that was nearby and just watched Sonic contently devour the chilidogs for about a minute.
"PHEW!" He pats his belly. "Those were the most delicious chilidogs I have ever tried! Thank you so much!"
"You're quite welcome. Help yourself; I have plenty more in the kitchen. I'll go get some more."
But as he was getting out of the chair, Sonic grabbed and held his arm. He looked back.
"No, it's fine. I can wait…"
"Oh. Well okay." He sat back down. A few seconds passed by.
"Tails? Can I ask you a few questions?"
"Of course! Ask anything you want. You need to be updated by this time anyways. May I presume that was your first question?"
"Actually, second. My first question is how old are you? You seem to have matured, and your voice changed dramatically."
He gives a soft giggle. "Sure, that's what I've heard. Believe it or not, I'm 15."
"15!?"
"Yup!" He says coolly, placing one hand to his hips.
Sonic eyes him completely. He was about the same size as himself, with a broader, darker look. His fur was now a little bit darker but not by much, and had lost the baby-like cuteness he used to have, like his round belly, and now had a well developed shape. His bangs were longer and spikier, and it seemed as if he purposely colored them a darker brown. And his shoes were no longer his red and white hytops as before; they were red and brown with a lot of golden detail, white padding, and a topaz-like jewel in both his left and right ankle. More noticeably, his tails were now more jagged and rougher. Other than that, everything else seemed just the same.
"Ah, yes, I can see. Telling from your appearance. And speed as well. You kicked major butt back there!"
Tails stopped smiling and looks down at the floor.
"In a good way!"
Sonic pats his back. "No hard
feelings. Where'd you learn to fight
like that?"
He still looked at the floor, but then glanced up after a while.
"You will know, but not now…I'll get to that part later"
"Why not now?"
"Because you've yet to ask the important questions."
"What, and that's not important?"
"Sonic, you're missing the point! Well, for starters, I'm 15 right now. So then how old are you?" He says while doing a hand gesture.
"Fift—no, wait… what!? How old am I then anyways?"
"Well, technically, you're about 22 years old, because I was 8 when you went in that coma. Do the math, it was seven years ago, so I added 7 to your age."
"I'm not that stupid, mind you…" he remarked coldly.
"Besides the point. But because you've been preserved in there so well, your body did not age or decompose. It seems it preserved your mind as well. So you're still 15. So technically I'm the same age you are, only because you've halted in existence. Weird, huh?"
"Too weird for me. That's…very freaky. OK! Next question." He said abruptly.
Tails looks at him, somewhat nervous yet anxious, and Sonic notices.
"Alright, I don't have to ask what I was in. Apparently that thing kept me alive. But what I don't understand is, why was I put there?"
"I was right. You wouldn't know. And you shouldn't. But as a friend, I'll tell you."
"Hey, wait. Before I need to get some popcorn, I have one, uh, one more question I really feel needs to be answered."
"Oh? What?" A worried look appeared in his eyes.
"Uhm, well—has the, no, I can't bring myself to ask."
"Why? Don't hold back on me. I will tell you all I know fully and completely, no matter how much it may hurt."
"Well, you'll think I'm crazy—"
"—er" he muttered, although it was loud enough for Sonic to hear.
"Crazier? Oh god, don't tell me I was a coward here too. PLEASE don't tell me that!" He puts his hand against his forehead.
"Too? What's that
suppose to mean? You haven't been out
of there for 7 years…is this the part where you sound crazy?"
"Why does this feel like dejavu?" He
says with sarcasm.
"Alright, I could understand the 1st time, but at least right now you're kinda acting like yourself."
"I think I know what has happened already."
"Nooo, you don't know anything about—"
"No no no, not on that, but, what had happened to the other Sonic when I came
in."
"Other? Came in?"
"I can ask right now. Had the Sonic you knew seven years ago change?"
"What do you mean?"
"I can remember that long ago, you, Sally, Rotor and I snuck up on one of Eggman's bases to make a sneak attack. The three of you went to your designated spots while I found a different entrance and faced Eggman himself. That's…all I can really remember. Can you fill in the rest of the story?"
"Never mind that for now. Right now you have me concerned about your mentality."
"Oh ha ha."
"No, I'm serious. Are
you feeling alright? Why are you
referring to yourself as two hedgehogs?
You were the same hedgehog all the way through. Although, you did get affected tremendously
after you were hit with Eggman's Laser Beam.
Man that was the scariest night of my life. Oh, wait, I'm the one asking all the questions, I'm so sorry—"
"Go on. Tell the story."
"You sure? Well, alright. But what I'm going to tell you might not be so pleasant. I can stop whenever you want me to."
"Fine. So what happened that night?" Sonic laid back down on the white sheets and made himself comfortable, while Tails sat straight up.
"Okay," he takes a deep breath. "Well, it began like this…"
