William and Sally talked while Sonic rubbed his chest. That thing hit like a truck, no a train. He was sore all around, feeling exhausted. He felt something soft rub up against his chest. Sonic saw Tails using his little appendages to feel Sonic's chest. He was grateful, as Tails using his hands would probably hurt a lot.

Tails looked at Sonic sympathetically, "I'm sorry I didn't help you."

Sonic shook his head, and winced as the pain in his chest flared up, "Don't be. I didn't expect you to do anything against that thing. I barely did anything."

Tails' smile faltered a little as he nodded, "Yeah… He was pretty big."

Sonic looked at Amy, who was exhausted, she rubbed up and down her stomach. Sonic smiled, and patted her head, "You did amazing." Sonic smiled at her.

Amy shook herself, and woke up, seemingly energized by his compliment, "You really think so?"

Sonic scratched his head, this was going to get pushy, "Yeah… Of course. You really saved us a couple times."

"And you saved me." Amy jumped, so energetic, until she clutched her stomach, which was probably bruised. The Armored dress had at least protected her from cuts.

Sonic saw a few nasty gashed in his own chest. For some reason, that beast really seemed to hate him. It focused on him that whole fight according to Sally.

Speaking of which. She approached, with William in toe. Sonic was a little… uncomfortable. She had issued a kill order, without any thought… no that wasn't her style. She probably thought about it enough, but still…

Sally looked concerned at Sonic, "How are you doing?" She looked so concerned.

"How are you?" Sonic countered, with a pained smile.

She returned his smile, "I'll live. A little roughed up, but I'll get through." Her outfit was cut up around the stomach and chest, but it still maintained decency.

Sonic nodded, "I'll be fine. A little sore, but like you said, I'll live."

William cleared his throat, "So, the monster is gone now. You have my thanks."

Sonic tensed up, and Sally did as well. Now that the monster was gone, the two groups were technically enemies.

Sonic saw Legionnaires moving in.

William suddenly raised a hand, and They stopped. "Now get out of here." He groaned, and began to walk back towards the facility.

Sonic blinked, "Wait, what?"

"You aren't going to try and capture us?" Sally asked, with her fists balled, ready to fight if need be.

William turned around, "I said it before. If the Doctor wants you gone, he can deal with you himself. I'm here to keep our chapters safe. So far, that has little to do with you." With that he walked back.

Sonic and Sally looked at each other, and let out a sigh of relief. They were exhausted, and to keep fighting would have been possible, but difficult.

They walked slowly back to the train station. It took an hour, and by the end, they all climbed in the train, and slumped down on the walls.

Sonic felt Sally against his chest, perhaps hurting a little, but resting peacefully. Gosh, he was so happy she alive and safe. Even if he wasn't sure he still loved her… He cared about her.

Sonic closed his eyes, his heart rate slowing down. It was over… right? Sonic was exhausted, for the first time in a while. His body was sore and moving stung. Sleep sounded really good.

"Hey." Sally's voice roused Sonic right as he was entering the twilight between being asleep and awake.

Sonic grunted to let her know he was listening. That was all he could do.

Sally's head moved up to under his neck, her breath tickling his shoulder, "Thank you for saving me back there. I know we haven't been… great lately… but I do care about you. And you seem to care about me."

"I do care." Sonic reaffirmed, "I don't know where I'd be without you. I'm just…" Sonic wasn't sure how to put it.

Sally caught on, "I know." Sonic wished his eye lids didn't weigh five tons that moment. He wanted to look around, and check on everyone. He swung his arm limply, and whacked something fuzzy.

"Ow." Tails's voice came with a yelp. Sonic's hand fell down and realized he was rubbing Tails' back. Tails grabbed the hand and came in close, wrapping Sonic's arms around his little body. "Sleepy time." Tails muttered.

Sonic felt a weight fall on his chest, and Amy repeated, "Sleepy time indeed." He felt her lowered quills flatten on his chest. Thankfully, they weren't sharp or pointed, so Sonic was sparred that pain. At least could finally sleep now.

"Rotor… You've been quiet…. Are you ok?" Sally asked, her voice laced with drowsy concern.

There was silence. Sonic tried to force his eyes open, but all he was greeted with was the blackness of his eyelids.

Rotor's voice allowed Sonic to rest easy, almost, "He killed them. Not like some primal beast, no he killed out pure hatred. My mother, My dad, my brother… all gone."

Tails shifted under Sonic's arm, " He hated Sonic a lot."

I guess I have a punchable face Sonic tried to say, instead it came out as, "hhhnnnn Punchable."

"Yeah, you are." Amy teased.

"He was interested in my tails. I guess he's never seen a freak before." Tails muttered.

Sonic mustered all of the strength he could to pull Tails closer, "Not freak. Just weird. You're perfect." Sonic muttered. Silence ensured, and Sonic felt the low hums of two body next to him. Tails and Amy seemed to be asleep.

Sonic felt a breath get close to him… Really close. Sally's breath was right over his lips. Was she going to kiss him? He wasn't sure he was ready for that. He wanted distance. Still… her breath drew closer.

Then she stopped. Her breath pulled away, and he felt her head go back under his neck. Sonic wasn't sure how to feel. Did he want her to kiss him? He didn't think so.

He was to tired to ponder, so as the train picked up speed, he simply laid there, listening to the hum of his friends and the wheels, ever turning.

/*-*/

What was there to do? Fiona simply walked back and forth in the darkness of her room. Was she actually missing that blue Pincushion's conversation? No, she was missing conversation in general.

She was in a room with nothing but a bed, a toilet, two vents and a clear doorway. She didn't even get the bars of stereotypical prisons.

Fiona groaned, pacing back and forth. Her legs finally got tired of pacing, and Fiona simply sat down on her bed. What to do?

Fiona decided to use her imagination. Nothing else to do, and as childish as it seemed… she might find a brief point of happiness that wasn't from revenge. Fiona closed her eyes.

The Little Fox girl shrieked as the volts increased. Her hair felt like it was burning, her eyes were watering. Then the volts stopped

The Fat man with red a black eyes loomed over her, "HRR" He growled, "Snively… why isn't she a robot?"

The balded short creature that would be called a man replied, "W-w-well s-sir, it seem the roboticizer is-well is- um, malfunctioning."

"My-my Snively… How perceptive…" Robotnik mocked, walking towards the short, cowering man.

"T-thank you sir." Snively muttered, making the mistake of smiling.

Robotnik reached down swiftly and picked up Snively by his throat, the gags being suppressed out of fear, "I Know it's malfunctioning you worthless imbecile! WHY IS IT MALFUNCTIONING?"

Snively gawked before shaking his head, "I-I-I-I'm sure it's just a piston sir. We can fix it right away."

Robotnik eased his grip, chuckling menacingly, causing the little fox girl to close her eyes, "You'd better, or the next thing I put under that piston will be YOUR HEAD." With that shout, the girl head a crash, and saw Snively lying on the ground.

The little fox girl yelped, as Robotnik came to look her in the eyes. He seemed to be speaking, but not to her directly, "It's bad enough I have that I have to tolerate those insufferable… what were they called again?" He looked down at his hand, which was made of metal, and almost entirely mechanical.

Robotnik reached out forced her to look at him. The little fox girl trembled as He growled, "What are your little friends called again?"

That helpless little girl trembled. She didn't know, and if she did, she would tell him.

"ANSWER ME YOU INSUF-" As Robotnik raised a fist, the Fox trembled, and closed her eyes.

"Hey Butnik, It's not nice to hit a lady." A voice called out.

The little fox girl opened her eyes, and saw a Blue hedgehog mobian, sitting on a control panel. So confident, so free.

Robotnik's blood rose to his face, "GET THAT HEDGEHOG!"

"COME ON, This again?" The hedgehog taunted, "You got to come up a new line." The hedgehog bolted around the room with such a speed, it would have been thought impossible. It was beautiful, to see him move, so powerful, so graceful.

The Armored swatbots were dispatched with such ease. Robotnik, was defeat, even as he attempted to punch the spiky invader.

"The name's Sonic. Who are you?" He asked, reclining against Robotnik's panting form.

As the fox opened her mouth, the doors burst open, revealing more Armored swatbots.

The hedgehog shook himself, and actually looked nervously at her, "I'll be back for you. I promise."

Sonic ran out the door.

Robotnik rose, panting, growling and foaming, "Get her out of here. Back to her cell."

The fox girl was unbound, and dragged to a cell near an armadillo and a flying squirrel, who were talking about bullying someone, probably to pass the time.

Fiona opened her eyes. That feeling of betrayal returning. He never came back for her. He came back for Mighty and Ray, but the only one who saved Fiona was herself.

Fiona realized just how much fun those days in that prison had been. At least there, things happened. Maybe painfully, but things still happened, and it wasn't monotonous.

Fiona just sat there as food was delivered. She wondered what was taking Scourge so long. He was coming back for her. She knew he was. He had to.

So she sat there and waited. Looking at the ceiling. She slept soundly. One of the good things about the Kingdom Of Acorn was how uptight people were about rules and being "better" than their enemies.

Fiona Woke up, the dark cell still being empty and isolated.

The doorway opened, and the guard placed the food tray on the floor. Fiona dug in. Chili and crackers. It wasn't bad.

Of course, something was coming to make it worse. She dared to raise her eyes, and saw the blue hedgehog, his chest bandaged up. The way he walked told Fiona that he was still hurting.

Sonic spoke first, "Hey…Fiona?"

"What." She muttered. She'd take that snobby princess over him.

Sonic just shrugged, "I guess I was just coming to say hi. I'm guessing you got lonely. This place isn't exactly crowded."

"Did your princess get bored of you?" Fiona taunted. If she was right, then he was suffering, which was great.

"Actually…she and I are taking a break." Sonic muttered, glumly. Fiona snorted. He was finally having trouble in his life.

"Did she get tired of your stupidity, or did she find someone clearly better than you. Maybe the coyote." Fiona smirked.

"Actually, she wants to get back together." Sonic muttered, "I don't trust her though.. I've giv-"

Fiona recoiled, trying to recover from what she just heard, "What? Wait-wait-wait, you don't trust her, but you trust me enough to talk about it? Gosh you are such a hypocrite."

Sonic flinched, "What did I do to get you to hate me so much? I can't find a reason why you seem to loathe me with this passion that just won't leave you." His teeth were grit, and his eyes were panicked.

Fiona blinked. He really didn't know. "Alright you want to know?"

Sonic threw his hands out, "Please!"

Fiona smiled, "I stayed in Robotnik's prison for…weeks. I was tortured, but you promised you'd come back for me. You probably don't remember, being you and all. But you came back for Mighty. You came back for Ray, but you never came back for me."

Sonic flinched again, and his hands took on a light defensive gesture, "I'm sorry, ok. I thought you forgave me. I didn-"

"Of course you didn't! No one ever does. You couldn't save me, You couldn't save my family. But hot damn if the princess was ever in trouble. You'd move mountains and part seas for her." Fiona barked, "So I decided I was going to hurt you with all of the betray you hurt me with."

Sonic frowned, "So that's why you went with Scourge. To get back at me?"

Fiona smiled, and pointed a finger at him, "Now you're catching on. I'd make you think everything was fine, just like you convinced me in that prison. Then I'd rip you appart by going to the closest thing to you, and let you suffer."

Sonic nodded, seeming to understand, "Ok… I get it. You hate me."

Fiona went back to eating her meal.

Sonic jumped in, "But please understand… I didn't want you to get hurt. I didn't mean to not get to your family in time. I'm sorry."

She felt the wind shift to prove his presence was gone. She'd heard it all before.

/*-*/

Johan slumped in the small cave he had dug out. He was in pain. That pain was a weakness. It superseded its purpose as an alert of damage, and had become a crippling hinderance.

Johan raised his claws over his arm, and hesitated. NO! No time for hesitation, no time for weakness.

Johan stood before the Gesithas, who were lined up and lashed. Their faces were not panicked, except for two.

He marched in front of them, "Why are you afraid."

"I just do not wish to endure pointless pain." Spoke one.

"This pain is not pointless. It is essential. Once pain becomes instinct, you are already dead. Instead, it should only serve to warn you of damage sustained." Johan growled, and the hook whip tore into their back.

Johan turned back, to see his nephew, ever so confused and disturbed.

Johan smiled, "Odacer, understand that these men will thank me for this later. They will have experienced great pain, so they will no longer freeze from cuts or stabs. They will decisive and victorious."

He plunged the claws into his arm, roaring, through the small burrow.

A squeak let him know he wasn't alone. The small Rabbit's head appeared, carrying cloth and a strange bottle.

Johan snarled, baring his fangs.

She yelped back, and brought her soft fingers against his face. She attempted to slap him. She growled something, which Johan obviously did not understand. He was still in shock that this child was here.

She opened the bottle, and began to rub an oil on his wounds. A type of treatment, he assumed, as there were easier ways of poisoning him.

Still, this was probably a first time for her, as she rubbed upward, causing Johan to grit and snarl. He needed to take control. He couldn't speak their language, but he knew a universal communication.

As she began to push her hand upward, he snapped at her arm, and she raised it in an attempt to get out of reach. Johan stopped, and returned to a resting state.

She lower her arm slowly onto his shoulder. Better.

Johan would kill her later, once his wounds were healed and his strength restored. He had decided this… but life was funny.

/*-*/

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