Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic or anything else, I just own this story.. Yep.

Author's Note: Dear God.. How long has it been? Someone tell me! I haven't written in an eternity... I'm so sorry guys. My writing has improved.. I think.. Oh well.. Tell me how my story is, alright?

The Path of Choices

Sonic lay on the ground, knees drawn up to his chest, eyes shut tight against the imposing forest surrounding every inch of him. Thoughts and memories raged through his head like a tornado, beating against the inside of his head with increasing force. He gritted his teeth tight, trying to calm down the force of so many memories. Then, suddenly, one by one each memory was ripped from his head, as if an invisible hand was clawing right through his head and grasping each one, ripping them out of his very mind. He screamed out in agony, the scream echoing throughout the dense forest. He raised his hands to his head, clutching at it tightly as if to protect it from the invisible hand ripping each and every memory out of his mind.

This.. It isn't happening..! What's going on... augh... His thoughts were fast, each running through his mind like a lightning bolt, and were grabbed away before he could finish them.

A small growl emitted from Sonic's throat as he clenched his teeth harder. Slowly, he removed his hands from his head and placed them on the ground, pushing himself up. His eyelids began to draw open as he stood up. Every motion took much more willpower than he wanted to give. He began to stagger towards the direction of where he thought the main path was, wincing with each step, trying his hardest to hang on to his memories, to protect them from being stolen by the cold hands that ripped into his very soul and strangled it.

Sonic continued to stagger towards the main path, every fiber of his living being crying out in pain, wishing him to stop, to give in. But he simply would not give in. He clenched his fists and tried his hardest to put up a mental barricade as he continued to live through his memories.

A...Amy! Amy Rose.... She has a crush on me... Known her for a long time... Tails... Miles...Miles....augh... what is it?! Prower...Prower! My best friend... and Knu...Knu.... Dear God, STOP TAKING MY MEMORIES! His mental cry was a force to be reckoned with, a force that battled the ripping tornado already in his head.

Tears built up in the corner of his emerald green eyes, threatening to fall down his face in small streams. He quickly shook his head as he began to increase his pace, trying to shake the tears away, the pain, and the force building inside his head. He cried out in agony once more, the sound bouncing off the trees and returning to his mind, full force, only adding to the mental tornado.

Sonic's breaths came out in short and shallow gasps as he continued to stagger through the forest, trying to find his way to the path which he was told not to wander off of. His bright and shiny emerald green eyes slowly began to fade, his eyelids drooped as his memories continued to ripped from his very being. His pace began to slow to an ambling stagger, his head was hung, his body seemed a lifeless puppet.

All is lost now.... I give in... I can't take it.... His thoughts were a pleading a cry. They cried to the invisible hands to rip his soul from his being so he wouldn't have to endure this pain.

"The path...." came a shallow whisper, a bright bell to Sonic's deaf and lonely ears, "the path isn't too far.. Go, reach it, then you may rest..."

Sonic blinked, his tired and dreary eyes scanning the forest for who might've said those words. But his gaze found no one, and so it returned to the ground. He replayed those words over and over in his mind, the only thing the invisible hands hadn't ripped from his soul yet. As he played around with the words more and more in his mind, the more strength he gained, and once more, he set off at a staggering a walk, and the tornado force beat against his skull once more as the invisible hands continued to rip apart his memories and soul.

That's when Sonic's foot hit a small rock, he went sprawling onto the ground, and the pain suddenly stopped, as if it all had been wiped away by a simple. Sonic lay there, his breaths shallow and short. He slowly began to close his eyes, believing that it was all over, that he was down and out and the invisible hands would take his soul.

In a flash, memories flood his mind. Sonic took in the memories like a freezing person would take in hot chocolate. He accepted each memory lovingly, and each memory brought a piece of his soul back, slowly, but surely completing him once more. Each memorie brought untold warmth to his mind, heart, and soul, and a small smile spread across his lips with each memory.

Amy Rose.... Miles Tails Prower.. Knuckles... Rouge.. Shadow.. I... I remember you all... Thank goodness.. I'm not lost anymore.. I swear it upon my own soul, I will find a way back to you all! His thoughts were firm, and re-assuring to his tired mind.

Slowly, Sonic drifted off into a dreamless sleep, blanketed by the memories of his past and of his friends.

"The path... may you never stray from again, Sonic.." the soft whisper rang out, filling his tired ears with music and bells and comforting as he drifted off to sleep.

Author's note: Whew... how was that? Been forever since I've written.... please Review.... thanks!