Hello again! Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Five reviews for one chapter!?! That has never happened to me before. I also have a finished Sonic story already posted, if you want to check it out. Now, on with the next chapter.

Chapter 2

Sonic had followed the flying robot all the way to Grand Metropolis, or at least what used to be Grand Metropolis.

Sonic read the sign at the entrance of the city, "What's this? 'Welcome to Eggtopia, capital of the Eggman Empire'. THE WHAT!?!" Sonic couldn't believe what he just read, "I'm out of it for two seconds and Eggman conquers the world? I got to see this for myself."

Sonic ran into the city, but he didn't notice a small robot looking at him from an alleyway. The robot looked like an eyeball on wheels, "Master Eggman will never believe this!"

Sonic used his speed to run up the side of the first tall building he saw. Once he reached the top, he balanced himself on top of a flagpole as he surveyed the area. I looked like the entire city had been replaced by factories, pouring thick black smoke into the air. Sonic then noticed that the Power Plant had been replaced with a giant 100 story building that looked like Eggman from the waist up.

Sonic was even more lost than before. "How did all this happen? Maybe I'll find some answers at that ugly building." Sonic quickly ran down the side of the building and took off toward the Eggman building. Sonic hadn't gotten far when he heard a familiar voice. "HELP!"

Sonic screeched to a halt as he recognized the voice, "That sounds like Tails!" He quickly took off in the direction of the voice.

Then Sonic saw Tails running from a floating robot. The robot didn't have any legs, but it had long arms with claws on the ends. It had a round body and was no bigger than Sonic. Suddenly, the robot's head came off and started to float toward the still running Tails. The robot's head emitted a strange beam from its bottom as soon as it was over Tails, which paralyzed Tails' feet so that he couldn't move.

"Hey, let me go!" Tails shouted as he tried to move his feet. He then looked behind himself to see that the robot was charging toward him. Suddenly, a blue blur came out of nowhere and smashed the robot into pieces, causing it's head to deactivate and release it's grip on the two tailed fox. Tails then stood there shocked as the smoke cleared to reveal a blue hedgehog standing with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"That's one more for the junk pile." Sonic laughed at his own joke. Then he noticed that Tails was wearing glasses, and that he had bandages on both his tails. This worried Sonic, "What happened to your tails, little buddy?"

Tails just stood there, in complete shock at seeing his hero, "Is it really you, Sonic?"

"Of course it's me. What's going on around here, Tails?"

Tails had tears in his eyes, as he ran over and hugged Sonic. "It's really you! I've missed you so much, Sonic!"

Sonic was a little surprised by this, "What are you talking about? I just saw you like, twenty minutes ago." He then held Tails at arms length. "Now tell me what's going on around here!"

Just then two more floating robots appeared behind them. "On second thought, tell me later." Sonic then grabbed Tails by the arm and took off as fast as he could.

When he was sure they had lost them, Sonic stopped and turned to Tails. "Now, why don't you tell me what's going on around here. How come you're so happy to see me?"

Tails was a little confused, "Why do you think? I thought you were dead, Sonic."

"WHAT!?!" Sonic couldn't believe what he heard.

"Don't you remember our final battle on ARK? You and Shadow fell into the earth's atmosphere and died."

'That's not right,' Sonic thought 'Shadow's the only one who fell from ARK.'

"We can't hang around here." Tails said as he walked off, "Eggman's robots are everywhere. I'll take you back to the hideout."

As Sonic began to follow Tails he decided to ask again, "What happened to your tails?"

"Oh that?" Tails answered, "That happened a while ago. One of Eggman's robots got me, and I haven't been able to fly since."

Sonic was shocked. 'I'm beginning to think that I'm not home anymore.'

Meanwhile in the highest room of the Eggman building, the small robot who spotted Sonic was approaching a man in a giant chair.

"Excuse me, Master."

The chair turned to reveal that it was Eggman sitting there at his control consol. "Optical, what are you doing here? You should be out there searching the city for any traces of those rebels."

Optical bowed before him, "My apologies, doctor. But I had to tell you something. I think that I spotted someone coming into the city, and it looked like Sonic the Hedgehog." Optical then braced himself for the tantrum that his master would surely have, but to his surprise Eggman started laughing.

"You call that news?," Eggman chuckled, "I already received a report from two Egg Keepers that Sonic helped to free that annoying fox boy. It's no surprise to me that Sonic is back. I never expected a little thing like death to stop someone like him. Besides, this time I'm the ruler of this planet, and that little rodent is nothing. Ha ha ha ha!!"

Tails was now leading Sonic through the sewer systems under Eggtopia. Sonic looked around, "Nice place here, Tails."

Tails knew that Sonic was being sarcastic, "Well, things haven't been so good since you've been gone."

"I figured that much out already. It's the details that are a little unclear for me."

"Well, after we returned from ARK, the president had a memorial service for you and Shadow declaring you as heroes. As you can probably guess, Eggman took full advantage of you being gone. After taking out Capital City and the president, it wasn't long before he was in control of the entire planet. Only a few survivors remain, and a couple of use who are still trying to beat Eggman. We took refuge here in the sewers."

"Hasn't Egghead thought of searching the sewers for you?"

"Of course he has, and that's why I made this." Tails stopped walking and pulled a pipe on the wall like a lever. Suddenly, part of the wall opened to reveal a secret staircase going down. Tails smiled, "What better place to hide from Eggman than under his own city?"

Tails lead Sonic down the stairs and they came to a long hallway. As they neared the end, Sonic thought he heard voices.

First he heard a female voice, "I don't know why your getting so upset."

The second was a male voice, "Why do you think I'm upset?"

Sonic looked around the corner and saw that he was right, it was Knuckles and Rouge, but they looked a little different. Knuckles didn't have on sneakers, he had on brown boots and a hat that made him look like Indiana Jones. Rouge wore a black leather suit, which Sonic figured was to help her sneak around in shadows. She also had a black eye patch over her right eye.

Rouge continued to argue with Knuckles, "I don't blame Tails for going. I'd do the same thing if I was him."

Knuckles grunted, "I just don't want anyone else getting hurt. He should have waited for more of us to go with him, instead of running off without a plan."

Tails turned to Sonic, "Wait here a second, Sonic." Sonic nodded.

Rouge put her hands on her hips, "Tails is the last person who would run off without at least having a plan."

"Actually, that's exactly what I did."

Knuckles and Rouge turned around to see Tails standing there with a very guilty look on his face. Knuckles walked over to Tails and crossed his arms, "Well, at least you didn't get yourself caught."

Tails looked at Knuckles with a smile on his face, "Actually, I did, and your never going to believe who saved me."

Figuring that was his cue, Sonic came out of the hallway so that Knuckles and Rouge could see him. "Hey, guys. What's up?"

Rouge was the first one to react, "I can't believe it! Is that really you, Sonic?"

"Last time I checked."

Rouge walked over to Sonic and gave him a big hug. 'Talk about deja vu.' Sonic thought. Then Sonic looked at Knuckles, who was still standing there with a frown on his face.

Sonic laughed, "I hope you're not planning on hugging me too."

Knuckles turned and motioned for Tails to follow him, then looked at Sonic again. "Excuse us, 'Sonic', but I need to talk with Tails about something."

Knuckles and Tails walked away until there were out of hearing range. Knuckles looked at Tails with a little anger, "Are you crazy? Why did you bring him here?"

Tails couldn't believe what he was hearing, "What are you talking about?"

"I know you don't want to hear this, but that can't possibly be the real Sonic. You know as well as I do that Sonic is dead. Your letting your feelings cloud your judgement. That's probably one of Doctor Eggman's robots in disguise."

"But..." Tails looked back at Sonic talking with Rouge.

Knuckles put a hand on Tails' shoulder, "I miss Sonic too, but you know that can't really be him."

Tails looked at Knuckles with determination in his eyes, "I know Sonic better than anyone, and I know that's him. But I understand what your saying, Knuckles. I'll get him to let me take a bio-scan, to prove that he's the real Sonic."

Knuckles was hesitant, but he knew there was no point in arguing with Tails, "Alright, but if he's a fake we'll destroy him, regardless of what he looks like."

A/N: I guess you can't blame Knuckles for being suspicious. Anyone who's been tricked by Eggman as many times as he has, is sure to be a little cautious. As always, send me a review to let me know what you thought, and to motivate me to continue.